The Faith I Live By

Monday, April 6, 2020

The Strange Act of God

Today's Devotion

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

The Strange Act of God

With unerring accuracy the Infinite One still keeps an account with all nations. While His mercy is tendered, with calls to repentance, this account will remain open; but when the figures reach a certain amount which God has fixed, the ministry of His wrath commences. The account is closed. Divine patience ceases. There is no more pleading of mercy in their behalf.

The prophet, looking down the ages, had this time presented before his vision. The nations of this age have been the recipients of unprecedented mercies.... But increased pride, covetousness, idolatry, contempt of God, and base ingratitude are written against them. They are fast closing up their account with God....

The crisis is fast approaching. The rapidly swelling figures show that the time for God's visitation has about come. Testimonies for the Church 5:208, 209.

To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” Ezekiel 33:11.... Yet He will “by no means clear the guilty.” “The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.” Exodus 34:6, 7; Nahum 1:3. By terrible things in righteousness He will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy. The Great Controversy, 627.

After God has done all that could be done to save men, if they still show by their lives that they slight offered mercy, death will be their portion; and it will be a dreadful death, for they will have to feel the agony that Christ felt upon the cross. They will then realize what they have lost—eternal life and the immortal inheritance. The Review and Herald, August 5, 1884.

Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts:

My friend, the salvation of God is offered to all that would accept it. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). The gift of salvation is so great that all of humanity could be saved, but at the same time His love allows for those who would reject the offer of salvation.

Satan has brought into question the love and character of God. Thus through the plan of salvation is revealed His great love. For most of us we focus upon the great salvation that is offered to us, but we often miss the demonstration of God's love in how He deals with those who reject His offer of mercy.

Justice demands that the unrepentant sinner be punished in accordance to the magnitude of their transgression, but grace is a demonstration of God's love and as such the life of the wicked will be extinguished in the lake of fire. This strange act of God in taking of the life of the wicked shows the love and mercy of God. The wicked will not be tormented in the lake of fire for long periods of time, but death will come quickly, for God finds no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

My friend, for so long we have looked upon salvation as a legal matter when in reality it is a matter of grace. God will destroy the wicked in the end, but their end will be quick and the result will be final. Though it is a strange act for Him to preform, He will do in in love.

God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

Unto a Perfect Man with Nadar Mansour

The body of Christ grows unto a perfect man. This image has multiple applications. Join Nader Mansour in this study about Christian growth and development individually and collectively.

Presented at Wellington Camp, New Zealand, April 2019.

RESOURCES:

The Truth About God

Recommended YouTube Channels (New)

Wednesday: "A Time of Trouble"

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Prepare to Meet Thy God

Today's Devotion

Monday, April 6, 2020

Prepare to Meet Thy God

Many do not realize what they must be in order to live in the sight of the Lord without a high priest in the sanctuary through the time of trouble. Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully. Early Writings, 71.

Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort, they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth. The Great Controversy, 425.

I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of “refreshing” and the “latter rain” to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God.

Those who refuse to be hewed by the prophets and fail to purify their souls in obeying the whole truth, and who are willing to believe that their condition is far better than it really is, will come up to the time of the falling of the plagues, and then see that they needed to be hewed and squared for the building....

I saw that none could share the “refreshing” unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action. We should, therefore, be drawing nearer and nearer to the Lord and be earnestly seeking that preparation necessary to enable us to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence. Early Writings, 71.

Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts:

My friend, the time is soon to be at hand when we must be prepared to stand before God without spot or wrinkle within our characters. How are we to prepare for this time? The answer is found in the perfecting of our characters by the indwelling of Jesus Christ within our hearts.

In the heart of man is the presence and nature of sin. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). There is nothing that we can do in and of ourselves to change our hearts. No matter how well we follow the law of God we are still at enmity with God in our hearts. In order for us to truly be at peace with God we must receive a new heart. The promise of God is "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26, 27).

Our true problem with sin is not the sinful acts that we commit but that we are sinful by nature. We sin because we are sinful and unless we receive a new heart; a new nature, we cannot be at peace with God. When we surrender our hearts to Jesus, He takes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. He imparts to us His righteousness in place of our own. The promise of God is "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9).

The prayer of our hearts must be "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10). Then when we have fully surrendered our lives to Jesus and receive His righteousness, we will be at peace with God. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Romans 5:1).

My friend if you desire to be at peace with God it is time to look away from the law unto the only begotten Son of God that He may cleanse you from all unrighteousness today.

God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

Unto a Perfect Man with Nadar Mansour

The body of Christ grows unto a perfect man. This image has multiple applications. Join Nader Mansour in this study about Christian growth and development individually and collectively.

Presented at Wellington Camp, New Zealand, April 2019.

RESOURCES:

The Truth About God

Recommended YouTube Channels (New)

Tuesday: The Strange Act of God

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Unmoved in the Shaking Time

Today's Devotion

Friday, April 3, 2020

Unmoved in the Shaking Time

Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, I am saved, are in danger of trusting to themselves. They lose sight of their own weakness and their constant need of divine strength. They are unprepared for Satan's devices.... Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence on Christ. The Signs of the Times, January 18, 1910 (Christ's Object Lessons, 155).

Man's great danger is in being self-deceived, indulging self-sufficiency, and thus separating from God, the source of his strength. Testimonies for the Church 8:315.

The Lord is coming very soon, and we are entering into scenes of calamity. Testimonies for the Church 9:62.

We need not say: The perils of the last days are soon to come upon us. Already they have come. We need now the sword of the Lord to cut to the very soul and marrow of fleshly lusts, appetites, and passions.

Minds that have been given up to loose thought need to change.... The thoughts must be centered upon God. Now is the time to put forth earnest effort to overcome the natural tendencies of the carnal heart. Testimonies for the Church 8:315.

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third message, but have not been sanctified through it, abandon their position, and take refuge under the banner of the powers of darkness. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. The Spirit of Prophecy 4:426

We are in the shaking time, the time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The Lord will not excuse those who know the truth if they do not in word and deed obey His commands. Testimonies for the Church 6:332.

Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts:

My friend, God is preparing a people to give the last message of hope to a dying world. The first angels message is a message to call the world back to the worship of the One true God, but before this message can be taken to the world, it must sanctify a people to give it.

The condition of the remnant church today is such that the Spirit of God cannot be poured out upon His people that they may give the final message of warning to the world. They are in this condition because they have forsaken the One true God for the false god of the trinity, and as such they are without the righteousness of Christ. They are in this condition because of apostasy, and their only hope is to be awakened to their true spiritual condition before God. This straight message of truth will shake the church, separating the wheat from the tares.

The shaking will be caused by the pouring forth of the straight testimony to the church of Laodicea, saying "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 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:" (Revelation 3:15-17). The straight testimony is that they are in apostasy because they have forsaken the One true God and His Son Jesus Christ, and have turned unto the false god of the trinity.

Thus the first angels message, which calls the people back to the worship of the true God, will have a shaking effect upon the remnant church of God. Those who accept the message will be sanctified through it. Those who resist and finally reject it will finally grieve away the Holy Spirit of Christ. There probation is closed and there is nothing more that God can do for them. They have closed their hearts and minds to the working of the Spirit of Christ upon their hearts and are lost.

My friend, the close of our probation is at hand. We are in the shaking time of the Church of Laodicea. The final message of warning is being brought upon the remnant church of God. It is time to heed the warning of Jesus and turn from the worship of the false god of the trinity unto the worship of the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ today.

God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

REAL or Cheap Grace with Nadar Mansour

God's grace is often misunderstood and therefore abused. In Real or Cheap Grace Nader Mansour examines a number of Bible definitions for grace and what they mean as well as two common abuses of it. How does one's understanding of grace impact their spiritual walk and experience? This and more is examined in this study.

RESOURCES:

The Truth About God

Recommended YouTube Channels (New)

Monday: Prepare to Meet Thy God

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Loud Cry of the Third Angel

Today's Devotion

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Loud Cry of the Third Angel

I saw another mighty angel commissioned to descend to the earth, to unite his voice with the third angel, and give power and force to his message. Early Writings, 277.

A work of worldwide extent and unwonted power is here foretold. The Great Controversy, 611.

Great power and glory were imparted to the angel, and as he descended, the earth was lightened with his glory. The light which attended this angel penetrated everywhere, as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Revelation 18:2. The message of the fall of Babylon, as given by the second angel, is repeated, with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the churches since 1844. The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel's message as it swells to a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel's message.

Angels were sent to aid the mighty angel from heaven, and I heard voices which seemed to sound everywhere, “Come out of her, my people.” ... The glory of God rested upon the patient, waiting saints, and they fearlessly gave the last solemn warning, proclaiming the fall of Babylon and calling upon God's people to come out of her that they might escape her fearful doom.

The light that was shed upon the waiting ones penetrated everywhere, and those in the churches who had any light, who had not heard and rejected the three messages, obeyed the call and left the fallen churches. Early Writings, 277, 278.

Note: In some areas phrases have been omitted by the compilers for whatever reason. I have restored them as underlined text, that the full intent of the author may be given.

My Thoughts:

My friend, as the three angels message is proclaimed to the world the hearts of the people will be stirred. The proclamation to "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come:" (Revelation 14:7) The call of the world back to the worship of the God of creation stirs the hearts and minds of the people. They realize that they have been deceived into worshiping the false god of the trinity and many are ready to heed the warning of the second angels message.

For the vast majority of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Babylon is looked upon as the Roman Catholic Church and the fallen Protestant churches. They believe that these are to come out of Babylon into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They have no idea that this call to come out of Babylon is to them as well. By the churches adoption of the trinity, she has become a daughter of Babylon, for the trinity is the foundation of all of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church and is diametrically opposed to the Scriptures.

When the implementation of the mark of the beast is underway, the second angels message is proclaimed once again with the might power of God. "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." (Revelation 18:2, 3).

Then the final call is given "... saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4). Only those who heed this warning and take their stand with the God of creation will be saved.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church today is in a most terrible condition. Jesus the Faithful and True Witness of God says "... and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" (Revelation 3:17). They have forsaken Jesus and as such do not have the righteousness of Christ. The people are blind to their true condition before God and unless they heed His warning, they will be destroyed along with Babylon.

Those who reject the first angels message will not heed the second angels message to come out of Babylon and as such will receive the mark of the beast just as readily as those who worship on the first day of the week.

My friend, it is time for us to heed the warning of first angels message and to come back to worship the One true God through His Son Jesus Christ today.

God bless,

I encourage your comments: wtaitague@gmail.com or directly in the blog (Click Here)

REAL or Cheap Grace with Nadar Mansour

RESOURCES:

The Truth About God

Recommended YouTube Channels (New)

Friday: Unmoved in the Shaking Time