II Chapter
(The Second Notebook, March 2002)
AN APPEAL TO THE CHURCH
FOREWORD
As it was the case with the first notebook of the testimony, which was published under the title »Prepare to meet your God, o Israel«, this one also comes to being as a result of an answer to the appeal to reveal to the God’s people the revelations which had been given to me, so as to awake them from the spiritual lethargy that might drag them into an endless abyss. The Lord has shown to me that He will not postpone His arrival any more and that the testimonies of His Spirit, which are now being revealed, represent the last appeal for an awakening and reformation of every church of the Seventh day Adventists, from the General Conference to our smallest local church in the world.
What I shall point out in this part is that the work of the awakening and reformation, which had started with the work of John the Baptist, and then rounded with the testimony of the Apostle’s Church, is a model of the reform which will be led today in the midst of the God’s people. God appeals to the Adventist people to awake the real godliness and baptize with water again, but also baptize with the Holy Spirit, which will be given to us for the rounding off the holy work, which had been trusted to us.
Let the dear Lord enlighten the mind of His people and open their eyes to let them know the time of the visit and readily meet their Saviour when He comes like a King of kings and Lord of lords. The God’s commandment for this time is: »Prepare to meet your God, O Israel... for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand.« (Amos 4,12; Joel 2,1.)
»But as the church approaches her final deliverance, Satan is to work with greater power. He comes down "having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Revelation 12:12. For six thousand years that mastermind that once was highest among the angels of God has been wholly bent to the work of deception and ruin. And all the depths of satanic skill and subtlety acquired, all the cruelty developed, during these struggles of the ages, will be brought to bear against God's people in the final conflict. And in this time of peril the followers of Christ are to bear to the world the warning of the Lord's second advent; and a people are to be prepared to stand before Him at His coming, "without spot, and blameless." 2 Peter 3:14. At this time the special endowment of divine grace and power is not less needful to the church than in apostolic days.
In visions of the night, representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God's people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifested before the great Day of Pentecost. Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the word of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest. On every side doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth. The world seemed to be lightened with the heavenly influence.
There is to be in the churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of the heart by confession and repentance. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their ideas and expectations, they will oppose the work. "Why," they say, "should not we know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?" »For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.«(GC foreword – E.G.W.; 9T 126; RH extra 23 December 1890; Isaiah 55, 8.9.)
»BEHOLD, I AM COMING QUICKLY...«
Who is this who comes from Edom,
with dyed garments from Bozrah,
this One who is glorious in His apparel,
traveling in the greatness of His strength?
I who speak in righteousness,
mighty to save.
Why is Your apparel red,
and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
I have trodden the winepress alone,
and from the peoples no one was with Me.
For I have trodden them in My anger,
and trampled them in My fury;
their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,
and I have stained all My robes.
For the day of vengeance is in My heart,
and the year of My redeemed has come.
Isaiah 63, 1-4
Before He crowned His earthly service with the glorious entrance to Jerusalem, Jesus wept, to the great surprise of His disciples, and the words sounded from His pale lips with a tremour of unspeakable pain: »If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you do not know the time of your visitation. (Luke 19,42-44)
Today, when our Saviour finishes His mediating and the service of the High Priest in The Most Holy Place at the very end of the time of mercy, and when all the signs show that we live in the time when the desire of all centuries will be finally fulfilled, from the Saviour's lips the same sigh comes: »If you had known in this your day...« How to express the unexpressable, how to describe the undescribible? Can the eternity be limited by time and can the endless God's love be expressed with words?
At the time of Christ's birth the leaders of the Israel people announced with pride the time when the long longed for Saviour will appear like a King of kings and the Israels themselves be lifted above all other people. The prophecies that pointed towards the self-denial and sacrifice of the holy Son of God were neglected. Today, before the second coming of the Saviour of the world, the history repeats itself: Unconsecrated preachers raise God’s love and mercy while the lulled people enjoy their sins, forgetting about justice and the God’s judgement. »Truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.« (Isaiah 59, 14.)
The God's messanger has written: »I was shown how important it is that the ministers who engage in the solemn, responsible work of proclaiming the third angel's message be right. The Lord is not straitened for means or instruments with which to do His own work. He can speak at any time, by whom He will, and His word is powerful and will accomplish the thing whereunto it is sent. But if the truth has not sanctified, made pure and clean, the hands and heart of him who ministers in holy things, he is liable to speak according to his own imperfect experience; and when he speaks of himself, according to the decisions of his own unsanctified judgment, his counsel is not then of God, but of himself. As he that is called of God is called to be holy, so he that is approved and set apart of men must give evidence of his holy calling and show forth in his heavenly conversation and conduct that he is faithful to Him who hath called him.There are fearful woes for those who preach the truth, but are not sanctified by it, and also for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to minister to them in word and doctrine.« (1.T 261)
»In every generation God has sent His servants to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people desire smooth things spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not acceptable. Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously declare the truth and the danger which threatened souls. The words which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences, and the people were compelled to hear the warning.« (GC 606)
The God's anger is big and just while it lays upon the church because of the shameful sins that are being done every day by those who had taken upon themselves the holy name of Christ. A widely known secret is that even such heavy sins like lust, adultery, deceit, and lie are normal in the lives of most of us, but still nothing is being done to purify the Church of the insolent breakers of the holy God's law. Jesus is insulted. The measure of His patience has been reached and soon many will realise how terrible it is to fall into the hands of the living God.
Brethren and sisters, I am speaking to you in the name of Jesus Christ, in the name of Him whose face I have seen in The Most Holy Place: do not contempt and do not abuse the God's mercy, but repent your sins. Let us throw away the mask of false godliness and let Jesus to revive our hearts with His tender and Holy Spirit. Let us view our real state, confess to ourselves and the others, but first of all to Him – that we do not know Him and that we were merely listeners all those years, but not those who lived according to God's word.
Brethren and sisters, this is a call to get to know Him, with the true faith to approach in prayer our God and Saviour with the assurance that He will hear and fulfil every prayer that comes from a sincere heart. Let us get to know Jesus, let us allow Him to unveil all the warmth of His divine love and present peace to our heart – peace which transcends all understanding. Jesus is our good God, who is always by our side and eagerly waits for us to uncover our heart and experience His kindness and mercy. Those who shall walk the eternal fields of the new land are those who already walk with Jesus today, rejecting from them all the dirt of this corrupt world, aware that only He can change them and give them a new heart – a heart that shall beat in the tact of the eternal God's love. Therefore, »if you hear His voice today, do not harden your hearts«, listen to the God's word and you shall be alive.
and do not observe all these commandments,
and if you despise My statutes,
or if your soul abhors My judgments,
so that you do not perform all My commandments,
but break My covenant,
I also will do this to you:
I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever
which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart.
And you shall sow your seed in vain,
for your enemies shall eat it.
I will set My face against you,
and you shall be defated by your enemies.
Those who hate you shall reign over you,
and you shall flee when no one pursues you...
Leviticus 26, 14-17
»FEAR GOD AND GIVE GLORY TO HIM...«
Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
and your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen diligentlly to Me, and eat what is good,
and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
and I will make an everlasting covenant with you
the sure mercies of David.
Isaiah 55,1-3
The biggest need of the world – a doctrine of justifying by the faith in the sacrifice of our Saviour – represents the base of the three angels' messages, which shall be revealed as the last warning to the rebbelious world. The ignorance and rejection of this vital doctrine is the main cause of the spiritual slackness and formalism which have governed the Church and made it almost totally useless and unprepaired for the work that is certain to be done. Lord says: »I counsel you to buy... white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.« (Rev. 3,18)
With this message God has shown the real state of the remnant of the people, pointing to it to the need of the justifying by the faith in the Christ's sacrifice of reconcilliation. The act of the justyfing itself was shown like a purchase, when a man like a buyer invests his faith in order to get salvation in return. »Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the water and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.« Shopping without money is the best representation of a human's part in the plan of salvation. All one could and should do is to seek forgiveness for his sins from God and get the promised present by his faith. »For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life,for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemtion that is in Christ Jesus. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.« (Romans 6,23; 3,23-25; 10,9.10.)
The understanding of the doctrine about justification by faith is a basis of every real awakening, and we should accept it in order to prepare a way to the latter rain, because only He can make us ready to complete the work and become worthy of living in the God's holy presence. It is important that we understand that only those will be saved, who truly keep up to the God's commandments, those who have met the living Saviour, Jesus Christ, by living the life of every day’s giving themselves to Him moment after moment. So, the remnant make only those who are ready to confess and reject every sin, demanding from Jesus to alter them by the uninterrupted pouring of His creative power, which will help them perfect their character, to »the measure of the stature of the fullnes of Christ.« (Ephesians 4,13) »Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. For by grace you have been saved through faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith.« (Romans 11,5; Ephesians 2,8; Romans 1,17)
»AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AFTERWARD THAT I WILL
POUR OUT MY SPIRIT...«
Come , and let us return to the Lord,
for He has torn, but He will heal us,
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us,
on the third day He will raise us up,
that we may live in His sight.
Let us know, let us pursue
the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established as the morning,
He will come to us like the rain,
like the latter and former rain to the earth.
Hosea 6, 1-3
In this moment, the most solemn in human history, on the eve of the Saviour's coming, there must happen a thorough reformation among us so as to be worthy of standing in front of the holy face of the almighty God. Therefore God speaks thus: »The revival of the true religiousness among us is our biggest and most urgent need. Our first task should be to work on that. We should seriously strive to get the God's blessings, not because God is not prepared to pour them onto us, but because we are not ready to take them. Our task is to fulfil the conditions that God had ascribed in order to give us the promised blessing, to fulfill them with our work, confessing our sins, with humbleness, repentment, and serious prayer. We may expect awakening only as an answer to our prayers«.
Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children.
The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church is looked forward to as in the future; but it is the privilege of the church to have it now.« (1.SM-1887; GC 464-1911; RH 19.03.- 1895.)
In this time, which precedes accomplishing of the reform that soon will happen in the midst of the God's people, the most important place belongs to understanding of the conditions for accepting the latter rain, as well as understanding of the way and reason of its function. The basic effect of the latter rain is the perfection of character, but it can and may also be expressed in a form of a special power that sanctifies and converts human hearts during the announcement of the gospel. More fruits of his activity are the spiritual gifts, which will enable the church to accomplish its task on the earth. It is important to know also that those three ways of expressing of the latter rain do not have to exist at one time, because the second two may appear later, when the God's providence appoints a moment for. Exactly this way of their appearance represents my experience of today. The latter rain that I have received the last November has been expressed in my life up till now as a converting power, with occasional appearance of His testimonial activity during the proclamation of the open testimony to the church and individuals, but it has been shown to me that the time is close when my service will be confirmed by the rest of the presents of the Holy Spirit, which are neccessary to accomplish either the work of the reform, or the work of announcing the last warning to the world by the awakened and reformed church.
In order to complete the understanding of the conditions of accepting the latter rain a deeper understanding is neccessary of the Spirit of prophecy's saying that the church will accept the latter rain when its biggest part will cooperate with God. In order that the biggest part of the church establishes cooperation with God first the awakening has to happen. From the scripts of the Spirit of prophecy we realize that the awakening and reform will happen when the church accepts the »straight testimony« of the True Witness, which will also bring the big shaking among us. Only so awakened and shaken church will have the neccessary majority Ellen White speaks about. I believe that everyone will understand the need of possessing the power of the latter rain during revealing the »straight testimony« by the people who already are anointed for that work. Experiences of Enoch, Elijah, John the Baptist, as well as the baptisizing of Jesus Christ Himself by the Holy Spirit show that individuals may accept the latter rain aswell.
The experience of Apostolic church shows also that the »power from above« accept firstly individuals or smaller groups of people whose work brings first the awakening, and than the baptising by the Spirit of those who are deigned. A certain number of our theologists think that on the Pentecost day a hundred and twenty people have accepted the present promised. But in the careful investigation of the first chapters of »The Acts of the Apostles« it might be realised that only apostles accepted the Holy Spirit and that they prayed later, during the baptising of the new followers, for it to pour onto the newly baptised. That is clear from the following texts: Acts 2,1.14.37.38. 43.; 4,33; 5,40; 6,2.6.; 8,14-17.38.39.
The work of awakening and reform, which had started with the work of John the Baptist, and then completed with the testimony of the apostolic church, is the model of the reform which will be carried out today among our church. God calls the Adventist people to awaken the real godliness and baptize again with water, but also to baptize with the Holy Spirit, which will be given to us for the accomplishment of the God's holy cause. Brethren and sisters, let us study the »Acts of Apostles« in order to understand what God expects from us. »And we are the witnesses to these things, and also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him... Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and the letter rain in the first month. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.« (Acts 5,32; Joel 2,23.27.)
»GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS...«
»Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.
And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb... And they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.« (Revelation 14,6–12.)
The prophet has written, led by divine inspiration: »... for two thousand three hundred days; than the sanctuary shall be cleansed.« (Daniel 8,14.) The beginning of the investigative judgement – the event in which the Daniel's prophecy found its fulfilment in 1844 – marked at the same time the beginning of the High Priest's service of our Saviour in The Most Holy Place: »For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, how to appear in the presence of God for us, because He poured out His soul unto death...and made intercession for the transgressors. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.« (Hebrews 9, 24; Isaiah 53,12; 1. John 2,2.)
The truth about the sanctuary and work of the investigative judgement, that is coming to the inevitable end, together with the second and third angel's message, represents the basis of the last message, which will reveal itself in the power of the latter rain to every generation, tribe, and people. But before the revealing of those three messages, the God's people will have to direct the look towards the Most Holy Place and discover the importance of the act of purification, which is being done by our Mediator and High Priest in the name of those, whose names are written down in »the Book of the Lamb's life«. It has been written that »the one, who wants to come to God, should believe that there is God and pay to those who are seeking for Him« (Hebrews 11,6.), but even this basic belief in God's existence fades away among those, who should be fully lighted by the mighty light of the truth about the heavenly sanctuary. My question to you, brother and sister, is: »Do you believe that there is God and that He pays to those, who are looking for Him? Can you believe that just your name is written on the holy pages of the »Book of life« and that only one unconfessed and unrejected sin will cost you the salvation, which Jesus had given to you by His unselfish sacrifice? Shall we, brothers and sisters, blaspheme further on our Saviour with our unfidelity and unworthiness, instead of giving ourselves to Him and letting Him to give glory His holy name in us? It is the last time for us to get out of the deep, deadly sleep in which we are stuck, and to go on with the biggest task that has ever been before the God's people, being armoured with all the God's weapons.
In the time when »the mother to the earthly whores and misdeeds« opiates nations with the false doctrine of the salvation by the deeds and praises Saint Mary like the one who mediates between the God and sinners, the Adventists of the Seventh day are being called to point out to the truth of the Holy Scripture, which clearly says that there is »one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus« and that »there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved«. (1. Timothy 2,5; Acts 4,12.) We should represent to all the Christian churches the true doctrine of the God's word. We must point out at the stability of the God's law, expressed through the ten holy commandments, as well as at the punishments, which will happen to those who refuse to obey those clear conditions.
Along with the appeal, which will be sent to all the so called Christian churches, an important place in this last work belongs to the warning against receiving the mark of the beast, which must be sent to every inhabitant of the earth. The Spirit of prophecy says: »The third angel's message has been sent forth to the world, warning men against receiving the mark of the beast or of his image in their foreheads or in their hands. To receive this mark means to come to the same decision as the beast has done, and to advocate the same ideas, in direct opposition to the word of God. Of all who receive this mark, God says, 'The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.'
Romanists declare that "the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church." (Mgr. Segur, Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, page 213) The enforcement of Sundaykeeping on the part of Protestant churches is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy - of the beast. Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth commandment, choose to observe the false instead of the true Sabbath are thereby paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded. But in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power, the churches would themselves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of Sundaykeeping ... would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image.
The two preceding messages are included in this one. It is pointed out in the Revelation that this message is being pronounced by »a loud voice« and it is followed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The message of the third angel should be regarded as the most important. It represents the question of life or death. The impression that the message will provoke at the listeners will be equal to the diligence and seriousness of its announcement.« (RH 13.07.1897; GC 448.449; MS 16, 1900.)
I received a night vision at the beginning of 2002, where it was shown to me the approaching of the time when the announcement of the three angels’ messages will turn into a loud shouting under the influence of the latter rain. In the symbolic image I found myself on the very edge of an endless water surface, which was cut by the strong hands of a few swimmers. I had been aware of the fact that I was expected to dive without hesitation into the mass of water, which lay in front of me. At the moment I prepared to fulfill this obligation, the vision ended. By the undoubted testimony of the God's Spirit it was put to my knowledge that »the water you saw are: peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues.« (Revelation 17, 15). The God had shown to me by this image that the events, which will precede the loud shouting, will happen very quickly and that we are already in front of the very beginning of this solemn and elevated deed. I am obliged to repeatedly point out that the great speed of the events will take by surprise many and that there is no time for hesitation. If we really want salvation, today is the time to make the decision, the result of which will be the eternal life.
After receiving this announcement I was shown many times that it was necessary to point out the events that are going to happen during the time when the God's judgements will start pouring at the rebellious dwellers of the big cities, where the lawlessness has already achieved the measure of the God's patience.
In a night vision on 27 February 2002 I was shown the state of some cities, which will receive the power of the God's anger among the first ones. The attitude of the inhabitants of Los Angeles towards the message which will be sent to them was shown to me in the first vision. I saw that the evangelistic work will be almost rejected in this town and that it will be visited by the destroying God's judgements very soon. In another vision it was pointed out to me that a great work must be done in one of the most crowded cities in the world – New York. It was shown to me that a big number of workers must be sent there, for the evangelic harvest will be big there. We pray to the Lord of the harvest to send the workers to the fields so as to be sure that the warning news will come to those places on time, like to Nineveh in the past. At the end, it remains to me to say only that the warning of the Prophecy Spirit, with which I finished the previous part of the testimony, finds its true place just these last days at the end of the time of mercy.
»More and more, as the days go by, it is becoming apparent that God's judgments are in the world. In fire and flood and earthquake He is warning the inhabitants of this earth of His near approach. The time is nearing when the great crisis in the history of the world will have come, when every movement in the government of God will be watched with intense interest and inexpressible apprehension. In quick succession the judgments of God will follow one another - fire and flood and earthquake, with war and bloodshed.
God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving.
The word came to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me." Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, "Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city." Gen. 7:1; 19:14. Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. So Christ's disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ's second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.« (9T 97; DA 634.)
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