Monday, March 14, 2016

The Sifting and Shaking



The Sifting and Shaking



The vision of the shaking, by Ellen White
I saw some with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. Their countenances were pale, and marked with deep anxiety, which expressed their internal struggle. There were firmness and great earnestness expressed in their countenances, while large drops of perspiration rose upon their foreheads, and fell. Now and then their faces would light up with the marks of God's approbation, and again the same solemn, earnest, anxious look settled upon them. {1SG 183.1}
Evil angels crowded around them, pressing their darkness upon them, to shut out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the darkness that surrounded them, and they distrust God, and next murmur against him. Their only safety was in keeping their eyes directed upward. Angels were having the charge over the people of God, and as the poisonous atmosphere from these evil angels was pressed around these anxious ones, the angels, which had the charge over them, were continually wafting their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness that surrounded them. {1SG 183.2}
Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless. They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them in like a thick cloud. The angels of God left them, and went to the aid of those earnest, praying ones. I saw the angels of God hasten to the assistance of all those who were struggling with all their energies to resist those evil angels, and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. But the angels left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight of them. {1SG 184.1}
As these praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a ray of light from Jesus came to them, and encouraged their hearts, and lighted up their countenances. {1SG 184.2}
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen. I was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the true Witness to the Laodiceans. It will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver of the testimony, and it will lead to him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. This straight testimony some will not bear. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's people. {1SG 184.3}


The people that Mrs. White saw in the Vision represent God’s church in the last days. They possess the truth, and keep the commandments of God, as well as have the testimony of Jesus, but Satan and his angels are working to suffocate them in darkness, to cut out the light of God’s promises from them. The only safety that these people had was in looking upward, to God, to the author and finisher of their faith while they diligently and faithfully prayed for strength to maintain. Some among these, though, are not diligently calling upon God’s name for support, and these ones are overcome by the darkness and are become fallen from the truth. Now, all this is called the shaking, but what was causing the shaking? And Why? It was caused by the Straight testimony to the Laodiceans.


What is this Straight testimony that is mentioned here?


Notice back in the last paragraph it says, "The straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the true witness to the Laodiceans." 
What does that mean?
Let’s turn to Revelation 3, and read the message sent to Laodicea.

Revelation 3:14-22
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Who is speaking here?

Revelation 1:1 says,

Rev 1:1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

The words of this message are God’s words – His instructions to the people of this church, delivered to John by an Angel. Amen?


What is Laodicea?

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

There is said to be one angel for each church representing each of the seven churches in the beginning of Revelation. Each of these churches, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, represent a stage of God’s church throughout time from the Time of Christ.



So, each of these churches represents a church through the time indicated above, but Laodicea is the last of the seven churches, which means it is the church in the last phases of earth’s history. That means God’s church in our day, that is, us.


God continues to say concerning Laodicea, through John to us, he says,


15” I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The Lords message is saying that we (the people of God in the last days), are neither hot nor Cold, but are just lukewarm, so that God would spue us out of His mouth because of it. Folks, even though we may be the people of God, if we are not sober and vigilant we will be as just Lukewarm Spiritually, become vomit unto God. How alarming is that? It should cause us to quicken ourselves and turn unto God in Repentance and contrition of heart, to be reconciled unto God.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

According to this, the people of God’s church today say that they are rich, and increased with goods, that we think we are in need of nothing. But to the contrary. In reality, we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked when we are without God.
Is this true? Do many of the churches of our day, the Seventh day Adventist church, who have possession of the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus, do they boast of their big church buildings, and massive numbers of converts and members? Do they boast of their establishment and influence all around the world, and how they are so rich to be able to build such big and showy church buildings? Sadly we do. That means that in God’s eyes we are not sober, we are not vigilant. That means we are not Looking up to Him and seeking him in earnest prayer and supplication for strength and guidance like those in Mrs. Whites vision. That means we, as a people professing the name of Christ, need to change and get right with the Lord. Amen? Definitely.

Thus saith the Lord,

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

            With the warning that God has given us in His rebuke to us for those things, He continues to give us council, amen? He says, “Buy of me gold tried in the fire…” This Gold is our character and faith. AS gold is tried in the fire to purge out all the dross and make it pure, so our characters and faith should be tried in the flames of trials and afflictions to make it perfect and pure. If we would seek God for a change in heart, to have our Characters transformed into the likeness of His, and let it be tried in fire, then we would be able to become rich—truly rich in the eyes of God, and not by the things of the world.
               The White raiment represents the Righteousness of Christ, His Purity and Holiness. If we would ask for the cleansing from sin, and to have His robe of Righteous put on us, then our shame and nakedness would be covered, and we would be able to present ourselves faultless before God.
               The Eye salve represents understanding and knowledge. The Pure and true knowledge comes from the Holy Spirit. So if we would have the outpouring of the Holy Spirit poured onto us, then we would be able to understand God’s will for us.
               All of these things are essential for our reconciliation unto God as his people, to be accepted unto him.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

               Then, as God has rebuked the slothful and inattentive Christian, counseling Him to return unto Him, He gives the reason why He has given the Rebuke. As a Father Disciplines his children to keep them in obedience, so does God discipline His people to keep them in the Straight and Narrow path.  Christ is knocking upon the doors of our hearts, and if we would let Him in, He would abide in us and Help us to be overcomers of Sin so that we would be able to spend eternity with Him. Amen? That is the promise given to any and all who would hear the straight testimony and who would heed unto the pleading voice of Christ.

In the book titled Last day events, which is a compilation of Mrs. Whites writings, there is a sufficient and in depth explanation about the shaking and sifting time.

Last day events, ch. 12

Is Church Membership a Guarantee of Salvation?
It is a solemn statement that I make to the church, that not one in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books are prepared to close their earthly history, and would be as verily without God and without hope in the world as the common sinner.—Christian Service, 41 (1893). {LDE 172.1}
Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive of the truth and who have united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the commandment-keeping people of God, and yet possess no more vitality and consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive the plagues of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God.—Manuscript Releases 19:176 (1898). {LDE 172.2}

Mrs. White wrote these things to the Seventh day Adventist church back almost a hundred twenty years ago. Being so much closer to the end, should we not more carefully heed the warning that a servant of God has been inspired to give? Her words are just as important today as they were in that day, and we see clearly that many people and leaders among Adventism are gone astray separated from the foundation of truth, and from the faith and testimony of Jesus. Today there is just as great a need, if not then more so of a need for reform of God’s people than before. Oh Brothers and Sisters, would we heed the voice calling? I pray we do. If the people of God do not hearken to the straight testimony, they will fall into darkness with the rest of the world.
The Chaff must be separated from the Wheat
Divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest.—Selected Messages 2:114 (1896). {LDE 172.3}
There will be a shaking of the sieve. The chaff must in time be separated from the wheat. Because iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold. It is the very time when the genuine will be the strongest.—Letter 46, 1887. {LDE 173.1}
The history of the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram is being repeated, and will be repeated till the close of time. Who will be on the Lord's side? Who will be deceived, and in their turn become deceivers?—Letter 15, 1892. {LDE 173.2}
The Lord 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 or honor God.—The Review and Herald, March 19, 1895. {LDE 173.3}
We are in the shaking time, the time when everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The Lord will not excuse those who know the truth if they do not in word and deed obey His commands.—Testimonies for the Church 6:332 (1900). {LDE 173.4}

            Folks, our safety from falling away from God’s truth is not kept in a denomination or church, but it is kept by a diligent and constant faith in God. The shaking and sifting is necessary in order for God to separate out those who do not keep the straight testimony of Truth from the true and faithful of God. This does not mean that the People of God will be united together in one large group, but they will actually be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth. The faithful will be found in small groups here and there, clinging to the promises that God has established for our hope to be built on, but thus saith the Lord, “…where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).”  As the Chaff is separated from the wheat, let us not become as the chaff, but let us look unto God, and keep our allegiance to Him alone, who is author and finisher of our faith. Our faith must not be put in men, or in a structure, or in a people – it must be placed in Christ alone.

Will Persecution Cleanse the Church (God’s people)?
Prosperity multiplies a mass of professors. Adversity purges them out of the church.—Testimonies for the Church 4:89 (1876). {LDE 173.5}
The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church.—Testimonies for the Church 5:81 (1882). {LDE 173.6}
In the absence of the persecution there have drifted into our ranks men who appear sound and their Christianity unquestionable, but who, if persecution should arise, would go out from us.—Evangelism, 360 (1890). {LDE 174.1}
When the law of God is made void the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.—Selected Messages 2:368 (1891). {LDE 174.2}


            When the mark of the beast, the national Sunday law, is passed, the people of God will be put to a hard test. Will we go with the majority of men, some who professed godliness, and keep the laws of men forsaking the laws and Sabbath of God? Will we be swayed from the Firm foundation of truth to follow with many of our brothers and sisters who give in to the laws of men? Even if we are the last individual standing for the Sabbath, will we still stand firmly and unmoved for what we know is truth? Folks, if we are not willing and ready to stand for God’s truth in the face of affliction and death when all have forsaken us, then we will not stand at all when the occasion arises. We must realize that our full and total allegiance is to God, and though the heavens fall we must stand for Him.


Will Superficial Believers Renounce the Faith?
The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity she will have to do in a terrible crisis under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances. The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith. And at that time the superficial, conservative [Ellen White is not here distinguishing theological conservatives from their liberal counterparts; she is describing those who put “worldly conformity” first and God's cause second.] class, whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith.—Testimonies for the Church 5:463 (1885). {LDE 174.3}
If Satan sees that the Lord is blessing His people and preparing them to discern his delusions, he will work with his master power to bring in fanaticism on the one hand and cold formalism on the other, that he may gather in a harvest of souls.—Selected Messages 2:19 (1890). {LDE 174.4}
Those who have had privileges and opportunities to become intelligent in regard to the truth and yet who continue to counterwork the work God would have accomplished will be purged out, for God accepts the service of no man whose interest is divided.—Manuscript 64, 1898. {LDE 175.1}
As trials thicken around us, both separation and unity will be seen in our ranks. Some who are now ready to take up weapons of warfare will in times of real peril make it manifest that they have not built upon the solid rock; they will yield to temptation. Those who have had great light and precious privileges but have not improved them will, under one pretext or another, go out from us.—Testimonies for the Church 6:400 (1900). {LDE 175.2}

            Yes, the afflictions and errors and fanaticisms will be caused and created by those among God’s people. Beware that, though it may even come from the high ranks of the church, if it is not the straight truth of God, then it is the Spirit of Satan. In order for us to maintain through the shaking and sifting we have to test the Spirits and doctrines (1 John 4:1) so as not to become deceived, and we must “Prove all things” and “hold fast that that which is good” (1 Thess 5:21). In order to make it through we must not allow ourselves to be deceived or we will be in danger of being purged out of God’s people. Even when we place ourselves in a place that we know is delivering error, we place ourselves in danger of being purged out from God’s people. “Be sober, be vigilant;” the Devil is “going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).”

What is the Straight testimony that causes the shaking?
There are those among us who will make confessions, as did Achan, too late to save themselves. ... They are not in harmony with right. They despise the straight testimony that reaches the heart, and would rejoice to see everyone silenced who gives reproof.—Testimonies for the Church 3:272 (1873). {LDE 175.4}
The Lord calls for a renewal of the straight testimony borne in years past. He calls for a renewal of spiritual life. The spiritual energies of His people have long been torpid, but there is to be a resurrection from apparent death. By prayer and confession of sin we must clear the King's highway.—Testimonies for the Church 8:297 (1904). {LDE 176.1}

Again, by allowing ourselves to become inattentive and lacks we place ourselves in danger of being sifted out from God’s seal of Approval. If we despise the voice of wisdom and truth, or even deny it, we are in grave danger. Again, study out what is said to be truth, and understand what is truth by diligent prayer and study.

Will False Doctrines Draw Some Away from God’s Church?
Science, so-called, and religion will be placed in opposition to each other because finite men do not comprehend the power and greatness of God. These words of Holy Writ were presented to me, “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” [Acts 20:30]. This will surely be seen among the people of God.—Evangelism, 593 (1890). {LDE 176.3}
When the shaking comes, by the introduction of false theories, these surface readers, anchored nowhere, are like shifting sand. They slide into any position to suit the tenor of their feelings of bitterness.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 112 (1897). {LDE 177.1}
Not having received the love of the truth, they will be taken in the delusions of the enemy; they will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils and will depart from the faith.—Testimonies for the Church 6:401 (1900). {LDE 177.2}
The enemy will bring in false theories, such as the doctrine that there is no sanctuary. This is one of the points on which there will be a departing from the faith.Evangelism, 224 (1905). {LDE 177.3}


Folks, I don’t know if you have noticed, but the teaching of the Sanctuary is rarely mentioned or taught in Adventism today. The Sanctuary message reveals the plan of Salvation Christ made with the Heavenly Father to save us from sin, and of the Priestly work that Christ is administering to in the Heavenly Sanctuary now on our behalf. If we cut out the teaching of the Sanctuary from our message and teaching, then we are cutting away at the very foundation that God’s church is built upon. One of the pillars of the Seventh day Adventist Faith is the Sanctuary, and if we remove it from our learning and knowledge, the structure cannot stand. We must keep the foundation of our faith, the pillars of truth that we are established on. By letting some of it go we are making a compromise. The complete and total loss of truth, and by it salvation, is done away with one compromise at a time. Brothers and sisters, Do Not Compromise your establishment in truth. Lay hold on the truth and Keep the foundation that God has laid for us. Any compromise is the path to destruction.

Do Rejection of the Testimonies Results in Apostasy?
One thing is certain: Those Seventh-day Adventists who take their stand under Satan's banner will first give up their faith in the warnings and reproofs contained in the Testimonies of God's Spirit.—Selected Messages 3:84 (1903). {LDE 177.4}
The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). Satan will work ingeniously, in different ways and through different agencies, to unsettle the confidence of God's remnant people in the true testimony.—Selected Messages 1:48 (1890). {LDE 177.5}
The enemy has made his masterly efforts to unsettle the faith of our own people in the Testimonies.... This is just as Satan designed it should be, and those who have been preparing the way for the people to pay no heed to the warnings and reproofs of the Testimonies of the Spirit of God will see that a tide of errors of all kinds will spring into life.—Selected Messages 3:83 (1890). {LDE 178.1}
It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of God's people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.—Testimonies for the Church 4:211. {LDE 178.2}


Revelation 12:17 says that the remnant of God’s church are they which “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus.” If we, as God’s people do not have the testimony, then how are we God’s church? We cannot reject the true and straight testimony of Jesus—His message of warning, reproof, and complete truth. Again, folks, beware of those among us who do reject this testimony, for the devil may use them to cause you and me to be shaken, and if we do not hang on tightly to the testimony we will fall with them and be sifted out.

Will there be Defections among Leaders of God’s people?
Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness.—Prophets and Kings, 188 (c. 1914). {LDE 178.3}
Men whom He has greatly honored will, in the closing scenes of this earth's history, pattern after ancient Israel.... A departure from the great principles Christ has laid down in His teachings, a working out of human projects, using the Scriptures to justify a wrong course of action under the perverse working of Lucifer, will confirm men in misunderstanding, and the truth that they need to keep them from wrong practices will leak out of the soul like water from a leaky vessel.—Manuscript Releases 13:379, 381 (1904). {LDE 178.4}
Many will show that they are not one with Christ, that they are not dead to the world, that they may live with Him; and frequent will be the apostasies of men who have occupied responsible positions.—The Review and Herald, September 11, 1888. {LDE 179.1}


            Can we be sealed with God’s seal of approval if we keep any form of worldliness? Certainly not. God has called us to separate from the world, and from worldliness; we’ve been called to forsake sin and all likeness of it. Additionally, we are to avoid the appearance of evil. Does the character of Christ partake in worldliness? Certainly not, so in order for our characters to be made ready for heaven we have to have it transformed into one like Christ’s. That cannot happen if we keep worldliness in the heart.


Unsanctified Ministers Will Be Weeded Out  
The great issue so near at hand [enforcement of Sunday laws] will weed out those whom God has not appointed and He will have a pure, true, sanctified ministry prepared for the latter rain.—Selected Messages 3:385 (1886). {LDE 179.2}
Many will stand in our pulpits with the torch of false prophecy in their hands, kindled from the hellish torch of Satan.... {LDE 179.3}
Some will go out from among us who will bear the ark no longer. But these cannot make walls to obstruct the truth; for it will go onward and upward to the end.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 409, 411 (1898).
Ministers and doctors may depart from the faith, as the Word declares they will, and as the messages that God has given His servant declare they will.—Manuscript Releases 7:192 (1906). {LDE 179.5}

            Here again is reason for us to consider the things that are spoken from the pulpit. We are not to live to solely focus on looking for the errors being taught, or we will miss the truth, but we must also be sober and vigilant and be watchful unto prayer lest we fall into temptation (Mark 14:38), and not allow for error to be taught and deceive many. With every opposition we should meet it with a “Thus saith the Lord….”
God’s Church May Appear as About to Fall
When you have many brothers and sisters of the faith falling away from the truth, and falling from their faith by the shaking, and when pastors and ministers are also misleading from the truth, and themselves falling away from the God’s truth, it will seem overwhelmingly that the people of God will not be able to hold true through the time of great testing and trials.

The shaking of God blows away multitudes like dry leaves.—
Testimonies for the Church 4:89 (1876). {LDE 180.1}
Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat.—Testimonies for the Church 5:81 (1882). {LDE 180.2}
Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal.... {LDE 180.3}
The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.—Selected Messages 2:380 (1886). {LDE 180.5}
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition.—The Great Controversy, 608 (1911). {LDE 180.6}
When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.—Testimonies for the Church 5:136 (1882). {LDE 180.4}


The people of God will possess the truth. If we possess the truth than we have a responsibility to keep and preserve it through to the end, which means we have to remain faithful in our endeavor. Though the heavens and earth seem to be falling, and those around us falling, do not be moved, that is the great test of faith, that is the defining time where we will learn whether we are ready for heaven or not. Oh Brothers and sisters, hold fast to the truth, hold fast to your faith and confidence in God because you will need them to make it through the great trials and afflictions ahead. Though, the work is hard, it seems full of trial and suffering, it is nothing compared to the eternal reward that has been promised in God’s covenant. There is a crown awaiting all who stand true. Though the time may seem to tarry, hold fast anyway for the time of deliverance shall surely come.
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

            ~ Hebrews 10:35-38

Conclusion

God's Faithful Will Be Revealed  
The Lord has faithful servants who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the daytime we look toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we behold their genuine luster.—Testimonies for the Church 5:80, 81 (1882). {LDE 181.1}
On every occasion that persecution takes place, the witnesses make decisions, either for Christ or against Him. Those who show sympathy for the men wrongly condemned, who are not bitter against them, show their attachment for Christ.—The Signs of the Times, February 20, 1901. {LDE 181.2}
Let opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway, let persecution be kindled, and the half-hearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true Christian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his hope brighter than in days of prosperity.—The Great Controversy, 602 (1911). {LDE 181.3}

            As has been said before, though it seem as you might be the only one remaining standing for the truth, there will still be some still holding to the faith as well. Don’t give up the hope of what is true.


New Converts Will Take the Places of Those Who Leave  
Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately filled by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks.—Early Writings, 271 (1858). {LDE 182.1}
The broken ranks will be filled up by those represented by Christ as coming in at the eleventh hour. There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.—Letter 103, 1903. {LDE 182.2}
Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.—Testimonies for the Church 8:41 (1904). {LDE 182.3}

            Our examples of perseverance and steadfastness have an impact on those who behold. Actions speak louder than words and thus the refined and tried Character of Christ, if carefully exercised and practiced, will serve as a convincing illustration of God’s mercy and truth. Remember that we have a higher calling, that these things of earth shall pass, but in the meantime remember the faith and keep your attention unceasingly upon Christ. With those that fall the Lord set’s up men and women to take their place. Hold the standard high, wave the blood stained banner until the king comes. Remember that when God is with us, no man can be against us (Romans 8:31).





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