“I was shown that the testimony to the Laodiceans applies to God’s people at the present time … It is designed to arouse the people of God, to discover to them their backsliding, and to lead to zealous repentance, that they may be favored with the presence of Jesus, and be fitted for the loud cry of the third angel” (Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 186).
God wants to see His people transformed from being lukewarm to being hot. He wants their experience to transcend from Laodicea to the Loud Cry. Our Savior is attempting to bring us from the Laodicean experience of being “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17) and into the Loud Cry experience when God’s purified people will have “great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory” (Revelation 18:1).
What a wonderful outlook for God’s people. We don’t want to miss out on this experience. We want to witness and experience this power that will begin with us and then enlighten the entire world for the finishing of God’s work. Notice the glorious prospect that awaits the people of God:
“By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers” (The Great Controversy, p. 612).
This experience is something we don’t want to miss out on. What a glorious day this will be for the Remnant church—the faithful souls who are getting ready for Christ’s return. Everything will be made right among them because there will not be any differences found between them. Their primary characteristic will be to reflect God’s glory, which will manifest itself in their love for truth and souls. As a result, they will be compelled to spread the word.
In many parts of the world today, we see evidence of the Spirit of God at work in the most remarkable ways. However, this will continue until God’s power is fully displayed during the “Loud Cry.” Miracles will be performed, the sick will be healed, the gospel will be preached with supernatural power, devils will be cast out, and many more spectacular displays will be used by God to cut short His work in righteousness!
Thousands of faithful believers will be going from village to village and house to house, giving the final gospel message of Revelation 14. People of all ages, young and old, will be used as vessels of His blessing in the closing work. By the grace of God, we can be a part of the fulfillment of such a glorious manifestation of His power.
What is necessary for us to have a part in Loud Cry? The message of the True Witness is needed to prepare the church for the final demonstration of God’s Spirit that will finish the gospel work on the earth. We must examine our life, identify our backsliding, realize what is wrong, what is lacking, and then put things right with God and our other brothers and sisters in genuine humility and repentance. How is it in our lives? Are we ready to be entrusted with the mighty power of the Latter Rain? Are we ready to engage in the work that will hasten the return of our dear Lord?
Notice the warning given to God’s people if they so choose to remain in the Laodicean condition:
“Will the churches heed the Laodicean message? Will they repent, or will they, notwithstanding that the most solemn message of truth—the third angel’s message—is being proclaimed to the world, go on in sin? … Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive the truth and who have united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the commandment-keeping people of God, and yet possess no more vitality and consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive of the plagues of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God” (Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, p. 176).
But now notice also the wonderful promise made to those who heed the message to Laodicea:
“Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation” (Testimonies, Vol. 1, page 187).
Time is short, and by heeding the message to Laodicea, God will be able to send forth a people to be entrusted with the Latter Rain. Then His people will exhibit the righteousness of Christ and the work will be sustained by God’s divine power as the earth is “lightened” with His glory. All the seeds of missionary work that are being sown now through every evangelistic program will very soon produce the greatest harvest of souls that this world has ever seen.
Friends, we shall either experience the plagues of God or the Latter Rain. That is why we are appealing to all of God’s people to work and pray for revival and reformation, so that the Lord might reveal His Spirit and glory to a sin-plagued and desperate world through a purified people. We urge every fellow Seventh-day Adventist to labor and pray for the Holy Spirit’s outpouring so that the work can be completed and we can go home. May the Lord provide us the strength to stay true to our high calling.
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When I hear a message from a pulpit in an SDA church I anticipate insight from one who’s studied the sabbath, the three angels message, personal testimony, or some commonly overlooked material. Beyond those, using the SOP, I look forward to education in Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Revelation, and the rest of the prophetic books.
I say all that to say this. These all set us apart from other Christian denominations. If I wanted an Easter sermon I could hear that in a Baptist Sunday school room. If I needed to hear a message about how God loved the world so much, I could relax in the pew of a Methodist church.
Our church has a calling. A duty not to sideline or waste time. Not to time slot fill the last couple of earth’s centuries with good tidings and polite conversation. Our lord has tasked us with telling everyone about the truth. About the eminent demise of our current society and world. We don’t have time for nice words, empty smiles.
Imagine sitting beside a soldier who’s dying on the battlefield from an incendiary device. As the blood pours out we complacently reassure him, like uncle franky, that God loves us all too much to lose us. This gentle untruth is not going to save his life now or later.
And this is literally the very situation before us all in the world today. Those all around us at work, leisure, and play are all dying- just as we are in this life. We hold truth and light that guides to Christ who has life eternal. Like an unwilling medic to risk discomfort, if we remain silent or make polite conversation, those who could’ve been saved will be lost instead.
We must use scripture to learn to live, but in-depth we must answer the higher calling, to use scripture to lift up others to life eternal.
I hear sermons today and recognize now- when time is of the highest essence, if it’s inline with our marching orders. Before, when I didn’t know I was dying without salvation, it didn’t matter.
We’re Adventists who’s task it is to proclaim to the world the three angels messages so that others might find salvation by faith.
Being born a laodicean I didn’t know I needed conversion until I opened the word and almost lost my life. Now I look around and see the catatonic state I was in reflected in others. They agree whole heartedly in theory yet bare no fruit in reality. How can we receive the latter rain to share with the world if we’re unable to accept the idea we’re also in need of conversion? Strange as it seems there’s a couple verses that reflect this problem in an less than appealing way,
Matt 27:41-43. “… He saved others; himself he cannot save. …” This being out of context still seems to fit like a glove. False pride may lead us to feel comfortable, enough so that we become pillars in the church. However, if we don’t deny ourselves and take up our cross following him, we may convince others or teach Bible studies and sabbath schools, but we’ll not find salvation through these works, just as those who mocked our lord. True conversion will find it’s recipient searching through the word for refreshing truth and unabashedly sharing his discoveries and testimonies with others-with zeal when faced with the opposition of cherished sin I’ve experienced lol. And yet those who seem to hold fast to cherished sin seem like a dying light that could work such great wonders for the lord’s cause if only they’d be converted from a laodicean to one who’ll stand strong and unmoved against every tempest in these final hours of earth’s history.
The message Brother Andy shares is one of scarcity within our church today. It is a saving message within a lost world. May the lord bless you and keep you in his way so that others might discover salvation in faith in Jesus through the truth of his word
Amen. Too many of our pastors want to give the feel good message and avoid the reality of where we are in the stream of time.
Amen powerful message thank you.
I have really enjoyed reading this article. It brings to my memory some of the truths that need to be heeded if the church is to remain afloat despite the deluge of evil that threatens to sweep it away.
We need to understand that the message of the true witness is so connected with the purification of the church. Without the purification of the church, the Loud cry will not be proclaimed to the world.
The quotation that follows talks about the sifting in connection with the purification of the church.
But the days of purification of the church are hastening on apace. God will have a people pure and true. In the mighty sifting soon to take place we shall be better able to measure the strength of Israel. The signs reveal that the time is near when the Lord will manifest that His fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor. CCh 338.2
The shaking or sifting will be brought about by some people accepting a message while others reject the same message – message of the true witness to Laodicea.
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people. The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified. CCh 338.5
If we are to be purified, we need to recognise this message of the true witness. Without a knowledge and acceptance of this message, our chances of ever proclaiming the Loud cry are very slim, if at all we stand any chance.
We know that Protestants will lead the way here in America to push for Sunday laws, but it appears to me that they will merely be following Rome’s example.