Jan-Mar-13

"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries

January - March, 2013

"There are many precious truths contained in the Word of God, but it is 'PRESENT TRUTH' that the flock needs now." Early Writings, p 63.

Elder: robert sessler

O LOOK TO YOUR ELDER BROTHER --

See The Completeness Of His Humanity

In our July-August 2012 Newsletter we examined the issue on the nature of Christ and clearly understood, through the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, that Christ took upon Himself our fallen, sinful nature, and then in this nature was subject to every temptation to which humanity is subjected.

In our September-October, 2012 Newsletter we examined the issue on the flesh of Christ, and clearly understood, through the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, that Christ took upon Himself and lived in the sinful flesh of humanity. As Christ was therefore living in the sinful flesh of fallen humanity, He was forced to condemn sin in His flesh, not just outside of His flesh. This then meant that Jesus Christ felt the force and strength of these inward natural tendencies and inclinations towards sin that originate from the fallen nature and sinful flesh which He took upon Himself.

Thus we clearly saw that Jesus did not just pretend that He took upon Himself sinful human nature and flesh, but He indeed became one of His own creation in its fallen, sinful and degraded condition. We also understood that Jesus always denied the clamors of the fallen sinful flesh even though it caused Him suffering, but this suffering indicated that He had gained the victory over these natural desires of the fallen nature, and thus showed that He was perfect in character! And we clearly understood that the reason why Jesus willingly became one of His fallen and sinful creations was to show you and me that it is indeed possible for us to deny our own inward feelings and strong downward urges towards sin, and then to be able to do the will of our Father at all times!

But some may still have problems clearly understanding that Christ’s humanity was just like our humanity. So then exactly how much was Christ’s humanity like you and me? Did Christ really have hereditary tendencies, inherent infirmities, weaknesses, natural inward inclinations, passions and desires that are common to all fallen human beings? And also, since we already discovered that inspiration declares that Christ has himself “felt the strength” and “has himself felt the force of our temptations”, then just how much of this inward natural force did Christ feel when He was being tempted? Was Jesus really and truly our human Elder Brother in every way? This is what we will begin exploring into in this Newsletter.

So exactly how much was Christ’s humanity like you and me? Did Jesus Christ really have hereditary tendencies to sin that were passed on to His humanity from His ancestors?

“It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man’s nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden. But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam, He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity. What these results were is shown in the history of His earthy ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.” Desire of Ages, p 49.

Did Christ really have inherent infirmities that we also experience when faced with temptation?

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities...” Hebrews 4:15.

“We are compassed with the infirmities of humanity. So also was Christ. That He might by His own example condemn sin in the flesh, He took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh.” Manuscript Releases, vol 17, p 28.

“Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation.” Desire of Ages, p. 117.

Did Christ really have the same weaknesses that we also experience when faced with temptation?

“...into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity. He permitted Him to meet life’s peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.” Desire of Ages, p 49.

“He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity...” Signs of the Times, October 7, 1897 (vol 3, p 421) (see also Bible Echo, February 24, 1896; Signs of the Times, September 30, 1889 (vol 2, p 235); Review and Herald, January 28, 1909 (vol 5, p 491); April 4, 1875 (vol 1, p 161-162).

So then our Saviour really knows by His personal experience the inherent infirmities and weaknesses of human flesh when faced with temptation – just like we do!

“He knows the weaknesses and the infirmities of the flesh.” Signs of the Times, June 14, 1905 (vol 4, p 388).

“Our Redeemer perfectly understood the wants of humanity. He who condescended to take upon Himself man’s nature was acquainted with man’s weakness....Christ took upon Himself our infirmities, and in the weakness of humanity He needed to seek strength from the Father.” Review and Herald, October 11, 1881 (vol 1, p 289) (see also Signs of the Times, January 15, 1885 (vol 1, p 480); December 3, 1902 (vol 4, p 271).

Did Christ really have the same natural, inward inclinations, passions and desires that we also experience when faced with temptation?

“Temptation, however strong, is never an excuse for sin....Cry unto the Lord, tempted soul. Cast yourself, helpless, unworthy, upon Jesus, and claim His every promise. The Lord will hear. He knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and He will help in every time of temptation.” Testimonies, vol 5, p 177.

“Though He had all the strength of passion of humanity, never did he yield to do one single act which was not pure and elevating and ennobling.” In Heavenly Places, p 155.

So our Lord and Saviour had all the strength of passion of humanity, and therefore He knows how strong are these downward inclinations of the natural heart. And because our Saviour knows these, He can and will help us in every time of temptation! Praise God, brothers and sisters!

But was our Saviour afflicted both internally as well as externally with all the afflictions which humanity feels?

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted....He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter” Isaiah 53:4, 7.

“In all the afflictions of humanity, He was afflicted.” Manuscript Releases, vol 17, p 27.

So then did our Saviour really feel the strength of temptation from within like you and I experience when tempted?

“...(Christ) was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15.

“In behalf of the race, with the weaknesses of fallen man upon Him, He was to stand the temptations of Satan upon all points wherewith man would be assailed.” Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 449.

“In His humanity He understood all the temptations that will come to man.” Bible Commentary, vol 7, p 925.

“He endured every test that man will ever be called upon to endure. He met all the temptations which man will meet in his life experience.” Manuscript Releases, vol 21, p 402.

“He took human nature. He became flesh even as we are....Every temptation that could be brought against fallen humanity, He met and overcame....Had He not been fully human, He could not have been our substitute.” Bible Echo, August 2, 1897.

So Christ was in all points tempted just like you and I are tempted, yet He chose not to give in to these natural inner urges to commit sin. He chose instead to always resist these. But if Christ did not take our fallen, sinful nature and flesh upon Himself, then He could not really be our Substitute and thus we would be hopelessly lost. But praise God that Christ chose to reach down to where we were found and become one of us that He might raise us up, become our Substitute and we could thus find help in every time of need.

“...(Christ) clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might take on Himself the weakness of human nature....He was to suffer being tempted in all points upon which fallen men are tempted, that by His own experience He might become acquainted with the temptation of humanity, and know how to succor those who are severely tempted.” Manuscript Releases, vol 17, p 29-30.

“Alone He must tread the path; alone He must bear the burden. Upon Him who had laid off His glory and accepted the weakness of humanity the redemption of the world must rest. He saw and felt it all, but His purpose remained steadfast. Upon His arm depended the salvation of the fallen race, and He reached out His hand to grasp the hand of Omnipotent Love.” Desire of Ages, p 111.

Praise God brothers and sisters! Our Saviour really knows by His own personal experience all that we are going through when we are being tempted. And because He knows this – because He resisted all temptations, then He also knows from experience exactly how to deliver us from all temptations.

Our beloved Saviour chose to live in and experience all that is common with those who have fallen nature and sinful flesh. Christ has felt and knows by personal experience all the hereditary tendencies toward sin, all the infirmities, all the weaknesses, all the downward inclinations of the natural heart, all the natural passions and desires of humanity, all the afflictions, all the temptations, and all the strength of Satan's power which humanity experiences and knows all about. Christ has “felt it all”. There is no experience which we can go through when tempted that Christ has not already experienced and overcome.

Dear ones, Jesus Christ is a perfect Elder Brother and Saviour, and in uniting ourselves with Him, and with Christ united with the Father, then we have all the divine power necessary to escape from sin and destruction. It is a solemn reality that Christ became just like those He wished to save, just like you and me, and thus Christ understands everything we suffer and go through when tempted.

“Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:17.

“Jesus clothed His divinity with humanity that He might have an experience in all that pertains to human life.” Review and Herald, December 24, 1889 (vol 2, p 351).

“Christ became one with the human family....Thus He assured them of His complete identification with humanity.” Youth's Instructor, March 19, 1903 (p 564).

What type of an identification? A partial identification? An identification that does not know what we experience when tempted? No. A complete identification – one in which nothing is lacking in understanding what we experience in fallen nature and sinful flesh. But was Christ’s humanity really identical with our own?

“As God He could not be tempted: but as a man He could be tempted, and that strongly, and could yield to the temptations. His human nature must pass through the same test and trial Adam and Eve passed through. His human nature was created; it did not even possess the angelic powers. It was human, identical with our own.” Selected Messages, book 3, p 129.

But was Christ’s humanity really perfectly identical with our own?

“As God, Christ could not be tempted any more than He was not tempted from His allegiance in heaven. But as Christ humbled Himself to our nature, He could be tempted. He had not taken on Him even the nature of the angels, but humanity, perfectly identical with our own nature, except without the taint of sin.” Christ Triumphant, p 208.

So the humanity which Christ was born with and lived in was completely and perfectly identical with our own humanity, except without the taint of sin. We have chosen to sin, but Christ never did! Although Jesus was both God and man; although He never sinned and remained sinless in a fallen nature and sinful flesh, yet His identification with fallen and sinful humanity was never-the-less perfectly identical and fully complete. Our Saviour Jesus Christ was indeed one of His creation in its fallen and sinful condition!

May our Father and Jesus Christ be praised forever and ever for all that They have done, for all that they have suffered through in reaching down to the lowest degradation of fallen humanity that we might be raised up and be connected with God through our Saviour! Praise Them forever for all that They have endured for unworthy you and me!

“It should be to us a cause of continual gratitude and rejoicing that Jesus knows our weakness and is acquainted with our temptations. We are too much in the habit of thinking that the Son of God was a being so entirely exalted above us that it is an impossibility for him to enter into our trials and temptations, and that he can have no sympathy with us in our weakness and frailties. This is because we do not take in the fact of his oneness with humanity. He took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh, and was made in all points like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. He has engaged himself to save every son and daughter of Adam who will consent to be saved in God's appointed way.” Signs of the Times, May 16, 1895 (vol 3, p 207).

Christ was exactly like you and me with the same fallen, sinful nature, living in the same sinful flesh, and enduring the same temptations to sin. There was not a single principle of humanity in which Christ was different from us in regards to the fallen, sinful nature and sinful flesh. If the ladder, which represents Christ, had failed by one single inch to reach down to the place where we are, then we all would be hopelessly lost.

“Christ declared...No single principle of human nature will I violate.” Manuscript Releases, vol 5, p 114.

So Christ chose not to violate even the slightest principle of human nature. And yet many cannot understand the truth that Christ became just like them in order to personally save them from sin and destruction.

“Before beginning His public ministry, Christ submitted to the fierce assaults of the enemy, knowing that without conflict there could be no victory. He condescended to engage in the contest under any circumstances that the foe might require.

“In all things He was made ‘like unto His brethren.’ He was ‘in all points tempted like as we are.’ ‘In that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.’” Signs of the Times, December 3, 1902 (vol 4, p 271).

Now dear ones, what we have learned so far through this series, is that when Jesus Christ was born into humanity, He was born with the same fallen nature as we are born with. He was also born with the same sinful flesh as we are born with. This means that when Jesus Christ was tempted, He felt every bit of the strength and downward pulls towards giving in to that temptation and committing sin that arise from the natural inherent desires of our fallen, sinful human nature when being tempted. But never once did Christ give in to these natural inward desires of the fallen nature and sinful flesh He was living in; He always resisted these. And since this particular issue is so hard for some to really comprehend and fully understand, let us again show what inspiration stated about this fact of truth:

“But Christ was unmoved. He felt the strength of this temptation; but He met it in our behalf, and conquered.” Selected Messages, book 1, p 255.

“He has taken our nature upon him, and has himself felt the force of our temptations.” Bible Echo, January 15, 1889 par 9.

“Christ was suffering as the members of the human family suffer under temptation...” Selected Messages, book 3, p 129.

“For our sake He exercised a self-control stronger than hunger or death.” Desire of Ages, p 117.

“[Christ was] touched with the feelings of our infirmities...[and] was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15.

“The Lord will hear. He knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and He will help in every time of temptation.” Testimonies, vol 5, p 177.

But some still cannot believe that their sinless Lord Jesus Christ, who was without the taint of sin, really felt all the strength of the downward pulls of these natural desires towards sin that are inherently part of the fallen nature and sinful flesh of humanity which He took upon Himself. So then exactly what does it mean for Christ to be without the taint of sin? And also, how much of the strength of these natural inward desires towards sin did our Saviour actually feel and still resisted? This is what we will examine in our next Newsletter.

NEW ONLINE HOME CHURCH

Our new live Let There Be Light Ministries Online Home Church has now been open for 4 months, and God is richly blessing it. Precious souls are being led to understand and embrace the full present truth, prayers are being heard and answered by our Lord God, and sweet fellowship in brotherly and sisterly love and unity is being experienced! Please come and join with us and see for yourself.

Our weekly Home Church meeting schedule is:

Women’s group each Monday beginning at 5:00 pm (Pacific Time).

Midweek church service each Wednesday beginning at 6:00 pm (PT).

Friday night church service each week beginning at 6:00 pm (PT).

Sabbath church services each week:

– Sabbath School for Children begins at 9:30 am (PT).

– Sabbath School for Youth and Adults begins at 10:00 am (PT).

– Sabbath Church Service begins at 11:00 am (PT).

If you are able to join with us, please click this link for easy steps on how to do so: http://www.lightministries.com/id947.htm. These steps are simple, and most will be quickly connected. For those who have no or limited internet capabilities, you can also join with our live Church Services over your telephone. Simply dial 1-559-726-1200, and then after being prompted enter the access code 740570. You will then be automatically connected to listen to our live Church Service. For those who would like to listen to past church services, please visit http://www.lightministries.com/id14.htm.

We also have a Home Church Music section which currently contains over 150 Scripture songs and over 100 Gospel songs recorded in mp3 format for your free listening and downloading pleasure at http://www.lightministries.com/id1873.htm.

We thank you for your prayers and support, and we look forward to being able to fellowship and worship with you in Spirit and in truth in the near future.

NEWSLETTER PUBLICATION SCHEDULE CHANGE

Due to the majority of our time being devoted towards our Home Church, we are forced to begin publishing our Newsletters every quarter instead of every two months. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding.

TRUE CHURCH WEBSITE

The Lord is continuing to bless our TrueChurchofGod.info website. In the month of November we had 13,389 hits, which were generated by 2,092 visitors. In these Visitor Sessions, 5,800 documents of Present Truth were viewed, and over 660 million bytes of information were downloaded.

In the month of December we had 14,046 hits, which were generated by 2,277 visitors. In these Visitor Sessions, 5,841 documents of Present Truth were viewed, and over 734 million bytes of information were downloaded.

So for these 2 months, over 1.39 billion bytes of information were downloaded from our Gospel Truth website by over 4,360 visitors!

LTBL MINISTRIES WEBSITE

The Lord is also abundantly blessing our LightMinistries.com website! In the month of November we had one of our best months yet, with 184,737 hits, which were generated by 23,960 visitors. In these Visitor Sessions, 45,615 documents of Present Truth were viewed, and over 26.21 billion bytes of information were downloaded.

In the month of December we had another one of our best months yet, with 162,021 hits, which were generated by 25,136 visitors. In these Visitor Sessions, 47,438 documents of Present Truth were viewed, and over 48.18 billion bytes of information were downloaded.

So for these 2 months, over 74.39 billion bytes of information were downloaded from our Gospel Truth website by over 49,000 visitors! MAY GOD BE PRAISED!!

"Let There Be Light" Ministries is committed to the spreading of the full present truth gospel message worldwide, and has been doing so since 1986. This Ministry has operating expenses covering the areas of: printing, publishing, and writing of present truth books, booklets, tracts, and other literature; DVD, video and audio taping, production, and distribution; supporting several ministers and workers in foreign Countries; mail order – both domestic and foreign; traveling to hold meetings – both locally, nationally, and internationally; answering correspondence and questions regarding the message of truth; offering National and International Bible studies; sending free present truth literature to contacts in many poor Countries; etc.

Your gracious prayers and support is greatly appreciated and needed. Without the Lord's guidance, blessings, and your support, this Ministry could not continue to reach out worldwide with the precious message of Revelation 14:6-12 & 18:1-5.

May our God and Saviour continue to lead and guide all those who have helped us reach souls who sit in darkness with the precious light of gospel truth. May our supporters remember that they share in each and every soul who has been reached by this Ministry and converted to the Lord and His present truth!

GENERAL FOREIGN MISSION WORK NEEDS

We are currently supporting several workers in many different Countries on a monthly basis. We check into the economy of each area and supply a base support which is adequate depending on their situation, but not extravagant. This base support is to ensure that the monthly needs of each worker and family is met for that month so that the worker may devote full time to the ministry work. In addition to this, we are sending extra materials for evangelism, and money for printing, publishing, holding meetings, traveling, and other necessary areas in spreading the Present Truth in their Country. And as the work extends, especially will the expenses for evangelism expand. Whatever you can send to help in this necessary and vital area is greatly appreciated.

The work of spreading God's present truth is not to be limited, but must extend world-wide to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people before our Saviour can come (Matthew 24:14). What better way of spreading the Present Truth Gospel than by having workers who speak the native language, who reside in that particular Country, who can live and preach the truth, visit the interests in their homes, and spread the printed truth translated into their native language!

"Our publications should be printed in other languages, that foreign nations may be reached. Much can be done through the medium of the press, but still more can be accomplished if the influence of the living preacher goes with our publications....The Lord has moved upon men of other tongues and has brought them under the influence of the truth, that they might be qualified to labor in His cause." Testimonies, vol 3, p 204-205.

Please financially help us to continue supporting our current ministers and workers on a consistent basis, so that the spreading of the truth will not be interrupted but can quickly lighten this dark world with the glory of God.

"Every opportunity should be improved to extend the truth to other nations. This will be attended with considerable expense, but expense should in no case hinder the performance of this work. Means are of value only as they are used to advance the interest of the kingdom of God. The Lord has lent men means for this very purpose, to use in sending the truth to their fellow men." Testimonies, vol 3, p 208.

SPECIFIC MONTHLY FOREIGN MISSION WORK NEEDS

KENYA, East Africa:

M Printing and mailing expenses for booklets and tracts to Kenya.

M Printing of booklets and tracts in Kenya.

M Projector, screen, and evangelistic film for non-SDA outreach.