"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries
May - June, 1998
"There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is `PRESENT TRUTH' that the flock needs now." Early Writings, p 63.
Elder: robert sessler
E-mail address: lightmin@terragon.com
Dear brothers and sisters,
1 John 3:1.
In our last Newsletter, we examined the history of how the Jewish, Apostolic, and Protestant churches became a harlot of Babylon. But can this same history be repeated today? Is there any chance the church which we love could repeat this same history and become Babylon fallen like the once-chosen churches before her? Yes!
In the year 1891, Sister White wrote to the leadership of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church plainly warning them of this possibility.
"The world must not be introduced into the church, and married to the church, forming a bond of unity. Through this means the church will become indeed corrupt, and as stated in Revelation, `a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.'" Testimony to Ministers, p 265.
Where is this phrase found? It is recorded in Revelation 18:2, dealing with Babylon! But how could just becoming married and united with the world make the SDA church Babylon?
Who is the SDA church married to? Christ! Then if this married woman departs from the side of her Husband and unites herself with the world, she would become an adulterer and an harlot. So God, through Sister White, was warning the SDA church that if she repeated the same history which the Jewish, Apostolic, and Protestant churches followed by departing from the side of Jesus--their first love and husband--to unite herself with the world, then the SDA church would become an harlot of Babylon!
Two years later in 1893, a man named A.W. Stanton, along with several others, put out a tract calling the SDA church to be Babylon fallen at that time. In 1893 the SDA church was not Babylon fallen or any part of Babylon, and Sister White plainly wrote that this message in 1893 was error and directly from Satan.
Most SDA people believe, and have been taught, that since Sister White stated that the SDA church was not Babylon fallen or any part of Babylon in 1893, that these statements stand forever that the SDA church can never and will never become Babylon no matter what the church does. But is this really what Sister White said or implied? No!
Every testimony that you will find Sister White saying not to call the SDA church Babylon, is only in the year 1893! There are no testimonies either before or after this date which state not to call the church Babylon. This fact strongly suggests that these testimonies were written in the present tense form, and are conditional. In other words, these testimonies were written with the year of 1893 in mind, and would only continue to be the truth on condition of the church remaining obedient to God. In fact, Sister White even writes that there is but one church (SDA) in this world who were at that present time in 1893 not to be denounced as Babylon (Testimony to Ministers, p 50). This indicates that this Babylon issue is based upon conditions and is not unconditional.
Also in the year 1893, Sister White verifies what we have discussed and even lists all the different phrases which God and herself use in referring to Babylon.
"How dare mortal man pass his judgment upon them and call the church a harlot, Babylon, a den of thieves, a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, the habitation of devils...the Lord has had a church from that day (apostolic times) through all the changing scenes of time to the present period, 1893." Letter dated June 12, 1893 and printed in the Review and Herald, November 8, 1956 (vol 6, p 515, col 1).
So both God and Sister White declare that to call the SDA church a harlot, or a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, is the same as calling them Babylon! So many want to try and place divisions between these terms, yet God states that if the church is a harlot, or a cage of every unclean and hateful bird, they are Babylon.
In 1893 the SDA church had not yet departed fully from the side of Christ--her husband--and united herself with the world. So she could not have fulfilled the conditions necessary to be converted into an harlot of Babylon as Sister White had warned in the testimony of 1891. No where in the writings of Sister White are there any unconditional promises that the SDA church could never become Babylon! It was just in 1893 the church had not yet united herself fully with the world in order to fulfill the conditions, and that is why she wrote that "at the present time" do not call the church Babylon. And just so that none of our people would become confused over this vital issue, sister White writes this testimony just two years later in 1895:
"The world must not be introduced into the church and married to the church. Through union with the world the church will become corrupt, `a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.' The customs of the world must not have a place; for they will be open doors through which the prince of darkness will find access, and the line of demarcation will become indistinguishable between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not....Satanic forces are continually at work through the world, and it is Satan's object to bring the church and the world into such close fellowship that their aims, their spirit, their principles, shall harmonize..." Review and Herald, February 26, 1895 (vol 3, p 233 col 2).
Again it is emphasized that if the SDA church departs from Christ and unites herself with the world, then the church would become "a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" or an harlot of Babylon! So the question that needs to be asked is: "Did the SDA church depart from Christ her husband and unite herself to the world, committing harlotry? Did she follow Satan's plan to harmonize together after being warned not to? Sadly, yes.
"The professed followers of Christ are no longer a separate and peculiar people. The line of demarcation is indistinct. The people are subordinating themselves to the world, to its practices, its customs, its selfishness. The church has gone over to the world in transgression of the law, when the world should have come over to the church in obedience to the law. Daily the church is being converted to the world." Christ's Object Lessons, p 315-16.
"It is a solemn and terrible truth that many who have been zealous in proclaiming the third angel's message are now becoming listless and indifferent! The line of demarcation between worldlings and many professed Christians is almost indistinguishable. Many who once were earnest Adventists are conforming to the world--to its practices, its customs, it selfishness. Instead of leading the world to render obedience to God's law, the church is uniting more and more closely with the world in transgression. Daily the church is becoming converted to the world." Testimonies, vol 8, p 118-19.
"The central power of the earth is a demon. His throne is in the midst of the world, where should have been seen the throne of God. He has been patronized by the church, for the church has been conformed to the world, and is living in transgression of the Holy law of God." This Day With God, p 28.
"The church has taken the world into her fellowship, and has given her affections to the enemies of holiness. The church and the world are standing on the same ground in transgression of the law of God. The church prefers to assimilate to the world rather than separate from its customs and vanities." Manuscript 44, 1900, p 19 (Last Day Events from the Letters and Manuscripts of E.G. White, p 55).
Sadly, the SDA church departed from Christ and united herself to the world, just like the Jewish, Apostolic, and Protestant churches did before her! They are no longer a separate and peculiar people to God. The line of demarcation is indistinct. The SDA church, with her forehead firmly held up and refusing to be ashamed, chose to conform herself and be converted to, and in harmony with, Satan and the world. This woman rejected God's explicit warning, left the side of Christ--her husband and first love, and has willingly given her affections to the devil. The church has transgressed the holy law of God by becoming an harlot!
Since the SDA church has disregarded the plain warnings sent to her by God through Sister White, and has chosen to unite and marry herself to the world, she has fulfilled the conditions necessary to become a cage of every unclean and hateful bird or an harlot of Babylon as found in the warnings already quoted. Since this is true, would anyone dare raise their voice against the SDA church and declare her sins? Would anyone dare declare this apostate and adulterous woman to be an harlot of Babylon? YES!
There was a lone voice which denounced the SDA church as being an harlot! And this lone voice was none other than the estranged husband of the SDA church--Jesus Christ Himself!
"Our position in the world is not what it should be. We are far from where we should have been had our Christian experience been in harmony with the light and the opportunities given us, had we from the beginning constantly pressed onward and upward. Had we walked in the light that has been given us, had we followed on to know the Lord, our path would have grown brighter and brighter. But many of those who have had special light are so conformed to the world that they can scarcely be distinguished from worldlings. They do not stand forth as God's peculiar people, chosen and precious. It is difficult to discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.
"In the balances of the sanctuary the Seventh-day Adventist church is to be weighed. She will be judged by the privileges and advantages that she has had....Let God's people remember that only as they believe and work out the grand principles of the gospel of Christ, can He make them a praise in the earth. Only as they use their God-given capabilities in His service will they enjoy the fullness and power of the promise whereon the church has been called to stand....
"Why is there so dim a perception of the true spiritual condition of the church? Has not blindness fallen upon the watchmen standing on the walls of Zion?...One who sees beneath the surface, who reads the hearts of all men, says of those who have had great light: `They are not afflicted and astonished because of their moral and spiritual condition.' `Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will chose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before Mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.' `God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,' `because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved,' `but had pleasure in unrighteousness.' Isaiah 66:3, 4; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 10, 12.
"The heavenly Teacher inquired: `What stronger delusion can beguile the mind than the pretense that you are building on the right foundation and that God accepts your works, when in reality you are working out many things according to worldly policy and are sinning against Jehovah?...'
"Who can truthfully say, `Our gold is tried in the fire; our garments are unspotted by the world?' I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath. Then He (Christ) said to me: `Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? "How is the faithful city become an harlot!" My Father's house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed!...'
"Unless the church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until she shall abhor herself. When she resists the evil and chooses the good, when she seeks God with all humility and reaches her high calling in Christ, standing on the platform of eternal truth and by faith laying hold upon the attainments prepared for her, she will be healed. She will appear in her God-given simplicity and purity, separate from earthly entanglements, showing that the truth has made her free indeed. Then her members will indeed be the chosen of God, His representatives." Manuscript 32, 1903 (edited version in Testimonies, vol 8, p 247-51).
In 1903 Jesus Himself unerringly pronounced the SDA church and its organizational structure to be an harlot of Babylon! But He did NOT pronounce the SDA church to be Babylon fallen at this time! The SDA church still had a merciful chance to repent and come away from her harlotry! So many of our people confuse this issue in their minds. A church must first become Babylon before she can become Babylon fallen!
Remember, the Protestant churches were Babylon "at the proclamation of the first angel's message" (Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 239), which started about 1840. But these churches were not declared to be Babylon fallen until the summer of 1844 (see Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 232)! So for a number of years these churches were an harlot of Babylon, with the chance to repent, before they became Babylon fallen.
The first angel's message was given to these Babylonian Protestant churches to try and "separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world" (Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 231). These churches had departed from Christ--their first love, and had united themselves to the world--thus committing adultery and becoming an harlot of Babylon. But God, in His infinite mercy, sent them warnings and messages and a period of probationary time to repent of their great sin and to come back to His side. He allowed them a precious period of probation in which to either accept or reject His offer.
The Protestant churches did not accept the heavenly messages to repent and break their union with the world. By their fruits and actions they showed that they rejected these messages, and continued to grow worse in apostasy and rebellion against God. And in the summer of 1844, they were denounced as being Babylon fallen. And now this same history is seen repeating itself in the experience of the SDA church!
The SDA church has already united herself with the world, and has been denounced by Jesus as an harlot of Babylon in 1903, but not Babylon fallen. God mercifully held out and granted to the SDA church a precious period of probationary time to repent of this great sin, and not be rejected of God and denounced as Babylon fallen. This merciful probationary period was seen to be held open to the SDA church throughout the rest of Sister White's lifetime. She continued to send messages which were designed to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influences of the world--bringing them back solely to Jesus. This is the reason why Sister White did not leave or resign her membership from the SDA church, because the probation of the church was not yet closed! The church still had a chance to repent from being an harlot of Babylon by breaking away from the world and coming back to the side of Jesus--becoming His remnant church and bride once again.
But the great question that must be asked today is: "Has the SDA church repented? Have they broken up their marriage and love affair with the world to come back to the side of Christ? Or have they rejected their chance to repent, and used their probationary time in continuing to grow worse in apostasy and rebellion against God and His truths ever since Sister White's death? Has the SDA church become Babylon fallen?"
How can we know for certain what the answer to this important question is? What has history already revealed? How did the Protestant people know that their church had passed the boundary of God's mercy and had become Babylon fallen? They had no "Thus saith the Lord" which plainly told them in these very words: "The Protestant churches are now Babylon fallen, come out." So how did God's true people know that their church had become Babylon fallen and that it was time to separate and give the message?
God's true people spent hours of earnest agonizing prayer, coupled with intense study, to know what His will and truth was. They were enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and they examined the fruits being produced and exhibited by their church. This is exactly what God's people are to do today!
There will be no "Thus saith the Lord" which plainly states in these words: "The Seventh-day Adventist church is now Babylon fallen, come out." Then how do SDA's know for themselves if their church has become Babylon fallen or not? It will be only by earnest prayer for God to open their eyes and grant them His clear discernment; by their careful unbiased study of the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy; by the enlightenment of God's Holy Spirit in their opened minds; and by their examination of the fruits which are being produced by the SDA church of today--not the SDA church 80 years ago.
FRUITS DO NOT LIE! They are but the true outworking and evidence of what is already in the heart by choice! Christ has plainly told us this.
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matthew 7:16-20.
If the SDA church is producing only good fruits, then she has repented of her harlotry and is the bride of Christ once again. But if the SDA church is producing fruits of evil, then she has not repented but has continued on in impenitence and has rejected God's merciful plea to come back to Him.
Your honest and unbiased examination of the fruits produced by the SDA church will plainly reveal that this harlot church has continued on in her adulterous love affair with the world and its king Satan--ever since 1903, but especially after Sister White's death in 1915! Sister White even warned us that this would occur!
"I am charged to tell our people, that do not realize, that the devil has device after device, and he carries them out in ways that they do not expect. Satan's agencies will invent ways to make sinners out of saints.
"I tell you now, that when I am laid to rest, great changes will take place....I want the people to know that I warned them fully before my death." Manuscript 1, Feb 24, 1915.
There has been over 95 years of "great changes" and continuous growing apostasy and rejection of God and His truths by the SDA church ever since 1903, and the church continues to grow worse as time goes along! The churches of Protestantism had only 4 years of the same before their probation closed corporately and they became Babylon fallen. So has this history also occurred with the SDA church? Is the probation of the SDA church closed corporately, and has the SDA church become Babylon fallen?
This is the ultimate question that is now facing every SDA church member; and all must decide for themselves if this is true or not. None can decide for us. We cannot trust in any of the words of men. We must decide this question for ourselves. And our decision, either for or against, will be wrought with eternal results.
As this is true, how can we know for certain and for ourselves if the SDA church is still God's conditional remnant church of Revelation 12:17, or if she is Babylon fallen of Revelation 18 today?
The unerring guide from the very lips of our Saviour is:
"BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM."
MINISTRY NEWS
Since our last Newsletter, many great and glorious things have occurred!
The Lord our God--through His self-sacrificing people--has been so gracious to this Ministry! We now have a Mission House established in Togo! It is called "The Christian Sabbath Herald--A Mission House of `Let There Be Light' Ministries." This Mission House will grant the work in West Africa a firm base to operate from in order to further the spread of truth--not only to our French brethren, but throughout Africa, as our full-time minister/worker there understands and speaks several different languages. It will also serve as a Home Church, a training center for further workers, a translation center, etc.
To help our full-time minister/worker in Togo in his outreach, we have mailed the 3 volume set of the Spirit of Prophecy to help him in preaching and teaching the full truth. Many Adventists, when confronted with the Present Truth message of separation from the corrupt church, will only believe it if they can read the Spirit of Prophecy quotes themselves. Now our worker will be able to let them read it for themselves.
We have also mailed off to Togo 7 full boxes of Present Truth booklets, and plan to continue to send more as funds allow. In his evangelistic outreach to non-SDA's, we have also purchased and mailed him 400 French Steps to Christ, 300 French Great Controversy, and have ordered many French Bibles. We have also mailed other French Spirit of Prophecy books to help our SDA brethren understand the truth more fully.
Our worker in Togo has also been busy translating our booklets into French. He recently sent us the translation of our booklet on The Will, and is already translating others. Within the next few weeks, we will begin printing several thousand copies of The Will in French and shipping them to him for distribution.
Please keep our Togo Mission work in your continuing prayers--especially for God to wonderfully bless and multiply the spreading of His last message of mercy throughout West Africa.
We have not only been busy with our Mission work in Togo, but have also been busy with our Mission work in Kenya. The Lord has allowed us to sponsor two more full-time minister/workers in Kenya. Both of these minister/workers are also involved in the Medical Missionary work, and one has been involved in it since 1989. These workers are in close connection with our other full-time minister/worker in Kenya, and thus they have become a close knit team which have been busy spreading the full gospel truth into other areas in Kenya.
We recently mailed our Kenyan workers another full box of Present Truth materials, and will continue to send more as funds allow. We have also mailed each worker his own personal KJV Study Bible and 3 volume set of Spirit of Prophecy books. Thus it will be much easier to carry along and read directly from these Spirit of Prophecy volumes, instead of having to read the quotation from compiled papers, or having to carry around many of the individual books.
The Lord also allowed us to purchase our Kenyan workers a portable generator so that they can have electricity to more easily operate evangelistic meetings, as well as Camp-meetings for the separated brethren. Now they can hold meetings in the cool of the night, in addition to the day time. We have also mailed off thousands of tracts to pass out for their evangelistic outreach to non-SDA's.
Please also keep our Kenya Mission work in your continuing prayers, and that God will wonderfully bless and multiply the seeds sown so an abundant harvest can be reaped throughout East Africa.
We have also been impressed that we need to reach out in a greater and more cost-effective way to non-SDA's. We currently have 1 book, 2 booklets, and 5 different one page (front and back) tracts for non-SDA's dealing with the main truths of our blessed message. The book is: "To Be God of One World--The French Revolution Globalized". The 2 booklets are: "The Glorious Everlasting Gospel" and "Jeremiah--The Message Then is the Message Now". The 5 tracts cover the truths on: "The Three Angels' Messages", "The Seal of God versus the Mark of the Beast", "The 10 Commandments and the Sabbath", "The Truth About Hell", and "100 Facts on the Sabbath Question". To produce another book would be expensive and time consuming. To produce another booklet would be better than a book. But to produce or reprint a tract would be best in both time and money. Thus we see the need to expand our evangelistic outreach in the area of inexpensive tracts.
We are already in full swing getting ready to print up several one page (front and back) tracts for non-SDA's which deal with other truths in our wonderful Advent message. We are currently involved with 4 tracts dealing with Repentance, Origin of Sin, God's Love For Sinners, and the Bible. We are already looking towards printing other tracts as well, with the goal of having our entire Advent message available in tract form.
Not only are we going to be sending these tracts worldwide, but will especially be making these tracts available for our people to easily order, pass out, and help to inexpensively evangelize their portion of the world. At only 8 cents a piece, hundreds and thousands can be ordered and easily spread around to souls starving for truth at just a fraction of what it would cost for the same amount of books or even booklets to pass out!
Although the dates are not yet finalized, brother and sister Cain of Warning! Last Call Ministries, along with this Ministry, are planning on having a joint Camp-meeting in Northern California sometime in the month of August or September. We both felt that it would be better to alert our brethren now so that they can begin to prepare to come and enjoy the sweet fellowship with the Godhead and their fellow separated brethren. For more information, please contact brother and sister Cain.
This Ministry has reached a blessed, but unbelievable milestone in the present truth printing work! We started adding up all the pages of present truth filled books and booklets which we have produced since 1986 (not counting all the tracts, and unbound compilations we offer), and realized that we had just crossed over the 5,000,000 mark! That's right, over 5 million pages of present truth literature have been produced! God has definitely worked a mighty miracle! It is truly humbling to realize that God has used this Ministry for these past 12 years in so richly blessing us with the honor of working with Him in publishing and spreading His precious truth far and wide. And with God's continued blessings, and with your continued prayers and support, we are on our way to surpassing the 6,000,000 page mark! (We are currently at 5,451,750 present truth pages.)
Dear brothers and sisters, we GREATLY APPRECIATE all the prayers, letters, and support which this Ministry has received from our beloved separated brethren. And a special thanks is extended to a dear couple and Home Church for their recent gracious gifts! It thrills our hearts to be in connection with brethren who have the cause of God in their hearts and a ready willingness to sacrifice in order to further its success and urge forward the final triumph of God's kingdom of righteousness in this earth. Yet, there is still need for more money to print, mail and distribute present truth materials--not just in America, but around the world. And there will never be a better time to spread these materials than NOW! Please consider giving more for the cause of God, not just in means, but especially in your time and self-sacrificing efforts to spread the present truth yourselves. May our God help His people to arise and shine for Him in living and especially spreading His present truth message of salvation from sin and sinners while you have the time and freedom to do so. Soon the night will be here when no one can work--and the sun is already beginning to set!
TO OUR READERS AND DONORS: "Let There Be Light" Ministries is not concerned with using your prayers and donations to build itself into a kingdom, but is concerned with getting the present truth into the hands of the common people quickly, effectively, and wisely. Instead of working towards acquiring expensive video and T.V. production equipment or satellite or shortwave facilities for outreach purposes, we would rather use the Lord's money in supporting many full-time ministers and workers around the world who have proven themselves to be reliable and stable. With their monthly support and present truth materials supplied, these ministers and workers then have the ability to more effectively establish our people in the present truth, and spread the truth--personally carrying it into the very homes of those who sit in darkness. This is how the Loud Cry will be spread, and is now being spread! If the Lord so impresses you to help in this worthy endeavor, your donations will be greatly appreciated--not just by this Ministry, but many others as well! MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU!
QUOTABLES
L "Forget not that humility is the door that leads to the rich supplies of the grace of God." John Matteson.
L "It is impossible for you to be strong until you take a decided stand for the truth." Testimonies, vol 1, p 545.
L "...religion is a practical, saving energy, a principle wholly from God, a personal experience of God's renewing power upon the soul." Sketches from the Life of Paul, p 276.
L "When tempted to become unbelieving and discouraged, you will find the very best cure for this in talking faith to others, and in presenting the truth to those who are in darkness." Signs of the Times, September 4, 1879 (vol 1, p 107).
MINISTRY NEEDS
"Let There Be Light" Ministries is devoted to the spreading of the full present truth gospel message worldwide, and has been doing so since 1986. This Ministry has monthly operating expenses covering the areas of printing, publishing, and writing of present truth books, booklets, tracts, and other literature; video and audio taping, production, and distribution; supporting several full-time foreign ministers/workers; mail order--both domestic and foreign; traveling to hold meetings--both locally, nationally, and internationally; answering correspondence and questions regarding the message of truth; ongoing National and International Bible studies--both personal and Correspondence Course; sending free present truth literature to contacts in many poor Countries; etc.
The Lord's blessings and guidance, along with your gracious prayers and support, is greatly appreciated and needed. Without such, this Ministry could not continue to reach out worldwide with the precious message of Revelation 14:6-12 & 18:1-5.
May our God and Saviour continue to lead and guide all those who have helped this Ministry reach out to 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!
GENERAL FOREIGN MISSION WORK NEEDS
We are currently supporting 7 full time ministers/workers in 3 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 adequately 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 vital area is greatly appreciated.
We are also investigating other full-time ministers and workers whom we are praying over and considering for support. These potential workers are from 6 different Countries. 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 and visit the interests in their homes, and spread the printed truth translated into the language of the common people!
If God so impresses your heart, please help us to continue supporting our current full-time ministers/workers, supplying enough for Evangelism, and the supporting of other foreign workers, so that the spreading of the truth can lighten this dark world with the glory of God.
SPECIFIC FOREIGN MISSION WORK NEEDS
TOGO, West Africa:
A Mission House for home church meetings, training workers, and teaching present truth--$1800 a year. THIS NEED HAS BEEN MET, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!
Bibles and Spirit of Prophecy books in French. PARTIALLY MET, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!
Printing and mailing expenses for several boxes of booklets, including booklets translated into French.
A small tent to live in while visiting and speaking in the many small villages.
A fax machine for quicker communication purposes.
PHILIPPINE Islands:
Printing expenses--currently at $200 each month.
Workers travel expenses for meetings--currently at $200 each month total.
A good vehicle for transportation of workers and materials--$6,000-$10,000.
KENYA, East Africa:
Printing and mailing expenses for many boxes of booklets and tracts, including translation into Kiswahili.
Portable generator for PA system for evangelistic meetings--$607. THIS NEED HAS BEEN MET, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!
Please be sure to ear-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.
LETTERS to "LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries
Dear brother,
Many thanks, for the Newsletter I have just received. The message about temptation is wonderful and thus it has pushed me heavenward (the R.P.S.R.) Recognize, Pray, Submit and Resist....
I was an active member of the Nairobi Adventist Youth Organization (NAYO) when I was in the S.D.A. Denomination. Many of the youth that knew me are now looking for me and asking why I haven't been attending their meetings. Thus I have had opportunities to tell them my stand....
Many know nothing about the church's history and they get surprised at the teaching and requirements of God. Please keep praying for them.
Pass my warm greetings to the people of the Lord. Tell them that I'm praying for them always. Once again lots of thanks.
May the good Lord bless and keep you.
Your Sister, V.A., Kenya, East Africa
I just finished reading the booklet Abomination of Desolation Stands. I must say I am a bit bewildered by all of this. It is the first time I have heard this message and I have been a member of the S.D.A. Church for about seven years. Please send me the testimonies and scriptures you have put together on The Sabbath vs. Sunday in the SDA Church and any other material or information you may have on these subjects.
In Jesus, C.O., TX
Dear loved ones,
We wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much your Ministry has meant to us. Your love, prayers and concern for us. Keep preaching the truth, like you do, and God will continue to bless you and keep you in His care.
Your Newsletters and videos, notes, and prayers have all been an uplift to both of us and our Home Church. Keep the good work up. Jesus is coming soon and the alarm must be given....
May God bless you and your family and lead you in His work that He has for you to do.
Love and prayers, C. & L., AZ
Dear Brother Bob,
Praise be to the Lord God of heaven for the marvelous Christ-centered message of the truth that will set men free! I am greatly encouraged by the January/February Newsletter...
For anyone who has not read To Be God of One World, I would like to encourage them to do so. I read it in one night, I couldn't put it down. It is an honor and a privilege to be privy to the enemy's plans. So far I have given out over 50 copies to believers and non-believers alike, wherever the Lord sends me. I'm a literature evangelist at heart.
May God multiply His seed through our devoted work to our Saviour and King, Jesus Christ, the Worthy! Bless His holy Name!
In His service, B. & N.A., PA
Dear Bob,
Thank you so much for the wonderful Newsletter. You have done a great job on the study about temptation. May God continue to guide and bless you.
J.J., CA
Dear Bob and family,
Thanks for your long-awaited letter. It was good hearing from you. I'm glad you are very busy. It shows you're making progress....
Thank you very much for sending us your videos. I am trying to dub as many as possible and share them with others. Thanks also for the cassettes. I'll dub them too and pass them on. One gets discouraged with the lack of response from friends to whom I send them. But that is the way things are...
God bless you in your work.
Christian greetings, E. & D., South Africa
CORRESPONDENCE FROM OUR FOREIGN FULL-TIME WORKERS
FROM EAST AFRICA
Dear brother Sessler,
Thank you for your letter of March which I received about three weeks ago. I apologize for delaying this three weeks to reply because I was very much committed and here in Kenya, there are other places where you cannot get any means of sending a letter due to primitivity....
We had a successful Camp-[meeting] where...there were nine people baptized and two left to study to be ready for baptism....
Please may I let you know that my main aim is to spread the message of separation from apostasy and a complete revival and reformation of life for the days are evil. It is not your support which has made me a full time worker. I have been a full time worker in the gospel and medical work since 1989. I said with Paul, woe is me if I preach not the gospel, and since then I decided to work for the Lord and not to turn back because of poverty. If I were to sell my faith for support, I would have been now a pastor in SDA, but I withdrew from college since 89....
We need more workers in the Ministry...Our tithes are supporting one worker in _____ and one in _____ ...
May God bless and help you in the work.
Your brother, O.G., Kenya, East Africa
FROM WEST AFRICA
Dear Elder and friend,
I received your fax this day...The funds you've just sent in [for the Mission House] will certainly help a concrete organization to shed "Light" in the subregion. I am gladly expecting the arrival of the boxes of booklets you mailed.
I was in Lagos on the 18 and 19 March. Lagos is the capital city of Nigeria. It is the most populous city in West Africa, 12 millions people. Nigeria is the giant of Africa with about 150 millions people. I think S.D.A. in Nigeria can approach half a million or even more. English is the official language....
THE MISSION HOUSE: The name "THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH HERALD" was chosen because of my strong desire to make the Sabbath known in the subregion....How do you find this? Let me know please....
S.D.A. church members here know little of our true doctrine. There is the need to share this books [SOP] in great quantity among them. Then they can read and understand what we are saying about Apostasy in the church.
Please, I urgently need the following books in great quantity: "EARLY WRITINGS" "SELECTED MESSAGES 1 & 2", "DESIRE OF AGES", "PROPHETS AND KINGS", "CHRIST'S OBJECT LESSONS", "ACTS OF APOSTLES", "THE GREAT CONTROVERSY"....Please make haste to send me these books in good quantity. They will help to understand the booklets you are publishing, both in French and English. And also Bibles. The S.D.A. church is boiling up. Please haste...
S.C., Togo, West Africa
FROM THE PHILIPPINES
Dear Bro. Bob,
2 Cor 9:15
I am very grateful for the books and support I received from your ministry...
After a month of travel...I have a lot to inform you about our labor...By the way, before we left, a day before our departure a couple from the Protestant church accepted Christ as their Saviour through baptism. This was done after a long observation.
We started our journey with five other companions as an advance team to inform the brethren of the coming establishment of Gospel Order in that area....Arriving at _____ our brethren welcomed us very warmly. When they were informed of the coming establishment of Gospel Order they were very happy and made preparation at once. When we left _____, we passed _____ Island...and finding our brother in the faith, we stayed with him for two nights. He showed us every thing you sent to him. He is the only Present Truth believer in that Island.....When the date of the meeting came, we thank God that all that we have visited and invited had representations in the meeting. As a result of the meeting we were very grateful to God for His guidance that Gospel Order is now established in the Philippines as a whole, and we pray that with this attained unity among believers, Satan's attack will be met with concerted action on the part of all (AA 96) and with the establishment of Gospel Order "the door at which the enemy comes in to perplex and trouble the flock can be shut" (EW 100)....
May God bless you and your ministry and each and every one who in one way or another have supported the work here in the Philippines.
Yours in Christ, S.G., Philippines
(Highlights of several faxed letters from the same worker) Dear Bob,
3SM 200
I had been away from home for almost a month. Thank God I'm home again. Our council meeting...goes along smoothly....It is one thing to know and learn the process and theory of Gospel Order. It is another thing to implement and practice it. [PP 324-26 quoted]....
In UL 131 it says, "But if these in turn do not purify their lives from every wrong action, if they do not establish pure and holy principles in all their borders, then the Lord will grievously afflict and humble them and, unless they repent, will remove them from their place and make them a reproach."
The question is, How can a home church establish a pure and holy principles in all their borders when that church doesn't even know where is the border line? Who are those people beyond that border line? And who are with them within that border line? I think we must learn the lessons of history before its too late. May God give us more grace to bravely and fearlessly establish this holy principles. God forbid, that He will afflict us, humble us, remove us from our place and make us a reproach....
Its been a hard battle that we have experience especially in repairing the damage that the former [Independent] Missionaries has done in planting misconceptions, false doctrines, excitement, and fanaticism in the minds of the brethren. But by God's grace and power, all these things were uprooted, and all the brethren decided to flee to God's word and be established in Gospel Order. We went home very happy, giving all the glory to God for His mighty power in helping us to answer Christ's prayer in John 17, that all of us may be one, even as Christ and His Father are one....
Our publishing Ministry...has really shaken the SDA hierarchy. In fact, letters are coming now from every direction to know more about this Ministry....
We are very busy printing tracts and also Bible Correspondence Course. Thousands of these we will send to Luzon, to Marikina, to Bicol, to Palawan and to Pasig. We are also preparing for the youth meeting...and the council and camp-meeting...We are expecting many visitors from Luzon and Visayas in this yearly gathering....
We have also an appointment in _______ right after the camp-meeting. This is now the result of the Gospel Order established in Visayas. This group were confused by the teachings of the Steps To Life [Ministry] through their local organization [called] Historic Seventh-day Adventist. But praise God that they are still open and invites us to speak....
Our first priority now is to enter those unentered territories through the distribution of tracts and pamphlets...May the Almighty God sustain us in this great work of spreading the Gospel....
Always in Jesus, R.S., Philippines
"LET THERE BE LIGHT" MINISTRIES
VIDEO TAPED SERMON FOR THE MONTH
MAY, 1998
"THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PARABLES of CHRIST"
Part 1--Caught Unprepared
M Understand why the parable in Matthew 25:1-13 will be repeated to the very letter today!
M Learn how to avoid being caught unprepared and escape this terrible denunciation by Christ: "I know you not."
M Discover what made the difference between the wise and foolish virgins--it was more than just the lack of oil between them!
M Can salvation be attained without obeying the mid-night cry message? Find out what the startling answer is.
M All of the above, plus much more, will be found in this recorded sermon.
"THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PARABLES of CHRIST"
Part 1--Caught Unprepared
(All prices are suggested donations)
L 1 video--$15.00
L 1 audio cassette--$3.00
--Please send your order to:
"Let There Be Light" Ministries
PO Box 328
Rogue River, OR 97537-0328
NOTE: Foreign orders please specify if need PAL recorded videos
"LET THERE BE LIGHT" MINISTRIES
VIDEO TAPED SERMON FOR THE MONTH
JUNE, 1998
"THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PARABLES of CHRIST"
Part 2--Passed By and Lost
M Comprehend the startling meaning of the wheat and tare parable. Who does it represent today? Why is there so much misunderstanding and confusion over this parable?
M Understand the meaning of the harvest and the sifting of the wheat. Are these describing the same process, or do they represent something different.
M Find out the time when the harvest takes place. It is nearer than most think!
M Learn how to avoid being passed by and lost, and discover how to be secured in the heavenly garner.
M All of the above, plus much more, will be found in this recorded sermon.
"THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PARABLES of CHRIST"
Part 2--Passed By and Lost
(All prices are suggested donations)
L 1 video--$15.00
L 2 audio cassettes--$6.00
--Please send your order to:
"Let There Be Light" Ministries
PO Box 328
Rogue River, OR 97537-0328
NOTE: Foreign orders please specify if need PAL recorded videos
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