M THE WORD OF GOD

Article yD 1988 and 1989

Note although this article was written especially to the Holdeman People, it is very appropriate for all.

This article was written after I (the writer) had some vivid experiences that made eternal things seem so important to me, that I wished we could wake the dead and give them another chance to be saved. I then sent this writing to a staff member of almost every congregation of the "Church of God in Christ Mennonite" on Feb. 10 of 1989. This writing which strongly reproves over emphasizing and trusting in the church, was rejected by the home ministers although it also was appreciated and thought inspirational by some ministers of other congregations. It was shortly after I had sent out this article, that an article then appeared as an editorial in the Messenger of Truth (Mar 29, 1989 issue) which very erroneously emphasized the position and security of the church.

The word of God! As the full realization of such enters the heart may such fear and reverence take hold on mortal as to make the hairs of mortal stand on end! No power is there that compares with that of the word of God. The word of God is from everlasting to everlasting. It created the world out of nothing! Yea heaven and earth shall pass away, but God's word will never pass away! God's word is forever settled in the heavens and is forever the same. Such word lights the world with truth and shall judge the world. God's word is an absolute truth, all punishments and rewards therein will come to pass! God's word has power to, and will damn to hell fire forever and ever all such as reject God's word. Yea, God's word has power to, and will cause all such as receive God's word to enter heaven's reward of indescribable bliss forever and ever! How can it be, though absolutely true, that the word of God which has such incomprehensible power of reward, speaks to man in his earth life in a still small voice which can easily be rejected? All those who have served their term on earth are awaiting eternal destinies of stated incomprehensible contrasts! Rev 19:11-21, gives a fearful picture of the power of God's word in eternity placing unspeakable damnation upon such who had rejected it. God's word says, as a tree falleth so shall it lie. verily even such as before the flood who rejected God's word and died with no repentance their terrible doom is now sealed forever and ever! May such considerations make all who are alive in today's day of grace and eternal opportunity choose to receive God's word with vehement desire! Truly such as have God's word living within, will be motivated thereby in the saving of souls and say together with Apostle Paul, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men. yD-1

God's word is living. It is one with God and Jesus. It is God's voice spoken through His Spirit. God's Spirit informs men of God's word. Holy men of old moved by the Holy Ghost wrote the written word of God. Yet before the Bible was written God's word convicted men of sin. The written word of God is only His living word when accompanied with an unction from God's Spirit. The written word is like a puzzle. Each thought and verse must be rightfully divided and placed in it's proper place as given unction by God's Spirit to portray God's true picture. Satan often gives unction to God's written word, even tempting Jesus in this way. God's word is His voice and is living and true. When Satan gives unction to God's written word, can it then enter the heart true and alive? Nay, God's written word is then not God's voice or word. yD-2

M Man is saved by possessing a true and living faith. It is very sad that many feel secure in salvation but only possess an intellectual faith in God's written word, possibly given unction by the devil, and have rejected the word and voice of God as revealed by His Spirit for such required them to forsake all and love God with all. Some of such claim saving faith, have a great Bible knowledge and of many truths, yet it is only of the mind and they yet lack saving faith. Yea the most minor part of God's word can be stored on paper and the power thereof comes from above. Oh, that men might be renewed in the living word! When one is anchored in the living word, one is filled with saving faith and sees the written word as an assured truth. Such then assuredly see our earth life as just an indescribable small part of a greater plan of God! Intellectual faith is casual, but saving faith makes one tremble before God and earnestly seek His mercies and to please Him. Likely millions shall be cast into hell fire because of the difference. Men look with great concern into contracts of business which may last only 30 short years, but with great lack of care, sincerity, and honesty are reading and misunderstanding God's contract of eternity, thus are not abiding thereby nor listening to God's Spirit and will therefore spend eternity in the pit of hell forever and ever. Yea if there were only one chance in a million that the Bible were true, men should with great care observe it, and lo it is an absolute truth! Men, and even young men, desire to lay up wealth for their older years, but many are not with care and according to God's word laying up for eternity which while surely come just a few years after old age, and possibly any time and therefore will also suffer hells torments forever and ever. yD-3

God is not only a God of material creation such as the earth, sun, moon, and the many things on earth. Yea He is creating a government of indescribable order and beauty. The power, laws, and judgments of His government are unspeakable. The world is God's vineyard wherefrom God is gathering the precious fruit of the earth, which are those who have chosen to love Him. Such fruit God will place within His eternal government in heaven. God is love toward those who love Him, yet He has unspeakable wrath to such as reject Him, yea He is a consuming fire to those! According to Romans 9:22, hell may throughout eternity be God's display of His judgments and wrath upon pride and sin. Yet at the same time, throughout eternity, God will be displaying His love and great reward of indescribable bliss to those who chose to love Him. yD-4

Saving Faith

All those who die without saving faith enter Christless graves and will be doomed forever. The writer feels God is asking His people, where is your faith Is it anchored in the living word and thus saving? How we desire the faith of our forefathers, yet it can never be handed to us on paper but must come from above as one takes up his cross, dies daily and thus hears and obeys the simplicity of God's word, be it God's Spirit or His written word. Jesus clearly taught that Apostle Peter's faith in Him was not anchored in flesh and blood, but in a revelation from God himself. A mental or intellectual faith could well be a faith anchored in flesh and blood. Saving faith must be anchored in the Apostolic Peter revelation. Yea if the sky were a scroll and ocean ink, all the writing thereon could never replace the need and power of God's revelation! Take warning, this revelation can die long before true doctrine decays. This revelation is the heart of saving faith and is what moved the early Church with vehement desire. Oh the unspeakable eternal picture that is portrayed in this revelation! Truly we are in the midst of two great eternities and herein must chose our destiny for the latter eternity, yea and also face a horrible foe who with great success is endeavoring to draw all men with him into eternal perdition of hell fire. Such revelation draws brethren together in fervent charity in helping one another fight the good fight of faith. And causes one to say together with apostle Paul "that I might by all means save some". Yea such revelation makes sin exceedingly sinful and dreadful. Oh how sad it is that many of God's children are not aware of the deceitfulness and danger of the times, but are at ease in Zion! yD-5

Our deceased brother Tobias Unruh revealed the effect of saving faith in those who possess it by it's effect upon him. In the Lone Tree conference of about 1940, he sounded a shuttering warning, saying, I feel to utter a few words of warning regarding the dreadful times that are approaching. I can see it in Spirit and cannot express the seriousness of it in words. It is concerning the principles of our faith. He then in his following discourse repeatedly warned of the necessity of being grounded in God's word to be able to stand in the upcoming tribulation. He then told of the dark storm clouds rising higher and higher. He warned of the importance of not preplanning worship services, saying such hinders the free course of the Spirit. He said already the Church was going too far in this at funerals, for in them speakers were prearranged. To such who were old back then he said, you know how it used to be in the house of God and said to the younger ones, you do not know as well. He then said that far too much liberty is being taken in conforming to the world and these things are not considered sin anymore. He warned especially the ministers against taking liberties even if the thing in itself was not wrong, encouraging the attitude of Paul to not partake of anything while the world standeth whereby he make his brother to offend. He warned against fancy possessions saying taking such liberties would make them unfruitful and powerless to defend truth. yD-6

Now 49 years later, how does this find us? Truly to the pure all things are pure, but we are sinners saved only by Christ's righteousness. Yea our hearts are prone to material pursuits, prone to love ourselves, the world and the things therein. Yet if we do, the love of the Father is not in us, the gift of faith is removed, we are lost, blinded and hell bound. Verily the laws of God's holy nation must be upheld for they should and must be against all such things as allure men, ".. into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition" 1 Tim 6:9. The preceding part of the above verse tells how such as desire to be rich fall into the above many foolish and hurtful lusts! Jesus told how that the cares of life and deceitfulness of riches choked the good seed of His word in some after it had taken root. Oh, the horrible torment in hell fire of those who permit such to occur Apostle James writes, "Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as though it were fire..." James 5:3. Nay, the sin of wealth is not in the amount, but where as is the heart. Yet but how many become rich without their heart therein? Jesus said it is almost impossible for a rich man to enter heaven. Oh, may no one desire to be rich except in that which is eternal! Saving faith removes one's desire for earthly luxuries, and involvement for it realizes the tendency of one's heart to become attached thereto and fears the risk. yD-7

The writer greatly fears God's people are losing sight of what saving faith really is and how it draws one away from the world and the things therein. Menno Simons said many in his day understood faith as a blind man understands colors! Some vital thoughts concerning saving faith written within the Thirty Three Articles of Faith are, firstly "saving faith is a sure knowledge and confidence we receive from God, through the hearing of His word, whereby man is drawn away from all earthly, visible, and perishable things and receives a new spiritual taste for that which is heavenly and not earthly. Secondly saving faith works so effectually that thereby true believers gladly follow Christ and suffer for Him. Thirdly saving faith cannot be generated by man, but is a noble gift from God. Lastly such as possess saving faith cannot stand still but with humble fasting and supplication in the spirit must plead for help, assistance and new strength in all divine virtues, so that God may strengthen and preserve such in the faith until the end". yD-8

May we understand and believe our forefathers writings concerning saving faith. In Martyr Mirror on page 8 we find an article, which all should read, entitled, OF THE GREATER DANGER THERE IS AT THIS TIME, THAN IN THE BLOODY AND DISTRESSING TIMES OF THE MARTYRS, written by Th. J. Van Braght, in 1659. He tells of the great danger and deceitfulness of times of religious liberty and prosperity. He tells of Satan's speech being so contrite, yet he then as a wolf in sheep's clothing tears and robs the innocent lambs of Christ of their precious faith which faith Satan pretends to be of small importance. He then wrote the exact following words. "It grieves us to the heart that we must live to see these times, and therefore speak in this wise. Oh Lord, strengthen our faith! help thy weak trusting lambs, that they may not be led into error, nor moved from the foundations of the most holy faith", He then tells of how things of this world appear so harmless yet are like the fruit of the forbidden tree which looked so harmless to Eve. He says concerning earthly things our very flesh seems prone to it. Then follows these exact words, "...here must be fasting, watching, praying, and calling upon God for help, otherwise there is no escape". Toward the end of his article he tells of the effect of saving faith, and wrote these exact words. "We walk no longer upon the earth with our thoughts; nevertheless, we are still compassed by a cloud of earth, a body of clay, a heavy load of the soul. Oh, that we might be free from it, and that our soul, liberated from this load, might return to God in heaven, her true origin! like a freed dove which has been confined in a strange place, returns to her nest and abode. But we must wait for this until the time which God has appointed come". yD-9

Christian Stewardship

The writer greatly fears God's people are losing vision of true Christian stewardship. In the Old Testament era God's kingdom was of the world and material wealth and things were rightly of importance to God's people, for they were even so to God. Then such as were faithful to God were often very rich. But in the New Testament era God has established a better covenant upon better promises (Heb 8:6). Yea now God has chosen the poor of this world rich in faith. Very likely if God were one hundredth as interested in material wealth as are many who count themselves to be His children, they would be the richest upon the earth. Oh how Satan to justify earthly affections and treasures has taken every advantage of Paul's teachings which says he that provideth not for his own, and specially those of his own house hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel, and of Jesus' teaching which says, if one is not faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to him true riches. These scriptures have a very important place, yet are not meant to, nor do they subtract from other biblical teachings when understood properly. Jesus often taught of the eternal contrasts, and said man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. It is of far greater importance to provide spiritual bread for our families than material bread. Sad it is, some are well provided for materially, yet have starved spiritually and will therefore spend eternity in the abyss of hell. Yea such as are provided for too well materially have a greater temptation to love the world and the things therein, and how their chance of hell's pit is increased! yD-10

God's focal interest concerning His vineyard of the earth is that good fruit be produced which are those who choose to love Him. The material to Him is as dung! Yea He will melt it with fervent heat. Oh how great the value of soul fruit, the vanity of material things, and the eternal loss and suffering of those who are drunken therewith. God's children are all hired into His vineyard. Jesus clearly taught that the work of the vineyard must be first and that thoughts about material cares dare not hinder the work of His vineyard. Jesus promised very clearly He would provide the material. He revealed an absolute difference in how the world or Gentiles must care about their needs as to how He would provide our needs as we seek first the welfare of His kingdom in the safety and furtherance thereof. Are we experiencing the difference? Or are we so involved with the material and uninvolved with the kingdom that God has no opportunity to show us His providings? Are we fearful God's providings will not support our living standard and not willing for His provisions of our needs? If not diligently involved in the furtherance of God's Kingdom, we are permitting many needless souls to scream in hell and very possibly will lose our own. Yet only after doing all personal diligence first for the Kingdom and then for the material can one expect any special providings from God, if yet needed. God will, and desires to provide for us as we seek first His Kingdom. It is very true that God's children must pay their bills, and in honesty. Yet likely such as Paul warned of being worse than an infidel because of not providing, were those who were not truly diligent and faithful in the Kingdom or material. yD-11

Jesus in His parable in Luke 16 said that the children of this world in their generation are wiser than the children of light. Clearly those whose affections are upon the earth will be wiser therein than such whose affections are above. Jesus said to make friends of the wise of this world so when us who should be soul wise and involved and materially ignorant and uninvolved, fail and have material need they will receive us into their care. To be a worker in God's vineyard one must be willing to receive the providings of those who are wiser in this world than us, and willing to provide for himself, which ever is most useful in the furtherance of the gospel. May God's people do much more than be self supporting, but rather be so busy about their Father's business that God's other ways of providing be experienced. Oh how many will be missing at the marriage feast in eternity and bound to everlasting chains of hell because of the material excuse of the wife, cow, merchandise, oxen, and land as in the parable of Jesus? Yea such will include those who used such excuses as well as those who will be lost because of lack of laborers. yD-12

Earthly Entanglements

Apostle Paul said to set our affections on things above not on the earth! Jesus said lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is there will your heart be also. Jesus also said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Truly our speech is a witness against ourselves as to where our treasure is. Oh how can it be, the Holy God of heaven has ordained that His children be stewards over an eternal treasure of men's never dying souls and Lo, when together they speak mostly and with vehement desire about such things as God will melt with fervent heat? Truly God's children dare not be slothful in business, yet when the light of saving faith is clearly shining material things are counted as dung! Saving faith makes one desire to be as uninvolved in material affairs as possible. "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life;..." 2 Tim 2:4. yD-13

It is true there are different measures of faith and different degrees of calling to God's service. It is true the Bible speaks of God's New Testament children beating their past weapons of war into tools of peaceful material service. Paul was a tent maker. Yet could it be in history at times God's people had reached out as far Spiritually as open doors permitted, and then more emphases was put on material things and self support? Yet their affection could not be therein. It also must be remembered Paul said, you are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men. The writer has many questions. yD-14

Very likely the last centuries have been the most materialistic ages of the New Testament era, and very likely such as are overcome thereby, including all people of the world, are unknowingly carrying the mark of the beast. Saving faith spares it's possessors from this mark for it separates them from the world to such an extent that if their faith or hope were vain they would have missed their time, life, or it might be said their boat, and as Paul said we would be of all men most miserable (1 Cor 15:19). Yet it is true, Godliness has promise of the life that now is, although such is not found in material treasure and satisfaction, but in Spiritual sight , labors and rewards. yD-15

M Today in 1989, it is possible to gladly suffer for Christ, oh what a privilege it is! Yea, many willingly suffer for causes incomprehensibly inferior to this cause. How can it be that Satan makes one unwilling to suffer for such a noble cause? How can one when the complete impact of salvation's gift is understood, be ashamed of Jesus? It is impossible! Yea when one is ashamed of Jesus, his faith has a great lack. Clearly such as had saving faith as in Heb 11:13-16, confess that they are strangers and pilgrims on this world and seek and desire a better country. This faith reveals the world in truth, which is as a city of greatest destruction and moves man to become pilgrims journeying towards celestial city as is written in John Bunyan's writings. Yea, and all who loved the world shall burn forever in the city of destruction which they loved, and it's destruction is very near. Such as possess saving faith recognize and abhor their evil natures and desire to be delivered therefrom, "...even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" Romans 8:23. "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:" 2 Cor 5:2. The effect of God's gift of saving faith will never change. yD-16

Our deceased brother Tobias Unruh in the 1940 conference stated that he desired everyone to have a faith anchored in the word of God as he did. He stated the Church principles as held then were without doubt anchored in the solid word of God and said if the whole Church would fall away, he would still believe upon the ground which he came when he repented that this was the right way. He then told of how his former church lacked being anchored in the word of God. Of his struggles in that of displeasing his family and church when leaving his former church. He then told of how later him and John Holdeman worked together. yD-17

Today in 1989 the end of all things is very near and deception is abounding, and God's people must more than ever before be anchored in the word of God both by knowledge and convincing revelation from God as had Peter. yD-18

Proper Confidence

Because of man's proneness to degrade and judge others, Paul said concerning our brother "...Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" Rom 14:4. Because of man's proneness to exalt himself, Paul taught brethren to in honor prefer another, and instead of seeking vain glory to esteem other better than themselves. Charity believeth and hopeth all things therefore rather than being judgmental gives others the benefit of the doubt. Brethren must submit themselves one to another. One must submit and lay down his idea or conviction if not against God's word when rejected and then work diligently together with his brethren to achieve desired end, using conviction such as was chosen. yD-19

Yet it has no basis in the word of God to have confidence in those, whether Church members or not, who do not have the fruits of saving faith. Jesus said, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them" Matt 7:20. Paul only after seeing the fruits of carefulness, confession, indignation, fear, vehement desire, zeal, and revenge, said "I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things". Paul said we dare not make ourselves of the number. He said it is unwise to measure and compare ourselves among ourselves. To be anchored and blindly confident in one another is a spirit of the world. Yet how often our confidence is increased in our brother when we remove the beam from our own eye. yD-20

Church to Honour Christ Not Herself

Jesus is not ashamed to call us who love Him brethren and counts us as His own dear bride. Oh how unworthy us sinful mortals are! Clearly the Apostles were perfect examples of how such as feel this unworthiness will direct all praise and honor to Christ. Yea such honor as was directed to them they rejected with vehement desire and pointed such as gave it to Jesus who in truth deserved it! Oh how the bride of Christ should honor their Saviour. How uncomely it is to the Groom when the bride honors herself. How uncomely it is when sinful mortals become puffed up and honor themselves in that they are a part of the bride of Christ! Such as feel their true unworthiness in that of being a part of the bride of Christ and joint heir with Christ will with vehement desire endeavor to please their Saviour. Such in unworthiness will earnestly desire others this privilege of being part of the bride of Christ and receiving such Son Ship. If one is not minded to do all he can to save souls from hell, his faith has a great lack and could well be dead. yD-21

In an effort to portray the true office of the shepherds of Christ's sheep, Jesus taught the doctrine of feet washing to thereby portray the humble yet intimate relation between the shepherds and the sheep. Jesus after revealing the hypocritical conduct of the Jewish shepherds and knowing man's inclination to receive honor one of another and to anchor their faith and confidence in each other taught His disciples that no man on earth should be called Rabbi, Master, or Father, but that His children are all brethren and that one is their Father which is in heaven. Jesus said in His sheepfold the chief and great would be servants. yD-22

How easy it is when not properly anchored in our heavenly Father and His word to become puffed up in that we are the people of God, or in a Church office that one may receive. And how easy it is to be anchored in one another. God hates a proud look. The pride of the heart deceives man, and oh how blind the proud become. Yea, they are on a bridge spanning an eternal fire, and which is sure to fall therein, and deceived they are for they being ignorant thereof feel high and lofty. yD-23

According to the Thirty-three Articles of Faith, the first sign whereby God's true people can be known is by their fruits of saving faith as they explain in the exact following words. "...by it we are drawn and impelled from all visible things and sinful lusts of this world to the invisible God and His heavenly riches". May we take note all visible or material things are included together with sinful things. Saving faith is also held by other confessions in the Martyr's Mirror, as the most essential sign of the true Church of God. Truly no matter how dark and deceitful times become, such as are open to God can see where such fruits of faith exist, and likewise such within God's Church who have open eyes to God can see when such fruits are failing within God's church. No, times will never become so dark that God cannot give sight to His children and they will only be able to see through the light of the Church, and if so, God's children could never see when to stand in the gap. yD-24

Persons of the world and churches in general feel secure in that they fit in with the crowd, yet oh what a deceitful anchor for many are not anchored in the word of God, and thus are hell bound. Oh how sad, and to be lost forever yD-25

The writer greatly fears Satan is causing God's people to become anchored in one another and adrift from saving faith and the word of God using the disguise that he is so deceitful that we cannot be anchored in the word of God but through the brethren or Church. Therefore many are not personally or properly anchored in the word of God. Such requires knowledge and the apostolic Peter revelation. When one is anchored as such he will assuredly believe the written word and with desire will study it's pages to become grounded in the eternal safety of the faith, and to learn of those things of true greatness. May we heed the word of God. May we heed Tobias Unruh's warning and each one become anchored in the word of God by knowledge and revelation from God. The Jerusalem conference spoken of in Acts 15, should never cause one to think he cannot be anchored in God's Word except through church conference. No, if the men of Judea had been properly anchored in God's Word by Spirit and truth as were Paul and Barnabas, the Jerusalem conference would not have been necessary. The Word of God which is living and true, will never divide those who are personally and properly anchored therein, but will unite them in the unity of the Spirit, and a shared faith which will cause fear and trembling and fervent charity. Yet the need of Jerusalem conferences can be expected for the purpose helping those who are not properly anchored in God's word, to share the different workings of God upon us, and the different revelations which God has given to us, who should be personally and deeply anchored in God's word with fear and trembling. In the Old Testament, concerning a multitude of counselors, when such were not properly anchored, God said, "...I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting" Isaiah 1:13. The writer is aware of many scriptures pertaining to trusting God and His word. Jesus said in John 17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth". But he is not aware of any scripture which says to be anchored in God's church. Yet it is true each one must love God's church and help keep her walls strong. Yet the walls are not to be our anchor, but to be a protection to the weak and erring. yD-26

M Oh how fearful yet true it is, that the devil is the worlds most excepted comforter! Oh how he successfully comforts man in his earthly life, and yet has the evil glitter in his eye which includes the full intention of bringing man into hell. He says, just quench that little voice and don't follow it, and says this nor that is so important, don't take it so serious, God is love. Sad it is, that few of this whole world are not under his lying comfort. To such as are part of God's church Satan says, that little voice isn't so important, put your anchor in the church follow her rules, trust her, the gates of hell will never prevail against her, fit in, make your self of the number, and says don't become too deeply anchored in the word, it is not necessary and may even divide. He says you can love the world a little bit. He says you are a special and Holy people, yet saying it with a deceitful accent. He tells the shepherds their extra good or else they would not have been ordained. It is true, God's chosen people are very special, yet only so by recognizing their absolute sinfulness, depravity, and need of the Saviour, and by possessing a living faith in him. Satan tells us all such like things to make us feel at ease, righteous, infallible, and superior. Yea such is how the Jews felt when Christ was on earth. But the Bible says, "well because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded but fear: For it God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off" (Romans 11:20-22), and says we are not to make ourselves of the number (2 Cor 10:12). Jesus cannot save the righteous, nor those that see with eyes of a faith anchored in flesh and blood, but saves those who from their innermost being know they are unworthy lost sinners needing a Saviour. Oh how such will confess Christ, yea not only in church but to all the world! May we never despise such who in history fell into idolatry, or the Jews at Christ's time, or any churches that have fallen away. No, our flesh and proud, deceitful hearts are no better than theirs, and Satan is a master deceiver. Oh may we take Paul's advice and not be high minded but fear! Yet God is so good He gives experiences to all people on a personal level, and especially so when His word is preached. yD-27

M Dear reader, this world is like an island whereupon a fire will rage, yea an eternal fire! Yet God has provided a ship called Jesus whereupon men can escape the island of destruction and sail to a city of eternal bliss. The ship is free and all who truly believe in the Jesus ship will be saved. The fare for the ship is to love God with all the heart. Oh how sad it is that many believe only in the ship, but do not believe in or understand the fare, and thus are not paying it. The day is coming when the ship will forever depart from the earth and the eternal fire will rage. Have you paid your fare? Oh the bitter wailings of those who believed only in the ship and ignored or improperly paid their fare for such will be left behind on the burning island! Yea such as get a vision of the island, the fire, the ship, the city of bliss, the fare, and the proneness of man's deceitful heart to not honestly pay it, will be moved with desire and be zealous of good works in an effort to keep their love upon God. No, the good works do not save as does the ship, but will be shining when one gets the vision. yD-28

The writer fears God's children subconsciously think of God to be as nonresistant as are His New Testament children. No, God is not nonresistant, for vengeance is His, He will repay! Yea and with a greater punishment than comprehensible. In the Old Testament God's people carried out just a small part of the vengeance of God on sin, wherein they killed without mercy man, woman, child, and beast and utterly destroyed all. Yet such punishment is very pleasant as compared to hell's punishment which they must yet experience forever and ever. Very likely never before in history have God's people been so far removed from blood and as soft as today. yD-29

M Dear reader, what do you think a king should do in the following possible circumstance? One dark stormy night he and his son were walking by the seashore and in the distance he seen his lighthouse very dim and a ship about to be dashed in pieces against the rocks. To brighten the lighthouse and save the sailors the king knew it would require the life of his son. The King then in love and mercy for the sailors gave his son who then lost his life in rekindling the lighthouse. The king then told the sailors what it coat him to save their lives, and then gave them the charge to keep his lighthouse brightly shining, and told them if they loved him they would do this. Now the king sees his lighthouse very dim because of the negligence of those sailors and sees many ships being dashed apart against the rocks, while those sailors are casual, drowsy, and living a selfish life. what should the king do with such sailors? Yea and what should God do with such who are at ease in Zion and are not earnestly endeavoring to by all means save some from hell? How can such as do little to save some from hell expect to escape it themselves? How can such as lust after the world and conform themselves thereto as much as possible, and are not in word and deed shining for the God of heaven ever expect to escape the damnation of hell? Are we about our Father's business? Who is our Father is it God or mammon or men. Oh how God's purpose of His vineyard of earth is hindered and hell enlarged when God's children have their affections on earth and compare and anchor themselves among themselves instead of with the word of God and are thus weak or void of faith. Our lack of faith in and love for God is revealed in our lack of earnest service to him, oh how little we speak thereof, with the exception of Sunday school and such often lacks vehement desire. yD-30

Proper Unity and Foundation

M Without being anchored in the apostolic Peter revelation which is one with the living Word, and thus having saving faith it is impossible to be truly humble. Personal pride is soon detected for it repels and divides. But elated feelings in that of being God's Church are much more deceptive for such seems comely to all who are involved for they share a common pride. It doesn't even divide but unites in a spirit of unity. Nations of the world are united by a shared pride. Such as fall prey to church pride lose their anchor in the living word and anchor themselves in the church. Repeatedly throughout history, which is very sad, the greater part of God's Church fell prey to church pride and only a remnant remained anchored on the living word. The wreckage and fragments of personal and church pride line the shores of history and the eternal loss yet remains. Oh how sad it is. Along the shores of history the wreckage of personal pride appears much oftener than the wreckage of church pride. But oh how much greater is the loss in church wreckage. Sad it is, the whole world is filled with dead churches, skeletons of once the true body or church of Christ, and sad it is that such as attend them think they are right. The longer dead the more decayed such churches are. The church is of no greater safety than that of the anchor of her members in the living Word of God. As is proven in history when anchored in one another, the whole church drifts toward destruction and the anchor of the faithful has pulled them apart from the drifting church. It is easy for the flesh to keep church rules and please man when a shared pride is involved, but oh the danger and deception! But it requires striving to overcome pride and Satan. yD-31

In earthly government a shared pride reigns in her citizens and their trust and anchor is in one another. Yet God will never permit such government among His people. His nation is not to be united by the arm of flesh but must be united by Him through a common faith and Spirit resulting from each citizen having a personal connection to their heavenly Father and His Word. Man must forsake all to become anchored in God's living Word. It is a pearl of great price and man must sell all to buy it. Man must let go of all, even his anchor in the church. All of God's children at heart must be willing to forsake all, home, friends, and church. God's people must be a people who have let go, and God has joined. Even the written word of God must be held onto in a proper spirit, and dare not be held onto with the arm of flesh or faith vanishes. Even though God's church is much less fallible than an individual, and God never blesses anyone who becomes divided therefrom except when the church has drifted too far from the living Word, yet God is very displeased when one anchors himself in the church. May we here consider the graveness of King David's sin when his personal faith became dim in God, and he anchored it in God's holy nation, and numbered Israel. God is not made strong by man's strength and unity, but His strength is made perfect in weakness. It can be pleasant for the flesh to be anchored in the church, but oh the loss of salvation, power, and Spirit. One dare not close His mind in an endeavor to be united with God's people. To have church or mammon before God is idolatry. How one is tempted to go with the crowd or mainstream even against true principle, even Apostle Peter fell into such and was reproved to his face by Paul (Gal 2:11-14). yD-32

May here no one be moved against his brother in that his brother is anchored in church and not in God's Word. Such as are so moved are a witness against themselves that they neither are properly anchored in God's Word. Such as are anchored in God's word will forgive as did Joseph his brethren, as Stephen did his martyrs and will be peacemakers. God hateth such as sow discord among brethren and such will be damned. Yet the Word divides truth from untruth. Jesus the living Word said He came not to send peace but a sword. God's children have no time to strive but must be an enlightening city that we might by all means save some from hell. No, they dare not strive or they too will be lost. yD-33

To be properly anchored in God's Word one must be anchored therein in Spirit and truth. For God is one with His Word and must be worshipped in Spirit and truth. Truth is a true knowledge. Spirit is the Apostolic Peter revelation which convinces and motivates. Some are anchored only in spirit and Lo a false spirit. Yet such is no more vanity than such who have true knowledge but are without Spirit. It was Spirit that caused the moving of the early church in fasting, praying, and in spreading the Gospel with vehement desire. It was Spirit that caused the martyr brethren to sing at the stake. It is Spirit that reveals to one the vanity of earthly things and draws one away from earthly goals to heavenly riches and goals. Such an one is then spiritually minded. But the carnal mind has it's affection upon the earth, is void of faith and cannot please God. yD-34

God's church is visible, but the Jesus ship spoken of earlier though of incomprehensible importance is yet invisible for God alone knows who are it's passengers. Two can be sleeping in one bed and one can be on this ship and the other on the doomed island, for Jesus said of two sleeping on one bed the one shall be taken and the other left. Man never has and never will enter heavens portals on the faith or convictions of another. Although one must be teachable and absolutely open to his brothers light, whether or not such light is excepted or rejected the convictions and faith one possesses is personal. Many in God's church are not upon the Jesus ship and many who never were a part of God's church are upon this ship. yD-35

No one who has Spiritual vision will desire anyone to be anchored in man or church, but in God's word by Spirit and truth. The aim of God's church must be to anchor her members as such. Only when so anchored can one be saved. Only when so anchored can one have living convictions, a proper fear and love for God, His Holy nation, her holy laws, and workings. Such as are so anchored and have thus received saving faith and been made aware of the vitalness and dangerousness of life will have no greater desire than to dwell within the walls of God's holy nation and that her walls be strong. For her walls to be strong her citizens must be anchored upon the Word and taught of God or who will be his brother's keeper and who will stand in the gap. God's children should be aware of God's Holy nation her laws, and corrective discipline. Yet the shepherds need preach very little concerning such, for when fear and love for the King is taught and learned the citizens will gladly obey the laws of this nation. Yea then her citizens will do much more than obey such laws, for they will be taught of God and with desire will obey God's Spirit and will be about their Father's business. The true church of God needs teach very little concerning that she is the true church of God, if at all. But must focus on remaining such, shining as such, and teaching the pure and powerful word. Then such as in a pure heart receive the word will know assuredly where are God's people. yD-36

God's ministers when anchored in the Word are in contact with all power in heaven and earth. They can preach with authority as did Jesus. But when anchored in one another, they will preach as did the scribes. When the power of the living Word and faith has vividly revealed the eternal contrasts to them, they will preach in demonstration of Spirit and of power, yet such will be in weakness of themselves and with fear and trembling. When God's children are anchored in one another, how they fear to not fit in. How then can the Spirit have free course? God's ministers when properly anchored in God's Word will not minister in the letter of the Word but in the Spirit thereof. The letter is legalistic, kills Spiritually and cannot give faith, but the Spirit has power and gives saving faith. The Spirit of the word does not teach permissiveness or casualness but a Godly fear which makes men tremble at the Word of God. By the power of the Spirit of the Word Ananias and Sapphira were slain at the feet of Peter. May a renewed realization of the power of God's word be showered upon God's people, and upon the whole world! Oh may man realize the unspeakable importance of observing it in the way of absolute truth. Oh and may man come to the full realization of the incomprehensible deliverance and eternal treasure the Bible map will lead those to who follow it's exact instructions. The living word is the one and only map that divides the many ways that lead to hell, from the path of the just and way of holiness which leads to eternal life. Oh may men assuredly know that the power of God's word can yet move men's hearts as it did in the days of the apostles and many can yet be saved from everlasting contempt and damnation, and find an everlasting treasure. And may we know, to preserve the faith one must obey the faith, and such will require endeavoring to spread it. yD-37

Truly if one fears to deeply study God's Word and the writings of our forefathers such as in the Martyr's Mirror, Menno Simons, Dietrich Philips, John Holdeman, etc.., for fear it will cause him to lose confidence or become divided from the main stream of today, there is a great lack somewhere. May we not take any drifting from the faith of our forefathers lightly, for the devils most vehement goal is to draw God's chosen unto himself in eternal perdition, and often he has deceived the greater part thereof. Unspeakable is the eternal loss. May we find the root cause of errors and uproot the cause and be good trees producing good fruit. No we dare not except cover all solutions, nor dare we educate ourselves concerning good fruit and then hang it on our tree, for if do so we deceive ourselves. May we as God's people have a renewed faith such as had the church at Pentecost and our martyr brethren. Oh may we find the faith that motivates, and lose the faith that requires motivation, yea such is like a hanging fruit on a dead tree. May God's children love and meditate on God's law and Word as did David who was after God's own heart. May today's shepherds meditate and give themselves wholly to reading, and the study of God's Word, as was instructed Timothy by Paul, that their profit may appear to all. ".. For in doing this thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear thee" 1 Tim 4:16. yD-38

Encouragement to

Repentance and Deeper Christianity

M God has deep, abundant, and safe waters for His people. Oh the needless eternal shipwrecks when not in such waters. May we cry out for the safety and soul winning power of the deep waters! May we not be overcome by the cloud of deception seen by Tobias Unruh. "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" 2 Cor 11.3. "...But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word" Isaiah 66:2. May we realize the Bible means exactly what it says. May God's people consider John Holdeman's example of Bible knowledge and sobriety. And remember that God's way of dealing direction and faith has not changed since his time. While yet in his former church he was troubled about the worldly and lightminded conversation of his brethren. Forget the writer and acknowledge only the truth of God's Word, for only truth will span the final gulf between time and eternity's shore. Oh let every Spirit that is not anchored in God's written Word by Spirit and truth be accursed. Forget signs and wonders although they have a place, and believe only in the simplicity of the Word. May we with trembling and saving faith be anchored in the simplicity of God's Word, and as Tobias Unruh stated hold fast even if the whole church would fall away. May God's people be a people that fear and tremble at the simplicity of God's Word rather than at one another, the church, or mammon. May we again remember the greatness of King David's sin when he anchored his faith in God's Holy nation. yD-39

M God's spiritual scales has not changed from the beginning of time. God's scales that weighed the church members at Pentecost and our martyr brethren is weighing us! How many are weighed in the balances and found wanting. We are in a time of great tribulation, no not of the physical but of that which is far worse, yea it is of our faith. Oh it were incomprehensibly better to lose our life then faith! Oh beloved reader how can I make it serious enough that we be saved. Eternity is a long time, but oh it cannot be measured by time, and the contrasts therein unspeakable. Truly God has created good and evil! On God's clock of time we are within the last moments, we are at the threshold of eternity. Oh what a responsibility the shepherds have. May we with all carefulness and sincerity look at ourselves, our sheep, our children, and consider and measure our faith using the fruit test. It must be remembered God's standard of saving faith and the fear of God caused thereby, cannot be anchored in any accepted standard, for man's standards can so gradually decay, but the true standard is found in God's word and is the same from Pentecost or creation forward. We uphold true doctrines but where is the fervent Spirit. We have a form of Godliness but where is the power thereof? The 400 years previous to Christ's first coming were very dark, oh may not such be the case before His final coming! Yet how shallow are God's people of the last centuries as compared to the church at Pentecost and Martyr times. The writer fears many have succumbed to using the muck rake spoken of by John Bunyan to rake together material wealth and have lost vision of the heavenly riches, and that many have no anchor except that of the church. yD-40

Oh how sleepy and drowsy are many of God's children, and it is feared many are sleeping. Only such as possess saving faith are awake spiritually and may we consider the lack of fruits thereof. How weak is our desire, if any exists, to be delivered from this body of corruption and be clothed upon with are body which is from heaven. We are so earthly minded that even when thinking of Spiritual reward we tend to think mostly about earthly blessings. Jesus in Mark 13, gave repeated warning against sleeping at His return. At revivals some are aroused, confess their sleep, and fearful it is, again they fall asleep. It also has been found that one has been talking in his sleep for many revivals. Oh we must and can not only become aroused but wide awake. We must open our eyes to the great danger of Spiritual sleep. Yes it means eternal separation from God in His wrath of hell. We must fear for our own salvation. God says, "because thou art lukewarm ,... I will spue thee out of my mouth" Rev 3:16. Jesus said, "But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, fear him" Luke 12:5. The less Godly fear one has of Satan the greater his chance of being cast into hell. The Bible often speaks of fear, it says to pass our sojourn on earth therein, it says to work out our souls salvation thereby, and says our speech should be coupled therewith. Many are the other scriptures which speak of a living fear, though not a tormenting fear, but a motivator of a Godly carefulness, of good works, and of speaking to one another of eternal things. This fear removes earthly affections and goals and causes heavenly ones May we not think we can get to heaven with ease, and without great tribulation, although in Spirit we can rejoice in such tribulation. yD-41

The devil is out making war with the seed of the woman within Rev 12, which are the people of God and though he will never overcome them all, yet we have no guarantee that more than a remnant will be faithful. Where is the fasting that our forefathers considered necessary to be preserved in the faith and may we consider where is the faith of our fathers? Yet obedience is more important than the sacrifice of fasting. Jesus said faith like a mustard seed cometh by prayer and fasting and said after He returned to heaven His disciples would fast. Even in the Old Testament era fasting was considered and important principle. Different times in history God's people were told to unitedly fast, morn, pray, and repent are we any better? Every generation in their time thinks they are right, but it is not necessarily so. It is sad that Paul would very likely need to reprove us as he did the Corinthians in that they were full, rich, and reigned as kings, while he was poor, buffeted, persecuted, defamed, and reviled for Christ's sake. He then exhorted them to be followers of him. Only as individuals love and honor God's living word and thus hear it will they receive saving faith. And only then as one's heart and affection is no longer in material things can it be known the work God has for His church. God has a much greater work for us then the material. May we not think it possible to preserve the faith whereby one is saved, without exercising it in an all diligent effort to spread it to a hell bound world. And may we not think it possible to lose earthly affections without establishing heavenly ones. yD-42

May God's people including the writer repent of all idolatry, be renewed in their first love, and become firmly anchored in Jesus the living Word of God with the Apostolic Peter revelation. "Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:" Joel 2:12. "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to morning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up" James 4:9-10. yD-43

May the heavenly fire be rekindled and the fear and trembling caused thereby cause the kiss of charity to be practiced and with appreciation. Oh may God's church receive the latter rain spoken of in James before that great and terrible day of the Lord, and before that day may she with earnest love and desire save the fallen, and many about her! "For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble:..." Mal 4:1. It is fearful to think that such as only possess humility in that they highly esteem their brethren or the church, but lack the true and motivating faith which comes only by hearing the word of God in spirit and truth, are just as lost as such as possess the humility of confessing that they are the descendants of an animal. God is no respecter of persons. yD-44

M God is so good to those who love Him, they can know all things work together for their good! There is no insurance program that compares with the security a Christian can realize, yea it is for time and eternity. Sad it is, many with great care are securing their earthly possessions from loss, but lack faith in God and shall lose their soul in an eternal fire. And sad it is we tell them very little thereof. How can we take hell so lightly? How we are anchored in that we do as much as the others! Lord wilt thou not revive us again? May God continue the work he began among His people a short time ago. The writer well remembers the messages of power during that time. Did Satan confuse the work? "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock than is higher than I" Psa 61:2. Wait a little longer please Jesus so many are wandering out in sin... a few more days to bring the wanders in! And oh may God's children do so! Oh how grieved God must be, the end of all things is at hand, the fields are white and ready to harvest from our door step inward and outward, and many of His people have succumbed to think it a vital Christian witness to show the world how we are so self sufficient, when Jesus rather said, seek ye first My kingdom and be willing to take the providings of such as who are wiser in this world than you, so that can further My eternal kingdom. May we no longer use the excuse of the cow, land, or merchandise or lo we will be lost! If we are placing our affections and abilities in earthly pursuits, we will very likely be found to be the unfaithful servant who buried his talent in the earth. May God renew our faith and may we be soul wise and go forth in God's vineyard with the fear of hell at our feet and with the light of heaven in our eye or else we will likely be found a foolish virgin and experience God's eternal wrath of indescribable horrors. yD-45

Written in weakness and fear, with a desire for the salvation of souls, and that God's children may be joined by God's word in a common faith and Spirit wherein will result a burning Godly fear and a fervent charity for each other and lost souls. Also is desired your prayers. yD-46

(Count 10,469 3/4/01)