What is the compounding effect of having music, video, notifications, pings, and dings filling our eyes and ears all day and night? Booth Business School at the University of Chicago conducted a study and found that checking email and social media is more addictive – MORE addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. in this message, we dig into what the Bible can teach us about hearing God's voice in a noisy world.

The Delay - Jared Thurmon

Do you want to be healed? Ray Hartwell

Why has Jesus not come back? Abe Sendros

Message by Ernest Staats

The Stockdale Paradox

Pastor Ignacio Chaviano

Dylan Wagoner speaks on Proverbs 18: 24. "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Jim & Michelle Warman's Testimony!

Keith Detweiler

Ernest Staats

Dee Casper

Solomon wrote that to everything there is a time…to everything there is a season. In life we have seasons, seasons to do something special, seasons to mourn, seasons to celebrate. I think it’s key we remember this as life comes and life goes and to learn to celebrate every season for its beauty.

It’s easy to take God and Religion at face value and just get into a groove and go through the motions. But what happens when we confront God with something we are passionate about and grab hold of Him and plead for a blessing? Does He wrestle with us or walk away? Can we hold him accountable for what He has promised or is it possible His opinions of humanity have changed?

Perhaps like never before the very definition of freedom is under attack in the world and especially in the land of the free. Who defines freedom? What will be its fate?

Long days, fireflies, popsicles, splashes, watermelon, suntans, and laughter. Summer brings so many fun things. Is there still hope of an endless summer in our future…one that never stops?

Think back for a minute. There was a day 50 years ago when dad’s were respected, appreciated, honored and loved. Then something happened. Then it seemed like every new show, movie or ad was somehow making dads look dumb, out of touch and not needed. Did something change… or is there an agenda somewhere hijacking the narrative?

We are told by God that His temple is to be a place of prayer. Is that still true today? Is is still true for all people?

Come all the way out of her my people is a warning message found in the book of Revelation chapter 11 where there is a symbolic Sodom and Egypt. The message is clear - there is a people that will come out of Babylon. Will Bible believing Protestants in the United States also have to come out of mystical Sodom and Egypt?

Many talk about the law of God as something restrictive. For many it has been preached that way as a law of bondage. But within a free society, you have to have laws that govern peace and allow for freedom. The Law of Heaven before the earth was based on one idea - No Being is to Live Selfishly. This allowed for ultimate freedom and if we live by this today, freedom can continue.

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see” – Mark Twain - There is perhaps no love language greater than kindness. The story of Abigail shows us the power of kindness that changed the course of history. Kindness still today has the power to change the world. But how to become kind - thats the real lesson.

The great sin of Christian history was outsourcing truth to the experts. The Protestant Reformation brought the power back to the individual to discern what is true for themselves. In a large sense, finding the truth in your life is done by learning how to read and understand the Bible for yourself.

Could the veil be withdrawn and father and mother see as God sees the work of the day, and see how His infinite eye compares the work of the one with that of the other, they would be astonished at the heavenly revelation. The father would view his labors in a more modest light, while the mother would have new courage and energy to pursue her labor with wisdom, perseverance, and patience. Now she knows its value. While the father has been dealing with the things which must perish and pass away, the mother has been dealing with developing minds and character, working not only for time but for eternity. [6]The Signs of the Times, September 13, 1877. –

What is Prayer? - Prayer is the Soul of Religion Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.

The golden question - but what leads someone to ask that question? There are events that precede someone asking this question. What do they have to be exposed to? Are people still asking this question in the world today?

Where is Jesus?--------Easter Stats: 8 in 10 Americans will celebrate this weekend  #1 Christian Holiday – 1 out of 3 people on earth celebrate this holiday  Resurrection of Jesus often celebrated Thursday night (Friday) Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. DA 753.2Jesus’ objective was to reconcile the prerogatives of Justice and Mercy, and let each stand separate in its dignity, yet united. Through Christ, Justice is enabled to forgive without sacrificing one not of its exalted holiness.                       In many eyes in Israel 2000 years ago and echoing through time still today, Justice and Mercy stood apart, in opposition to each other, separated by a wide gulf. The Lord the Redeemer of all the earth - clothed His divinity with humanity, and lived out on behalf of mankind a character that was without spot or blemish.  Jesus planted His cross midway between heaven and earth, and made it the object of attraction which reached both ways, drawing both Justice and Mercy across the gulf.  Justice moved from its exalted throne, and with all the armies of heaven approached the cross. There it saw One equal with God bearing the penalty for all injustice and sin. With perfect satisfaction Justice bowed in reverence at the cross, saying, it is enough. 7BC 935-936Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10 Jesus died on what many today call Good Friday  Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christ's brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin. The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken. DA 761.2 Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. We must choose whom we will serve. DA 761.3 John 20:11-18 – Mary and Jesus  Emmaus – Luke 24 – Where is Jesus?  5 Great Yet Forgotten Truths – The 5 Lost teachings of Christianity were validated on this weekend 2000 years ago: Spirit of Prophecy – Sabbath – State of the DeadSecond Coming – Sanctuary Symbolism Prophecy: Daniel 9:24 – Anoint the Most Holy – 70 prophetic weeks – 490 years given to Israel to accomplish a few things – 9:26 – the Messiah will be cut off…Vs. 27 – in the midst of this 7 year period the Messiah will die. 3.5 years of ministry of Jesus. I tell you these things before hand… Sabbath – He could have died and been resurrected on Saturday… State of the Dead – His words to Mary were very clear – He had not ascended to the Father. His words to the thief were not a lie – Today you shall be with me in paradise Second Coming– Acts 1:11 – Same Two Angels – same two at the grave, same two that had been with Jesus throughout his life… “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” John 14:3 - I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. But where is Jesus today? Why the delay?  Sanctuary - Hebrews 8:8 Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven.2 There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle,[a]the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.3 And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too.….. (Earthly Priests) serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”[b]6 But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.7 If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.Daniel had another prophecy – The Angel showed him in Daniel 8:14 – that in the Fall of 1844 – 2300 days into the future from Daniel’s day that Jesus would finally transition to the last stage in the controversy between good and evil – into the Most Holy Place – the antitypical day of atonement  A special day – a solemn day – Cleansing by the High Priest… A day of judging in favor of the saints Hebrews 9 - 9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them.Hebrews 9:11-1311 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come.[e]He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity.14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds[f]so that we can worship the living God. Hebrews 9:23 – 23 ….the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal.26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age[k]to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Jesus says in the Revelation – Behold I come and my reward is with me …I will never leave you…I will be with you until the end.(At any moment in this controversy) - God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power. DA 759.1It was God's purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security, and in the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government. He had claimed that these were superior to God's principles. Time was given for the working of Satan's principles, that they might be seen by the heavenly universe. DA 759.2 As the “whole creation groans and travails in pain together” (Romans 8:26, 22), the heart of the infinite Father is pained in sympathy. Our world is a vast house of disease and sickness, a scene of misery that we dare not allow even our thoughts to dwell upon. If we realized it as it is, the burden would be too terrible. Yet God feels it all. In order to destroy sin and its results He gave His best Beloved, and He has put it in our power, through co-operation with Him, to bring this scene of misery to an end.If the Love of Jesus, the Life of Jesus, the New Life in Jesus is attractive to you and you have a desire to show that kind of love to others… will you stand with me this morning? 

Once we conclude that God is all-powerful and yet a friend who walks with us, we slowly but surely have this experience where our confidence in God increases. When this happens, like with a good friend, we desire input and even guidance on how we should walk through life. Which job should I take? Which person should I be in a relationship with? Should I buy this house or that house?

The Bible tells us that everyone ever born has been entrusted a gift through which they can most effectively bless other people. What is your gift? Here is a free assessment to see what your gift is - https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/

The Christian world awaits a Messiah to come a second time. The Muslim world, the Jewish world, the New Age movement -all await the coming of a Saviour type figure. But before the Second Coming of Jesus - the Bible describes a false coming - a staged return of Jesus by Lucifer as Christ.

Perception and Reality can be so contrary to one another. We often perceive things that aren't real though. How do we give people more faith in the moment?

For seven years a man continued to go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, declaring the woes that were to come upon the city. By day and by night he chanted the wild dirge, “A voice from the east; a voice from the west; a voice from the four winds; a voice against Jerusalem and the temple; a voice against the bridegroom and the bride; and a voice against all the people.” This strange being was imprisoned and beaten; but no complaint escaped his lips. To insult and abuse he answered only, “Woe to Jerusalem! woe, woe to the inhabitants thereof!” His warning cry ceased not until he was killed in the siege he had foretold. Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem.

Bob Overstreet shares a powerful message on having faith amidst all odds.

Daniel 1: 1-4  Among the children of Israel who were carried captive to Babylon at the beginning of the seventy years’ captivity were Christian patriots, men who were as true as steel to principle, who would not be corrupted by selfishness, but who would honor God at the loss of all things. PK 479 Children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  Daniel 1: 5-10 Multiple Reasons – Dedication to Idols + Unhealthy Practices  Parents lessons on temperance  - self control – moderation in all things - saved their lives Daniel might have argued that, dependent as he was on the king's favor and subject to his power, there was no other course for him to pursue than to eat of the king's food and drink of his wine; for should he adhere to the divine teaching, he would offend the king and probably lose his position and his life. Should he disregard the commandment of the Lord he would retain the favor of the king and secure for himself intellectual advantages and flattering worldly prospects. Maybe even a chance down the road to witness to the king.  Purposed in his heart – what does that mean today?  Should the 4 Hebrew boys compromise with wrong in this instance by yielding to the pressure of circumstances, their departure from principle would weaken their sense of right and their abhorrence of wrong. The first wrong step would lead to others, until, their connection with Heaven severed, they would be swept away by temptation. Daniel 1: 11-14 Oldest epidemiological study on health and diet 10 days – plant-based diet vs. kosher diets vs. standard American diets Blue Zones – Secrets of the Longest Living People on Earth and Longest Living Americans – Adventists living by the same blue zone principles - https://www.bluezones.com/2021/12/10-things-that-will-happen-to-you-in-a-day-week-or-month-when-you-eat-a-whole-food-plant-based-diet/     1. You’ll feel fuller sooner and stay fuller longer, 2. You’ll Be In a Better Mood and Have More Energy3. You’ll Have Better Blood Sugar LevelsPlant-based eaters have a 34% reduced risk of having type 2 diabetes, 4. Your Digestion Will Improve5. Your Cholesterol will Improve6. Your Blood Pressure Will Improve7.Sleep Quality will improve8. Your Skin May Clear Up - Look more Healthy9. Birds and Bees interaction improves10. You will Lose Body Fat Daniel 1: 15-20 What a great lesson on the importance of principled friendships!  In physical strength and beauty, in mental vigor and literary attainment, they stood unrivaled. Through a constant connection with God - they walked with God as did Enoch. Prophets and Kings commentary …. - --- How did these 4 Sabbath keeping Hebrew boys become fitted for a position of so great trust and honor? It was faithfulness in little things!!!  Many are waiting for some great work to be brought to them, while daily they lose opportunities for revealing faithfulness to God. Daily they fail of discharging with wholeheartedness the little duties of life. While they wait for some large work in which they may exercise supposedly great talents, and thus satisfy their ambitious longings, their days pass away. PK 487.3In the life of the true Christian there are no nonessentials; in the sight of Omnipotence every duty is important. This story is one to children and their parents…

Scott Ritsema joined us this past weekend from Belt of Truth Ministries to share about the impact of media on the brain. It was fantastic. Check out his website for more great content.

 What is Love?Adairsville – February 12, 2022 Google definition of love: an intense feeling of deep affection."she is madly in love with him” a great interest and pleasure in something."his love for football" 57% of Millennials ( 26-41 ) have never been married compared with 17% of members of the Silent Generation when they were the same age.48% of American adults are married — down from 72% in 1960.1 Corinthians 13 -  tells us Love is very different than what google tells us.  John 15:13 – There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.…The highest form of love “no greater love can anyone have than laying down their life – their desires, passions, career, talents, and needs – all to help enrich someone else’s life?  The Prince: which one?  It is believed that David was anointed to be king around the age of 14 or so. He would not actually become king until he was 30 years old. The anointing of David by Samuel was done in secret and for years it was unknown to pretty much everyone.  But slowly and gradually, whispers started to swell into open conversations. Jonathan, King Saul’s eldest son and true heir to the throne as Prince of Israel, was about 27 when he met David. This first meeting would likely have been on the edge of the Valley of Elah – where Goliath was taunting Israel for those 40 days. David, probably 17 at the time, was the boy who said he would fight Goliath.  David has just killed Goliath and the army of Israel has begun to chase the Philistines away.  1 Samuel 17:57-58 1 Samuel 18: 1 – 4  1 Samuel 19:1-2 and 5-10 – a Friend defends a friend – lays down their life for their friend 1 Samuel 23:14 –18 2 Samuel 1:25-26 On the record of those who through self-denial have entered into the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, stand—one in the Old Testament and one in the New—the names of Jonathan and of John the Baptist. -Education 156Jonathan, by birth heir to the throne, yet knowing himself set aside by the divine decree; to his rival the most tender and faithful of friends, shielding David's life at the peril of his own; steadfast at his father's side through the dark days of his declining power, and at his side falling at the last—the name of Jonathan is treasured in heaven, and it stands on earth a witness to the existence and the power of unselfish love. – Education 157 2 Samuel 9 – David shows kindness to Jonathan’s son John 15:13 - There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

A few months back, I had the privilege of sitting down with a new friend that had found Jesus for the first time. He lived across the country and wanted to get baptized. We planned the celebration and he flew across the country to share his testimony on how Jesus found Him. This is his story.

  I hate winter. Birds and their songs are missing, the sounds of the frogs at night gone, flowers, sunsets, fresh tomatoes from the garden, blueberries, peaches – warm sunshine. Winter was never meant to be. A trial of health for me.  John 9:1-4  The only hope of better things is in the education of the people in right principles. Let physicians teach the people that restorative power is not in drugs, but in nature. Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health. In case of sickness, the cause should be ascertained. Unhealthful conditions should be changed, wrong habits corrected. Then nature is to be assisted in her effort to expel impurities and to re-establish right conditions in the system. CH 90.1Pure air, sunlight, temperance in all things, rest, exercise, proper diet, the use of water, trust in divine power—these are the true remedies. Every person should have a knowledge of nature's remedial agencies and how to apply them. It is essential both to understand the principles involved in the treatment of the sick and to have a practical training that will enable one rightly to use this knowledge. CH 90.2The use of natural remedies requires an amount of care and effort that many are not willing to give. Nature's process of healing and upbuilding is gradual, and to the impatient it seems slow. The surrender of hurtful indulgences requires sacrifice. But in the end it will be found that nature, untrammeled, does her work wisely and well. Those who persevere in obedience to her laws will reap the reward in health of body and health of mind. CH 90.3 Exodus 15:26 NIVIf you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.James 1 – trials  STORY OF JOB – is a great story along the lines of what Jesus describes in John 9 that we read. No sin brought the judgments on Job.  "This life at best is but the Christian's winter; and the bleak winds of winter-- disappointments, losses, pain, and anguish--are our lot here; but our hopes are reaching forward to the Christian's summer, when we shall change climate, leave all the wintry blasts and fierce tempests behind, and be taken to those mansions Jesus has gone to prepare for those that love Him.--Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, pp. 239, 240."

AdairsvilleJanuary 29, 2022  The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place—that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.Education ————-Here on the top of Mt. Tabor, we can see the valley below. Israel is watching. They too recognize something great and decisive is about to take place. The morning had started out with a typical bright desert sunrise…but storm clouds seemed to be brewing… Judges 4 - 1-7 ——————————————-In a land where metal weapons were exceedingly rare, King Jabin and the Commander of the Armed Forces - Sisera commanded nine hundred chariots of iron that made the plain of Esdraelon tremble as they rolled along in procession.  These weren’t just any chariots - they were the new 900 Series with iron wheels, iron trim, and 4 foot diamond sharpened glittering blades jutting out of the center of each of the chariot wheels. As they spun at a few thousands RPMs, they would mow down an army like mowing through your grass. And the frightened Hebrews would often peer down from the hills and thought that Jabin must be a mighty king, that Jabin and Sisera must be obeyed, all because of those chariots of iron - the flaunting symbol of that civilization’s military industrial complex.  God was ready to deliver his people. All they had to do was ask and finally they were asking. It had been 20 long years under the reign of Jabin and Sisera. Judges 4:8-9 Every day Deborah listened to their tales of grief and their stories of pain and their record of oppression, the conviction grew in her mind that her people were tired of being afraid:  her people must be led to overcome their fear of those chariots of Jabin and Sisera.  And so Deborah went about breaking the dark spell of discouragement and despair that hung over the Israelites.  She taught them how to believe again in a God who can do mighty miracles, and she taught them how to pray again.  And men and women, teenagers….began to change. Deborah found herself at the heart of a genuine religious revolution, and she understood that the time had come for action.  And so she sent a message to the strongest man she could find, a tribal chief with the interesting name of Barak who lived one hundred miles to the north. —the man whose very name meant “lightning”—he refused to go into battle unless Deborah went with him. And Deborah didn’t hesitate. She could have. She was a mother in Israel, she was the voice of the nation. She was the voice of God to the people.There was no concern that she was a woman in a culture run by men… She knew that God’s biddings were and are His enablings. And down on the broad plain of Esdraelon, Sisera must have smiled to himself.  ‘Bring it on,’ he thought, perhaps like Goliath just a few years later, shouting “come down to us…with your sticks and stones.” Remember metal weapons weren’t common in Israel.  And when a man has nine hundred chariots of iron, he longs for something to do with them. Just like when the land of the free spends nearly 700 Billion dollars a year funding ‘defense’, some long for something to do with all these weapons…. But Sisera had made all of his calculations as though there was no God in the heavens watching out for His chosen people.  Sisera foolishly thought just like all of God’s enemies do that he was only dealing with a weak and pathetically helpless people, The Battle —-Judges 4:10 Fast Forward over 1100 years, Paul is writing Hebrews and reminds us never to forget… the hero of this story….well let’s read it - Hebrews 11:32 You can imagine how perhaps that scene unfolded. As do many stories in the old testament…God often uses his creation to confound the wise. Perhaps a storm of sleet and hail burst over the plain from the east in the face of Sisera and his men Slingers and archers were limited. Others were stung by the cold Deborah and all Israel had the storm to their back. Flooding begins swelling the Kishon River Chariots begin sinking in mud. Whatever happened, God showed up! “The Song of Deborah” recorded in Judges 5 is treated by believer and skeptic alike as one of the greatest pieces of poetry of the ancient world.  But in the midst of all this celebration and thanksgiving, there’s a note of great anger and bitterness.  In the 23rd verse of Judges 5, we read these lines that seem so strangely out of place: “Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord,Curse bitterly its inhabitants,Because they came not to the help of the Lord,To the help of the Lord against the mighty.” As Deborah is on the top of the mountain about to go to war with Israel and asking Barak where the tribe of Meroz is…Barak says they just didn’t want to come, they made excuses. Jesus parable in Luke 14 tells us about many making excuses in the last moments of time….I bought some land, I got married, my portfolio needs attention… But Deborah doesn’t accept any excuses.  With righteous fire in her eyes, she denounces those who chose the safety of hearth and home while the legions of Naphtali and Zebulon were risking their lives on the plain of Esdraelon.An entire tribe and people has passed into the abyss of history, leaving only its name as a byword for shame and dishonor. For Meroz has come to stand for uselessness, Meroz has come to stand for neutrality when no good person can dare be neutral:  Meroz has come to stand for apathy when honest people can’t stand idly by. If God abhors one sin above another, of which his people are guilty, it is of doing nothing in a case of emergency. Indifference or neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime; and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God. RH September 30, 1873, But Meroz didn’t do anything so actively evil as playing traitor or spy.  No, Meroz simply did--nothing.  In the face of a monumental crisis confronting the people of God, Meroz carried on as though nothing unusual was happening.  In a time of desperate conflict, an inactive friend is counted as an enemy.  In a time of desperate conflict, an inactive friend is counted as an enemy.  Martin Luther King Jr.“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."  "There comes a time when silence is betrayal."   if we’re lost in the end, I don’t think it will be primarily because of all the bad things we’ve done, even though there are a lot of those--but because we failed to do the good we could have done. Jesus calls it nothing less than treason. 

Question – Can you imagine living in a society where your every move was watched? By and large American media vilify Edward Snowden for revealing that every American is being listened to an monitored and all that information is going through Bluffdale, Utah at NSA data collection facilities the size of small cities. This was all done to detect ‘Terrorist Activity’ – individuals saying or doing things that could be a threat against the government. William Binney and others later helped us learn how deep the rabbit hole of surveillance goes.  in 1933, on the verge of the government rounding up Sabbath keepers into camps - the Nazis issued a decree that required Germans to turn in anyone who spoke against the party, its leaders, or the government ---That decree, “For the Defense against Malicious Attacks against the Government,” Today we call things like this “if You See Something, Say Something” – just visit the Atlanta Airport and you will see signs all over.  – Daniel lived through regimes like this. His story has lessons for us today. Daniel 6:1-17The real sinister agents knew of his convictions – but they needed to find ‘legal’ means to entrap him.  All freedom gone – a Grand Conspiracy How Grand of a Conspiracy? The book Prophets and Kings comments on this moment: Lucifer played an important part. The prophet was high in command in the kingdom, and fallen angels feared that Daniel’s influence would weaken their control over the rulers of Babylon. It was these satanic agents who had stirred the princes to envy and jealousy; it was these sinister angels who had inspired the plan for Daniel's destruction; and the princes, yielding themselves as instruments of evil, carried it into effect. PK 540.3The prophet's enemies counted on Daniel's firm adherence to principle for the success of their plan. Thus the prophet boldly yet quietly and humbly declared that no earthly power has a right to interpose between the soul and God. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says - These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. The book of Revelation paints a picture of another lions den moment – this time involving the whole world. Where deeply held religious convictions – convictions – will be the issue. And interestingly enough – like Daniel, the the Jews, it seems a pattern – The Sabbath keepers yet again will be under fire. Because Sabbath observance is the most outward sign that you show allegiance to GOD and not Self or the State.  And that brings us to something forming just this past week….https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/11/2021-28135/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records Daniel 6: 18-24  God did not prevent Daniel's enemies from casting him into the lions’ den; He permitted evil angels and wicked men thus far to accomplish their purpose; but it was that He might make the deliverance of His servant more marked, and the defeat of the enemies of truth and righteousness more complete. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee” (Psalm 76:10), PK 543.3 Heaven is very near those who suffer for righteousness’ sake. Christ identifies His interests with the interests of His faithful people; He suffers in the person of His saints, and whoever touches His chosen ones touches Him.

The Earth is Filled with Violence 2.0 Today I want to talk to you about violence. Its increasing around the world.  Elon Musk recently stated that the U.S. Government Is “the Biggest Corporation, With a Monopoly on Violence.” Canadian novelist and journalist Stephen Marche latest book “The Next Civil War: Dispatches From the American Future,” takes the realities of a politically tribalistic United States — burdened by racial and economic injustice, packed with social resentments, awash with guns — and imagines its move toward all-out conflict. “The background hum of hyper-partisanship, the rage and loathing of everyday American politics, generates a widespread tolerance for violence,” Marche writes. “Eventually somebody acts on it.” The book can be summarized by this one line “America is one spectacular act of political violence away from a national crisis,”  Fast company Magazine reports the greatest fear of the wealthy and those in positions of power is the literal unraveling of the social order of society – a conflagration of culture- that the growing divide of rich and poor just needs a spark to start a wildfire -  https://www.fastcompany.com/90712209/why-global-leaders-are-terrified-about-social-cohesion-erosion The Bible in the book of Matthew chapter 24, ---Jesus, seated on the Mount of Olives, gave instruction to his disciples concerning the signs which should precede his coming: “As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” [Matthew 24:37-39.] The same sins that brought judgments upon the world in the days of Noah, exist in our day. Men and women now carry their eating and drinking so far that it ends in gluttony and drunkenness. This prevailing sin, the indulgence of perverted appetite, inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah, and led to wide-spread corruption. Violence and sin reached to heaven. This moral pollution was finally swept from the earth by means of the flood. The same sins of gluttony and drunkenness benumbed the moral sensibilities of the inhabitants of Sodom, so that crime seemed to be the delight of the men and women of that wicked city. Christ thus warns the world: “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” [Luke 17:28-30.] CTBH 11.1 Christ has here left us a most important lesson. He would lay before us the danger of making our eating and drinking paramount. He presents the result of unrestrained indulgence of appetite. The moral powers are enfeebled, so that sin does not appear sinful. Crime is lightly regarded, and passion controls the mind, until good principles and impulses are rooted out, and God is blasphemed. All this is the result of eating and drinking to excess. This is the very condition of things which Christ declares will exist at his second coming. CTBH 12.1 ----------------The National Television Violence Study reported that 91% of the movies on television contained violence, Psychology Today reports on a recent study by The University of Washington – 500 families w children between 3-5. ½ watch regular cartoons of the old school variety – scooby doo, Road Runner. And others Curious George, Dora the Explorer.  At 6 months - All families receive a home visit - parents answer questions to clarify if their children are manifesting certain behaviors like shoving, yelling, bullying and destroying things, arguably the building blocks for downright aggressive behaviors later in life. The outcomes are striking, though perhaps not surprising. Very young children immersed in pro-social and non-violent cartoons after six months are more sociable children. The kids left to watch violent cartoons manifest more often early signs of aggression. The Greatest rationale for parents and their kids watching videos on any device was that it was a pacifying tool – a baby sitting tool.  First - Researchers showed that kids subconsciously are learning how to act. The imitate what they hear and see. They identify with cartoon characters.  Second, this process beginning early in life calls to mind a well-known adage: neurons that fire together wire together. What this means is that when a group of neurons is activated concurrently in a child’s central nervous system they begin to form a kind of firing unit. So when a child sees violence used as a means to solve a problem, this lesson becomes hard-wired in the central nervous system. - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-the-media-is-the-parent/201307/violent-cartoons-and-aggressive-preschoolers  Last summer, Allen Roach saw something that really disturbed him: His then-11-year-old son, Peyton, used a sword to slice off the arms and legs of characters in a virtual reality medieval fantasy game,Blade & Sorcery, then threw the dismembered digital bodies off a bridge.Sure, it all happened in VR. But for Roach — who spotted this gory scene while monitoring his son's VR gaming on a computer screen that mirrored what Peyton was doing with an Oculus Quest 2 headset — it felt uncomfortably real.Roach knew when Peyton looked down in VR he was seeing a weapon held in virtual hands, not just a plastic game controller. It didn't matter that it was a single-player game, which meant that the characters weren't represented by other human players.https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/10/tech/virtual-reality-parents/index.html Is it videogames to blame? This has been a debate for decades. Many researchers say no. That the real issue is guns and gun rights. Last time I checked guns aren’t the only weapons in America and the world. That video game I mentioned above wasn’t a gun in the kids hand. https://www.vox.com/2019/8/26/20754659/video-games-and-violence-debate-moral-panic-history A large study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found a direct correlation between video games and real world behaviour. https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp784772.pdf What was it before the flood that led to the increase in violence?  They delighted in destroying the life of animals; and the use of flesh for food rendered them still more cruel and bloodthirsty, until they came to regard human life with astonishing indifference. PP 91.3 As we approach the close of this earth's history, selfishness, violence, and crime prevail, as in the days of Noah. And the cause is the same—the excessive indulgence of the appetites and passions. A reform in the habits of life is especially needed at this time, in order to fit a people for the coming of Christ.  The Saviour Himself warns the church: -- "So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with gluttony, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.3SM 292.1   --------------------------------------Notes: —God did not withhold meat from the Hebrews in the wilderness simply to show His authority, but for their good, that they might preserve physical and moral strength. He knew that the use of animal food strengthens the animal passions and enfeebles the intellect. He knew that the gratification of the appetite of the Hebrews for flesh meats, would weaken their moral powers, and induce such an irritable disposition that the vast army would become insubordinate, that they would lose the high sense of their moral obligations, and refuse to be controlled by the wise laws of Jehovah. Violence and rebellion would exist among them, making it impossible for them to be a pure and happy people in the land of Canaan. God knew what was best for the children of Israel, therefore He deprived them in a great measure of flesh meats. Te 160.2a  

Resolution - a firm decision to do or not to do something. ----The percentage of Americans who say they will make New Year’s resolutions for 2022 has dropped from the past two years. This year, just 29% of Americans say they will be making New Year’s resolutions, down from 43% a year ago. 1. Exercise more 2. Lose weight 3. Get organized 4. Learn a new skill or hobby 5. Live life to the fullest 6. Save more money / spend less money 7. Quit smoking 8. Spend more time with family and friends 9. Travel more 10. Read more Phillipians 4:13 Romans 8:31 1 John 4:4 - because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Phillipians 1:6 - And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Daniel 7:22 – The judgment scene – “the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints” Isaiah 41:10 Jeremiah 29:11 Resolutions + Prayer Resolution - a firm decision to do or not to do something. Israel at Sinai – The Old Covenant – Hebrews 10:16 - “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Daniel 9 – a prayer Deuteronomy 28

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him.” At the first advent, we learn that God was speaking to men outside of the people that identified themselves as followers of God. Isaiah 60 seems to paint a promise to also be fulfilled at the second advent – where kings yet again will prepare to meet the Lord. The light of God is always shining even amid the darkness of unbelief, skepticism, secularism – even heathenism in the world today. The wise men of old studied nature… so today nature can still teach lessons of selfless love.

It’s the year 4004 – there is no sickness, no one dies, there is no crime on this planet, the food is amazing, friends are real, social media doesn’t exist, travel is common place, work is not a necessity but a joy and a fun activity. But at the weekly social, someone speaks out – have you heard what’s happening over there? No. What? – another responds. Well remember what the Prince said a while back? Its happening. Everyone is talking about, its all over the airwaves. Sounds like its going to happen any minute. Those would have been the sentiments circling among the unfallen worlds – the many created planets that Hebrews 1 tells us about – 4004 years after the creation of the earth and mankind. Have you ever considered their perspective of this planet that we call earth – our home? Galatians 4:4, 5. “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, ... to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Matthew 1:21 says - you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The Saviour's coming was foretold in Eden. When Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment.

This is part 4 of our 4 part series leading up the birth of Jesus. Why did Jesus leave all of heaven to become one of the human family?

When the fullness of time was come - the Messiah's birth was imminent. What are the comparisons of the first advent with the second? This is Part 3 of 4

For more than a thousand years the Jewish people had awaited the Saviour's coming. Upon this event they had rested their brightest hopes. In song and prophecy, in temple rite and household prayer, they had enshrined His name. And yet at His coming they knew Him not. The Beloved of heaven was to them “as a root out of a dry ground;” He had “no form nor comeliness;” and they saw in Him no beauty that they should desire Him. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Isaiah 53:2; John 1:11 How in the world did this happen? Could it happen to you and I? This is part 2 of 4

There is a longing at this time of year for a gift - that special gift that you feel someone took time to think about. Let's look at Jesus giving of Himself and wrapping his divinity in humanity to save us. This is part 1 of a 4 part series.

The Work of the SpiritNovember 27, 2021Adairsville 40 days of prayer  - preparing for the second coming– why are we doing this?  My belief on the delay of the second advent –  Revelation 14:15 – harvest is ripe – its all overRevelation 14:6/7 – A call to Giving God glory which Jesus describes in John 15:8 as bearing fruit – the character traits of the fruit of the spirit There can be no growth or fruitfulness in the life that is centered in self. If you have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, you are to forget yourself, and try to help others. Talk of the love of Christ, tell of His goodness. Do every duty that presents itself. Carry the burden of souls upon your heart, and by every means in your power seek to save the lost. As you receive the Spirit of Christ—the Spirit of unselfish love and labor for others—you will grow and bring forth fruit. The graces of the Spirit will ripen in your character. Your faith will increase, your convictions deepen, your love be made perfect. More and more you will reflect the likeness of Christ in all that is pure, noble, and lovely. COL 67.3“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. COL 69.1It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain. COL 69.2 A LITMUS TEST – What if we asked those around us? - - - - - -  The same danger still exists. Many take it for granted that they are Christians, simply because they subscribe to certain theological tenets. But they have not brought the truth into practical life. They have not believed and loved it, therefore they have not received the power and grace that come through sanctification of the truth. Men may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world. DA 309.3 James 5:7 –  Zechariah 10:1In the East the former rain falls at the sowing time. It is necessary in order that the seed may germinate. Under the influence of the fertilizing showers, the tender shoot springs up. The latter rain, falling near the close of the season, ripens the grain, and prepares it for the sickle. The Lord employs these operations of nature to represent the work of the Holy Spirit.... FLB 334.2 There must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it. FLB 333.6 Feb 18, 1895 – Manuscript Releases Number 14 – MS 1084 p. 23 –   Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally; therefore it was altogether for their advantage that He should leave them, go to His father, and send the Holy Spirit to be His successor on earth. The Holy Spirit is Himself divested of the personality of humanity and independent thereof. He would represent Himself as present in all places by His Holy Spirit, as the Omnipresent. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall (although unseen by you), [This phrase was added by Ellen White.] teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” [John 14:26]. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will come not unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you” [John 16:7]. 14MR 23.3   The disciples had issues to work out – competition, envy, jealousy etc. They began praying and once they were at peace, converted and transformed – the Spirit was given.      

The end is not near its here - how does that make you feel? What thoughts come to your mind? Join us as Pastor Chester Clark shares a message on the nearness of Jesus soon return.

Have you ever had something on your heart that you just had to tell someone? What if it cost you everything to tell them?

Its crunched between the two biggest holidays of the year - but is it possible that Thanksgiving is becoming a forgotten holiday? Bruce Galbraith shares on the value of Giving Thanks.

The Dark Side of Beautiful – 10/30    This weekend America and much of the world celebrates the second biggest holiday of the year – Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos. This holiday often portrays the scary side of death – though today I’d like to also talk about the beautiful almost irresistible side of death too.  Halloween Stats[1] per USA Today  Americans love holidays – Ancient Israel had close to 4 weeks of national holidays plus the weekly Sabbath holiday Today there are said to be 11 days of national holiday in America 10 billion dollars will be spent on Halloween this year – 1 billion more than ever before. 1/3 on costumes – 1/3 on candy and 1/3 on decorations 2/3 Americans will celebrate Halloween  8 out of ten families with children will celebrate Halloween  Most popular costume by 4x more than any other – A witch - Did you know that more people in America today identify as a witch[2] (1.4 million) than those who identify as Seventh-day Adventist? More witches than those who identify as Presbyterian! An Atlantic article describes – “Americans’ interest in spell-casting tends to increase as instability rises and trust in establishment ideas plummets. Wicca is America’s fastest growing Religion!!!!! Author Julie Roys says - “Wicca (which is a form of paganism) has effectively repackaged witchcraft for Millennial consumption. No longer are witchcraft and paganism satanic and demonic… it’s a ‘pre-Christian tradition’ that promotes ‘free thought’ and ‘understanding of earth and nature.’ October 31 is Halloween – November 1 begins the festival – Dia de los Muertos or day of the dead – often very beautiful -  Origins are believed to be pagan—Pagan - a person who worships many gods or goddesses or the earth or nature -  Later all hallows eve – sought to Christianize the holiday – – originally called Samhain – a celtic pagan holiday  Occurred around the solstice and a day when animals were slaughtered and bonfires were lit where it was believed the veil between the living and the underworld/dead was thin – a time when the AOS SI or spirits or fairies could more easily communicate with the living. Some say the AOS SI were a supernatural race of spirits generally described as stunningly beautiful. The AOS Si were believed to be the gods of the ancient pagan world – Scripture describes these ‘gods’ of the pagan world as fallen angels cast out of heaven for giving their allegiance to Lucifer rather than Jehovah The celebration of this ancient festival was when - The souls of dead relatives were also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality, and a place was set at the table for them during a Samhain meal. Disguise and wrapping oneself in burial clothes like a mummy was a part of this festival in order to hide yourself from the AOS Si. It was a holiday of impersonation. Impersonation is the practice when Someone imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. According to Irish mythology, Samhain was a time when the 'doorways' to the Underworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world; Samhain "was essentially a festival for the dead".[3] Here in America, we are pretty obsessed with this idea of death being nothing more than a gateway to the next life. This sentiment is much like the ancient Egyptians. Whether it’s zombies, the undead, ghosts, conjuring spirits or anything we celebrate on Halloween these days – death has become big business – especially the scary side of it. But then there’s the other side – the beautiful side – the idea of reconnecting with our loved ones.  We love the idea of communicating with the dead, celebrating life after death and who can blame us ? The Sumerians did, the Egyptians did, the Persians, the Greeks, the idea of talking to the dead is found in Homer's Odyssey..and  the Romans were into it And now the Christians… In the midst of the civil war – there were more people who claimed to be able to talk to the dead than the number of people who were in favor of abolishing slavery!!!! In the early years of the United States – Most Protestant Christians openly protested to celebrating this holiday.  I don’t know your thoughts on Halloween but I think its important to know the history of a thing and the issues around it. Especially in light of the belief by some that the downfall of ancient empires was closely linked with the increase in supposed communication with the spirit world and communicating with the dead.  Why would that be? Today nearly 2 billion people on earth identify as Christian and the majority of those believe it is possible to communicate with the dead.   Two sides of this discussion the beautiful and the ugly  So often we talk about the ugly – in our books, our art, our films – the dead are scary but then the other side is when its our loved ones…. That we miss so much – that we often would do anything to reconnect with - Hollywood capitalizes on both – the scary and the beautiful The bible is not silent on the idea of what happens to us humans after we breathe our last breath. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:7 and Ezekiel 18:20 – that the soul is not immortal. That life comes from the dust of the ground and the breath of life from God. Like a lightbulb made of materials from the ground is nothing without electricity – together they create light.  Overall Scripture paints death as a sleep – awaiting the final judgment – the final decision of God as to who knew Him and who did not. Only after that decision does destiny and destination be decided. But not secretly – instead at events known as the second and third coming of Jesus. At the second the righteous dead awake. At the third the dead who are lost will awake.  After death a person: returns to dust (Psalms 104:29), knows nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5), possesses no mental powers (Psalms 146:4), has nothing to do with anything on earth (Ecclesiastes 9:6), does not live (2 Kings 20:1), waits in the grave (Job 17:13), and continues not (Job 14:1, 2). --------The gods of the old Testament were not just imaginary. Talking about these ‘gods’ David tells us the history of his people and the great sin of King Saul-  They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood (Psalm 106:34-38). the demons, the fallen angels, legion race were the gods of the old Testament and all these different gods were demons that somehow in some way had personified themselves. And then the people had made an idol after this demon. And if the angels are in the proportions that we read and legend says, they're extremely tall, 12, 16, 18 foot tall beings, and very Beautiful.  They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known.. (Deut 32:16-17).  Deut 18:9-12 - 9When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. 10There shall not be found among you any one who maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or who useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For all who do these things are an abomination unto the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee (KJV). Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10 that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. This was profound. When I learned this concept that these weren't just ignorant people. They were worshiping beings with a ton of talent and skill and wisdom. Early Church leaders such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian held similar views (that the gods were actually demons). Why would ancient civilizations talk to these beings? We learn in 2 Kings 19:35 that one angel – one of these type of beings killed 185,000 soldiers in one night. You hear talk of generals from wars in our recent history who were communing with these same beings. - - - I’d like to tell you a story about Israel’s first King – Saul and his communicating with the spirit world through an oracle of Endor – READ 1 Samuel 28:3-6 Saul is longing for answers. Notice verse 3 - Samuel has died. He was the voice of God to Saul. Have you ever lost someone close to you? You know this feeling of love being cut off suddenly.  I have. A few years back I got a call that my dad had died in a car accident. Sudden. You think of the your last conversation. You think of the good times. You would do ANYTHING to talk to them again.  Let me repeat that - You would do ANYTHING to talk to them again.  I know the Bible teaching on the dead, yet for months and even years I would have dreams where I would see my dad, talk to him, even know he was dead yet everything in my being - in my dream - wanted to hug him, talk to him.  Not until you lose someone and realize the power of love and loss do you begin to really understand the power of this doctrine of the devil - that death is a doorway to the next life. That there is no check and balance to immortality – all must just live on regardless of character and actions in this life.  Saul was desperate and he called for a medium. He knew better but he was would do ANYTHING to find answers. 1 Samuel 28:7- 25 ——-    —-     —-    —-   —- Why address this today? Because if the Bible is true, it paints a picture of some mass event in our future - a deception thousands of years in the making. In the closing scenes of this war between good and evil we are told that The most powerful medium - friends and family, who seem to come to us, look the same, sound the same, smell the same, and are here to comfort us and ‘warn us’ of coming danger. I can tell you everything in your soul will WANT TO BELIEVE these beings impersonating your loved ones. This is where faith and feeling will fight their greatest battle. The only thing telling you this is not real is Scripture and the truth that the dead know nothing (Eccl 9:5) and Job 7:9-10 - As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more. 1 Timothy 4:1 - The Spirit clearly says that in the last days some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 1 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. We also learn in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Lucifer - the fallen archangel of heaven is planning to personatechrist before the true second coming. We also learn that the fallen angels are going to impersonate loved ones who have gone to sleep i.e. died. Why? Because this is the most powerful MEDIUM to sway someone’s belief system.  I had a friend in elementary school who’s family had spoken to their dead daughter- his sister. There is NO. LET ME REPEAT. NO WAY to reason with someone’s apparent reality. They saw her, they spoke to her, and I was not going to convince them otherwise.  The dead can appear to talk to the living, it’s just not the dead but demons or the fallen angels masquerading as loved ones with the sole desire to deceive us.  Life is made up of concepts and ideas which equate to emotions and actions. You have a choice on what you believe and how it effects your behavior.  This topic and a complete understanding of it impacts so many other beliefs and ideas. It has influenced this planet since the first day and will be an issue until the last day.  The reason it is all so important is because it is about love. God loves us and does not want to see us deceived and lost. We have to decide if that true love is worth it… Jesus - For why should we seek the living among the dead? (Luke 24:5) Challenge -  ---------------------        Ellen White on husband James after death:  Prolific Author and Adventist Pioneer, Ellen White – Letter 17, 1881 (RY 161) ------ Life Sketches p. 360 -----GCB June 1, 1913 James White her husband has just died recently –--------A few days since, I was pleading with the Lord for light in regard to my duty. In the night I dreamed I was in the carriage, driving, sitting at the right hand. Father (Dad – James White) was in the carriage, seated at my left hand. He was very pale, but calm and composed. “Why Father,” I exclaimed, “I am so happy to have you by my side once more! I have felt that half of me was gone. Father, I saw you die; I saw you buried. Has the Lord pitied me and let you come back to me again, and we work together as we used to?”  He looked very sad. He said, “The Lord knows what is best for you and for me. My work was very dear to me. We have made a mistake. We have responded to urgent invitations of our brethren to attend important meetings. We had not the heart to refuse. These meetings have worn us both more than we were aware. Our good brethren were gratified, but they did not realize that in these meetings we took upon us greater burdens than at our age we could safely carry. They will never know the result of this long-continued strain upon us. God would have had them bear the burdens we have carried for years. Our nervous energies have been continuously taxed, and then our brethren misjudging our motives and not realizing our burdens have weakened the action of the heart. I have made mistakes, the greatest of which was in allowing my sympathies for the people of God to lead me to take work upon me which others should have borne.  “Now, Ellen, calls will be made as they have been, desiring you to attend important meetings, as has been the case in the past. But lay this matter before God and make no response to the most earnest invitations. Your life hangs as it were upon a thread. You must have quiet rest, freedom from all excitement and from all disagreeable cares. We might have done a great deal for years with our pens, on subjects the people need that we have had light upon and can present before them, which others do not have. Thus you can work when your strength returns, as it will, and you can do far more with your pen than with your voice.”  He looked at me appealingly and said, “You will not neglect these cautions, will you, Ellen? Our people will never know under what infirmities we have labored to serve them because our lives were interwoven with the progress of the work, but God knows it all. I regret that I have felt so deeply and labored unreasonably in emergencies, regardless of the laws of life and health. The Lord did not require us to carry so heavy burdens and many of our brethren so few. We ought to have gone to the Pacific Coast before, and devoted our time and energies to writing. Will you do this now? Will you, as your strength returns, take your pen and write out these things we have so long anticipated, and make haste slowly? There is important matter which the people need. Make this your first business. You will have to speak some to the people, but shun the responsibilities which have borne us down.” “Well,” said I, “James, you are always to stay with me now and we will work together.” Said he, “I stayed in Battle Creek too long. I ought to have gone to California more than one year ago. But I wanted to help the work and institutions at Battle Creek. I have made a mistake. Your heart is tender. You will be inclined to make the same mistakes I have made. Your life can be of use to the cause of God. Oh, those precious subjects the Lord would have had me bring before the people, precious jewels of light!”  I awoke. But this dream seemed so real. Now you can see and understand why I feel no duty to go to Battle Creek for the purpose of shouldering the responsibilities in General Conference. I have no duty to stand in General Conference. The Lord forbids me. That is enough.—Letter 17, 1881. . RY 161.1-RY 163.2   [1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/09/22/halloween-costumes-2021-candy-decorations-spending-record/5816767001/[2] https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/witchcraft-juliet-diaz/605518/[3]Monaghan, Patricia (2004). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. New York City: Infobase Publishing. p. 41. ISBN978-0816075560. 

The Adventist Raison D’êtreDisappointment or Misunderstanding? Do Seventh-day Adventists have a reason to exist? A unique brand proposition? Just another flavor on the religion buffet? Its October 23rd....Describe the last few months… (In 1844) –some of us have retired, quit our jobs, talk of the end of the world…. 177 years ago today… Ascension rock – The Miller Farm –  Those Millerite – Adventists - thought they had it all figured out…all the prophecies  They asked the question “Do we have a reason to exist”?…We should ask that same question 177 years later… They slowly but surely realized they missed something…learned new things, came from their different religious perspectives – Baptists, catholics, presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists and more to become the Sabbath keeping movement of Christians who beleved in an immiment second coming. Today interestingly enough in a recent global church survey – the MAJORITY of Seventh-day Adventists reported that they do not believe in an immiment second coming and that its at least 2 decades into the future. In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. 9T 19.1The most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been given us to proclaim to the world. The proclamation of these truths is to be our work. The world is to be warned, and God's people are to be true to the trust committed to them. …. 9T 19.2 1st and 2nd Angels Message…. Read them – Revelation 14 – Give original interpretation 3rd – Read it – they didn’t understand this really  God has called His church in this day, as He called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. By the mighty cleaver of truth, the messages of the first, second, and third angels, He has separated them from the churches and from the world to bring them into a sacred nearness to Himself. He has made them the depositaries of His law and has committed to them the great truths of prophecy for this time. Like the holy oracles committed to ancient Israel, these are a sacred trust to be communicated to the world. The three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people who accept the light of God's messages and go forth as His agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth. Christ declares to His followers: “Ye are the light of the world.” To every soul that accepts Jesus the cross of Calvary speaks: “Behold the worth of the soul: ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’” Nothing is to be permitted to hinder this work. It is the all-important work for time; it is to be far-reaching as eternity. The love that Jesus manifested for the souls of men in the sacrifice which He made for their redemption, will actuate all His followers. 5T 455.2 But what do these messages mean in yours and my life today? In 2021?  They were asking those same questions a few years after 1844. Caught in a civil war, the dawn of the electric grid, transportation was changing with flight and something called an automobile…. 1st and 2nd Messages – Explanation for today  3rd…what???? What does this really mean for us today? They began to seek to interpret it Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, “It is the third angel’s message in verity.”—The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890.  What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself. None but God can subdue the pride of man’s heart. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot regenerate ourselves. In the heavenly courts there will be no song sung, To me that loved myself, and washed myself, redeemed myself, unto me be glory and honor, blessing and praise. But this is the keynote of the song that is sung by many here in this world. They do not know what it means to be meek and lowly in heart; and they do not mean to know this, if they can avoid it. —Special Testimonies to Ministers and Workers, Series A, 9:61 (1897). – {TM 456] SUMMARY!!!   THIS IS WHY WE EXIST!!!!! God’s is working to lay the glory of man in the dust, and then do for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself—-in order to prepare a people to stand true to Him during the investigative judgment. But the years went by and Jesus did not come… They began to ask questions as to why not…then James White and others started to believe that the Protestant church that truly desired to hold to scripture….had lost its way and was foretold in Revelation 3 – they began to see themselves as guilty of being the church of Laodicea Revelation 3…. Read it  The gold is faith and love,  the white raiment is the righteousness of Christ,  the eyesalve is that spiritual discernment which will enable you to see the wiles of Satan and shun them, to detect sin and abhor it, to see truth and obey it. – {5T 233.2}—————— What does Revelation 3 teach us today?  1 – Faith is having confidence in God and His word – do we reveal that today? Second part - Show Unselfish Love to Others – this is done in different ways…not all the same  2- give people reason to believe God makes your life better than it would be without Him. This is your testimony. give reason for people to have more confidence in God. Give God the glory by sharing how you were lost and mean and prideful and now found and loving. His life is your ideal and you seek for Him to live through you by keeping your eyes on Him.  3- share what makes your life abundant. How Jesus, His example and promptings inspire you to live differently. That His ways are better than your ways. But that still the struggle continues.. Learn to love all that convicts you as truth. Seek to love truth and share it. Learn to hate selfishness and all that doesn’t lead to peace and love and joy.  3rd Angel’s message and the message to Laodicea are really apart of the same message -This warning message is a practical message  "Sanctification consists in the cheerful performance of daily duties in perfect obedience to the will of God.  But many Christians are waiting for some great work to be brought to them. Because they cannot find a place large enough to satisfy their ambition, they fail to perform faithfully the common duties of life. These seem to them uninteresting. Day by day they let slip opportunities for showing their faithfulness to God. While they are waiting for some great work, life passes away, its purposes unfulfilled, its work unaccomplished." COL 360  So why are we still here all these years later? That answer would come to realization as that first generation of Adventists were going to sleep not having seen the promise of Jesus coming in their life. Late 1800’s…. they would writeUnless the church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until she shall abhor (detest, hate, despise) herself.  - 8T 250 Question for those of you who have been an Adventist for a long time….has this message – this movement, this faith - made your life better? Has it made you better? Would your friends and family agree that day by day, year by year, you become better and better, more and more kind,  more and more friendly, more and more unselfish, more and more giving and generous?  To those who may be new, or considering this faith, this movement – the mission statement, the vision statement, the reason for the movements existence is to tell all the world by word….but mostly by action that God is as good as Scripture says He is but to not take our word for it, but to watch God humble us, watch the selfishness that comes natural to us be replaced by a love that is often foreign to us.  Adventism will only complete its mission when this world…and the onlooking worlds can say – Wow, look what God has done…look at the most degraded, degenerate generation of the human race…and look how God has found the lost, given them eyes to see their true condition and how they Give God the credit for transforming their lives…how they overcome pride and sin and selfishness by the blood of the Lamb…and that now unlike any generation in history – they have a testimony for all the world to hear and see.  When this happens – this grand humbling of an entire movement - When God lays the glory of man in the dust, and does for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself.  And If this is to happen individually then I believe like ancient Israel it will happen to the Advent Movement as a whole – as well. In that moment, if Adventists have gloried in their educational system, their healthcare system, their religious system…God will help lay it in the dust in order to reveal his glory and His power.  When this happens --Then His work for us …and His work in us will be accomplished…Then and only then will the great controversy end and Jesus will come to claim us as His own.  If you’re an Adventist today and don’t think this describes your current experience and you want God to do for you what it is not in your power to do for yourself –- I’d like to invite you to stand.  If you’re not yet an Adventist but want to experience God working in your life like never before, I want to invite you to stand and pray with me.   

Does the Bible speak to how God heals? How do you determine between true and false methods of healing? Why is it that through biblical history religion and healing were so closely connected? Presentation by Dr. Timothy Perenich

Does the Bible speak to how God heals? How do you determine between true and false methods of healing? Why is it that through biblical history religion and healing were so closely connected? Presentation by Dr. Timothy Perenich

There is no greater love than to lay your life down for your friends. What kind of sacrifice is Jesus talking about here?

What if we have totally misunderstood the law of God because we don't understand the love of God? Dr. Tim Jennings of ComeandReason.com shares the story of the law of love from heaven to today. This is Part 2 of 2.

What if we have totally misunderstood the law of God because we don't understand the love of God? Dr. Tim Jennings of ComeandReason.com shares the story of the law of love from heaven to today. This is Part 1 of 2.

Link to Presentation Notes - https://www.dropbox.com/s/sy5d3v1gsfjwaqw/The%20Medical%20Missionary%20and%20the%203rd%20Angel%21.pdf?dl=0

Deep down we all crave something - something to bring us joy. How do we find it?

20 years ago everything changed. What happens when out nowhere your faith is hijacked? What do you do? How do you react? Today's message is presented by Ernest Staats

Jesus identifies the Word of God as the rock- and theories of men as the sand. Genesis, 1 Kings, Isaiah, 1 Samuel– People – Sand - In New Testament Jesus and His words as the Rock – Job teaches us the enemy is largely responsible for the storms of life – We are told –"The storm is coming, relentless in its fury. Are we prepared to meet it?” Matthew 7:24-27 + Luke 6:46-49 Thus Christ set forth the principles of His kingdom, and showed them to be the great rule of life. To impress the lesson He adds an illustration. It is not enough, He says, for you to hear My words. By obedience you must make them the foundation of your character. Self is but shifting sand. If you build upon human theoriesand inventions, your house will fall. By the winds of temptation, the tempests of trial, it will be swept away. But these principles that I have given will endure. Receive Me; build on My words. DA 314.God means that truth shall be brought to the front and become the subject of examination and discussion, even through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated; every controversy, every reproach, every effort to restrict liberty of conscience, is God's means of awakening minds that otherwise might slumber. MB 33.2Deuternonomy 30:19 - I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live, In matters of conscience the soul must be left untrammeled (or Unrestrained). No one is to control another's mind, to judge for another, or to prescribe his duty. God gives to every soul freedom to think, and to follow his own convictions. “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” No one has a right to merge his own individuality in that of another. In all matters where principle is involved, “let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Romans 14:12, 5. In Christ's kingdom there is no lordly oppression, no compulsion of manner. The angels of heaven do not come to the earth to rule, and to exact homage, but as messengers of mercy, to co-operate with men in uplifting humanity. DA 550.6 The people (Israel) partook largely of the same spirit, intruding upon the province of conscience and judging one another in matters that lay between the soul and God. It was in reference to this spirit and practice that Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” That is, do not set yourself up as a standard. Do not make your opinions, your views of duty, your interpretations of Scripture, a criterion for others and in your heart condemn them if they do not come up to your ideal. Do not criticize others, conjecturing as to their motives and passing judgment upon them. MB 123.3 Do not think yourself better than other men, and set yourself up as their judge. Since you cannot discern motive, you are incapable of judging another. In criticizing him, you are passing sentence upon yourself; for you show that you are a participant with Satan, the accuser of the brethren. – DA 314 In matters of conscience the majority has no power.”—Merle d'Aubigne, History of the Reformation, b. 13, ch. 5. AA 68.1

Join us as we look at the story of Job and its lessons for us today. I had the pleasure of having 2 teenage girls that are members of our church join me for this great discussion on Job.

What do we do when we face a crisis of conscience? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

What is the best way to prevent and reverse disease? Does the Bible speak to the ideal diet? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Does Jesus care when He is silent?

There is nothing better to sharpen your own faith, and to encourage faith and hope in those around you, then to share your personal story of faith. There is power in sharing your testimony. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

They left the old world to find freedom. How serious is the idea of liberty of conscience today? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Two spies were sent to spy out the promised land and to focus mainly on the key city of Jericho. Today there is a city with similar characteristics that we are warned to flee from. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

How many people have been turned off of something that is true because people are bad representatives of the truth? The world is craving a genuine example of a transformed life. We jump into Scripture to find an old story with relevant lessons for today. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

How do we prepare for the unexpected in life? There are 4 ways to prepare. Join us as we dig in. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

It’s one of the most eye opening stories in the Bible - Jesus tells a rich young ruler the secret to eternal youth. His decision shocks the disciples. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Kasey Norton is a wife, mother, friend and missionary. This message is about God calling and using the least qualified people and then by His Spirit, filling them to do His work through His power for His glory. If she can do it then anyone can do it. Go forward in faith, fasten the seat belt for you are about to go on the ride of your life. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

What lines have you drawn in life that nothing can deter you from holding? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

What is the greatest threat to America today? Could it be the same threat to your own spiritual journey? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

As in the garden so in the church, how we deal with plants and people may determine the destiny of both. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

How often do we compare ourselves with others? How do we follow our convictions while not pressing them on to others? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

How God commanded Jonah to take an end time message to Nineveh, but he ran away from it. Today we are doing the same thing when it comes to the Gospel Commission. What will it take to get us to obey, being thrown overboard, being swallowed by a giant fish or worse? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

We live in a world today where peer pressure is rising on all fronts. How do we deal with this? How do we react when our convictions come in conflict with the voice of the majority? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

What is the cost of unity? Can we be friends with people that have different opinions than us? How much room do we give someone in a relationship before we deem them just not up to our level? I got pretty fired up sharing this message. I hope it inspires you as much as it has me - Jared Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

Once we find our purpose in life, all else falls into place. But how do we define our purpose as it compares with God’s purpose for us? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus but why isn’t that the end of the story?

In the estimation of Heaven, what is it that constitutes greatness? Not that which the world accounts greatness; not wealth, or rank, or noble descent, or intellectual gifts, in themselves considered. If intellectual greatness, apart from any higher consideration, is worthy of honor, then our homage is due to Satan. This is part 2 on the life of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist and his story teach us so much about how we can wonder if God has led us to a certain point and if things pause or change course - we often wonder if God is still leading.

What is it and why is it so powerful? The story of Samson teaches us about the power of temptation. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

We see disruption happening all over. What were the risks other disruptors took in history and what can we learn from them? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

We had a special guest speaker for our youth Sabbath - Pastor Gary Rustad

Join me as we take a look at the year 2348 and the advanced civilization that we can learn alot from. Hint: Plot Twist :)

Most of us are afraid of something? But why does the Bible promote ‘Fearing God’ while telling us not to be afraid?

The story of J continues. A huge betrayal. A strange dream. J's life will never be the same. If you enjoyed this story - send us an email at [email protected]

J, a young man from a small farming community, nears the end of a multi-day solo trek across the wild backcountry. What he finds at his destination is far from the peace and tranquility he’s expecting. An unpredicted turn of events will leave him struggling for his life. If you like this story, please let us know - send us an email at [email protected]

Description: More and more of us prefer texting over calls. But what are we missing when we don't connect with someone face to face? For 4000 years it was oral tradition, the written text and yet they didn't really understand who God was. Jesus had to come in person because of all of the misunderstandings.

For years students of Bible prophecy have seen the prediction of legislating a new day of rest at the hands of the religious right. But what if we have missed something?

In this episode we take a look at the history of Censorship, its moment today and we ask the question - Would God use Censorship against Lucifer?

Multi-level marketing aka a pyramid scheme's have been tried by nearly 1 in 13 Americans. But when you look closely you can see that the growth of the kingdom of heaven and an MLM are interestingly similiar. Do you get credit for souls you win? How far does that go? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

Has our picture of God been poisoned by His archenemy? What if God isn't who we think He is? There's been a cosmic misunderstanding of God, and the consequences could be deadly. What do the scriptures reveal about this fatal mix-up? Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

There’s perhaps no harder and more important moment in the Christian life than making peace and righting wrongs with others. Yet it may be the most important thing of all. Thank you so much for listening to our weekly messages. If you want to watch or listen to more, check out the links below. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCZZbQzFSlsdDcSz4_NzJiUQ Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages For even more messages, check out on IG/FB - @trytheway

​It's believed to be the most celebrated holiday but what is Christmas really all about? Is it Pagan like some say? Is it Christian? Does it matter?

What is faith? How do we keep our faith amidst the challenges of life, and how do we know that God is with us? Join us as we explore the Bible to answer these big and valid questions.

There are moments in life where we could ask if God was doing something behind the scenes or if it was just happenstance or chance or..luck? How do we know the difference? Does it matter? The story of Esther teaches us some lessons on this profound concept.

There are lyrics to a song by Andrew Petersen - “I’m just a little jealous of the nothing that you have.” In this episode we talk about why that group of Protestant Separatists fled the old world and came to the new. Why did they risk all to find the shores of the new world? Would we do the same?

The Religion of BusinessIf we look around…I think it would be fair to say that in many cases --Business has found its way into religion, but not enough religion has found its way into business. It was one of the most innovative pioneering women of the 19th century who coined the phrase “Religion and Business are not two separate things…they are one.” I want to talk to you about the business world of tomorrow. The trends we should be paying attention to, the secret sauce of what will define commerce and capitalism in the remaining years of earth 1.0 and in the beginning years of earth 2.0. I think business - the interaction and process of an idea, to a product or service to the exchange of currency for that product or service because someone else sees value in it -- is divine! I grew up with two of the hardest working parents around. My dad would drive around asking people to cut up firewood when I was born just to put food on the table. As far as I understand it my parents literally went from rags to riches. I remember asking my mom as a kid how I could obtain a full box of baseball cards. As I remember it - key phrase there - she told me that I had to work or sell things to make money and in turn buy things. So the next day she comes running down the driveway very distraught and seemingly shocked because I was selling —well had sold -- and continuing to sell some of my toys. I mean those were old news, I needed these baseball cards. That was the genesis of beginning to sing the anthem of ‘everyday I’m hustling’ for the rest of my life. We would go to the conventions - you know the democratic and republican conventions. We were the best democrats at their events and the good ol Republicans at theirs. Their money was all green and we had all the political memorabilia you could need to satisfy your desire to show allegiance to your party. Then it was the olympics and at 13 I skated around Atlanta on rollerblades selling olympic edition monopoly games for 2 weeks and made thousands of dollars that as a 13 year old -what do you think I wisely did with all that money? I went and invested it all into ----custom big bertha golf clubs of course. I could go on and on and tell you about trading commodities the next summer and making $100 grand only to lose it all at the end of the summer. I graduated college with the intention to make money and give a little away on my path through life. But everything changed when I went to India, I saw people with nothing with such contentment and joy from making the decision to walk away from following millions of gods to choose to follow the lowly carpenter of Nazareth. That was a turning point in my life. For some reason when I came home, I felt compelled to renounce business as evil, selfish, greedy and to pursue what I believed at the time [key words there] what I believed to be “ministry”. I began to explore something called ‘self supporting ministry’ but found really that meant donor supported in many cases. I started to see that for some reason the world had divorced business from ministry. I began to see ministries that desperately needed business and businesses that desperately needed ministry. Why is it that business can be so devoid of selflessness while religion and ministry can so often be filled with selfishness? I began to have this dilemma in my mind. For so long, many have made a very strong argument that business and religion should remain entirely distinct entities. But if this is the case, its tragic. As I look at the landscape today I see way too many ‘ministries’ and religious organizations that are desperately in need of the innovative pioneering spirit of business. But I also see businesses with a desperate need for the beauty of pure religion. Let me get practical for a minute because what I want to do and show you in the next few minutes is why more religious organizations need businessmen and women. Then I’m gonna flip the script. Ellen White, one of the most bold and successful entrepreneurs of the 19th century, shared some notes on this idea that I think are vital to hear to anyone affiliated with the ‘business of the church’. In one she said “Those in charge of our conferences should find businessmen to look after the financial details of city work. If such men cannot be found, let facilities be provided for training men to bear these burdens.—The Review and Herald, October 5, 1905.In another ‘ The policy which worldly businessmen adopt is not the policy to be chosen and carried out by the men who are connected with our institutions. Selfish policy is not heaven-born, it is earthly. In this world the leading maxim is, “The end justifies the means;” and this may be traced in every department of business. It has a controlling influence in every class of society, in the grand councils of nations, and wherever the Spirit of Christ is not the ruling principle. PM82And finally ‘ Brethren, develop your talent in the direction of serving the Lord; manifest as much tact and ability in working for the upbuilding of the cause of Christ as you do in worldly enterprises. – {5T 425.2}The bustle of business, if continuous, will dry up spirituality and leave the soul Christless 2TT 132So my appeal to anyone who still has an interest and a passion in the business of religion - please listen to the counsel. —————————Ok now I want to talk about the meat of the matter - The religion of business. There are so many elements of religion that I could address that are essential to business. As we take a look at these I hope you will see why that comment about them being the same and not different is so profound. When I think of religion I think of the government and organization structure of Zion – the galactic capitol of the universe. I would argue there is no greater organization to study than one that has been in existence for eons – by studying this organization – we learn of how to deal with conflict, how servant leadership works, what motivates, what accountability looks like, and the list goes on. We could talk about the importance of order and record keeping in this organization. We could discuss the beauty of hierarchy and why any organization needs a reporting and accountability structure - as shown by the order and divisions of responsibilities of the angels in paradise.But the practical lesson I’d like to draw from is the one one how each of our organizations needs the religion of this utopian society to govern everything we do – every decision we make. I’m a fan of boiling things down, distill the idea down – show me the forest – we can worry about – or focus on the trees later. But what are we really doing here – why are we endeavoring on this enterprise? I’ve had the privilege to be a part of a number of different business ventures. In the last few years, I started to make some notes one what I saw as most important. What are those essential elements that you need to be successful? I distilled those down to a mantra that I call The Rhodium Rule – Where we don’t just practice the golden rule that Jesus speaks of  in Mathew 7:12 – where He says “Whatever it is you want someone to do for you, do for them – that this -the practicing of this – is the law upon which all the of scripture hangs. But not just stopping there but going above and beyond – asking what we would want someone to do for us – and then doing MORE than that for them. Rhodium being more precious and rare than gold. The way I get there, or at least try to is this mantra – Kindness is King. Candor is Queen. Experience is Everything. How do we create experiences as people interact with our product or service where they go tell their friends how remarkable the experience with us was? I think it starts simply by being kind and that’s followed up second with being candid. These two principles I find are the most beautiful guardrails to creating an amazing culture in your organization. Be Kind Always – but don’t be kind while sacrificing principle and truth and honesty and transparency. But be Candid – straightforward, open, forthright – but not to the point of ever not being kind. I got these ideas from one of my favorite books called Education. In it, the author describes how in paradise there was one law – not ten – one law that governed all of the guardian race – None Liveth to Himself – we find it in Romans 14:7. But then it says it like this “the law that none “liveth to himself” Lucifer was determined to oppose. He desired to live for self. He sought to make himself a center of influence. It was this that incited rebellion in heaven, and it was man’s acceptance of this principle that brought sin on earth.”And let me say that when someone in an organization – or in a home – or a marriage – decides to live for self – that self is supreme – this is step one to disaster. The author continues in speaking about learning from the source of wisdom in scripture – “The student should learn to view the word as a whole and to see the relation of its parts… He or she should -understand the nature of the two principles that are contending for supremacy, and should -learn to trace their working through the records of history and prophecy, to the great consummation. He should -see how this controversy enters into every phase of human experience; -how in every act of life he himself reveals the one or the other of the two antagonistic motives; and -how, whether he will or not, he is even now deciding upon which side of the controversy he will be found. – {Ed 190.2}These two principles that I’m going to share with you, are the life or death of your organization. The life or death of your start up. The life or death of your venture, your marriage, your friendships. Principle #1 - Unselfishness, the principle of Kingdom of Heaven, is the principle that Lucifer hates; its very existence he denies. Principle #2 See From the beginning of the great controversy Lucifer has endeavored to prove God’s principles of action to be selfish, and he deals in the same way with all who serve God. To disprove Lucifer’s claim is the work of Christ and of all who bear His name. – {Ed 154.3}It was to give in His own life an illustration of unselfishness that Jesus came in the form of humanity. And all who accept this principle are to be workers together with Him in demonstrating it in practical life.Let me translate – if you want to be successful in business today – you need an edge, you need something that sets you apart from your competition. What is that 99% of the time – Customer Service – the Customer Experience. This isn’t random, it is intentional. The only way your customers, parishioners or whoever else believe you have the best product is if your employees, your team, your organization has experienced the product and has a testimony. It’s your job as a leader to demonstrate this principle of unselfishness to your team, so in turn they demonstrate it throughout the organization and eventually to the customers and them to all the world. On this idea of service – talking about bringing more religion into business - "In his providence God places before human beings service that will be as medicine to their diseased minds. Thus he seeks to lead them to put aside the selfish preference, which, if cherished, would disqualify them for the work he has for them….” – {RH May 2, 1907}Service to each other within our organization, our family, our team – will result in contagion to show that same unselfish spirit to others and them on to others. A world of give give give – never ends. A world of take take take…will become extinct. If you were to look at most issues within a company’s culture I think they would fall under selfishness. Stealing money, having an affair, dishonest time clock, false reporting, and the list goes on. On this idea – Ellen White describes - ”Another book was opened, wherein were recorded the sins of those who profess the truth. Under the general heading of selfishness came every other sin.”…and selfishness is death. Look at so many companies that put themselves, their profits, their wallets first…and they are one by one starting to disappear. If you want to be on the cutting edge of success in the world of business today and into the future – you’ve gotta find a way to make this idea translate into every moment of delight for your customer. Where they feel like you are going above beyond every single step of the way. Where your employees feel like you are going above and beyond every step of the way. That you are practicing what you preach. Here are two quick ideas on why showing this type of leadership to others is so important. 🙌"A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful argument in favor of the gospel that can be produced." – Ellen WhiteI’d say it’s the most powerful argument in favor of a good business too. Or Here’s another --One may profess faith in the truth; but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing, heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through their influence it is a curse to the world. – {DA 309.3}You can talk religion all day long but if it doesn’t translate into your business – its worthless. If your faith, your spirituality, your religion doesn’t make its way into every business transaction, interaction --- it’s a curse to you and to all of your company and customers. This idea isn’t foreign to the gospel story. The leader of the organization had executives questioning his motives, his character. So the only way he could show that He was unselfish – he stepped down to the lowliest position, renounced all his authority, his power, his rank, his position, his title – and became one of us. He held nothing back, he risked all, he counted the cost and felt heaven was not worth losing out on you or I. He has regained his position and is even more exalted than ever before. He’s one of us. Its his organization that ultimately we find ourselves apart of. It’s his unselfishness, his kindness, his humility, his graciousness, his courage, his risk taking nature that we have to emulate on a daily basis. Jesus did not count heaven a place to be desired while we were lost!!! Do you lead like that? Do you love like that? Do you serve your team and your customers like that? Where their joy, their satisfaction, their peace is prized more than your own?Today I believe we sit on the verge of moments unlike the world has ever seen. Many of us are asking what do we do with the talents the Lord has given us, what do we do with these desires to work, to be ambitious, to dream? I think of the quote “ “The desire to accumulate wealth is an original affection of our nature, implanted there by our Heavenly Father for noble ends.” I want to challenge anyone listening to this – dream bigger, dream more, write your vision, make it plain ---but do it with one thought in mind – we can’t take our wealth with us….or can we? I want to speak to the extremely ambitious – listen to these words talking about earth 2.0 from the book ‘The Great Controversy’“There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body. – GC88 677.2An enterprise by definition is a project or undertaking, typically one that is difficult or requires effort. Chew on that. That the future is for the ambitious. But while chewing, consider how you get a head start on building your team in the here and now – Matthew 6:19-20 Jesus describes it like this - “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.In your business, keep your priorities in order. Loving God and Loving Your Fellow Man. If you and I do that, we will be successful in this life…and in the life to come. I’ll end with a quote. It says it like this “You have felt that business is business, religion is religion, but I tell you that these cannot be divorced. If you seek God with the whole heart, He will be found of you; but, said Christ, “Without Me you can do nothing.” You are not to put asunder that which God has joined—business and religion.” -19MR 17

Unlocking the Hidden CharacterMost consistent question – why are you inferring Michael is JesusSome think that Jesus waited 4,000 years to personally intervene in the affairs of man. I want to make it crystal clear to you that Jesus has been personally actively working on behalf of mankind since day 1. Jesus is Michael – Michael is the archangel – the archangel is the chief of all the angels and is also known as THE angel of the Lord. Scripture does not reward the casual readerJohn 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.Genesis 1:1 in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…This is why Jesus said; "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). Jesus appeared personally to Abraham when the Patriarch interceded for Lot (Genesis 18:26). Genesis 1 and Hebrews 1 and John 1 – tell us clearly that Jesus is the creator of all things – all life – all beings in the universe. This means He was the active agent in creating the angelic race of beings – including the first – Lucifer – the lightbearer – the morning star. There is a good reason why Jesus is sometimes portrayed as an angel but it can be only be understood with an investigation into the angels.In Rev.4:5,6 we see a description of the seven angelsThese angels are divided into two orders - cherubim and seraphim. AccordingEze. 10:9 there are four cherubim and Eze. 10:21 says they have four wings, this meansthe other three are seraphim.In reference to the devil the bible. reads "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth "...Eze.28:14. The only angels that can cover themselves while flying are the seraphimbecause of their six wings [Isa. 6:2] so a covering cherub is a seraphim. This means the devil was of the highest order. The description given of him in Eze.28:11-15 would indicate he was the head angel, he was unique!With the loss of the head angel Jesus stepped in to fill the void because now there were only three seraphim so Jesus also became known as "Prince of host" Dan. 8:11."How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star son of the dawn…or Oh Lucifer son of the morning"...Isa.14:12. When Jesus stepped in to fill this position he accepted the same title. "I Jesus ...the bright and Morning Star" Rev.22:16.Ellen White commenting on the war in heaven describes a moment when it had to be made clear that Jesus was higher in rank than all. Baptist preacher Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) John Calvin:John Wesley:Jewish Midrash Judaism, Michael was the fourth being that saved the Hebrew boys from the Fiery furnacePuritans Matthew Poole and Matthew Henry Martin LutherThe phrase "angel of the Lord" is found 68 times in Scripture. Sometimes it applies to Gabriel who appeared to Daniel, Zacharias, and Mary. But Gabriel is called "an" angel of the Lord (Luke 1:11). He is not referred to as "the" angel of the Lord. Neither is he ever called the archangel. Daniel 1010 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes --- the chief of the princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your princeDaniel 1212 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."Will the defendant please rise?"Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you.The only other passage in the Bible that uses the word "archangel" is 1 Thessalonians 4:16. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."John 5:21 – Jesus is the life giver and one who raises the deadThe Revelation of Jesus Christ -  1:18 – Jesus says “I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”Revelation 12:7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,the word "angel" means messenger, Sometimes, men are called angels in the Bible 1 Samuel 29:9 Galatians 4:14. And sometimes angels are called men Genesis 32:24. And in other places, God Himself is identified as an angel!  The Key Is in the Name. In the Greek New Testament, the word "angel" means "messenger," and "arch" means "chief, principle, greatest, or highest." So "archangel" simply means "highest or greatest messenger." The Hebrew name "Michael," found in the Old Testament, means "who is like God" So the title Michael the archangel can be translated as "The greatest messenger who is God….or who is like God"The chief of the angels – not just one of but the angel of the LordStories in the Bible Hagar"And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness" (Genesis 16:7). When the "angel" disappeared, Hagar "called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me" (verse 13). AbrahamGod told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on mount Moriah. Just as he was about to plunge the dagger into his son of promise, the angel of the Lord stopped him. "And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, 'Abraham, Abraham:' and he said, 'Here am I.' And he said, 'Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me'" (Genesis 22:11, 12).  (Genesis 22:15-18). Jacob – wrestles with the angel of the LordMosesMoses saw a burning bush that was not consumed. "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush" (Exodus 3:2). Verse 4 identifies this angel: "God called unto him out of the midst of the bush." And in verse 6 He identifies Himself again. "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." The angel of the Lord identifies Himself as God! ---REPEATED BY STEPHEN  (Acts 7:30-32). Children of IsraelThe Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them" (Exodus 14:19). BalaamJudgesGideonManoahSamson's mother, the wife of Manoah, was barren. "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman" (Judges 13:3). When the angel came the second time, Manoah asked him his name. The King James says that the angel told Manoah that his name was "Secret," that translates as "Wonderful." ----Isaiah's prophecy foretold that Jesus would be called, "Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). after seeing this "Wonderful messenger," Manoah declared they had seen God. And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God!" (Judges 13:22). No One has Seen the FatherSince no man has seen God the Father, all of these Old Testament sightings of God as the "angel of the Lord" must have been Jesus, God the Son, veiling His glory Rebuking the AccuserZechariah was given a vision of Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. Satan is standing at his right hand to resist him. Here we see two adversaries contending over a sinful human being. Joshua's filthy garment symbolizes his sin. (Zechariah 3:3). In this narrative, the name changes quickly from "the angel of the Lord" (verse 1) to "the Lord" (verse 2), indicating again that they are the same. Then the Lord makes an interesting statement. "And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan" (Zechariah 3:2). There is only one other place in Scripture, Jude 1:9, where this sentence is found—and Michael the archangel speaks it! Worshiping the CommanderIn Revelation 12, Michael is portrayed as commander and captain - leading the heavenly hosts, or armies of angels, in the war against the Lucifer and the fallen angels Just as Israel was preparing for its first battle after crossing into the Promised Land, Joshua had an encounter with an unusual warrior. (Joshua 5:13-15).  "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so" Angels alone – reject worship -  (see Revelation 19:10; 22:8, 9). CONCLUSION12 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 7:22 TELLS US – Jesus Judges in favor of the saints. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 - Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels?

Can we just acknowledge the elephant in the room? What a timely metaphor, right? So there's a lot of tension in not just this country, but the world today. There's a quote that has brought me encouragement.God's purposes know no haste and no delay.I think That's a profound statement. And I have to admit in the last seven days, I had some ideas of how things would play out. And as of this moment, that is not how they have played out. And so I've been thinking since about 2:15am Tuesday night, or I guess it would be Wednesday morning. So I'm sitting there watching this all unfold. And I thought, this is so interesting. I guess I should go to sleep. Should I go to sleep? And I finally decided to go to sleep, but regardless of where you're at on the spectrum of different ideas God's purposes, no, no haste and no delay.So I want to walk through a story.. and here's the first question. What would life look like if God was King? If God was the president, what would it look like if we lived in a theocracy? Well, the good news is we don't have to do a lot of guessing. Some followers of the handmaids’ tale may think I’ve lost my mind but hang with me for a few minutes. There's some things that tell us about what life was like in history. God says, Hey, I'm taking you out of slavery and I'm going to give you the land I promised Abraham. And so we read some things. One is the idea that  “ In God's plan for Israel. Every family had a home on the land. with sufficient ground for tilling and thus were provided both the means and the incentive for a useful industrious and self-supporting life. No devising of men has ever improved upon that plan to the world's departure from it is owing to a large degree, the poverty and wretchedness that exists today.Isaiah chapter 27 has something along these lines - , I'll never forget reading this a few years ago And thinking wow that is very interesting. Isaiah chapter 27 and verse six,This verse is talking about what would happen if God's people or if God's will was fulfilled in all the earth. It says this, those who come, he shall cause to take root. And Israel shall blossom And bud, ---now we understand today, Israel can apply to anyone that wants to believe--- Israel shall blossom And bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.I Want you to think about where fruit comes from. Think about that statement we just made. If God was in charge and he was saying, look, this is what I want everybody to live by. We’ve  just seen some key details. Now turn with me to Isaiah 14, verse 21. Now we look at the contrast. What I'm sharing is going to sound political,But to be honest, What's not political? Really these days everything gets thrown in. Ok so we just learned if God's righteous  people filled the earth, what would they do? They'd fill the face of the world with fruit. Here's the other side of the coin. Verse 21 of Isaiah 14. This is in talking about the wicked i.e the selfish. If the wicked ruled the world, what would they do? And it basically gives a warning --- less. They rise up and possess the land and fill the face of the world with Cities…Something happens with your mind based on where you live. to anyone who had never seen the map of the United States this week, if they were on another planet or they were in another country, they would have started to observe something very interesting --people in the cities think (or in the most recent case - Vote differently than the people in the country. You can start to almost think there was polka dots in the United States. There is a lot, and I'm not going to get into it today, but there is a lot that scripture describes about life in the country versus the city and how it affects your mindset.So that's a different sermon for a different day. But what I'm asking you, the question is if God was in charge, where would he have people living? And it's clear when we get into this idea a little deeper. So Israel has come into the land and instantly they don't really like this idea. They start to turn and they start to watch the things of the nations around them. And they say, well, maybe they have a better way of doing this. You know, maybe our country isn't so great. They start to say things and do things where the country starts to change from God's ideal.from the book, patriarchs and prophets. It describes the idea like this, the government of Israel was administered in the name and by the authority of God, and the work of Moses. And in this context, we're going to look at the work of Samuel. So there was a person who led, and then there were the 70 elders. So there's an administrative body and of the rulers and judges throughout the land had  their purpose to enforce the laws that God had given. They had no authority to legislate for the nation. In other words no authority to make up new laws, to infringe upon the rights that God gave every man and woman, when they entered the land. This was and continued to be the condition of Israel's existence. And we learn As a nation, from age to age, men inspired by God were sent to instruct the people and to direct in the enforcement of the laws. Ok So let's jump into this story. It's in first Samuel chapter eight, and I think we will see some things we haven't seen before. I know I did, as I studied it this week, first Samuel chapter eight.Now Samuel was raised up To be a leader for God's people. And God's people were raised up to be a leader to all the world. And the question I want you to ask as we go through the story is why did they stop leading?Okay, here we go.Now it came to pass. When Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. but we learn his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain, they took bribes and they perverted justice. I like to call them politicians, and then all, all the elders of Israel gathered together, came to Samuel at Ramah. They never came to him before to say, Hey, look, there's corruption going on. Your sons are corrupt. They held onto this information until the right time. And then they released it to Samuel. So the, the elders of Israel come to him and they say to Samuel, Look, you are old. And your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a King to judge us like all the nations. But this really got Samuel discouraged and felt insulted and hurt.The commentary on this in the book patriarchs and prophets says Samuels's emotions were going all over the place. He was offended. He was hurt. Have I not done a good job? I'm just doing what God's shown me. But instead he just tells them, I'll take the matter to the Lord. And that's what he does. He goes and prays to the Lord  And the Lord said to Samuel,. Listen to the voice of the people. You know, you think you've got God figured out. You think in this situation, if we were watching the news, did you hear all of the States of Israel have come to Samuel? And they have told him, we think you're old and  we need a King, like the nations around us. And then Samuel goes in and you think, Oh, I know how God's going to respond to this. And God says, listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you for, they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them.according to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them out of Egypt, even to this day with which they have forsaken me and served other gods. So they are doing to you also now, listen to them. However you should warn them. This is the beauty of God. Warn them, show them the behavior of the King, who will reign over them. So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a King. The next few verses begin to describe how the king will take their children, their crops, raise taxes, how some freedoms would be lost…And even after Samuel warns them with all this they respond -  nah, we will have a King over us.That we may also be like all the nations that our King may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles. Samuel hears the words of the people and repeated to the Lord. So the Lord said to Samuel, listen to their voice, make them a King. And Samuel says every man to his city. I think this is Absolutely profound. Okay. We fast forward in the story a little bit. To the part of the story where Saul is found as the king in Chapter 10. If you've Ever heard the question, are leaders selected or elected? That's always a fun question. First Samuel chapter 10 verses 17 to 19, describe how Samuel clearly shares what will happen. He is quoting the Lord who says “. I brought you up out of Egypt And delivered You from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you, but you have today rejected your God, who himself saved you from all your adversaries and your tribulations. And you have said to him, no, set a King over us. Now, therefore present yourselves before the Lord, by your tribes and by your clans and through this amazing thing, that's almost mystical in the older Testament, they begin casting lots and it gets narrowed down, narrow down, narrow down to the people say, ah, we have selected, or I should I say elected Saul. And what we learn of Saul is Saul is literally head and shoulders taller than everybody in Israel. We're told he is the best looking person we're told he fit the exact stereotype of when they thought of, if we had a King that was better than the nations around us, he would look like this …That now here's the interesting thing….God was in this. God had literally led Samuel to anoint Saul as King. You have to ask yourself, well, that's very strange. Why, why would God even help if they've rejected him and Samuel. I mean democracies. Last what? A hundred, 200 years. God could have said “Good luck until you literally destroy yourselves, but God isn’t like us. And I think we have an understanding of this in Daniel. Chapter two and this might bring you some encouragement in the moment we live in. And in really any moment when leaders are selected, I mean, elected. In  Daniel chapter two and verse 21,Daniel says to King Nebuchadnezzar about God. That “He changes the times and the seasons-- he removes Kings and he raises up Kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding ----this profound idea and almost a warning to Nebuchadnezzar. In one moment God sets you up and the next he can take you down.And it usually, as we look through history that usually hinges on, are you giving my people the freedom to worship as they desire? And as soon as a kingdom or a King does not support that or allow that God says, okay, next, it's a really profound idea. And so in first Samuel, we read something interesting. So here's the scene. Samuel has brought everyone together to make this official. They are actively a part of what they believe are electing the King. God has already anointed Saul, but now they feel we have elected the King. And this is exactly who we want. This is the guy, right?. And yet we learned something very interesting in verse 27, but some rebels said, how can this man save us? So they despised him talking about Saul and brought him no presents.And here's a little of the backstory we learn about this, the ones that were most vocal in going to Samuel and saying, look, Samuel, your sons are corrupt. We need a King. It is time to do this. We learn, these are the ones that in this moment say this isn't our King. This isn't our guy. No, that's not the one we want it. We want it somebody else. And I like to think this was probably one of the first contested elections, especially in Israel. We know we said we wanted a guy, but we don't want that guy. We want a different guy. And then there's some commentary on it. It says when men choose to have their own way without seeking counsel from God or they are in opposition to his revealed will he often grants their desires in order that through the bitter experience that follows, they may be led to realize they're folly and to repent of their sin.So that's pretty profound.So they are saying We don't want God as our King anymore. Samuel you're old. We want to be just like everybody else out there. And God says, okay. And he does it for this reason so that you can see that this is a bad idea. Then it goes on to describe it like this. While the people in general were ready to acknowledge Saul as their King, there was a large party in opposition for a Monarch to be chosen from Benjamin the smallest of the tribes---- and to neglect both Judah and Ephraim, the largest and most powerful was a slight, which they could not overlook. And they refused to profess allegiance to Saul or to bring him the customary presents. Those who had been most urgent in their demand for a King were the very ones that refused to accept. The man of God's appointment. As you could guess --- the members of each faction had their favorite whom they wished to see placed on the throne.. And so the story progresses, they go off to war. Saul leads them. They win this war. They're so thrilled that in their enthusiasm, they propose to Saul, Hey, Saul, let's put those who don't agree with you being King. Let's put them to death -- Because they refuse to acknowledge your authority and Saul. Interestingly enough he says, no, that is not what God has called me to do. So then finally, we have this other moment where Samuel is addressing everyone and he makes himself clear. I didn't sin against you. I just want to be clear. I didn't mess things up. You slid into your own ideas, your own idolatry and all these things. And you're rejecting God. And I just want you to know that. And then we were told in the story that in the middle of the dry season, Samuel says, and I want to show you God's displeasure of what you've done. And out of nowhere comes this massive thunderstorm and they are literally terrified and they repent of their sin, but it's too late.Then we go forward just so we can have some closure to this story. First, Samuel chapter 13 and verse eight. Again, Saul goes off into war. And as with anyone in leadership, it's easy to think. You know, I'm pretty smart. I got this figured out. I've read. I think I read God's counsel. So I probably remember it pretty well. Saul thinks to himself – Hey look Samuel is delayed. Samuel has told him, wait, seven days, in verse eight of chapter 13. Then he waited seven days. And according to the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal. So Saul said something like , I got this brilliant idea. And then scripture says, bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me. And he offered the burnt offering. And now it happened as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering that Samuel came and saw, went out that he might greet him. And Samuel said, what have you done?Well, Saul says. When I saw the people that were scattered for me, you did not come within the days, appointed that the Philistines gathered together and then I said, the Philistines will now come down to me at Gilgal. And I have not made supplication to the Lord. He's making the most beautiful excuse. Therefore, I felt compelled and offered a burn offering. And Samuel said to Saul, you have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord, your God, which he commanded you for. Now, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for himself, a man after his own heart. That's David we learn, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over his people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you How in the world Was God was in this? God just made him king! Right? . not much time passes. God gives this person an opportunity to do what is right. He doesn't do what is right. And God says the same words from Daniel 2:21, I raise up Kings and I take them down and Saul your time is done. And this really shows you the sovereignty of God in earthly affairs. And we can wonder, and we can perplex and we can have strong emotions and feelings. But at the end of the day, we have to say those words in second Chronicles, chapter 20 verse 12, ----God, why won't you stop them? We have no way to protect ourselves against this great multitude. We don't know what to do-----, but our eyes are on you.And I think this is where there's an important lesson for us right now. You may be looking at this world and you may be thinking where in the world is God, or perhaps, four years ago, you might've thought that same thing ---where, Oh, my word, Lord, did you fall asleep? How did this happen? But what we see here in Daniel two is somehow in some way that we don't quite fully understand God. the temptation for us is to get caught up in the moment and to wonder if God has gone to sleep, or if he's on vacation rather than Lord, --- in the darkness of the world we're in now where arguably in America, we are in the midst of what some are calling a third world election. Some are asking Lord Where are you?And that's where the only light on earth is in scripture - , because prophetically, we read about these two powers at the end of time, that appear very, very different. Yet behind the scenes are working together. The Pharisees and the Sadducees on the surface appeared very, very different arguing publicly with people and with each other, but behind the scenes, they were in this together. And our responsibility is Lord, how do I live a life According to the words of this book. . It's our duty to love people that we may not think are lovely. And then I think it's our responsibility to say, Lord, I'm not going to get caught up in the distractions where it's tempting for me. I'm going to be very personal right now. It's tempting for me to only have my eyes on earthly affairs, to think of this tax bracket, these tax issues, this moral issue that I deem very important to me, Lord, don't you care about these things. Didn't you come in and to set up this country? Why are things seemingly disintegrating? And I think in this moment, I'm trying to remind myself, I don't think God has given up on us.Jesus, tells us in Revelation that He literally made a cradle – a nation for this book in history that no other country on earth has been privileged to hold and learn from so freely. And yet, somehow I believe God raised up a country for a special reason. And that there's no other country in the world where people will die, trying to get to.But I honestly think that is for our moment of apparent peace and prosperity. What will we do about that graciousness that God has given us in this moment? Because as far as I'm concerned, while the whole world is asking, Whoa, what's going on? Where are things trending? I thought it was going this way. Now. It seems like it’s going The other way I am completely convicted now is our moment. Now is our moment to speak to people on both sides of the aisle and all walks of life. And to say, look, I need to tell you something very important. That is not going to make much sense. And if you fall into the political ditches, you're going to think I'm speaking against what you hold sacred.But taking the time to be true, honest, humble and yet courageous, bold, and full of faith that what God has started…in this country and in you and me---he will bring to completion. That’s my prayer.

Day of the DeadThere's really no way to describe it. One minute you have it all. The next all is gone. Its hard to describe the feeling of death. Unless someone near you has died.Then you experience that sting that you cannot put into words. Death reminds us about love because we were created to love. And when someone dies, we find it strange, not showing and sharing that love. This past summer I had to bury one of our alpacas. Our furry friends can become our family and its like losing someone that you came to love. Sweet little alpaca would no longer greet me. What is it about death That is so hard to understand? if you've ever lost someone, you know, that feeling that you would do anything to see them again, anything to talk to them again, anything to hug them again.Death is perhaps the only thing humans have found no cure for. If you’ve ever lost a friend or family member, you know the pain of this. But this morning I want to talk to you about the idea of talking to our dead relatives. If a visitor from another world were to sit down on a couch with us and turn on Hulu or Netflix or Disney – ok especially Disney – there is something – a theme – an idea they would start to pick up. Once I tell you you will say ‘oh yea, that’s true’. It's the idea that somehow, there is life beyond. Somehow death is not the end. Somehow, in ways we don’t fully understand…yet – death is still a mystery but that contacting our loved ones --- or them contacting us is such a beautiful thought. Here in America, we are pretty obsessed with this idea of death being nothing more than a gateway to the next life. Whether it’s zombies, the undead, ghosts, conjuring spirits or anything we celebrate on Halloween these days – death has become big business – especially the scary side of it. But then there’s the other side – the beautiful side – the idea of reconnecting with our loved ones. I lost my dad in a car accident a few years back. There really isn’t much you can say other than ‘man I would trade the whole world – just to talk to that person one more time’ and usually our desire to talk to them is to tell them how much we love them. That’s why in most films – Love and Death are so interconnected. Now if you’ve ever heard of the story of scripture – the real meta narrative you would know that this war between good and evil – love and selfishness – life and death started before humans arose on the scene. With this war, a large segment of the citizens of another realm were kicked out of the capital of the galactic realms. And the bible basically tells us the inner workings of this war and it really comes down to who has the power over life…and death. The bible describes a day in our future when it will seem as though the dead – from our time and centuries in the past will appear to us . Now the question we should be asking if this is a battle for our souls and our destiny – could it be possible that this banished legion race of beings could personify our loved ones with the hope and attempt to deceive us? If your loved one walked up behind you right now and sounded, smelled and seemed the same as they did while alive – is there anything you know or believe that would help you determine if this was them or not? And on that note, if death is just a portal to the next life then why do we fight so hard to stay alive? We love the idea of talking to the dead, celebrating life after death and who can blame us ? The Sumerians did, the Egyptians did,  the Persians, the Greeks, the idea of talking to the dead is found in Homer's Odyssey..and  the Romans And now the Christians.  Ok you get it, its chronic, and its basically everyone. So here's a few stats about this phenomenon, Pew research, estimated that nearly 1.4 million people – that’s more people than there are members of my denomination – that 1.4 million people in the United States identify as practicing Witches.  There are more witches in North America than there are mainline Presbyterians author. Julie Royce is quoted as saying that Wicca is A form of paganism that is effectively repackaged witchcraft for the millennial consumption. No longer are witchcraft and paganism, satanic and demonic. It's a pre-Christian tradition that promotes free thought and understanding of earth and nature. I’m really fascinated right now with the gorwing discussion or tension I should say of people who worship the creator vs. those who worship the creation. I think this is the great issue of worship in the world today – it was the same in history – whether they were called gentiles or heathen or pagans vs those who were monotheistic. The American religious identification survey gives Wicca an average annual growth of 143%. And latest estimates say that the movement is doubling in size every 30 months. According to the journal, the statesman and Elizabeth wind claims the two most recent American religious identification surveys, declare WCA one form of paganism as the fastest growing spiritual identification in America. The high holiday of wicca and paganism is Halloween. It finds its origin over 2000 years ago, with the Druids when it was believed that the boundary between this world and the underworld was thinner than usual, where the spirits could come into the world more easily, but not just any spirits. a supernatural race of spirits generally described as stunningly beautiful. But if they want They can also be terrible and hideous. According to Patricia Monahan, most scholars believed they were a degraded version of ancient gods. Also on this night, the souls of dead relatives were thought to visit the homes of all who celebrated The Holiday, The Holiday involved people going house to house in costume or in disguise, usually reciting verses or songs in exchange for food. It may have originally been a tradition whereby people impersonated the the souls of the dead and received offerings on their behalf. People Would set out soul cakes full of sweet fruit on out all hallows' Eve as an offering for the dead. This is where most believe we find the origin of trick or treat for all those good yummy candies. Americans, mostly Protestants did not celebrate this holiday for reasons of conviction, but as the cultural makeup changed. So did the celebration in the late 1800s and into the 19th and the 20th century,Halloween is branded as scary and spooky in the United States. but Let's contrast that with the day of the dead or DIA de Los Muertos festivities that take place over two days in an explosion of color and life affirming joy in Mexico and central and South America and growing around the world.This idea of engaging with the dead is not isolated to a few holidays. We see it in our literature, in our television shows and in our movies and kids are not excluded from this phenomenon. First, there was Casper. Now there's Coco. ThePixar film that was the number one film of all time in Mexico. It is one of the top 100 grossing films of all time. So what does the Bible say about this? Perhaps you care, perhaps you don't, but I at least think you, owe it to yourself to know what the Bible says about this idea of talking to the dead. Here’s one reason – nearly 2 billion people call themselves Christians in the world. Most of them believe the dead can make contact with us. Yet the bible says those who die, never return to the land of the living – but guess who it says do ? The fallen angels of heaven – to deceive. The gospel of Jesus is sin leads to death but I have died for you so that you can live forever. The gospel of Lucifer says sin is not that bad, live as you wish, death is the just the beginning. One we find in John 3:16 – the latter in Genesis 3:4. We are going to put a link to some more details on this idea in the comments below this video. Ok so Here’s another reason -  it's not the dead you're talking to. That's the most startling thing the Bible has to say about this topic. You are not talking to your dead relatives. According to the Bible, the dead sleep and await a resurrection. They don't have thoughts or feelings and they don't come back to talk to the living. If we go back to the beginning of the story, the first message shared by the fallen angel Lucifer was to Eve in a garden. And this was it. Eve, regardless of your actions, you'll never die. No matter what you do, you're going to live forever. This is where we get the idea that death is just a doorway into the next state of consciousness. But if this is true, this is a question we should ask ourselves, are we all saved? How does that make you feel? Everyone ends up being saved. Maybe that makes you feel good. Maybe that makes you wonder about that person that abused you. When you were a kid about Hitler, about people in the world that do what we call evil things. You mean they're going to be my neighbor in paradise without a standard by which people are determined to live in paradise or not. We have to ask ourselves, what is that standard?I don't like the idea of living next to Hitler in paradise. The reason this idea is so important is because it has so many ramifications. Are we judged ? If so by whom? are we all saved? Why would someone not be saved? If we die and pass on to the next life or paradise, then why not expedite the process? Why do we fight off death so much in this world? Why not let the sick die faster? Why don't we stop looking for cures to all these diseases? Why don't we get rid of things like life support.It's easy to play with this idea until you come face to face with it. 1st Samuel chapter 28. This is the story of a man who was King. he's in despair. There is an army gathering against his country against his kingdom. And in verse three, we read now Samuel had died. Everything changes when someone close to you dies and nothing can prepare you for it. All Israel had lamented for him and buried him in Ramah in his own city and saul, had put the mediums and the spiritists out of the land. These are key details. He had put them out and there's a reason for that.Saul Had followed God. And while he did, he had success. But the land was filled with the Philistines and their religion, like most heathen or pagan religions, like most all religions in the world today were built on the belief that the dead can come back and talk to the living that they can help foretell future events. If you had someone that could tell you what tomorrow may bring, you would absolutely want to know. Even if it meant they were coming back from the dead.. The gods of the old Testament were not just imaginary. Talking about these ‘gods’ David tells us the history of his people and the great sin of King Saul- They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood (Psalm 106:34-38).the demons, the fallen angels, legion race were the gods of the old Testament and all these different gods were demons that somehow in some way had personified themselves. And then the people had made an idol after this demon. And if the angels are in the proportions that we read and legend says, they're extremely tall, 12, 16, 18 foot tall beings, and very Beautiful. (Deut 32:16-17). They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never knownDeuteronomy 18 also tells us that they were sacrificing their children, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10 that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.This was profound. When I learned this concept that these weren't just ignorant people. They were worshiping beings with a ton of talent and skill and wisdom.Early Church leaders such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian held similar views (that the gods were actually demons).Why would ancient civilizations talk to these beings? We learn in 2 Kings 19:35 that one angel – one of these type of beings killed 185,000 soldiers in one night. You hear talk of generals from wars in our recent history who were communing with these same beings. Saul had followed God's word in the beginning and gotten rid of the mediums. The spiritists, the fortune tellers, the necromancers anyone that claimed to get truth from the deadSaul’s army – Israel is surrounded, death seems imminent – He’s terrified. And when Saul prayed, we are told the Lord did not answer him either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. Saul is looking for answers, what are we supposed to do. And sadly we learn that he had rejected God earlier in the story. Samuel's dead. He was the voice of God to Saul. When you lose someone close to you in your life, you instantly start looking for someone to talk to, especially if this person was close to you. When I lost my dad, I remember thinking, I would do anything to talk to him. I knew the biblical teaching of the dead. But for months and months after, I would have dreams about my dad. And it began to mess with my mind because I would see my dad in my dreams. I would talk to him. It's not until you lose someone that you realize this power of love,This idea of loss.It helps you really  Begin to understand the power of this doctrine of Lucifer. A Friend of mine shared a story with me about a young boy in Africa. He loved to spend time with his grandmother. She would read stories to him. She would play with him and he just loved his grandma. He would sit by her while she read these stories in her rocking chair. Sadly, she got sick and she died. And the mom knew that the boy took this very hard. He loved his grandmother, but for weeks after she noticed him coming into the house with a smile on his face and heading straight to his room.She couldn't put the pieces together. So finally, she asked him, why are you going straight into your room? And he said because grandma rubs my head and read stories to me. Life is made up of these concepts and ideas, which equate to emotions and actions. You have a choice. No one else has this choice to determine what you believe and how it affects your behavior. What we believe about this topic may have greater consequences than many give it credit for.So we pick up our story in 1 Samuel 28. Saul asks for a medium, his men know exactly where to find one. But in the end it spelled disaster. See our notes for a deeper study on this topic. More Detailed Referenced Notes Below: Question: There is no way to describe the sting of death until you experience it for yourself. Death reminds us about love because we were created to love and when someone dies we find it strange not showing and sharing that love anymore. A few weeks back I found one of our alpacas that had died in the night and I was devastated. I loved her so much. What is it about death that is so hard to understand? If you have ever lost someone you know the feeling that you’d do anything to see them again, to talk to them again. Death is perhaps the only thing humans have not found the cure for. I want to tell you the story of a king who lost his closest confidant. That person he could share his heart with. He was in despair not knowing where to turn for hope and in that moment he did something he condemned others for doing and began looking for a medium - someone who could conjure up the dead. Preview: If the Bible is true, the countless experiences of the living talking to dead loved ones may not be as they seem. If 1/3 of the angels were cast out of heaven, and are in a war against us, what do you think would be the best way to get into your life?  By what means? If by chance it was through someone you loved, how would you know the difference between talking to a dead relative or a demon impersonating your loved one? And if the dead are permitted in to paradise, why would they not in love come back and minister to us in the land of the living? Data/Facts: We love the idea of communicating with the dead, and celebrating life after death. And hey who can blame us? The Sumerians did, the Egyptians did, the Persians, the Greeks, The Romans, and now the Christians… The oldest account of necromancy -talking to the dead- outside of Scripture is found in Homer’s Odyssey.Pew Research in 2014 estimated that with numbers at nearly 1.4 million - There may now be more Americans who identify as practicing witches/wiccans… than there are Seventh-day Adventists in North America. More than there are members of mainline Presbyterianism.” -…(https://qz.com/quartzy/1411909/the-explosive-growth-of-witches-wiccans-and-pagans-in-the-us/)Author Julie Roys says - “Wicca (which is a form of paganism) has effectively repackaged witchcraft for Millennial consumption. No longer are witchcraft and paganism satanic and demonic… it’s a ‘pre-Christian tradition’ that promotes ‘free thought’ and ‘understanding of earth and nature.’ - says. Yet such repackaging is deceptive, Roys added, "but one that a generation with little or no biblical understanding is prone to accept."It's tragic, and a reminder of how badly we need spiritual revival in this country, and also that 'our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world,'" she said, referencing Ephesians 6, which explains spiritual warfare.The American Religious Identification Survey gives Wicca an average annual growth of 143% and latest estimates say that the movement is doubling in size every 30 months [179][269] According to The Statesman - Anne Elizabeth Wynn claims "The two most recent American Religious Identification Surveys declare Wicca, one form of paganism, as the fastest growing spiritual identification in America”.[270]From the Witch School in Salem, Massachusettes, yea its a real thing and really in Salem. “ Wicca is America's Fastest Growing religion, and it is anticipated by some Christian religious experts that it will become the third largest religion in the United States early in the 21st century, behind only Christianity and Islam. Editor Thomas Horn states - “In the United States alone, … [there are] as many as 8 million unregistered practitioners of ‘the craft’.”This leads us to the second biggest holiday in America - Halloween.  Halloween has become big business in the United States.  2nd highest spending after Christmas. $9.0 Billion this year - 2 billion dollars more than all that was spent on the 2016 elections. We will spend more money escaping reality for a day than we did electing the leaders of the free world. There is a reason flu season coincides with Halloween with the amount of candy eaten in the next week. Halloween finds it origin over 2000 years ago with the Celts/Druids who called it Samhain, when it was believed that the boundary between this world and the underworld was thinner than usual. Where the spirits could come into the world more easily. But not just any spirits - the Eeesheee - a supernatural race of spirits. The aos sí are generally described as stunningly beautiful, though they can also be terrible and hideous. According to Patricia Monaghan, most scholars believed they were a degraded versions of ancient gods.  Monaghan, Patricia (2014). The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Infobase publishing. p. 167.)Also on this night, the souls of dead relatives were thought to visit the homes of all who celebrated. The holiday involved people going house-to-house in costume (or in disguise), usually reciting verses or songs in exchange for food. It may have originally been a tradition whereby people impersonated the Aos Sí, or the souls of the dead, and received offerings on their behalf, similar to the custom of souling. Impersonating these beings, or wearing a disguise, was also believed to protect oneself from them. It was a holiday of impersonation. Impersonation - Someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. People would set out ‘soul cakes’ full of sweet fruit - on All Hallows' Eve as an offering for the dead. This is where most believe we find the origin of trick or treating for sweets. ( Kullstroem, Chris (27 May 2009). Making a Monstrous Halloween: Themed Parties, Activities and Events. McFarland. p. 85. ISBN9780786444380. “The Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating started as a European Christian custom called souling.”) For a long time Americans, mostly protestants, did not celebrate this holiday for religious reasons. As the cultural makeup changed so did the celebration. In the late 1800s and into the 20th century it became a community holiday and did not include the spook and dark side that we see coming back today. Perhaps where there is no light, darkness reigns.  This idea of conjuring the dead is said to be one of the most common themes in most video games today - usually by raising up warriors as zombies to fight in battle.Halloween is branded as scary and spooky in the United States. It is celebrated over the course of a day. Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos festivities however, unfold over two or more days in an explosion of color and life-affirming joy in Mexico, in central and south America and growing around the world.The Day of the Dead originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and other Nahua people, who considered mourning the dead disrespectful. For these pre-Hispanic cultures, death was a natural phase in life’s long continuum. The dead were still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit—and during Día de los Muertos, they temporarily returned to Earth.Then there is the altar. Where families put the favorite food of the family member and even toys the children because of their long journey. Often they will put marigolds leading the way back to the grave. This idea is not isolated to a few holidays. We see it in literature, in our television shows and in our movies and kids are not excluded.For Example - the Pixar film - Coco - the #1 film of all time in Mexico and one of the highest grossing films of all time is all about making the idea of talking to our dead loved ones as fun as the day of the dead portrays. What once was condemned we now pay to enjoy. So what does the Bible say about this idea of communicating with the dead? First off, it’s not the dead we are communicating with. According to the Bible the dead sleep and await a resurrection. They don’t have thoughts or feelings and don’t come back to talk to the living. So then who is it so many are talking to? The first message shared by the fallen angel Lucifer to Eve was “regardless of your actions, you won’t die” This is where we get the idea that death is just a doorway to the next state of consciousness. But if this is true, then are we all saved? Without a standard by which people are determined to live in paradise or not, are all saved? Do I have the joy of looking forward to living next to Hitler and other evil men in paradise? I don’t like that idea. The reason this idea is so important is because it has so many ramifications. Are we judged? By whom? Based on what? Are we all saved? Why would someone not be saved? If we die and pass on to the next life or paradise, then why not expedite that process? Why do we fight off death so much in the world, why not let the sick die faster, stop looking for cures to diseases, get rid of things like life support. It’s easy to play with this idea until you come face to face with it. BIBLE/STORY - Setting - 1 Samuel 28:3(Endor) - Saul had followed God and while he did he had success. The land was filled with the Phillistines and their religion which was built on the belief that the dead can come back and talk to the living…and that they can help foretell future events. Not many know that the great gods of the old testament were not just neat ideas, they were based on something. (https://www.thoughtco.com/false-gods-of-the-old-testament-700162)—-Talking about these ‘gods’ David tells us the history of his people and the great sin of King Saul- They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood (Psalm 106:34-38).We learn here that the gods of the old testament were actually demons.(Deut 32:16-17). They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never knownDeut 18:9-12 - 9When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. 10There shall not be found among you any one who maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or who useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12For all who do these things are an abomination unto the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee (KJV).Though Mosaic Law prescribed the death penalty to practitioners of necromancy (Leviticus 20:27What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? (1 Cor 10:20-22)Early Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian held similar views (that the gods were actually demons).——So just to be clear, the fallen angels are also known as demons. And the demons were what the majority of nations worshipped in the old world. Psalm 8:5 tells us man was made with lesser powers than the angelsHow powerful is one angel - we know from 2 Kings 19:35 - one angel killed 185,000 soldiers in one night. The Good news is that each of us has a guardian angel commissioned to be with us through our lives. Now if you have a full time bodyguard with superpowers, could it be that your life is threatened by an enemy? So Saul had gotten rid of Mediums, Spiritists,, fortunetellers - Necromancers as Deuteronomy commanded. 1 Samuel 28:3-6Saul is longing for answers. Notice verse 3 - Samuel has died. He was the voice of God to Saul. Have you ever lost someone close to you? You know this feeling of love being cut off suddenly. I have. A few years back I got a call that my dad had died in a car accident. Sudden. You think of the your last conversation. You think of the good times. You would do ANYTHING to talk to them again. Let me repeat that - You would do ANYTHING to talk to them again. I know the Bible teaching on the dead, yet for months and even years I would have dreams where I would see my dad, talk to him, even know he was dead yet everything in my being - in my dream - wanted to hug him, talk to him. Not until you lose someone and realize the power of love and loss do you begin to really understand the power of this doctrine of the devil - that death is a doorway to the next life. Did I think it was a good thought if my dad was looking down from heaven or up from hell at his family so sad without him? When we really think of death and the heresies that have come even into the church we have to realize why so many want nothing to do with God. Saul was desperate and he called for a medium. He knew better but he was would do ANYTHING to find answers.1 Samuel 28:7- 25——-Why address this today? Because if the Bible is true, then something is coming, a deception thousands of years in the making onto our planet. The most powerful medium - friends and family, who seem to come to us, look the same, sound the same, smell the same, and are here to comfort us and ‘warn us’ of coming danger. I can tell you everything in your soul will WANT TO BELIEVE these beings impersonating your loved ones. This is where faith and feeling will fight their greatest battle. The only thing telling you this is not real is Scripture and the truth that the dead know nothing (Eccl 9:5) and Job 7:9-10 - As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. He will never come to his house again; his place will know him no more.1 Timothy 4:1 - The Spirit clearly says that in the last days some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.1 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.as we learn this story of the battle between good and evil we learn that there are other worlds out there (Hebrews 11) we learn that 1/3 of the angels and their general are confined to this earth now.(Revelation 12) We learn that those beings from other worlds are not coming here to be contaminated by sin. Therefore we are under quarantine. Which means any discussion of aliens is a discussion of fallen angels visiting this planet. I know Hollywood has painted a picture that together if we unite we can fight the coming invaders, but the only invaders coming from outside of this planet are Christ and the unfallen angels at the second coming, because the fallen ones are already here. Demons - fallen angels - are organized, have special skills like filling someone with pride, anger, lust, rage, depression, despair, gluttony, resentment and the list goes on…The new testament is filled with examples of demon possession especially as Jesus walked the earth. In Mark 5:9 we learn of a man suffering possession and it is declared to be “Legion” when Jesus asked the name - the roman term for at least 5000 in a division of the army. We also learn in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that Lucifer - the fallen archangel of heaven is planning to personate christ before the true second coming. We also learn that the fallen angels are going to impersonate loved ones who have gone to sleep i.e. died. Why? Because this is the most powerful MEDIUM to sway someones belief system. I had a friend in elementary school who’s family had spoken to their dead daughter- his sister. There is NO. LET ME REPEAT. NO WAY to reason with someones apparent reality. They saw her, they spoke to her, and I was not going to convince them otherwise. The dead can appear to talk to the living, it’s just not the dead but demons masquerading as loved ones with the sole desire to deceive us. A friend recently shared a story about a boy in Africa. He loved to spend time with his grandmother and sit by her while she read stories to him in her rocking chair. Sadly she got sick and died. The mom knew the boy took this very hard. For weeks after, she noticed he kept heading to his room more often than usual and with a look of happiness. Finally she asked him why. He said because grandma rubs my head and reads stories to me still.Life is made up of concepts and ideas which equate to emotions and actions. You have a choice on what you believe and how it effects your behavior. This topic and a complete understanding of it impacts so many other beliefs and ideas. It has influenced this planet since the first day and will be an issue until the last day. The reason it is all so important is because it is about love. God loves us and does not want to see us deceived and lost. We have to decide if that love is worth it…For why should we seek the living among the dead? (Luke 24:5)

Scenario:Its morning again in America….Wake up America…morning’s overI was asleep before…that’s how we let it happenThere was a crisis…They blamed terrorists and suspended the constitution…we didn’t wake up then eitherNow I’m awake…----------------------------Those aren’t my words. Those are the words from a superbowl ad that ran last yearAn ad for a story that takes place….in an age of rampant pornography, increasing violence against women, declining morals in America, environmental disaster and decay…Until finally the religious right – a group of Christians takes control of the US Government…it becomes a totalitarian theocracy….and bibles are banned and morality is legislated and forced upon all citizens. It’s a series based on Margaret Atwood’s book – The Handmaids Tale.When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.... -= Ellen White– {LDE 131.1}The “image to the beast” represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. The “mark of the beast” still remains to be defined. {GC 445.2}Tale or Truth? The American dream - why is that? Hunted becomes the Hunter – Persecuted becomes the persecutorPersecution of native Americans, of the Japanese, of African Americans I BELIEVE AMERICA….IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN HISTORYAmerica’s future ----how we got here. Empires have ruled the world for thousands of years. as providence saw fit they rose and fall and most often their demise was related with the removal of the freedom of conscience.We can see it in Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome…then that moment came when the babe in a manger - you know the one we count time by - i.e. BC and AD? So he comes along and inserts a revolutionary idea that man needs no intermediary to connect with Divinity.Paganism - ie nature worship was the dominant force throughout history.Constantine…. and Romecompromise was the solution. He melds religion and government and the seed of the papacy was born. The papacy would rule the world for 1260 years - well that was according to the prophecy anyway—and in 538 we find it roots and in 1798 we find its fruit - the French Revolution. The Papal Empire had built itself off of persecution, legislating morality, limiting freedom of speech and conscience and especially perverting the teaching of Jesus.Ok so what does this have to do with America? One author put it like this - Once people hated God so much because they thought the papacy was what god was like since the leader of the system claimed to be god on earth - eventually people had enough, they had nothing left to lose - so in the streets of France - they lost it. And as men and women were fleeing the persecution and corruption of the old world, they were doing all they could to get to the stores of America. In the last centuries of the dark ages - think about that - we literally label a time when the religious right got in bed with the government… as the dark ages. And to put the cherry on top - the Jesus in the book of revelation literally called the church a harlot for cheating on him with the empire. Then he says in Revelation 13 - Lucifer. Himself gave them his power and throne. So people are fleeing the old world and into the new - for one thing - I want freedom. I want to worship as I want to. I want to work and reap. The fruit of my labor. Was America perfect? No. But the prophecy foretold of that too. Revelation 13 - is where we find the prophecy of America. Two world powers are symbolized in Revelation chapter 13. Before we look at the second we need to understand and identify the first power?This kingdom would claim to be god and claim to have the power to forgive sins – both of the definitions of blasphemy. It would rule the world for 1260 years….In 1798, French General Berthier inflicted a deadly wound upon the papacy when he took the pope captive. Another Nation would arise Next :“I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11).Prophecy predicted that America would arise from a sparsely settled area.The papal captivity mentioned in verse 10 took place in 1798, and the new power (verse 11) was seen emerging at that time. The United States declared its independence in 1776, voted the Constitution in 1787, adopted the Bill of Rights in 1791, and was clearly recognized as a world power by 1798. The timing obviously fits America. No other power could possibly qualify.4. What is the significance of the beast “coming up out of the earth”? Answer:   This nation arises "out of the earth" instead of out of the water as did the other nations mentioned in Daniel and Revelation. We know from Revelation that water symbolizes areas of the world that have a large population. "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17:15. Therefore, the earth represents the opposite. It means that this new nation would arise in an area of the world that had been virtually unpopulated before the late 1700s. It could not arise among the crowded and struggling nations of the Old World. It had to come up in a sparsely populated continent. 5. What is symbolized by its two lamb-like horns and absence of crowns? Answer:   Horns represent kings and kingdoms or governments (Daniel 7:24; 8:21). In this case, they represent the United States’ two governing principles: civil and religious liberty. These two principles have also been labeled “republicanism” (a government without a king) and “Protestantism” (a church without a pope). Other nations since ancient times had taxed people to support a state religion. Most had also oppressed religious dissidents. But the United States established something entirely new: freedom to worship without government interference. Absence of crowns signifies a republican form of government, rather than a monarchy. Lamb-like horns denote an innocent, young, non-oppressive, peace-loving, and spiritual nation. (Jesus is referred to as a lamb 28 times in Revelation.)6. What does Revelation 13:11 mean when it says the United States will speak “like a dragon”?Characteristics and behavior of a dragon – Revelation 12:9 – Lucifer is the DragonWhat are characteristics of Jesus – the lamb? What is the opposite?Legend of Dragons eating Lambs…7. What specifically will the United States do that will cause it to speak as a dragon? A. “Exercises all the authority of the first beast” (Revelation 13:12) The United States will become a persecuting power that will force people to go against their conscience, as did papal Rome—which is portrayed in the first half of Revelation chapter 13.B. “Causes (forces) the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).Signs of the Times May 6, 1897, “FORCE is the LAST result of every FALSE religion.”The United States will lead the nations of the world in forcing allegiance to the papal antichrist. The issue is always worship. Who will you worship and obey? Will it be Christ, your Creator and Redeemer, or antichrist? Every soul on earth will finally worship one or the other. Satan’s approach will appear to be deeply spiritual, and incredible miracles will be seen (Revelation 13:13, 14)—which will deceive billions (Revelation 13:3). Those who refuse to join this movement will be considered divisive, stubborn, radical, and unpatriotic. Jesus labeled Protestant America of the end time a “false prophet” (Revelation 19:20; 20:10),“I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe” (John 14:29).C. “Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:14). The United States will make an image to the beast by legislating religious practice. It will pass laws requiring worship and force people to either obey them or face death. This action is a copy—or “image”—of the church-state form of government the papacy ruled with at the height of her power during the Middle Ages, when millions were slain for their faith. The United States will combine civil government and apostate Protestantism in a “marriage” that will support the papacy. It will then influence all the nations of the world to follow her example. Thus, the papacy will gain worldwide support.D. “And cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:15). The United States, as head of this international movement, will next influence the nations of the world to impose a death sentence upon all who refuse to worship the beast or his image. Another name for this worldwide coalition is “Babylon the Great.”8. Over what specific issues will force be utilized and the death sentence passed?“He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:15–17).Answer:   The final points of contention will be worshiping and obeying the beast and receiving his mark—honoring Sunday as a false holy day versus worshiping and obeying Christ and receiving His mark by honoring the holy seventh-day Sabbath. (For details, see Study Guide 20.) When the issues become clear and people are forced to break the Sabbath or be killed, those who then choose Sunday will be, in essence, worshiping the beast. They will have chosen to obey the word of a creature, a man, instead of the word of their Creator, Jesus Christ. Here is the papacy’s own statement: “The church changed Sabbath to Sunday and all the world bows down and worships upon that day in silent obedience to the mandates of the Catholic Church” (Hartford Weekly Call, February 22, 1884).9. Could a government really control buying and selling?Answer:   : During World War II, buying was controlled by requiring ration stamps for such items as sugar, tires, and fuel. Without these stamps, money was worthless. In this computerized age, a similar system would be easy to set up. For instance, unless you agreed to cooperate with the worldwide coalition, your Social Security Number could be entered into a database, showing that you are disqualified to make a purchase. No one knows precisely how all this will come about, but you canbe positive it will happen—because in Revelation 13:16, 17, God says it will.Two Emerging PowersRevelation chapter 13 is clear. Two superpowers will emerge in the end time: the United States of America and the papacy. The United States will support the papacy by leading a drive to force the people of the world to worship the beast power (papacy) and receive his mark or else face death.The next two questions will evaluate the strength of these two superpowers.The papacy is the strongest religio-political power on earth.11. How strong and influential is the United States today?Answer:   The United States is regarded as the world’s most powerful military force and the world’s center of influence. Note the following:A. “In the key categories of power, the U.S. will remain dominant for the foreseeable future.” —Ian Bremmer, Time magazine, May 28, 2015B. “What ultimately makes the difference between war and peace ... is not good intentions, or strong words, or a grand coalition. It is the capability, credibility, and global reach of American hard power.” —Senator John McCain, November 15, 2014C. “The United States is and remains the one indispensable nation. That has been true for the century passed and it will be true for the century to come.” —President Barack Obama, May 28, 2014D. France’s then-foreign minister, Hubert Vérdine, told a Paris audience that he defined“the United States as a ‘hyperpower’ ... a country that is dominant or predominant inall categories.” —The New York Times, February 5, 199912. What other factors could help set the stage for a worldwide law to execute those who refuse to violate conscience?The scenes of Matthew 24 – Climate Disasters, Economic Hardship, Moral Decay, Corruption of the Christian ChurchA backlash against terrorism, lawlessness, immorality, permissiveness, injustice, poverty, ineffective political leaders, and many similar woes could easily precipitate a demand for strong, specific laws to be rigidly enforced.13. As world conditions worsen, what will Satan do to deceive the masses?“He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived” (Revelation 13:13, 14).Answer:   The United States will experience a counterfeit revival and will insist that religiouslaws be passed to force every person to participate (represented by “an image to the beast” in Revelation 13:14). People will be forced to disregard God’s holy seventh-day Sabbath and worship instead on the beast’s “holy” day—Sunday. Some will comply merely for social or economic reasons. World conditions will become so intolerable that a worldwide “back to God” movement, with all joining in worship and prayer on Sunday, will be presented as the only solution. Satan will deceive the world into believing that they must compromise Bible truth and keep Sunday holy. But in reality, obedience to and worship of the beast will indicate the refusal of most people to enter God’s kingdom. No wonder Jesus makes such an issue in Revelation over worshiping the beast and receiving his mark!14. While interest in the counterfeit revival heightens, what will be happening to the genuine worldwide revival sponsored by God’s end-time people? Answer:   The Bible says the entire world will be “illuminated” with glory (Revelation 18:1). Every person on earth will be reached (Mark 16:15) with God’s end-time, three-point message of Revelation 14:6–14. God’s last-day church will grow with amazing speed as millions join God’s people and accept His offer of salvation by grace and faith in Jesus, which transforms them into His obedient servants. Many people and leaders from all countries of the world will refuse to worship the beast nor embrace his false teachings. Instead, they will worship and obey Jesus. They will then receive His holy Sabbath sign, or mark, in their foreheads (Revelation 7:2, 3), thus sealing them for eternity. (See Study Guide 20 for additional information on God’s seal.)Spiraling Growth Infuriates the Counterfeit MovementThis spiraling growth among God’s people will infuriate the counterfeit movement. Its leaders will become fully convinced that those who refuse to cooperate with the worldwide counterfeit revival are the cause of all the world’s woes (Daniel 11:44). They will disqualify them from buying and selling (Revelation 13:16, 17), but the Bible promises that food, water, and protection for God’s people will be sure (Isaiah 33:16; Psalm 34:7).As his crowning miracle, Satan will impersonate Jesus.15. In desperation, the U.S.-led coalition will decide to impose the death sentence on its enemies (Revelation 13:15). What does Revelation 13:13, 14, say its leaders will do to convince people that God is with them?Answer:    They will work miracles—so convincing that everyone except God’s faithful end-time people will be persuaded (Matthew 24:24). Utilizing the spirits (fallen angels) of Satan (Revelation 16:13, 14), they will impersonate dead loved ones (Revelation 18:23) and probablyeven pose as Bible prophets and apostles. These lying (John 8:44) demonic spirits will doubtlessclaim that God has sent them to urge all to cooperate.16. How can we be safe from powerful end-time deceptions? Answer:   A. Test every teaching by the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11; Isaiah 8:20).The Bible says, “The time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service” (John 16:2).4. As we study the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, it seems apparent that the real enemy is always the devil. Is this true?Absolutely! Satan is always the real enemy. Satan works through earth’s leaders and nationsto hurt God’s people and thus bring heartache to Jesus and the Father. Satan is the one responsible for all evil. Let’s blame him and be careful how we judge people or organizations who hurt God’s people and church. They are sometimes totally unaware that they are harming anyone. But that is never true of Satan. He is always fully aware. He hurts God and His people intentionally.In its prophecies, the term beast is a symbol for a mighty nation. The proof is in Daniel 7, a chapter that parallels Revelation 13. Both Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 refer to beasts, ten horns, a boastful mouth speaking pompous words, and intense warfare against God’s people (compare Daniel 7:3-8, 21 with Revelation 13:1-7). Specifically, Daniel 7 describes four great beasts: a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a dragon-like creature. Embedded in the same chapter, an angelic interpreter confirmed: “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth” (Daniel 7:23).So, we can nail this down: According to Daniel 7—which parallels Revelation 13—a beast in Bible prophecy isn’t a computer or super-evil person, but a mighty kingdom or nation. That’s what the angel said. Historically, 98% of reputable Christian Bible commentaries have interpreted Daniel’s four beasts to represent the ancient nations of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. This is a fact.Out of the EarthBut there’s more. Revelation 13:11 continues: “I saw another beast coming up out of the earth.” Thus, John saw a great nation rising into power. From where? “Out of the earth,” the prophet predicted. By way of contrast, all four of the beasts in Daniel 7 “came up from the sea” (Daniel 7:3). What does “water” represent? Again, prophecy pinpoints a clear answer: multitudes of people. We know this because in a parallel prophecy another angel confirmed: “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues”(Revelation 17:15, italics added).True to the facts of history, ancient Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome all arose from the midst of a sea of peoples in Europe and the Middle East. Not so with the beast in Revelation 13:11. It comes from the earth. Thus, Revelation 13:11 points to a great nation rising out of a sparsely inhabited area.Like a Lamb“I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb.” (Revelation 13:11). Each word is significant. The true Lamb of God is Jesus Christ who offered His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world (see John 1:29; 3:16). “Like a lamb” indicates that this nation would have lamblike or Christian features. A lamb is a young animal, a baby sheep. This nation would at one time be youthful and new. Significantly, its “two horns” have no crowns like the first beast described in Revelation 13:2. Crowns represent kingly power. So, in Revelation 13:11 we see a new nation, with gentle, lamblike, Christian features, rising out of a sparsely inhabited area. It is led by a crown-less government, not ruled by kings.Are the pieces coming together yet?SuperpowerHere’s the shocker: Revelation 13 also reveals that this mysterious beast with two horns like a lamb would achieve superpower status near the end of time. Then it would degenerate and, during earth’s closing moments, lead out in the global enforcement of the mark of the beast. God’s Word reports: “He [the lamblike beast] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark” (Revelation 13:16,17).These ominous verses parallel the last part of Revelation 13:11 which describes the final, tragic act of the lamblike beast: he “spoke like a dragon.” Let’s examine it closely. The beast “causes” all to have a mark—it compels or resorts to force. “All” emphasizes its global influence. Finally, the beast’s control of buying and selling clearly indicates that the world’s economy is involved.Putting the Pieces TogetherLet’s put all the pieces together:Revelation 13:11 pinpoints the rising of a great beast.In prophecy, a beast represents a great nation.This nation rises out of the earth, or wilderness area.This nation starts out young, like a baby lamb.This nation has lamblike, Christian characteristics.This nation has horns with no crowns—it has no kings.This nation achieves superpower status near the close of time.This nation influences the world’s economy.This nation finally speaks like a dragon.This nation finally enforces the mark of the beast.Be honest: How many nations on Planet Earth today fit all ten of these clear, unquestionable, Heaven-inspired details?Only one.  ——————————

For nearly a century presidents have warned of a power working behind the scenes more powerful than anyone could imagine. Does the Bible speak to this power?

In this message we look at the French Revolution, America today and why the Bible has more applicable principles for our day than we realize. This is part 2 in our series.

The Purpose of a Prophecy - Part 1Morneau betting on track racesKnowing something before it happens is divineInsider trading I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe. John 14:29 NLT Isaiah 42:9 - Everything I prophesied has come true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens.” NLT Go with me to the city of Jerusalem Just before 605BC - 2600 years in the past Parents of Daniel - 10-12 years old ? His whole life he had been learning of a coming event Jeremiah the prophet - 2 roles of a prophet - foretelling an truth telling Jeremiah 25:1-11  Why 70 years? ---Leviticus 25:1-7, Lev 20-22 According to the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, the 70 years was “the exact number of years of Sabbaths in four hundred and ninety years, the period from Saul to the Babylonian captivity. … We learn later that yet again in Daniel 9:24 - 70 weeks (490 years) DAY/YEAR ---Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6 Jeremiah 29:1-10----------------Jeremiah 29:11 - emphasize this ENTER DANIEL - Interesting factoid, prophecies are foretold my someone and announced as fulfilled by someone. Daniel lives his entire adult life in Babylon.  Daniel 9:1-2----Daniel’s understanding of prophecy brought encouragementJesus described how people knew more about the weather than the signs of the times - Matthew 16:1-3) - is it possible we know more about the climate today than the signs of our times? In the coming weeks we are going to be talking about prophecy for our day, what should we be teaching our kids? Preparing for? I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe. John 14:29 NLT

Jesus shares one story with two groups of people with entirely different destinies. What made one group wise? This is part 2 from last week - we take a look at what it means to be wise in our day.

Jesus tells a story about the last moments of time and he uses the illustration of a wedding and 10 virgin bridesmaids to tell it. This is part 1 on the foolish ones and the lessons we can learn from them.

Jesus contrasts the idea of understanding and knowing perfect love as compared to being anxious and fearful. Today we are in the midst of a an all out assault on our emotional and spiritual health as it relates to fear mongering. What happens when we are afraid? How do we peel back the onion to understand this more than ever?

Imagine you have and/or want nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity. Somewhere through life you left it all behind. Now what would it take for someone to get your attention to bring you back? Jesus talks about this idea of the golden rule but what does it look like when it comes to sharing something with someone that you care about? In this episode we start with an intro about a series we have just launched at - LoveandWarStory.com

Romans 13 tells us to obey power or authority as sent from God - but is that what it really means? Why so many examples in scripture of that not happening? This is part 2 as we dig in deeper to really see why the founders of America proposed a seal that said "rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God"

Bible prophecy paints a picture that an empire will rise at the close of time that forces all to worship in a certain way or face death. We find that in Revelation 13. But in Romans 13 we find a call to submit to governing authorities. So what do we do? This is part 1.

In any good story we quickly know the good guy, the bad guy and what is at stake depending on who wins. So is God good all the time? How do we know if something comes from God - like cancer, a breakup, failing a class? Does God send calamity into our lives or is someone else responsible?

We read in the closing pages of scripture about a group that Jesus says make it through to the very end - alive, without seeing death. They have an ingredient in their lives that is called The Faith of Jesus. Somehow this faith is seemingly different than typical faith - or is it? Join us as Dee Casper shares a powerful message on the closing scenes of Calvary.

We've heard God is Love. But is Love God? Join us as we look at two different kinds of love in the closing moments of time. One saves us, the other leads us to destruction.

3 Angels. 1 Message Before the end of earth 1.0, we are told of a prophecy of 3 angels having a message that goes into all the world. How relevant is that message today? Join us as we discuss. Presented by Jared Thurmon

In corporate America in recent years, we’ve started to hear about this idea of flattening the organization. To those unfamiliar, this is the idea that rather than a top down organization, everyone runs on a more egalitarian basis of management. In theory this sounds really good. But the more I learn about how the best organizations are run, the more in love I am with hierarchy. And wouldn’t you know it, the Bible has a few things to say about this all important topic as it relates to our daily lives, our corporate culture and leadership in general.

America and the world finds itself in a precarious moment. Racial tension around the world seems to be increasing but why does it seem like in America its reaching a fever pitch? Are we called to right the wrongs of the past even if we aren’t personally responsible? The answer may surprise you.

There is perhaps no greater need in the world today than for friends and families to find reconciliation. How far does it go? What does scripture call us to do to experience complete reconciliation?

This story is perhaps one of the most vivid in scripture. Had Zaccheus heard Jesus speak before? Or just heard of him? Had he heard that Jesus was so unlike those harsh leaders and teachers of Israel, who refused all hope on earth and in heaven for greedy men like Zaccheus. But this Jesus - He doesn’t reject but he actually looks for men like zaccheus - the publicans and the sinners.

What is prayer? If it doesn’t exist on any planet but ours and won’t exist in paradise, why do we have it now? The Bible seems to paint a picture that prayer is a form of wartime communication technology. In this episode, we look at the story of Daniel, the value he placed on prayer and the supernatural elements we learn once the curtain is pulled back.

Foolish or Faithful? I don’t know about you but its easy to grow up being taught things that sound good, that sound right, that seem to make sense - but when the reality of similar circumstances begin to happen in your own life - sometimes all the theory gets thrown out the window. I’ve had those thoughts lately. I grew up hearing stories of men of faith like Abraham, Daniel, Joseph, - Women like Esther, and Deborah. You read or hear these stories that are exciting - about how these men and women stood up for what they believed in even if it meant at the cost of their own life. Why is it though that sometimes what we were taught as kids becomes theory and not reality as we grow up? We hear of Daniel being told of a new law - a new executive order - a government guideline - that made worshipping in a certain way - in one story - just praying in your own house - an illegal act. He has the opportunity to decide to follow the law of his land - or the conviction of his conscience and pray to His God. He breaks the law - willingly, knowingly and openly and faces the consequences. Would you have the courage to do the same? Is that thinking foolishly or faithfully? Fast forward into a scenario  - oh I don’t know - let’s just paint a scenario where it’s illegal to worship as you normally would. What would you do? For some it’s not what would we do - so much as what did we do? What did you do —what did I do?  when our government told us to not worship in a certain way like we always had - perhaps like we were convicted to? Some talk of what they would do if a day of religious intolerance came - and how they would act. I’m just curious if you’ve had any new thoughts on that concept in recent weeks. Ok so on that note, let’s go back in time to the days following the ascension of Jesus. He’s gone back to heaven, He’s asked his friends - the disciples to go tell all the world this story of how man can be saved and live forever. They waste no time. These men and women - many of them at least - had left their careers behind - they felt something more sweet must occupy their time going forward. So this means they weren’t rich with worldly wealth. Peter and John reveal this when they go up to the temple and a man - who was 40 years old - who had been parapolegic -crippled since he was born.  A man who had prayed for healing and it never came. A man who had done all he could to meet Jesus over the course of 3 years and sadly he never made it. Do you think Jesus forgot about this man? Did Jesus not hear this man’s prayers? Or was there something more going on here? His pleadings at last were heard by some friends to carry him to the gate of the temple, but upon arriving there, he found that the One upon whom his hopes were centered, had been put to a cruel death. AA 57.2 Jesus was dead - that was the news on the street. Imagine his utter discouragement. His whole life longing for healing and finally hope had just sprung up and then it was crushed. His disappointment excited the sympathy of those who knew for how long he had hoped to be healed by Jesus, and daily they brought him to the temple, in order that people walking by might be induced by pity to give him a a little money to relieve his wants. As Peter and John passed by him, he asked for a little money. The disciples - these two men who had been so close to Jesus, these two men - one a hot head the other one of the sons of thunder - had been changed. Their hearts went out to this guy  and Peter said, “Look at us. And the crippled looked up at them, expecting to receive something  from them. Then Peter said, We don’t have any gold or silver - yea no money here. And As Peter made it clear they didn’t have anything, the countenance of the cripple fell; But then something happened. Peter didn’t stop talking . And hope didn’t die out. Because Peter then said -, “But what I do have, I will give to you : In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. AA 58.1 “And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle-bones received strength. And he leaped up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew that it was the same guy who had begged - the cripple : and they were filled with wonder and amazement at the news they were hearing.” AA 58.2 “And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.” They were astonished that the disciples could perform miracles similar to those performed by Jesus. Yet here was this man, for forty years a helpless cripple, now rejoicing in the full use of his limbs, free from pain, and happy in believing in Jesus. AA 58.3 Why on earth in 2020 do I tell you a story like this? First off, I am not assuming you’ve heard this story. I also want you to catch a very important detail before we move on - there was a key component of the economy - healthcare. What do you think happens to all of those involved in that when some uneducated fishermen are walking around town healing cripples? You disrupt the economy and you pick a fight with the big boys. Needless to say this doesn’t go over well. Everyone seems shocked at this miracle and Peter and John remind them of where the power came from - From Jesus! They didn’t just stop there - Peter and John went on to tell how the blood of Jesus was on the hands of the very nation that birthed him. They began to call on all to repent and be converted. That was once a key feature of Christianity - a calling to turn from selfishness and for someone to actually do it - Repentance and Conversion. Sadly today many hear how being a Christian is easy and you can do whatever you want and live as you please and heaven still be your home. Sadly that isn’t the picture the Bible paints. It isn’t the picture the disciples are painting in this moment. They know the history of the nation. They don’t mince their words. They aren’t politically correct. They make it plain.And the crowd didn’t shrink but grew - the Holy Spirit was convicting people all over that what these men were saying was true.  Then we are told that While the disciples were speaking to the people, “the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came to them and upset that they taught the people, and preached about Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.” AA 60.3 As the religious leaders heard the words - they were convinced but not convicted. They didn’t want to hear it. Its important to know that The wrath of God is not declared against unrepentant sinners just because of the sins they have committed, but because, when called to repent, they choose to continue in resistance, repeating the sins of the past in defiance of the light given them. If the Jewish leaders had submitted to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, they would have been pardoned; but they were determined not to yield. In the same way, the sinner - that’s you or I , by continued resistance, we can place ourselves where the Holy Spirit cannot influence us anymore. AA 62.1 So its about evening time and the leaders can’t take it any longer. So they arrest Peter and John, throw them in prison for the night before they were ready to talk to them the next day. On the next day after this healing of the cripple,  Annas and Caiaphas, with the other dignitaries of the temple, met together for the trial, - or really a mock trial -  and the prisoners were brought before them. But get this - In that very room and before some of those very men, Peter had just days earlier denied even knowing Jesus. He could remember that rooster crowing in his memory.  That thought, that recent memory came distinctly to his mind as he appeared now for his own trial. He now had an opportunity of redeeming  himself and now being courageous instead of fearful. AA 62.2 Those present who remembered the part that Peter had acted at the trial of his Master, flattered themselves that he could now be intimidated by the threat of imprisonment and death. But the Peter who denied Jesus in the hour of His greatest need was impulsive and self-confident, completely different from the Peter who was brought before the Sanhedrin for examination. Since his fall he had been converted. He was no longer proud and boastful, but modest and  no longer trusted in himself. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and by the help of this power he was resolved to remove the stain of his apostasy by honoring the name he had once disowned. AA 62.3 The priests ask them by what power or authority they did this - and well that opened the can of worms - and Peter and John started to give them a tag team sermon about Jesus - whom they had crucified. This courageous defense appalled the Jewish leaders. They had supposed that the disciples would be overcome with fear and confusion when brought before the Sanhedrin. But, instead, these witnesses spoke as Christ had spoken, with a convincing power that silenced their adversaries. There was no trace of fear in Peter's voice As the priests listened to the apostles’ fearless words, “they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” AA 64.2 It’s really interesting what the book  - the Desire of Ages says about this moment Talking about the  disciples after the transfiguration of Christ it is written that at the close of that wonderful scene “they saw no man, save Jesus only.” Matthew 17:8. “Jesus only”—in these words is contained the secret of the life and power that marked the history of the early church. Christ placed His seal on the words that Peter spoke in His defense. Close beside the disciple, as a convincing witness, stood the man who had been so miraculously healed. The appearance of this man, a few hours before a helpless cripple, but now restored to soundness of health, added a weight of testimony to Peter's words. Priests and rulers were silent. They were unable to refute Peter's statement, but they were  determined to put a stop to the teaching of the disciples. AA 65.2 Already the healing of the cripple and the preaching of the apostles had filled Jerusalem with excitement. AA 66.1 In order to conceal their perplexity, the priests and rulers ordered the apostles to be taken away, that they might counsel among themselves. They felt that the work of the disciples must be stopped or Jesus would gain many followers. Their own disgrace would follow, for they would be held guilty of the murder of the Son of God. AA 66.2 Calling them again before the Sanhedrin, they commanded them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered: in Acts 4:19 - “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you be the judge . For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” AA 66.3  The disciples prayed that greater strength might be imparted to them in the work of the ministry; for they saw that they would meet the same determined opposition that Christ had encountered when upon the earth. While their united prayers were ascending in faith to heaven, the answer came. The place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were endowed anew with the Holy Spirit. Their hearts filled with courage, they again went forth to share the word of God in Jerusalem and God blessed their efforts.  The principle for which the disciples stood so fearlessly when, in answer to the command not to speak any more in the name of Jesus, they said, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge ,” is the same that the adherents of the gospel struggled to maintain in the days of the Reformation. When in 1529 the German princes assembled at the Diet of Spires, there was presented the emperor's decree restricting religious liberty, and in that decree  - all were prohibited to share publicly and openly the teaching of the protestant reformation. At that moment, It seemed that the hope of the world was about to be crushed out. Would the princes accept the decree? These leaders of governments? Should the light of the gospel be shut out from the multitudes still in darkness? This was a pivotal moment in history. Those who had accepted the reformed faith met together, and their unanimous decision was, “Let us reject this decree. In matters of conscience the majority has no power.”—Merle d'Aubigne, History of the Reformation, b. 13, ch. 5. AA 68.1 This principle is one we in our day must maintain. Too many men and women have laid down their lives to water the tree of liberty with their own blood for us to sit back and be silent. The banner of truth and religious liberty held  by the founders of the genuine christian church and by God's witnesses during the centuries that have passed since then, has, in this last conflict, been committed to our hands. The responsibility for this great gift rests with you and I. We can accept or reject the scriptures but we can’t have it both ways. the Bible is clear that we are to recognize human government as an ordinance of divine appointment, and teach obedience to it as a sacred duty, within its legitimate sphere. But when its claims conflict with the claims of God, we must obey God rather than men. God's word must be recognized as above all human legislation. A “Thus saith the Lord” is not to be set aside for a “Thus saith the church” or a “Thus saith the state.” The crown of Christ is to be lifted above the crowns of earthly kings. AA 68.2 We are not required to defy authorities. Our words, whether spoken or written, should be carefully considered, so that we do not place ourselves on record as uttering that which would make us appear antagonistic to law and order. The church perhaps like never before is in a very precarious position. From many angles it looks like the church has lost her way. For many of us, we may have found that our faith was built on theories and this has made us question things or perhaps even lose our grasp on things. But never forget it’s the foolishness of preaching, the strange act of sharing this story of Jesus who laid down his life to save us and that we can’t save ourselves - it’s that message that men and women have given us through history. It’s that message of freedom of conscience - of standing up for what you believe no matter what those around you are doing. To quote D’Abijeen - “In matters of conscience, the majority has no power”. Never forget that. God is whispering to many people right now to stand for something. It’s the same spirit that whispered to Peter and John and millions in history. Don’t turn that whisper away, don’t ignore it. Some may call you foolish - but Jesus will call you faithful. I want to ask for that power now if you’ll pray with me…

What is the value of your soul? Like literally what are you doing to prioritize your eternal life today? Whatever that is, you have put a value on your soul - Jesus said - what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Is Motherhood really that important anymore? If we want to see a world lose its mind and have no values, no respect, no standards, and turn into absolute chaos - then yea we should keep doing what we are doing and disrespecting the highest calling of any position anywhere on earth! But if we want to remember what makes a civilization great - we need look no further than to mom. The Christian mother’s work if done faithfully to God, will be immortalized.......and the Majesty of heaven will write the name of that faithful mother in the book of immortal fame. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

The majority of Christians today believe there is a place on fire where bad, mean or ‘evil’ people are being burned and tortured – they call it hell. But what if this concept is not true and even worse – not even in the bible? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

You don’t have to look far to see a world craving justice, craving for someone to step up and make wrongs right. God is merciful but is He also Just? We jump into the story of David raping Bathsheba, killing her husband and we have to ask - Where was God’s justice in this story?

Throughout history there has been an identifying mark of the followers of God and those who don’t. Somewhere along the way worshipping nature and worshipping nature’s God came in conflict and sadly they compromised and create a hybridized new reality. What do we call that today? Are there things taking place behind the scenes that point to a reality of legislating morality one more time? Join us as we dig in to our current reality.

2000 years ago we divided time from BC to AD. Jesus made a promise to never leave us or forsake us but where is Jesus today? Where is Jesus as crisis hits homes all around the world? Join us as we find out.

Many are looking around wondering what all this means. Does the Bible have any ideas on how to act in this moment? There is a story that has a lesson for us today. Watch to find out. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

There was something that the entire world saw and witnessed but didn't realize it was happening in the moment until it was too late. What was it?

This is somewhat of a part 2 to the message 'When the Music Stops'. How do we internalize and get through a crisis? Does Jesus keep us away from trials or does he go with us through them? Surprisingly most believe he keeps us away from them. That is such a dangerous mindset when you are in one because you start to wonder where Jesus is. And then what happens if tomorrow is not as amazing as today? What do we do then?

All is well until the music stops. But what do we do in a moment of fear and panic? Does the Bible speak to moments like this? Is this the end or is there still more time? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Faith is Imaginary Before you think this podcast has been hijacked, how different is faith from something that is imaginary? A christian would say ‘yea but faith is real and imaginary is fake’. Someone else might say they both don’t have any tangible essence in our current reality - but instead are both real in the mind. What is faith and does it make life better? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Have you ever run from what you knew to be right? Jonah did. His story has so many lessons for us today.

We can say many things about Faith while we are healthy…but what happens if we get sick, lose job, lose a loved one? Is God only faithful when we are in a trial? This week’s message is presented by 10-year old Gaby Gomez. She shares about her trial and what got her through it. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

We live in an age of followers and influencers. How do you influence others? In this study we look at the greatest influencer of all time. A man with over 2.5 billion followers today. What were 5 secrets of Jesus that led to so many willing and wanting to follow Him? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Last Week, we got into the power of dreams but just briefly. In this episode, we dive into the realm of dreams. What are they? Where do they come from? Does God still speak in dreams? How about the enemy - does he have the power to implant dreams or nightmares? How do we know who is the source? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Kobe, Saul and Talking to the Dead With the recent passing of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, many media outlets began to discuss the idea of the fragility of life and how Kobe and Gianna are in a better place. What does the Bible say about where we go when we die? Can we communicate with the living if we are dead? Seances, conjuring and possession have fascinated us for centuries, but what is really going on? How about dreams? Can the dead talk to us in our dreams and is it real or fake? News story about resurrection of Kobe and Gianna for money: https://adventinformer.org/en/news/ghanaian-prophet-claims-he-can-resurrect-kobe-bryant-and-gianna-for-10-to-the-deceased-total-wealth-as-tithe/ Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Today we live in a world always on the brink of a pandemic. The outbreak of a virus in China has many wondering the cause and what to do to prevent getting sick. Does the Bible talk about anything of relevance that relates with what we eat and if so what does it say? Let’s dive in to find out. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

The War of Education: How to Think vs. What to Think // Jared Thurmon Why is it that we love to learn but many of us don’t enjoy school to the same degree? Could it be that the way the educational system works is not built to prepare people to think but instead teaching people what to think? Does Scripture have anything to say about this battle for the mind? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

The Israelites are losing their grasp on who God is. They think God is the box - the ark of the covenant. In fact some today still think if only they had this box, they could conquer the world. But in this message we look at making sure we understand the source of power and not being deceived by symbols of power. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Where are we headed? How did we get to where we are today? We are on the verge of an AI revolution. How will we prepare for the world of tomorrow? Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

There may be no greater yearning in the world than for friendship. Why though in an age where we have hundreds of 'online' friends does it seem like we have fewer and fewer real life friends? The story of David and Jonathan reveals the true secret to friendship. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.” Providence had directed the movements of nations, and the tide of human impulse and influence, until the world was ripe for the coming of the Deliverer. The nations were united under one government. One language was widely spoken, and was everywhere recognized as the language of literature. At this time the systems of heathenism were losing their hold upon the people. Men were weary of pageant and fable. They longed for a religion that could satisfy the heart. While the light of truth seemed to have departed from among men, there were souls who were looking for light, and who were filled with perplexity and sorrow. They were thirsting for a knowledge of the living God, for some assurance of a life beyond the grave. As the Jews had departed from God, faith had grown dim, and hope had well-nigh ceased to illuminate the future. The words of the prophets were uncomprehended. To the masses of the people, death was a dread mystery; beyond was uncertainty and gloom. It was not alone the wailing of the mothers of Bethlehem, but the cry from the great heart of humanity, that was borne to the prophet across the centuries,—the voice heard in Ramah, “lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” Matthew 2:18. In “the region and shadow of death,” men sat unsolaced. With longing eyes they looked for the coming of the Deliverer, when the darkness should be dispelled, and the mystery of the future should be made plain. Outside of the Jewish nation there were men who foretold the appearance of a divine instructor. These men were seeking for truth, and to them the Spirit of Inspiration was imparted. One after another, like stars in the darkened heavens, such teachers had arisen. Their words of prophecy had kindled hope in the hearts of thousands of the Gentile world. For hundreds of years the Scriptures had been translated into the Greek language, then widely spoken throughout the Roman Empire. The Jews were scattered everywhere, and their expectation of the Messiah's coming was to some extent shared by the Gentiles. Among those whom the Jews styled heathen were men who had a better understanding of the Scripture prophecies concerning the Messiah than had the teachers in Israel. There were some who hoped for His coming as a deliverer from sin. Philosophers endeavored to study into the mystery of the Hebrew economy. But the bigotry of the Jews hindered the spread of the light. Intent on maintaining the separation between themselves and other nations, they were unwilling to impart the knowledge they still possessed concerning the symbolic service. The true Interpreter must come. The One whom all these types prefigured must explain their significance.

Inspiration > Perspiration ? What’s more powerful? Inspiration or Perspiration? Ideas or Effort? Both? In a world of disruption, one of the most disruptive ideas may be doing less in a world of more. Unplugging in a world always plugged in. In this episode we talk about the Sabbath and why it may be the answer to more than we realize. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

Does the spiritual walk cost you anything? Does it cost God anything? The answer is yes and yes. How important is giving money to others in our walk with God? Could it be that an ancient system of benevolence was the key ingredient to ensuring we don’t lose our way? In this message, we talk about the influence of God on your money and why money is such an indicator of the heart. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages

We can find ourselves saying thank you as a reaction to something nice being done to us. But do we really get the benefits of all the latest science on gratitude and appreciation only when something good is happening to us? Can we be appreciative even in the lows of life? In this message we take a look at a turning point in the Kingdom of Israel - all hinging on King David saying Thank you!

Kanye. Beiber. Selena Gomez. Carlos Santana. It seems like becoming a Christian is the new cool thing. Has that ever happened before? How do you know if someone is a Christian and is converted? Does it matter and should we even judge anyone for anything? Some say Christianity today is nothing more than paganism masquerading under a new outfit? Let's discuss

At the close of time, the Bible describes a condition of the followers of Jesus as status quo, lukewarm and calling themselves christians but perhaps not really being sincere. How do we know if this describes us? How do we stand when our name is called?

Perhaps there is no more divisive topic in Christianity. How are we saved? By our faith? By our works? What if I told you neither? Perfection may be something we thought we knew, but we may be wrong. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

Are we waiting on another time prophecy? Are we waiting on some event? What is it that stands between the second coming and the followers of God today? Perhaps not what many think. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

The Light of the World // Frank Sierra Thomas Edison was called the light of the world. Did you know his last invention was one he may have given the most time to. It was a device to communicate with the dead. This is the season of talking to the dead, this message reveals what may actually be going on. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

Many look at this sin as laziness. But it’s much deeper than that. Sloth is having the ability to act and choosing not to. Having the ability to do what is not and choosing not to. This is so relevant in our world today where many are shying away from doing the right thing. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

There are 3 inanimate objects in the Bible that cry out to God. Why? How? What is the lesson for us as we relate with God?

Perhaps there is no sin more broad and all encompassing than Greed. The Bible calls the love of money the root of all sin. How can that be? Has Greed made America great or could say that Greed, the unshackled pursuit of individual wealth, has turned from vice to virtue. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

In this episode we talk about how frustration can lead to anger. But is there another path away from anger that we can walk on? “Anger always comes from frustrated expectation”-Elliott Larson. Frustration prolonged breeds anger. Frustration prolonged also breeds depression because a frustrated person sees everything as a problem and becomes negative.  26  Do not let the sun go down on your anger. - Ephesians 4:26 Wayne Dyer states “Anger is a choice as well as a habit.  It is learned reaction to frustration in which you behave in ways that you would rather not.  In fact, severe anger is a form of insanity.  You are insane whenever you are not in control your behavior.  Therefore, when you are angry and out of control, you are temporarily insane”. Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seventh-day-adventist-church-of-adairsville/id1440553159 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/62bPX2F27W2ru285tCZiGC Web - https://www.adairsvillesda.org/messages Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPtXrko_a1HNUtBJAgx6qEA

Gluttony is more powerful than we give it credit for. It's not just appetite for food but includes sex, money, and power. One empire can teach us lessons about the influence of this sin more than any other. We dive in to discuss. Hope you enjoy.

Envy is deadly. It is wanting to enjoy an experience of someone you likely know but are not happy for. In this message we take a look at how social media is the greatest temptation for envy the world has ever known and also we jump into the story of Joseph and his envious brothers.

Pride is arguably the foundation of all sin and selfishness. How do we fight this enemy? In our latest series on the 7 deadly sins, we begin with pride - where it all began.

Scripture comes to a close in the book of Revelation with 3 messages that will go to the whole world. In this message we look at the first.

Can you point to specifics in your life that Jesus has been working with you and in you on?

Are you friends with someone decades older than you? How about decades younger? Is their value in this concept? Did you know the Bible shares an idea of mandatory retirement at the age of 50? How would life change if we followed this practice today? Would we see more mentoring taking place to groom future leaders?

Isaiah 58 talks about a people who claim to do right but wonder why God doesn’t notice them?. Is it possible the church has been overrun with a terrible disease and she doesn’t even know it? There is a remedy which we explore in this message.

Perhaps one of the most divisive topics in America today, the topic of Climate Change is not going away. A majority believe it should now be called a Climate Crisis or Climate Emergency, while others deny anything is happening at all. Should Christians be more concerned about the Climate? Does the Bible or Prophecy predict climate change? We attempt to wade into this issue and learn why America may be holding out on the Paris Agreement and what lies ahead.

It is perhaps the most asked question in religion "Why does God allow bad thing to happen to good people?" In this message, we explore what that means and if there is more to the story. If God is so powerful, why does He allow bad things to happen?

The majority of Americans now believe in intelligent alien life. Does the Bible talk about Aliens? If so, who are they? What is their agenda? Are they Aliens or could they be Angels, Demons, Relatives or something else? Why is the discussion on making contacting increasing?

What happens when you're called out for being a conspiracy theorist? Are conspiracies even real? A recent Newsweek article identified Creationism and the belief that all things have a purpose as perhaps the ultimate conspiracy. So again it appears as though Science and Scripture are headed for a collision. Who will win? Is Scripture a conspiracy? Is Science a conspiracy? The good news is that you get to decide...right?

What’s the saying about being in the right place at the wrong time? Or how about when someone means well but doesn’t do well? In this message, Shawn Craig describes the varying beliefs today of the Biblical Sabbath and if and why any of it matters at all. Is it possible that even those who attend church on Saturday may not be keeping the Sabbath as the Bible describes?

Today countless households grow up without a father. What are the real lifelong effects of this? Does our influence with our father on earth affect how we view our Father in heaven? In this sermon you'll hear the latest research on the importance of fathers in the home as well as ways to view God in a totally new way.

Hell. Perhaps the most misunderstood topic in the Bible. Is it a real place? Did you know the Bible doesn’t say that people burn forever? This has been used to drive away millions from a God that honestly sounds like a tyrant if the rumors are true. But is there is a different story than the one we’ve been told?

This issue has been at the heart of a debate for millennia. Are you saved by Faith? Works? Both? How can you help someone who seems like they are trying to work their way to heaven?

Part 1 of 5 in our series - 5 Things the Bible Doesn't Teach - There are some prevailing ideas about Christianity today that sadly have no basis in the Bible. For example, many Christians believe the state of Israel plays a role in final events, when in fact the Bible says differently. Another prominent opinion is that at the end of time there will be a Secret Rapture where some faithful ones will be whisked away to paradise in secret while those who are 'left behind' will get a second chance to get their act together. But the Bible actually teaches something entirely different. If you've ever heard of any of these issues, you will enjoy this message to help you clarify what Christians teach and if in fact the Bible confirms or denies that popular teaching.

This past week my wife became a mom. I have such a new appreciation of mothers everywhere. “Next to God, the mother’s power for good is the strongest known on earth. We may safely say that the distinctive duties of woman are more sacred, more holy, than those of man.” -Ellen White A mother is the queen of her household. Her word is law. A wife is to be her husband’s equal. Her work in educating her children is as important as a King. The story of Jochebed shows us how important being a faithful mom is.

When Jesus is asked about the end of the world, He says that it would be much like the days of Noah just before a flood came onto the earth. What were those days like? Are we seeing the same scenes play out today?

The story of Joseph is one of the most epic stories in history. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, accused of rape, falsely imprisoned for many years, and seemingly forgotten by God. But then everything changed. What are we holding on to that gets us through the trials and tribulations of life?

Have you ever had someone look at you and it left a deep impression? The last night of Jesus life contains the story of two of his disciples - Judas and Peter. Both would contemplate ending their life. What made the difference? Peter denied him in front of everyone, Judas pled for Jesus deliverance. But what happened in the hours following changed everything.

In a world where men dominated the culture, one woman stood up with boldness when no one else would. Her story may be one of the greatest stories of courage and fearlessness the world has ever known. She was a mother, a warrior and one of only a few woman prophets in history. She reminds us of those powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

What do we do when faced with a situation like David - staring into the Goliaths of our lives? What do we rely on? What can give us hope?

The story of Job shows us the behind the scenes picture in the battle between good and evil. It also shows us the power of faith in both good and bad times. What kind of faith do you have? Is it tested and proven resilient?

Candor is something that we need more of. In this message, we look at the story of Abigail as she speaks faith into the future king of Israel's life and shows kindness but doesn't shy away from being totally candid in their private conversation. There is a need for more candor in relationships at work, at church and at home.

The Story of Mary Magdalene has lessons that have been applicable throughout time.

Abraham is looking for a wife for his son Isaac. But he knows the one key to happiness in a home - Kindness. The story of Rebekah has plenty to teach us today about this trait that we all crave to experience. Present the truth as it is in Jesus. Let the tones of your voice express the love of God. Lead, but never drive. Approach the most obstinate in a spirit of kindness and affection. Dip your words into the oil of grace, and let them flow forth from your lips in love (Letter 105, 1893). Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; … …Though ignorant of the written law of God, the heathen have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. DA 638

A few miles beyond the Jordan river, just opposite the place where the Israelites were encamped, was the large and strongly fortified city of Jericho. This city was the key to the whole country… Joshua sent two young men as spies to visit this city and learn about the population, its resources, and the strength of its fortifications. Years earlier Joshua himself had seen the land where according to Duet 9:1 ‘it had great cities with walls fenced up to heaven’ Jericho was a city devoted to the most extravagant idolatry and selfishness. They worshipped the demon goddess of the moon - Ashtoreth. She was the goddess of fertility, sexuality and war. But in the city there was a prostitute who as a child had heard of the plagues in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Now it was her turn to exercise faith. But does God bless deception? What really caused the walls of the city to fall down? There is more going on behind the scenes in this story than we may have realized.

CHOSEN @adairsvillesda Feb 23, 2019 They say you can’t judge a book by its cover - but we do. They say names will never hurt you - but they do. They say perception is reality - but is it? ——— She had a rocky start in life. As the daughter of a teenaged low-income mother, her start was anything but glamorous. In her early years, her living conditions were rough, and she was sexually abused starting at the age of 9, by her cousin, uncle, and a family friend. At the age of 14 she got pregnant, but her son died shortly after birth. Finally the day came to pursue her dream, She was hired on to a local television station for the news, but things didn’t go well. She was fired by the producer because she was “unfit for television,” But - Oprah Winfrey didn’t give up. ——— “I’ve made billions of dollars of failures,” he said at a recent conference, adding that it would be like “a root canal with no anesthesia” if he listed them. “failure and invention are inseparable twins,” - Jeff Bezos, the richest man in America didn’t give up. ——— I missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I was trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan - didn’t give up. ——— When asked by a newspaper reporter if he felt like a failure and if he should give up, after having gone through over 9,000 failed attempts, He simply stated “Why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitely over 9,000 ways an electric lightbulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” - Thomas Edison didn’t give up. Is perception reality? If we looked at each of these people at various stages in life, we would likely call them failures. Whose perception is reality? How often is the majority right? In a world of social media and likes and comments and views, how do we define reality? Is it based on what you see? What they see? Or is it something else? I’d like to take you back to the land of promise… Israel was tired of being unique, they wanted to blend in, be liked and be like the majority of the nations around them - They wanted a king on the throne. That first King, like many leaders today was only a leader by title, not by character. People followed him because they had to, not because they wanted to. He failed his calling and God called Samuel, the prophet in Israel to go to Jesse’s house, to find the next king READ - 1 Samuel 16:6-7+ Perception is not always Reality ——————————————————————— Explain the life of a shepherd ————————————————-—————————————- 1 Samuel 16:16-23 David’s talent gets him into the court of the King. Why? To learn what to do? How to become king? NO Sometimes God leads us into situations to learn what NOT to do. —————————————- READ 1 Samuel 17:3-11 - THE VALLEY - THE BATTLE ARRAY Goliath - 10 feet tall - 200 lbs worth of armor David - - 16 years old, well built, tall David knew God had called him to something decisive this day! David gets audience with the king. He makes his case. 1 Sam 17:32- Don’t get caught here, this is a moment like when Oprah finally had made it through college, finally at a network only to be fired. People thought yep she’s unfit for this type of work” But was that the end of the story? No! She was finding her own armor. Jordan didn’t make the varsity team, too short, small and didn’t have what it takes. That crazy geek in the lab, failing over and over and over with all his silly lightbulb inventions. And so with David, he’s scared, he doesn’t want to fight… David realizes, I’ve prepared for this, but this isn’t how I prepared. Other people’s perceptions of what you should be doing and how you should be doing it, are hurting who you are meant to be! Fight in your own armor. You’ve been preparing for this your whole life. Stop listening to the crowd. They tell you you’re not pretty enough, not strong enough, too bossy, too wreckless….Stop listening to the crowd. The majority is never right! David has figured this out. VS. 40 - David begins to walk down to the valley. He hears the whispers. Why are the soldiers afraid? They don’t know how to fight with swords and armor…1 Samuel 13:19-21 Barium Sulfate - density chemical make up twice as dense of normal stone. What was his perception? What was Israels? What was Sauls? What is yours? VS 41 - 44 - Come to me on my terms David Responds: But before I tell you what he says I should tell you about the slingers: Share accuracy 400’ and range - 1300’ of slinger ( velocity -stopping power of a 44 magnum handgun Who should be afraid in this moment? VS 45 - 47 - David Responds Success is when preparation meets opportunity ! VS 48 - Goliath loses his cool - forgets about all his strengths - armor bearer, helmet, slow etc. Faith is not feeling, not reality. Faith is the substance of what we are hoping for, the evidence of what we cannot see….yet

For Such a Time as This Adairsvillesda.org February 9, 2019 The Bible and Historians like the Greek Historian Herodotus, and the Jewish Midrash give us details to one of the greatest stories ever told. A story about risk. A story about the power of a woman’s influence. A story about the power of one man’s courage. A story that warns of the dangers of restricting religious freedom and mingling church and state.... A story for such a time as this… Our story begins on the night of the overthrow of Babylon. King Belshazzar is having a party, everyone is drunk, and in fiery letters written on the wall everyone is terrified to hear from Daniel the prophet that the Kingdom of Babylon has been weighed in the balance…and will be overthrown. It has failed it’s calling, and it is the fault of the king who should have known better and not lowered himself to a drunken festival to the downfall of his empire. At the same time, the Medo-Persian army has diverted the river Euphrates and is marching under the wall to overthrow the metropolis of the greatest empire the world had known. Belshazzar the king is slain. Terror seizes everyone and all are running for their lives. Darius, the future king of this empire, and soon to be a friend of Daniel the prophet, sees something that catches his eye and……………………………………that’s the beginning of our story. Fast forward – where we pick up our story in Esther Chapter 1:1 Xerxes the Great Ahasueras, also known as Xerxes – the Grandson of King Cyrus the Great – the son of King Darius – Ruled Media and Persia at its apex. -He becomes King. Xerxes began to be known as a ruthless, cruel, arrogant man. The multiple assassination attempts show that those closest to him didn’t respect him. Verses 3-5 There was drinking of wine and reveling. It was similar to that last night in Babylon at Belshazzar’s feast with a thousand of his lords. Truly Medo-Persia was the daughter of Babylon. Esther 1:10, 11 - When the heart of the king was drunk with wine, he commanded ... to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look upon. Vashti Although the Talmudic rabbis never say explicitly that they read Esther 1:11 as Ahasuerus’ attempt to mock Vashti’s royalty, this may be inferred from the way the rabbinic reading of the command as meaning that Vashti should wear only the diadem (Midrash Abba Gurion 1): אמר ר’ אבא שלא יהיה עליה כלום אלא הכתר וערומה. R. Abba said: “That she should appear with nothing on her but the crown, that is, naked.” According to the Midrash – The ancient Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Scriptures – Vashti was the daughter of King Belshazzar. Great granddaughter of Nebuchadnezzar. Taken captive by King Darius the night of the overthrow, he took pity on her and eventually had her marry his son – Xerxes/Ahasueras. Vashti’s name means (The Beautiful – The Best) She was known as a savvy politician. The idea is proposed that the ladies banquet held at the same time as Ahasueras/Xerxes festivities was a strategic political maneuver. With all of the noble wives of the empire present, she would have control of a key group of hostages in the event of a coup d’etat at the King’s feast. She had learned her lesson from her father Belshazzar’s feast. Harriet Beecher Stowe called Vashti's disobedience the "first stand for woman's rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote that Vashti "added new glory to [her] day and generation...by her disobedience; for 'Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.'" Ellen White states - When this command came from the king, Vashti did not carry out his orders, because she knew that wine had been freely used, and that Ahasuerus was under the influence of the intoxicating liquor. For her husband's sake as well as her own, she decided not to leave her position at the head of the women of the court. She acted in harmony with a pure conscience. -CC 243. 37 The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 3:1139. CC 243.2 Xerxes commanded her to appear before his half-drunken company, wearing only her crown and she refused to be humiliated like that. The men around Xerxes argued this would set a terrible precedent. She hadn’t just wronged him but this would alter the state of society. It would be a power given to woman that would be to her injury (Manuscript 29, 1911) So Xerxes banished Queen Vashti (Esther 1:3). There is no queen in the empire…what now? Mordecai and Esther – Chapter 2 Hadassah was an orphan – of the royal line of Saul. Her parents had both died when she was a baby. She was raised by her cousin Mordecai as his own child. She was simple-hearted and unassuming, requiring little and demanding nothing. SDP 171.2 Mordecai called her Esther to hide her lineage – and at the age of 16 she went to the palace. Like Vashti, she is also known for her beauty. Xerxes marries Esther (Ishtar – goddess of love) (Esther 2:16), when he is 40. She is believed to be around 16. Soon after Esther is crowned queen, Mordecai gets intel of a plot to assassinate the king. He tells Esther and she relays this to the king. 13 years later Xerxes would finally be assassinated while on the throne. All seemed well in the kingdom…but a few years go by and then everything changes in just a few days. Haman and the Jews Haman, a wealthy influential politician and businessman becomes second in command in the government. He begins to hate Mordecai because Mordecai won’t bow down to him when he passes by. He finds out Mordecai is a Jew. So he gets a law passed in the government to discriminate and persecute people based on religious beliefs. He wants to rid the land of all of these Sabbath keepers. Esther 3:9 - If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury." Xerxes loved money and it’s that love of money that is the root of all evil… A death decree to destroy those who keep Sabbath and rid the land of them. Why? Because…haven’t you heard? They are troublers of the people! This is story about the danger of mingling of religion and state affairs. The remnant of Israel remained in a foreign land. But John on Patmos saw another moment of the remnant of Israel under attack and declared, in Revelation 12:17 - “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” For about forty years mercy had been extended to Israel, and that people had turned a deaf ear to all pleas to return home. Forty years has often been called the allotted time for a generation to settle its destiny either for or against the truth. Moses was forty years in the wilderness, unlearning the things of Egypt, and being taught in the things of God; Israel wandered forty years in the wilderness, when only eleven days were necessary to make the journey from the Red Sea to the border of Canaan; forty days Christ endured severe temptation as a figure of the time before the destruction of Jerusalem; forty years sealed the fate of the Reformation in Germany; and it was forty years from the preaching of the sealing message until the time of the loud cry. SDP 172.2 So Israel was given forty years in Babylon while angels held the winds of strife. At the end of that time Xerxes yielded to the suggestion of Haman, and issued a decree against that “certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces.” If appeals would no longer attract the attention of the Jews, God would in his mercy let persecution come, that they might be compelled to flee to his side for protection. But when persecution and hardship are approaching, the love of God is so great that he prepares the deliverer ahead of time. SDP 173.1 Esther. The intercessor Esther 3:13-15 says - Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa…. The city of Shushan/Susa was the first to hear the decree, and anxiety filled the hearts of the Jews. There was distress in every home. “The city of Shushan was perplexed.” On a set day every Jew in the kingdom was to be put to death by the sword; old, young, men, women, and little children, none were excluded. Lucifer was celebrating the thought that at last Israel was in his hand, and the cause of God should fall. “The king and Haman,” two of Satan’s servants, “sat down to drink.” SDP 173.3 Scarcely one year from the date of the decree and death would be their lot. There was seemingly no way of escape. Years before they might have gone up to Jerusalem, but now it was forever too late. SDP 174.1 For many years, all were free to go home but instead stayed in Babylon and in the cities of the empire. They failed to heed the warning of the prophets to “Come out of her my people.” Esther, in the king’s palace, was ignorant of the decree. She hears that Mordecai is in sackcloth mourning at the King’s gate. Chapter 4 Verse 4 - 14 The crucial moment had come to her. Should she, could she, be true to her God? 21 years old! "If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God." – Ellen White (3T 280) "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King Verse 15 - 17 Commenting on this moment – Ellen White writes “The angel of God had guarded Hadassah, and directed in her education. He had brought her to the kingdom “for such a time as this.” When there was no man to represent his cause, Jehovah used a woman, and she, a young woman –. Her very beauty was consecrated to the Lord, and he made use of that. God loves the young people, as the history of the Jews certifies.” SDP 173.2 Chapter 5 Esther goes in to the king. Finds Favor. Invites him to a feast with Haman. Haman goes home but sees Mordecai. Verse 11 – I have everything – but I’m miserable and filled with hate. That Night – Chapter 6 King can’t sleep. Haman can’t sleep. Chapter 6:5-10 God had prepared from afar for deliverance. The very act of kindness done years before by Mordecai wrought in the deliverance of his people. Who says there is no record kept of man’s acts, or that man performs any deed of kindness unprompted by heavenly beings? God not only used Esther to save his people; but he also used Mordecai. SDP 175.1 Banquet - Chapter 7 Verse 3 – 10 Chapter 8 - Onward And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Esther 8:14, 17. PK 602.1 Angels that excel in strength had been commissioned by God to protect His people while they “stood for their lives.” Esther 9:2, 16. PK 602.2 Mordecai is us. Haman is Lucifer. Was next to the throne and will be replaced by you and I. Ellen White comments saying “Mordecai was promoted to the position of chief counselor of Xerxes; and a decree issued that on the day appointed for the slaughter of the Jews, every Jew should bear arms and defend himself against the Persians. …. Again God had defeated the schemes, not of men only, but of the archenemy. Truth triumphed in spite of the waywardness of his people. This decree of Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, is the counterpart of the decree which will soon be issued by the beast of Revelation thirteen against the followers of God. It will find a people situated as were the Jews in Babylon; it will find others who have withdrawn from Babylon, and as the enemy rushes upon this latter class to slay them, the swords will fall like broken straws, for the angels of God will fight for his people. SDP 175.2 This record, given in the book of Esther, is preserved in Bible history that men may know the future. God’s dealings with the Jews reveal the principles of his government, and in this history is a graphic description of the sins and deliverance of spiritual Israel. SDP 175.3 From this story we may learn - Time waits for neither man nor nation. APPENDIX Xerxes was a cruel, arrogant man, and his character is shown not only in his dealing with the Hebrew race, but with other peoples as well. Not content with the extent of territory under his control, he mustered an immense army-over five million, historians like Herodotus state-in attempts to subdue Greece. Defeat and disaster accompanied the effort, however, and he returned unto his own kingdom. SDP 176.1 The Spirit of God was not yet withdrawn from the Medo-Persian court, and although Xerxes is the last king mentioned in the vision which Daniel saw, yet God was still holding out mercy to the Israelites; and it was during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, the successor of Xerxes that the final decree for the return of the Jews was issued. In like manner the grand jubilee will immediately follow Satan’s last effort to destroy the people of God. SDP 176.2 Daniel 6:14. Eighty years had passed since the decree of Cyrus-eighty years of forbearance; but even after the experience of the days of Esther and Xerxes there was little interest manifested in the rebuilding of Zion, and the company who went with Ezra was small compared with what it should have been. The condition in Jerusalem was discouraging, for there the Jews had intermarried with the Canaanites, bringing in iniquity and confusion. The Sabbath was desecrated, and the services of the Lord’s house were neglected. It was not until the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, after Ezra had labored for Israel thirteen years, that Nehemiah came from Babylon and stirred the people into activity. Then, and not till then, were the walls rebuilt. Even then it was fighting with one hand and building with the other, because of a multitude of enemies. It was only then that they began to pay tithe, and to cease from ordinary traffic on the Sabbath; it was then that they put away their heathen wives; but they did it only because threatened by God’s wrath. SDP 176.3 Truly Israel was stiffnecked and rebellious. A remnant was saved from Babylon, but it was only a remnant; and that remnant, after years of struggling and much halting, was as a brand snatched from the burning. SDP 177.1 Jerusalem, which might have been the glory of the earth, fell a prey to each succeeding kingdom. Daniel’s mind turned to the rising power of the kingdom of Grecia, and Gabriel next spoke of the mighty one who should rule with great dominion. Medo-Persia sank into a state of weakness, and the angel withdrew his sheltering wings; probation was passed for another nation. Ezekiel 21:25-27. It, too, had been numbered and found wanting; and its name is dropped by the inspired penman. SDP 177.2 The history of the Persian empire, until it passed its zenith, is the history of the decrees; and when that nation ceased to help forward the people upon whom God was still bestowing light, it is lost sight of by the divine historian. SDP 178.1

Did God embed something into our very food supply to teach us about how to live unselfishly? Rico Hill shares about why Jesus and His character is embedded in all food that gives life.

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How does the gospel make sense in a world where so many are running from it? Rico Hill shows why Adam and Jesus were in love with their bride and could not live without her.

Escape to Paradise - 9 January 26, 2019 adairsvillesda.org The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the strained, restless relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place—that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis. - Education p. 179. All eyes are on America… With the revelations of Edward Snowden, and Julian Assange -along with the willing surrender of our private lives to social media companies - Could it be that America could remove the freedoms of its own citizens? The Constitution of the United States guarantees liberty of conscience. Nothing is dearer or more fundamental. Pope Pius IX, in his Encyclical Letter of August 15, 1854, said: The absurd and erroneous doctrines or ravings in defense of liberty of conscience are a most pestilential error—a pest, of all others, most to be dreaded in a state.’ The same pope, in his Encyclical Letter of December 8, 1864, anathematized - (called anyone a heretic who believed that) those who assert the liberty of conscience and of religious worship,’ and also ‘all such as maintain that the church may not employ force.’ GC 564.5 “The pacific tone of Rome in the United States does not imply a change of heart. She is tolerant where she is helpless. Says Bishop O'Connor: ‘Religious liberty is merely endured until the opposite can be carried into effect without peril to the Catholic world.’ All eyes are on America… In light of these long foretold events, the Bible describes a change that is coming - Daniel 12:1 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. Protestant America, it’s courts, its legal system, the church, capitalism, its social fabric, the economy, the family unit, morality, - all are compromised. What conditions could lead this very country and then the whole world to turn on its principles? All eyes are on America The United States currently has nearly 1000 military bases and/or military installations in 80 countries around the world. The rest of the countries of the world who have foreign military bases are 11 and the combined of all of those is 70. Any talk of China or Russia as a threat to the United States is laughable. This nation is the sole superpower on planet earth and the Bible says it will be that way until the very end. Either through the military industrial complex or the dollar industrial complex - America is calling the shots. All eyes are on America Trend Forecaster and American, Ellen White wrote “By the decree of enforcing the institution of the Papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. … our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government, … then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan, and that the end is near.”—Testimonies for the Church 5:451. ChS 160.4 With rapid steps we are approaching this period. When Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution, then will the papal sabbath be enforced by the combined authority of church and state. There will be a national apostasy, which will end only in national ruin.—Manuscript 51, 1899. Ev 235 How could this happen? As we sit here today, there is a fact, the majority of the people of God, the majority of this planet have not yet even heard this story…but something will soon occur where a change will take place. Remember the conditions we talked about last week when Jesus told his disciples what life would be like just before He would return a second time. Famine, Disease, Natural Disasters… Matthew 24 What about the promise that the gospel would go to the whole world? Isaiah 26:9 -…When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. From the book commenting on this moment - The Great Controversy - “Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered or allowed to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. GC 589 While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he - [Lucifer the fallen angel] - will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations (wildfires), in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones/hurricanes, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. … These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. GC 589 Isaiah 14:12,16,17 tells us what will take place - How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? Then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God's commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity. GC 590 God is upset, the economy is in shambles… How would you like to be blamed for what appears to be a rampant outbreak of natural disasters or the elements or what some may call climate related events…? Communications from the spirits - [the fallen angels] - will declare that God has sent them to convince the rejecters of Sunday [Sabbath keepers] of their error, affirming that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of God. They will passionately express sorrow for the great wickedness in the world and second the testimony of religious teachers that the degraded state of morals …is caused by the desecration of Sunday. Great will be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept their testimony. GC 590.2 John Mark Hall “while you were sleeping” United States of America Looks like another silent night As we're sung to sleep by philosophies That save the trees and kill the children America, what will we miss while we are sleeping America will we go down in history As a nation with no room for its King Will we be sleeping? Satan's policy in this final conflict with God's people is the same that he employed in the opening of the great controversy in heaven. He professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government, while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow. God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan's constant resort—to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce—is compulsion by cruelty. Through fear or force he endeavors to rule the conscience and to secure homage to himself. To accomplish this, he works through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God. GC 591.2 Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their actions driven from conviction (conscientious scruples) will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the government. -GC 592 Revelation 18:5 - “Her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” - Come out of her my people - God still has a people in Babylon; and before the visitation of His judgments these faithful ones must be called out, that they partake not of her sins and “receive not of her plagues.” For over 100 years, those who presented the truths of the third angel's message of scripture have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Any predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been—the defender of religious freedom. But All eyes are on America… When Sunday observance or rest begins to be discussed….in response to economic concerns or climate related events the message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. GC 605 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law. Psalm 119:126 And So We Wait This 3rd angel has a warning message for all the world. But on a more personal and practical level, Adventist Evangelist Ellen White was asked what this was all about. She responded by saying that it was about Justification by Faith - the laying of the glory of man in the dust and God doing for man what it is NOT in man’s power to do for himself or herself - aka The Everlasting Gospel. This message will cause a great ‘shaking’ among the people of God. A shaking of beliefs and will only be followed by a sifting - or persecution. As long as God is on the throne - the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit is always felt by rulers and society. Many of the great men of the earth are going to accept this message and stand for conviction. The day will come when the whole world will be united… against a small minority who are standing for conviction. Which side of this do you want to be on? Through spiritualism, [the belief that death is just a doorway to the next life and that we can communicate with the dead] Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith; but at the same time he works as a destroyer. GC 589 The Bible says the apostles will appear to return to contradict what they wrote - as fallen angels. Heathen gods will appear in the cities of the world. Fallen angels in the form of loved ones who have passed on to the grave will appear to convince this small group of their error… As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13-15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that human eyes have ever seen. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. GC 624 The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation, in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath, will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains.—Testimonies for the Church 5:464, 465. ChS 16 “There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.... Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth; behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:24-27, 31; 25:31; Revelation 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17. This coming there is no possibility of counterfeiting. It will be universally known—witnessed by the whole world. GC 625 Heavenly Angels will guard the faithful from the enemies of man and fallen angels. The people of God—some in prison cells, some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains—will plead for divine protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity, that the God of Israel will interpose for the deliverance of His chosen [people]. GC 635 There will be a mighty earthquake, graves will be opened, and the promise, the hope that everyone who has lost someone is waiting for will take place. We will be reunited with loved ones as we escape this planet. The devil and his angels are confined on the destroyed earth for 1000 years. (Revelation 20) The Bible says We will spend 1000 years in paradise. We judge men and angels. We ask why some aren’t there. We ask why some are. The goal is to be the one asking the questions. In the heavenly courts there will be no song sung, To me that loved myself, and washed myself, redeemed myself, unto me be glory and honor, blessing and praise. But this is the keynote of the song that is sung by many here in this world. They do not know what it means to be meek and lowly in heart; and they do not mean to know this, if they can avoid it. {TM 456.2} Some will ask “what are these wounds in your hands? I got these in the house of my friends…Zechariah 13:6 We will return to this planet - earth. This will be the home of the righteous, the metropolis of the universe. The center of the action. Heaven will relocate to this planet. He will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor to execute his plans. .… In rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding. Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of Christ having been removed, Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. …… he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom. GC 663 In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell. GC 664.1 Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions. GC 664 But God in his mercy ends this before it’s too late. He reveals the whole story of good and evil like a panorama story in the sky. All will see their part they acted in the drama of the ages. They know where they turned their back on love and accepted Selfishness as their ruling principle. As Jesus stands up - Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. The coronation of the king of Kings takes place. All bow and acknowledge that He was right all along. Jesus was never selfish. Even Lucifer kneels as he remembers his position next to Jesus. He remembers that he was offered forgiveness and like those all around him - rejected it. He bows and admits - Jesus was right. The working out of Satan's rule in contrast with the government of God has been presented to the whole universe. Satan's own works have condemned him. Jesus declares - “Behold the purchase of My blood! For these I suffered, for these I died, that they might dwell in My presence throughout eternal ages.” In this moment, millions will turn and look at their spiritual leaders - many ministers - teachers who misled them. Lucifer, believes that perhaps even now he can stir up a revolt. As he attempts it, he is finally unmaksed. All the earth turn on him and the fallen angels —- “Because you have set your heart as the heart of God; behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon you, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your brightness. They shall bring you down to the pit.” “I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.... I will cast you to the ground, I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you.... I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.... You shall be a terror, and never will you be any more.” Ezekiel 28:6-8, 16-19. GC 672 God in his mercy ends the lives of the whole world, the devil and his angels from attacking and tormenting each other. And God will silence and erase from all memory the rebellion from the whole earth. No eternal hell fire. One event, to put them out of their misery. It is as this time when I think finally every tear will be wiped away. The earth will be recreated. Revelation 21:1 -“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” What will the new earth be like? Think about life now but remove the threats, remove the diseases, remove the threat of war, remove the anger, the sorrow, the sadness. Think of what brings you joy now and imagine it ten fold greater. What will the heavenly city be like? Density of NYC - whole world could live in Texas. We are told it is built like a giant cube. The width of the walls - Appears to be built like ancient cities - where the citizens live in the walls with a view of the inner park and the outer sea of glass perhaps? We are told there will be no night there. We are told we will have a country home where we will grow gardens and enjoy all the best of this life but far beyond any form of happiness we have ever experienced. Not 10% of our brains but 100%. Playing with Lions and Lambs. if you like to travel, Visiting all the worlds of the universe. Tasting their delicious cuisine. Meeting new friends, learning new talents. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body. GC 677. There is Adam - he beholds the trees that were once his delight—the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees the vines that his own hands have trained, the very flowers that he once loved to care for. His mind grasps the reality of the scene; he comprehends that this is indeed Eden restored, more lovely now than when he was banished from it. The Saviour leads him to the tree of life and plucks the glorious fruit and invites him to eat. He looks around him and beholds a multitude of his family redeemed, standing in the Paradise of God. Then he casts his crown at the feet of Jesus and… embraces His Redeemer. The Great Controversy, 647, 648. AH 541.2 And that’s just the beginning… On that day, Jesus will turn his eyes on you, put a crown on your head and say well done! For the world - All eyes are on America For the universe and Jesus - All eyes are on this planet For you - Keep your eyes on Jesus. This world will let you down. But Keep Your Eyes on Jesus. Song Turn your eyes upon Jesus

 1 of  15 America the Beautiful? January 19, 2019 adairsvillesda.org Where we are at in this series… Bible is a book about how the world and civilization interacts with God and His friends or followers - Sodom, Egypt, Ninevah, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Papacy, …. Today we are going to talk about America and the purpose for which it was founded… The Old World…is ending - Why? To those who were looking to go back to the primitive church - the apostolic church - the King of England is quoted as saying “conform, or ….harry them out of the land, or else worse” - George Bancroft, History of the United States of America pt. 1, ch12 -J.G. Palfrey writes “Hunted, persecuted and imprisoned many could see only dark days ahead. For those who wanted to serve God according to the dictates of their conscience “England was ceasing forever to be a habitable place” -J.G. Palfrey - History of New England - They fled to Holland, left their homes and lands because of religious persecution. They became known as the Puritans, a Protestant group where their motto was “to walk together in all His ways made known or to be made known to them.” - J. Brown , The Pilgrim Fathers p. 74 This was the true spirit of Protestantism and the Reformation. Men like their pastor - John Robinson were teaching that Luther, Calvin, Knox and others would have kept the reformation progressing. He said “were they now living, [they] would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received.” - D Neal, History of the Puritans vol. 1, p. 269  2 of  15 He goes on “Remember your promise and covenant with God…to receive whatever light and truth shall be made known to you from His written word…..for it is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian darkness and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once.” Martyn , vol 5, pp. 70-71 It was with this creed that they set sail for the shores of the new world and a new life. They had seen the evils of religion seeking to define and punish heresy and saw the value of keeping church and state separate. But sadly not long after they arrive, many begin to mandate that only church members can serve in government and it was not long before persecution arose…in the new world. Before they left the shores of Holland Robinson said to them “I am very confident the Lord has more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word.” - Martyn, vol. 5 p. 70 Roger Williams Another man of faith arrives to the shores of the new world. He agreed with John Robinson that “it was impossible that all the light from God’s word had been received.” He is known as “the first person in modern Christendom to establish civil government on the doctrine of the liberty of conscience, the equality of opinions before the law.” -Bancroft, pt. 1, ch 15 When Williams arrived in America - he found church attendance was mandated by law. This disgusted him. He was respected and loved as a faithful leader and minister, a man of rare gifts, integrity and kindness shown to everyone he met. But as he kept teaching and preaching tolerance and freedom of speech and  3 of  15 freedom of conscience he was accused of “subverting the government and society” - Bancroft pt. Ch 15 He was sentenced for a crime - as an enemy of the state - and to escape arrest - he was forced to flee in the cold stormy winds of winter into the deep forest. He wrote later “For fourteen weeks, I was sorely tossed in a bitter season, not knowing what bread or bed did mean - but the ravens fed me in the wilderness and a hollow tree served as a shelter.” -Martyn Vol. 5, pp 349-350 He continued through the snow and the forest until he found refuge with an Indian tribe whose confidence and affection he won while teaching them the truths of the gospel. Finally he made it to the shores of Narragansett Bay, he laid the foundation for the first state in the new world that would recognize religious freedom - “that every man should have liberty to worship God according to the light of his own conscience.” Martyn vol 5, p 354. That state would become known as Rhode Island and became the asylum for civil and religious liberty - the cornerstones of the American Republic. The Declaration of Independence would eventually state: “all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” And the Constitution guarantees, in the most explicit terms, the inviolability of conscience: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” A land of Freedom? Word begins to spread around Europe and the world - There is a land where every man might enjoy the fruit of his own labor and obey the  4 of  15 convictions of his own conscience - and thousands came to the shores of America. The French would gift us a statue - The Statue of Liberty - where on it today it reads - in a poem - that Lady Liberty is called The Mother of Exiles - “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” A land set up to give men and women the freedom that deep down we all desire. ———————— Revelation 13 - Would the Bible mention this nation? The first verses of Revelation 13 identify a power that comes up out of a populated area i.e. the Sea. The Bible uses water to symbolize people - population. Revelation 17:15 - The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. We learned last week, The harlot/beast/kingdom rules for 1260 years, guilty of claiming the power to forgive sins, guilty of changing the 10 commandments, persecuting those who kept the Sabbath of Creation and who prized liberty of conscience. Verse 10 says - This power that led others into captivity would be led into captivity. The capture of the pope and Napoleon taking himself into exile fulfilled this prophecy. The kingdom, most Protestant scholars along with scripture identify this power as the Roman Church. But another power begins to rise once this previous power begins to fall. It is good to note that Daniel 7:23 interprets a beast as a kingdom or empire. So when this passage describes one beast falling and another rising it’s talking about kingdoms or empires. So the Roman church is represented like other nations before it by a predator - a carnivore. Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome - all of these world powers had to conquer and kill another kingdom to become the new superpower on the earth.  5 of  15 But this new nation, a new empire is not rising out of a populated area symbolized by water. 11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb… New Kingdom, coming up (or growing up) in an unpopulated area of the world symbolized by a lamb - an herbivore - not an animal that eats or kills other animals. So this kingdom would not conquer or overcome another power in the territory it would rise in. It would grow up slowly and innocently like a lamb. The lamb may also be a symbol of the values of Christ - represented in scripture. The words ‘coming up’ are also translated as ‘to grow or spring up as a plant’. G.A. Townsend describes it like this - “Like a silent seed we grew into an empire.” - The New World Compared with the Old p.462 How about the horns? Lamblike horns? It’s not a sheep with horns, but lamblike horns. A lambs horns are still Innocent, gentle - not dangerous yet. When we see other horns in the Bible - horns represent power. Horns often like in Revelation 13:1 - have crowns on horns. Crowns in the old world were on kings and pontiffs. But what would these two sources of power be in this new nation? History reveals that Republicanism and Protestantism - are the fundamental principles of the nation. Many identify these principles as the secret of its power and prosperity. Separation of church and state. A country was forming marked with peace and prosperity where you could have a “church without a pope, and a state without a king.” A new world, a new civilization, a new country - where Protestantism could flourish.  6 of  15 But Revelation 13:11 ends with something strange…. And he spoke like a dragon How could this lamblike innocent nation become the most fearsome of all monsters on the earth - a dragon? How could this new nation transform from a lamb - a symbol of Christ into a dragon - the symbol of the fallen angel Lucifer - the Devil himself? How does that happen? Not all at once. If we are being honest we have some sad realities in our past - Indian genocide, slavery, racism - These were not the reason this country was founded. The motto of John Robinson and Roger Williams and of the Puritans and Protestants that founded America - that Truth is Progressive - The Protestant Churches of America stopped believing and stopped practicing. But God was not done yet… Another Reformer was raised up - a farmer, a military man, a Patriot and a man who doubted the Bible’s inspiration and validity - William Miller @ the age of 34. He was turned off from Scripture and Christianity. The doctrines of the old world were still badges of slavery of the dark ages and the medieval church. Doctrines that most of the churches still held to included: Burning Hell Fire for bad people -rising teaching of a secret rapture - not a visible second coming -the dead moved on to the next life -prophecy was sealed - God and the Bible were a mystery the millennium was to be on earth - not heaven -that Israel was the country to look to in prophecy rather than the United States  7 of  15 But the biggest thing that caught Miller’s attention was the accuracy of the time prophecies of the Bible. He began to study the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel, 2300 day prophecy, 1260 days, He was curious as to why the Jewish leaders had pronounced a curse on all who studied Daniel 9. After years of study - he was convinced and convicted that the imminent second coming of Jesus was near and that sometime around 1843-1844 Jesus would return to the earth at the close of the 2300 year prophetic time period. Miller decided to spend his wealth and devote his life to telling all in America of this long hoped for Advent. Those who believed his message would become known as Millerites or Adventists. Miller was not alone in this understanding. Like the beginning of the Reformation in the 16th century, Around the world something was happening -a great awakening in the first half of the 19th century. The Middle East, Europe, South America, England but America becomes the center of where the Reformation continues. The majority of the churches reject the idea of an imminent second coming and further reforms in Protestant belief. God was trying to complete the Protestant Reformation in the land of the free and yet a battle was raging for the soul of the nation. A few years later - A civil war would break out. After all - divide and conquer from within is the most seditious of all threats to any institution. Abraham Lincoln had this to say about the civil war: “This war would never have been possible without the sinister influence of the Jesuits. We owe it to Popery that we now see our land reddened with the blood of her noblest sons….It is the promises of the Jesuits… the money and the arms… The Protestants of both the North and South would surely unite to exterminate the Jesuits, if they could hear…the  8 of  15 plots made in Rome to destroy this Republic. - A Letter - June 8, 1864 - Abraham Lincoln The church begins to slip back into the superstition and persecution of the dark ages. A Professor at Oberlin College said “churches generally are becoming sadly degenerate…” Many wanted to follow what they knew to be right but they trusted their pastors who forbade them or they couldn’t endure the persecution they would get from family and fellow church members. Ellen White, one of those who began to listen and follow Miller stated - “He who deliberately stifles his convictions of duty because it interferes with his inclinations will finally lose the power to distinguish between truth and error.” Men like Thomas Guthrie, a Presbyterian, began to write on the separation of protestant churches “300 years ago, our church, with an open Bible on her banner, and this motto ‘Search the Scriptures’ on her scroll, marched out from the gates of Rome…But did they come clean out of Babylon?” Thomas Guthrie , The Gospel of Ezekiel, p. 237 “The Church of England,” says Spurgeon, “seems to be eaten through and through with sacramentarianism; … Those of whom we thought better things are turning aside one by one from the fundamentals of the faith….I believe, the very heart of England is honeycombed with a damnable infidelity which dares still go into the pulpit and call itself Christian.” -GC 384 Howard Crosby states “It is a matter of deep concern that we find Christ’s church so little fulfilling the designs of it’s Lord.” - The Healthy Christian: An Appeal to the Church, p. 141-142 Only a few today cling to the idea that truth is still progressive. That God is calling people out of the confusion of Babylon - confused religion - back to the primitive simple faith of the early christians. Revelation 12:17 - And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. two key identifiers - those keeping the commandments of God and those who Revelation 19:10 says kept the flame of prophecy alive and burning. Our challenge is to find that group and stay close.  9 of  15 —————-————-————-————-————-————-————- Revelation 13 continues on and the scene changes… 11 and he spake as a dragon. How does a nation speak? Through its legal and judicial system and laws. In history what is the process by which the religion of God falls from having power to wielding persecuting power? It is when the church and it’s adherents are really no different than the world. When they lower the standards and dilute it’s brand identity When the church loses its power it turns to power. When the church loses its power - it turns to those in power. When the church loses its power from God - it turns to the power of men. Paul says it this way - talking about a sign of the closing moments of time - a picture of those in the church - 2 Timothy 3:1-5 “ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. What does the Bible predict for America? 12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Quoting from the book the Great Controversy on this passage that The Bible foretells that America will develop “the spirit of intolerance and persecution of the empires and superpowers that came before her. Revelation 13:13 goes on to say that it will be through signs and miracles that the United States and eventually the whole world will be deceived into persecuting those that don’t fall in line with the majority.  10 of  15 1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit expressly says that in last days some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. —-In other words, the fallen angels have been warned to begin disseminating deception around the world. That the day would come when -Verse 14 - “that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” That America should honor the Papacy that was wounded and yet has been regaining it’s influence in the world. The phrase “they should make” denotes a country where legislative power rests with the vote and voice of the people. Verse 15 … [America would force] those who don’t worship the image of the beast should be killed. What is the image of the beast? What is an image of something? When you hear the phrase in the south - you’re the spitting image of your father, mother etc. Something that closely resembles something else. That America would closely resemble the Roman power -a state influenced by the church - that ruled the world and men and women’s consciences for 1260 years…. Could it be true? Could this happen? It goes on … 16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: Some method to identify people by what their choice is 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Some way to track everyone to the extent that you can limit someone’s ability to buy or sell anything.  11 of  15 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. More symbols, more details….for another time. When we talk about Marks of authority, cattle are branded, cars are branded, clothing is branded, Does anyone claim to have something that is their mark or brand signature? In the last message, we described two churches represented by two women - one the Bible calls a harlot, unfaithful who has attempted to change the law of God and one a hero, faithful and keeping all of the commandments of God. We learned that Constantine, the Roman emperor, in order to unite the world - the pagans and Christians, created a new holiday, a rest day on the first day of the week - the Sunday. Speaking on that change of the weekly day of rest: Priest T. Enright says - “It was the holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday, the 1st day of the week. And it not only compelled all to keep Sunday, but at the Council of Laodicea, AD 364, anathematized - condemned those who kept the Sabbath and urged all persons to labor on the 7th day under penalty of anathema.” John A. O'Brien, The Faith of Millions: the Credentials of the Catholic Religion Revised Edition (Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 1974): 400-401: But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn't it curious that non-Catholics, who claim to take their religion directly from the Bible and not from the Church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? C.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons on October 28, 1895: “Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [of Sabbath to Sunday] was her act…And the act is a MARK of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters.  12 of  15 —————- So the Bible predicts that America would abandon the secrets of her power, her lamblike horns, like Samson cutting off the secret of his power, America would see the sunset of - Protestantism and Republicanism and church and state would unite. Ellen White, author of the book the Great Controversy writes, “Our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and Republican government.” - Testimonies Vol 5, P. 451 When Jesus was asked by his disciples about what life would be like just before His return, He tells them some signs to look out for: Let’s look at both those and if we have reason to be concerned about the future or Protestantism or The Republic. The Signs of the Times Jesus says in Matthew 24 - Verse 4 - Deception or Fake News will be everywhere Verse 5 - People claiming to be Christians will be guilty of not telling the truth Verse 6 - There will exist the threat of war Don’t be afraid, these are just leading up to the final events… Verse 7 - There will be disasters - famines, disease, earthquakes Verse 8 - Persecution Verse 24 - Deception signs and wonders Harvard Historian - Charles Meyer on America since 1971… “We have switched from an empire of production to an empire of consumption” We began living on credit as soon America went off the gold standard and in essence the world economy became attached to the fiat currency of America. Fiat currency is as good as the entity says it is, not inherently of value. The fall of Rome - why did the Republic fail and fall? Mike Duncan - author of The Storm before the Storm  13 of  15 Many people ask me ‘Is the United States Rome? Are we following a similar trajectory?’ If you start to do some comparisons between the rise and development of the U.S. and rise and development of Rome, you do wind up in this same place. What preceded the fall of the Republic? -mos maiorum began to falter -the code of conduct and normalcy for society - the heirarchical family structure began to break down. The traditional home led by fathers disappeared. Society was in a place to make sure social pressure was there to hold men accountable - Hölkeskamp, Reconstructing the Roman Republic, p. 33. it also depended strongly on the ruling influential class adhering to the consensus of society and the norms of society, not undermining it. Law began to be used to change culture rather than persuasion and consensus rising political tensions and factions -unprecedented wealth began to be had across the empire. -Growing gap between the rich and the poor classes -Poor are having to sell their land -Rich are buying up large tracts of land -small farms are disappearing - Land ownership really became the wealth determinate -“At the founding of [The United States Republic] our republic, everybody’s a farmer, and now everything is owned by what, Monsanto?” Review & Herald Magazine - October 3, 1912, - In God's plan for Israel, every family had a home on the land, with sufficient ground for tilling. Thus were provided both the means and the incentive for a useful, industrious, and self-supporting life. And no devising of man has ever improved upon that plan. To the world's departure from it is owing, to a large degree, the poverty and wretchedness that exist today. -“People felt like the state was no longer working for them, that the Assemblies and Senate weren’t passing laws for the benefit of anyone but a small group of elites. This resentment was threatening the legitimacy of the Republic in the eyes of many citizens.”  14 of  15 Another issue Duncan says was citizenship - everyone wanted to be a citizen of the Republic Camille Paglia states - the movement towards androgyny (removal of the distinction of gender and gender roles) occurs in late phases of a culture. As a civilization is staring to unravel. In the Greek art, the sculptures of handsome nude young men and athletes that used to be very robust, suddenly begin to look like wet noodles. This applies to the Hellenists, the Romans, Weimar Germany. People that live in these moments feel they are very sophisticated, very cosmopolitan - saying homosexuality, heterosexuality - anything goes - you can see from a distance that this is a culture that no longer believes in itself, and then what you invariably get are people who are convinced of the heroic power of masculinity - that could be the Huns, Barbarians, Vandals - ISIS today. There is disconnect between the fascination of the transgender with what is taking place at the fringes. I am concerned and I think it’s ominous. 6 - protracted wars, crumbling infrastructure, rising national debt, “These are all examples of a society that is completely unmoored” “Pay attention to the warning signs, If you ignore it, you risk the whole thing collapsing into civil war and a military dictatorship.” Rome went from a Republic quickly to a democracy to anarchy to dictators, tyrants. Author Chris Hedges describes current underemployment, rising debt, growing sexual abuse, rising gambling addiction, opiod and drug addiction, people are feeling alienated, depression is rising, loneliness is increasing. Disintegrating societies resort to violence. “Never forget that within American society, we are a deeply violent culture. - awash in weapons.”- An Estimated 40% of all guns in the world are in the United States. 400 Million Guns to a population of 328 Million. When national discourse is no longer rooted in fact, then facts are interchangeable with opinions. Then the truth is whatever you want it to be. -Chris Hedges (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPk9HSLagVg) "A growing segment or majority of the Christian Right does not have the standard of living that they once did and is being marginalized. " There is currently an ideological vacuum in America which is quickly being filled by the Christian Right. The christian right is organized. They have their own universities, their own media platforms, systems of indoctrination, huge amounts of money behind them. Unless there is sustained mass civil disobedience to put pressure on the two party system and corruption then what’s coming Noam Chomsky “You may want Trump out but Michael Pence will be worse.” A republic protects the minority despite what the majority wants. A democracy is guided by the majority, the mob, the popular vote… Once people see their government and leaders cant be trusted or they lose that trust….we see what happened in France - Revolution  15 of  15 Today, Multitudes are thus led to believe that desire is the highest law, that license is liberty, and that man is accountable only to himself. Education p. 227.6 “…anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not only divine, but human. The centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French Revolution—all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed France. Education p. 228. Automation threatens jobs, unions still hold significant power. Hebrews 13:5 - “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” FOR FURTHER STUDY Artificial Intelligence and unions Growing gap of the rich and poor The peril of cities and the data EW - Out of the cities is my message. Matthew 24, disasters are coming. Dead are coming, satan coming as Christ heathen gods are coming. Digital currency. No buy or sell. Mark of the Beast. Loss of freedom of speech and religion.

Harlot or Hero? - 7 January 12, 2019 adairsvillesda.org "Jesus immediately ascended to Heaven and presented himself before the throne of God, showing the marks of shame and cruelty upon his brow, his hands and feet. But he refused to receive the coronet of glory, and the royal robe, and he also refused the adoration of the angels "Jesus refused to receive the homage of his people until he knew that his sacrifice had been accepted by the Father, and until he had received the assurance from God himself that his atonement for the sins of his people had been full and ample, that through his blood they might gain eternal life." -Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 3, p. 202 The Father embraces Jesus - Yes it is enough! —————————————— There is John, one of Jesus closest friends, looking off into the sunset of the Mediterranean. He feels the warm rays of the setting sun under the azure blue sky. He’s remembering the past 50 or so years of life. He watches the slowly crashing waves. He hears the birds down by the shore. Jesus is in heaven. The church is on earth. Jesus had promised he would send the Holy Spirit to help the believers and boy did he! John hears the echo of the words of Jesus in his mind - John 14:1-3 - “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. The disciples, John’s friends, his brother James, they had all acted upon Jesus last words - Matthew 28 and Mark 16 - Go into all the world, make disciples, baptize and teach them all that I have taught you. I will be with you and signs will follow you. (Matthew 28:19-20)(Mark 16:15-18) The church as we read in the book of Acts starts off with gusto. Thousands are baptized in a day. Even with the persecution of Saul, the church kept spreading. Then Saul has an encounter with Jesus in a vision !2 of !10 and becomes Paul. The gospel is now turning enemies into evangelists. Finally as Jesus had foretold - Jerusalem once thought to be the eternal city was destroyed by the Romans. How long until He would return? John, on this island, is shown scenes all the way to our day and something is strange. He sees two churches represented by two women:- Scripture uses a woman to describe a religious movement. Jeremiah 6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion To a lovely and delicate woman. Revelation 19:7,8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Revelation 14:4 Church is described as pure and faithful vs. Pure Woman- The Hero in our story - is described as dressed in white, pure, faithful, ready to marry Christ and be with him forever. Revelation 17:1-4 - “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. Mystery - Babylon the Great - The Mother of Harlots Revelation 18 !3 of !10 Babylon the Great is Fallen, is Fallen and has become a dwelling place of demons… 1 Peter 5:13 - Peter calls Rome - Babylon Ellicotts Commentary: St. Peter has just personified the church of the place from which he writes, which seems quite as unprosaic a use of language as to call Rome “Babylon.” And it seems pretty clear that the name was quite intelligible to Jewish readers, for whom it was intended. The Apocalypse (Revelation 17:18) is not the only place where Rome is found spoken of under this title. One of the first of living Hebraists (who will not allow his name to be mentioned) told the present writer that no Hebrew of St. Peter’s day would have had need to think twice what city was meant when “Babylon” was mentioned. And on the mention of the name, all the prophecies of the vengeance to be taken on the city which had desolated the Holy Land would rush with consolation into the mind of the readers, and they would feel that St. Peter, though supporting St. Paul, was still in full sympathy with themselves. The Harlot - identified as dressed in purple and red with lots of gold. Fornication or sleeping around outside of marriage is symbolism used to describe being unfaithful to God and to the Law. The wine is used as a symbol of teaching false doctrine. John saw the most confusing thing - two women, representing truth and error, light and darkness all the way to the end. —————— Last week we read that for the sake of man the controversy was to be continued…but for how long? Daniel had foretold of a time that even he didn’t fully understand - 2,300 years into the future - ‘the time of the end’ (Daniel 8:14/17) Daniel has dreams about the future in Daniel 7 all the way to chapter 12 and then… In Daniel 12:4, we read that Daniel is told to seal the book…until the time of the end. That it wouldn’t make much sense until it was all unfolding around the planet a long time into the future. All of the disciples would eventually lose their lives for the message. They went around the world to tell others this amazing story of love. John they had tried to kill multiple times - but were unsuccessful. So they banished him to the island of Patmos where he was given the scenes of the book of the Revelation. !4 of !10 Daniel and John wrote down a a clear prophetic picture of the gruesome days ahead for the church. There is John on Patmos - He sees Jesus reveal Himself and the future unfolds before him…and he is told to write it down sanctuary in heaven - Revelation 1 Future of the church and the war playing out… Revelation 2-3 Judgment - 4-5 Again the state of the church - Revelation 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Then John writes something that perhaps he at first like Daniel didn’t fully understand. The church would become the greatest enemy on earth to - the faithful of God? Huh? John had seen Jesus become the greatest ‘threat’ to organized religion. But one day, organized religion would become the greatest threat to Jesus and his followers! Life of the early Church …They were teaching, baptizing, healing, worshipping together. Acts 17:2 continued custom of Sabbath observance "The primitive Christians did keep the Sabbath of the Jews;. therefore the Christians for a long time together, did keep their conventions on the Sabbath, (in which some portion of the Law were read: and this continued till the time of the Laodicean council.)” The Whole Works of Jeremey Taylor, Vol. IX, p416 (R. Heber's Edition, Vol.XII, p.416) "The ancient Christians were very careful in the observation of Saturday, or the seventh day..It is plain that all the Oriental churches, and the greatest part of the world, observed the Sabbath as a festival...Athanasius likewise tells us that they held religious assemblies on the Sabbath, not because they were infected with Judaism, but to worship God, the Lord of the Sabbath, Epiphanius says the same." Antiquities of the Christian Church, Vol. II, Book XX, chap. 3, Sec. 1, 66.1137, 1138 !5 of !10 The Falling Away… Paul warns the church though in - 2 Thessalonians 2:3- Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Daniel, writing nearly 1000 years earlier says in Daniel 7 that a power would arise that would persecute the faithful, would attempt to change the very law of god and would rule for 1260 years Daniel 7:25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute[a] the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. In Daniel 7, as Daniel writes of the future he says “I saw a Lion, a Bear, a Leopard and then an awful 4th kingdom come on the earth. We further see how that became Babylon, Persia, Greece, and the Iron Monarchy of Rome which would last the longest. John is given a similar vision of the future of the church. In Revelation 13:1-5 John states: And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. John sees the same animals in vision but in reverse of how Daniel describes them. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. !6 of !10 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And Just to be clear - the dragon is Lucifer/Satan the fallen angel. He has set up a church on the earth - with the end goal to be worshipped by impersonating Jesus with a false second coming…this is the grand almost overmastering strong delusion that we have been warned about Summary They are both shown a power that would one day come on the world that would: 1-would be guilty of making a change to the ten commandments 2-would persecute the saints - the true church, the real heroine - the bride of Christ 3-would be guilty of blasphemy. 4-rule for 1260 years on the earth, John’s definition of Blasphemy was based on two interactions Jesus had with the Pharisees: John 10:36 - Claiming to be god when you are not God Mark 2:7 - “this fellow claims to forgive sins - who can forgive sins but God? This is blasphemy! Recap: The true church - The one Jesus started was one built on love, not force. Love, not selfishness. Built on the laws of the old testament because Jesus said “I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it” Love is the fulfilling of the law. I have not come to change one jot or one tittle from the law”. The ceremonial sacrificial laws of course were done away with but not the moral law. !7 of !10 The Falling Away - The Roman Empire has gone from the glory of the republic before the time of Christ, to the mob ruled democracy for hundreds of years, to finally on the brink of total chaos. Wars have exhausted the treasury, morality has disappeared and finally the pagan emperor - Constantine - sees a vision - and is converted to Christianity. There are some changes that would begin to be implemented: Scripture teaches too much independence of thought and action - therefore: The circulation of the scriptures must be prohibited! So that the people become ignorant. #1 - An attempt to change the law of God - to get the pagan world into the church - to allow for idol worship - of the gods of myth and legend - the heathen gods. The statue of Jupiter would now be called Peter. The images of a woman - the queen of heaven- would not be Juno or Isis but Mary - Mother of god. If you will remember from part 5 in our story - the heathen gods - were the fallen angels of heaven! You can’t just remove a commandment, so the 10th was split into two. The 4th commandment, the only one prefaced by the word “Remember” was moved and now commemorated the first not the Seventh-day of the week. The text of Constantine's Sunday Law of 321 A.D. is: "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for gainsowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.” At first the Sunday was a day of celebration and Sabbath was still observed. But over time, Sabbath was made a day of mourning and finally given up altogether. After all - the scriptures were hidden. !8 of !10 #2 - Persecution Then great persecution arose from the Papacy in Rome and true Christians fled the cities and lived in the hills and mountains of the wilderness. The Waldenses, The Albigenses, The Huguenots. Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. - 1260 years according to the day for a year principle found in bible prophecy. This was the dark ages… because the Light - Jesus was hid from daily life, and also were hidden the truths of scripture #3 Blasphemy The church begins selling indulgences to build a place called - The Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome - Forgiveness of sin was now offered by the church in Rome - what the disciples understood as blasphemy. #4 - Would rule for 1260 years…More on that in a minute Late 1400’s - Columbus is sailing looking for more land - the legend of a new world. Gutenberg has discovered how to print bibles on new technology - the printing press - The Bible is having a resurgence. Around this time, a devout Catholic priest - Martin Luther - takes a journey to Rome - he is about to enter the city and falls to the earth and says “Holy Rome - I salute thee!” And exiting the city he writes “no one can imagine what sins are committed in Rome….If there is a hell, Rome is built over it!” Quite the change of heart. Luther began to study and could not reconcile the sale of the forgiveness of sin with Scripture. The date October 31, 1517 (which since then somehow paganism covered up with a holiday)- Luther has 95 issues that he sees his beloved church must address. This ignites what would be known as The Protestant Reformation - Built on the spirit of protest. !9 of !10 Then a few decades into this ‘Revival’ - The Church of Rome christens - The Society of Jesus - The book -The Great Controversy speaks on this - “At this time the order of the Jesuits was created, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the champions of popery…..To combat these forces, Jesuitism inspired its followers with a fanaticism that enabled them to endure like dangers, and to oppose to the power of truth all the weapons of deception. There was no crime too great for them to commit, no deception too base for them to practice, no disguise too difficult for them to assume. Vowed to perpetual poverty and humility, it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power, to be devoted to the overthrow of Protestantism, and the re-establishment of the papal supremacy. GC 234 It was a fundamental principle of the order that the end justifies the means. By this code, lying, theft, perjury, assassination, were not only pardonable but commendable, when they served the interests of the church. Under various disguises the Jesuits worked their way into offices of state, climbing up to be the counselors of kings, and shaping the policy of nations. They became servants to act as spies upon their masters. They established colleges for the sons of princes and nobles, and schools for the common people; and the children of Protestant parents were drawn into an observance of popish rites. GC 235 ————— “We will never forget that our forefathers, the first inhabitants of the American land, were compelled to leave their native country, to come to bury themselves in unknown and far-distant wildernesses to escape Jesuit tyranny and cruelty. ~Jesuitism Unvailed (Americans Warned About Jesuitism) by Claude Pirat; 1851 AD ~Fifty Years in the Church of Rome by Charles Chiniquy - Abraham Lincoln stated to his friend Chiniquy - “Man must not care where and when he will die, provided he dies at the post of honour and duty.' But I may add, today, that I have a presentiment that God will call me to Him through the hand of an assassin. “Unfortunately, I feel more and more, every day, that it is not against the Americans of the South, alone, I am fighting, it is more against the Pope of Rome, his perfidious Jesuits [and their blind and blood-thirsty slaves,] than against the real American Protestants, that we have to !10 of !10 defend ourselves. Here is the real danger of our position. So long as they will hope to conquer the North, they will spare me; but the day we will rout their armies (and that day will surely come, with the help of God), take their cities, and force them to submit, then, it is my impression that the Jesuits, who are the principal rulers of the South, will do what they have almost invariably done in the past. The dagger, or the pistol of one of their adepts, will do what the strong hands of the warriors could not achieve. This civil war seems to be nothing but a political affair to those who do not see, as I do, the secret springs of that terrible drama. But it is more a religious than a civil war. It is Rome who wants to rule and degrade the North, as she has ruled and degraded the South, from the very day of its discovery. There are only very few of the Southern leaders who are not more or less under the influence of the Jesuits, through their wives, family relations, and their friends. Several members of the family of Jeff Davis belong to the Church of Rome. Even the Protestant ministers are under the influence of the Jesuits without suspecting it. To keep her ascendancy in the North, as she does in the South, Rome is doing here what she has done in Mexico, and in all the South American Republics; she is paralyzing, by a civil war, the arms of the soldiers of Liberty. She divides our nation, in order to weaken, subdue and rule it. So the war continued on earth that had started long ago in heaven - the principle of love and kindness vs. the principle of force and selfishness. ——————— “The War against the Bible, carried forward for so many centuries in France, culminated in the scenes of the French Revolution.” GC 265 The year is 1798 - 1260 years after the Roman Emperor Justinian, issued a decree in 538 AD, proclaiming the Pope to be supreme in religious matters. The moment foretold by Daniel, and John - 1260 years that the Church of Rome would rule the world - had come. Napoleon’s army marches upon Rome - led by General Berthier - , takes the pope captive. This was the death knell to the old world - and everyone knew it. Across the ocean for the last two hundred+ years a nation was springing up, slowly growing in prominence. A place where men and women were fleeing the old world in search of a place where there was no king and no pope. A Protestant Republic… As France is falling, America is rising • Declaration of Independence (1776) • Constitution of the United States (1787) • Bill of Rights (1791) Virgin soil existed in the new world where liberty and freedom of conscience could once again take root. Why this matters now… Revelation 18:4 -

For 4000 years, the angels, the unfallen worlds, and mankind had waited. Mothers and fathers had relayed the story to their children. One day the Messiah would come and be the sacrifice to save man from sin and selfishness. The tipping point in the plan of salvation had finally come. This was the moment like that of Cortez and his men in 1519 when the Spanish Fleet landed on the shores of the new world. Cortez turns to them and says “BURN THE SHIPS” There is no going back now. In order to elevate fallen man, Christ must reach him where he was and become the son of man. All heaven was at risk!!! Satan meets Christ in the desert and tells Him that one of the exalted angels had been exiled to the earth, that Jesus appearance indicated that, instead of His being the king of heaven, He clearly was the fallen angel…

Israel enters the promised land and eventually reaches their greatness in King Solomon. But soon he begins building shrines to the heathen gods all around Jerusalem. Who were these gods? None other than the fallen angels of heaven. In this episode we discuss the role of angels and demons in the war of good and evil and why prayer is one of the rules of engagement that allows God to enter into the affairs of mankind.

What are the two principles contending for supremacy in the war of good vs. evil? Moses is poised to be king of the world, the sun god, Pharaoh of Egypt, yet he decides to cast his lot with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. God rewards him by showing him the final details of how the war of good and evil would end and how sin and selfishness would forever be silenced.

Eve the mother of all creation is flattered, enchanted by this talking serpent. He lured her in with intrigue and awakened her curiosity to explore the mystery that God had kept secret from her - the effects of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She had the knowledge of good, but wanted to understand the mystery hidden from her…

Satan stood in amazement at his new condition. His happiness was gone. He looked upon the angels who, with him, were once so happy, but who had been expelled from heaven.... Now all was different . Joy was replaced with bickering and arguments. Where was he? Was it not all a horrible dream? Was he shut out of Heaven? Join us as we look at part 2 in our story. Satan loses all of heaven, will he lead Adam and Eve to join his rebellion?

And there was war in heaven.... these words like few others explain an event that few have ever heard of. The story of earth and man begins with a war in paradise. But what started that war? Who is Michael? Who is Lucifer? Why was there an attempted coup in paradise? Join us as we begin part 1 of a series as we walk through history learning the role of both Jesus and Lucifer. The plan that should be carried out upon the defection of any of the high intelligences of heaven,—this is the secret, the mystery which has been hid from ages. And an offering was prepared in the eternal purposes to do the very work which God has done for fallen humanity.

So we are all evangelists. Q. But how do you become a more effective evangelist? Is it through billboards? Social media marketing? Radio or TV ads? Flyers in the mail? Is the way to get someone else excited about something you’re excited about just information or is it more? Is it what you say or how you say it? Let’s test it.

There is learning and then there are things that we need to unlearn. Lessons from the life of David are very practical today While all the world sees leaders, celebrities etc appearing to have all the power, God is working behind the scenes to do something special. It is often off screen, when no one is noticing that we being prepare for what God has in store for us.

Today I want to talk to you about the idea of bandwidth. Not just the download speed kind, but also in a broader sense the idea of capacity. Do you have time for other people? Do you have money to share? Are you thoughtful - meaning have capacity to think about others or are you just thinking about yourself? Do you find yourself more in need than able to help those in need? ————————————————————————————-————-————- Thought: What occupies your thoughts most days? Time: What occupies your time? Treasure: What are you spending your money on? In life we remember moments when people went above and beyond our expectations. Here are a few examples - popsicles, ice cream , outdoor music, when someone opens a door for you….

If the Bible is true, the countless experiences of the living talking to dead loved ones may not be as they seem. If 1/3 of the angels were cast out of heaven, and are in a war against us, what do you think would be the best way to get into your life? By what means? If by chance it was through someone you loved, how would you know the difference between talking to a dead relative or a demon impersonating your loved one? And if the dead are permitted in to paradise, why would they not in love come back and minister to us in the land of the living?

“Tonight I want to begin a conversation about what can be, not just what is. Video - https://youtu.be/ad5kLG40kE0 Audio - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jared-thurmon-the-church-i-want-to-belong-to-is-terrible/id974913475?i=1000446047102 Article - https://www.adventistreview.org/1908-18