Sunday, March 02, 2008

SUNDAY LAW BY STEALTH




Sunday Law by Stealth



By Pastor Hal Mayer





Dear Friends,



Welcome to Keep the Faith Ministry. Today we are going to talk about a sobering development that I pray will awaken you to the nearness of the Sunday Law crisis. The most important issue facing God’s people today is their unreadiness for close of probation. The crisis is nearly upon us. Secret and stealthy movements are preparing to catch you in an almost overwhelming surprise. I hope that the contents of this CD will open your eyes wide and that you will wake up and trim your spiritual lamps. I pray that it will help you realize that we have very little time left.



Our hope is that you and your family will be awakened to the times in which we live. You need to be aware of what is happening behind the scenes. Let your friends in on this blessing by giving them a copy of this CD.



The rumors were flying around the internet back in early November that a secret meeting was scheduled between the Christian Coalition and the Vatican in Washington DC. Rumor had it that there was to be discussion about the state of the world, the moral condition of the United States, and most importantly the need to protect the Lord’s day, or Sunday, as a day of rest. It was also rumored that there would be key congressional lawmakers present, and a high-level Vatican cardinal was to address the group.



I had many people emailing me about it, asking whether it was true or not. I had to be almost silent about it until now, because I believe that Keep the Faith Ministry must only circulate facts, not conjecture, speculation, or assumptions.



But today I am going to tell you the details as I have received from a personal friend who was a credentialed participant in the secret meeting. I’m also going to tell you what God says about the things going on behind the scenes to bring you to the Sunday law crisis and show you how it is happening. You may have heard criticism of God’s end-time inspired messenger or concerning the prophetic truths of the Remnant Church, but I can tell you, every prophetic detail in Holy Scripture and every detail in the Spirit of Prophecy will happen with certainty. Our monthly CDs have been documenting this month after month after month. But before we begin, let us bow our heads in prayer.



Our Father in Heaven, we are concerned that our liberties are about to be swept away. We are very concerned that we will soon face the great crisis of the ages, and your people are not ready. We are not ready. I ask that today You will wake us up! The moment that patriarchs and prophets longed to see has finally come. We have been asleep like the ten virgins in Your parable. But Lord Jesus, we want to have the oil of the Holy Spirit so that we will be able to go in with the bridegroom to the wedding feast. Please help us to get ready. Help us to watch and be sober. And may Your presence be with us today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.



Let me begin by sharing with you a very important scripture text. It is found in Revelation 13:15-17.



"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."



Notice that receiving the mark of the beast revolves around false worship. Those who don’t go along with the new religious order will be prevented from buying and selling and will be killed. This is serious, my friends. The time for this to happen is near at hand. Forces are at work behind the scenes to force you to worship the god of this world.



There are some important things that must be in place for this to happen. First, there has to be a general crisis that generates a good deal of fear, a crisis of global proportions. Secondly, there must be a nearly unshakable cooperation between the religious forces in the United States with the government, including the Vatican, (perhaps even led by the Vatican at least behind the scenes), so that they can cooperate together without fear of being thwarted. Thirdly, there must be a secrecy about the matter so that it isn’t agitated widely until there is nothing that can be done to stop the rolling freight train once it gets on the open track. Our Lord has been holding back the winds of strife so that God’s people can prepare. But the time to let them go is almost here.



As watchmen on the walls of Zion, we must give the warning. We must open the issue to God’s people as early as possible so that they can get ready and so that they can do what they can under the power of God to stay the hand of oppression. The issue is so vital that we dare not miss it. We dare not turn our faces from it or relegate it into the distant future. We have been in the stealth phase for many years now. But now, suddenly, it is looming out there just as prophecy predicted. It is about to come out in the open. Listen to this statement from the pen of inspiration.

"I lay down my pen and lift up my soul in prayer that the Lord would breathe upon His backslidden people, who are as dry bones, that they may live. The end is near, stealing upon us so stealthily, so imperceptibly, so noiselessly, like the muffled tread of the thief in the night, to surprise the sleepers off guard and unready. May the Lord grant to bring His Holy Spirit upon hearts that are now at ease, that they may no longer sleep as do others, but watch and be sober." That is from the General Conference Bulletin, 1893, pp. 132, 133. We live in a sober time. This is not the time to place your children in front of the TV to watch cartoons, even religious cartoons. This is not the time to go to the amusement park to fritter your time away in cheap thrills. This is not the time to be gluttonously eating and drinking things that are harmful to body and soul. My friends, this is not the time to be living in luxury and excess. This is the time to plead for Christ’s righteousness in your soul. This is the time to earnestly seek God to send His Holy Spirit into your life so that you can overcome your sins and be ready to meet the surprise crisis that is surely coming - and soon. This is the time to weep for God’s people and plead with Him to spare them.



Here is another statement dealing with the Sunday Law. It is from the book Great Controversy, page 581. "God's word has given warning of the impending danger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men. She is piling up her lofty and massive structures in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated. Stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element is. Whoever shall believe and obey the word of God will thereby incur reproach and persecution."



So many ignore God’s warnings and live their lives in sin as if nothing is going to happen any differently for 100 years. Others ridicule God’s last day prophet and sneer at the warnings she gave us through the testimonies. But God’s word is right on track. One right after the other, the very prophecies that were given in the books of Daniel and Revelation and in the Spirit of Prophecy are being fulfilled. All you have to do is look at the news media and you will know that we are nearing the final crisis.



Unfortunately, so many of God’s people don’t seem to care. Thousands upon hundreds of thousands are sound asleep like the ten virgins in Jesus’ parable. They keep watching their ungodly movies. They keep doing things God has forbidden. They keep listening to music that makes the angel’s weep and invites Satan into their hearts and homes. They continue eating things that becloud their minds so that they cannot hear the still small voice. They forget that we are in the antitypical solemn Day of Atonement.



Listen to this important statement. It is from the book The Great Controversy, page 488. "The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to face. How important, then, that every mind contemplate often the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, when, with Daniel, every individual must stand in his lot, at the end of the days."



My friend, this speaks to you and to me. As the danger creeps upon us like a thief in the night, many think they are secure and that the things that have been predicted in God’s word will not come to pass in their generation, but in their children’s generation or in their grandchildren’s generation.



Often we hear sermons on love, unity and the cross, but we don’t hear sermons on the close of probation and the end of all things and the need to get our lives right with God. We are told that we don’t have to deal with our sins now, for Jesus will deal with them later. But this, my friends, is falsehood. It is a deception designed to keep you from preparing your heart for the close of probation and to meet the holy Jesus in peace.



We are near the very end. It is finally here! We have known that the Sunday law movement would come, but we have subconsciously at least, put it off in the distance. We want to feel good. We don’t want to be depressed by so-called "bad news." So we have bathed ourselves in positive thinking and in feel-good spirituality, a kind of superficiality and emotionalism. But this is only superficial and empty. It doesn’t awaken us to our danger, but rather puts us to sleep. It makes us spiritually lazy. Overcoming sin is not something that we want to have to do because that means we have to give up our darling sins. But now the Sunday law movement is right upon us. It has caught up to us by surprise and most of us aren't ready. The blessing is that Jesus is giving us warning before the close of probation so that we can still get ready. Oh my friend, this is the time to make sure that you are living for Jesus. This is the time to make sure that your calling and election is sure.



This is not bad news at all. The approach of the Sunday law is very good news indeed, at least for those who love Jesus with all their hearts. It shows us that the coming of Jesus is very near. I hope this is very good news for you my friend. If you don’t feel ready, this is the time to get serious with Jesus and take the necessary steps.



Let me show you something interesting from history that will help us put this into perspective. In Luke 21:20, 21 Jesus said "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out."



There were two sieges of Jerusalem after Christ made this prediction, one under Cestius in A.D. 66 and the other under Titus in A. D. 70. After the Romans under Cestius had surrounded the city, they unexpectedly withdrew at the very moment when the Jews were on the point of surrendering. This gave God’s true people, the followers of Jesus, enough time to flee the city and move to a place called Pella in the hill country. Then Titus came with his armies, surrounded the city and eventually destroyed it. Please read the first chapter in the book Great Controversy about the destruction of Jerusalem. It is shocking! It is a warning about our times. The first siege warned Jesus’ followers of the coming destruction so that they could flee. It was the signal. Most of the Jews were triumphant, thinking that they were safe and that God would protect them. They had even inflicted some damage on the Romans as they withdrew. The Jews went back to their old ways and didn’t take the warning to flee Jerusalem. They were caught unprepared when the second siege of Titus surrounded them.



Now let us apply this to today. Back in the 1880s there was a Sunday law movement. God’s church appeared as if surrounded by the siege forces of spiritual Babylon. But then through the efforts of A. T. Jones and others, the hand of oppression was stayed and God’s people were given time. The Sunday law movement withdrew signaling the opportunity to leave the cities both physically and spiritually. But what have God’s people done? They have gone back to their old ways. They have gone back to their worldliness and their sins and they have ignored the warnings to get out of the cities and prepare for the coming crisis; just as the Jews of old did. Now, coming right upon us is the second siege, the second Sunday law movement. This time there will be no reprieve. This is the final siege of God’s people by spiritual Babylon. There is no time to lose my friend. Please don’t think that you can delay.



There was a man who for seven years warned Jerusalem, going up and down the streets of the city declaring the woes that were to come upon it. He is quoted in the book Great Controversy, page 30. Go there and read what he said about God’s church just before her destruction. He was imprisoned and scourged, but he did not complain. He was insulted and abused, but he only answered by saying "Woe, woe to Jerusalem!" "woe, woe to the inhabitants thereof!" He was eventually slain in the siege he had predicted. Perhaps the Lord is sending you a warning today. How will you treat the unpopular message?



Do you remember that statement in the 9th volume of the Testimonies for the Church, page 11 that says, "the agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones." You can't wait until you see that things are finally falling into place. Most people will try to live a normal life, even though things around them seem unsettled. They will not see the signs of the times. Everything will seem like it is the same, day after day, except for some pretty big natural disasters, some wars and other disturbances. But they expect their lives to return to normal.



It is just as it was before the flood. Nothing changed until the seventh day after Noah went into the ark. Then things began to happen with great speed. But it was too late. It was as if everything was going along at a slow pace, then all of a sudden everything was in turmoil. It was as if a dam broke and a flash flood blasted down the narrow canyon overtaking and destroying everything in its path. Oh my friend, don’t delay the preparation. Your eternal destiny is at stake. An overwhelming surprise is coming.



Now, one more statement that astonishingly applies to our present situation. It is from the Review and Herald December 24, 1889. "I have been much burdened in regard to movements that are now in progress for the enforcement of Sunday observance. It has been shown to me that Satan has been working earnestly to carry out his designs to restrict religious liberty. Plans of serious import to the people of God are advancing in an underhand manner among the clergymen of various denominations, and the object of this secret maneuvering is to win popular favor for the enforcement of Sunday sacredness. If the people can be led to favor a Sunday law, then the clergy intend to exert their united influence to obtain a religious amendment to the Constitution, and compel the nation to keep Sunday."



There are those that are secretly working to enforce a Sunday Law right now, my friends. We have been able to document some of it, but I suspect there is a lot more going on. And since this is a secret and underhanded movement, we know that it is trying to disguise itself and keep its real purpose away from public scrutiny. Some of the things we will discuss today about the secret meeting in Washington are not verifiable from public sources. What we have is the first-hand testimony of one who was present. But once the ecumenical churches and the Vatican openly discuss these things, the soup will already be cooked. It is the Spirit of Prophecy that is the guidance system to show us what we can accept and what is erroneous. When the Spirit of Prophecy says that there is a secret and underhanded movement attempting to enforce Sunday as a day of rest, we can rest assured that it is happening, though we cannot see or feel it yet. But once in a while you can see it pop up on the surface, or God places individuals in positions where they can see and give testimony to the truth of what the Spirit of Prophecy has predicted. The message on this CD is about that kind of testimony. What you will hear is the detail from the first-hand report of the one man God has placed in the position to see behind the scenes and can report to us from the inside what is happening in their secret planning sessions.



There are three religious organizations that were involved in the secret meeting in Washington DC. They are the Christian Coalition of America (CC), Christian Churches Together (CCT) and Catholic Campaign for American (CCA).



First let me tell you about Pastor Allen Fine and the Christian Coalition. Pastor Fine is the speaker and director of New Sound Inspiration Radio in West Virginia. He has been a Seventh-day Adventist pastor for over 40 years and is now retired, but perhaps more involved in God’s work than ever before. He has been at the forefront of the battle for the Lord, lifting up the trumpet and proclaiming God’s last message on radio and in the pulpit and continues to work for the salvation of souls. He has taken criticism and abuse for his strong support of the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy and is no stranger to the forces arrayed against God’s people. I have spent quite a bit of time talking with Pastor Fine and have learned the story of his involvement with the Christian Coalition.



Pastor Fine began to attend the meetings of the Christian Coalition of America back in 1989. He wanted to see what they were doing and to get an idea of their plans. Pat Robertson, their leader at the time, was gleeful that he had successfully brought together so many different Christian churches. As he listened to their ideas and plans, Pastor Fine thought of the warnings of the Spirit of Prophecy and realized that the intentions of this group had been predicted and that prophecy was being fulfilled exactly as it had been written.



On March 29, 1994 The leaders of the Christian Coalition, including Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Gary Bower, James Dobson, Ralph Reed and others, including a Jewish Rabbi stacked their hands all together and declared that they are one. Pastor Fine and his wife Deanna witnessed this and believes that their intention was to use Christian organizations to get control of state and federal legislatures and thereby set up the image to the beast.



Then in 2004 Pastor Fine received a memo from the new President of the Christian Coalition, Roberta Combs. It was addressed to him as the "Leader, Christian Coalition in West Virginia," and it discussed plans for the upcoming leadership meetings and legislative briefings in Washington, DC. Pastor Fine was surprised. "I didn’t ask for this," he thought, "but I’ll take it." When Roberta Combs, the president of the Christian Coalition lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack, Pastor Fine was on hand to minister and pray with the family over the phone. This brought them close together as friends. Roberta Combs later asked him if he would be willing to serve as co-chairman of the Christian Coalition alongside Jim Backlin. He accepted and this has put him in a position to be credentialed to the leadership meetings with other Christian organizations and for him to attend the important secret meeting with the Vatican. Pastor Fine says that he believes God has a very important purpose for him on the inside of this important organization.



The Christian Coalition along with Christian Churches Together and Catholic Campaign for America has developed a ten point agenda for America that they want to implement at the federal and state levels by law. These ten amendments were recently updated at the Fuller Theological Seminary on March 1, 2007. Most of them are designed to uphold the principles that are important to Christian people, such as marriage between one man and one woman, public prayer, references to God in the pledge of allegiance and on coins and bills, judicial integrity, limits on eminent domain, the right to bear arms, etc. But ironically the seventh amendment on their list is a call for a national day of rest. This day would no doubt be Sunday. Here is what number seven on the list of their "ten amendments" says; "Throughout all the land a National Day of Rest shall be honored by governments and industrial manufacturers and public shopping facilities."



A much more recent organization known as Christian Churches Together (or the CCT) is also involved in the secret Sunday law movement and was represented at the secret meeting in Washington. This ecumenical organization has many churches that are members and they are all made to feel as if they have equal say, but it is organized in such a way that Rome’s representatives dominate the steering committee and the direction of the organization. It is becoming more and more powerful however, and is now working, among other things, to implement a national day of rest in the United States.



Catholic Campaign for America is another organization that is wanting to establish a Sunday law. It was founded in 1989 by a man named Thomas V. Wykes, Jr. "who wanted to address the moral crisis in American with a Catholic response," wrote Wikipedia. "In 1991 he gathered together several notable Catholic leaders in Washington DC, who constituted the first board of directors. They included William Bennett, Mary Ellen Bork, Hugh Carey and Bishop Rene Gracida. According to the National Catholic Register, the CCA was initiated to ‘bring a politically powerful and distinctively Catholic voice to the U.S. political scene." Their motto is as follows, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a private opinion, a remote spiritual idea, or a mere program for spiritual growth. The Gospel is the power to transform the world."



What is meant, obviously, by "the power to transform the world," is political power. Jesus never tried to start a political movement or establish His power in political circles, or He would have done what Roman Catholics try to do today and have done for centuries, secretly work to get more power, and then force all under their control to follow their dictates. But Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." John 18.36.



This background is important because you need to see that the Sunday law movement has been stealthily working its way through the ecumenical organizations, just as the Spirit of Prophecy predicted, and is preparing to mount itself and ride on the momentum of the ecumenical movement. It is also going to become very political and will use both governmental and non-government political organizations. When church leaders are excited about their unity with other churches, and when a large enough coalition of churches unite together, they begin to feel very powerful, especially politically powerful and then naturally attempt to use the political apparatus to accomplish their purposes. That is how the image to the beast is being formed right now.



Now we come to the meeting in November of 2007. The Sunday law movement as you will see has top level government support, approval and security protection.



Originally the meeting was to be held in the John Paul II cultural center in Washington DC. When Pastor Fine’s commuter plane landed at Washington Dulles to meet with the other leaders of the Christian Coalition and to have the designated meetings, top government security agents from the National Security Agency (NSA) met his plane and verified his identity right then and there. They told him that "because this was such a provocative meeting, they would have to keep his driver’s license until the meeting is over." They escorted him to a taxicab and told him that the driver already knew where to take him. Then apparently they followed him to the Regency Hotel where the driver delivered him. He asked the driver why he was being taken to the Regency Hotel and not the John Paul II Cultural Center where the meeting was to be held. The driver only said that this is where he was told to take him and that he should go in and await future instructions.



After sitting in the lobby for a few minutes he was approached by the same two agents, who said to him, "one of your people will be here soon." When one of the leaders of the Christian Coalition met him, there were three more agents with her and all five of them followed them to registration. In fact NSA trailed the participants of these closed meetings constantly until the meetings were over.



Pastor Fine asked one of the agents why they weren’t meeting at the John Paul II Cultural Center. He said, it was "decided, along with the Vatican that it would not be appropriate to have this kind of meeting at the John Paul II Cultural Center and that the meeting had been moved to the Regency Hotel."



On November 14, the day was spent in a conference on global warming. The speakers included Al Gore, the former Vice-President of the United States, who has become something of a climate change guru, and his liaison Davy Crocket, great grandson of the famous Davey Crocket of the wild frontier, who does his research. There was much frightening material presented concerning the effect of the changes in climate as well as the speed at which the changes are taking place. It was pointed out that global warming will create a crisis for America and the rest of the world. It involves the loss of life on the planet including animals and fish, etc. The ecosystems are all tied together. One thing affects another. It was felt that responsible Christian leaders must tell their people how they can help protect the environment.



Back at least as far as 1990 the Vatican was promoting the connection between ecology and world peace. John Paul II in his message for the World Day of Peace on January 1 of that year wrote about protecting the environment as a grave moral responsibility. Other statements have also been released by the Catholic Church. Then more recently, as climate change has become a much more political issue, the national Association of Evangelicals paralleled the Roman Catholic Church and released its statement on the environment in a document called Climate Change: an Evangelical Call to Action. Six months later, on August 27, 2006 Benedict XVI called for a commitment to care for creation once again. Now the Independent on September 24, 2007 reported that the Pope is likely to make action on climate change a moral issue when he makes his speck a the United Nations in April. It is important to note that the mutual effort on climate change between the evangelicals and Catholics has ratcheted up the issue as a moral obligation for Christians to embrace. This is important because it means that climate change has been elevated to the same or similar level as abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, etc. Their cooperation on climate change will strengthen their political power and lead to other moral issues that they want to enforce, such as observing the Lord’s day.



During lunch on November 15, just before the meeting with the Vatican Cardinal one of the NSA security agents came to the table and asked Roberta Combs the President of the Christian Coalition, if she had told her people that they were not to take any recording devices or cameras into the meeting, and that nothing will be released for publication until the Vatican has approved it. This is important because it reveals the concern that the Vatican has for loose elements that might damage her position. It also reveals Rome’s manipulation. She wants everything under her control and doesn’t want anything said or done that she hasn’t approved.



There were 13 people that met together, seven from the Christian Coalition, two from Christian Churches Together, and two from Catholic Campaign for America, plus Nancy Pelosi and the Cardinal. The Cardinal was introduced as Cardinal Pizeroser from San Francisco, but that name cannot be found on any official lists of Cardinals, which suggests that it was a pseudonym. Remember that this secret meeting involves very sensitive matters in relation to Sunday laws, hence it may well be that the Vatican does not want to get its fingerprints on certain provocative activities.



Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and a staunch Roman Catholic entered the room and said a few words to the Vatican Cardinal. Nancy was the only one who was permitted to be there from the U.S. Congress. She said to the Cardinal, "I live my faith. I have been trained and directed by Christian parents. I went to church school and also every Sunday I was faithful in recognizing that it was very necessary to do the things that I knew that I was supposed to do, and I have not changed one bit from that."



During the meeting the word "Sunday" was never used, but here the Vatican Cardinal said, "We as Christian leaders must recognize that we have a responsibility to do that which is in keeping with the Lord’s will, and if we don’t, we will pay for it… As you all know, we must all work together for the betterment of America, after all, America is the second Israel. We must work with the state legislatures to appropriately help them to understand that all the immorality and slime must be stopped and that we must work together in unison to show our Lord that this must be stopped…



Then with the "ten amendments" list in his hand, the Cardinal said that there would be more said on this when "His Holiness" (Benedict XVI), would be here in Washington in April to meet with President Bush and also to meet with some of these same Christian leaders at the Senate Office Building on April 17th. "Some of the things that we at the Vatican are concerned about" he said, "is what is happening here (in America) to the Lord’s day, concerning sporting events and all kind of calls for different things to be done. As you know, the Lord’s day is used in a blatant way against our God, when the people must be told that this day must be kept holy. You must work together as leaders of this nation. As goes this nation, so goes the world."



My friends, the Cardinal’s words should remind us of the following statement from the pen of inspiration taken from Maranatha, page 214. "As America, the land of religious liberty shall unite with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example. Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world."



This idea about America as the second Israel is important. Most churches believe this, though it is unbiblical. The scriptures teach that they that are Christ’s are Abraham’s seed," Galatians 3:29 not they that are Americans. But as the churches have wanted to take the finger of condemnation off the papacy, false interpretations of prophecy have led them to come up with another explanation of the second beast of Revelation 13, the United States of America. By making America the second Israel rather than the second beast, Rome can participate with other churches in addressing America’s problems with her own agenda. This fits her ecumenical plans very well. The result has been that America is now uniting with Rome to accomplish her purposes. We have no time to lose, no time to waste in foolish, worldly behavior, my friends. Now is the time to get ready and pray that you will be able to secure your soul.



When Pope Benedict XVI lands in Washington on April 15th, he will meet with President Bush. Then on the 16th he will spend his birthday with a gathering of Cardinals at the John Paul II Cultural Center, I am told, as well as with ecumenical leaders. Then on the 17th he will meet with selected religious leaders including representatives of the three organizations that met in November; the Christian Coalition, Christian Churches Together, and the Catholic Campaign for America and perhaps others including a number of members of Congress. The purpose of the meeting, among other things, is to motivate Christian leaders and legislatures to bring to the forefront, in the Congress and state by state, a national day of rest.



I wonder what will be the real agenda of the meeting with the Cardinals. Will it be about their role in bringing about a Sunday law in America? According to the news reports there will also be an ecumenical meeting there with representatives of other religions. Will this involve discussions about a national day of rest?



Senator Robert Byrd, the oldest member of Congress, the president pro Tempore of the Senate and a Baptist called Pastor Fine one day in January. "Pastor Fine," he said, "We’re going to be having a special occasion with the Pope when we meet in the Senate Office Building, and the President wants to meet with us too. He feels that it wouldn’t be honorable for the Pope to meet in another place with the Christian Leadership of America."



My friends, when the President of the United States of America elevates this kind of meeting with Christian leadership in America to the level where it wouldn’t be honorable to do it in any other place than in the Senate Office Building, we have come to a very important and significant moment in prophecy. When the President of the United States can bring the Pope to the White House and to the Senate Office Building to discuss a national day of rest, we have essentially come to the point where the image of the beast is about to reveal itself. "I will be there," said Senator Byrd, "and so will Nancy (meaning Nancy Pelosi). We want to hear firsthand what Benedict has to say.



Pastor Fine also had the opportunity after the private meeting with the Vatican Cardinal, to speak about the Sabbath to the Christian Leaders that were present. He pointed to his name tag which identified him as a Seventh-day Adventist and said, "Things haven’t changed. I’m a Seventh-day Adventist. I chose to become a Seventh-day Adventist because the seventh-day is the only day that God has ever blessed. God blessed three things, man, the animal kingdom and the Sabbath. Sunday is not specially blessed the way God blessed the Sabbath. To bless something means that it has divine empowering. God empowered the Sabbath, not Sunday.



The Christian Coalition and the other organizations present have developed a communiqué following the meeting with the Vatican Cardinal. They had to have it approved by the Vatican. The text of the communiqué is specifically designed to stir Sunday agitation. Yet it opens with the express purpose of keeping its authors secret. Let me read it to you word for word. The following statement from the 5th Volume of the Testimonies for the Church, page 449, should remind us of the truth about this. "Church and state are now making preparations for the future conflict. Protestants are working in disguise to bring Sunday to the front, as did the Romanists." Here is the text of the communiqué.



OFFICIAL COMMUNICATE RELEASE





"In this release NO person’s name is to be included in any part while corresponding to another person. This is a summary as of 11/16/07.



"The Lord will destroy those who destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18) along with the immoral slime of America. I call upon the C.C.A. (the Catholic Campaign for America) and the C.C.O.A (Christian Coalition of America) to help in our spiritual fight to help save America, the second Israel. We must band together to stave off the crisis of gross neglect of Bible truths and help America and the nations of the world to a realization for what is happening and continues to worsen. These crises will increase on America, the second Israel of Bible prophecy. The Lord will allow more terrorist attacks and these will increase as it was in O. T. times of the first Israel. The Lord will allow the enemies of the second Israel to awaken the people in an effective but unexpected way. Now global warming - melting icebergs and icecaps - water shortages - poor people starving and dying by the millions, the desecration of the Lord’s Day by the mega malls and shopping centers - various sporting events - all unnecessary frolicking on the Lord’s Day. Our government leaders and church leaders who really care must protest all these immoral goings on. If we don’t, it will be too late very soon. The Lord’s Day must be protected and supported by responsible persons. If we do not care and understand, the crisis of great magnitude no doubt will soon come. We must work and pray and support efforts to protect the Lord’s Day. We need more than ever to work together to help stave off God’s anger. We must show our Lord that we will work together to protect His day of worship. Unless we work together to avert the crisis, it will surely come."



Notice that the communiqué from the Christian Coalition uses the same words the Cardinal used at the secret meeting, such as "immoral slime," "America, the second Israel," "We must show our Lord that we will work together…" etc. And also notice that the emphasis of the communiqué is the same as the Cardinal’s emphasis - "Protect the Lord’s Day." The evangelicals are taking lessons from Rome as well as instructions. They copy her. They set up a mirror image of her. Rome has nearly 2000 years of experience at this process of uniting church and state and they are coaching non-Catholic religious leaders and helping them build up their political power.



Pastor Fine thinks that the communiqué will be publically released and that the urgent need to protect the so-called Lord’s Day as a national day of rest will be presented before Congress and the state governments some time following the papal visit and the meeting in the Senate Office building April 17. So stay tuned.



Rome and the ecumenical churches know that fear will stir the people to action. They are using fear of global climate change, fear of terrorism, fear of the judgments of God, etc., to get people to agree that they must do something to stem the tide of immorality in America and return it to the favor of God.



The same thing will happen in other countries as well. As goes America, so goes the world, said the Cardinal. While not all nations normally agree with the United States in her agendas, in fact most don’t; on this point we know that all the world will wonder after the beast, and that the United States will cause all to worship the first beast that had the wound by the sword and did live." Revelation 13:14.



My friends, we must study the book of Revelation along with the Spirit of Prophecy. If you want to understand what it all means quickly, go to your copy of the book Great Controversy and read the last 250 pages. You’ll find it very enlightening. Though the author is dead, she still speaks powerfully to this generation. Pastor Fine says: "Church and state must amalgamate in order to legislate that they may dominate.



But here is a description of God’s people today from the 2nd volume of Testimonies to Ministers, page 337. "Men and women are in the last hours of probation, and yet are careless and stupid, and ministers have no power to arouse them; they are asleep themselves. Sleeping preachers preaching to a sleeping people!" This is amazing my friends. Here we are at the very moment that prophecy has foretold, at the very apex of history. Yet God’s people are not ready for the challenge. Oh, my brothers and sisters, I need the power of God in my life, don’t you? You don’t want to miss the latter rain. Now is the time to plead with God for purity as never before. Now is the time to earnestly seek Jesus’ power. Cling to Jesus Christ my friends. Your eternal destiny depends on it.



My friends, the mark of the beast is soon to come. It is the observance of the false Sabbath set up by Rome and copied in America by the religious leaders. The end will come more quickly than we understand. The crisis will come as an overwhelming surprise and it will be too late for many who are spiritually lazy and asleep. It will be too late to make restitution or turn your life around. Listen to this statement from the 8th volume of the Testimonies for the Church, page 28. "Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon to come upon human beings. The end is very near. We who know the truth should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise."



And here is how you make the necessary preparation. This is from Prophets and Kings, page 626. "Christians should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise, and this preparation they should make by diligently studying the word of God and striving to conform their lives to its precepts."



Are you conforming your life to the precepts of the Bible? Are you putting away every sin so that you can overcome and live for Jesus every moment? Please, please take the steps to prepare your mind and your character for the almost overwhelming crisis.



My friends, thank you for listening today. The Sunday movement is making its way in darkness and stealth. Please don’t put off making certain of your salvation. This is the time to move out of the cities into the country so that you can prepare for the time of trouble. This is the time to get worldliness out of your mind. Now is the time to learn how to have the Holy Spirit in your life every moment. You can't learn that at the last minute. Now is the time to give you heart and soul unreservedly to Jesus Christ so that He can mature your character so that in the coming crisis you will have a savior.



Let us bow our heads in prayer and ask Jesus to help us come fully under the Holy Spirit’s control. Our Father in heaven, we thank You for giving us probationary time. Thank You for warning us of what is coming upon this world. Lord, we pray that You will send us Your Holy Spirit so that we can discern the signs of the times and get ready for the coming crisis. I pray that you will help us to learn how to prepare by diligent study of your holy word and by earnest fervent prayer, gain power with God. We need victory in our lives over the devil’s temptations. Please enter our lives and change us into Your image that we may live by Jesus power. In Jesus name, amen.



Source: http://www.ktfministry.org/resources/sermons/sermons.htm

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please click the link http://www.gleaneronline.org/news.html?wsnID=11212&cat=14 and see the truth behind the rumour.
Please forward this on to as many people as you can. We look more and more stupid when we forward false information about the Sunday Law like this



North American Religious Liberty Association Responds to Sunday Law Rumour
Friends of Religious Liberty:

Rumours have recently surfaced that need to be addressed. Accuracy in reporting is vitally important if we would be a credible resource when issues of significance arise. Some are so anxious for the Second Coming that they hail "news" like this rumor as the fulfillment of prophecy, then they hastily disseminate it without verification. Please make haste slowly in affairs such as this.

We rely on the North American Religious Liberty Association (NARLA) to investigate and substantiate or disprove the rumor, then make an official statement that reflects their diligent research. This letter from James Standish arrived today and we share it with you to help you evaluate these rumors for yourselves. Please feel free to pass this on.

Dear Colleagues:
Whenever we receive information relating to Sunday laws, we examine the information diligently and extensively. In addition to reacting to information sent to us, we proactively monitor legislative developments on Capitol Hill and attend many meetings with a wide variety of entities at which prospective legislation is discussed. Further, we undertake extensive research. For example, our team performed an extensive review of Sunday laws in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia, culminating in a 421-page report detailing every existing state Sunday law.

When we receive information about Sunday laws from individual sources, our team of dedicated Seventh-day Adventist professionals follow four steps to evaluate it:

If the information contains claims that can be independently verified, we perform the detailed research necessary to determine whether the claims are factual.

We contact the source of the information directly to invite him or her to speak and/or meet with us in order to gain perspective on the information.

If the source will not speak and/or meet with us, we contact people who are in contact with the source—for example, his or her church pastor—to ascertain why the individual refuses to communicate directly with our Church’s religious liberty team and whether there are any indications as to the credibility of the source.

We review our first-hand observation of the process on Capitol Hill, we speak with personal contacts, and we access a variety of printed sources to ascertain whether there are associated movements.

In short, we take information on Sunday laws very seriously and we follow a rigorous path to evaluate it.
Currently, there are two Sunday law rumors circulating in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We have run both of these through our four-step process and, after this serious review, find both to be unreliable at this point.

The first rumor claims that there was a secret meeting in Washington, DC last November to plan for the passage of a Sunday law. We checked every specific claim that accompanied this rumor and every one of them proved false. The meeting did not occur at the site claimed, and the high-profile individuals who allegedly attended the meeting are documented to be in other locations at the time. After we made our investigation public, the rumor morphed. The new rumor contained no claims that could be independently verified. Our invitation to the source of the rumor to meet with us has not been accepted. There has been no Sunday law bill introduced in the subsequent four months and our research has turned up no evidence that would tend to corroborate the rumor. Rather, the closer we have looked at the situation surrounding the rumor, the more it appears to be false.

The person who is the source of the current claim also circulated another Sunday law claim approximately seven years ago. Once again, we vigorously researched the elements that could be verified and found each one to be inaccurate. In the seven years since that claim, no Sunday law has been introduced in Congress.

The second rumor currently circulating is that the Pope will urge the passage of a Sunday law when he is in Washington, DC in the near future. The source of this rumor is the same as above. We have once again followed our four-step process and to date have found nothing to corroborate the claim.

The Seventh-day Adventist religious liberty team is dedicated to advancing the cause of religious liberty and the gospel, including the Three Angels Messages. We take Sunday laws very seriously, diligently research any information we receive, and proactively search for information on Sunday laws. When we receive credible information on religious liberty matters, whether it is on Sunday laws or other religious liberty matters, we use every avenue available to us to share it promptly with our church family as a whole.

Yours in Christ,
James Standish
Public Affairs & Religious Liberty

Arsenio A. Lembert Jr. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Arsenio A. Lembert Jr. said...

Anonymous friend,

You may rely on your own discernment, or on the assurances of brother James Standish, but, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Holy Scriptures point to the opposite of your beliefs:

16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

18And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

19But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

23But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

27What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:16-28.

This Sunday Law phenomenon will impact many professing the SDA faith, like a ton of bricks when it comes like a thief in the night. So, rely on the faithful witness, and the sure word of prophecy that "the sinister deed is in the works"!

Arsenio,

Maranatha,

Keep the Faith!

Unknown said...

"Last Day Events" is a compilation of Ellen White writings first published in 1992. After 9/11/01 it quickly sold out, was reprinted, and is widely available again thru ABCs etc. Chapter 9 (LDE pp. 123-143) is entitled Sunday Laws. It draws together Ellen White's most significant statements on this subject. Reviewing this chapter (& the rest of LDE) is a quick and easy way to update ourselves on the forthcoming Sunday Law/s from an inspired source.

In perusing this exchange, I'm worried that not everybody interested in and concerned about these matters is concerned enough about the actual facts and truth about these things. The Bible admonishes that in our study we need to be “workmen that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH.” (2 Tim 2:15) We must be like the Bereans who “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, AND SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY WHETHER THOSE THINGS WERE SO.” (Acts 17: 11)

In our case and situation today, on a crucial subject like this, I have a great concern that we as Adventists make sure that anything we share on such sober subjects be carefully checked out to be sure it is accurate and truthful and verifiable. "Let every word be established" as the Bible says, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses" (Matt 18 & 2 Cor 13)

There is much more I'd like to say but have no more time. I do know Pastor Hal and Pastor Fine personally. I communicated with Pastor Fine by phone both before, during and after his November 07 meetings in Washington DC. For the moment, all I can say is that there are significant factually discrepancies between what he communicated to me directly by phone while in actual attendance at those meetings and Pastor Hal's report.

Let me just close wishing all a blessed Sabbath and offering these two Ellen White statements to think about in relation to what we might write or say about the Sunday Laws we all know will eventually come...

"Many will look away from present duties, present comfort and blessings, and be borrowing trouble in regard to the future crisis. This will be making a time of trouble beforehand, and we will receive no grace for any such anticipated troubles." --3SM 383, 384 (1884). {LDE 17.3}

"There is a time of trouble coming to the people of God, but we are not to keep that constantly before the people and rein them up to have a time of trouble beforehand. ...this is not the present truth to carry to the churches." --1SM 180 {LDE 17.4}

I think these kind of ideas are part of James Standish concern. I know him personally as well, and also his uncle Elder Colin Standish, president of Hartland Institute, where Pastor Hal Mayer works for and with him... All these men are sincere, earnest, Godly men. I believe James's main concern for the moment (which I share) is to, as the Bible admonishes, be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

We have to use the wisdom God gives us, and the discernment He has promised, to "rightly divide the word of truth" and, like the Bereans, search to find out whether the details & specifics being spread around, re. the anticipated Sunday laws, are accurate and true as stated, or not.

We are all sure that Sunday laws will be enacted some day soon. But spreading undocumentable, unconfirmable, unproven rumors relating to the forthcoming Sunday laws has the very real potential to undermine rather than strengthen faith.... (Remember the boy that called "wolf, wolf"...? It wasn't that there was no wolf, or that it wasn't coming, but... well, you understand I'm sure.)

-Joe N

Arsenio A. Lembert Jr. said...

To Brother Joe N:

Here are few quotes from 'LDE' you may have overlooked-

We have far more to fear from within than from without. The hindrances to strength and success are far greater from the church itself than from the world. Unbelievers have a right to expect that those who profess to be keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, will do more than any other class to promote and honor, by their consistent lives, by their godly example and their active influence, the cause which they represent. But how often have the professed advocates of the truth proved the greatest obstacle to its advancement! The unbelief indulged, the doubts expressed, the darkness cherished, encourage the presence of evil angels, and open the way for the accomplishment of Satan's devices.--1SM 122 (1887). {LDE 156.2}

The history of the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram is being repeated, and will be repeated till the close of time. Who will be on the Lord's side? Who will be deceived, and in their turn become deceivers?--Letter 15, 1892. {LDE 173.2}

In the absence of the persecution there have drifted into our ranks men who appear sound and their Christianity unquestionable, but who, if persecution should arise, would go out from us.--Ev 360 (1890). {LDE 174.1}


In the movements now in progress in the United States to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support of the state, Protestants are following in the steps of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for the papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy which she has lost in the Old World.--GC 573 (1911). {LDE 132.3}

I personally know Pastor Hal Mayer, and recognize him to be a man of honr and deep convictions to give the trumpet that certain sound. i do not doubt his interpretations of the meetings that took place last year "in secret"... I also have know Dr. Colin Standish since 1970, when he taught in Jamaica, at West Indies College; And find in him a man with a deep fervor to uphold the faith onced delivered to the saints (He recently attended and debated the QOD 50th anniverssary). I know not Pastor Allen Fine, or James D. Standish, Esq. But, I do know that if we have any indication of hidden proceedings to execute laws jeopardizing the lives of Sabbath worshipers, its well that some one reveals it from the roof tops. Do you expect the perpetrators of such a law to accept responsibility, or redily admit their involvement? Please, let's not be so naive. What's taking place behind closed doors, no one knows. Why would an advocate for 'our' people resist the revelation of such proceedings. I didn't attend Georgetown University? Jesuit University F.Y.I. I don't have a doctorate in Law, but.... If I did most of my brethren would not trust me. The Jesuits are used to cloacks and daggers. Read the Great Controversy, and look up Jesuits in the index. You'll see that they aren't just 'Ivy League' guys!

Happy Sabbath,

Brother Joe N.;

Arsenio A. Lembert Jr.

Maranatha

Anonymous said...

I live in a country where 9 per cent of the population are Christians. How will the Christian minority in my country be able to convince the other religious groups to keep the Sunday Law? Also, it is estimated that 33 per cent of the world's population are Christians. How will the Christian minority be able to convince the other 67 per cent to keep the Sunday Law? Can it be achieved through conquests (via warfare) or dishing out substantial economic benefits? A very detailed explanation of the steps that the Christian minority will take to enforce Sunday law on the rest of the world will be appreciated.
Thank you!

Arsenio A. Lembert Jr. said...

Dear anonymous brethren,

I have written an article that attempts to describe the circumstances that will surround the imposition of the National Sunday Laws; and how they will be eventually enacted all over the world. See the article posted today entitled: How will the National Sunday Laws works?

I hope it answers some of the questions you posed.

Maranatha,

Arsenio.

Anonymous said...

Dear Bro Arsenio:
Thanks for your explanation.
God Bless!

Exmaori said...

Pr Hal Meyer,
Seventh-day Adventists observe both Saturday and Sunday. Our Church officially observes Sunday in 5 Pacific Island nations. Why do we look to America and Rome for Sunday laws, it is Adventists enforcing Sunday right now!
There are hundreds of SDA members in Samoa who are prohibited from using Church property for worship because they worship on Saturday. Church staff have lost their jobs because they observe Saturday.

Our GC Session in 2015 was dominated by women's ordination but it should not have been. My Church Board, here in New Zealand sent a submission for the Session agenda to include a clarification of our Sabbath fundamental doctrine, as it appears in the Church Manual, to include the words, "from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday." Our North New Zealand Conference supported its passage and forwarded it to the NZ Pacific Union Conference but that committee blocked it from getting to GC Session.
Imagine how different the headlines would have been if the South Pacific Division had to defend its Sunday keeping instead of supporting women's ordination?