Chap. 193 - A View of the Shaking
For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel. Ezekiel 38:19.
I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads.... {Mar 201.2}
Evil angels crowded around, pressing darkness upon them to shut out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the darkness that surrounded them, and thus they be led to distrust God and murmur against Him. Their only safety was in keeping their eyes directed upward. Angels of God had charge over His people, and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness. {Mar 201.3}
As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a ray of light from Jesus came to them, to encourage their hearts and light up their countenances. Some, I saw, did not participate in this work of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless.... The angels of God... went to the aid of the earnest, praying ones. . . . But His angels left those who made no effort to help themselves, and I lost sight of them. {Mar 201.4}
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 of the Laodiceans. . . . {Mar 201.5}
My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. . . . The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. . . . {Mar 201.6}
I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect....I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, "It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel." {Mar 201.7}
Family Time : July 12
52. Home Government – cont. 3
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John-10:27
Manifest Neither Blind Affection nor Undue Severity.--While we are not to indulge blind affection, neither are we to manifest undue severity. Children cannot be brought to the Lord by force. They can be led, but not driven. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me," Christ declares. He did not say, My sheep hear My voice and are forced into the path of obedience. In the government of children love must be shown. Never should parents cause their children pain by harshness or unreasonable exactions. Harshness drives souls into Satan's net.
The combined influence of authority and love will make it possible to hold firmly and kindly the reins of family government. An eye single to the glory of God and to what our children owe Him will keep us from looseness and from sanctioning evil.
Harshness Not Requisite to Obedience.--Let none imagine . . . that harshness and severity are necessary to secure obedience. I have seen the most efficient family government maintained without a harsh word or look. The children followed the course pursued by the parents and seldom spoke to one another in harsh tones.
Words that intimidate, creating fear and expelling love from the soul, are to be restrained. A wise, tender, God-fearing father will bring, not a slavish fear, but an element of love into the home. If we drink of the water of life, the fountain will send forth sweet water, not bitter.
Harsh words sour the temper and wound the hearts of children, and in some cases these wounds are difficult to heal. Children are sensitive to the least injustice, and some become discouraged under it and will neither heed the loud, angry voice of command nor care for threatenings of punishment. Rebellion is too frequently established in the hearts of children through the wrong discipline of the parents, when if a proper course had been taken, the children would have formed good and harmonious characters. A mother who does not have perfect control of herself is unfit to have the management of children. {3T 532.3}
There is danger of too severely criticizing small things. Criticism that is too severe, rules that are too rigid, lead to the disregard of all regulations; and by and by children thus educated will show the same disrespect for the laws of Christ.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus replied, "what is written in the law?" How do u read it?
He answered, "love the lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & strength & with all your mind; & love your neighbour as u love yourself."
Jesus replied, u have answered correctly. Do this & u will live.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, & who is my neighbour?
In reply Jesus said, " A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him & went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, & when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a levite, when he came to the place & he saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; & when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him & bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil & wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn & took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii & gave them to the innkeepers. "Look after him,' he said, '& when I return, I will reimburse u for any extra expense u may have.'
"Which of these three do u think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go & do likewise." (Luke 10:25-37)
"Love your neighbour as u love yourself" was part of the old testament law (Leviticus 19:18). But the Jewish teachers had often interpreted "neighbour" to include only people of their on nationality & religion. The expert in the law was looking to Jesus for justification for that interpretation, so he asked who is my neighbour?" In response, Jesus told him his famous Parable of the good Samaritan.
In this parable, Jesus tells us that anyone in need is our neighbour, regardless of race, religion or nationality.
