May-June-11

Last time we discovered that there is a true sanctified form of independence, and there is a false unsanctified form of independence. We saw that God does not want His people to be independent atoms from one another, but He desires that we should be united together under a simple form of Gospel Order. This unity and order will enable us to more quickly accomplish the spreading of God’s truth and end this great controversy.

While God is leading His people to unite together, we also discovered that Satan is working hard to try and prevent this unity from ever occurring. We then learned that not all among our separated brothers and sisters agree with the subject of uniting together, but some are strongly opposing it. We also learned that certain separated ministers and Ministries are using their influence to lead our Remnant people away from uniting together through issuing various statements and uninspired arguments.

We discovered that one separated Ministry is declaring that unity was only for those in times past, but not for today. Whereas God very clearly stated just the opposite – that He desires His Remnant people to be united together now in these last days. We discovered that another separated Ministry is declaring that unity is only to be a spiritual union with Christ and the individual, but not a visible unity with each other that can be seen. Whereas God very clearly stated just the opposite – that He wanted unity to be seen and thus visible among His followers.

We also discovered that one separated minister declared that Gospel Order is not to be established among our people because we are too few in number. But God very clearly stated just the opposite – that we are not to be afraid to establish Gospel Order among us because this is absolutely necessary to protect our unity and finish His work. And we discovered that another separated minister was declaring that we are all to believe what we want to with no regard for the faith of the body. Whereas God plainly declared just the opposite – that His people are to unite so closely together that they can all see eye-to-eye in agreement upon the same major points of faith so that they will not believe or teach conflicting doctrines.

So we learned that those who are controlled by God and are following the true Godly form of sanctified independence will be found uniting and working together in a visible union that can be seen, they will establish Gospel Order within their home church ranks, and will also be in agreement upon and teaching the very same doctrinal beliefs of faith. Whereas those who are controlled by self and are following the false satanic form of independence will be found working alone and opposing unity with others of like faith, they will oppose the establishment of Gospel Order, and will be found believing and teaching doctrines that plainly contradict what their fellow separated brothers and sisters believe is the truth.

Especially is this last form of unsanctified independence, which allows each person to believe and teach what they want to irregardless of what their fellow brethren know and agree to be truth, is causing much fanaticism and allowing such strange doctrines to spread around our separated ranks and affect our people. And this scourge of fanaticism and false teachers will continue to affect and divide our separate people and home church groups, and all because they are not united together in one body, under one faith, under the discipline of Gospel Order!

“Had professed Sabbath-keepers...earnestly sought and labored to be in union with the prayer of Christ, to be one as He is one with the Father, Satan’s work would have been defeated. If all had sought to be in union with the body, the fanaticism which has brought so deep a stain upon the cause of present truth...would not have arisen, for it is the result of drawing off from the body, and seeking to have an original, independent faith, regardless of the faith of the body.” Testimonies, vol 1, p 327.

“...the work of God is not committed to men who feel it their privilege to move out on their own independent judgement, to preach whatever they please, and to be responsible to no one for their instructions or work. Let this spirit of self-sufficiency once rule in our midst, and there will be no harmony of action, no unity of spirit, no safety for the work, and no healthful growth in the cause. There will be false teachers, evil workers who will, by insinuating error, draw away souls from the truth. Christ prayed that His followers might be one as He and the Father were one. Those who desire to see this prayer answered, should seek to discourage the slightest tendency to division, and try to keep the spirit of unity and love among brethren.” Review and Herald, May 28, 1888.

So the great majority of all the problems and all the false teachers among our separated people and home churches is because many of us are not following God’s will and are not yet fully united together as one under one faith in Christ. Yet, when those who want to do God’s will try to awaken our people to the necessity of coming together in a visible unity under one faith in Christ so that Satan, along with these problems and false teachers, may be eliminated from our ranks, many of our fellow ministerial brethren rise up and declare: “This call for unity is a call for popery! This is a call for hierarchy! Do not unite together as one, or stand together under one faith, or establish Gospel Order among yourselves, because God wants us to be solely united with Him in a spiritual union only, and not united together with each other in a visible union!”

Now, how many reading today have heard or read such statements against unity as these coming from separated Ministries and ministers? But did you know that God had already warned His people that just such a deceptive cry would be leveled against this true call for unity among us!

“Satan well knows that success can only attend order and harmonious action. He well knows that everything connected with heaven is in perfect order, that subjection and perfect discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed Christians just as far from heaven’s arrangement as he can; therefore he deceives even the professed people of God and makes them believe that order and discipline are enemies to spirituality, that the only safety for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially distinct from bodies of Christians who are united and are laboring to establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts made to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful liberty, and hence are feared as popery. These deceived souls consider it a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently. They will not take any man’s say-so. They are amenable to no man. I was shown that it is Satan’s special work to lead men to feel that it is God’s order for them to strike out for themselves and choose their own course independent of their brethren.

As this satanic message against unity is indeed being heard, I earnestly warn and admonish all of our separated people to refuse to allow any separated Ministry or minister or lay-member to get you to believe that God desires His people to remain divided, disorganized, and independent of one another in faith and work and fellowship, even if they do quote a testimony from Sister White which seems to substantiate their position. This is because whatever testimony they are using for support is only being twisted by them to say something that Sister White never intended. So says Sister White herself:

You know, God does not want His separated Remnant people to be enlisted in the ranks of Satan’s army. He does not want them to advocate the Devil’s erroneous doctrines, or manifest his unsanctified independence, or mislead souls to division and finally destruction. But the Lord God Jesus Christ wants all of His true separated people to enlist in the ranks of His army. He wants them to advocate only His pure doctrines, to manifest only His sanctified character, and through their unity to lead souls only to Him and finally to eternal life.

“An army would be demoralized if they did not learn to obey orders of the captain. Each soldier must act in concert. Union is strength; without union efforts are meaningless. Whatever excellent qualities a soldier may possess, he cannot be a safe trustworthy soldier if he claims a right to act independent of his fellow comrades. This independent action cannot be maintained in the service of Christ.

“Self-restraint is essential to be exercised by every Christian if they answer the prayer of Christ. He is not a good soldier who will not submit his own judgement and his own ideas to preserve unity of action....The meekness and lowliness of Christ always leads to unity and hence to strength in united action.” Manuscript Releases, vol 5, p 373-374.

“In spite of all the good qualities a man may have, he cannot be a good soldier if he acts independent of those connected with him....Take a strong team of horses. If, instead of both pulling together, one should suddenly jerk forward and the other pull back, they would not move the load, notwithstanding their great strength. So the soldiers of Christ must work in concert, else there will be a mere concourse of independent atoms....In union is strength. A few men and women who unite together, having the glory of God in view, will be growing in strength and wisdom, and gaining new victories.” Signs of the Times, September 7, 1891.

“One who works in harmony with the counsel of God, and in unity with the brethren, will be more efficient to do good, than ten will be who do not realize the necessity of depending upon God, and of acting in harmony with the general plan of the work.” Review and Herald, May 29, 1888.

The question is: Which army do you choose to enlist in and under which general will you fight for? It will be plain for all to see exactly what your choice was – because all one has to do is to examine the position you take and advocate in this issue of unity, one faith, and Gospel Order among the separated Remnant people!

“The two great powers in controversy are working, one from beneath, the other from above. Every man is under the secret influence of the one or the other, and his acts will reveal the character of the inspiration from which they proceed. Those who are united with Christ will work always in Christ’s lines. Those who are in union with Satan will work under the inspiration of their leader, opposed to the Holy Spirit’s power and action. The will of man is left free to act, and by action is revealed what spirit is moving upon the heart. ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’” 1888 Materials, p 1508.

“Where there is unity there is strength. United we stand, divided we fall. It is the special, declared plan of the enemy of Christ and man, to break up the church into independent factions....He loves to see discord and want of harmonious action in the church.” Review and Herald, July 10, 1888.

So God is calling for all of His people to give up their unsanctified independence and unite together upon the same platform of truth and establish Gospel Order among themselves in order to prevent discord and strife among them and instead promote love and unity. Is this your desire dear reader? I pray so, and if you are truly connected with God, then it will be.

“Those who are truly connected with God will not be at variance with one another. The spirit of harmony, peace, and love, His Spirit ruling in their hearts, will create harmony, love, and unity. The opposite of this works in the children of Satan; there is with them a continual contradiction. Strife, envy, and jealousy are the ruling elements. The characteristic of the Christian is the meekness of Christ. Benevolence, kindness, mercy, and love originate from Infinite Wisdom, while the opposite is the unholy fruit of a heart that is not in harmony with Jesus Christ. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, what fruit do you bear?” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 184.

So dear ones, what kind of fruit are you bearing in regards to this issue of Independence? Are you manifesting the true sanctified form – which is seen in unselfish love, harmony and unity with your fellow true Remnant brothers and sisters? Or are you manifesting the false unsanctified form and following Satan’s declared plan to break up God’s people into independent factions?

“It is the will of God that union and harmony should exist among his people. Our Saviour prayed that his disciples might be one, as he is one with the Father. It should be our constant aim to reach this state of unity; but to do this we are not to sacrifice one principle of truth. It is through obedience to the truth that we are to be sanctified; for while Jesus prayed that his followers might be one, he prayed also, ‘Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.’ We are exhorted to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. This is the evidence of our discipleship. ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another;’ and conversely, our Saviour desired that his disciples might be one, that the world might know that the Father had sent him. What a thought! that the love and unity among Christians are presented as proof of our Saviour’s divine mission to the world.” Signs of the Times, May 12, 1881.

So it is God’s will that unity exist among His people today which is the proof of our Saviour’s divine mission. But is it also your will? Or instead are you opposed to God’s will and are manifesting the false unsanctified form of independence – which is seen in selfish division, disunion, discord and strife? Are you working with Christ in this area of unity, or are you against Christ?

“A strange deception is upon the people of God. Selfishness prevents the unity that should exist....This shows that the members do not love God as they claim to. They give evidence that they need to be sanctified. It is the most fatal deception to suppose that a man can have faith unto life eternal without possessing Christlike love for his brethren.” Youth’s Instructor, March 22, 1900.

May God help you to clearly recognize where you are standing in this issue of independence and unity. If you find that you are standing against God, then honestly and humbly repent of your rebellion against His will, and then in His strength show that you are truly converted by seeking to be in full and complete union with God’s true Remnant people and Home Churches. If not, then I plainly and solemnly warn you that you will be lost!

So not one of our separated brothers or sisters, whether they be ministers or laymembers, will ever make it into heaven until they knowingly give up their unsanctified independence, stop opposing a visible unity and oneness among our people, and instead work towards a complete and full union with one another in one faith with Christ as our Head!

“In heaven there is perfect order, perfect obedience, perfect peace and harmony. Those who have had no respect for order or discipline in this life, would have no respect for the order which is observed in heaven. They can never be admitted into heaven, for all worthy of an entrance there will love order and respect discipline. The characters formed in this, will determine the future life. When Christ shall come, he will not change the character of any individual. Precious, probationary time is given to be improved in washing our robes of character, and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Counsels on Education, p 237.

“...the Lord Jesus has devised a plan whereby He may work counter to the work of Satan. He designs to imbue His human agents, the subjects of His kingdom, with the principles of love and unity. With sanctified heart they are to build one another up and strengthen and extend that which is good. Reciprocating Christ’s love, they are to deal in the goods of heaven. His church is to bear His superscription, and thus testify to the world that God has sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world....Love is to be interwoven as threads of gold in all their actions.” Our High Calling, p 185.

“The object of the gospel is met when this great end is achieved. Its work from age to age is to unite the hearts of his followers in a spirit of universal brotherhood, through belief of the truth, and thus establish heaven’s system of order and harmony in the family of God on earth, that they may be accounted worthy to become members of the royal family above. God, in his wisdom and mercy, tests men and women here, to see if they will obey his voice and respect his law, or rebel as Satan did. If they choose the side of Satan, putting his way above God’s, it would not be safe to admit them into heaven; for they would cause another revolt against the government of God in the heavenly courts.” Review and Herald, July 21, 1891.

As this is true that our fitness for heaven, as well as the fulfilling of the gospel plan of salvation to make all believers perfect in Christ and His righteousness, is obtained through uniting together as one, then this uniting together with one another must also involve the perfecting of our characters!

“...they should not take on an independent spirit, but as followers of Christ be subject one to another. This is the very means that God has ordained that one shall have influence over another and all be transformed and molded after the divine Pattern, that all the believers in Christ are to be sanctified through the truth.” Manuscript Releases, vol 15, p 357.

Now God is trying to fit His people up in righteousness and make them ready for eternity with Him by leading them to become one in purpose, one in faith, one in work, and one in unity. Yet, separated ministerial brethren from both the East and West Coasts of America and elsewhere around the world are determined to stop this from happening, and our separated people are caught right in the middle of this controversy! But we learned that God has a clear purpose in calling for His true separated people to be united together as one. God is desiring to perfect our characters through uniting together as one, and thus this process of our uniting together is actually preparing us for translation and eternal life!

“There is order in heaven, and it is to be imitated by those upon earth who are heirs of salvation. The nearer mortals attain to the order and arrangement of heaven, the nearer are they brought to that acceptable state before God which will make them subjects of the heavenly kingdom and give them that fitness for translation from earth to heaven...” Testimonies, vol 2, p 697-698.

Therefore all those who oppose this visible unity are actually working against God, against Christ, against the plan of salvation, against the gospel, and are also working against perfection by keeping our precious separated people connected to their sins and character defects which will cause them to lose out on eternal life!

With this all being true, may our separated brethren, especially those Ministries and ministers who are opposing or who are not advocating a complete visible unity in one faith among us, wake up, become converted, stop their opposition to God’s will and stop following Satan’s plan, and instead begin in earnest now to encourage unity.

“I call upon you, my (brethren), in the name of the Lord to unite with us, to close every door through which Satan would enter to cause strife and alienation among brethren. Let us counsel together. There has been altogether too much moving in one’s own independent judgement. Self-sufficiency and self-esteem lay at the foundation of the greatest trials and discords that have ever existed among the people of God. The angel of God has repeated again and again, ‘Press together! Press together! Be of one mind, of one judgement! Let God be your Leader! Follow His footsteps!’” Manuscript Releases, vol 20, p 369.

Now, at this time I am issuing a special heartfelt invitation to all my separated brothers and sisters to come and follow God’s will and unite with us in a sweet unity. I especially extend this sincere invitation to those separated Ministries and ministers who are opposing or who are not yet advocating a complete visible unity in one faith among us. I urge you to please accept this invitation to unite with the rest of us, that we all together may fulfill Christ’s prayer and lovingly help each other perfect our characters and finish this great work. You have nothing to fear by uniting with us!

So as God declares to you that you may safely seek to be united together, then what are you waiting for? Cast away your fear and hesitantcy and come join with us so that together we could more greatly speed on the work of God until this dark world is filled with His glory. But please also know this, with or without you joining us we are moving forward in God’s strength to achieve this God-ordained unity and finish God’s work. So the question is: Will you be left behind?

Now to all those who are genuinely interested in joining with us no matter where you are in this wide world, please feel free to contact us at Let There Be Light Ministries at PO Box 328, Rogue River, Oregon, 97537, or e-mail us at lightmin@terragon.com. Or you can contact the Seventh Day Remnant Publishing Association at PO Box 1794, Willits, California, 95490, or e-mail them at SDRPA@SDRPA.org, and may God bless our efforts at obeying His will for true unity.

Now to all those of us who are already uniting together in fulling God’s will, I pray that we will continue to earnestly labor and press together until we indeed become of one accord, of one mind, of one heart and soul and body, keeping Christ and the advancement of His kingdom of righteousness foremost in our thoughts and efforts. May we all become trustworthy soldiers in God’s army and arise and shine in a united front, so that we may together fill this earth with the glory of God. Then this great controversy can end, and we can then enjoy each other’s companionship forever by the side of our Lord and God. All this will be possible only when we decide that we will no longer be Satan’s agents by indulging selfish division and manifesting unsanctified independence, but instead follow God’s plan and then achieve this blessed oneness and harmony among us on this earth!

May God help us all to submit our wills to His will, and then DO what He commands. May God help us to follow this devised plan of Christ for His people and indeed become united together with one another in true Christian love. And may God help us to indeed live in harmony with our fellow separated Remnant people on this earth, thus proving to God that we could also live in complete harmony and unity in heaven, and in doing so we will soon be taken there!

“It is your privilege and your duty to seek for this oneness, this unity, and thus answer the prayer of Christ. This prayer is full of instruction and consolation. As our intercessor in heaven, Christ is ever working for the unity of His people. In order to be in harmony with heaven, we must seek to be one in faith and in practice.” Manuscript Releases, vol 14, p 175-176.

But this now brings up the question: As there are many different Ministries and ministers operating today which appear to be working independent from the corrupt and apostate SDA church, are all of these safe to unite with and support just because they claim to be Independent? No, because they may not be teaching the same doctrines we believe, or they may not really be fully separate from the SDA church, and thus are still connected with Babylon.

So then exactly which independent Ministries and ministers are not standing with God’s separated Remnant people upon the same platform of present truth of full and complete separation from the corrupt and apostate Babylonian SDA church, and thus are not safe for our people to unite with and support? And just as important, which independent Ministries and ministers are indeed standing with God’s separated Remnant people upon the same platform of present truth, are indeed fully separated from having any connection with the Babylonian SDA church, and thus are indeed safe for our people to unite with and support? This is what we will examine in our next part of this series on Independence.

The Lord is continuing to bless our TrueChurchofGod.info website. In the month of March we had 14,187 hits, which were generated by 1,409 visitors. In these Visitor Sessions, 4,771 documents of Present Truth were viewed, and over 334.25 million bytes of information were downloaded.

The Lord is also abundantly blessing our LightMinistries.com website! In the month of March we had 133,569 hits, which were generated by 24,153 visitors. In these Visitor Sessions, 37,495 documents of Present Truth were viewed, and over 16.18 billion bytes of information were downloaded.

We would like to continue encouraging our readers to check out a website that is dedicated to providing a “voice” to the people who have joined the separation movement out of the SDA church, as well as out of all the other churches of Babylon. The website is www.SDRVoice.org. This site also publishes an excellent Magazine called “The Seventh-day Remnant Voice”. On the site you can view past articles of interest, and can also request to be added to their mailing list to receive future copies through your e-mail account for free.

For those who are not able to have a home church to attend and who miss the benefit of fellowshipping together with others of like faith, there is an on-line Home Church which meets every Sabbath at 12:00 noon Central Time. This is a live broadcast of one of our separated Home Churches in Indiana which is pastored by brother Nicholas Patula. Please feel free to come and fellowship with others of like faith and enjoy the spiritual uplifting experience. You can also stay after the church service and be able to chat with brothers and sisters, as well as visitors, from around the world. Many come away with their questions answered, their hearts uplifted and filled with gratefulness for all that God has and is doing for His people! If you would like to fellowship with us, go to www.RemnantofGod.org/pogmchat.htm.

TO OUR SUPPORTERS: Please know that "Let There Be Light" Ministries is not using your support to build itself up into a kingdom, nor are we trying to acquire expensive video, TV or shortwave facilities. But we are trying to spread the truth as quickly and economically as possible. Please also know that you have played an important part in helping spread the Present Truth into various parts of this world, including through the printed page, through the living full-time workers and ministers we sponsor, and also through our Web Sites on the internet. This is how the Loud Cry of the third angel will be spread, and is now being spread! If the Lord impresses you to help in these endeavors, your donations and prayers will be greatly appreciated, and not just by this Ministry alone. MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU!

"Let There Be Light" Ministries is committed to the spreading of the full present truth gospel message worldwide, and has been doing so since 1986. This Ministry has operating expenses covering the areas of: printing, publishing, and writing of present truth books, booklets, tracts, and other literature; DVD, video and audio taping, production, and distribution; supporting several ministers and workers in foreign Countries; mail order – both domestic and foreign; traveling to hold meetings – both locally, nationally, and internationally; answering correspondence and questions regarding the message of truth; offering National and International Bible studies; sending free present truth literature to contacts in many poor Countries; etc.

May our God and Saviour continue to lead and guide all those who have helped us reach souls who sit in darkness with the precious light of gospel truth. May our supporters remember that they share in each and every soul who has been reached by this Ministry and converted to the Lord and His present truth!

We are currently supporting several workers in many different Countries on a monthly basis. We check into the economy of each area and supply a base support which is adequate depending on their situation, but not extravagant. This base support is to ensure that the monthly needs of each worker and family is met for that month so that the worker may devote full time to the ministry work. In addition to this, we are sending extra materials for evangelism, and money for printing, publishing, holding meetings, traveling, and other necessary areas in spreading the Present Truth in their Country. And as the work extends, especially will the expenses for evangelism expand. Whatever you can send to help in this necessary and vital area is greatly appreciated.

The work of spreading God's present truth is not to be limited, but must extend world-wide to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people before our Saviour can come (Matthew 24:14). What better way of spreading the Present Truth Gospel than by having workers who speak the native language, who reside in that particular Country, who can live and preach the truth, visit the interests in their homes, and spread the printed truth translated into their native language!

"Our publications should be printed in other languages, that foreign nations may be reached. Much can be done through the medium of the press, but still more can be accomplished if the influence of the living preacher goes with our publications....The Lord has moved upon men of other tongues and has brought them under the influence of the truth, that they might be qualified to labor in His cause." Testimonies, vol 3, p 204-205.

"Every opportunity should be improved to extend the truth to other nations. This will be attended with considerable expense, but expense should in no case hinder the performance of this work. Means are of value only as they are used to advance the interest of the kingdom of God. The Lord has lent men means for this very purpose, to use in sending the truth to their fellow men." Testimonies, vol 3, p 208.

Please be sure to mark all donated monies for any of the above Ministry or Foreign Mission needs. 100% of all donated monies will go where specified. Unspecified donations will go where needed. Thank you very much for making this evangelistic work possible, and may God's richest blessings attend you and yours.

Many Christian greetings from Tanzania. It is with great appreciation that I take this opportunity to write this e-mail and up-date you with what is going on in Tanzania. It is quiet a long time since I communicated to you. I have been too busy and even today I won’t write a long e-mail as I had planned.

By the end of 2010 we never had any evangelistic meeting as we had planned. However, by early 2011 (January 16-29) we had an evangelistic meeting at ____, nearby ____ city. The results were only one soul plus the threatenings of the police authority that we are not supposed to mention the evils of the papacy and the SDA Church. We finished the meeting without lessening the message and the police authority ended up listening [to] the Present Truth.

Dear Sessler, today is the second week since about three hundred former SDAs called us to introduce the Present Truth to them. I came back last week (Thursday) after staying with them for a week, while my co-worker is conducting home studies with those members. This coming Sabbath I shall be there and we hope to baptize more than 20 who have decided to follow Jesus and walk in the narrow path. Although we are poor financially, the work is going on.

After this Sabbath we shall have a break of two weeks before we go to ____ town to gather in those who, for almost three years, had left the SDA Church but did not like to join us because these booklets which I had translated were thought to be the message that could bring persecution before [its] time. Since two weeks ago the church elders and other leaders of those congregations have accepted the messages. ____ is in ____ region, whereas the place we have been working since last week is in the Island of ____, ____ region. It is two days’ journey. I hope to travel to that place tomorrow.

Dear Elder Sessler, after this week I hope to come down and involve myself in printing and translating. Some of the newly converted SDAs have volunteered to start contributing their meager income towards publishing. I have been requested to put much effort in translating. I hope to be through with some books such as Facts of Faith, To Be God of One World and other materials from your web-site soon.

Although one may think that the work is going slowly, God Himself is moving upon the hearts of the people. Back in 2006 I never expected that there could be even 20 people adhering to the present truth. As of now, in ____, where we started, there are more than 40; ____ city-less than 5, ____ (North-Western part of Tanzania)-more than 70, ____-more than 50. [Editor’s Note: May God be praised!] What is needed by March and April is re-organizing the movement and expanding....

Now there are more than 100 in Tanzania and Burundi. In April we hope to have a meeting of all adherents of the Present Truth where we shall discuss how to expand and print more books/booklets. However, as of now, I am poor finically even to support my family. I kindly ask you to support me again for some more months so that I can continue translating. This support will be highly appreciated since I am in a dilemma. [Editor’s Note: We have no extra funds available at this time to begin compensating this worker for his services once again. I pray that one or more of our readers will be impressed by the Lord to donate enough funds to cover the amount of $150 - $250 each month for the good services of this worker.]

I hope this finds you well in health and spirit. With the challenges of the times, the Lord has sustained through. We had one week effort in February 19th through 26th at ____. But upon the end of the Sabbath my brother’s wife, previously admitted in hospital, passed on. Her husband had early on passed on in 1997. They have left us four orphans all in schools requiring (us to continually pay) a handsome support.

That aside, we proceeded for another effort at ____ between March 10 and 17. Though response was low, we distributed quite a number of truth filled materials, and hope our Father will bless work He has promised would shower the world as the leaves of autumn. We now look forward to our April ____ convocation on 10th through 17th. After that we shall proceed to another corner, ____, from 17th through 24th.

Brother ____ is now spending 4 days at ____ arranging our accommodation. Brother ____ and ____ will be sail out on Tuesday night heading for ____ Island. I and the other 2 laymen, we will travel by boat on Friday and shore on Monday at ____. And on our way back, we will visit ____ Island for visit our churches, conducting leaders training and ordination.

Thank you for your continuous help and support. I just received it. Please extend my heartfelt thanks to the said brother who extend his helping hands. A great help for our work here. God really answers prayers in the right time that we need it. This coming April 3, we will be going to ____ and I will use it for my traveling expenses. I really praise and thank God for His greatness and goodness!

Here’s my report. After the youth camp and camp meeting in ____, I stayed few weeks here in our place, because we can’t travel and go no farther because our funds were exhausted for the long trip in ____, but still we continue what we can do in advancing the Lord’s cause, where we can find opportunity. And when I’m at home, I do the translation work. I am now in the middle of translating the booklet entitled “The Latter Rain and the Loud Cry.”

By the month of February, we were able to go to ____ and ____, visited some interest there, and visited and gathered our brethren in ____ and spends Sabbath with them and then visited also our brethren in ____. We were able also to go to ____ and ____, sharing and giving Bible studies, visiting and giving encouragement also to our friends and brethren in the faith there. It is really the time for us to be more zealous in God’s work for we know that the Lord’s coming is very near for we have seen already the signs of the times that are happening all around us in the world that tells the end is truly very near....

Most of our brothers live kind of Amish life – that is they have no access to electricity/live in places where the lines that supply power are yet to pass. It is because of these privileges that some of us will have chance to electricity, [while] others are in rented rooms [that is] not any good place to install the Riso-graph, while other are still living with their people.

I have been through heavy stress or greatly down cast, some of the reasons are due to the work for the Lord, others are the people of God who have had low blood pressure due to lack of Jobs and sarcasms with those they stay with about the God we worship, etc. Despite all these stressors or troubling life [our God helps us]. These [being troubled] are Sister ____ and Br. ____. We [and they] need your special prayers.

Work is going on and we appreciate His grace, and with the Riso-graph at our hand we hope to speed His work and hasten His coming. The second week February we gave out certificates in Natural cookery. It was a blessing that outsiders heard us in such an hour where artificial things are taking the place of real things. “Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature”GC 590. “As reverence for God departed, so also departed compassion toward men. Selfishness was the ruling principle, and Satan worked his will in the misery and degradation of mankind. Satanic agencies took possession of men” MH 142....

graph GR 3750 at 5.5 Million Uganda shillings and top of that I managed to get power though I had not fully finished installations. We are thankful to the Lord that a large hearted brother sent money to start our printing work of tracts which will begin very soon. I have one impending problem, that the house has a lot of dust. [So] I will need to plaster walls and make the floor.

Sister ____, she has been diagnosed with failing liver due to over [use] of drugs since she has sickle cells [anemia]. She has been like that since she was six months [old] according to her health history. It is our earnest [desire to] bear her [up] before the Lord [in prayer]. You [please] do the same on her behalf [because] you never know the Lord may have mercy upon her.

If you noticed last time, the core theme of MY TESTIMONY dealt much on the true church versus denominations. As a matter of fact, last year in August, I gave myself up to the Lord in a 14 days’ fast imploring the Lord to intervene in about 6 issues namely, the financial crisis at our LTBL Ministries; unity of God’s people worldwide; my qualification to the work of the ministry; implementation of the final phases of church organization; family wishes – especially of a stable home; and lastly my personal wishes, especially casting down of the demonic forces in my life.

On the unity of God’s people worldwide I prayed much on the disunion currently existing due to the name issue. I’m glad to confess that the Lord hears prayer, He answered me. For, when I discovered that I had wrongly translated the term denomination in the “True Church” tract, I then searched for its meaning. The dictionary meaning I got is, “any named church, eg. The Roman Catholic Church.” To my surprise, the name issue came up and took a twist. Since the Solwezi African Agreement, I have been strongly advocating the adoption of the name “Seventh Day Remnant”. What makes a church a denomination? Doesn’t it a name? If so, does any denomination constitute God’s true church? These are some of the questions that troubled me. You may do well to notice that this is the key which unlocked my understanding and shaped the whole face of my religious experience. In UPWARD LOOK, p 315, it states that, “God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments. ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matt. 18:20). Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ's church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church.”

I looked back on the Scripture which states, “And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name.” Isaiah 65:15. This has been my stronghold Scripture when being a devout believer in the name. I had no strong roots in it since I had not studied the whole chapter. When I did, I particularly noticed that the phrase, “my servants” begins to appear in the 8th and 9th verses of this chapter and it really begins by saying, “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, Behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.” verse 1. Which nation could this be which was not called by God’s name? Cross- referenced with chapter 62:2, it says, “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all the kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” I could see that since Isaiah was a prophet of Israel and dealt much on the coming of the Messiah, he was referring to the Gentile nation which was to share the commonwealth of Israel by the coming on and death of the “Seed out of Jacob” and the “Inheritor of my (God’s) mountains” (see Isaiah 65:9).

When did the Lord call His servants by another name in particular? Since Israel was once the chosen nation to Jehovah, through Christ He was to change this name to Christians see Acts 11:26. Acts of the Apostles, p 157 states that, “It was God who gave to them the name of Christian. This is a royal name, given to all who join themselves to Christ.” It was of this name that James wrote later, "Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?" James 2:6, 7. And Peter declared, "If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." 1 Peter 4:16, 14.”...

Our experience is to parallel that of the early church in many things. They were perfectly organized, but not centering their organization on an adopted name. Their unity and as well as their organization centered strongly on Christ since He (Christ) took the first step in the organization of the church at the ordination of the twelve without any name then being adopted (see Acts of the Apostles, p 18). They continued to take other necessary steps in the organization of the church on the same principle. [Editor’s Note: the same with the early SDA’s – they began to organize themselves separate from all other Protestant Denominations and without any adopted name, but soon found they needed a common name to be able to legally hold property under the name of the church, as well as to distinguish themselves from all other denominations.] Our brethren elsewhere are taking a fanatical stance of rejecting both the name and organization....