Sabbath 19/13/28/120
Dear Brethren,
We are now already in the thirteenth month and fast approaching Passover. Many of us are already preparing for the cleansing of the temple, which we are. As in the past, we are being attacked and tempted by Satan. Most of us are undergoing severe trials as we can see from the numerous prayer requests. The attacks on God’s Church are increasingly becoming more and more severe each year.
What’s new, you may ask, it happens every year. The only difference is the
nature and severity thereof. One can only conclude that the end is now fast
approaching and Satan knows that his time is becoming short and he so desperately
wants to destroy God’s Church.
lPeter 5:8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like
a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.
It appears that he is focusing on our leadership for it is written, “Smite the
shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered” (Matthew 26:31).
We need to constantly fast and pray for our leaders and for one another so that we may hold fast to the truth revealed to us by God through His anointed servants. It has been a sad and stressful time since the feast to see how vindictive people can become and how some of our fellow brethren can so easily be led astray by some strange teachings. It is particularly sad when one of our people who appeared so zealous during the feast, suddenly realised that it was too burdensome to keep God’s Laws, Sabbaths, New Moons and Feast days and returned to the world of Sunday keepers.
1John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
Hebrews 3:7-15 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ” 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
However, we should take care not to point a finger to another or become too comfortable or confident with ourselves. “But for the grace of God, there go I”. Remember that the only one who was able to resist temptation was Christ.
Mark 14:37-38 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
If we pray and resist temptation we will reap the rewards.
?
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved,
he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love
Him.
We should be on our guard and constantly pray that we, through the help and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, are able to resist temptation.
1Corinthians 10:1-17 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The road on which we are travelling is not covered with roses, indeed it is rather covered with thorns and thistles. Satan’s temptations are often so subtle that we can so easily fall into his trap without realising it. Take for example gossip and slander, a trap we easily fall into. How we just love to gossip about another, or accuse another, not even caring if there is any truth in it or not. It is bad enough gossiping about people who are not in the Church, but to slander or gossip about your own brother or sister is unthinkable.
Leviticus 19:16 You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand forth against the life of your neighbour: I am the LORD.
Christ warned us about this trap in Matthew 15:18-19.
Matthew 15:18-19 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.
Let us be constantly on our guard and aware of Satan’s traps especially now in the build-up towards the preparation for Passover and our sanctification. Let us consider Proverbs 6:16-19 where most of the traps that can be set for us are mentioned. By becoming proud or uttering lies we open ourselves totally to Satan’s attacks.
Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things which the LORD hates, seven which are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers.
Let us not become discouraged by Satan’s attacks on the Church of God, but rather let us take courage from the love that Christ has for us and the unmeasurable mercy of God our Father, which He bestows upon us and become strong in the faith and resist the devil.
Romans 8:31-39 What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies; 34 who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Christ’s love for us and God’s mercy transcends all other powers and we should never doubt that.
Let us love one another and pray for each other constantly, also for those who accuse us or spitefully use us.
Juan Boshoff
Regional Coordinator
South Africa
© Copyright 2006 Juan Boshoff, All Rights Reserved
