Letter to Others

Dear ---,

The purpose of this letter is to identify where we are in the stream of time for Seventh-day Adventists, and to help you understand, how close we are as Seventh-day Adventists to the close of our own probation. This is something very few of our people know or even realize. You may not know this because you may not have studied this for your own self.

This is a special letter I am sending out to all on our Christmas list because of the importance of what is taking place today that will affect the lives of every Seventh-day Adventist, and is going only to those who are presently Seventh-day Adventists or have been Seventh-day Adventists at some time in their life.

The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 36.

Note:

1. This type of activity is not the working of the Holy Spirit of God.

2. This type of activity "shouting, with drums, music, and dancing" will "take place just before the close of probation". It "would be brought into our camp meetings".

That which occurred during that camp meeting had to do with the Holy Flesh movement. The compilers of Selected Messages wrote the following at the beginning of Chapter 3 in volume 2 of Selected Messages.

Can a Christian engage in erotic dancing and praying at the same time? Such a mixture of good-evil is becoming increasingly common today. We must not forget that this was the strategy used by Satan to cause the Fall of man. Speaking of Adam’s Fall, Ellen White writes: "By the mingling of evil with good, his mind had become confused, his mental and spiritual powers benumbed. No longer could he appreciate the good that God had so freely bestowed."56

The pressure to accept the good-evil mixture is especially felt today in the field of religious music. Lloyd Leno, who prior to his untimely death served as music professor at Walla Walla University, wrote: "The mass media has so thoroughly conditioned the masses with a diet of dance rhythm-oriented music, that anything but this seems bland and dull. This has resulted in something akin to an obsession among many Seventh-day Adventist gospel music composers and performers to cloth[e] all gospel music with some kind of dance beat. Although some groups are more cautious or ‘conservative,’ the standard fare of many groups includes thinly disguised hybrid forms of dance styles such as waltz, swing (fox trot), country Western, soft rock, and folk rock. . . . It is quite obvious that these groups are using models whose goals are not compatible with Christian principles."57

If Leno was alive today to observe the music scene in some Adventist churches, he would add "Hard rock" to the list. In my itinerant ministry around the world, I have been confronted on several occasions with Adventist rock bands playing the kind of music one would expect to hear in night clubs or discos, but not in a church. Such a music would have been strongly condemned in all Adventist churches thirty years ago, but today some members do not see anything wrong with it. Why? Simply because their moral sensitivity has been dulled by the rock music that is blaring everywhere in our society. It is like a frog placed in water that is gradually heated. Eventually she boils to her death without sensing the danger. [Emphasis added]

56 Ellen G. White, Education ( Mountain View, CA, 1952), p. 25.

57 H. Lloyd Leno, "Music and Morality," Adventist Review (February 26, 1976), pp. 7-8.

I hope rap music has not entered our church services. It does not have any place among God’s remnant people.

I will be using primarily Ellen White quotes because they more clearly bring out times and events that have occurred, are currently taking place, or that are yet to take place. God gave a lot of information through her and when we take hold of this information and use it wisely, we can gain much for the Seventh-day Adventist Church and us as its people.

"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 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. The Lord calls upon every believer to consecrate himself wholly to his service. All are to work for him, according to their several ability." {RH, July 5, 1906 par. 35}

Here we see the door of God’s mercy is closed to "those who would not enter" while "His heart of mercy is touched; his hand is still stretched out to save" those "who have no opportunity to learn what is truth". Apparently there are people, who, for whatever reason, have not had the opportunity around this world of ours to "learn what is truth".

Doesn't Peter say the following?

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4:17

Now let’s see what Ellen White writes about those who will give the Loud Cry.

"The third angel's message is to lighten the earth with its glory; but only those who have withstood temptation in the strength of the Mighty One will be permitted to act a part in proclaiming it when it shall have swelled into the loud cry." {RH, November 19, 1908 par. 9}

Here we see that a certain group of people are permitted to be part of the 3^rd angels message "when it shall have swelled into the loud cry".

Obviously, all individuals within the current church are converted so that all are currently participating in this activity of proclaiming the third angels message, or there will be a separation among God’s people.

Ellen White talks about a sifting (shaking) among God’s people - in the following quotes.

Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. 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. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ. {12MR 324.3}

What causes the Shaking?

God's Spirit has illuminated every page of Holy Writ, but there are those upon whom it makes but little impression, because it is imperfectly understood. 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. {11MR 206.2}

I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to [1] exalt the standard and [2] pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's people.--1T 181

We see that the shaking "comes by the introduction of false theories", by those who oppose the "straight truth" within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is this opposition to the plain truth from God that will "cause a shaking among God's people". However, we see that in spite of this shaking among God’s remnant people, the church "does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out--the chaff separated from the precious wheat."

Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads,--it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved,--just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming. Ms 173, 1902, pp. 3-6. ("Medical Missionary Work in Southern California," November 20, 1911.) {1MR 249.2}

1  And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2  And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Revelation 7:1-3

I asked my accompanying angel the meaning of what I heard, and what the four angels were about to do. He said to me that it was God that restrained the powers, and that He gave His angels charge over things on the earth; that the four angels had power from God to hold the four winds, and that they were about to let them go; but while their hands were loosening, and the four winds were about to blow, the merciful eye of Jesus gazed on the remnant that were not sealed, and He raised His hands to the Father and pleaded with Him that He had spilled His blood for them. Then another angel was commissioned to fly swiftly to the four angels and bid them hold, until the servants of God were sealed with the seal of the living God in their foreheads. {EW 38.2}

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32

"There will be those among us who will always want to control the work of God, to dictate even what movements shall be made when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world. God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands."

So, at some point in time, God is going to take charge of His work, in a more marked manner than we see today. "God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands." Note that the work will go forward "under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel". This will come about when "it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands." Since this is God’s work, it is His prerogative to move the leadership of His church to "the angel who joins the third angel". This is His work, not ours. We are to take our instructions from Him through His faithful servants who bring us messages from Him.

At some time there is going to be a separation between the wheat (genuine, true Seventh-day Adventist Christians who are truly Spirit filled and bear the genuine marks of the fruits of the Sprit of God) and the tares (look-alike Christians, but bear no genuine fruits of the Spirit of God). Ellen White says the following:

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. By [1] uniting with the world and [2] partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren.

Here we see that those who abandon their position as Seventh-day Adventists and join those who are in rebellion against God’s holy law and His holy ways, have done so because they "have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth" They have been [1] uniting with the world and [2] partaking of its spirit. They "have come to view matters in nearly the same light". The result of those continual decisions to oppose God’s perfect law of righteousness is that "they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side." Even "Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth" fall prey to this device of Satan to destroy God’s people, and if possible destroy the influence of the 3 angels messages God has so liberally and wonderfully given to His commandment-keeping Seventh-day Adventist people.

Why is there this difference among people of the same faith?

In all ages of the world the truth and its adherents have been unpopular; and how can we expect it to be different now, so near the close of time? It is impossible for a man to become loyal to God, rendering obedience to all his commandments, without finding himself immediately marked as odd from the rest of the world, and cut off from the society of those who transgress that law. If all would be obedient to the law of God, he would not be obliged to give up his former associates; but where one alone, or a very few at most, take a position on the side of right, a separation becomes necessary. There is a difference between the children of light and the children of darkness. Their tastes and habits are widely dissimilar. Though they may be thrown together, there is no congeniality between them; for one has a love for heavenly things, and the other for those that are earthly. "What concord hath Christ with Belial?" What harmony is there between light and darkness? {RH, January 13, 1885 par. 4}

God has allowed this association to go on among those in the Seventh-day Adventist Church for a number of decades. Who has brought in those who have no interest in the church’s forward movement of the gospel and its heavenly standards? Jesus answers that in the parable of The Sower.

‘So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.’

Matthew 13:27-28

We know that the enemy of God and Christ is Satan. The sad thing about these individuals who leave God’s remnant people is that they had salvation within their grasp. They were so close, yet so very far from God.

How many will there be that leave the church? How many will there be that stay in the church? Jesus said

13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Ellen White says, "not one in …". Here she is specific about the character of these people,

"The great day of God which is right upon us, awakens neither alarm nor rejoicing in the heart." {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 6}

"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. They are professedly serving God, but they are more earnestly serving mammon." {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 7}

"There are many who are unprepared to meet Christ, because they are not doers of the Word." {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 8}

"The standard of the golden rule is the true standard of Christianity. Anything short of it is a deception." {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 9}

"When those who profess the name of Christ shall practice the principles of the golden rule, the same power will attend the gospel as in apostolic times." {GCB, July 1, 1900 par. 10}

Once the sealing among God’s true people is finished, then the shaking takes place. Those sealed will be listening to and following the counsel of the True Witness (Jesus Christ). They will be the ones speaking out against the idols, the worldliness, etc., in the church. Those opposing this work of purification, the tares - those not of God’s true people, will rise up against this work. However, the tares will end up leaving God’s true people.

From this time forward, God’s people will be one united body of Christ. God’s people at this time will be only wheat – God’s true remnant people. Peter talks about God’s remnant people during the Loud Cry.

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5

Joel 2 talks about this unity of God’s people in an interesting way.

"They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:" Joel 2:7

Starting in Joel 2 at verse 1 and reading to verse 11 will give you a more complete picture of these people. Verse 28 describes one way in which God will be communicating directly with His people. Acts 2:17 says the same thing.

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:" Joel 2:28

Ellen White brings out that the prophecy of Acts 2:17 will take place during the Loud Cry of Revelation 18.

Before his ascension, Jesus had promised the disciples that the Comforter should come. He said, "Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." And on the day of Pentecost, "they were all with one accord in one place; and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." The baptism of the Holy Spirit was essential for the success of the ministry in the early gospel age; but it is no less necessary in this age when "darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people." And the Lord has promised the same quickening spiritual power to his servants in these days. "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and [1] your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and [2] your young men shall see visions, and [3] your old men shall dream dreams." Signs of the Times, February 24, 1888 par. 7 (brackets & numbers added) (Acts 2:17 quoted in Signs article)

While we are not encouraged to look to miracles at this time as evidence of the genuine, the time of the Loud Cry definitely produces such miracles. In the Great Controversy, Ellen White talks about this.

The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are "the times of refreshing" to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus." Acts 3:19, 20. {GC 611.3}

Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be produced, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works, with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Revelation 13:13. Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand. {GC 612.1}

Be encouraged. God’s work will be finished by a people who are wholly dedicated to Him.

Probation for "those who have no opportunity to learn what is truth" will close last.

I was pointed down to the time when the third angel's message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message. {EW 279.1}

I saw angels hurrying to and fro in heaven. An angel with a writer's inkhorn by his side returned from the earth and reported to Jesus that his work was done, and the saints were numbered and sealed. Then I saw Jesus, who had been ministering before the ark containing the ten commandments, throw down the censer. He raised His hands, and with a loud voice said, "It is done." And all the angelic host laid off their crowns as Jesus made the solemn declaration, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is 

Every case had been decided for life or death. While Jesus had been ministering in the sanctuary, the judgment had been going on for the righteous dead, and then for the righteous living. Christ had received His kingdom, having made the atonement for His people and blotted out their sins. The subjects of the kingdom were made up. The marriage of the Lamb was consummated. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was given to Jesus and the heirs of salvation, and Jesus was to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. {EW 280.1}

Notice that "the living testimony had been revived". What is the living testimony? What do we as Seventh-day Adventist’s call "the testimony of Jesus"? We call "the testimony of Jesus" "the spirit of prophecy". (Revelation 19:10) Who do we refer to when we refer to "the spirit of prophecy"? We refer to Ellen White with her gift of prophetic utterance as seen in her writings. Is the "living" testimony a living or a dead person? We have already seen that Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17 will be alive and well during the time of the Loud Cry. Is it possible that God will be, or already has been working through any other human being or beings before the time of the Loud Cry? If the "living" testimony had been revived "when the third angel's message was closing", then it had to be revived before that time of the third angel’s closing.

Isn’t it true that "when the work goes forward under the direction of the angel who joins the third angel in the message to be given to the world" that "God will use ways and means by which it will be seen that He is taking the reins in His own hands"? Didn’t He take the reins "in His own hands" with the appointment of Ellen White as His messenger, the "weakest of the weak"?

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Revelation 19:10

There is such a one who is currently in the process of having dreams, one who had his first dream in 2005. This is Ernie Knoll. One of his recent dreams gets a bit closer to the close of probation in a dream called "The Hourglass". In this dream, posted on his website, www.formypeople.org, he describes an hourglass he sees with one grain of sand yet to fall from the top section of the hourglass. He describes it this way.

In my dream, I am looking at a small treasure box containing a precious gift that everyone should treasure—the gift of each moment of time. I lift the box lid and see many small hourglasses. In the middle of these is one large hourglass that is three times larger. Picking it up, I notice it has a glass top and bottom with three glass pillars. Inside the hourglass, the final grains of sand are falling. I watch until the very last grain is about to fall through the hole, but instead it begins swirling around then bounces back and forth on the glass. I hear a very faint tinkling sound as the grain hits the side of the glass, as if it is trying to prolong falling through. It bounces faster and faster until at last it drops to the bottom.

All this time, the Herald has been standing next to me. Calling me by my heavenly name, he reaches over and turns the hourglass on its side. I now see the words "Seventh-day Adventist Members" on each of the three pillars. The Herald explains that probation closes for Seventh-day Adventists before those of other faiths, because of the great light they have had. The last grain falling through the hourglass represents the end of their probation. A large flat object like a door now falls onto the hourglass, shattering it into many pieces. The door to their "ark" has closed.

The Herald says that just before the close of probation for Seventh-day Adventists, every disrespectful form of worship will be demonstrated in their church services. Those who have been found worthy to receive God’s mark will proceed onward to teach His messages. Those outside the closed door will meet with God’s judgments, because of their unfaithfulness. There are so few who hear God’s voice in the messages given by His messengers.

The end of the Harvest had come, and ALL God’s faithful remnant had done their work, and the souls of men had been either saved in God’s great kingdom of love and light (truth), or had rejected His great truth of righteousness through Jesus Christ, their Saviour.

Jesus raised His mighty, glorious arm, laid hold of the pearly gate, swung it back on its glittering hinges, and said to us, "You have washed your robes in My blood, stood stiffly for My truth, enter in." We all marched in and felt that we had a perfect right in the city. {EW 16.2}

Where will you be? Will you be with God and His true people, or with Satan and his people? The decision lies solely with you.

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

"… choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

So, what are we to do to be saved, especially if we haven't had a recent relationship with God and with Christ? Ellen White puts it this way in the book Great Controversy, pages 489 and 490.

"In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by [1] repentance of sin and [2] humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people.

In like manner, all who would have their names retained in the book of life should now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by [1] sorrow for sin and [2] true repentance. There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. The light, frivolous spirit indulged by so many professed Christians must be put away. … The work of preparation is an individual work."

Simply said:       1- Ask God to forgive you of all your sins. This can be done in a few moments.

                         2- Ask God to guide you to whatever you need to do from here on out.

May our eternal Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour, through Their Holy Spirit, give you understanding, and wisdom and courage, to "make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" 2 Peter 1:10. May God help you in this crucial time in earth’s history. My prayers go with you for your heavenly success.

Sincerely,

Gary Martin                                         NOTE: I have supplied the emphasis throughout this letter.

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