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A Catholic Priest Says that the Conversion of the Entire World to Catholicism is Approaching
James Blount, a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, recently expressed that something big is coming to the world, which he called the greatest triumph of the church in all of world history. He claims that everyone will soon convert to Roman Catholicism and that this will usher in a new era. We understand that this period will be characterized by the resurgence of temporal power by the papacy, highlighting the old saying that Rome never changes.
“Rome never changes. Her principles have not altered in the least. She has not lessened the breach between herself and Protestants; they have done all the advancing” (Signs of the Times, February 19, 1894).
“And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII and Innocent III are still the principles of the Romish Church. And had she but the power, she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries” (Great Controversy, p. 580).
“Rome never changes. She claims infallibility. It is Protestantism that will change. The adoption of liberal ideas on its part will bring it where it can clasp the hand of Catholicism” (Review and Herald, June 1, 1886).
Rome’s goals are still to restore her temporal dominance and her position as the world’s preeminent power. Today, the Vatican is active in a wide range of global initiatives. Rome participates in every international program that exists today. These programs cover a wide range of topics, including politics, humanitarianism, religion, culture, economics, climate change, sustainability, peace, education, immigration, and every other social justice issue. In fact, Pope Francis’ encyclicals are being used as the blueprint for both secular and religious policies. But the role Pope Francis is playing in uniting the Protestant churches and bringing them into the communion of Rome provides the strongest evidence that his influence has achieved a sense of respect and awe that is shared by all.
Revelation 13:3 says that the deadly wound will be healed, and the entire world will wonder after the beast. This describes the moral dilemma that our world is in. What this means to us, the faithful commandment-keeping, non-ecumenical members of the Remnant Church of Revelation 12:17, is that we have but a short time in which we can proclaim to the world with power the messages of Revelation 14:6–12 before the voice of the dragon is heard and the fires of persecution return. There must be a world-wide proclamation given right now, warning the people against the worship of the beast and his image and against receiving his mark on the forehead or in the hand.
“The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He commands his servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls” (Great Controversy, p. 609).
Advent Messenger provides news and commentary on current events, top stories, social trends, and political and religious issues. For more news visit www.adventmessenger.org
God bless
ADVENT MESSENGER
Hi all
The Sabbath and the Prophets
By Pastor Aubrey Duncan
In the previous episode, it was clearly established that it was God who gave His Sabbath to mankind. He bestowed it on us as a gift. This gift, like all other gifts from God, is for our edification and His glorification. His Sabbath is to us a precious treasure and an eternal emblem by which we may always remember who is our Creator. God’s Sabbath affords us rest from our labors. It is a time when we come apart from the stresses and challenges of the world to contemplate His great works of creation and appreciate His manifold blessings on us.
We also discovered that whatsoever God blesses, He blesses forever, and no man can curse or change. God’s Sabbath, therefore, is changeless and is intended to be honored by all men at all times. And how does God ensure that this is accomplished? The apostle Paul answers: “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1). But who are the prophets, and what did they have to say about God’s Sabbath?
God’s prophets are a unique class of humanity whom God raises up to speak to His people on His behalf. As men and women of God, the prophets deliver the word of God directly from God. Peter declared: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (1 Peter 1:21). The life of a prophet of God is always in conformity with God’s word and His will. His or her work is to comfort God’s people when they are hurt and to correct them when they are going down the wrong path. The counsel of the prophet is to direct men’s hearts towards God and His requirements for their lives. He or she does not speak contrary to the word of God.
We are admonished: “Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall you prosper” (2 Chronicles 20:20). With this understanding of who the prophets are, let us examine how they related to and what they taught about God’s Sabbath.
For some time after the creation record, no specific mention is made of the Sabbath. Neither was there any indication that God’s Sabbath was abolished or irrelevant. We next encounter the Sabbath in a direct way when the prophet Moses is accused of giving his people ‘rest’ from their labors while in Egyptian bondage. Moses forsook the fame and fortune of Egyptian royalty to dwell and suffer with his people, the Hebrew slaves of Egyptian captivity. The record reveals: “And Pharaoh said, Behold the people of the land now are many, and you (Moses) make them to ‘rest’ from their burdens” (Exodus 5:5).
The word Sabbath is translated to mean rest. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that, within the context of this narrative, the rest mentioned is the Sabbath. The Hebrews, having been released from Egyptian bondage and journeying through the wilderness, had the high privilege of being fed by God with food that descended from on high. The heavenly food, called Manna, was miraculously rained down from heaven for six days each week. For the first five days, just enough manna to feed the people each day was provided.
But on the sixth day, the Scripture declares: “And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread (manna), two omens for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses … And he said unto them: this is that which the Lord hath said, tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which you shall today: and seethe that you will seethe: and that which remained over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning” (Exodus 16:22–24). God’s Sabbath, which He gave at creation, is here clearly referred to by Moses, God’s prophet.
Of such importance is the Sabbath to God that, upon giving Moses His moral law, He included Sabbath-keeping as one of His holy commandments. The record reads: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, six days shall thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shall not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates … For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore God blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).
One may be quick to say, ‘But that was for Israel of the Old Testament and is not binding on us Christians today’. But the question is, ‘Who is Israel?’ The apostle Paul answers plainly: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision. But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (Romans 2:28–29). A Jew, therefore, is simply one who acknowledges the God of creation as the only true God and demonstrates faith in His word by keeping all His commandments, including His Sabbath commandment. Israel is a spiritual term, not necessarily a political entity.
Paul reiterates: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for we are all one in Christ Jesus… And if you be Christ’s then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:28–29).
Following the example and admonitions of Moses, the people of God held fast to the Sabbath. They recognized its significance and importance in their lives. When they neglected to honor the Sabbath, peril and destruction followed. The prophets of God, who came after Moses, likewise admonished the nation of Israel to hold the Sabbath in the highest esteem as God intended it to be.
For example, the prophet Jeremiah, recognizing the evil that was to befall the people of God if they continued to defile the Sabbath, issued this stern warning: “Thus says the Lord: take heed to yourselves and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do you any work, but hallow you the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers” (Jeremiah 17:21, 22).
Jeremiah concluded by pronouncing the evil that will befall the people if they refuse to obey God’s command to keep the Sabbath holy. He warned the people on behalf of God: “But if you will not hearken unto me to hallow my Sabbath-day, and not to bear a burden, even entering into the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched” (Jeremiah 17:27).
The people did not heed the word of God sent through His prophet Jeremiah. The result was catastrophic. Within a few years, with uncanny accuracy and divine precision, as a consequence of trampling upon God’s Sabbath, the Israelites were taken captive by the Babylonian monarch, King Nebuchadnezzar. The record reveals: “Therefore He [God] brought upon them the king of the Chaldees who slew their young men with the sword in the house of the sanctuary and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old men, or him that stopped for age: He gave them all into his [Nebuchadnezzar’s] hand” (2 Chronicles 36:17).
But God remained a God that did not change. He is a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness. Even in Babylonian captivity, He raised up a prophet to proclaim the sacredness of His Sabbath to His people. Ezekiel writes from Babylonian captivity: “Thus says the Lord God: the gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut six working days: but on the Sabbath it shall be opened.” (Ezekiel 46:1). The God of Creation, who bequeathed His Sabbath to man from the beginning, has never, under any circumstance, relieved man from the obligation of keeping His Sabbath-day holy. But someone else claims to change God’s law.
To be continued
God bless
Hi to all,
The Christian Post Published the False Assertion that the Angels in Heaven Observe the Eternal Sabbath from Sunday to Sunday
The Christian Post is one of the largest non-denominational, conservative, and evangelical Christian news publications, with approximately ten million monthly readers. [1] The Christian Post wrote an article titled “Why should I go to church?” on April 24, 2024, asserting that Sunday is the “eternal Sabbath” and the Lord’s Day. Additionally, they falsely claimed that in heaven, the angels gather from Sunday to Sunday to worship God. Tragically, The Christian Post has blurred the lines between biblical truth and pure fiction. Sunday rest is the product of the imagination, while Saturday, the true Sabbath, is rooted in the word of God.
The Christian Post published the following statements, fraught with grave errors and intellectual dishonesty:
• “Revelation 21 gives us this picture of a bride like a city, with gates in every direction. This astonishing image shows us all the people of God, from everywhere, in every age, gathering to worship the God who is in the midst of His people.” [2]
• “When we meet together on the Lord’s Day with our brothers and sisters, it is a foretaste of that great day. We need to recognize that reality when we gather with the Lord’s people not only in our local congregation but around the globe, as well as with the church triumphant in heaven and the angelic hosts.” [2]
• “Our earthly gatherings Sunday by Sunday are meant to cultivate a longing for the eternal Sabbath. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath day was particularly characterized by rest. That aspect of the Lord’s Day still remains, and we are told to look forward to that eternal rest. But in the New Testament, one of the changes to the Lord’s Day is that it is increasingly characterized by worship.” [2]
Attempting to pass on error as biblical fact is a deception that betrays the integrity of the Scriptures. It undermines the credibility of those who spread such false information. It is a sad fact that, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, far too many people want to imagine that Sunday is the new day of rest and worship. Declaring Sunday to be the new Sabbath is to continue a deception. Such statements do not lead us to enjoy the blessings of God’s eternal rest, but rather to disappointment, betrayal, and deception during the coming crisis of the Mark of the Beast. God’s word is clear: the seventh day, Saturday, is the true day of worship and eternal rest.
“Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.” Exodus 31:16.
“It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:17.
“Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” Mark 2:28.
“But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day.” Matthew 24:20.
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” Revelation 1:10.“And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.” Acts 13:42.
“For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works … There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God … Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.” Hebrews 4:4, 9, 11.
“Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” Leviticus 23:3.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8.
“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 66:22, 23.
“And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” Luke 23:54-56.
Sources
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Christian_Post
[2] https://www.christianpost.com/voices/why-should-i-go-to-church.html
Hi all
A VOLUNTARY EXILE
Who (Jesus Christ) existing in the form of God… emptied himself… becoming like men; and… he humbled himself, making himself obedient to the point of death, even to the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)
To understand the full importance of salvation, it is essential to realize the price at which it was acquired for us. Because they have a weak idea of the sufferings of Christ; many people have little esteem for the great work of grace. The glorious plan of salvation was carried out by the infinite love of the Father. This plan is the wondrous manifestation of God’s love for fallen humanity. The gift of the Son of God filled the angels with astonishment. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. » John 3:16. The Savior was the reflection of the Father’s glory and the imprint of his person. He possessed divine majesty and perfection. He was equal to God. “God wanted all fullness to dwell in him. » Colossians 1:19…
Christ consented to die in the place of the sinner so that man, through his life of obedience, could escape the punishment deserved by the transgressor of God’s law.
Jesus was the majesty of heaven, the beloved leader of the angels; they were happy to obey him. He was one with God, “in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18), but he did not desire to be equal with God while man was lost in sin and misery. He came down from his throne, left his royal scepter and crown, and put on humanity over his divinity. He humbled himself to the point of death on the cross, so that man might have the honor of sitting with him on his throne. We have in him a perfect offering, an infinite sacrifice, a powerful Savior, able to save to the end all those who, through him, draw near to God. His love pushed him to come and reveal his Father, to reconcile man with God, to make him a new creature renewed in the image of his Creator.
Our Heavenly Father made an infinite sacrifice by delivering His Son to die for fallen man. The price paid for our redemption should give us sublime perspectives on what we can become through Christ.
E G. White – Power of Grace)
Collection of meditations
GOD bless
Berean……wrong all must “repent” of their own sins, before God, and live exactly as Jesus did through Faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit of God the Father. Jesus did not pay your or anyone else’s sin debt, It cost him his life to “” demonstrate” to us all how to live right with God the Father, but he did not pay off your or anyone else’s sin debt for them. We must all “repent” of our own sins, and live exactly as Jesus ot brother did.
Why did you think Jesus said we must all repent and over come this world “as he did” , in order to be in the Kingdom. If he did it all in our place then, we would not be required to do anything. “SALVATION”, without works is “DEAD”.
WHILE…….Jesus’ life was for the purpose of remission of sins, and he “DEMONSTRATED” to us all how to have our sin forgiven us, and he did do it “for us all” , he did not do it “IN OUR PLACE”. We must all “Repent” .
Jesus did “demonstrate” to us all how salvation works, in every person, and it is through the power of the Holy Spirit from God the Father, the exact same Spirit that Jesus had at work “in” him , must also work in us to cause us all to “repent” of our sins.
JUST AS IT SAYS…….“UNTIL”, we all come to the unity, of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a “PERFECT” man, unto the measure of the stature of the “FULLNESS”, of Christ (the anointed Jesus).
And again……“now if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he who raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken , you mortal bodies, by the same Spirit the dwells in you”, get it, it’s the exact same Spirit that was in Jesus and raised him from the dead, that must also do the same thing to us, in order for us to be raised from the grave and have eternal life also. There is no difference, what happened to Jesus must also happen to us, in order for us to have eternal life also.
Jesus was God the Fathers” DEMONSTRATION” to the whole world what is required of us all to attain to eternal life. Jesus did not do it in our place, but to show us the “WAY” to attain eternal life, and that requirement of God of us, is the exact the same as it was for , the “MAN” Jesus.
This idea of a sub-stationary sacrifice, ( he did it all in our place ), is a Lie. What Jesus did for us was to show us the “Way”, not to take our place, so that nothing is required of us.
peace and love to you and yours Berean………gene
@ Gene
What you say proves that you have not read carefully everything that is written in this meditation.
Hi all
THE FIGHT OF PRAYER
At that time Jesus went to the mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night praying to God. (Luke 6:12)
The Mount of Olives was the favorite place where the Son of God meditated. Often, after the crowd had left him to let him enjoy the rest of the night, he did not sleep, although exhausted by the occupations of the day… While the city was dozing in silence and the disciples had returned to their homes to benefit from a restful sleep, Jesus kept watch. His divine intercessions rose from the Mount of Olives to his Father. He asked him to keep his disciples from the bad influences they encountered daily in the world. Through prayer, Jesus was also strengthened to face the duties and trials of the next day. Sometimes all night, while the apostles slept, their Master remained in prayer. The dew and the cold of the night fell on his head bowed in the fervent attitude of intercession. May this example always remain present in the eyes of his disciples!…
Christ chose the calm of the night so as not to be interrupted or disturbed. He could relieve the sick and raise the dead. He himself was a source of blessings and strength. He calmed the storms and they obeyed him. He was not tainted by corruption and had no part in sin. Despite this, he prayed, and often with loud cries and tears. He prayed for his disciples and for himself, thus identifying himself with our needs, our weaknesses and our failings which are the lot of humanity. He was a powerful intercessor who was not subject to the passions of our fallen nature, but who, sharing our infirmities, was tempted in every way as we are. Jesus endured human agony in which he needed the help and support of his Father.
Christ is our example. Are his ministers tempted and besieged by Satan? So it was with him who had not known sin. So he turned to his Father in these hours of distress. He came to earth to open the way for us to receive at every moment the grace and strength we need. We will obtain them by following his example of fervent and repeated prayer.
(E.G. White – Power of Grace)
Collection of meditations
GOD bless
Hi all,
THE PRICE OF OUR DELIVERY
Knowing that you have not been redeemed with perishable things, such as silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18, 19)
“You know,” said Peter, “that you were not redeemed with perishable things, silver or gold. “Oh, if it had been enough to purchase man’s salvation, how easy it would have been for him who says, ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine.'” Haggai 2 :8. But the transgressor of the holy divine law could only be redeemed with the precious blood of the Son of God.
It is through infinite sacrifice and unspeakable suffering that our Redeemer has placed salvation within our reach. He passed into this world deprived of honors, unknown; by this astonishing condescension and this humiliation he wanted to exalt man and confer on him eternal honors and immortal joys in the celestial courts. During the thirty years of his earthly life, his heart experienced inconceivable anguish. The path that led him from the cradle to Calvary was associated with sadness and pain. He was a man of sorrows, knowing suffering, he experienced indescribable anguish. He could have said, “Look and see if there is any pain like my pain.” » Lamentations 1:12. He who hated sin with perfect hatred, he gathered on his soul the sins of the whole world. Although innocent, he suffered the punishment of the guilty, he offered himself as the substitute for the transgressor. Every sin of which man was guilty weighed on the divine soul of the Redeemer of the world. The evil thoughts, the evil words, the evil actions of each son and daughter of Adam called upon him a retribution for the fact that he had substituted himself for humanity. Although he was guilty of no sin, his spirit was lacerated and wounded by human transgressions; he who knew no sin became sin for us, so that through him we might become the righteousness of God.
Contemplate the cross and the victim attached to it. Look at his hands cruelly torn by nails, as well as his pierced feet. Christ took on our sins. His suffering, his agony, this is the price of our redemption.
(E G. White – Power of Grace)
Collection of meditations
Berean……What you and E.G. White says proves your lack of understanding of the truth. There are so many errors in what you and White and the rest of “modern Christianity” teaches, but time will tale, won’t it? What I have told you is the “truth”.
My only subjection for you is to get away from the teachings of that Church and E.G. White, before it’s too late.
Redeemed, means to be “brought back” to GOD the Father, And yes we are brought back through conforming to the “life” which is in, the “blood” of Jesus Christ, the life he gave to “demonstrate” to us all how to have a right relationship with God the FATHER, HE DIDN’T DO ALL THAT IN OUR PLACE as you falsely teach. His life was and “example for us all” , we must also conform to the exact way to live as Jesus did, in Our own ‘FAITH’ and “TRUST” , IN God the father.
Peace and love to you and yours Berean………gene
Hi all
“Seize life”
By a single act of justice life-giving justification extends to all men. (Romans 5:18)
The ineffable gift of God cannot be bought with money, intellect cannot grasp it, power cannot command it, but to all who will accept it, it is freely offered by infinite grace of God. Men can sense their need and, renouncing all independence, accept salvation as a free gift. Those who enter the divine city will not measure its walls according to their own righteousness; the gates of heaven will not open to humans by virtue of their offerings of gold or silver; it is only by the merits of the cross of Christ that one will enter into the dwelling places of the Father’s house.
The supreme consolation, the sublimest cause of joy for sinners, lies in the fact that the Father gave Jesus to be the Savior of men… He offered to walk the path on which Adam stumbled and fell, to meet the tempter on the battlefield to achieve victory for humanity. Contemplate him in the wilderness of temptation. For forty days and forty nights he fasted while suffering the fiercest assaults of the powers of darkness. He was “alone to tread the winepress and no man from among the people was with him.” Isaiah 63:3. It was not for himself that he had to undergo the trials, but rather to break the bonds which kept the human race under the slavery of Satan.
Christ in his humanity drew his strength from his Father in order to be able to withstand trial and temptation. May we ourselves follow the example of the immaculate Son of God, for we need daily the help, grace and strength from Him who is the source of all power; may our souls in their weakness abandon themselves to him who is ready to help us in our distresses! How often do we forget the Lord!…
If we are defeated, let us not delay in repenting and accepting the forgiveness that will put us back in a safe situation…
No sinner should be lost. The gift of saving grace is free and fully sufficient.
(E.G. White – Power of Grace)
Collection of meditations
God bless
Hi all
LOVE TRANSFORME
See what love the Father has shown us, so that we are called children of God! (1 John 3:1)
It is from the heart of the Father that the floods of divine compassion manifested in Jesus Christ are poured out on the children of men… God allowed his beloved Son, full of grace and truth, to leave a place of ineffable glory to come into a world stained by sin and darkened by curse and death. He consented to see him leave the bosom of the Father and the adoration of the angels to come and suffer reproach, insults, humiliation, hatred and death… It is the burden of sin and the feeling of its enormity which broke the heart of the Son of God…
God suffered with his Son. In the distresses of Gethsemane, as in the death of Calvary, it was the heart of infinite Love which paid the price of our redemption… Nothing less than the infinite sacrifice consummated by Jesus was required… Christ on behalf of lost man to express the Father’s love for fallen humanity…
The price paid for our redemption, the infinite sacrifice of our Heavenly Father in delivering His Son to die for us, should give us a lofty idea of what we can become in Christ Jesus. When it is given to John, the inspired apostle, to contemplate the height, depth and breadth of the Father’s love towards dying humanity, he is so filled with feelings of adoration and reverence that, in When he finds himself unable to express the intensity and tenderness of this love, he cries out: “See what love the Father has shown us, so that we are called children of God! » 1 John 3:1. What value this love gives to man! Through transgression the sons of Adam became subjects of Satan; through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ, they can become sons of God. By taking on human nature, Jesus Christ elevates humanity; it places fallen man in a condition where he can become truly worthy of the name “child of God”.
Children of the Heavenly King! Precious promise! Inexhaustible theme of meditations! God’s unfathomable love for a world that did not love him!
(E G. W – Power of Grace)
Collection of meditations
God bless
Hi all
A DEW
I will be like dew to Israel, and it will blossom like a lily, and it will put forth roots like Lebanon. (Hosea 14:5)
Of innumerable lessons concerning the various processes of plant growth, some of the most important are set forth in the Savior’s parable of the seed…
The seed contains a germ, a principle of life that God placed within it; however, left to its own devices, it is impossible for it to germinate. Man has a role to play in the germination of the seed. Beyond a certain point, however, he can no longer do anything and must depend on the one who linked the sowing to the harvest by the marvelous link of his omnipotence.
There is life in the seed, power in the soil; but if infinite energy is not exerted night and day, the seed remains unproductive. The showers must refresh the weathered fields; the sun must give its heat; the electricity must be conducted to the seed buried in the ground. The Creator who placed the germ of life in the grain can alone make it bear fruit. Every seed develops and every plant grows by the power of God…
The germination of the seed represents the beginning of spiritual life, and the development of the plant is a figure of character formation. There can be no life without growth. The plant must grow or perish. Just as it grows in a silent, imperceptible, but constant manner, so too must character be formed. At every stage of its development, our life can be perfect; however, if God’s purpose for us is fulfilled, we are constantly progressing.
The plant grows by appropriating what God has prepared for its sustenance. Thus, spiritual growth is achieved by collaborating with divine agents. Just as the plant takes root in the ground, so we must take root in Christ. The plant receives the sun, the dew and the rain, and we must receive the Holy Spirit. If our hearts are established in Christ, he will come to us “like rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.” Like the sun of righteousness, he will rise upon us “with healing in his wings.” We will grow “like the lily”. Hosea 6:3; Malachi 4:2; Hosea 14:5.
(E.G. White – Power of Grace)
Collection of meditations
God bless
Hi to all
Fox News Promotes the 10,000 Hours of Prayer for the Eucharistic Revival to Win Over Millions to the Catholic Faith and Transform both Spiritual and Political Life
A Catholic revival has begun with the goal of renewing religious devotion among Americans. It seeks to revive active evangelism, encouraging people to convert to Catholicism and join the Roman church. However, the goal is not just to reach individuals; no, the religious fervor and moral imperatives of Rome’s Eucharistic Revival in America seek to influence political activism and bring about profound social change.
Fox News reported the following on July 16, 2024:
•“Catholics are encouraged to pray at least 10,000 Holy Hours in the month of July in the hopes of a ‘Eucharistic revival’ across America.” [1]
•“I hope many people will participate in this campaign as a public witness to the centrality of the Eucharist,’ Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota and founder of Word on Fire Ministries, said in a press release.” [1]
•“According to its website, ‘Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit global media apostolate that supports the work of Bishop Robert Barron and reaches millions of people to draw them into — or back to — the Catholic faith’.” [1]
•“The bishop added, ‘And I think that basically, spiritual and moral vision is indispensable to a healthy political life. So I would encourage people to get back into that spiritual and moral space, which would then inform their political decision-making’.” [1]
Overall, the ultimate goal of the Sunday Eucharistic Revival taking place across the nation is to seek to reshape the moral and political landscape of America by fostering devotion to Roman Catholic doctrine. [2] [3] The Sunday Eucharistic Revival occurring in the United States has received praise and the blessing of Pope Francis. [4]
This demonstrates precisely what would happen in Bible prophecy, as the first beast of Revelation 13, Rome, will be attempting to expand its influence on a global scale with the help of the second beast, the USA. The Vatican sees itself as the central figure, intending to shape our nation and the rest of the world into an image of the papacy by using its spiritual and political power.
“Protestants … are opening the door for the papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World” (Great Controversy, p. 573).
“They are working in blindness. They do not see that if a Protestant government sacrifices the principles that have made them a free, independent nation, and through legislation brings into the Constitution, principles that will propagate papal falsehood and papal delusion, they are plunging into the Roman horrors of the Dark Ages” (Review and Herald, December 11, 1888).
“The enforcement of Sunday keeping on the part of Protestant churches is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy” (Great Controversy, p. 448).
Sources
[1] https://www.foxnews.com/us/catholic-bishop-launches-10000-holy-hours-july-prayer-campaign-nationwide-lives-change-period
[2] https://x.com/GretchenOSV/status/1813716297617670280
[3] https://x.com/GretchenOSV/status/1814111912830910706
[4] http://adventmessenger.org/the-catholicization-of-america-has-begun-as-pope-francis-praises-the-national-eucharistic-revival-taking-place-in-the-united-states/
Hi all
A Vatican Newspaper Claims that a Sunday Precept that Seeks to Consecrate the Lord’s Day with a Forced Mass will Prove to be a Blessin
Forcing people to go to church on Sundays to celebrate the mass by law and calling it a blessing is exactly what the mark of the beast is all about. This is what a Vatican newspaper published this month. In reality, this kind of policy will erode the principles of religious freedom. This violates the right to choose one’s beliefs and practices freely, which is a fundamental component of individual liberty. Advocating for a Sunday law that would require mandatory church attendance will be the final act in the 6,000-year controversy between good and evil.
“Donne Chiesa Mondo” is a monthly news journal published by the Vatican. In the July 2024 edition, an article was published titled “And of the Seventh Day He Rested,” in which the publication makes the case that a “Sunday precept” forcing people to go to church to celebrate mass might actually be a blessing. The entire article from the Vatican was republished by the Spanish Catholic news outlet New Life Digital, on July 31, 2024, which said:
• “In Western societies, alternating work and rest is considered more of a right than a necessity.” [1]
• “It is not entirely fair when Sunday is mentioned in this discussion. ‘The Lord’s Day’ should not be comparable to other civil holidays because it has a very different meaning from that given to days of rest in social organizations or in work ethics, although it is true that the work calendar is a compromise between civil and religious dates that are part of the tradition of the majority of the social group it affects.” [1]
• “This explains why in Italy the day of rest is the Christian day and not the Islamic Friday or the Jewish Saturday.” [1]
• “God wants one day to be qualitatively different from the other six and ‘consecrates’ it, that is, reserves it for himself, makes it a reality that belongs to him.” [1]
• “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. For six days you shall work and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord your God. You shall not do any work—you, your son, your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who resides within your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them; and on the seventh day he rested. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” [1]
• “It should make us reflect: rest from work is a right, sanctifying a day for God is a commandment. Perhaps the profound crisis of Sunday precepts, which sought to consecrate the Lord’s day with a forced Mass, will turn out to be a blessing. It will not be easy to get out of it, of course, because it demands rediscovering the profound meaning of a relationship with all the reality of the world that passes through the creative power of God.” [1]
• “A force that teaches us, we could say, paraphrasing the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, that ‘to everything there is a season, and a time for every activity under heaven.’ Perhaps then we can begin to rediscover this meaning.” [1]
• “Original article published in the June 2024 issue of Donne Chiesa Mondo. Translated by New Life Digital” [1]
This shows us what the Vatican has planned for society. It is Rome that is attempting to impose its Sunday rest ideology through legislation, steering the Christian world towards a path of diminishing liberties. Inspiration tells us that any law enacted to protect Sunday as a day of rest is really a means of upholding papal worship.
“The law for the observance of the first day of the week is the production of an apostate Christendom. Sunday is a child of the papacy, exalted by the Christian world above the sacred day of God’s rest. In no case are God’s people to pay it homage” (Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 235).
“The enforcement of Sundaykeeping on the part of Protestant churches is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy” (Great Controversy, p. 448).
Sunday laws are religious in nature and are designed to force people to attend church. God’s relationship with humanity is rooted in love, not force. It is Satan who seeks to impose his will, manipulating and deceiving to suppress our conscience and enslave us to sin. While God calls us with love and patience, the devil resorts to fear and compulsion, aiming to dominate rather than nurture a bond built on trust and love.
The only hope we have for our rapidly deteriorating world is the coming of the Lord. During the Mark of the Beast crisis, sin and Sunday laws will cause anguish, death, and suffering, and only Christ can put an end to the problem of sin that is destroying our world. May we be found faithful in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ and the message of His soon return.
Sources
[1] https://www.vidanuevadigital.com/tribuna/y-al-septimo-dia-descanso-marinella-perroni/
Hi all
UNDER HIS WINGS
In the spring of 1977 in northern Wisconsin, several ornithologists were making an aerial survey of bald eagle nests. As they flew over one particular nest, they noticed something in the nest that didn’t look right, and they guessed that it might be a dead adult eagle. The next day the men visited the same nest from the ground to determine what had happened.
When they arrived, two adult eagles began flying around and scolding, and it was obvious that there was at least one young bird alive in the nest. Now the men were really confused—if what they saw was really a dead eagle, why were there now two living adults scolding them? Climbing the tree to get a closer look, they found an eagle that had been dead for about a month, yet a very healthy chick about five weeks old was sitting in the nest. How could this have happened?
Upon further investigation, the men discovered that lightning had struck the tree: large limbs from the tree were strewn around on the ground, and there were burn marks near the nest. The men surmised that the lightning strike had killed the mother, but by some miracle the young bird had survived.
Perhaps the mother was still incubating the egg when the storm hit, or perhaps, during the fury of the storm, the mother stretched out her wings to protect her newly hatched chick. Either way, it was apparent that soon after her death, the father had been able to recruit another mate to help with the very demanding task of feeding a growing eagle.
What a perfect example of the love that Jesus has for us! The Bible, describing Jacob’s experience in the wilderness, says that the Lord led Jacob just like an eagle spreads its wings over its young (Deuteronomy 32:11). Just as God saved Jacob, He will save us: when we deserved death for our sins, Jesus was willing to spread His protective wings and take our death to save us.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1″Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.”
Psalm 91:3″He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.God bless
Hi all,
A Jesuit Author Claims that Society has Forgotten the Joys of Sunday, Leading to Anxiety and Unhappiness
August 15, 2024 by Andy Roman Leave a CommentOn June 2, 2024, the Clarion Herald, the official publication of the Roman Catholic Archdioceses of New Orleans, published an article by a Jesuit author claiming that families must reclaim Sunday in order to avoid anxiety and restore happiness. This is the same theory that claims that the repeal of Sunday laws has caused death and misery in our world. [1] A new crisis has emerged, indicating that action must be taken to save society and reverse the dangerous trend that is destroying our planet. And what’s the answer? Restore Sunday rest, because this, we are told, is the answer to suffering and despair. This is the same message that the Jesuits promote.
The Clarion Herald published the following:
• “What if we let Mass transform our entire Sunday? What would that be like in today’s world?” [2]
• “These are just two of the questions posed by author Danny Fitzpatrick, editor of Joie de Vivre magazine and Jesuit High School English teacher, during a May 8 meeting at St. Francis Xavier Church in Metairie. Fitzpatrick, 32, presented his newly released book, “Restoring the Lord’s Day: How Reclaiming Sunday Can Revive Our Human Nature.” [2]
• “He further explained that society has forgotten that joie de vivre (joy of life) and liturgical life are inexplicably intertwined, and we should awaken from our spiritual sloth on Sunday and participate fully in the Lord’s Day to attain happiness and avoid anxiety.” [2]
• “Fitzpatrick discussed topics from his book for the group discussion that followed, such as how to honor the Lord’s Day and reclaim the freedom to truly worship God; the noonday devil (sloth) and how to recognize and defeat him; and ways to reorder your Sunday activities to restore Sunday festivity and holiness.” [2]
• “Everyone wanted to try to keep the Lord’s Day holy, and they talked about the struggles they have trying to do that,” he said. “They want Sunday to be more than a day to catch up on everything else from the rest of the week. We discussed ways to make this a day that we transform everything we do, a moment to participate in God’s providence for us.” [2]
• “In today’s modern world, it is difficult to be in the present moment without distraction, and my book invites readers to realign their lives by returning to the tradition of Mass and reclaiming Sunday for the Lord,’ he said.” [2]
Regardless of how many times people tell us that Sunday is the Lord’s Day, the Fourth Commandment remains unchanged and requires observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. God Himself, whose creatures we are, commands us to keep Saturday holy and refrain from doing any work on it. When God declares the seventh day to be the Sabbath, all controversy among those who believe in Him is over. If someone does not believe what God says in the fourth commandment, he or she will not believe what He says in the Sermon on the Mount or elsewhere.In Genesis 2:2, 3, God “rested,” “blessed,” and “sanctified” the seventh day, meaning He set it apart for a holy or religious use. Through these three distinct acts, the day of rest was established. It was committed to Adam, the father of our race, and has been appropriately termed a memorial of creation. This holy institution is at the same time a sign of sanctification, a sign of the believer’s rest from his own works of sin, and his entrance into the rest of the soul, which Jesus promises to those who come to Him (Genesis 2:1–3; Exodus 20:8–11; Exodus 31:12–17; Hebrews 4:1–10).
Unfortunately, according to Bible prophecy, it is the Roman church that is warring against the Sabbath and the faithful saints who keep it:
“And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” Daniel 7:25.
God has a message for this day and generation, the same as He had a message for every generation, and the Bible clearly indicates that there will go to the world just before the second coming of the Lord a message proclaiming the call to observe His holy law, including the seventh day Sabbath, and a warning against the powers of earth, which would legalize a false religion and force the world to accept the counterfeit. In every great reform movement found in the Scriptures, the call was sounded for a return to proper, reverent Sabbath observance. God gave mankind His memorial day as an everlasting badge or sign of loyalty.“Hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” Ezekiel 20:20
Sources[1] http://adventmessenger.org/another-major-conservative-publisher-claims-that-the-repeal-of-blue-laws-led-to-a-decline-in-church-attendance-as-well-as-to-death-and-despair/
[2] https://clarionherald.org/news/local-author-families-can-reclaim-the-lords-day
God bless
Hi all
THE TIME OF PROBATION WILL HAVE AN END
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (Revelation 22:11)
If man enjoys any good, it is through the mercy of God. God is the great Giver who diffuses His blessings. His love is seen in that He has provided abundantly for man’s needs. He has given us a time of probation during which we are to prepare ourselves for the heavenly courts.
We have no doubt as to the return of Christ; to us it is not a fable, but a reality…. When He comes, it will not be to cleanse us from our sins, to remove our defects of character, and to heal our weaknesses of character. If this work is done in us, it will be accomplished before the return of the Master. When the Lord comes again, those who are holy will still be holy; those who have sanctified their body and spirit will then retain immortality, like the last touch to a painting. But those who are not sanctified, the impure, the unjust will remain as they are forever. Nothing will be done for them then to remove their defects and give them holy characters; he who could refine their character will not continue his action to remove their sins and corruption. It is during the time of grace that all this work must be done, it is now that it must be accomplished for us.
During the evangelical economy, the grace of God is offered to every soul. But those who refuse it in order to complete themselves in themselves separate themselves from the source of eternal life. By their own choice, they have dug an unbridgeable abyss between themselves and God.
Many are deluded that their characters will be changed at the coming of Christ; but there will be no conversion at the time of His appearing. It is here, while probation still lasts, that we must repent of our faults and, by the grace of God, correct them. It is in this life that we prepare ourselves to be part of the heavenly family.
Probation is about to close. Prepare yourselves! Work while the day lasts, for the night is coming when no man can work.
(E. G. White – Power of Grace) A Collection of Meditations
God bless
Hi all
The President of Nicaragua Accuses the Vatican of Being Part of the “Conglomerate of Fascism” that Wants to Rule the World
Daniel Ortega, the president-dictator of Nicaragua, accused the Vatican of being a part of the “conglomerate of fascism” on Monday, August 26, 2024, during a summit with heads of state of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), a 10-nation confederacy in Central and South America and the Caribbean. He further stated that the Holy See had collaborated with the Nazis in Germany, Italy, and Spain during the last century. President Ortega also expressed that we cannot close our eyes to reality, even as the Vatican is seeking to “dominate the world.”
The Nicaraguan president expressed the following during the summit:
“Everything we call fascism—that was the period where a European democratic party in European Democratic practices brought Hitler to the presidency. And then Mussolini and then the Spanish Franco, Franco, Franco. Franco, who destroyed the Spanish people, Franco was linked with who? Another empire. A powerful empire was being formed. The Vatican, the Vatican! The Vatican was an accomplice of the Nazis. It was an accomplice with the Nazis in Italy, in Germany, and Spain. In Spain, there was even an armed confrontation. Catholic Christians manipulated in the defense of democracy. There was a war, a war. Like the war that occurred in Mexico. Madness at war. And we cannot close our eyes to that reality. The Vatican is just another instrument in all these battles that we are fighting. It is another instrument that is part of the conglomerate of fascism that, in new modalities, wants to dominate the world” (Youtube Video).
Daniel Ortega, who is widely considered to be a dictator by many human rights organizations, has been a central figure in Nicaraguan politics since the 1980s. He is, therefore, someone who knows first-hand what it means to be a tyrant. That is why, when Daniel Ortega accuses the Vatican of being an oppressive and unjust power that is seeking absolute control on a global scale, he is indicating that what he has said is absolutely true, dependable, and certain.There is no denying that Rome is the primary force influencing political and moral discourse, as well as the epicenter of global influence. World leaders often look to the Vatican for advice on peace negotiations, humanitarian efforts, climate policies, finance, artificial intelligence, and social justice issues because it is a powerful organization with extensive international diplomacy reach. The Pope plays a pivotal role in fostering dialogue among the nations of the world, reflecting the Church’s profound impact on both spiritual and secular spheres.
From a prophetic perspective, the papacy embodies the beast power described in Revelation 13, which is responsible for uniting political and religious powers in opposition to God. The papacy is also the Antichrist, a figure prophesied to deceive and lead many away from true biblical teachings. Additionally, the harlot woman of Revelation 17, described as engaging in spiritual adultery with the kings of the earth, is symbolizing Rome’s work in leading the world to embrace her doctrines and traditions that are contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, Daniel Ortega is correct in warning people not to forget about the Vatican’s past. God’s word reminds us that this power is the chief enemy to both God and man because “in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Revelation 18:24). And yes, this includes the blood that was shed during the Nazi reign of terror.
God bless
Hi all
How could a loving God order men, women, and children to be killed?
Many honest, sincere souls have a difficult time accepting those few Bible passages in which God commands the Israelites to wipe out whole nations—men, women, and children. They see a dichotomy between the picture of Jesus in the New Testament and what appears to be a vengeful Old Testament God ordering genocide.
First, let me say that we should all find it difficult to read stories of people being destroyed in the Bible. It’s not meant to be happy reading. Notice what Scripture says: “ ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ ” (Ezekiel 33:11). Actually, some of the most grace-filled statements in the Bible are found in the Old Testament—and some of the most severe judgments are spoken of in the New Testament (see Revelation 16).
In the time of Israel, God’s people often encountered those who had a simple agenda, “Kill or be killed.” One such group was the Amalekites. This treacherous people were bent on Israel’s destruction, attacking God’s people from behind after they came out of Egypt, targeting the elderly and weakest. They also practiced some of the most abominable rituals with animals, which are not worth repeating here. Some scholars indicate that these practices led them to become an incredibly diseased people. In order to preserve His people, the Lord told Israel to bring complete judgment upon this nation.
God was and is long-suffering. Not only did He give nations the opportunity to repent, but Israel was to accept any stranger who wanted to join the people of God. The picture of a vengeful God who delights in randomly wiping out people is a distorted view given to us by skeptics ready to blame God for everything. Bringing righteous judgment against evil is actually a demonstration of God’s love.
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9God bless
Hi all
Many-headed beasts, plagues, fire, and brimstone—Jesus? The popular consensus on Revelation seems to be either fright or bewilderment. But from the very first sentence of this last book of the Bible, Revelation has a singular and straightforward purpose. Just as its name declares, the book of Revelation is dedicated to revealing things both by and about Jesus Christ.
Though some Bibles title it “the Revelation of St John,” the first verse clearly states otherwise. Jesus is its author; Jesus is the pervading theme. He is the High Priest in Chapter 1, the Lamb on the throne in Chapter 4, the Lion of Judah in Chapter 5, the Conqueror on a white horse in Chapter 6, the Man-child in Chapter 12, the Son of Man in Chapter 14, the Word of God in Chapter 19, the Judge on the white throne in Chapter 20, and the Alpha and Omega in Chapter 22, Jesus is omnipresent in the book of Revelation!
We know that the pinnacle of Jesus’ life on earth was His death on the cross for the sins of the whole world, the greatest demonstration of love ever. But Christ did not stop there. Through Revelation we see a full-scale record of the Savior’s ceaseless work for the salvation of humanity, from the foundation of the Christian church in the apostolic age all the way to the dawn of eternity on the new earth. In fact, you could call Revelation the fifth Gospel.
There is emphasis on Christ’s plan for our ultimate deliverance at His second coming. Given particular prominence are the events engulfing the last days of earth’s history, the days in which we are living. That means that Revelation has a special prophetic message just for you. See, the focus of Revelation is not fear and confusion; it is Christ’s tender regard for you.
As you will see, its text brings peaceful assurance, fortitude in trials, and a faith that transforms. It is our prayer that as you journey verse by verse through the book of Revelation, you will gain a much clearer revelation of Jesus and His plans for your life in these last days. Are you ready to learn the truth from Jesus’ love letter to you?
Dear Lord, may I understand and be sanctified by the love of Jesus, Your Son, revealed in my study of this important book.
For Further Study: Daniel 12:4, 9, 10, 13; John 3:36; Revelation 22:6
KEY BIBLE TEXTS
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Revelation 1:1God bless
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