PRISONERS OF HOPE

July 2008
EDITORIAL..BROTHER N. NKOMO
A few months ago it struck me that writing editorials is not half the fun that I thought it would be. I actually
wondered at the wisdom of having started the column in this Newsletter. It is not always easy to put one‟s
thoughts out in the open for scrutiny. It is not always easy to express one‟s ideas in such a way to ensure that
a varied audience will not misinterpret what you mean to say. Why such an introduction? Well, after the col-
umn I wrote last month I hesitated about this particular column but I would not have peace within if I didn‟t
express my thoughts.
While on a trip last week, I decided to pick out a news magazine that I could read while waiting for my food to
arrive in a restaurant. I had been mulling over a number of topics for the editorial and as I read through the
magazine, an advert jumped out at me. The advert got my mind racing as I began to bemoan what I often view
as “a lack of vision” that we tend to have as a church. The advertisement brought home to me the fact that we
definitely do have things to learn from other denominations even at this late hour in earths‟ history. It got me
thinking as to how serious we are about proclaiming the coming of the Messiah.
The advert in question related to one of the mega-churches of the world coming through to Cape Town and
planting a church in the city centre. This caught my attention because Cape Town was chosen as one of the
cities around the world where the Adventist church was to plant a church in the CBD. The program, for those
who may not have heard about it, is named “Hope For Big Cities”. There are two points on which I will dwell
in terms of lessons that we can learn from this mega-church.
The first is that this particular grouping took the task of planting a church so seriously that they sent a
“missionary” pastoral couple to work on the project full-time to ensure its “success”. This means that they
have a pastor and wife team whose sole responsibility is to plant a church in the Cape Town CBD. This is not
very unlike the modus operandi of the apostles who used to do the same from city to city. Contrasting this
with our own church efforts led me to wonder whether we have lost our vision. The baton as to which pastor is
in charge of our “Hope For Big Cities” in the Cape has passed from pastor to pastor and word is that we unfor-
tunately do not have a budget for a full time pastor to be given the responsibility. We were therefore in a situa-
tion, until recently, when one church eventually got the go ahead to take up the project on its own, where a lot
of dithering took place because of a lack of leadership. It is therefore little wonder that “nothing” happened for INSIDE THIS ISSUE
two years after evangelism was to have begun. I find it disheartening to believe that as a church we would be
Editorial .............................. ……1
unable to support a full-time worker in the CBD. If there is no budget why not appeal for special offerings?
Apostolic Example .............. .….2
Have we become so hamstrung by red-tape as to cease to see all His biddings as enabling? How did we get to
Caffeine And SDA‟s ............ .….3
such a place?
Thoughts On Dress ............. .….4
The second is the manner in which they are going about growing their church. They are both actively recruit- Saving Faith ........................ .….6
ing volunteers locally and have brought in people to assist in various initiatives targeting local populations. Lift Up Your Heads ............. .….7
They are literally providing for the needs of communities and then bidding them “follow Christ”. Sound famil- The Corrupt Channel .......... .….8
iar? Their entire world-wide church is fully behind the planting of this branch in Cape Town and the church is
probably spending more on single Sunday of services than the entire budget allocated by the Adventist church
to the initiative of planting a church in Cape Town. I know we have differing financial needs and different
funding structures in the church but the amount allocated for the Hope for the Big Cities campaign is less than
a months‟ salary of many of our worldwide members! Lastly, for the more technologically savvy, which is cru-
cial for cosmopolitan places like Cape Town, their website is up to date and contains an abundance of infor-
mation. I challenge you to find something on the internet that gives you up to date information on the pro-
gress of any of the “Hope For Big Cities” campaigns in South Africa let alone Cape Town and then email me to
tell me how old the information is and how long it took you to find it.
None of what this mega-church is doing is rocket-science and I am convinced many in our church have a
stronger vision than they have. The question for us is, “what are we doing with our vision?” We need to arise
and work for the coming of the Lord is at hand. We need to realize that we cannot sit and wait for programs to
be handed down from the GC. We are the foot soldiers. We are the ones that God has blessed with means. We
are the ones with spheres of influence that include those that have not accepted Christ. We need to join hands
with the Holy Spirit to spread the Gospel….and we need to be humble enough to observe and implement that
which is in accordance with the Bible, even if it is from the “fallen” churches.
 THE APOSTOLIC EXAMPLE BY SISTER T. NKOMO
Imagine what the mission field would be like if we stuck to awful account to render because of those who have never
what God had shown was the proper method for us to fol- been reached with the truth.
low. But what, you may ask, is the proper method? Well,
it‟s certainly not what exists now. We are being spoon-fed She was not the only one to advocate this kind of model for
every Sabbath. Our pastors are settled in one area, they are pastors. AG Daniells stated to ministers “We have not set-
in charge of churches…Is this how it was meant to be in the tled our ministers over churches as pastors to any large ex-
beginning? We shall look at some quotes from the Spirit of tent. In some of the very large churches we have elected
Prophecy, and also look at some biblical principles. pastors, but as a rule we have held ourselves ready for field
service, evangelistic work, and our brethren and sisters
First of all, in New Testament times we can say that Paul have held themselves ready to maintain their church ser-
was a pastor. He certainly did not spend all his time in one vices and carry forward their church work without settled
location. His modus operandi was to travel all over the pastors. And I hope this will never cease to be the order of
world, raising churches and leaving elders and deacons be- affairs in this denomination; for when we cease our for-
hind to oversee the work while he ward movement work and begin to
continued evangelizing. Hence the settle over our churches, and do
term „overseer‟ found in the Bible. their thinking and their praying and
Paul gave the gospel message and their work that is to be done, then
when he felt the faithful were strong, our churches will begin to weaken
he left them for new fields. and to lose their life and spirit and
become paralyzed and fossilized and
The churches that have not life in our work will be a retreat.”
themselves, that have lost their spiri-
tual discernment, call for ministers to This is a statement by HMS Richards
come to their help, to bring them the “The time of too many of our preach-
breath of life. But the ministers have ers, instead of being occupied carry-
other work to do. They must carry the ing the message into new fields, is
message of truth to those who know it taken up in settling church difficul-
not. Those ministers who hover about ties and laboring for men and
the churches, who have not a clear cut women who should be towers of
message, which, like a sharp, two- strength instead of subjects for la-
edged sword, cuts both ways, will do bour. When I was baptized, and later
the churches harm. They will not work for the salvation of became a young preacher, we looked upon churches that
souls that are in great peril because they know not the had to have settled pastors over every flock as being deca-
truth, and they will die spiritually themselves, and trouble dent. Most of our preachers were out on the firing line,
and discourage those who try to help them. . . . {6MR 65.1} holding meetings, winning men to Christ, and raising up
new churches. Then every few months they would come
Here and in an many other passages, we see the counsel… around and visit the churches that had already been estab-
Ministers, it is your duty to go out into the field once a lished. This seemed to be, according to our view of it, the
church has been apostolic church.”
Pastors are to en- established. Ellen
White tells us that This is how it was done in Apostolic times, and also in the
ter new fields, visit ministers are not to early days of our movement. Now things have changed. Is it
the members….. „hover‟ around the because we have too many missionaries already? No. Is it
churches, when because we have lost our vision? Maybe. But the onus is not
they have an important work to do in the world. The last only on the pastors. The lay members also have a responsi-
message to a dying world is to reach all those who have bility to take charge of the church. The elders and deacons
never heard of Jesus. She counseled the brethren to re- are to lead the church as a whole. The church is to stay
member this, and to enter new territory. There will be an alive, to keep working.
2
 We, as a church/ congregation, are to labour for our spiri-
tual health. We are to read, study and become strong. Not
only for our individual
sakes, but in order to nur-
ture those that are new in
the faith. “If the ministers
would get out of the way, if
they would go forth into
new fields, the members
would be obliged to bear
responsibilities, and their
capabilities would increase
by use.”--Letter 56, 1901.
{Ev 382.4}
Instead of keeping the ministers at work for the churches
that already know the truth, let the members of the
churches say to these laborers: "Go work for souls that are
perishing in darkness. We ourselves will carry forward the
services of the church. We will keep up the meetings, and,
by abiding in Christ, will maintain spiritual life. We will
work for souls that are about us, and we will send our
prayers and our gifts to sustain the laborers in more needy
and destitute fields."--Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 30. (1900) {Ev
382.1}
In conclusion- pastors are to enter new fields, build up the
church, visit the members, encourage those who are in
need of exhortation, seek out the backsliders, lead the
church into repentance and reformation if necessary, and
once the elders and deacons are in place and the church is
living and following God‟s commands to be workers in His
vineyard, that pastor then leaves for a new mission field.
And, like Paul, he can then return to see how the work is
doing.
There are millions of people in the world, who have never
heard the gospel. If our pastors are not doing the work,
then it is up to us. We are accountable for the light that we
have. Many of us do things out of ignorance, but when we
are aware of truth it is up to us to accept it and reform our
lives. The day of reckoning is fast upon us. It is my prayer
that as we seek for repentance and reformation, that we
will ask the Holy Spirit to educate us as individuals. We
have all erred, but it does not mean we cannot change and
grow. May we seek to do God‟s will, even if we have to
stand alone.

CAFFEINE AND SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS. .PART 2...BY SR T ROESCH

“Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the gress. Then should not those who advocate temperance and
world.” Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by reform be awake to counteract the evils of these injurious
Thomas Bartram, page 83. drinks? In some cases it is as difficult to break up the tea-
and-coffee habit as it is for the inebriate to discontinue the
So, what are the results of caffeine usage? Adrenal gland
use of liquor.
burnout, fatigue, impatience, depression, heart arrhyth-
mias, stomach ulcers, various kinds of cancer, kidney
The money ex-
stones/disease, bone loss, lumps in the breast, hardening of
pended for tea and
the arteries, and the list goes on and on. When all is said
coffee is worse
and done, the only “good thing” about coffee is the smell
than wasted. They
and perhaps the taste.
do the user only
Now, from Inspiration ~ (and remember she wrote this harm, and that
nearly 100 years ago - way before any of this scientific re- continually. Those
search was out on the dangers of caffeine!) who use tea, cof-
“Coffee is a hurtful indulgence. It temporarily excites the fee, opium, and
mind to unwonted action, but the after-effect is exhaustion, alcohol, may
prostration, paralysis of the mental, moral, and physical sometimes live to
powers. The mind becomes enervated, and unless through old age, but this
determined effort the habit is overcome, the activity of the fact is no argument in favor of the use of these stimulants.
brain is permanently lessened. All these nerve irritants are What these persons might have accomplished, but failed to
wearing away the life-forces, and the restlessness caused by do because of their intemperate habits, the great day of God
shattered nerves, the impatience, the mental feebleness, alone will reveal.” {TSDF 145} Cont….p5
become a warring element, antagonizing to spiritual pro-
3
 THOUGHTS ON DRESS…..BY BROTHER E PREWITT
Disclaimer: This is not a balanced article. That is because it
is a short article. It is not possible to be balanced and accu-
rate and brief at the same time. Since something has to go, I
have chosen to let it be balance. So this article does not well
explain the gospel. It does not adequately lift up the cross as
the only reason to dress well. In it I do not take significant
pangs to show that dress is not to be the big issue in life.
Nor do I address the jewelry issue. Yes, you read that cor-
rectly.
Disclaimer continued: This article does not pretend to ex-
haust the arguments. Nor does it well represent the other
sides of the issues that it discusses. Nor does it make the
important point that pride, selfishness, and a critical spirit
are more harmful than poor dress. Which means that there
are people that dress not best and are most precious for
their sweetness. Nor does the article present itself as the
final authority on the issues. Nor have I, as the author, tried
much to show how dearly and truly I appreciate many of my
fellow-workers who may not (yet?) see these issues as I. Nor
am I as certain that I am correct on these issues as I am sure
that I am right on whether or not we should keep the ten
commandments.
So now maybe you
God has pre- don‟t want to read the
sented several article since it does
ideals..regarding not say any of the
things a good and bal-
dress.
anced article on dress
ought to say. But I am not done with my disclaimer.
Disclaimer continued: This article is written in a colloquial
style. Every sentence of it excepting that funny sentence just
before this one that used the word “colloquial.” So the gram-
mar should be perfectly accurate for conversational English.
This is intended to ease the feelings of tension that tend to
fill with hot air and start rising when the issue of dress is
touched. If you do not understand how dress could be a hot
issue without discussing jewelry, then you should probably
4
not read any further. This article assumes that you think
wearing jewelry is not best or appropriate for Christians liv-
ing in the time of the judgment. So this article is written for
a very few people. If you want to copy or distribute it, please
do so only with the disclaimer attached. This article does
not offer much evidence or proof for ideas that will be read-
ily believed by anyone that has done a few hours of study in
the Testimonies on this topic. (i.e. This article does not work
to prove that our clothes should be clean.)
Disclaimer concluded.
So what is this article intending to do? To present ideas and
thoughts perhaps not yet thought of by the reader. And
what is the goal? To bring members of Christ‟s church more
into line with dress that would be pleasing to Him.
Dangers: It is entirely likely that you already have your
mind made up on this subject. That is dangerous on any
topic at any time. Critical thinking, well done, is to follow
the thoughts of the presenter, refusing to make a conclusion
while significant data has not yet been evaluated. It is, in the
same vein, to rethink conclusions that were made before the
data was in.
Critical thinking is ill done when it refuses to consider new
data on the basis of a previously made conclusion.
(Disclaimer: This article is not a balanced presentation on
critical thinking.)
Now the article is half done and I will get to my point.
God has presented several ideals to His children regarding
dress. Our dress is to be:
Neat (and in this sense, attractive)
Clean
Durable
Healthy
Modest (not revealing)
Modest (not strange)
Feminine or Masculine
On the last point, there is the familiar verse: “The woman
shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither
shall a man put on a woman‟s garment: for all that do so
are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” De. 22:5
abomination unto the Lord thy God." This style of dress,
God would not have his people adopt. It is not modest ap-
parel, and is not at all fitting for modest, humble females
who profess to be Christ's followers. God's prohibitions are
lightly regarded by all who would advocate the doing away
of the distinction of dress between males and females. The
extreme positions taken by some dress-reformers upon
this subject cripple their influence. 2SM 477

And the somewhat less familiar paragraph: God designed there should be a plain distinction between
male and female dress, and has considered the matter of
[Some ladies] will imitate the opposite sex, as nearly as
sufficient importance to give explicit directions in regard to
possible. They will wear the cap, pants, vest, coat, and
it; for the same dress worn by both sexes would cause con-
boots, the last of which is the most sensible part of the cos-
fusion, and great increase of crime. St. Paul would utter a
tume. Those who adopt and advocate this style of dress,
rebuke, were he alive, and should behold females profess-
are carrying the so-called dress reform to very objection-
ing Godliness with this style of dress.
able lengths. Confusion will be the result. Some who adopt
this costume may be correct in their views in general upon There is an increasing tendency to have women in their
the health question, and they could be instrumental in ac- dress and appearance as near like the other sex as possible,
complishing vastly more good if they did not carry the mat- and to fashion their dress very much like that of men, but
ter of dress to such extremes. 2SM 477 God pronounces it abomination. "In like manner also, that
women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame-
In this style of dress God's order has been reversed, and his
facedness and sobriety." 1 Timothy 2:9. {1T 421.3}
special directions disregarded. Deut. xxii, 5. "The woman
shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither
shall a man put on a woman's garment for all that do so are WAIT! You aren‟t done reading…… To Be Continued

Please consider this next quote carefully, and notice that tea form…and because of the light that we have, much more is
and coffee are lined up with what else? “Tea, coffee, to-
bacco, and alcohol we must present as sinful indulgences. …
tea, coffee, tobacco, beer, wine, and all spirituous liquors-- good?” (Honestly, I think that the percent is much less than
are not to be taken moderately, but discarded.”-- (1881).
{LDE 81} I don‟t think that most Christians, including Ad-
ventists, think that drinking coffee and tea is as bad as
drinking alcohol, but according to Inspiration, it is.
The Bible is clear that no one who drinks alcohol is going to
be in Heaven, and as Adventists, knowing what we know
about caffeine, I don‟t think it is difficult to see that there
won‟t be any Adventists in Heaven who refuse to give up
their coffee, either. Caffeine works straight against building
characters for Heaven. It causes depression, agitation, irri-
tability, impatience, anger, nervousness and more…those
are all traits, that if we plan to go to Heaven, we must over-
come here on earth.
As Christians, we need to put into practice the command
from Jesus, “If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew
16:24. Part of being a follower of Jesus is denying ourselves
things that are not good for us.
As a church, God has given us much light on health re-
expected of us than from the world and other churches. So,
back to the original question, “Is 64% pretty
64%, as I hardly know any Adventists who, even if they
don‟t drink coffee, they still eat chocolate.) No, 64% is very
poor when we consider that continuing to drink coffee will
keep us out of Heaven. That means
that about 1 in 3 Adventists will give
up Heaven for coffee alone. That in
itself shows how addictive it is!
If you drink coffee or use any caf-
feine products, it is high time to give
them up. There are many healthy
alternatives available, and if you
want to quit, God will help you, just
ask Him. It may not be easy, “but
with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26.
(Sr Roesch‟s website www.thenarrowwayministries.org)

5
 SAVING FAITH
Give the Bible definition of faith.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evi-
dence of things not seen." Heb. 11:1.
When coming to God, what is it necessary to be-
lieve concerning Him?
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he
that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. 11:6.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:7, 9.
Does the Bible warrant one in believing that he re-
ceives what he asks for, before he is conscious of
possessing it?
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire,
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall
have them." Mark 11:24.

How may we know that God exists? How may one learn to develop patience in waiting
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament on God?
showeth His handiwork." Ps. 19:1 (Rom. 1:19, 20). "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temp-
tations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
How may we have faith in Him? patience." James 1:2, 3.
"So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God." When in affliction, what ought
Rom. 10:17. all to believe?
"And we know that all things work
Are the promises of God of any together for good to them that love
value to those who do not be- God." Rom. 8:28.
lieve them?
"I will therefore put you in remem- What kind of faith is that
brance, though ye once knew this, which is unaccompanied with
how that the Lord, having saved the works?
people out of the land of Egypt, af- "For as the body without the spirit
terward destroyed them that be- is dead, so faith without works is
lieved not." Jude 5 (Heb. 3:14). dead also." James 2:26.

In whom must we believe in or- If one knows the he is con-

der to be saved? stantly disobeying God, can he
"For God so loved the world, that He have real living faith?
gave His only Son, that whosoever "Beloved, if our heart condemn us
believeth in Him should not perish, not, then have we confidence to-
but have everlasting life." John 3:16. ward God. And whatsoever we ask,
we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments,
When we believe on the Son of God, what evidence and do those things that are pleasing in His sight." 1 John
do we have that our sins are forgiven? 3:21, 22.
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in
himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; How much may one hope to receive, who asks with
because he believeth not the record that God gave of His a doubtful mind?
Son." 1 John 5:10. "Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of
the Lord." James 1:7.
What is the nature of this witness?
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we What was the cause of Peter's sinking after he had
are the children of God." Rom. 8:16. started to meet the Saviour on the stormy sea?
"And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and
When we have this witness, what does it do for us? caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith,
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God wherefore didst thou doubt?" Matt. 14:31.
through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.
What may one constantly have, by growing into the
Upon what conditions has God promised the for- fullness of faith?
giveness of sin? "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in be-
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have lieving, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ the Holy Ghost." Rom. 15:13.
His Son cleanseth us from all sin." "If we confess our sins,
6
 LIFT UP YOUR HEADS
News: A joint Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee met in
Rome on June 11-13, and released a statement concluding that
authentic religious practice can "effectively contribute in pro-
moting brotherhood and harmony in the human family."
…..The sessions ended with a statement in which both Catholic
and Muslim delegates affirmed the dignity of the human per-
son, the commitment to justice and peace, and the shared be-
lief "that God is compassionate and therefore they consider it
their duty to show compassion towards every human person,
especially the needy and the weak." The group strongly con-
demned the use of religious sentiment to incite violence.
Pope Benedict XVI met with the participants in a private audi-
ence and "encouraged them to continue their endeavors for the
promotion of justice and peace."
Comment: It seems that as the days pass by, the two “most
significant” religions in terms of political and economic clout,
keep drawing closer and closer together. This should not alarm
us as Adventists as at the very root the two are one and the
same. It should also not alarm us as we understand that the
final test at the end-time will be of a religious nature: and in
order for there to be any success in the pushing the mark of the
beast, there has to be a “unity” amongst the major religions.
News: Pope Benedict XVI hosted US President George W.
Bush at the Vatican on June 13 for an extraordinarily cor-
dial private talk. (emphasis mine)
The warmth of the Holy Father's reception for the American
leader, and the enthusiasm that Bush showed during the meet-
ing, prompted several Italian journalists to question whether
the American president might be considering a personal com-
mitment to the Catholic faith.
Breaking with the usual Vatican protocol, the Pope met Presi-
dent Bush in the Tower of St. John, rather than in the apostolic
palace. After their private conversation, the two men walked
together through the Vatican gardens, visiting the Lourdes
grotto there.
Comment: We commented last month about the upcoming
visit so soon after Pres. Bush and the Pope met in the USA, so
it was fascinating to read about the reception that the US Presi-
dent received in Rome. Do you dear reader, believe that it is a
co-incidence that 150 years after the apparitions of “Our Lady
of Lourdes”, that a sitting protestant US President is welcomed
at a shrine dedicated to “the Virgin” Mary?
7
Comment: It is amazing the number of people from all per-
suasions and walks of life who are these days beginning to real-
ize that something is just not right in this world. Amongst fel-
low believers there seems to be a realization that time is run-
ning out for earth as we know it. For those that do not believe
in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, there is recognition
that the upheavals in our world foretell of dire times ahead.
Below is a sprinkling of snippets linked to flooding in the
month of June alone. As you read through them think of the
numbers of families affected, the prime agricultural land and
crops that have been destroyed, and what that means for food
prices that are already increasing exponentially causing their
own turmoil around the world.
News: US President George W Bush has promised immediate
help to Iowa state which has been affected by severe flooding….
Some 35,000 people have been evacuated because of the
floods, and 24 people have been killed. Rains have washed
out millions of acres of farm land in the US corn-belt,
raising the likelihood that soaring food prices could go even
higher.
News: The number of people who have died in heavy flooding
this week in east and north-east India following torrential rain
has now risen above 50.
Officials say nearly eight million people have been af-
fected by the floods with two million of them now
homeless.
Thousands of villages have been submerged as rivers burst
their banks.
News: Floods have left at least six people dead in and around
the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
Torrential rains over the weekend also affected thousands
of displaced people living in camps outside the city.
News: China's civil affairs ministry says nearly 1.3 million
people have now fled their homes in the hardest hit regions
as the bad weather continues.
News: The number of people killed by floods and landslides in
southern Sri Lanka has risen to 19, officials say.
They say that more than 350,000 people have been dis-
placed by the flooding with no sign of heavy rain abat-
ing….The floods have also inundated thousands of hectares
of farmland.
 HE WILL WORK THROUGH THE CORRUPT CHANNEL..SR WHITE
Hb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the ut-
termost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth
to make intercession for them.
Ro 8:26-27 . Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmi-
ties: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groan-
ings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the
hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of]
God.
Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly
interceding in man's behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us
as does Christ, who presents His blood, shed from the
foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts,
drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiv-
ing. The gratitude which flows
from our lips is the result of
the Spirit's striking the cords
of the soul in holy memories,
awakening the music of the
heart.
The religious services, the
prayers, the praise, the peni-
tent confession of sin ascend
from true believers as incense
to the heavenly sanctuary, but
passing through the corrupt
channels of humanity, they
are so defiled that unless pu-
rified by blood, they can never
be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity,
and unless the Intercessor, who is at God's right hand, pre-
sents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not accept- Men need to learn that the blessings of obedience, in their
able to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be
moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He
holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in
which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers
into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions and keep him steadfast in the right path.
of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless
righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ's cure for the maladies that originated in sin. The Sun of
propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and Righteousness arises, "with healing in His wings." Malachi
entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.
Oh, that all may see that everything in obedience, in peni-
tence, in praise and thanksgiving, must be placed upon the
glowing fire of the righteousness of Christ. The fragrance of
this righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy
seat. 1SM 344
8
Christ came to this world to show that by receiving power
from on high, man can live an unsullied life. MH 25
..all must be laid upon the fire of Christ's righteousness to
cleanse it from its earthly odor before it rises in a cloud of
fragrant incense to the great Jehovah and is accepted as a
sweet savor.
I ask, How can I present this matter as it is? The Lord Je-
sus imparts all the powers, all the grace, all the penitence,
all the inclination, all the pardon of sins, in presenting His
righteousness for man to grasp by living faith--which is
also the gift of God. FW 24
"We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them." In His divine arrangement, through
His unmerited favor, the Lord has ordained that good
works shall be rewarded. We
are accepted through Christ's
merit alone; and the acts of
mercy, the deeds of charity,
which we perform, are the
fruits of faith; and they become
a blessing to us; for men are to
be rewarded according to their
works. It is the fragrance of the
merit of Christ that makes our
good works acceptable to God,
and it is grace that enables us to
do the works for which He re-
wards us. Our works in and of
themselves have no merit. 5BC
1122
fullness, can be theirs only as they receive the grace of
Christ. It is His grace that gives man power to obey the
laws of God. It is this that enables him to break the bond-
age of evil habit. This is the only power that can make him
When the gospel is received in its purity and power, it is a
4:2. Not all this world bestows can heal a broken heart, or
impart peace of mind, or remove care, or banish disease.
Fame, genius, talent--all are powerless to gladden the sor-
rowful heart or to restore the wasted life. The life of God in
the soul is man's only hope. MH 115
.

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 for 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.
Phl 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good
pleasure
Those who are sons of God will represent Christ in character. Their works will be
perfumed by the infinite tenderness, compassion, love, and purity of the Son of God.
And the more completely mind and body are yielded to the Holy Spirit, the greater
will be the fragrance of our offering to Him. RH Nov. 24, 1896
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in
the beloved.
The righteousness of Christ is presented as a free gift to the sinner if he will accept
it. He has nothing of his own but what is tainted and corrupted, polluted with sin,
utterly repulsive to a pure and holy God. Only through the righteous character of
Jesus Christ can man come nigh to God. 1SM 342
You need to offer always the sacred fire; for then Christ's works, His love, His mercy,
His righteousness, will ascend before God, as a cloud of holy, fragrant incense,
wholly acceptable.
But strange fire has been offered in the use of harsh words, in self-importance, in
self-exaltation, in self-righteousness, in arbitrary authority, in domineering, in op-
pression, in restricting the liberty of God's people, binding them about by your plans
and rules, which God has not framed, neither have they come into His mind. All
these things are strange fire, unacknowledged by God, and are a continual misrepre-
sentation of His character. TM 357
…our hearts are naturally depraved, and we are unable of ourselves to pursue a right
course. It is only by the grace of God, combined with the most earnest effort on our
part, that we can gain the victory. CT 544
As long as life shall last, there is need of guarding the affections and the passions
with a firm purpose. There is inward corruption, there are outward temptations, and
wherever the work of God shall be advanced, Satan plans so to arrange circum-
stances that temptation shall come with overpowering force upon the soul. Not one
moment can we be secure only as we are relying upon God, the life hid with Christ in
God. Letter 8b, 1891
If we are following Christ, His merits, imputed to us, come up before the Father as
sweet odor. And the graces of our Saviour's character, implanted in our hearts, will
shed around us a precious fragrance. The spirit of love, meekness, and forbearance
pervading our life will have power to soften and subdue hard hearts and win to
Christ bitter opposers of the faith. 5T 174
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
9