The Fellowship of Christ
CONTINUED

If a person sacrifices the fellowship with Christ for the fellowship of “the church,” or even the fellowship of the family, he will be lost. Jesus said, He cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:26.

The Effect on the Soul of Being in an Environment of Spiritual Confusion

Placing one’s self-unbidden in the midst of spiritual confusion can put the soul in a state of spiritual confusion, or spiritual disorientation.  Then the soul becomes a victim of circumstances-the circumstances of demonic control and disorientation. The person becomes the plaything of the devil, and drifts wherever the spiritual influences of the environment may lead him.

 

The Necessity of Being Separate From Those Who are Daily Imbedding New Errors

“I was shown the necessity of those who believe that we are having the last message of mercy, being separate from those who are daily imbibing new errors. I saw that neither young nor old should attend their meetings; for it is wrong to thus encourage them while they teach error that is a deadly poison to the soul and teach the doctrines the commandments of men. The influence of such gatherings is not good. If God has delivered us from such darkness and error, we should stand fast in the liberty wherewith He has set us free and rejoice in the truth. God is displeased with us when we go to listen to error, without being obliged to go; for unless He sends us to these meetings where error is forced home to the people by the power of the will, He will not keep us. The angels cease their watchful care over us, and we are left to the buffeting of the enemy, to be darkened and weakened by him and the power of the evil angels; and the light around us becomes contaminated with the darkness.”  EW 124, 125.

Spiritual Clarity

John the Baptist is a good case to study in this regard. He had to keep control of his spiritual powers-therefore he had to have the spiritual clarity that came from seeking God alone in the wilderness. As he focused his soul and spirit and mind on God, something very wonderful happened: He was filled with the glorious vision of Christ.

 

The Night of Extermination

In the Great Controversy, the Lord has revealed what is going to happen. Satan’s anger against God’s true people will rise to open fever pitch. God’s true commandment-keeping people will be all declared to be outlaws. Those who are primarily concerned about what other people think about them will never be able to negotiate this. That is another practical reason for practicing true discipleship now, and seeking the honor that comes from God only.

The faithful will be placed outside the protection of human law, and declared to be fair game for anyone who would put them to death. Just as in the time of Queen Ester, just as in St. Bartholomew’s massacre, it will be determined to wipe them out in one night. Companies of armed men will seek to carry this mission out. At that very night, at that very hour, God will intervene:

 

Declared Outlaws, Decisive One-night Blow Determined

“When the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, there will be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their destruction. As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof.

Companies of Armed Men in Every Quarter

“The people of God-some in prison cells some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains-still plead for divine protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity that the God of Israel will interpose for the deliverance of His chosen.  Saith the Lord; “Ye shall have a song, as in the night when the holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth… to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel. And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lightening down His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.” Isaiah 30: 29, 30.” GC 635.

 

Private Military Contractors

It is interesting to note what is happening in the world’s military forces right now. The military is turning more and more to private military contractors to provide trained mercenaries to do work that the military would rather not do. Of course, there is no military chain of command with these private contractors, so you can imagine what kind of work they are hired to do.

CNN has been carrying a series on these private military contractors. CNN, 6-18-06, revealed that private military contractors now have 25,000 troops in Iraq. They are unregulated, except by their employers. These are British and American companies such as Blackwater, USA, which is in Fallujah. Four of its men were captured and hung from a bridge. At least one of these was Scott Helvenston, a former US Navy SEAL, and fitness expert. Blackwater USA had heavily armed troops patrolling New Orleans in the chaos after Katrina. There are other companies such as Aegis.

 

CNN: They Can Get Away Literally With Murder

CNN reported that they can get away literally with murder. None have ever been prosecuted. But, the military can and does sometimes revoke their contract. However,

This often happens to just give the contract to a bigger private military contractor. The private soldier can earn in 3 months what would take him a year at home. If they get into a firefight, all they have to do is survive, they are told.

 

Private Prisons

Not only are various military operations being privatized, but also more and more private contractors are running the prisons as private enterprises.

 

The Southern Border

July 5, 2006, a House of Representatives Subcommittee on International Terrorism held a field hearing – Border Vulnerabilities to Terrorist Threats, at the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station, the border with Mexico, with three Sheriffs – one each from Webb County, Texas (the area of Laredo), Los Angeles County, and San Diego County.

The sheriff from Los Angeles County stated that there are 86,000 gang members in LA County, with MS-13 among them. One of the representatives quoted a source that declared that MS-13 is not a gang, it is an army.

Sheriff Flores, from the Laredo area of Texas, was questioned about incursions into America in his county. Sheriff Flores described two hour gun battles: “We are having gunfights lasting tow hours right across the border, and the police nor the military respond to be able to stop that siege. What is that telling you? That the Mexican government is in on the narco trafficking and human smuggling.  They are getting paid off.

“Is this something new? This has been going on for decades. This has been going on since Mexico is Mexico.”

“It is out of control; we do not have control over the border.” It is in effect a war zone.

Flores described the Zedas. These are 37 defectors from the Mexican military. They are the equivalent of Mexican Special Forces who went to be trained at Ft. Benning by the United States in the most advanced fighting techniques for fighting the drug war.  Once finished with their training, they went back to Mexico, defected from the Mexican army, and went to work for the drug cartels-the narco terrorists, the Gulf Cartel who pays four times the rate of the Mexican military. They have satellite phones, while the sheriff only has Cingular or Verizon.  They have global positioning satellite cell phones operating the routes taken by the coyotes.

An FBI agent in the Laredo area got a phone call from a man who said he was commander of the Zedas in that sector. The Zeda commander told the FBI agent on his personal cell phone, “Listen, you may have heard talk that you have been targeted for assassination. We just want to put your mind at ease. We do not operate that way. We know the guy spreading that rumor, and we will be happy to rub him out if you would like.

The Zedas have a database of fluent families, judges, prosecutors, businessmen, politicians, elected officials, Sheriff Flores stated.

Three law enforcement officers, two miles from the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Station where the hearings took place, were decapitated two weeks ago.

There is a concern that MS-13 may bring in terrorists to so their bidding as a business proposition.

Laredo is the largest inland port of entry, perhaps in the world. 6,000 to 7,000 eighteen-wheelers cross the border from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to Laredo, Texas, every day.

Texas Ranger Holdrich says that at Laredo and Nuevo Laredo it gets “Western.” This means, Sheriff Flores said, “As soon as the sun goes down you hear the gunshots and the automatic weapons going off, 50 caliber weapons, this is the kind of weaponry used by the narco-traffickers.”

Al Quaeda is suspected of setting up operations in Mexico. An Air Marshal said to Sheriff Flores, You look Middle Eastern. It’s very easy for these people [Middle Easterners] to go ahead and blend in Mexico, learn the language, learn the culture, and camouflage themselves as Mexicans and cross the border.”

 

The Shekinah Glory Protects God’s People

It is simply wonderful that God has revealed to us what is going to happen. The drama unfolds: “With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey, when, lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining with the glory from the throne of God, spans the heavens and seems to encircle each praying company. The angry multitudes are suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die away. The objects of their murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of God’s covenant and long to be shielded from its overpowering brightness.” GC 635. That rainbow that shines with the glory from the throne of God is the Shekinah glory.

 

Seeing the Glory of God and the Son of Man

God’s people look up and see the heavenly vision: “By the people of God a voice, clear and melodious, is heard, saying, “Look up,” and lifting their eyes to the heavens, they behold the bow of promise. The black, angry clouds that covered the firmament are parted, and like Stephen thy look up steadfastly into heaven and see the glory of God and the Son of Man seated upon His throne. In His divine form they discern the marks of His humiliation; and from His lips they hear the request presented before His Father and the Holy angels: “I will they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.” John 17:24. Again, a voice, musical and triumphant, is heard. Saying: “They come! They come! Holy, harmless, and undefiled. They have kept the word of My patience; they shall walk among the angels;” and the pale, quivering lips of those who have held fast their faith utter a shout of victory.” GC 636.

 

God Delivers His People At Midnight

Death decrees which aim to wipe out an entire people are often set to be implemented at midnight: “It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people. The sun appears, shining in all its strength. Signs and wonders follow in quick succession. The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up and clash against each other. In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: “It is done.”  Revelation 16:17.

 

God’s Voice Shatters Earth’s Crust

“That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, “such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.” Verses 17,18.

The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. There is a roar as of a coming tempest. The sea is lashed into fury. There is heard the shriek of a hurricane like the voice of demons upon a mission of destruction. The whole earth heaves and swells like the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up. It very foundations seem to be giving way. Mountain chains are sinking. Inhabited islands disappear. The seaports that have become like Sodom for wickedness are swallowed up by the angry waters. Babylon the great has come in remembrance before God, “to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” Great hailstones, every one ‘about the weight of a hailstone,” are doing their work of destruction. Verses 19, 21. The proudest cities of the earth are laid low. The lordly palaces, upon which the world’s great men have lavished their wealth in order to glorify themselves, are crumbling to ruin before their eyes. Prison walls are torn asunder, and God’s people, who have been held in bondage for their faith, are set free.” GC 636, 637.

 

The Way of Truth

There is only one way to heaven-the way of absolute self-surrender to Christ. Every yoke of bondage to man, including one’s own psyche, must be broken, that Christ may be King of the soul: “The definition of heaven is the presence of Christ (Und. MS 58).” 7BC 989.

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