RECOUNT YAHUWAH'S DEALINGS

Recount Yahuwah's Dealings

It will revive faith and encourage hope in the hearts of Yahuwah's people to recount his past dealings with them. "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that Yahuwah is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yahushua his son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-7).

This is the testimony we want to bear, and it is an uplifting testimony. It is the testimony the people need everywhere. Argumentative sermons do not soften and subdue the soul. Those who have been laborers together with Yahuwah have had an experience of highest value, and this experience is needed at this time. The churches everywhere need the message borne by John. It should be borne to them by men who understand the reasons of our faith, who have had a practical experience in the past history of Seventh-day Adventists, and who have a knowledge of Yahuwah and of Yahushua our Master. We shall have no dark, shadowy testimony to bear if we walk in the light as he is in the light. We need to present to the people the way in which Yahuwah has led us in the past, and to recount his wondrous works in behalf of his people. We need to "call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions" (Hebrews 10:32). "For thou art a holy people unto the Master thy Yahuwah; the Master thy Yahuwah hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Master did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people; but because the Master loved you. . . . Know therefore that the Master thy Yahuwah, he is Yahuwah, the faithful Yahuwah, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:6-9).

Those who have had a long experience in the cause of Yahuwah should be highly esteemed of their brethren, and their counsels should be regarded as of great value. There has been a drifting away from the pillars of faith. It should be the burden of every messenger to set forth the fullness of Yahushua. When the free gift of Yahushua's righteousness is not presented, the discourses are dry and spiritless; the sheep and the lambs are not fed. Said Paul, "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Corinthians 2:4). There is marrow and fatness in the gospel. Yahushua is the living center of everything. Put Yahushua into every sermon. Let the preciousness, mercy, and glory of Yahushua be dwelt upon until Yahushua is formed within, the hope of glory.

The Master would have us look away from self and cease to depreciate others. Let us gather together that which our own experience has revealed to us of the preciousness of Yahushua, and present it to others as a precious gem that sparkles and shines. Thus will the sinner be attracted to him who is represented as the chief among ten thousand and the One altogether lovely. The cross of Calvary is a pledge to us of everlasting life. Faith in Yahushua means everything to the sincere believer. The merits of Yahushua blot out transgressions, and clothe us with the robe of righteousness woven in the loom of heaven. The crown of life is presented before us as the honor to be given at the end of the conflict. These precious truths are to be set forth in living characters. The Holy Spirit's work is to open them to the mind. Yahushua said, "He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you"(John 16:14). Has not this promise been verified in our experience?

The Master is soon to come; there must be a refining, winnowing process in every church, for there are among us wicked men who do not love the truth. There is need of a transformation of character. Will the church arise and put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Yahushua? It is soon to be seen who are vessels unto honor. "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 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"(Revelation 18:1-2). "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth Yahuwah and him that serveth him not. For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Master of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (Malachi 3:18; 4:2-3).

Here are brought plainly to view those who will be vessels unto honor; for they will receive the latter rain. Every soul that continues in sin in the face of the light now shining upon our pathway, will be blinded and accept the delusions of Satan. We are now nearing the close of this world's history. Where are the faithful watchmen on the walls of Zion, who will not slumber, but faithfully declare the time of night? Yahushua is coming to be admired in all them that believe. How painful it is to contemplate the fact that the Master Yahushua is being kept in the background. How few magnify his grace and exalt his infinite compassion and love. There will be no envy, no jealousy, in the hearts of those who seek to be like Yahushua in character.

The gospel is now resolutely opposed on every hand. Never was the confederacy of evil greater than at the present time. The spirits of darkness are combining with human agencies to set them firmly against the commandments of Yahuwah. Traditions and falsehoods are exalted above the Scriptures: reason and science above revelation; human talent above the teachings of the Spirit; forms and ceremonies above the vital power of Yahuwahliness. We need the divine touch.

Yet Yahushua says to his followers: "My peace give I unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27). It is our privilege to realize the preciousness of the Saviour as never before. Our Redeemer is a "Tried Stone" (Isaiah 28:16). The experiment has been made, the great test has been applied, and with perfect success. In him is fulfilled all the purpose of Yahuwah for the saving of a lost world. Never was a foundation subject to so severe a trial and test as this "Tried Stone." The Master Jehovah knew what this foundation-stone could sustain. The sins of the whole world could be piled upon it. The Master's chosen were to be revealed, heaven's gates to be thrown open to all who would believe; its untold glories were to be given to the overcomers.

"A Tried Stone" is Yahushua, tried by the perversity of man. Thou, O our Saviour, hast taken the burden; thou hast given peace and rest; thou hast been tried, proved by believers who have taken their trials to thy sympathy, their sorrows to thy love, their wounds to thy healing, their weakness to thy strength, their emptiness to thy fullness; and never, never has one soul been disappointed. Yahushua, my Tried Stone, to thee will I come, moment by moment. In thy presence I am lifted above pain. "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" (Psalms 61:2).

It is our privilege to enjoy sweet communion with Yahuwah. Precious to the believer is his atoning blood, precious is his justifying righteousness. "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious" (1 Peter 2:7). When I meditate upon his fountain of living power from which we may draw, I mourn that so many are losing the delight they might have had in considering his goodness. We are to be sons and daughters of Yahuwah, growing into a holy temple in the Master. "No more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of Yahuwah. . . . Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Yahushua himself being the chief corner-stone" (Ephesians 2:19-20). This is our privilege. How is Heaven amazed at the present condition of the church that could be so much to the world were every stone, in its proper place, a living stone to emit light. The stone that does not shine is worthless. That which constitutes the value of our churches is not dead, lusterless stones; but living stones, stones that catch the bright beams from the chief corner stone, even from the Sun of Righteousness,--the bright glory in which are combined the beams of mercy and truth that have met together, of righteousness and peace that have kissed each other.

If we are indeed followers of Yahushua, we must reach a higher standard. Heaven looks with pleasure upon him who worships Yahuwah in spirit and in truth and in the beauty of holiness. All Heaven is employed in seeking to save that which is lost. But there are many who do not know that they are lost. They are far from spirituality; they have lost the presence of Yahuwah; lost the true ideal of character and they copy the human instead of divine. All Heaven is active in seeking to surround man with light, to give opportunities to present the highest motives that man shall return to the service of Yahuwah. The Redeemer of the world has conceived the lofty design of translating all who serve him in spirit and truth to his heavenly temple above. But in Yahushua's school we are ever learners; human opinions and authorities are not to be the controlling powers; for the lessons of Yahushua are spirit and life, and there are no limits to the rich mines of truth to be explored.

Are we followers of Yahushua in deed and in truth? or are we such in name only? Follower of Yahushua are those who are growing up into a holy temple in the Master. But "what agreement hath the temple of Yahuwah with idols? for ye are the temple of the living Yahuwah; as Yahuwah hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Yahuwah, and they shall be my people" (2 Corinthians 6:16)

This represents a constant growth in character of the follower of Yahushua, growth in spiritual-mindedness. The church of Yahushua in the world is to be a great power, and a name and praise in all the earth. Yahushua has done everything to accomplish this. Now there is need of earnest, deep, sincere efforts to redeem the past unfaithfulness. Time, precious time, has been lost in wanderings and backslidings from Yahuwah. Every character is to be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary; if the moral character and spiritual advancement do not correspond with the opportunities and blessings, "wanting" is written against the name.

The Light of the world is our leader, and the path has been growing brighter and brighter as we have advanced in the footsteps of Yahushua. O that we may keep close to our Leader. He will fill every heart with divine love,--love to Yahuwah and love for one another. How long will entreaties and warnings be given before they will be sufficiently valued to be heeded? Why not put away all selfishness, all sin, through the grace of our Master Yahushua? Many are not on safe ground. They have not a clear title to an inheritance among the sanctified. But while the atoning blood is presented in our behalf, why not make earnest, thorough work, and be complete in Yahushua?

All who claim to be children of Yahuwah should seek daily to understand why they believe by searching the Scriptures for themselves. Those who humbly study the character of Yahushua will reflect his image more and more. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church is looked forward to as in the future; but it is the privilege of the church to have it now. Seek for it, pray for it, believe for it. We must have it, and Heaven is waiting to bestow it.

Many fail to meet their high responsibilities and privileges. O how long will this deadness and insensibility continue? How long will differences rend the church? The Master Yahushua is the one spiritual Head, and we are the members of his body. The church is represented as growing up "into him in all things, which is the head, even Yahushua; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:15-16). Cannot we pray over this matter more earnestly, that the Holy Spirit of Yahuwah may quicken the discernment of his people to see that by putting away envy, evil surmisings, jealousy, they may answer the prayer of Yahushua, that his disciples might be one, as he is one with the Father? Can it be that the senses of those who claim to believe the truth are paralyzed? Do they not see that they deny Yahushua? Do they not understand that they scatter from him in acting as though it was a light matter to disagree and engage in controversy? Brother looks coldly upon brother, minister distrusts minister. The church seems to have lost the blending attribute of love, and its members unite no better than ropes of sand. And yet the great crisis of the day of Yahuwah is at hand.

What is the reason of this selfishness and bigotry? What means this self-satisfaction, this disposition to tear down and not build up? The truth is not sanctifying the soul, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Yahushua. Many cling to their independence, choosing their own way, but not the way and will of Yahuwah. The truth is believed in theory, but not received in the love of it, and the soul is left as cold as an iron wedge. Those who are sanctified by the truth will be one in Yahushua. The cleansing blood of the Lamb of Yahuwah cements hearts together. The branches are united in the vine.

Trials are to come upon Yahuwah's people and the tares are to be separated from the wheat. But let not Ephraim envy Judah any more, and Judah will no more vex Ephraim. Kind, tender, compassionate words will flow out from sanctified hearts and lips. It is essential that we be united, and if we all seek the meekness and the lowliness of Yahushua, we shall have the mind of Yahushua, and there will be unity of spirit.

By: Ellen White
Review and Herald
March 19, 1895