children

Freedom

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There are a number of definitions of freedom, so before looking at this subject we must make sure we understand about what we are talking.

From www.dictionary.com we learn that freedom is a noun, defined as

  1. the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint: He won his freedom after a retrial.
  2. exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
  3. the power to determine action without restraint.
  4. political or national independence.
  5. personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery: a slave who bought his freedom.

True freedom from anything begins in the mind. Remember what Jesus said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28. In other words, a person may even be killed but no one can take away his freedom of soul, which comes from within.

First let’s look at freedom from the broad perspective and work our way to how freedom applies to each one of us individually.

God’s Government

God’s government promotes freedom. It can be seen from the very beginning of our world. God could have forced Adam and Eve to obey Him, but He did not; He gave them freedom of choice. God’s servants serve Him because they want to, not because they are forced.

“The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought back to God, Satan’s deceptive power was to be broken. This could not be done by force. The exercise of force is contrary to the principles of God’s government; He desires only the service of love; and love cannot be commanded; it cannot be won by force or authority. Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him; His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of Satan.” The Desire of Ages, 22.

“The government of God is not, as Satan would make it appear, founded upon a blind submission, an unreasoning control. It appeals to the intellect and the conscience. ‘Come now, and let us reason together’ is the Creator’s invitation to the beings He has made. Isaiah 1:18. God does not force the will of His creatures. He cannot accept an homage that is not willingly and intelligently given. A mere forced submission would prevent all real development of mind or character; it would make man a mere automaton. Such is not the purpose of the Creator. He desires that man, the crowning work of His creative power, shall reach the highest possible development. He sets before us the height of blessing to which He desires to bring us through His grace. He invites us to give ourselves to Him, that He may work His will in us. It remains for us to choose whether we will be set free from the bondage of sin, to share the glorious liberty of the sons of God.” Steps to Christ, 43, 44.

“In striking contrast to the wrong and oppression so universally practised were the mission and work of Christ. Earthly kingdoms are established and upheld by physical force, but this was not to be the foundation of the Messiah’s kingdom. In the establishment of His government no carnal weapons were to be used, no coercion practised; no attempt would be made to force the consciences of men. These are the principles used by the prince of darkness for the government of his kingdom. His agents are actively at work, seeking in their human independence to enact laws which are in direct contrast to Christ’s mercy and loving-kindness.” The Review and Herald, August 18, 1896.

Country

Righteousness promotes freedom—Proverbs 14:34. The prosperous countries of the world have all, at some recent time, followed religious principles. The United States of America was founded on the principle of freedom, which has made it a great nation. In contrast is the country that tried to stamp out religion, and the disaster that followed was the French Revolution.

“It was the desire for liberty of conscience that inspired the Pilgrims to brave the perils of the long journey across the sea, to endure the hardships and dangers of the wilderness, and with God’s blessing to lay, on the shores of America, the foundation of a mighty nation. Yet honest and God-fearing as they were, the Pilgrims did not yet comprehend the great principle of religious toleration. The freedom which they sacrificed so much to secure for themselves, they were not equally ready to grant to others.” The Great Controversy (1888), 292.

These early reformers, though they had rejected the creed of Rome, were still not free from the spirit of intolerance, ruling that only church-members should have a voice in civil government. This led to a State church being formed and the inevitable result was persecution to non-conformists.

It was not until Roger Williams came to the New World eleven years after the first colony was established that true liberty of conscience was promoted. He declared it to be the duty of the magistrate to restrain crime, but never to control the conscience. He regarded it as an open violation of their natural rights, to drag to public worship the irreligious and the unwilling. He said that no one should be forced to worship, or to maintain a worship, against his own consent.

For his stand on liberty of conscience, Roger Williams was sentenced to banishment from the colonies, and finally, to avoid arrest, he was forced to flee, amid the cold and storms of winter, into the unbroken forest.

“ ‘For fourteen weeks,’ he says, ‘I was sorely tossed in a bitter season, not knowing what bread or bed did mean.’ ‘But the ravens fed me in the wilderness;’ and a hollow tree often served him for a shelter. Thus he continued his painful flight through the snow and the trackless forest, until he found refuge with an Indian tribe whose confidence and affection he had won while endeavoring to teach them the truths of the gospel.

“Making his way at last, after months of change and wandering, to the shores of Narragansett Bay, he there laid the foundation of the first State of modern times that in the fullest sense recognized the right of religious freedom. The fundamental principle of Roger Williams’ colony, was ‘that every man should have the right to worship God according to the light of his conscience.’ His little State, Rhode Island, became the asylum of the oppressed, and it increased and prospered until its foundation principles—civil and religious liberty—became the corner-stones of the American Republic.

“In that grand old document which our forefathers set forth as their bill of rights—the Declaration of Independence—they declared: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ And the Constitution guarantees, in the most explicit terms, the inviolability of conscience: ‘No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust under the United States.’ ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’

“The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle that man’s relation to his God is above human legislation, and his right of conscience inalienable. Reasoning was not necessary to establish this truth; we are conscious of it in our own bosom. It is this consciousness, which, in defiance of human laws, has sustained so many martyrs in tortures and flames. They felt that their duty to God was superior to human enactments, and that man could exercise no authority over their consciences. It is an inborn principle, which nothing can eradicate.

“As the tidings spread through the countries of Europe, of a land where every man might enjoy the fruit of his own labor, and obey the convictions of his conscience, thousands flocked to the shores of the New World. Colonies rapidly multiplied.” Ibid., 294, 295.

“The Bible was held as the foundation of faith, the source of wisdom, and the charter of liberty. Its principles were diligently taught in the home, in the school, and in the church, and its fruits were manifest in thrift, intelligence, purity, and temperance. One might be for years a dweller in the Puritan settlements, and not ‘see a drunkard, nor hear an oath, nor meet a beggar.’ It was demonstrated that the principles of the Bible are the surest safeguards of national greatness. The feeble and isolated colonies grew to a confederation of powerful States, and the world marked with wonder the peace and prosperity of ‘a church without a pope, and a State without a king.’ …

“The great principle so nobly advocated by Robinson and Roger Williams, that truth is progressive, that Christians should stand ready to accept all the light which may shine from God’s Holy Word, was lost sight of by their descendants. The Protestant churches of America—and those of Europe as well—so highly favored in receiving the blessings of the Reformation, failed to press forward in the path of reform.” Ibid., 296, 297.

Business

Example of Daniel – by following God’s principles Daniel gained the freedom to worship God but not without trial. “Those who honor Me I will honor.” I Samuel 2:30.

Church

In looking at freedom in the church example of what it is not, would be the Pharisees. They thought they were free but in reality they were not. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” Luke 11:42. A Pharisee is a self-righteous, sanctimonious, hypocrite who makes outward observance to laws that cannot save him. The person who in a Pharisee’s eye is a very great sinner can be living a life of service to God, overcoming his/her sins and go to Heaven while the Pharisee is lost making the commandment of God of no effect by their tradition. Jesus told them that the publicans and sinners would go into the Kingdom of God before them. The irony was, while they were in bondage to the Romans and sin, they thought they were Abraham’s seed and free. Is it possible to think that you are free and yet be in bondage?

“Christ ever rebuked the Pharisees for their self-righteousness. They extolled themselves. They came forth from their religious services, not humbled with a sense of their own weakness, not feeling gratitude for the great privileges that God had given them. They were exalted to heaven in point of opportunity, in having the Scriptures, in knowing the true God, but their hearts were not filled with thankfulness to God for his great goodness toward them. They came forth filled with spiritual pride, and their theme was self—‘myself, my feelings, my knowledge, my ways.’ Their own attainments became the standard by which they measured others. Putting on the robes of self-dignity, they mounted the judgment seat to criticise and to condemn. But no human being has been authorized of God to do this work. It is the very essence of Phariseeism.” The Signs of the Times, December 17, 1894.

Notice that thinking you are better than everyone else and pointing out all the faults of others compared to you is the essence of Phariseeism.

“The soil of the hearts of the Pharisees is a hopeless and profitless soil, where the seeds of heavenly truth cannot take root. Oh, how self-deluding is this feeling of superiority that all Pharisees cherish!” Ibid.

Modern Pharisees

It will not help us to talk of people in the Bible unless we can make practical application to our lives. Modern day Pharisees are a very big problem today. The modern Pharisees are those who tell others that they are going to hell if they do not believe and follow what the Pharisee thinks is a major point of doctrine. People will tell you, if you eat that, you are going to hell. They make God out to be a cruel and hard taskmaster ready to strike with lightening if you do something “wrong.” Tests are often made of what God has never made a test. It would be more profitable to dwell on the real salvational issues, allowing God to change hearts and those little things that need change will be changed. We have not been called to be judge, condemning our fellow man. For clarification, this does not refer to some major point of doctrine or the eating of unclean food but about minor issues that people make into mountains. Jesus said, “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” Matthew 23:24.

“Suppose a brother held a view that differed from yours, and he should come to you, proposing that you sit down with him and make an investigation of that point in the Scriptures; should you rise up, filled with prejudice, and condemn his ideas, while refusing to give him a candid hearing? The only right way would be to sit down as Christians, and investigate the position presented, in the light of God’s word, which reveals truth and unmasks error. To ridicule his ideas would not weaken his position in the least if it were false, or strengthen your position if it were true. If the pillars of our faith will not stand the test of investigation, it is time that we knew it. There must be no spirit of Phariseeism cherished among us.” Gospel Workers, 127.

“As soon as you gain a clear view of the power and goodness of Christ, your murmuring will cease. You will not pick at the faults of others. It is Phariseeism that leads men to exalt themselves by depreciating their brethren.” The Review and Herald, June 11, 1889.

There are a lot of people in the church who believe that if you do not see everything the way they see it you are wrong, and if you would just study you would see that they are right. Then something is thrown in to give it authority because they said God said it. The problem with that is, people are looking too much at others instead of looking in the mirror to see what needs to be changed in themselves. It is always a great marvel that those who are the most critical of others often have blatant faults themselves that are glaring to others. The spirit of Phariseeism is to look for faults in others as compared with themselves.

“You belong to God, soul, body, and spirit. Your mind belongs to God, and your talents belong to Him also. No one has a right to control another’s mind and judge for another, prescribing what is his duty. There are certain rights that belong to every individual in doing God’s service. No man has any more liberty to take these rights from us than to take life itself. God has given us freedom to think, and it is our privilege to follow our impressions of duty. We are only human beings, and one human being has no jurisdiction over the conscience of another human being. … Each one of us has an individuality and identity that cannot be surrendered to any other human being. We are individually the workmanship of God.” Mind, Character and Personality, vol. 2, 708, 709.

It is the spirit of Phariseeism in the church that does not allow a person freedom, the freedom to think and study a subject and come to a conclusion but forbids others that right. This is not referring to any major points of doctrine such as the Sabbath, but little things that people make into big issues.

Family

“Few have correct views of marriage. … Ignoring the personal rights of women, the husband becomes unkind and authoritative. The individuality of the wife is submerged in that of the husband. … He quotes texts of scripture to show that he is the head, and that he must be obeyed in all things, claiming that his wife must have no will separate from his. He acts the tyrant. But the same Bible that prescribes the duty of the wife prescribes also the duty of the husband. He is to be kind and affectionate, to love his wife as a part of himself, and to cherish her as Christ does His church.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, 312.

“In trying to force others to carry out your ideas in every particular, you often do greater harm than if you were to yield these points. This is true even when your ideas are right in themselves, but in many things they are not correct; they are overstrained as the result of the peculiarities of your organization; therefore you drive the wrong thing in a strong, unreasonable manner.

“You have peculiar views in regard to managing your family. You exercise an independent, arbitrary power which permits no liberty of will around you. You think yourself sufficient to be head in your family and feel that your head is sufficient to move every member, as a machine is moved in the hands of the workmen. You dictate and assume authority. This displeases Heaven and grieves the pitying angels. You have conducted yourself in your family as though you alone were capable of self-government. It has offended you that your wife should venture to oppose your opinion or question your decisions.” The Adventist Home, 225, 226.

“To direct the child’s development without hindering it by undue control should be the study of both parent and teacher. Too much management is as bad as too little. The effort to ‘break the will’ of a child is a terrible mistake. Minds are constituted differently; while force may secure outward submission, the result with many children is a more determined rebellion of the heart. Even should the parent or teacher succeed in gaining the control he seeks, the outcome may be no less harmful to the child. The discipline of a human being who has reached the years of intelligence should differ from the training of a dumb animal. The beast is taught only submission to its master. For the beast, the master is mind, judgment, and will. This method, sometimes employed in the training of children, makes them little more than automatons. Mind, will, conscience, are under the control of another. It is not God’s purpose that any mind should be thus dominated. Those who weaken or destroy individuality assume a responsibility that can result only in evil. While under authority, the children may appear like well-drilled soldiers; but when the control ceases, the character will be found to lack strength and steadfastness. Having never learned to govern himself, the youth recognizes no restraint except the requirement of parents or teacher. This removed, he knows not how to use his liberty, and often gives himself up to indulgence that proves his ruin.” Education, 288.

Another danger is to follow Eli’s example where there was no restraint at all. If a child in the family has committed a wrong, the child needs to be held accountable. Some people want to blame every adult around them for the problems of their children when really the child needs to be held accountable for their actions no matter what anyone else did or did not do.

Individual

  • This is the most important freedom because it affects families, churches, and nations.
  • Freedom involves responsibility – How does freedom involve responsibility?
  • Authority does not give the right to treat subordinates disrespectfully.
  • A ruler may have liberty to do an action but he does not always have the moral right to do it.
  • The blessing of freedom places you under obligation to pass on that blessing to others.
  • Freedom involving responsibility is a Bible principle. A man was forgiven a great debt, but himself refused to forgive a lesser debt. (See Matthew 18:23–33.)
  • Freedom does not give us the liberty to do anything that we please. Galatians 5:13, I Peter 2:16–19.
  • Those in positions of leadership are not to lord it over others. I Peter 5:2, 3.

“God will not vindicate any device whereby man shall in the slightest degree rule or oppress his fellow-men. The only hope for fallen man is to look to Jesus, and receive Him as the only Saviour. As soon as a man begins to make any iron rule for other men, as soon as he begins to harness up and drive men according to his own mind, he dishonors God, and imperils his own soul, and the souls of his brethren. Sinful man can find hope and righteousness only in God; and no human being is righteous any longer than he has faith in God, and maintains a vital connection with Him. A flower of the field must have its roots in the soil; it must have air, dew, showers, and sunshine. It will flourish only as it receives these advantages, and all are from God. So with men. We receive from God that which ministers to the life of the soul. We are warned not to trust in man, not to make flesh our arm.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 366, 367.

“All our workers must have room to exercise their own judgment and discretion. God has given men talents which He means that they should use. He has given them minds and He means that they should become thinkers, and do their own thinking and planning rather than depend upon others to think and plan for them.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, 162.

Why does keeping God’s Law promote freedom? James 1:25 – if everyone kept God’s law you would not have to have all the papers that we have to have because everyone would keep their word. You would not have to lock your house. You would not have to worry about someone taking anything that belongs to you. You would not have to worry about anyone killing another person. Does that liberty mean you can do anything that you please? No, it makes you responsible to look out for your fellow human beings.

Where God’s spirit is there is liberty. II Corinthians 3:17. It is really a crazy thing that people want to put God in a box (not give Him liberty either). They will say God has to do it this way. Whoever said God has to do something a certain way? God is at liberty to decide what He wants to do.

The greatest freedom of all is that which we receive from Jesus—to be freed from our sins. Luke 4:18; Galatians 5:1; John 8:36.

We must remember that with freedom comes responsibility. We have a responsibility to forgive others because Jesus has forgiven us for more than anyone in this world could have sinned against us. We cannot be holding a grudge against anyone, no matter what they have or have not done to us, because Jesus has forgiven us for our sins. If we are holding a grudge against anyone for any reason, we need to ask Jesus to set us free. If you are not free, please ask Jesus and “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

A network engineer, Jana Grosboll lives in Derby, Kansas. 

Children’s Story – Happy, Happy Home

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It was seven o’clock and time for evening worship. Harold, Linda, and Betty Lou were in the living room with mother waiting for daddy Reed to come home. Daddy was a doctor, and sometimes he did not get home on time. The other members of the family usually waited a few minutes, hoping that he would join them.

Tonight they sang their best-loved songs. Betty Lou, who was five years old, never tired of singing “Happy, Happy Home.” Linda chose “Beautiful Zion, Built Above,” and Harold wanted “Smile and Be Cheery.”

“We’ll wait a little longer,” said mother. She got her favorite phonograph record out of the drawer, and they all listened quietly to the strains of “O Love of God.”

When the last verse of the song was finished, Harold began, “I know that God loves us, but how can we love God? I love you and daddy, and I love Linda and Betty Lou; but how can anyone love someone he has never seen?”

“Do you remember Aunt Rachel?” asked mother. “She sent packages to you every birthday with messages of love. She showed her love in many ways even before you ever saw her.”

Harold nodded his head in agreement. “In that same way,” continued mother, “God has shown that He loves us. When we try to think of all the things He has given us to make us happy, we never get through naming them.

“God covers the earth with beauty and fills the air with music. Every day He paints new pictures in the sky. He makes hundreds of delicious foods grow from the ground, each with a different flavor. Our Creator might have made the sky a dull brown instead of a rich blue. The grass might have been made gray. All the birds might have croaked like ravens instead of singing their lovely songs. The apples and peaches and pears and strawberries all might have tasted like potatoes.”

The children looked up to see daddy standing in the doorway. Soon three pairs of arms were around his neck. “I think God must love us a lot to give us such a daddy,” said Harold.

“And such a mother, too,” added Linda.

Daddy sat down and they told him what they had been talking about. This reminded him of a verse in the Bible that tells how the love of God comes into the heart, and how our heavenly Father is even more willing to give His Spirit to us than parents are to give good gifts to their children.

“You see,” said daddy, “God speaks to our hearts by His Spirit. He walks with us and talks with us, and as we listen to His voice, we know what we should do. In the Bible we read His letters, telling of the wonderful things He is preparing for those who love and obey Him. The most precious gift of all is Jesus, God’s only Son.”

Daddy closed the Bible, and the Reed family knelt in prayer.

“Let’s sing ‘Happy, Happy Home’ again,” said Linda when they arose. So they sang:

“With Jesus in the family, happy, happy home,

Happy, happy home,

Happy, happy home;

With Jesus in the family, happy, happy home,

Happy, happy home.”

Ella M. Robinson, Happy Home Stories, Teach Services, Inc., Ringgold, Georgia, 2005.

How does God Treat His Children

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“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

How we treat our own sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters and our neighbors is a very important topic to dwell upon, especially in this day and age when the world is filled with darkness—with little understanding of God the Father.

Many Christians misunderstand the character of the Father and actually, by their behavior, educate and rear their children with a wrong understanding. Beholding Him with a right understanding of Who He is and how He treats sinful, corrupted humanity will transform us.

The judgment aspect of God is easy to understand. Yes, He forgives, but there is a limitation to His patience. There is a time when He judges and condemns—there is a judgment day, but this is usually the only concept of God—judgment!

God knows everything from the beginning to the end about each one of us and, for Himself, He does not need to record the actions and words of our lives. So why are there books of record, and why is there a need to investigate? The investigative judgment begins with the dead, for when a person dies his destiny is sealed. Then, God allows the intelligent beings, or the angels, to open the books to see if God’s judgment is correct. God does not investigate to see what this person has done and what kind of words he has spoken and then pass judgment—that is not so. He has already concluded, and judgment has been made for destiny. He knows each heart and the true motivation for all actions from the bottom of each heart, and the records are to convince others that His judgment is righteous.

The investigative judgment deals with both the righteous and the wicked. Sometimes we misunderstand how God really deals with people. If parents would learn of God’s character, they would then know how to deal with their own children and use the methods God uses in treating His own children. Only then will they learn how to become good parents.

We are living in the end of time, and the world is full of darkness and misapprehension of God and His character. We have been called to be the light of the world. The fourth angel’s message in Revelation 18:1 says, “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.” The earth was charmed with his glory, his character. (See Exodus 33 and 34.)

The fourth angel’s message repeats the three previous messages (Revelation 14:6–12) and comes down to shine his glory upon the whole earth. The everlasting gospel is to fear God and give glory to Him. That combination includes knowing God and His love and how He treats His creatures. God never provokes our hearts to anger—He never provokes His children. He asks that children be brought up the Lord’s way, in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” [Ephesians 6:4].

Paul says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Colossians 3:21. Dealing with children in anger, and in such a way of showing that the parent’s reputation is more important than the child’s own well-being, provokes them to anger and actually discourages them mentally and spiritually.

I made this mistake when my children were very young. Though I was a pastor, it was not until I fully surrendered to Christ that I became a changed man. One day I went to my two children and asked them to forgive me because I was wrong. I was a bad father and a bad pastor. My children threw their arms around my neck and said we forgive you; even though we did not like you at the time we played instruments, we still love you. Children are easy to talk to and willing to forgive, but we adults, when we grow old our heads grow old too, become hard and stiff-necked, making it very difficult to forgive each other.

I expected my children to perform better than all others because they were the pastor’s children. Sometimes we push our children because of our own reputations and pride, and I was certainly in that category. I provoked them even though my intention was good, but my real motivation was something only God knew. Everybody else thought my children had a good father encouraging them. I also pushed them with studies and grades.

If you provoke your children, their spiritual hearts will be hardened and doors will be shut. God does not force anyone into heaven or to study the Bible or pray. God does not force anybody, period. But we, as good intentioned people, tend to use force.

As pastors, as elders, deacons and fathers and mothers, we often misuse our authority to force people. We force our children to study well, to go to church and pray. We force our neighbors, and we force our brothers and sisters in the church. There is a huge difference between appeal and force, and many times force is used due to our own ignorance of the character of God, Who is so patient and longsuffering.

If He so desired, He could send down one glorious angel to earth to tell us that Jesus Christ is coming and everybody is to repent, and they most probably would repent. If the three angels literally came down to earth and went around forcing people to believe, do you think they would believe? With something supernatural like that, everybody would repent, but not out of love; only because they would be scared to death. But that is not how God operates. He allows each one of us the privilege, as His humble servants, to preach the gospel to our neighbors.

Under force, a person will never understand the Scriptures. Force shuts the heart and eliminates any willingness and ability to learn of God. Those who are not willing to understand the real character of God cannot receive any spiritual benefits even though they may study the Bible.

This attitude of provoking also applies to other fellow human beings either in or out of the church. We can only make appeals and talk about the word of God with His authority, but we have no right to use force. Christians often do much damage in sharing God’s truth, with their wrong attitude using human methods. Truth is important, but how to dispense it is more important. Many people have been turned off from Christianity because of Christians.

I was one of five children—the only boy. I had one older sister and three younger sisters. When I was a young boy of about 10 or 12 years of age, the age where boys can become very naughty and playful, my mother had a hard time rearing me. She did the best she knew how and, though well read in the Spirit of Prophecy books, she needed a lot of patience with me. My mother would crawl up to the roof with me to fly kites. My great joy was to cut the string of another’s kite. I knew it made my mother sad, but she did not get angry; she would just sigh sadly because I hurt somebody’s kite. Her actions made me feel bad, and I quit flying kites because my joy was in being destructive to others.

The biggest punishment I ever got from my mother was not a spanking. She took both of my hands and looked straight into my eyes. When I looked up, I saw tears falling from my mother’s eyes. This was the most fearful chastisement. There was no yelling or anger, just tearful eyes. She knew how to deal with this rebellious kid. She did not provoke me; she loved me and kindly guided me into a spiritual experience. I appreciated that very much. My mother was not the perfect mother, but she was the best mother I could have asked for. She never provoked me. If she had, I could have easily gone into the world and never come back into the church.

Parents have no right to provoke, chastise or force their children. Appeal to them, love them, guide them, educate them and sit down and talk with them with teary eyes; but never provoke. Don’t force your own religion upon your children or they will be turned off. Your duty is to reflect the character of Jesus Christ upon them. I have seen many young children in godly families, in conservative Christian homes, very rebellious and turned off from the present truth simply because they have been forced. This is the best way to lose the souls of your own children. We are to reflect the love of Jesus Christ from our character and our lifestyle. Every individual has his or her own right to choose and to make his or her own commitment.

It is when children are young that we need to teach them and educate them and allow them choices and respect them as individuals. God has given His children, born into your family, to rear. The Bible calls our children His children. We, as stewards of God’s children, give them tender care. When they grow up we give them to God and they are individual entities. We are all brothers and sisters. This is something that I did not understand for many years.

One time when I was about high school age, I was really tempted by my friends to go to the beach for three days. I had no money so was encouraged by my friends to steal some. At first I resisted, but my friends continued to urge me. My family was poor at that time, but I noticed that when my mother needed to buy a sack of rice, she had some golden jewelry or things like that hidden down in the cabinet drawer that she would take to a pawnshop to sell, and then she would return home with a bag of noodles and rice. She sometimes worked as a colporteur selling books. Often, hungry, we would wait for mom to come home to see if she had noodles or rice.

One day I stole from my mother and went to the same pawnshop, never thinking that I would be caught. With the little money I received I hit the beach with my friends. The next time my mother went to the pawnshop, I was with her. The pawnshop lady, a church member, greeted my mother and said, “Mrs. Kang, you sent David alone last time; did I give you the money for that?” I squirmed.

“Pardon, what did you say?” asked my mother.

The shopkeeper repeated and my mother knew immediately what had happened.

She said, “Oh, that one. Yes, thank you.”

Nothing more was said. We finished our shopping and started the 25-minute walk home. Usually I would walk along side my mother, but guilt kept me three steps behind for the length of the journey, I could not walk with my mom. When you have sinned and feel guilt, you cannot walk with Jesus. All the way home I thought about the consequence if my mom told my father, I was dead! At home I just waited for my father to come at me with anger and with a stick in his hand. I waited—one day, two days, three days passed and he did not come.

Even then, my mother chose not to provoke me. Of course, she agitated me and asked me to repent. I am sure that if she had ever provoked me or forced religion on me I could have easily gone to the world. But she did not do that and that is one of the reasons I am an evangelist.

Do not force your religion upon your husband or upon your wife. It is you who has learned about the Sabbath truth, not your spouse or your children. Maybe you want to wear long skirts and your children are not convicted. Counsel them, talk to them, discuss it with them, show them the Lord’s way, but never force them.

At a tent meeting a table discussion came up on the education of our children. Many brethren shared their way of educating their children. Some said that they let their children know that as long as they were living under their roof and eating their food they had better follow house rules or get out, and they were proud of their firm stand for principle. I just sat there quiet and did not say anything for about a half an hour listening to the others. Then one asked me why I was quiet, encouraging me to give my opinion.

I said, God, the way I understand it, is different. Jesus once told of a father who had two sons, the second of whom was a very bad boy. One day he came to his father and asked him to give him his inheritance early. He said he was going away to a far country to live on his own. He said, “I am sick and tired of living in your house and abiding under your rules, so let me get out. You are obligated to give me half of your wealth.” I know that this story is not written in detail like this, but obviously that is what happened.

The father said, “Son, it is not your money; it is mine.”

The son said, “Well, when you die, half of your wealth is going to be mine anyway.”

So he told his father, “From now on I am going to treat you like you are dead. When I go, I will never e-mail you; I will not write you a letter; I am not going to telephone you; I am not going to contact you at all. As far as I am concerned, you are already dead. So give me my portion.”

How would you respond to this kind of situation? Would you say, “As long as you are living you will be under my rule?” As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ was introducing to us His own Father in heaven in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). Jesus said that the father gave half of his wealth to his rebellious son and off he went to the far country to use all of his money, but after a while he became poor. One day as he was tending a herd of swine, something clicked in his mind. Even the servants in his father’s house were treated better than this. He decided to return to his father. Not to his good furniture, good food or fancy neighborhood, but as a servant, and he began his journey back home to his father. Why? Because of his father’s method of education and because of his character—the door of hope was always open. As soon as his son left home, the light on the porch was turned on and every night the father waited for the return of his son. Day after day he watched the hill and every night the light was left on, waiting for his wayward son to come home.

Jesus wants us to know the character of His Father in heaven and how He treats His own wayward children, His prodigal sons, you and me. Like the prodigal son, He wants us to have hope. He did not hear his father say, “You naughty boy. I am going to give you a little bit of money and don’t you ever come back! How dare you do this—you have ruined my reputation. You do all of this suffering to me and to your mom. If you want to go out—go out and don’t ever come back! If you do not want to be bound by our rules, then go.”

But that was not his father’s response. With teary eyes, the father gave him his half portion of his wealth, and then let him go. Sometimes it is better for our children, if they persist, to let them go, let them walk in their own ways and reap the consequences. We parents are to wait and pray, even though it hurts us, until they come back.

When our children see that kind of love in our hearts, that love from Jesus Christ, then, when they fall and have no hope in this world, they will remember that love. Then, they will know that when they come home, just as they are, they will be accepted with arms wide open. Our Father in heaven has been waiting for us for many years; God has been so patient and longsuffering waiting for us to willingly come back, and in tears we repent and surrender our heart to Him. But so often we do not show others the same patience.

The darkness that covers the earth is the misapprehension of God. When we truly reflect the love of Jesus Christ, that light will penetrate the darkness and the people will see the real love of God. They will see the true patience and character of Jesus Christ. Only then will people return to the truth.

I read a true story many years ago. Three men gathered in a restaurant discussing a project that they were doing together. One was a building contractor, one a roof builder and one a foundation builder. One of them was a Christian and the other two were non-Christian. Somehow their conversation turned to spiritual things and two began complaining about Christians and against Christianity. One said he had stopped going to church in middle school. When asked why, he replied that he had been in missionary school discussing about Jonah. He raised a question about whales, because in biology class they had learned that whales did not have a big throat and could not swallow a human. Even though the Bible says that the whale swallowed Jonah, he believed that to be wrong—just a myth. The Bible teacher, a pastor, was so angry that he said if this student wanted to ask that kind of a question in his class, to get out! He was so offended that he decided when he grew up he would never return to that church, and he had fulfilled his promise. The Bible teacher was wrong in his knowledge. Blue whales are huge and there was an article about a man falling from his boat and being swallowed by one. But instead, the teacher became angry and provoked one young man, causing him to stop going to church. Sometimes we do not understand the consequences of our attitude in how we deal with others.

The other man said he had a similar experience. His father and mother had come down on him so strongly enforcing their religion on him that he decided never to follow their religion. The Christian then asked if he could tell his story to which they both agreed.

The Christian began, “When I was in Romania, my father and mother worked very hard to send my brother and me to a Christian school. Our parents worked very hard to keep sending us money for school fees and meals. One day we were walking to the church and we heard loud music from a big tent pitched on the side and there was a circus going on.” As he was tossing a coin as an offering to the church, he wondered how much the entrance fee was for the circus, and it was exactly the amount of the coin. He said he would go in and see it. His little brother said he could not do that. But he said to the little brother to go to church and not to tell their parents about this. It was a secret. He went in to the circus and was enjoying it. After about 30 minutes he thought he heard somebody calling his name, and looking around he saw his mother’s face at the entrance, waving her hand trying to get his attention. He acted like he did not hear and turned around and kept on watching the circus. His mother did not stop calling his name. So he stood up and ran out angry and shouted that he was in the middle of having fun. “Why did you have to come and bother me so much?” He was angry because he was guilty, but then there were his father and mother with smiles on their faces. They said they came all the way on their wagon to see him and his brother. “We spent many hours to travel to see you, and we are so glad to see you. We have done our best; do you need any more money? We wish we could send you more money. Are your shoes okay? Do you have enough clothes? We went to the church and could not find you. That is why we came, because we wanted to see your face.” He could not do anything—he just stood frozen. Then as his parents began to depart on the wagon and as they were turning at the corner, they kept waving at their son as long as they could see him, yelling that they loved him.

As they went around the corner, he said he stood on the ground and said, “God, if you are that kind of loving person like my parents, I am willing to follow You.” He became a true Christian from that day on.

Jesus Christ is coming very soon and we need to be reflecting His true character. If you have ever forced your religion upon others, not by discussing or appealing but forcing, because of your lack of Christ-like character, you need to repent.

We thank God for His loving character and His longsuffering toward us and His willingness to wait for us.

Pastor David Kang is Director of Light for Life Ministry operating out of Georgia, U.S.A. His sermons are broadcast weekly on New York and Virginia Korean television stations. Pastor Kang also frequently travels to Asia where he trains pastors. Pastor Kang may be contacted by telephone at: 706-377-1004.

Come Out of the Cities

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Every purpose under heaven has a season or designated time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). The time in which we are living is no exception, and the purpose of the church today is to proclaim the hour or time of God’s judgment. “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come.” Revelation 14:7.

Notice the message; judgment is come. This is the time in which we are living and the ultimate purpose for which we now live. Friends, we are the remnant people of God and we must never forget that we are living in the time of God’s final judgment. The books containing our life records are now under investigation. Paul has warned us, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” II Corinthians 5:10. With the above truths in mind, are you ordering your life so as to be found without a spot in your character before the judgment seat of Christ?

In light of the fact that we are subject to judgment, how are we spending our time and where is our focus aimed? In Christian Experience and Teachings of Ellen G. White, 191, Inspiration says, “Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God—candidates for heaven.” (Emphasis added.) According to this statement, it is time to prepare characters that God can seal for eternity.

Addressing parents, and more specifically fathers, we read, “The father’s duty to his children should be one of his first interests. … If the father would have his children develop harmonious characters, and be an honor to him and a blessing to the world, he has a special work to do. …

“The father is the highest priest of the family. … The care of his children from their infancy should be his first consideration; for it is for their present and eternal good that they develop right characters.” Reflecting Christ, 174, 179. One more quotation to add emphasis: “Parents should neglect no duty on their part to benefit their children. They should so train them that they may be a blessing to society here and may reap the reward of eternal life hereafter.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 429.

Parents, do you want to benefit your children? Do you want them to develop right, harmonious characters? How important is this to you? It is so important that, if you fail here, the final judgment will be more dangerous for you. Commenting on Jeremiah 13:20, Inspiration says, “Parents who have neglected their God-given responsibilities must meet that neglect in the judgment. The Lord will then inquire, ‘Where are the children that I gave you to train for Me? Why are they not at My right hand?’ …

“Parents, if you lose your opportunity, God pity you; for in the day of judgment God will say, ‘What have you done with My flock, My beautiful flock?’ ” Child Guidance, 561.

With this in mind, I will now ask where can parents or guardians secure the best advantages in the development of their children’s characters?

In Fundamentals of Christian Education, 326, we read: “Those who will take their families into the country, place them where they have fewer temptations. The children who are with parents that love and fear God, are in every way much better situated to learn of the Great Teacher, who is the source and fountain of wisdom. They have a much more favorable opportunity to gain a fitness for the kingdom of heaven.”

Notice that it is in the country that parents can secure the best advantages in the development of their children’s characters. With that in mind, where can parents secure the best disadvantages in the development of their children’s characters? This may sound ironic, but there are many parents who consciously or unconsciously disadvantage their children by dwelling in a certain environment.

“Send the children to schools located in the city, where every phase of temptation is waiting to attract and demoralize them, and the work of character building is tenfold harder for both parents and children.” (Emphasis added.) Ibid. Do you see the picture? Apparently, there are advantages to country living and disadvantages to city living. Brothers and sisters, remember that we are in the hour of God’s final judgment, and today God is saying, “Come out of the cities my people and be separate.”

From the beginning, God never desired that His people should huddle into cities. In fact, the first record we have of a city shows that it was built by a rebel murderer. “And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.” Genesis 4:17. We know that Cain was of the wicked one. So, the first city that we hear of was built by him who was under the inspiration of Satan.

“It was not God’s purpose that people should be crowded into cities, huddled together in terraces and tenements. In the beginning He placed our first parents amidst the beautiful sights and sounds He desires us to rejoice in today. The more nearly we come into harmony with God’s original plan, the more favorable will be our position to secure health of body, and mind, and soul.” The Ministry of Healing, 365.

“He wants us to live where we can have elbow room. His people are not to crowd into the cities. He wants them to take their families out of the cities, that they may better prepare for eternal life.” Country Living, 17. Friends, God is calling His people out of the cities. “Come out my people,” says the Lord.

Now someone may ask, “What is involved in coming out of the cities?” First of all, you must hear God’s call. Paul writes, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” II Corinthians 6:17–7:1.

Here we are exhorted to come out from among the wicked. We are told to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit in order to perfect holiness. Does this involve an exodus from the cities? Is this a call to come out from among the unclean, demoralized cities? What follows in this study is a series of commonly asked questions and answers about country living.

  1. What attracts many people to the cities?

  • “Holidays are numerous; games and horse racing draw thousands, and the whirl of excitement and pleasure attracts them away from the sober duties of life. Money that should have been saved for better uses is frittered away for amusements.” Country Living, 6.
  • “Parents flock with their families to the cities, because they fancy it easier to obtain a livelihood there than in the country.” Ibid., 5.

This last statement is one of vital importance. Many parents sacrifice their children at the altar of career or worldly wealth. It is a mistake to trade the children’s eternal life for the sake of temporal gains.

  1. Why should God’s people come out of the cities?

  • “The children, having nothing to do when not in school, obtain a street education. From evil associates, they acquire habits of vice and dissipation.” Ibid.
  • “The world over, cities are becoming hotbeds of vice. On every hand are the sights and sounds of evil. Everywhere are enticements to sensuality and dissipation. … Every day brings the record of violence—robberies, murders, suicides, and crimes unnamable.” Ibid., 5, 6.
  • “Believers who are now living in the cities will have to move to the country, that they may save their children from ruin.” Ibid., 19.

  1. What are some negative effects of living in the city?

  • “The physical surroundings in the cities are often a peril to health.” Ibid., 6.
  • Not only does Inspiration reveal the ill-effects of city living, but science also proves Inspiration to be true. Brandon Keim, a correspondent for Wired Science gives the following analysis: “Compared to their rural counterparts, city dwellers have higher levels of anxiety and mood disorders. The schizophrenia risk of people raised in cities is almost double. … Too much stress may ultimately alter the brain, leaving it ill-equipped to handle further stress and prone to mental illness.” www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/06/city-brains/.
  • Alok Jha, a science correspondent for The Guardian says, “The brains of people living in cities operate differently from those in rural areas, according to a brain-scanning study. … Previous research has shown that people living in cities have a 21 percent increased risk of anxiety disorders and a 39 percent increased risk of mood disorders. … Meyer-Lindenberg said that social fragmentation, noise or over-crowding might all be factors.” www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jun/22/city-living-afffects-brain.

  1. What are some positive effects of living in the country?

  • “Take your children away from the sights and sounds of the city, away from the rattle and din of streetcars and teams, and their minds will become more healthy.” Country Living, 13.
  • “They should have a garden to cultivate, where they might find both amusement and useful employment. The training of plants and flowers tends to the improvement of taste and judgment, while an acquaintance with God’s useful and beautiful creations has a refining and ennobling influence upon the mind, referring it to the Maker and Master of all.” Ibid., 16.

  1. When should God’s people come out of the cities?

  • “Whenever possible, it is the duty of parents to make homes in the country for their children.” Ibid., 12.
  • “Get out of the large cities as fast as possible.” Ibid. Although we are told to leave the cities as fast as possible, we are also to use reason and not be rash in our movement. The following quotations bring a balance to our judgment:
  • “The time has come, when, as God opens the way, families should move out of the cities. The children should be taken into the country.” Ibid., 24.
  • “Let everyone take time to consider carefully; and not be like the man in the parable who began to build, and was not able to finish.” Ibid., 26.

  1. What institutions are we to have in the cities?

  • “Our restaurants must be in the cities; for otherwise the workers in these restaurants could not reach the people and teach them the principles of right living. And for the present we shall have to occupy meetinghouses in the cities.” Ibid., 11.
  • “In these cities we are to have houses of worship, as memorials for God. ” Ibid., 31. According to these statements, there are only two institutions that we are to have in the cities—our restaurants and churches.

  1. What institutions are not to be in the cities?

  • “Move out of the cities. Establish your sanitariums, your schools, and offices away from the centers of population.” Ibid., 28.
  • “God has sent warning after warning that our schools and publishing houses and sanitariums are to be established out of the city.” Ibid., 29. Notice the three institutions we are not to place in cities—sanitariums, schools, and offices.

  1. How far should God’s people move from the cities?

  • “As far as possible, our institutions should be located away from the cities.” (Emphasis added.) Ibid. If we are not careful, we can literally take this statement too far. First of all, notice that it is our institutions that are to be located as far as possible from the cities. Nevertheless, the same principle can be applied to our homes. We should be located as far as possible from the corrupted cities. However, this does not specify how far that is. This does not mean that we should be so far away that it takes hours to get to the nearest city. There must be a balance in all we do. Notice the following quotations that bring this balance:
  • “… search for such properties in the rural districts, in easy access to the cities.” Ibid., 30.
  • “We shall find it necessary to establish our schools out of, and away from, the cities, and yet not so far away that they cannot be in touch with them, to do them good, to let light shine amid the moral darkness.” Last Day Events, 101.
  • “All that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance away from the city.” Evangelism, 78.
  • “In searching for a place for the school the brethren found a farm of four hundred acres for sale about nine miles from Nashville.” Last Day Events, 105. Here’s a quotation that gives a specific distance. It may be useful in our planning to leave the cities.

  1. What is to be done in the cities?

  • “Now is the opportune time to work the cities; for we must reach the people there.” Medical Ministry, 300.
  • “As did Enoch, we must work in the cities but not dwell in them.” Country Living, 30.
  • “My [Ellen White’s] message is, ‘Let companies be organized to enter the cities. Seek proper locations for holding meetings. Circulate our literature. Make earnest efforts to reach people.’ ” Evangelism, 96.

  1. From where should the cities be worked?

  • It is said of Jesus, “And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.” Luke 21:37. Notice Jesus’ method of working the cities from an outpost. Inspiration confirms this.
  • “It is God’s design that our people should locate outside the cities, and from these outposts warn the cities, and raise in them memorials for God.” The Review and Herald, April 14, 1903.

What we have seen here is just a glimpse into the subject of country living. To learn more, you can read the pamphlet Country Living, which is available at Steps to Life Ministries. In conclusion, I want to draw your attention to three worthy examples.

In his childhood, Joseph had been taught the love and fear of God. By communion with God through nature and the study of God’s word, he gained strength of mind and firmness of principle. As a result, he became a righteous governor and a wise administrator. His life testified to the power of proper childhood training.

Moses, also, was raised for twelve years by his mother Jochebed, and during these years was laid the foundation of Moses’ greatness. Knowing that her son would one day dwell among those who knew not God, Jochebed sought earnestly to implant in her son’s heart love and loyalty to God. Consequently, Moses was one of the wisest military generals in ancient times and one of the meekest and humblest men to walk the earth.

Daniel, too, in his early years, was trained by his parents to develop habits of strict temperance. He was taught that physical, mental, and moral health depended upon a firm adherence to nature’s law. As the result of this teaching, the law of God was exalted in his mind and reverenced in his heart, and his life is an illustration of what constitutes a sanctified character.

The list could go on including Abel, Samuel, Elijah, and David. In spite of their failures, these men are still examples of righteous characters, and they all had something in common. What was it? In Country Living, 15, we read: “How many of these were reared in country homes. They knew little of luxury. They did not spend their youth in amusement. Many were forced to struggle with poverty and hardship. … They learned the lessons of self-reliance and self-control. … They were governed by principle, and they grew up pure and strong and true.” (Emphasis added.)

Beloved, do you want your children to possess pure, strong, and true characters? Are you ordering your life so as to be found without a spot in your character before the judgment seat of Christ? Here is God’s final call to you. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” II Corinthians 6:17. Will you answer the call? Will you come out of the cities?

Demario Carter is currently working as a Bible worker for Steps to Life. He may be contacted by email at: gospelworker@stepstolife.org.

Editorial – The Fragrant Christian

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Do you have enough perfume? The fragrance of Christ’s character in His people will win many souls to Christ. “The grace of Christ is to control the temper and the voice. Its working will be seen in politeness and tender regard shown by brother for brother, in kind, encouraging words. An angel presence is in the home. The life breathes a sweet perfume, which ascends to God as holy incense. Love is manifested in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, and long-suffering.

“The countenance is changed. Christ abiding in the heart shines out in the faces of those who love Him and keep His commandments. Truth is written there. The sweet peace of heaven is revealed. There is expressed a habitual gentleness, a more than human love.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 102.

“When you open your eyes in the morning, thank God that He has kept you through the night. Thank Him for His peace in your heart. Morning, noon, and night, let gratitude as a sweet perfume ascend to heaven.” The Ministry of Healing, 253.

“God would have our families symbols of the family in heaven. Let parents and children bear this in mind every day, relating themselves to one another as members of the family of God. Then their lives will be of such a character as to give to the world an object-lesson of what families who love God and keep His commandments may be. Christ will be glorified; His peace and grace and love will pervade the family circle like a precious perfume. A beautiful offering, in the child life of Christian missionaries, will be made to God. This will make the heart of Jesus glad, and will be regarded by Him as the most precious offering He can receive.” The Review and Herald, November 17, 1896.

“The grace of Christ changes the whole man, making the coarse refined, the rough gentle, the selfish generous. It controls the temper and the voice. Its outworking is seen in politeness and tender regard shown by brother for brother, in kind, encouraging words and unselfish actions. An angel-presence is in the home. The life breathes forth a sweet perfume, which as holy incense ascends to God. Love is manifested in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, and longsuffering. The expression of the countenance is changed. The peace of heaven is revealed. There is seen a habitual gentleness, a more than human love. Humanity becomes a partaker of divinity. Christ is honored by perfection of character. As these changes are perfected, angels break forth in rapturous song, and God and Christ rejoice over souls fashioned after the divine similitude.” Ibid., August 20, 1959.

Editorial – When You Fear to Send You Child to Church

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1 – Why is the church to be organized and what will it eventually demonstrate?

“The church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the church will eventually be made manifest, even to ‘the principalities and powers in heavenly places,’ the final and full display of the love of God.” Acts of the Apostles, 9. [All emphasis supplied.]

(This final and full display of the love of God will take place during the loud cry of the third angel. See Testimonies to Ministers, 50.)

2 – Will there ever be a time when we should just be sowing the gospel seed and not seeking to reap the harvest, because of the condition of the church?

“They [the church] are embarked so long as time shall last upon an enterprise of mercy.” Sons and Daughters of God, 265

“The instruction Christ gave His disciples when He was among them He gave for the encouragement of His followers to the end of time . . . Today He commissions His workers, ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; 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.’ ” Signs of the Times, December 20, 1899

“The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time.” Desire of Ages, 822

“The figure which Paul uses of the temple erected on the foundation stone is to represent the work of God’s servants to the end of time . . . He who neglects to teach the truth in its purity, will gather converts who are not holy in heart and life. He is bringing material that will not stand the test. In the day of God he will suffer loss. Though it is possible that those who have spent the best of life in teaching error may, by repentance and faith, be saved at last, yet their work is lost. Their life has failed of the good results that might have been secured. Souls have gone down to ruin, who, by a faithful presentation of the truth, might have been saved. Says the apostle, ‘Let every man take heed how he buildeth.’ ” Sketches from the Life of Paul, 159, 160

3 – What should we do for our young people when God’s professed church manifests a low grade of piety?

“They simply have the name of Christians but are not fitted for the work of God, and never will be until they are born again, and learn the A.B.C. in true religion of Jesus Christ. There is a little hope in one direction: Take the young men and women, and place them where they will come as little in contact with our churches as possible, that the low grade of piety which is current in this day shall not leaven their ideas of what it means to be a Christian.” (Written to S. N. Haskell, 1892.) Manuscript Release, vol. 12, 333

4 – What should these young people do, who are to be brought in contact as little as possible with the churches?

“Brother and Sister Haskell have rented a house in one of the best parts of the city, and have gathered round them a family of helpers, who day by day go out giving Bible readings, selling our papers, and doing medical missionary work. During the hour of worship, the workers relate their experiences. Bible studies are regularly conducted in the home, and the young men and young women connected with the mission receive a practical, thorough training in holding Bible readings and in selling our publications. The Lord has blessed their labors, a number have embraced the truth, and many others are deeply interested.” Review and Herald, September 7, 1905

“A similar work should be done in many cities. The young people who go out to labor in these cities should be under the direction of experienced, consecrated leaders . . . This work is to be carried forward on a higher plane of individual responsibility than ever before.” Review and Herald, September 7, 1905

The End

Children’s Story – Hurricanes and Shredded Sails

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You have all heard the story of Jonah and how the prophet of the Lord tried to run away from doing the job that God had given him to do in warning Nineveh. Our story this time is about a missionary and how God again directed a ship by a great storm. This time, however, God used the storm to take a man to a place where people had been praying for missionaries to come.

In 1786, a party of Methodist missionaries sailed from England on their way to Nova Scotia in Canada. There was already some mission work going on in the area, and these missionaries were going there to help strengthen the mission work that was already begun. They set sail from England on September 24. Their progress was very slow; for week after week, they found themselves being buffeted by storms. The seas were rough and the winds blew hard. Two months later, on December 4, they were finally approaching Newfoundland, but still seemed unable to complete their crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.

About this time, Dr. Coke, the leader of the mission party, received a very strong impression that they were going to be driven to the West Indies. This was a very strange thing, as they were even then getting very close to Newfoundland, and the West Indies were thousands of miles away.

Because of the contrary winds, it was becoming almost impossible for the captain to hold his course. He became convinced that somehow the missionaries were responsible for his trouble. Crying out that there was a Jonah on board, he threw many of Dr. Coke’s books and papers overboard and even threatened to throw the doctor himself over.

At ten in the evening, a dreadful gale blew from the northwest. Mr. Hilditch, one of the passengers, came running to Dr. Coke, crying, “Pray for us, Doctor, pray for us, for we are just gone!” Coming out of his cabin, Dr. Coke learned that a dreadful hurricane had just arisen. The crew, being taken by surprise, had not had time to take down the sails and expecting that at any moment the ship would be filled with water and sink, in desperation were about to cut the mast down. Once the mast and sail had been cut down the ship would no longer be able to travel with the wind and would float helplessly on the sea.

After meeting for prayer, the missionaries sang a hymn together. Just at that moment, the foresail shredded to pieces, allowing the crew to save the mast, and probably the ship itself.

The captain decided to head across the Atlantic for the West Indies, the very place that Dr. Coke had felt impressed they were to go. The half-wrecked ship landed at Antigua in the West Indies on Christmas day. On this Island, two thousand miles from their intended destination, the Methodist missionaries found a shipwright [a carpenter who works on building and repairing ships] preacher by the name of Baxter, who had been working with the Black slaves of the island. Through his labors, more than two thousand had been converted to the gospel. These faithful people had been praying that God would send them missionaries!

Dr. Coke clearly understood God’s providence to have directed them to these islands to work for the people there, and he determined to make it his place of labor. He saw in their experience the “stormy wind fulfilling His Word” (see Psalm 148:8) in sending messengers of light across the seas. These missionaries were almost the first ray of light to have come to the slave population of these dark islands.

Dr. Coke was the agent used of God to plant the light of truth among the slaves of the West Indies. During his lifetime, he crossed and recrossed the Atlantic Ocean a number of times. Finally, in his old age on his way to start a mission on Ceylon, an island country not far from the coast of India, he died aboard a ship and was buried at sea.

Current Events – Richard Dawkins on Attack

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Renowned evolutionary biologist and atheist, Dawkins has called on schools to protect children from being indoctrinated by their religious parents.

In an interview with The Irish Times, February 25, 2015, before a talk at Trinity College, Dublin, he said,

“Children need to be protected” from religious parents.

He argued that parents were given too much leeway over their children’s education, and that it was time to give more rights back to the individuals themselves.

“There is a balancing act and you have to balance the rights of parents and the rights of children and I think the balance has swung too far towards parents,” he said.

“Children do need to be protected so that they can have a proper education and not be indoctrinated in whatever religion their parents happen to have been brought up in.”

Physicist Lawrence Krauss, who also took part in the interview, agreed that the state had an obligation to properly educating its children.

“That means parents have a limited – it seems to be – limited rights in determining what the curriculum is,” Krauss said.

“The state is providing the education, it’s trying to make sure all children have equal opportunity.

“And parents of course have concerns and a say, but they don’t have the right to shield their children from knowledge. That’s not a right any more than they have the right to shield their children from health care or medicine. And those parents that do that are often tried and imprisoned when they refuse to allow their children to get blood transfusions or whatever is necessary for their health. And this is necessary for their mental health.”

It comes after a writer on the website of Richard Dawkins’ foundation claimed this new scientific theory could answer the question of how life began – and throw out the need for God.

www.salon.com/2015/02/25/richard_dawkins_children_do_need_to_be_protected_from_religious_parents/

How different from God’s ideal for his children.

“To parents is committed the great work of educating and training their children for the future, immortal life. Many fathers and mothers seem to think that if they feed and clothe their little ones, and educate them according to the standard of the world, they have done their duty. They are too much occupied with business or pleasure to make the education of their children the study of their lives. They do not seek to train them so that they will employ their talents for the honor of their Redeemer. Solomon did not say, ‘Tell a child the way he should go’ … but, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it’ (Proverbs 22:6).” Child Guidance, 39.

Bible Study Guides – God’s Ambassadors

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July 17, 2016 – July 23, 2016

Key Text

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverbs 1:8).

Study Help: The Adventist Home, 187–194.

Introduction

“Parents … cannot displease Him [God] more than by neglecting to train their children aright. God has given them these children as a sacred trust, to educate for Him. In a sense they stand in the place of God to their children.” The Signs of the Times, September 25, 1901.

1 AMBASSADORS FOR GOD

  • What is the message of the fifth commandment? Exodus 20:12.

Note: “Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, Who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 308.

  • How are parents to help young children? Proverbs 22:6.

Note: “They [parents] are to work out the salvation of those who are too young to understand the difference between good and evil. They are in no case to think that good will naturally predominate in the hearts of their children. They are to guard carefully the words and actions of their little ones, lest the enemy shall gain an influence over them.” The Signs of the Times, September 25, 1901.

2 AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY

  • How should parents handle the most serious responsibility ever given to humanity? Ephesians 6:4.

Note: “For some reason many parents dislike to give their children religious instruction, and they leave them to pick up in the Sabbath School the knowledge which it is their privilege and duty to impart. … God commands His people to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. What does this mean—the nurture and admonition of the Lord? It means to teach them to order the life by the requirements and lessons of the word; to help them to gain a clear understanding of the terms of entrance into the city of God. Not to all who would enter will the gates of that city be opened, but to those only who have studied to know God’s will, and have yielded their lives to His control.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 109.

“Kindly, earnestly, tenderly, parents are to work for their children, cultivating every good trait and repressing every evil trait which develops in the character.” The Signs of the Times, September 25, 1901.

“You should have no work so important that it will prevent you from giving to your children all the time that is necessary to make them understand what it means to obey and trust the Lord fully.” The Adventist Home, 183, 184.

  • Who taught Timothy in his home, and how did their teaching affect his life as a child and as a youth? 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15.

Note: “Timothy’s father was a Greek and his mother a Jewess. From a child he had known the Scriptures. The piety that he saw in his home life was sound and sensible. The faith of his mother and his grandmother in the sacred oracles was to him a constant reminder of the blessing in doing God’s will. The word of God was the rule by which these two godly women had guided Timothy. The spiritual power of the lessons that he had received from them kept him pure in speech and unsullied by the evil influences with which he was surrounded. Thus his home instructors had co-operated with God in preparing him to bear burdens.” The Acts of the Apostles, 203.

3 THE ROLE OF DISCIPLINE

  • What is the purpose of discipline? Psalm 144:12; Proverbs 25:28; 16:32.

Note: “The object of discipline is the training of the child for self-government. He should be taught self-reliance and self-control. … Help him to see that all things are under law, and that disobedience leads, in the end, to disaster and suffering. …

“The true object of reproof is gained only when the wrongdoer himself is led to see his fault and his will is enlisted for its correction. When this is accomplished, point him to the Source of pardon and power.” Child Guidance, 223.

“One child, properly disciplined in the principles of truth, who has the love and fear of God woven through the character, will possess a power for good in the world that cannot be estimated.” Ibid., 163.

  • How should we discipline the children under our care? Proverbs 29:15; Colossians 3:21.

Note: “First reason with your children, clearly point out their wrongs, and impress upon them that they have not only sinned against you, but against God. With your heart full of pity and sorrow for your erring children, pray with them before correcting them. Then they will see that you do not punish them because they have put you to inconvenience, or because you wish to vent your displeasure upon them, but from a sense of duty, for their good; and they will love and respect you.” Child Guidance, 252, 253.

“Great care should be exercised by parents lest they treat their children in such a way as to provoke obstinacy, disobedience, and rebellion. Parents often stir up the worst passions of the human heart because of their lack of self-control. They correct them in a spirit of anger, and rather confirm them in their evil ways and defiant spirit, than influence them in the way of right.” The Review and Herald, November 15, 1892.

“Parents, never act from impulse. Never correct your child when you are angry; for if you do this, you will mould him after your own image—impulsive, passionate, and unreasonable. You can be firm without violent threatenings or scoldings.” Australasian Union Conference Record, September 6, 1909.

4 OVERCOMING PARENTAL MISTAKES

  • What command is given to all children about obeying their parents? Ephesians 6:1. What can parents learn from the advice given to teachers?

Note: “The parent’s will, when it is in harmony with the will of God, is to be law.” The Review and Herald, December 18, 1900.

“Heavenly messengers are sent to minister unto those who shall be heirs of salvation; and these would converse with the teachers if they were not so satisfied with the well-trodden path of tradition, if they were not so fearful of getting away from the shadow of the world. Teachers should beware lest they close the gates so that the Lord can find no entrance into the hearts of the youth.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 161.

  • What should we do as we review those things which we have learned in our childhood? I Thessalonians 5:21.

Note: “In all who have been chosen to accomplish a work for God the human element is seen. Yet they have not been men of stereotyped habits and character, who were satisfied to remain in that condition. They earnestly desired to obtain wisdom from God and to learn to work for Him. … [James 1:5 quoted.] But God will not impart to men divine light while they are content to remain in darkness. In order to receive God’s help, man must realize his weakness and deficiency; he must apply his own mind to the great change to be wrought in himself; he must be aroused to earnest and persevering prayer and effort. Wrong habits and customs must be shaken off; and it is only by determined endeavor to correct these errors and to conform to right principles that the victory can be gained. Many never attain to the position that they might occupy, because they wait for God to do for them that which He has given them power to do for themselves. All who are fitted for usefulness must be trained by the severest mental and moral discipline, and God will assist them by uniting divine power with human effort.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 248.

  • How many generations of our ancestors will have influenced our habits? Exodus 20:5.

5 VICTORY POSSIBLE

  • When Moses was a young man, what choice did he make? How was he able to overcome the effects of his life in Egypt? Hebrews 11:24–27.

Note: “Moses had been learning much that he must unlearn. The influences that had surrounded him in Egypt—the love of his foster mother, his own high position as the king’s grandson, the dissipation on every hand, the refinement, the subtlety, and the mysticism of a false religion, the splendor of idolatrous worship, the solemn grandeur of architecture and sculpture—all had left deep impressions upon his developing mind and had molded, to some extent, his habits and character. Time, change of surroundings, and communion with God could remove these impressions. It would require on the part of Moses himself a struggle as for life to renounce error and accept truth, but God would be his helper when the conflict should be too severe for human strength.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 248.

  • How can we encourage our children to overcome sin? 2 Peter 1:4; I Corinthians 15:57, 58; Proverbs 24:16, last part.

Note: “Let the child and the youth be taught that every mistake, every fault, every difficulty, conquered, becomes a steppingstone to better and higher things. It is through such experiences that all who have ever made life worth the living have achieved success.” Child Guidance, 255.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 When are parents’ words to their children as the voice of God?

2 How can we bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

3 What must be gained in order for discipline or reproof to be successful?

4 What great change must we go through to be used by God?

5 How can we overcome bad habits that we have formed in childhood?

Copyright © 2015 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.