The Genuine Article
OR
POURING FORTH THE STRAIGHT TRUTH !
Scripture: Titus 2:1-15
Soon the latter rain will fall in great abundance, but there are 3 acts that God's people need to do before this happens:
1. Receive the counsel of the True Witness
2. Exalt the standard
3. Pour forth the Straight truth.
We talked about...
#1. "Receiving the counsel of the True Witness. Remember when we separate ourselves from the world, and "our" idols, we are listening to Jesus.
Romans 12:2 says "And be not conformed to this world: BUT be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect , will of God."
Speaking of Doing God's Will, Psalms 40:8 tells us David's definition.."I delight to do thy will O my God: yea, THY LAW is within my heart."
By having and living God's Law, we will.....
#2. Exalt the Standard! Yes! The 10 commandments are to last forever, aren't they?
Psalms 111:7-8 tells us "The works of His hands are verity and judgment; ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE SURE.
THEY STAND FAST FOR EVER AND EVER,and are done in truth and uprightness."
#3. Pour Forth the straight TRUTH!
What is truth?
John 14:6 "Jesus saith...I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE."
John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth; THY WORD IS TRUTH."
Psalms 119:142 "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, AND THY LAW IS THE TRUTH."
Psalms 119:151 "Thou art near, O Lord; and ALL THY COMMANDMENTS ARE TRUTH."
So "Pouring forth the straight truth" is a continuation of Preaching God's Law, but it is MORE than that...It is a preaching of the Gospel which is about Jesus Christ...His saving Grace, and Preparing for His Second Coming!
When John the Baptist and Jesus were on earth, they BOTH had the SAME MESSAGE.
Matthew 3:1-2 "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
And saying, REPENT YE: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
What IS the message for those living in the end-time church?
Revelation 3:14-19
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Where is God's throne?
Revelation 4:2 After this I looked, and, behold, a door [was] opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and [one] sat on the throne.
IN Matthew 28:18-20, the Bible says:
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
In Revelation 14, the Bible gives us
3 LAST WARNING MESSAGES TO GIVE TO THE WORLD.
Rev.14:6-12
6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship Him that made (THE CREATOR) heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 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:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:
"The gospel is the great means whereby men are brought to fear God, and to give glory to him. The preaching of the everlasting gospel shakes the foundations of antichrist in the world, and hastens its downfall. If any persist in being subject to the beast, and in promoting his cause, they must expect to be for ever miserable in soul and body. The believer is to venture or suffer any thing in obeying the commandments of God, and professing the faith of Jesus."
The 3 warning messages for these end times is;
#1. Worship God the Creator (Everything is STILL based on Creation's 7 day cycle including the 7th day Sabbath which was instituted then), and acknowledge we are living in the days of His Judgment. We also acknowledge that God's Judgment comes to an end at the close of Probation (Rev 22:11).
#2.The 2nd angel warns us, that there is a great state of confusion (Babylon) in the world today. And God wants His people to be removed from such and become involved in His ONE FOLD. Rev 18:1-4 and John 10:16.
#3. There is a time coming when a religious power NOT in accordance with God's Laws (called the AntiChrist) will have a brief reign on Planet Earth, and all who pledge allegiance to the Lamb will be rewarded by Christ and live forever with Him in heaven.
Those who love Jesus will NOT accept the Mark of The Beast.
THIS time in which we live, is the time as recorded by the angel who told Daniel to "close up his book until the time of the end?" Daniel 12:4
John the Revelator was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, where he was given visions pertaining to the end-time events...the times in which WE are living today. Look at Rev.1:3
3 Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.
The time of the end!
The last church is Laodicea...the time we are living in....there are NO more churches, for this time period continues until Jesus 2nd coming!
And God is preparing a people who will stand for truth! Will we stand for Jesus?
Sound the battle cry, See! The foe is nigh;
Raise the standard high for the Lord;
Gird your armor on, Stand firm, everyone.
Rest your cause upon His holy word.
Strong to meet the foe, marching on we go,
While our cause we know must prevail.
Shield and banner bright, Gleaming in the light,
Battling for the right, We ne'er can fail.
O Thou God of all, Hear us when we call,
Help us one and all, By Thy grace.
When the battle's done, And the victory won,
May we wear the crown before Thy face.
ROUSE THEN, SOLDIERS! Rally round the banner.
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
ONWARD , FORWARD, shout aloud HOSANNA!
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.
God's people have lessons from the past...believers who were not afraid to give up their lives for the salvation of their fellow man.
I'm reminded of the early Christians, the Waldensians who lived in lands beyond Roman jurisdiction. These Christians were almost wholly free from the apostate corruption around them. These Waldensians believed in the perpetuity of God's 10 Commandment law, and observed the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
"Pure, simple andfervent was the piety of these followers of Christ. The principles of truth they valued above houses and lands, friends, kindred, EVEN LIFE ITSELF. These principles they earnestly sought to impress upon the hearts of the young. FROM EARLIEST CHILDHOOD, the youth were INSTRUCTED IN THE SCRIPTURES and taught to regard SACREDLY THE CLAIMS OF THE LAW OF GOD. Copies of the Bible were rare; therefore its precious words were committed to memory. Many were able to repeat from memory LARGE PORTIONS OF BOTH the Old andNew Testament. Thoughts of God werer associated alike with the subline sscenery of nature and with the humble blessings of daily life. Little children learned to look with gratitude to God as the giver of every favor and every comfort." GC 67.
"Parents, tender and affectionate as they were, loved their children too wisewly to accustom them to self-indulgence. BEFORE THEM WAS A LIFE OF TRIAL AND HARDSHIP, PERHAPS A MARTYR'S DEATH. They were educated from childhood to endure hardness, to submit to control, AND YET TO THINK AND ACT FOR THEMSELVES. Very early they were taught to bear responsibilities, to be guarded in speech, and to understand thewisdom of silence. One indiscreet word let fall in the hearing of enemies might imperil not only the life of the speaker BUT the lives of hundreds of the brethern; for as wolves hunting their prey DID THE ENEMIES OF TRUTH pursue those who dared to claim the freedom of religious faith." Ibid.
Tell me friends, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO PROCLAIM TRUTH IN THESE LAST DAYS?
GC48 "LET THEIR BE A REVIVAL OF THE FAITH AND POWER OF the early church, AND THE SPIRIT OF PERSECUTION WILL BE REVIVED, and the fires of persecution will be rekindled."
DO YOU THINK THOSE OF US LIVING IN THE END-TIMES WILL ESCAPE PERSECUTION?
2 Timothy 3:12 " Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
But the promise is also given in 2 Tim.2:12
" If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:"
And we only have to read Rev.12:17 to realize God's commandment -keepers are in a war.
"17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
MY Dear Friends, The duty of each one who calls him/herself Christ's Disciple is OBVIOUS!
John 8:31 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, 'IF YOU CONTINUE IN MY WORD, THEN ARE YOU MY DISCIPLES INDEED."
Oneof the most profound statments EVER made by the Roman Catholic Church is the following quotation:
"Perhaps the boldest thing, the MOST revolutionary CHANGE the Church ever did happened in the first century. The Holy day , the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday...NOT from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church's sense of its own power. People who think that the SCRIPTURES SJOULD BE THE SOLE AUTHORITY, should logically become Seventh-day Adventists, and KEEP Saturday holy." Catholic Church sentinel, May 21, 1995 (Emphasis Mine-LM)
WOW! Did you get that?
Listen to these words!
"As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom, AND RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR authorities have combined TO ENFORCE THE OBSERVANCE OF SUNDAY, the persistent refusal of a SMALL MINORITY to yield to the popular demand will make them objects of universal execration." GC615 (emphasis mine-LM)
And as we discussed before, Jesus disciples today are Spiritual Jews. Galatians 3:29
Soon there will be a time of trouble such as never was.
Soon God's remnant will stand in a class by themselves.
Soon God's character will be vindicated by a small group who dare to stand against the opinions of the world.
Soon, Christ's disciples will become enemies of the state.
And NOW as in the days of old, the TRUE Disciples of Christ will say "We ought to obey God rather than men." Acts 5:29
And I ask YOU today!
Will you stand for the right though the heaven's fall?
Will YOU dare to call sin by its right name, when you are brought before the rulers of the land?
Will you have a conscience that is like the compass...never faltering?
The Bible says that there will be a people who will preach the truth, regardless of the consequences.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."
And then will you be able to proclaim like the great Apostle Paul acknowledge these words...
"6. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight,, I have I have finished [my] course I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
Will YOU, WILL I be in this group of people?
Brothers and Sisters, John the Revelator also gives these words to Christ's disciples...Rev 2:10 Last Part.
"Be thou faithful UNTO death, and I (Jesus) will give YOU a CROWN OF LIFE."
GC601"We are living in the most solemn period of this world's history. The destiny of earth's teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own future well-being and ALSO the salvation of other souls depend upon the course in which we pursue. WE NEED TO BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH."
Remember, we are to pour forth the straight turth. what better way to do it than to be guided by the Spirit of Truth!
Continuing with GC 601!
"Every follower of Christ should earnestly inquire: 'Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?' WE NEED TO HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD, with FASTING AND PRAYER, and to meditate MUCH upon His Word, ESPECIALLY upon the scenes of Judgment. We should NOW seek A DEEP AND LIVING EXPERIENCE IN THE THINGS OF GOD. We have NOT A MOMENT TO LOSE.
EVENTS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE ARE TAKING PLACE AROUND US; WE ARE ON SATAN'S ENCHANTED GROUND.
Sleep NOT, sentinels of God; the foe is lurking near, ready at any moment, should you become lax and drowsy to spring upon you and make you his prey."
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, Please don't let anyone or anything STEAL YOUR CROWN.
Keep the Faith as it is in Jesus, is MY prayer for YOU for TODAY , and FOREVER.
Amen!
[This message has been edited by Laurie Mosher (edited February 18, 2001).]
