Blog Archives - WELCOME TO THE JOY OF TROY

September 9, 2020

9/9/2020

DON'T POKE THE BEAR

        Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.--Matthew 10:16

    Let not one word be expressed to stir up the spirit of retaliation in opposers of the truth. Let nothing be done to arouse the dragon-like spirit, for it will reveal itself soon enough, and in all its dragon character, against those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus....

    The time will come when we shall be called to stand before kings and rulers, magistrates and powers, in vindication of the truth. Then it will be a surprise to those witnesses to learn that their positions, their words, the very expressions made in a careless manner or thoughtless way, when attacking error or advancing truth, expressions that they had not thought would be remembered, will be reproduced, and they will be confronted with them, and their enemies will have the advantage, putting their own construction on these words that were spoken unadvisedly....

    Many things intended to deceive will come, bearing some of the marks of truth. Just as soon as these shall be set forth as the great power of God, Satan is all ready to weave in that which he has prepared to lead souls from the truth for this time. (Letter 66, April 10, 1894)

REFLECTION: Bible-studying Christians have the truth in the Word of God. But we are not to use it as a club to show others where they are wrong. All it will accomplish is a spirit of retaliation. We as Christians want to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" and have the Spirit of Christ.

September 8, 2020

9/8/2020

KEEP BUSY--NO IDLE HANDS

        In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, wither this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.--Ecclesiastes 11:6 KJV

    When we consider that history is being made so fast, we can but be convinced that perils are fast crowding upon us, and we cannot deliver even ourselves from that which we must meet. All we can do is to seek heavenly wisdom from our only source of help. If by constant contemplation of the Author and Finisher of our faith, we grow into the similitude of Christ in character, we shall have our life hid with Christ in God.

    We are not to fold our hands in idle expectancy of the Lord's soon coming, but we are to keep looking unto Jesus, hanging our helpless souls upon His mercies, opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit's moving, our petitions ascending to God for his fashioning hand to be upon us.

    Unholy ambition will seek to secure a place in all our devising, but O, as never before, there is now the greatest necessity that in humility we sit at the feet of Jesus, and learn lessons from the greatest Teacher the world ever knew....

    In messages that profess to be from heaven, expressions will be made that are misleading, and if the influence of these things be accepted, it will lead to exaggerated movements, plans, and devisings that will bring in the very things Satan would have current--a strange spirit, an unclean spirit, under the garments of sanctity, a strong spirit to overbear everything. Fanaticism will come in, and will so mingle and interweave itself with the workings of the Spirit of God that many will accept it all as from God, and will be deceived and misled thereby. (Letter 66, April 10, 1894)

REFLECTION: [God] commands His servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls. Christ's ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty and leave results with God. (The Great Controversy, 609-610)

September 7, 2020

9/7/2020

CONSIDER THE COST

        For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.--Luke 14:28

    The conflict will be long and painful. At times there may appear to be a partial defeat; but bear in mind that you counted the cost when Christ showed you the plan of the battle. You are not the leaders in this conflict, for Christ is there; the armies of heaven are enlisted in the warfare.

    Jesus would have every individual understand that the confederacy of evil is strong, artful in planning, and will use every dishonest measure in order to obtain the victory. Yet not one follower of Christ is to look at his own weakness and become discouraged. "Looking unto Jesus" [Hebrews 12:2] we shall receive His inspiration, we shall know that we are fighting in full view of God, of loyal, holy intelligences, with all the children of light as companions.

    More than angels are in the ranks in every conflict; at the head is the Great General of armies, who says, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." [John 16:33.] Jesus will surround His faithful ones with a heavenly, holy atmosphere, their armor is invincible, their Leader never met with a defeat, and they are to advance to victory....

    Satan will work with all deceivableness of unrighteousness to personate Jesus Christ. If it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. (Letter 103, March 15, 1894)

REFLECTION: Deciding to be a disciple of Christ may be the most rewarding decision you will ever make. But remember, Christ said that there will be a cost. However, the cost compared to eternal life with Christ is nothing. In 1 Corinthians 2:9, we read, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." We can't even imagine what God has in store for us!

September 6, 2020

9/6/2020

PROMISE OF VICTORY

        I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.--Genesis 3:15

    He will stir up the minds of the disobedient and rebellious; and all apostates will unite in a firm and desperate companionship against the law of God, to war against the government of God....

    As we proclaim the binding claims of the law of God upon every human being, those who will not be convinced, who turn away their ears from hearing the truth, and are turned unto fables, choosing to feed upon a dish of maxims, customs, and commandments of men, will use the best weapons, manufacture lies to blacken the reputation of those who have proclaimed the message of truth....

    All who come out from the world and are separated must count on meeting ridicule, sneers, and reviling. They must expect that their lives and mission will be misrepresented....We will bear in mind that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" and all who sneer at the truth and ridicule those who are proclaiming truth, will weep and pray, "Lord open to us." He will answer, "I know you not." [2 Timothy 3:12; Matthew 25:11, 12.]

    Alarmed that their prey is escaping from their grasp, Satan and his synagogue will make most desperate efforts to retain every soul on his side. He will present every possible objection and device to turn aside those who would walk in the path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord. A train of circumstances will be secretly set in operation by the serpent to deceive, to allure the sinner, to wrench from him his convictions that he must return to his allegiance to God. (Letter 103, March 15, 1894)

REFLECTION: We as Christians know how it will end. We will have trouble with Satan until Christ returns; the everlasting gospel is spelled out in Genesis 3:15--the head of Satan is bruised and Christ is victorious. We who are faithful and obedient will share in that victory.

September 5, 2020

9/5/2020

ANGEL OF LIGHT OR DESTROYER?

        For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.--2 Corinthians 11:13-14

    Satan is an artful foe, and he will work where he is by many least expected....In these last days the false will take the field with the true, the spurious with the genuine....

    In these last days the false will take the field with the true, the spurious with the genuine.....

    To men whom he desires to delude and ruin, Satan does not come as the outcast, apostate spirit, but he comes personating as an angel of light and truth...

    Satan will make the best use possible of his agents--apostate angels and fallen men. They become one through apostasy, uniting in a desperate companionship to oppose the law of God....

    Satan has stolen the livery of heaven in order to deceive the very elect. As he seduced Adam, he is seducing men to unite with him in rebellion against the law of God....

    Never was Satan so fiercely stirred as now. As never before he will inspire every one who has apostatized from obedience to God's law. He will work to create rebellion at the very time when the proclamation of the third angel's message, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus is going to the world. He will inspire members of his synagogue to make most desperate efforts to clothe in defiled garments all who take an active part in this message. Not a stone will be left unturned, not a plan or devise but will be set in operation to deceive, to hold in error and strong delusions every mind that he can control. (Letter 103, March 15, 1894)

REFLECTION: Don't be deceived by the devil. He may make things look great, but his goal is to destroy. God's goal is for His people to spend eternity with Him. Let's choose Christ. He has a great plan for us. We are His chosen "royal priesthood," so we can walk with Him in His "marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)

September 4, 2020

9/4/2020

NATIONS WILL BE WARNED

        The Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and thirty years."--Genesis 6:3

    God keeps a reckoning with nations as well as with individuals. He allows the nations a certain period of probation, and gives them evidences of His requirements, of His supremacy, and makes known to them His laws, which are to be the rule of His kingdom in the government of nations.

    All this He does that heathen nations may not be given, up to destruction unwarned, and without light. But, after He has given light and evidence, and they still persist in insolence toward Him, then, when their iniquity is full, God takes the matter in hand, and His judgments are no longer withheld.

    The Amorites made themselves conspicuous by their idolatry. They accumulated guilt and indulged in wickedness after the order of that found in Sodom and Gomorrah and in the world before the flood. But though iniquity was added to iniquity, the Lord would not punish until the specified measure of guilt was reached, and their [cup of] iniquity was full.

    He gave special direction that the Amorites were not to be disturbed until their cup of iniquity was full; but when God saw that more evidence would be vain, that forbearance would do no good, His long-suffering had an end. When they had gone to the full measure of making void the law of God, the indignation of the Lord broke forth upon them. "The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." [Nahum 1:3.]

    When He arises in His anger to punish, as in the case of the Amorites, how fearful is His retribution. Though punishment is long delayed, it is not an evidence that it will be any less severe. (Letter 13, 1893)

REFLECTION: In the exercise of the longsuffering of God, He gives to nations a certain period of probation, but there is a point which, if they pass, there will be a visitation of God in His indignation. He will punish. The world has been advancing from one degree of contempt for God's law to another, and the prayer may be appropriate at this time, "It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law" (Psalm 119:126). (Selected Messages. Book 3, 396)

September 3, 2020

9/3/2020

DON'T BURY YOUR TALENTS

        His lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed."--Matthew 25:26

    I want to tell you another thing. The vials of God's wrath and the sprinkling of them are already coming....

    You hear of calamities by land and by sea, and they are constantly increasing. What is the matter? The Spirit of God is taken away from those who have the lives of men in their hands, and Satan is coming in to control them, because they give themselves to his control. Those who profess to be the children of God do not place themselves under the guardianship of the heavenly angels, and as Satan is a destroyer, he works through those men and they make mistakes; and they will get drunk and because of intemperance, many times, bring these terrible calamities upon us.

    And see the storms and tempests! Satan is working in the atmosphere; he is poisoning the atmosphere, and here we are dependent upon God for our lives--our present and eternal life. And being in the position that we are, we need to be wide awake, wholly devoted, wholly converted, wholly consecrated to God. But we seem to sit as though we were paralyzed. God of heaven, wake us up! (Manuscript 1, February 1, 1890)

    God holds us responsible for all that we might be if we would improve our talents; and we shall be judged according to what we ought to have been but were not; what we might have done but did not accomplish, because we did not use our powers to glorify God. For all knowledge that we might have gained but did not, there will be an eternal loss, even if we do not lose our souls. (Letter 15, August 12, 1890)

REFLECTION: Some people feel that if they refuse to learn of God's principles, they are not responsible for them. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 proves this to be false. Many whom God has qualified to do excellent work accomplish very little because they attempt little. Thousands pass through life as if they had no definite object for which to live, no standard to reach. Such will obtain a reward proportionate to their works.

September 2, 2020

9/2/2020

WHO IS YOUR MASTER

        No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.--Matthew 6:24

    Either the evil angels or the angels of God are controlling the minds of men. Our minds are given to the control of God or to the control of the powers of darkness; and it will be well for us to inquire where we are standing today--whether under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel or under the black banner of the powers of darkness.

    In the place of being doers of the word, in the place of receiving the Word of God into good and honest hearts, in the place of working with all their might in harmony with heaven, [men] have hugged their sins to themselves. And then what? The seal of God could not be upon them, and when calamities came, when placed in perilous positions, those very ones have gone down into the grave; and they will not come up in the first resurrection. They will not see the King in His beauty. They were lost simply because they took their own way. They broke away from the Spirit of God and kept venturing and venturing, and tasting and testing the wiles of the devil.

    We are coming right upon the time when Satan is to work with all manner of bewitching influences, and those that are charmed with them now, or give them the least countenance now, will be all ready to be swept right in to act a part with the devil then. Evil angels are working all the time upon the hearts of men. Satan is working with everyone who is not under the control of the Spirit of God. It is the lying wonders of the devil that will take the world captive, and he will cause fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men. He is to work miracles; and this wonderful, miracle-working power is to sweep in the whole world. It is now just beginning. (Manuscript 1, February 1, 1890)

REFLECTION: Christians are to keep themselves distinct and separate from the world, its spirit, and its influences. God is fully able to keep us in the world, but we are not to be of the world. His love is not uncertain and fluctuating. Ever He watches over His children with a care that is measureless. But He requires undivided allegiance. (Prophets and Kings, 59)

September 1, 2020

9/1/2020

KNOW WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE

        Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.--Matthew 10:21

    There is not a perplexity that comes to us but the Lord will find deliverance for us. The Lord knows we are living amid the perils of the last days, when temptation and trials and conflicts will have to be met.

    To meet the trials, perplexities, and persecution that are sure to come in various ways in regard to the Sabbath law, and to distinguish the path of duty clearly, will require intelligent knowledge of the Scriptures, much faith, and divine wisdom, for righteousness and truth will be darkened by error and false theories. We shall find that we must let loose of all hands except the hand of Jesus Christ. Friends will prove treacherous, and will betray us. Relatives, deceived by the enemy, will think they do God service in opposing us and putting forth the utmost efforts to bring us into hard places, hoping we will deny our faith. But we may trust our hand in the hand of Christ amid darkness and peril....

    There are unclean spirits, "spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Revelation 16:14.

    The children of God who have light on Bible truth must be wide awake to advance with the opening providence of God. "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." Verse 15. The righteousness of Christ is the only garment that will do. Revelation 3:18-22. (Manuscript 21, September 7, 1889)

REFLECTION: The Bible is clear. When persecutions come, even our own families may not be able to be trusted. But God always keeps His promises. He will never leave us or forsake us. "For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake his saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off." (Psalm 37:28)