PRISONERS OF December 2007

HOPE
EDITORIAL..BROTHER N. NKOMO

Firstly, thanks a lot for all the feedback that we have received about the magazine and also for the contributions
received from various people - we continue to welcome both articles and feedback.

My soul has been much troubled over the last few weeks as I have mulled over an event which occurred over the last
month. In the ordinary course of things, I would have read about the event, thought about it briefly, and then carried
on with my life as though the event never happened. However, this time, my brain was struck as by a thunderbolt
and I found myself scrutinizing my soul as to find out how it is that I have become the way I am.

If you are anything like me, then Cyclone Sidr, which crashed into Bangladesh during the last month, leaving a trail
of destruction and loss of life in its wake, is already a distant memory. If you are anything like me then that tragic
loss of thousands of lives due to heavy downpours and flooding is filed away somewhere in the recesses of your
mind where you are unlikely to retrieve it in the near future. If you are anything like me, then the million plus people
that were left homeless are but a meaningless figure which you have not thought about since you either read or heard
them on the news.

I understand that many thousands of people are dying around the world, I understand that I cannot possibly know
about all them, I understand that there is nothing I can do to stop much of the suffering, BUT, I found myself asking
the question, has my love grown cold to those around me that are not the nearest and dearest to me? Does hearing of
the death of someone that is a stranger to you touch your heart at all? Or have you become so used to the wages of
sin that that you no longer understand nor are able to empathize with others. Does the knowledge that millions of
people in a distant land have been rendered homeless by flooding register in your brain or have we seen so much
suffering around us that it is just another statistic? I asked myself some questions and I ask you the same, “Did you
once pray for the families that were affected by the flood? If you did, after the initial prayer, did you ever subse-
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
quently plead on their behalf that the Comforter soothe the aching hearts of the relatives and that He fill the void left
by the loss of their loved ones with His Spirit, and that he provide sustenance, shelter and apparel for their temporal Editorial ..................................... ……1
needs? Did you once consider that of the thousands that perished most of them had probably not heard the good Easier Said Than Done .............. .….2
news that Christ died for them? If you did, did you then commit yourself to ensuring that our life-giving message is A Few of my Favourite Things….....3
able to be taken to all the world?” Ultimately, did you weep with them that weep?
Love That Seeketh Not Her Own...5

The magnitude of these losses due to upheavals of the elements will only increase as time rapidly draws to a close Tricks of The Devil ..................... …..6

but we should never take the loss of life for granted. The enormity of the displacement of individuals due to strife Lift Up Your Heads………………..…...7
and the groaning of nature will continue to multiply as Christ readies Himself to descend on the clouds of glory but Contact Details ........................... …..8
we should never cease to have compassion for those affected. It is easy to be disengaged from the pain and suffering
of those that we do not know, but is that the response of true Christians? Should we not, aside from putting our
faith into tangible actions perhaps be engaged in more intercessory prayer?

Jesus truly is coming soon! Of this I have no doubt. The fear that I have is that many of us either do not believe in
the imminence of His coming; or our words are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals we do not live as though we
believe that which we profess. With the constant bombardment of our senses with images of death we need to pray
earnestly that the Holy Spirit gives us strength to not allow our love for others to grow cold. With the incessant bar-
rage into the avenues of our souls of scenes of the destruction and devastation of the world around us, we ought to
constantly seek God‟s face and plead for strength to keep the command to “Love thy neighbor as thyself” in the true
spirit that it was intended.

Jesus spoke these words and they are true “And, because of the multiplication of lawlessness, the love of many shall
be cooling. Yet he who endures to the consummation, he shall be saved.” My humble prayer for all of us is that we
may not be found amongst the many whose love shall wax cold.
 EASIER SAID THAN DONE...BY SISTER T. NKOMO
To every father and mother is committed a little plot of
ground before their own door. It is their work to clear it
from noxious weeds, and to mellow the soil that the pre-
cious seed may take root and flourish there. To do their
work faithfully will be far more pleasing to God than to go
on a mission to some foreign land, leaving the home field
neglected. The work of Christian ministers and parents,
should begin with their own children. Present to the church
and to the world a well-disciplined family, and you present
one of the strongest arguments in favor of Christianity.
1881MS, p. 126
Unless God has shown you otherwise, or unless circum-
stances do not allow it, mother, your place is truly in the
home. Titus 2:3-5
states “The aged
women likewise, that
they be in behaviour
as becometh holiness,
not false accusers, not
given to much wine,
teachers of good
things; That they may
teach the young
women to be sober, to
love their husbands, to
love their children,
To be discreet, chaste,
keepers at home,
good, obedient to their
own husbands, that
the word of God be
not blasphemed.” The greek word oikouros, translated
“keepers at home” in the KJV is defined by Strong‟s as “a
stayer at home, i.e. domestically inclined (a "good house-
keeper"):--keeper at home.” Therefore the apostle is saying
that a woman is meant to be in the house, in the home,…
Not out in the office-unless circumstances truly do not al-
low eg. husband not working, husband unable to support the
family, or widowed. This little- quoted Bible verse goes
against everything that the feminists have fought for. But it
was God who said it…So it is our challenge to conform as
much as possible to His principles, rather than to man‟s.
God, through the pen of Inspiration further states “Parents
are responsible for the salvation of their children. For the
first ten years of
Mothers—DO a child's life, it
should be kept
NOT LET YOUR- in the home
SELVES GO!!! school, with the
father and
mother as guardians and teachers. [Cf: 7MR13.02] p. 62,
Para. 4,[1901MS]. Once more, this goes against what soci-
ety teaches. These days it‟s the norm to send your child to
school or crèche as soon as possible, leaving the major in-
fluence over our children, to be that of (mainly) un Chris-
tian teachers, leaving them to raise our children, and not
ourselves as parents. A normal working day leaves you with
just 2 or so hours with your child before bedtime, the bulk
of your child‟s time being spent with other children, other
adults who most probably do not share your lifestyle, do not
have your principles and do not love your child as much as
you do. No wonder God leaves the responsibility of training
these children with us, loving Christian parents.
The first years are the most important. This is when the
child is learning to talk, learning to think for himself, learn-
ing what is right and what is wrong. And we as parents are
expected to train up a child
to follow God. The crèche
does not do that. Moses
was a type of Jesus. He
learnt at his mother‟s
school. He became a great
leader because Jochebed
did not neglect to “Train up
a child in the way he
should go: and when he is
old, he will not depart from
it.” ( Prov 22:6) Jesus had
the option of attending the
rabbinical schools, but in-
stead our Great Example
was taught by His loving
mother. We owe it to our
children to also give them
as strong a foundation as possible, for we know that not
only do they meet error outside in the secular world, but in
the church too. Those first few years, as shown by SOP and
even secular studies, are critically important.
“Parents, the Lord has shown me that if you wish to save
your children, separate them from the world, keep them
from other wicked children. Subdue their tempers and evil
passions; teach them to obey you, then they can more easily
obey the commandments of God. After you have done your
duty, carry your children to God and plead His blessing
upon them, and He that said, "Suffer little children to come
unto Me and forbid them not," will be ready to listen to
your prayers for them, and the seal or mark of the believing
parents will cover the children if they are brought up right.
1845MS p.1
The task that mothers have is no easy one. Training a child
from infancy to love and obey its parents and God, is one
that requires prayer for wisdom and guidance, and strength.
The mother‟s work is for time and eternity, she must not fee
that because she is not bringing in an income she is not an
equal member in the household. Without her hard work,

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toiling from sunrise till after sunset, the family would be lost. that the mother should not dress like she wants to scare the
Mothers have to ensure the food is cooked, the children crows from a
dressed, the family‟s food prepared in a tasteful manner, and to cornfield. That
not only cultivate and stimulate her children‟s mind, but her is, the mother
own as well. The mother is expected to not only ensure the should try to
housework is done, but that she has also taught her children look neat and
precious Bible lessons. (While also making sure that her hus- clean at all
band is not neglected) times, especially
for her children.
We come to another aspect that I personally found hard to fol- She also noted
low- at first! When you have to deal with young babies who that women tend
spend their time pooping in their nappies, sneezing with their to dress up only
mouths full of food, coughing, vomiting their food or milk, it is if expecting visi-
very hard to keep clean and tidy. Especially when coupled with tors, and she
other housewifely duties. But God does go into minute details urges women to
when it comes to the practicalities of mothering, and somehow, remember that the most important people in their lives are their
it does end up happening. He reminds us that while caring for own children and husbands. She asks “Is not the esteem and
the spiritual health of the family, physical health should not be love of husband and children more to be prized than that of
neglected. Temperance is required in all spheres. And not only strangers, or common friends? The happiness of husband and
physical health, but physical appearance is also important. The children should be sacred to every wife and mother above all
children should wear clean clothing, daddy should not leave others. But with a lot of timing and planning (a shower 5 min-
the home with a dirty shirt on, but also, mothers- DO NOT utes before daddy gets home from work is a suggestion!) it is
LET YOURSELVES GO! God tells us through Ellen White possible to get tidy and clean! Cont….p5

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS (MEAT PART 1)…..BY SISTER K. VENA
I remember a time, not too long ago when a plate of perfectly
good food seemed not so perfect but rather incomplete with-
out a piece, or two, of meat on it. I remember how it was to
bite into a slaughtered chicken‟s deep fried, crumbed drum-
stick or thigh and think to myself hmmmmm, “finger lickin
good!” And indeed it was. I used to love going to a good old
South African braai knowing that my taste buds would get
exactly what they anticipated – meat, meat and more meat.
After all, what would a braai be without meat? Since the Lord
tain it as such.
God, through His love for us, not only designed us, but also
designed a specific diet that is fitted for us. If this is so, what
happened to us? What is this diet and why aren‟t we follow-
ing it? Let‟s find out:
God gave our first parents the food he designed that the race
should eat. It was contrary to his plan to have the life of any
creature taken. There was to be no death in Eden. The fruit of
the trees in the garden was the food man's wants required.
God gave man no permission to eat animal food until after
the flood. Every thing had been destroyed upon which man
could subsist, and therefore the Lord in their necessity gave
Noah permission to eat of the clean animals, which he had
taken with him into the ark. But animal food was not the most
healthy article of food for man. 4aSG p120

The people who lived before the flood ate animal food, and
gratified their lusts until their cup of iniquity was full, and
God cleansed the earth of its moral pollution by a flood. Then
the third dreadful curse rested upon the earth. The first curse
was pronounced upon the posterity of Adam and upon the
has shown me the Health Message, the right hand of the Gos- earth, because of disobedience. The second curse came upon
pel, I have left meat, and never looked back and I thank and the ground after Cain slew his brother Abel. The third most
praise God for that. I didn‟t stop eating meat because I didn‟t dreadful curse from God came upon the earth at the flood.
enjoy it. I did enjoy it, thoroughly so at that. It was a choice. 4aSG p121
A choice that God helped me to make, to fulfill and to main-

3
After the flood the people ate largely of animal food. God saw be examples to us that we may not follow in those same footsteps
that the ways of man were corrupt, and that he was disposed to of their rebellion against God. In the wilderness God provided
ex- the Israelites with no flesh meats at all because “He knew that
alt the use of this diet would create disease and insubordination. In
order to modify the disposition, and bring higher powers of the
mind into active exercise, He removed from them the flesh of
dead animals. He gave them angels‟ food, manna from heaven.”
MS p38.
But the Israelites murmured to the extent that God granted them
the satisfaction of their lusts, He granted them the meat that they
cried for. And the results? Death! The Bible says “And while the
flesh was yet between their teeth, the wrath of the Lord was kin-
dled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a
very great plague.”
God wishes above all things that we would prosper and be in
health. He is calling us back to Him, back to His way of life.
Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us
himself proudly against his Creator, and to follow the inclina- back, step by step, to His original design, - that man should sub-
tions of his own heart. And he permitted that long-lived race to sist upon the natural products of the earth. CH p450 Vegetables,
eat animal food to shorten their sinful lives. Soon after the flood fruits, and grains should compose our diet. Not an ounce of flesh
the race began to rapidly decrease in size, and in length of years. meat should enter our stomachs. The eating of flesh is unnatural.
4aSG p121 We are to return to God‟s original purpose in the creation of
We read from Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin is death. Sin man. MS 1903 p115.
causes death. When Adam and Eve sinned Adam had to slaugh-
ter a sheep in order to atone for their sin. Death had to occur for
their sin. God never intended for the life of any creature to be
taken away, and that includes the life of animals. Eating meat is
not merely about eating meat. It is about disobedience. To dis-
obey the laws that God has given us on health is the same as to
disobey His moral law – The Ten Commandments.
We have now seen that “The diet appointed man in the beginning
did not include animal food. Not till after the Flood, when every
green thing on the earth had been destroyed, did man receive
permission to eat flesh.” MH p311
Humans were permitted to eat meat after the flood, but only be-
cause all the vegetation had been destroyed by the flood. God
gave them specific
directions to fol-
He knew that the use of low as to how that
Is it not time that all should aim to dispense with flesh foods?
this diet would create meat should be
How can those who are seeking to become pure, refined, and
disease and insubordi- prepared before
holy, that they may have the companionship of heavenly angels,
entering the body,
nation directions which
continue to use as food anything that has so harmful an effect on
soul and body? How can they take the life of God's creatures that
today are far from
they may consume the flesh as a luxury? Let them, rather, return
being followed should one be eating meat. But God never in-
to the wholesome and delicious food given to man in the begin-
tended humans to continue eating meat. As soon as the land was
ning, and themselves practice, and teach their children to prac-
replenished they were to go back to the original diet as appointed
tice, mercy toward the dumb creatures that God has made and
by God. But they rebelled. The satisfaction obtained through eat-
has placed under our dominion. MH p317
ing meat seemed to them, and to many of us, more important
than obeying God‟s word. Let us go back to Eden and prepare ourselves for our heavenly
dwelling place. There Jesus will be and there will be no more
1 Corinthians 10 briefly illustrates to us the experiences of the
death and neither sorrow…..To be continued
Israelites of old and further tells us that their experiences are to

4
 THAT LOVE THAT SEEKETH NOT HER OWN ...BROTHER H. NDWANDWA
When things don't seem to go my way, and my sorrows are all my own
When I'm blind to all You see for me, in spite of what You've shown
When I would not hear Thy tender voice say, "My child, if thou hadst known."
Then, grant me, Lord, more of Thy love, that seeketh not her own.

When life's beguiling pleasures allure me from Your arms

To seek to please my carnal heart and forget Thy matchless charms
And when I've reached the tearful end of my way, with a past You don't condone;
Still grant me, Lord, more of Thy love, that seeketh not her own.

Lord Jesus, I would be like Thee in character and life

To have a heart in tune with Yours, free from lust and self and strife
Begin Thy work, now, in me, Lord; remove my heart of stone
Give me a heart that loves with love, that seeketh not her own.

Let me rejoice to do Thy will, Thy love to others show

Each day behold Thy lovely face, each day Thy grace to know
That at Thy coming I may stand, at the right hand of Thy throne
With all Thy sheep who have kept Thy love, that seeketh not her own.

FROM p 2…..Only another mother knows how tiring and frus-
trating mothering can be. And to combine that preparing les-
sons (for homeschooling and for normal Bible lessons) requires
great commitment. When that is coupled with cooking, clean-
ing, changing nappies, dealing with colic, unexplained crying
for hours and hours, exercise, taking them outside to play or for
a walk, preparing lunch for husband, blending food for babies,
finding time for personal Bible study, finding appropriate Bible
stories for children, finding good recreation for the family, mix-
ing baby cereal, dealing with sick babies, tidying up then find-
ing the kids have come and upset all the laundry after you have
ironed and folded it…Truly, you need the Lord to keep you
smiling. And don‟t even mention how, unless your husband is a
millionaire, you will never have enough money to last you till
the end of the month. You will need to learn to economise and
go without a lot of things that others take for granted. Take
comfort in the thought that in the earth made new you will
never want for anything. And our King was poorer than you
can imagine while on this earth, even though He owned every
single thing on this planet of ours. When you go through finan-
cial woes and you once again have to put your children‟s needs
ahead of your own and you have to keep re-hemming, re-
sewing your clothing, take heart, Jesus‟ mother also faced the
same plight.
Sadly, we live in a society that under-values those who perform
very necessary duties for little or- in the case of mothers- no
pay. Success is based on material wealth more than on out-
standing principles and moral integrity. More on academic
achievement rather than on upholding God‟s standards in the
face of opposition. But God does not think the way mortal man
does, and though mothers who raise their own children are
looked down upon as „second-rate‟ or less-than, God esteems
them highly. “The mother's work often seems to her an unim-
portant service. It is a work that is rarely appreciated. Others
know little of her many cares and burdens. Her days are occu-
pied with a round of little duties, all calling for patient effort,
for self-control, for tact, wisdom, and self-sacrificing love; yet
she cannot boast of what she has done as any great achieve-
ment.
5
She has only kept things in the home running smoothly; often that no one cared for you or appreciated your efforts.
weary and perplexed, she has tried to speak kindly to the chil- But God has cared, and your loved ones have cared more than
dren, to keep them busy and they have expressed. Sometime you
happy, and to guide the little feet will realize that your labor was not in
in the right path. She feels that Present to the church and to the world vain; and as you have sought to send
she has accomplished nothing. a well-disciplined family, and you forth your children better fitted for
But it is not so. Heavenly angels the Lord‟s work, you will see in the
watch the care-worn mother, not- present one of the strongest argu- kingdom the fruits of your labor. Do
ing the burdens she carries day ments in favor of Christianity not repine, but be patient and hopeful.
by day. Her name may not have God has seen all, heard all, felt all.
been heard in the world, but it is written in the Lamb's book of He has marked down in the book of heaven your labor of faithful-
life.” MH 376, 377 ness.”
It‟s the road less travelled, but so is the narrow way, and we
Is that not the desire of every human being, to be written in the know that it leads to life. I pray that as we ponder these things,
Lamb‟s book of life? Frances M. Wilcox has the following to say that the Holy Spirit will impress upon all mothers the importance
“God remembers you, weary mother. For long years you have that God places on their ministry. As EGW states “A mother‟s
been shut up within four walls, and day after day have labored work is for time and eternity.” May we all perform our God-given
and toiled and prayed for those you loved. You have felt at times duties faithfully.

TRICKS OF THE DEVIL…..BY BROTHER E. PREWITT

‘Baby and bath-water’ trick
This snare has historically been one of the most effective. Mar-
tin Luther was once confronted with a group of men that rec-
ommended ditching the Bible and having direct communica-
tion with the Spirit. They were fanatics from Zwickau. He re-
jected them and their silly ideas. One of their ideas: infant bap-
tism does not count for anything. In
olden days water for bathing was
hauled to the home from the well
and was discarded when all had
taken their bath. “Don‟t throw the
baby out with the bathwater” was a
proverb arising from that era. It il-
lustrated the danger of discarding
something precious in your hurry to
be rid of something repulsive.
Luther threw the metaphorical baby
truth out with the bathwater of false
prophecy. The false logic sounds
like this, “If a weirdo is teaching it,
it must be false.” If we are willing to reject an idea simply be- them by their unfitness for its holiness. A man must be born
cause it comes from a source that spews out error, we are easy again.
prey. All Satan needs to do to dupe us is to have a quack tell us
the truth.
they say. The cause of his failure might be any number of
things. Often one of the other tricks discussed below has led
the offender into a cycle of failure and despondency. Reader,
the fact that God has bothered to start a work in your heart is
evidence enough that He is willing and able to finish it. Have
you grasped the beauty of the cross? Do you understand the
force of the will? Are you certain
you comprehend faith? Keep
searching
God is too kind to condemn good
people trick
This is one of the most shallow of
the tricks. It carries a terrible pre-
supposition about how God sepa-
rates the sheep from the goats. Is it
an arbitrary decision on His part
that excludes men from bliss? Are
unregenerate men condemned be-
cause Jesus was not kind enough to
spare them? Heaven is shut against
The ‘freedom’ trick

‘Gospel can’t work for me’ trick Imagine two zebras in a large corral. Prairie and forest, vale
and rivulet wind through the fenced-in area. One zebra romps
How do you know the gospel doesn‟t work for you? The Bible and trots at pleasure through the open land. The other, ever
didn‟t tell you that. The trick often works this way: A man tries near the barbed wire, circles the corral feeling ever the confin-
the gospel, as he understands it. He does not have the victory ing nature of his prison. Though the same boundaries keep in
he expects. He tries again, harder this time, but falls after a both zebras, one has freedom, and the other bondage. The
short while. His best efforts meet with the same misfortune, irony is that the one looking for freedom is the one that feels
and he eventually concludes that, though it works for others, it the bondage. The young man or young woman that is asking at
just can‟t work for him. The conclusion seems inescapable. every turn “what is wrong with that?” “Why can‟t I go there?”
What else could he believe? The proof is in the pudding, as and other similar questions is pacing the fence. Continued….P8
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 LIFT UP YOUR HEADS..BROTHER N NKOMO
”Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to Malaysia is a majority-Muslim country. Out of a population of
pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” 26 million people, 60 percent are Muslim, 19 percent are Bud-
dhist, 9 percent are Christians and 6 percent are Hindu.
With the flurry of activity in the world, especially on the reli-
gious front, it surely is time that we as Adventists cease to speak
Comment: Sister Ellen under inspiration told us that the last
of the coming of the Lord being in years but in months. Maybe
movements in earths‟ history would be very rapid. There is defi-
only then will we fully realise what it means for us as a people
nitely no way that the ecumenical train can nor will be stopped
and our mission to a dying world. Maybe only then will we begin
by anyone or any religion until the ultimate objective of bringing
to live our lives as though we genuinely believe that we stand on
all faiths to a point where the inhabitants of the earth will be
the cusp of something very special. Maybe only then will we
readied for the final deception of the false coming of Christ when
realise how fortunate we are to live in a day which many a mar-
Satan shall personate our Lord and Saviour.
tyr and patriarch longed to see.
Middle East Watch
All Roads Lead To Rome
News: Israeli and Palestinian leaders have agreed to start talks
News: Talks between Catholic and Orthodox theologians held in aimed at reaching a full peace deal by the end of 2008. Opening
Ravenna, Italy, in October produced a framework for agreement a Middle East peace conference, US President George W Bush
said all outstanding issues dividing the two sides would be on the
about the primacy of the Pope, according to a report in the Italian
daily La Repubblica. table.......Standing before
The 46-paragraph document approved at the Ravenna meeting-- the diplomats from more
which is due for release on November 15-- refers to the Bishop than 40 countries and inter-
of Rome as the "first among the patriarchs," La Repubblica re- national agencies at the US
ported. The document recognizes the historical patriarchates of naval academy at Annapo-
the united Church, in Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and lis, Maryland, President
Jerusalem. Among these, the Ravenna participants agreed, Rome Bush stepped back to allow
has primacy. the Palestinian and Israeli
leaders to shake hands.
Comment: I have not had the opportunity to read through the
Observers say the fact that
full document but I can safely say that the formal recognition ofthe summit is being hosted by the US and has attracted the par-
the “primacy” of the pope is merely confirmation of mainstream ticipation of Saudi Arabia and Syria, two Arab states that do not
Christianities drinking from the same cup as Rome and preparing recognise Israel, is critical to its chances for success.
for the final onslaught on the faithful few that refuse to tow the
Comment: These words are taken from the September edition of
line. this newsletter and it is no co-incidence that soon after the events
we dealt with in that issue that the current meeting is taking
Ecumenical Movement Gathers Pace place. “The month of September saw much activity involving dig-
nitaries from the Middle East heading to the Vatican and I have
News: The top ecumenical-affairs official of the Moscow patriar-
chate has confirmed that the Russian Orthodox Church sees a no doubt that something key will happen in that re-gion soon.
warming trend in relations with Catholics. Below are some excerpts . Given the importance of the region,
"We now have a positive trend; we have moved from a severe especially Jerusalem in Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Islam,
frost to a thaw," said Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk. it is a key region to watch at this late hour. “

News: A Muslim group's recent visit to a Catholic Church in Ma-

laysia is being called a breakthrough in grassroots interreligious
dialogue.
On October 14, ten Muslims sat in the pews at Mass at Holy
Trinity Church in Kuching. Several Church sources told UCA
News they were sure this had not happened in the history of the
Archdiocese of Kuching and had not heard of it happening any-
where else in Malaysia either.
Final Thought
Do you think that it is a coincidence that all the major players in
the middle east have trodden the path to Rome over the last few
weeks including the FIRST ever visit by a Saudi monarch to the
Vatican? Do you think that it is a coincidence that after all their
visits to the pope they are involved in peace talks headed by the
USA? Is it possible that the dragon and the beast are working
closer and closer by the day?

7

PRISONERS OF
HOPE
The bulk of this newsletter is
authored by members of the
Mowbray SDA church whose
desire is to provide a thought
provoking newsletter to Ad-
ventists dwelling on the banks
of Jordan; in the process ap-
pealing to entire fidelity to the
Bible and the Spirit of Proph-
ecy.
From P6…...Someday, maybe, he will find the answers to his questions to be so inadequate that he
will jump the fence. In the mean time his is an abject bondage. If he would ask the question “what
is best?” and back away from the fence into the open pasture, he might share the freedom of the
first horse. There is room for joy and peace and activity in the corral established for our safety.
The limitations are felt by the would-be-wanderer alone. The gray areas near the edge of the fence
are also causes of confusion and strife. Avoid them. Ask not “what will Jesus put up with?” but
“What would make Him most happy?”
The ‘shoved down my throat’ trick
This delusion has a counterpart, the they-will-accept-it-if-we-force-them-to-do-it-long-enough
trick. But here we wish to consider the falsehood from the perspective of the one being forced to
do right. This is a form of the first trick. The dirty bath water here is often the method used to in-
struct the young. When young people rise up in rebellion against the methods used to teach them
they often unwittingly throw baby truth out with the suds. If we allow ourselves to be swayed
from the right and from life by the manipulative methods of those that believe in the right, we are
sitting as easy targets. Satan has plenty of truth-teachers prepared by long practice to disgust your
soul. One must judge truth on its own basis if he would find it at last.
A few hundred years ago Roman “Christians” made an unprovoked attack on the Northmen of
Scandanavia. Unprepared for the onslaught the surprised heathen suffered heavy losses. They
heard the departing praises to the Christian God for the triumph. That was no mistake on the part
of the Romans. They knew what would happen next. The Northmen soon gathered their forces and
prepared for a counter attack. But where were Christians to attack? In Great Britain. And so the
Celtic church became the victim of a terrible slaughter planned by the Romans and executed by
ignorant Northmen that had played right into the trap. It was a misdirected revenge on innocent
men and women. The Celtic Christians bore no spiritual relation to the barabaric soldiers of the
Roman legions.
Would you take revenged on God and His counsels for the way “Christians” have treated you?
Please don‟t take it out on Him. He is not to blame for their mistakes. His counsels were written
for your well-being. If you turn from them, your vengeance will injure no one as much as yourself.
The ‘hypocrites’ trick
By now you might recognize this as a variation on the theme. The devil has long converted hypo-
crites to the truth for no other purpose than to turn off truth seekers. If you are looking for a
church with few hypocrites, you will find one that Satan does not care to corrupt. Truth always has
and always will attract men without a heart religion. But are you sure you know who the hypo-
crites are? Be careful.
The ‘later’ trick
We make our best decisions when we have the most accurate information making the deepest im-
pression on us. You might imagine a man outside of the ark screaming for admittance for himself
and the four-year old daughter on his back. That mental picture shows the danger of putting off „til
tomorrow spiritual decisions that should be made today. Satan knows that when the mind is con-
victed to make an important decision for God that the best thing he can do is stall for time. The
answer “almost you persuade me to be a Christian,” will be followed ever so surely by a weaken-
ing of the impressions of the moment. The many thoughts that combined together nearly lead a
man to yield are forgotten one by one. The trick is to lead men to put off a decision until they for-
get the things that would have prompted them to make a good one. The way to dodge the snare is
to do right at the very first opportunity.
Contact Information:
+27(0)21 556 9971 086 608 7075 +27(0)83 268 7575
poh@itshe.com  PO Box 34197, Rhodes Gift, 7007, Cape Town, South Africa
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