Today's Text:
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4
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The Message:
The body of [John] Huss was consumed. The council had done all that they could do with the man whose only crime was that he could not accept as infallible the Council of Constance, and he could not let their voice stand above the voice of God in His Word. But God seeks again "that which is past," recalling all the proceedings whether of judgment or of mercy. He recalls all the doings of different ages and repeats them in the present generation. It is for this reason that there is such value in the registered experience of the believers of other days. The biography of the righteous is among the best treasures that the church can possess. We have the benefit of the accounts of the workings of the power of evil in contrast to the deeds of those who through many centuries were living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
This rich experience is bequeathed to us as a legacy of great value. When history shall be repeated, when the great men and women of earth will not come to the Bible for light and evidence and truth, when human commandments shall be exalted above the commandments of God, and when it shall be regarded a crime to obey God rather than civil laws, then we shall not have to tread a path in which we have had but few examples of others who have gone before us.
The Lord supported His faithful ones to the end. This should be an encouragement. It should give confidence to the righteous in all ages that the Lord is unchangeable. He will manifest for His people in this age His grace and His power as He has done in past ages. The declarations of God's Word and the accuracy with which He has made them good in history combine to give us assurance and instruction of greatest value. Nothing can shake the pledge we have from God Himself, that with the Bible for our guide and present help, we shall have peace under all circumstances and an eternal weight of glory for our future reward.
In the experience of Huss was a witness, a monument erected, calling the attention of the world to the promise: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Registered in the history of nations, John Huss lives. His godly works and steadfast faith, his pure life and conscientious following of the truth that was unfolded to him, these he would not yield even to be saved a cruel death. That triumphant death was witnessed by all heaven, by the whole universe. Satan bruised the heel of the seed of the woman, but in the act of Huss his head was bruised.
In contrast to deeds of that council, uprooting truth and righteousness; in contrast to their cruelty to Huss, the martyr's constancy, his faith, his example, has been reflecting its light down along the times for centuries. His example has been encouraging others to submit their souls and bodies to God alone, to exalt God alone and take the Scriptures as their guide. This will make them the light of the world. This will make them examples of faith and courage and steadfastness in truth. This will nerve them to suffer and to endure, gaining victories even in sorrow and in death. Those who follow John Huss' example may expect the same mercies from the same God who braced and fortified him. Huss' Christlike bearing under trials of suffering, contempt, abuse, and perjury caused joy among the angels and the friends of truth and righteousness.
For the student of such history, the experience of others can become his experience through faith. The same wonders are wrought through prayer, the same mercies are obtained, the same promises realized, the same assistance from heaven communicated, the same victories achieved. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. The battlements of heaven are thronged with a great crowd of angels watching the conflict of human beings with the prince of darkness.... With intense interest they watch to see if the child of God, harassed, perplexed, persecuted, denounced, defamed, and condemned as was the Master, will look to heaven for strength. Heaven waits our demand upon its resources. Will we cast away our false props and false theories? Will we reject the words and sayings of men and look to God through the one Mediator for grace, for strength and power? We will never look in vain. Angels are waiting as messengers to minister unto those who shall be heirs of salvation. They are close by every one who needs their help while fighting the good fight of faith.-Manuscript 38, 1887.
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Commentary:
My friend, in the time of the reformation, John Huss boldly preached the Word of God. Though the counsels of men sought to silence his voice, he continued to spread the light of truth to all that would listen. His influence was felt far and wide, and the lies of the Papacy were being exposed. This they could not tolerate and they sought to put an end his ministry. John Huss was arrested, imprisoned. He spend long days and nights languishing in prison, and was brought before the church leaders that they may intimidate him to recant his teachings. Though threatened with certain death, even to be burned at the stake, John Huss held fast to his faith in God.
God could have orchestrated a way of escape for His faithful servant, but it was the will of God that he should give his life for Him as a testimony for others, that the truth may be seen by others. John Huss gave his life for the Lord and was burned at the stake. The counsel thought that they had finally silenced this mighty man of God, but the voice of God spoken through John Huss was not silenced, but only became louder and went farther then ever before. In his time of great trial and need John Huss was not alone. The Spirit of Christ was with him every step of the way. Though it was the will of God for him to die at the stake, Christ was with him unto the end.
The fires of persecution that were kindled in the time of the protestant reformation, will once again be kindled in the last days. When the three angels message is attended by the Spirit of God, it will have an effect upon the world that will bring persecution to all those who give it. The first angels message is not to call the world back to worship God on the true Sabbath, but is to call the world back to worshiping the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ. When God has a people sanctified by the first angels message, then the three angels message will go to the world and it will have an affect that will stroke the fires of affliction.
In this time many will come out of the false centers of worship. They will see that the trinity is a false representation of God and they will leave their churches and join this mighty movement. Satan, seeing that his hold over the people is waning, will seek to persecute all that would believe in this message. As he did in times past, he will imbue his followers with his own hatred, and many, many will loose their lives standing for the truth.
During this time of awful persecution, those who give their lives for the Lord, will be given robes of righteousness and will reset in their graves. Of these is said "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6:11). This time of persecution must go on for a little while that those who are in Babylon, may have the opportunity to come out and give their lives for the Lord that they may be saved.
The last message of hope is soon to go to the world with the power of God. The evidence of this is the shaking that has begun within the remnant church of God. The One true God movement is the message of the Faithful and True Witness of God to the remnant church in the Laodicean condition. They are in this condition because they have forsaken the One true God for the false god of the trinity. When there is a group of people sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, then this message will go to the church and shake it to its core. Those who accept the message will join those in giving the message. Those who reject the message, grieve the Spirit that attends it. In rejecting the message they are rejecting the Spirit of Christ, and in doing so grieve away His Spirit, never to return.
My friend, the message of the One true God is the message that will shake the church. The shaking will separate the chaff form the precious wheat. When the church has been purified and made white, then it is prepared to take the true three angles message to the world. Will you heed the message of the Faithful and True Witness of God, or will you resist the message and risk grieving away the Spirit of God.
"To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." (Hebrews 4:7).
God bless,
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Video of the Week
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| Sin, Jesus & You - Nader Mansour |
These three words summarize the Gospel message. In this study Nader explores the practical aspects of how our understanding shapes our experience.
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