TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK
IN A WORLD OF HATE

This world of crime and violence we live in today, is the same world God has called us to witness to in this last hour of earth's history. The conditions were similar when Christ came the first time only today they are worse because of at least two reasons: 1) More people committing more crimes. 2) Evil has become more sophisticated, institutionalized by the love of money. Man's mind has been desensitized by centuries of brutality and debauchery, especially in this century, thus dulling the conscience and making people less responsive to the Spirit of God.

In spite of this, there are still good people in this present world like the 7,000 God told Elijah He had reserved for Himself. The Bible calls them the salt of the earth or the Remnant. Still, the task seems overwhelming and almost hopeless. But God does not look at it like that. He has the answers. If we are not willing to listen Jesus will give us tremendous victories in these final hours. The alternative is still the same. "If you don't come to me you will die in your sins." John 8:24. He also told Peter that all who live by the sword will die by the sword. So much for self-defense.

In His very first sermon Jesus outlined the principles of His government. As He sat upon the Mount of Olives (a mountain in the Bible represents a government) Jesus outlined the key to victory, the road to success. But it was not quite what they expected as we shall see shortly. In Matt. 24 and Luke 17 Jesus drew a parallel between the days of Noah and Lot and the final days just before His return. In fact, we are told that the time of trouble and/or tribulation of these last days would far exceed the evils we have heard and read about in this world's past history. But Jesus assures us that the formula He gave for success will work in spite of the world's increased evil. But before we get into the particulars of the formula and try and interpret what Jesus meant let's take an honest look at what we are facing.

There is an old saying that I still think applies today: "Monkey see, Monkey do." It is the old rule of learning by imitation. The majority of societies' heroes today are very violent people. Almost all problems are solved by threats, force and/or violence of one kind or another. The more popular events are contact sports, such as football, soccer, boxing and wrestling. Although basketball and baseball require less physical contact the competition factor is very strong which sometimes leads to fights.

In Europe and South America the most popular sport is soccer which has often led to bloody fights between both players and fans resulting in many deaths. So, sports in a general sense has been a strong motivating factor in contributing to the idea that the more muscle, force and violence one uses the more likely one is to win and be successful in life. This concept is strongly reinforced in the media. As a result violent crime is on the increase every day all around the globe.

The Hollywood film industry and especially the TV media are also not only largely responsible for this terrible condition in society but continue to feed it daily by reporting in living color, down to the last gory detail, almost every violent robbery, murder and rape. The eyes of the world seem glued to their TV screens watching for the latest news and their favorite Hollywood stars, such as Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwartzenegger, Chuck Norris, Claude Van Damm and scores of other lesser known movie stars kick, slap, punch, shoot and/or destroy their enemies with some kind of powerful machine gun, knife, sword, rocket, helicopter or bomb. In the USA the OJ Simpson trial has dominated the news now for over a year giving daily, blow by blow coverage.

Religion through the centuries has also been responsible for portraying God in a bad and false light. Sometimes even the writings of Hebrew prophets often portrayed God as angry and vengeful. But there were many other positive portrayals of God in the Scripture to counter balance this false idea if the teachers and expositors of Holy Writ had been willing to teach the truth about God. e.g. Ex. 12:23, 24; Psalm 23; Psalm 78:49; Hosea 11:9; Mal. 3:10, 11. But just as the modern purveyors of crime, violence, smut and pornography have found they can become rich in this kind of traffic so the church has also found that preaching an angry God of wrath also fills the church coffers faster and more often. Truly, "The love of money is the root of all evil." I Tim. 6:10. In addition, people who are under a burden of guilt and fear are more easily led and controlled for they do not question the appointed messengers of God for fear of God's wrath being visited upon them. Rev. 3:18 counsels Laodiceans to "buy (accept) of me gold (faith) tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, (Jesus' righteous, non-violent character) that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see." One of the first humiliations prisoners have to endure is to be stripped of their clothing. Jesus came to rescue us from the prison house of sin. If we refuse His salvation, which includes His divine protection from harm and danger, and take up our own carnal weapons of warfare we will remain in the prison house of sin and continue in the shame of our own nakedness we inherited from Adam and Eve.

Evil is fast approaching its zenith in this world. The zero hour is approaching. But this will also be the hour of triumph for God's people as we read in COL 414. "It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth...Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, 'Behold your God.' The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. The light of the Sun of Righteousness is to shine forth in good works---in words of truth and deeds of holiness."

Of all the articles, pamphlets, video and audio cassettes I have made on the character of God none is more easy to prove but difficult to accept than the teaching of Jesus on "TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK." "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." Matt. 5:38, 39. Let me ask you, "have you ever heard a sermon on this subject?" I never have. Yet, we find Jesus clearly telling us to not fight back...not try and defend ourselves but trust ourselves completely to the protection of our Heavenly Father who has promised to send His angels to protect and deliver us in times of danger. Do we have the faith to believe these promises today? Do we? Or do we need to carry a knife or pistol with us on our person at all times to defend ourselves from robbers, rapists and those who would not only do bodily harm to us and our families? Someone may ask about carrying mace or some other non-lethal defense mechanism. Each person must pray and decide for themselves. These are questions that deserve thoughtful answers for it is actually the heart of the character of God message. Sometimes it is easier to believe in the theology of the character of God...to talk the talk, so to speak but it is much more difficult to walk the walk. That is the real test.

"Occasions of irritation to the Jews were constantly arising from their contact with the Roman soldiery. Detachments of troops were stationed at different points throughout Judea and Galilee, and their presence reminded the people of their own degradation as a nation. With bitterness of soul they heard the loud blast of the trumpet, and saw the troops forming around the standard of Rome, and bowing in homage to this symbol of her power. Collisions between the people and the soldiers were frequent, and these inflamed the popular hatred. Often, as some Roman official with his guard of soldiers hastened from point to point, he would seize upon the Jewish peasants who were laboring in the field, and compel them to carry burdens up the mountain side, or render any other service that might be needed. This was in accordance with Roman law and custom, and resistance to such demands only called forth taunts and cruelty. Every day deepened in the hearts of the people the longing to cast off the Roman yoke. Especially among the bold, roughhanded Galileans the spirit of insurrection was rife. Capernaum, being a border town, was the seat of a Roman garrison, and even while Jesus was teaching, the sight of a company of soldiers recalled to His hearers the bitter thought of Israel's humiliation. The people looked eagerly to Christ, hoping that He was the One who was to humble the pride of Rome.

With sadness Jesus looks into the upturned faces before Him. He notes the spirit of revenge that has stamped its evil imprint upon them, and knows how bitterly the people long for power to crush their oppressors. Mournfully He bids them, 'Resist not him that is evil; but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.'" Page 108, 109, "Mount of Blessing." Jesus clearly abolished the "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth," law of revenge from Lev. 24:20 which I have explained in former articles and books was not really the words of Jesus. Ye have heard (but not from my lips) this cruel law, but now I give you my true law of love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness...the law of heaven. For proof that the Bible reveals two Lords compare 2 Sam. 24:1 and I Chron. 21:1; Ex. 12:23; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2.

Our Blessed Saviour predicted that as it was in the days of Noah, Lot and even His own day, so would it be again in our day, just before the coming of the Son of Man. Matt. 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. "The fullness of the time had come. Humanity, becoming more degraded through ages of transgression, called for the coming of the Redeemer. Satan had been working to make the gulf deep and impassable between earth and heaven...Satan was seeking to shut out from men a knowledge of God, to turn their attention from the temple of God, and to establish his own kingdom. His strife for supremacy had seemed to be almost wholly successful." DA. 35.

Please notice that the author said that it "seemed" Satan was being successful in defeating the Creator. But the truth of the matter is that, just as God used the death of Jesus, His only Son, to bring salvation to the world, so God has been and is using each and every event to ultimately bring glory to Himself. Remember that the darkest hour is always just before the dawn. From the pen of inspiration we read these encouraging and enlightening words about the part God's Remnant people will play in witnessing to a world dying in darkness and shame. "'Behold,' says the Scripture, 'darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.'" Isa. 60:2.

The word "earth" here represents the heathen who are in "darkness" but the noun "people" is referring to God's chosen and professed people in the days when Christ first appeared, but it especially applies to our day. Notice what Isaiah predicts: "His glory (character) shall be seen upon thee (the Remnant)." We know that Moses' face shined after He came down from the mount where He had been talking to God face to face. So it will be with God's true Remnant people who not only preach the true character of God message but live it in these terrible final days of deception, crime and violence. Their faces will light up and shine as they hasten from place to place proclaiming the final message of God's eternal love. In the very next paragraph the author states that no one was justified in avenging themselves for they had many OT passages admonishing them to not try and get even or revenge themselves. e.g. "Say not thou, I will recompense evil." Prov. 20:22;

"Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me." Prov. 24:29; "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth." 24:17. "If he that hateth thee be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink." Prov. 25:21, 22. RV Margin. In the original King James it says, "If thine enemy be hungry," etc. V. 22 says that the effect of this kindness upon your enemy would be that you would be pouring "coals of fire upon his head." The coals of fire represent the love of God.

"The whole earthly life of Jesus was a manifestation of this principle. It was to bring the bread of life to His enemies that our Saviour left His home in heaven. Though calumny and persecution were heaped upon Him from the cradle to the grave, they called forth from Him only the expression of forgiving love. Through the prophet Isaiah he says, 'I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that pluck off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Isa. 50:6. Yet, through it all Jesus never opened His mouth. "And from the cross of Calvary there come down through the ages His prayer for His murderers, and the message of hope to the dying thief." Mount of Blessing, Page 110. Here we see the character of God in its fullness. But notice this next statement:

"The Father's presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world. Here was His source of comfort, and it is for us. He who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ abides in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds him with His presence. Whatever comes to him comes from Christ. He has no need to resist evil; for Christ is his defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord's permission; and 'all things' that are permitted, 'work together for good to them that love God.'" Mount of Blessing, page 110.

Our daily papers are filled with stories of cruelty and injustice not only from ordinary criminals who prey upon women, children and the elderly who generally cannot defend themselves but even from policemen like this man Furhman who brags about how many innocent people he illegally beat and bludgeoned.

As a result people are buying and packing guns like there is no tomorrow. They carry them on their persons, in their purses or in their cars and trucks. In one video I have seen there is a very moving testimony by an attractive, articulate blonde in her early 30's. She is giving her testimony at a hearing somewhere in Texas about the right of citizens to carry a weapon (gun) to defend him/herself. She tells how she and her parents were in this restaurant somewhere in Texas when this madman, as she rightly calls him, drives his truck right through the front of the building and then proceeds to gun down people right and left with some kind of automatic weapon. She said it took her about 45 seconds to realize this was not your everyday "hit" or robbery. This was an insane man just trying to see how many people he could kill. She and her parents were hiding behind a table they had turned on its side for protection. She said that she was only about 12 feet away from this guy when she realized that all she had to do was reach in her purse, take out her trusty little pistol and put this sucker out of his misery, thus saving many lives, especially her own as well as her mom and dad. But then she remembered that she had left her weapon in her car because it is sometimes considered a felony offense to carry a weapon in certain places. She said that she considers this the "stupidest mistake of her life."

So, obviously she was not able to stop this "rabid dog" killer that day because she didn't have a gun. Her father tried to rush the guy only to be shot dead in his tracks. This woman then said that someone broke out a window in the back of the restaurant and people began escaping. She grabbed her mother by the arm and said, "Mom, let's get out of here." She said her feet grew wings and she was quickly out that back window. It was not until she was safely outside that she realized her mother had not come with her. The police later told her that her mother had gone to her fallen husband's side, cradling his head in her arms until the gunman came back around to her, put the gun to her head and pulled the trigger. This grief stricken daughter gave this eloquent testimony without breaking down once. But it was clear that she blamed herself and her state legislature for the death of her parents. If only she had had the legal right to carry her weapon that day her mother and dad would still be alive. I have that video if you would like to watch her testimony for yourself.

The issue that this story raises is this: Should we, as Christians, carry weapons to defend ourselves? In this particular scenario it would certainly seem justified under the circumstances. If you take a survey among Christians, especially men, I think that you will find the majority will say, without hesitation, that not only should it be our right, but our duty to carry a weapon.

Now, beloved, we could debate the issue of GUN CONTROL for a very long time. In 1974 Phoebe Courtney of Colorado wrote a little book entitled, "GUN CONTROL MEANS PEOPLE CONTROL." Her eloquent arguments are familiar to most Americans who are fighting for their constitutional right to own and carry a gun or guns for self-protection. "When Guns Are Outlawed--Only Outlaws (criminals) will have Guns," is one of her chapter titles. She is probably right. If you have studied the issue you know what is involved regarding our constitutional rights and the governments' efforts to take those rights away.

The issue I am talking about is not about government control, constitutional rights or defending oneself with a weapon. It is about believing in the promises of God and obeying the Words of Jesus Christ and following His example even unto death. It is not surrendering your rights to an oppressive world government or UN, etc. It is about surrendering fully to the Lord Jesus Christ and learning to use the weapons of His warfare which are far more powerful than any gun you could ever purchase to protect yourself. Furthermore, beloved, the bottom line in all of this hinges on what kind of God we believe in and serve. Do we believe in the killer God of the old testament who commanded Saul, Moses, Joshua and countless others to lead the armies of Israel to destroy their enemies with the sword? Or do we believe in the true God of the Bible, the God of the New Testament, Jesus Christ, who told Peter to stop using his sword for the angels of God were at His beck and call...His immediate command. The sword is unnecessary. Do we have the faith of Jesus? Revelation 14:12 predicts that God will have a Remnant in the earth in these last days who will believe and obey His holy Word. "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.

Beloved, the reason we do not see more of God's power to deliver people out of harm and danger is because most people today do not have the faith of Jesus. Do you realize no man laid a hand on our Lord until "His time was come."

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Cor. 10:3-5. Verse 7 asks the relevant question: "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?"

There are examples in the OT of God's power to deliver without carnal weapons. But because these stories do not exalt the human ego they are often purposely ignored and/or passed over for more exciting stores like Samson killing a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass or David killing Goliath, etc. Physical strength and prowess is equated with godliness and/or being blessed or accepted with the most high. Let's look at one of these stories found in 2 Kings 6:8-23. This is a recital of how Elisha warned the king of Israel ahead of time about the King of Assyria's plans to attack Israel. When the king began suspecting there was a spy on his staff one of his officers who understood what was going on said, "It's not us, sir,...Elisha, the prophet, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!" This disturbed the King so much he went down and surrounded the city of Dothan thinking Elisha could not escape his plans to take him prisoner. Now, this is a good example of what is going to happen to God's people in the last days when the whole world will be arrayed against us.

The next morning when Elisha's servant arose the first thing he saw was all of these horses and chariots. Alas, my master, what shall we do now? he cried out to Elisha. Don't be afraid! Elisha told him. For our army is bigger than theirs! Then Elisha prayed, Lord, open his eyes and let him see! And the Lord opened the young man's eyes so that he could see horses of fire and chariots of fire everywhere upon the mountain! As the Syrian army advanced upon them, Elisha prayed, Lord, please make them blind. And He did. Then Elisha went out and told them, you've come the wrong way! This isn't the right city! Follow me and I will take you to the man you're looking for. And he led them to Samaria. As soon as they arrived Elisha prayed, Lord, now open their eyes and let them see. And the Lord did, and they discovered that they were in Samaria, the capital city of Israel! When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, Oh, sir, shall I kill them? Of course not! Elisha told him, Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again. So the king made a great feast for them, and then sent them home to their king. And after that the Syrian raiders stayed away from the land of Israel. 2 Kings 6:15-23.

This amazing story teaches the true character of God...of overcoming your enemies through prayer and kindness...exactly what Jesus taught. The most likely reason we don't hear more of these kind of victories today is that very few professed believers have the Christian experience and character of Elisha. But the same promises and power that Elisha tapped into are still available to us today. I know from personal experience for Jesus has delivered me many times through the power of prayer as I claimed His powerful promises. Once in a park I saw a man abusing a young girl. He had her on the ground, sitting on top of her and hitting her in the face. I asked him in a nice way to stop and leave her alone. She was crying but he had no mercy. I asked him again to stop or I would call the police. He stood up then and began cursing me. He came over close to me and put his finger on my nose still calling me names and cursing me. But Jesus' Spirit touched my heart and I had tremendous compassion for this very hurting, confused, human being. My only response was, "Jesus loves you and can help you." He stopped for a moment and began backing up with a look of fear in his eyes. I kept telling him of Jesus' love and he kept backing up as if he was very afraid of something. Finally, he turned and left after making one final threat to get me someday. That was about 1975 and I haven't seen him since.

Another time in Pittsburgh, PA. I was with my younger son very early one Sunday morning waiting at Three River's stadium to buy tickets for a football game he wanted to see. This was about 1980 when the Pittsburgh Steelers were in the process of winning four super bowls within a decade or so. We lived 125 miles south in West Virginia at the time but occasionally went up there for business or to mail out my newspapers. I saw the signs hanging out of office windows of large buildings downtown Pittsburgh. Although the super bowl football games had begun about 1970 or so I didn't know anything about them as I was busy winning souls for Jesus. So, when I saw these signs saying: "GO STEELERS #3" I had no idea what they were talking about. It wasn't until my son began trying to talk me into going up to Three Rivers stadium to buy these tickets that I found out that "Steelers" were the Pittsburgh Steelers Football team and that their fans were cheering them on to win a third super bowl.

Many dedicated fans who had been waiting all night for tickets had been drinking to stay warm. Just before the ticket office opened fights began breaking out. One man was beat up a little and forced to go to the end of the line. I felt tremendous compassion for him and tried to go over to talk to him about how much Jesus loved him. Out of eyes of anger, hatred and fear, (mainly fear) I could see that he was listening to me more out of curiosity than anything else. As I continued to tell this man of God's incredible love for him personally and he didn't have to be afraid anymore I claimed his soul for Jesus Christ. The demons that controlled him were really getting nervous. He reached down and grabbed a beer bottle, broke it and pointed it toward me saying, "Just leave me alone...don't come any closer." Actually, this encouraged me to continue for the man was now talking to me. Finally, he said, "I need help...I am a sick man." It was at this point my son grabbed my arm and begged me to leave this man alone and come back into the line so we could get our tickets. Reluctantly, I returned to the long line with my son telling this fellow again of Jesus' wonderful love. I continued to pray for this man. What I didn't know, because of the hundreds of people milling around was that shortly after my encounter with him he was accepted back into line.

Later I saw him and he was laughing as he held up his tickets for all to see. I waved and yelled at him offering him congratulations. He waved back at me with a friendly smile. What I believed happened was that even though my encounter with him did not result in what we might call a complete and total conversion experience the devil's hold on this man was significantly weakened so he had a better attitude and was let back in line by the people he had formerly been fighting with and cursing at. He had been quite obnoxious before causing everyone to reject him. I have seen this kind of thing happen many times. This is the great love and power of God. I could write a whole book of the miracles God has performed for me personally and still does every single day of my life. You just have to be open and awake to recognize them. Sometimes answers to prayer (another form of miracles if you please) do not come right at the time you pray. There is a delayed response.

Tony Campolo tells of an experience he had with a mother and her crippled son. She walked into the chapel of a school where he was conducting a week of prayer and interrupted the service. He asked the lady how he could help her. She bluntly said, "heal my son." She also told him that God had told her to come there that day for this miracle. Campolo in his usual wit remarked to the audience, "If God told this lady to come and see me the least He could have done would have been to tell me she was coming."

Then Tony became very serious as he told how the chaplin of the school offered to help him in this awkward situation. He told all the students who did not have faith that the child would be healed to leave the room. That just about cleared the auditorium. All that was left were about three Pentecostal kids who were already praying in the Spirit for a miracle of healing. Then they all laid their hands on the little boy, prayed one by one and anointed him. All of a sudden they were aware of the presence of God in a manner that cannot be explained. Tony said he withdrew his hand in shame at this manifestation of the holiness and power of God. But nothing happened. The child was not healed. Then he said about a year or so later he was preaching in a certain place and this woman came up to him again and introduced herself and her son who was perfectly well. "How did this happen," he asked? "Why, we prayed," she said. Then she told how that the next morning when the boy woke up he was crying because the braces on his crippled legs were too tight. And this happened again and again until he was well enough to walk. Now, that is not as dramatic as some of the instant healings of the Bible but nevertheless, the boy was healed after they prayed.

This installment plan type miracle has happened in my ministry as well. I remember one demon afflicted 15 year old girl I prayed for in 1984. We made some headway but were not totally successful. The next day she ran away. The demonic forces were confused and in disarray by our prayers. About a year later I talked to her mother who said she was completely well or normal. The healing had taken place over several months time.

Corrie Ten Boom wrote about a similar experience in her book, "Defeated Enemies." A mother and her 15 year old daughter came to her for prayer. This teen was severely afflicted by demon(s). "The child was a pitiful sight, for she cringed in fear at the slightest sound and buried her face in her mother's arm. The mother's face was full of sorrow as she looked at me pleadingly." The mother asked Corrie if she believed everything that she had preached the night before regarding the reality of God's promises.

"Yes, I do," I answered instantly, "God's promises are a greater reality than our problems." The mother then begged Corrie in the Name of Christ to cast out the demon from her child. Corrie writes: "I shrank back as though she had struck me. Anything, but not that! That was a terrain on which I did not want to venture. Other people might be able to do so, but not I. " She kept telling the Lord she could not and would not do this. Then God spoke to her directly: "But, you must do it, because there is even more truth in what you just said to the woman than you yourself realize. My promises are true." She then read Mark 16 with the mother and they prayed together for the girl. She asked the girl, "Do you know the Lord Jesus?" "Yes, she said, but I wish He would make me happy." Corrie then prayed for the girl in the name and blood of Jesus, commanding the devil to leave her and not enter anyone else or possess the child again. But the girl left as much possessed as when she came. Corrie was visiting at the manse of a minister at this time. She spoke to this pastor about her seeming failure telling him that he would have to take care of the problem. "Oh, Sister Ten Boom," he said, "That is a sphere I refuse to enter." She then told him that it was his duty as the shepherd to help these cases and asked him to read Mark 16:17. After he read this verse he buried his face in his hands and whispered, "Forgive me, Lord, for I have neglected my duty." Corrie said that great joy entered her heart because she now knew why the Lord allowed her to experience failure. God wanted to convict this minister of his duty to engage in spiritual warfare when necessary. Corrie says that she left that house with only gratitude in her heart. She didn't understand all but in her heart she knew everything was all right. JESUS IS VICTOR. Two days later she received a letter from the pastor's wife. "Corrie, something wonderful has happened. When the mother and her daughter crossed the threshold of their home the demon went out of the child. This morning both of them came to me full of praise and thanksgiving to Him who was so faithful about the promises He made to us in the Scripture. My husband wants to know if you will come again, and this time stay longer than three days."

Another time in Pittsburgh about 1981, I was with one of my helpers at the time. It was late Friday afternoon. We had a flat tire and were in the process of putting on the spare when another car pulled up to use a nearby phone booth. They looked liked a couple of fellows who could cause problems but I didn't pay any attention to them until I heard them cursing and arguing, blaming each other for something. I went over to them and asked, "what's the problem?" "This idiot," the first man began, "just locked us out of our bosses' car. The only way we can get back in is to break the window then we will probably be fired." I told them the first thing they needed to do was stop cursing and arguing for that would not help solve the problem. So, they calmed down. Then I told them God had the answer and we needed to ask Jesus to help us. They just looked at me and then at each other wondering what kind of very strange experience they were having on their first free weekend to the city to have some fun. They had come down from Canada hoping to meet some girls and were in the process of making some calls when they realized they had been locked out of their car. The next thing that happened was that God spoke directly to me in my mind and said, "open the door." In my mind I answered the Lord by saying, "But, Lord, the doors are all locked and the keys are inside." Again, I heard the voice saying to me, "Just open the door." The door He wanted me to open was on the right rear where I was standing. So, I reached out my hand, lifted the handle and to my utter amazement the door opened. Meanwhile, these young men had begun arguing again. I walked over to them and said, "It's open." They both looked at the door I had just opened and their mouths dropped open. I walked up to one of them who had a crucifix dangling from his neck and said, "Do you know what this means?" He just looked at me and said nothing. I held the crucifix in my hand, which was obviously no more than a good luck charm to him and explained to him that Jesus had loved him enough to die on this very cross he was wearing around his neck. He looked at me, took a deep breath and told me thanks. They were both besides themselves with joy as they drove away to begin their weekend. Beloved, miracles are happening all around us every day. We just need to open our hearts and eyes to them. Actually, we can make them happen. For example, last night I gave a lady $10.00 for some items I had purchased. Other people were talking to her and she didn't pay attention to how much money I had given her. She asked me, "You gave me a twenty didn't you?" I have been short of money lately and this was my "opportunidad" (chance) for ten extra free dollars. But instantly I knew this was not right and told this overworked lady that I had only given her a ten. She then proceeded to give me back nine dollars and a few cents change when it should have only been $8.00. This was at a drive-in style restaurant. I drove to the front, went inside and told the lady she had given me a dollar too much. The employees were really shocked and thanked me for my honesty. Then the Lord spoke to me about giving the lady a brochure on the character of God. So, I went through the drive in one more time and gave her the pamphlet with a word of encouragement and told her to relax and have a good evening. Then another miracle happened inside of my own heart. Although I knew the company would not miss $10 I also knew God's angels, good and evil, as well as all the invisible worlds were watching to see what I would do. I also believed that God would not be able to bless me if I were not totally honest. It was then that Jesus' overwhelmed my heart with His love and let me know how happy He was that I had been honest and helped this lady know the truth of His beautiful character. Three, maybe four, miracles happened if you are willing to accept the lady's miscounting the money twice as two miracles. Next, my willingness to be honest and to give her the gospel pamphlet and then Jesus' filling my heart with His love to show me His approval. Obviously all of this could very easily be explained as perfectly normal human actions and reactions, of two human beings interacting. But the spiritually minded person will see the hand of God in every situation. The Lord really made me aware of this when I went to Honduras. The miracles there were so obvious I began to pay closer attention. When I returned to the USA I became much more appreciative of God's daily "miracles" in my life. Before I had taken many of these events for granted or explained them away with human logic. Now, I began to realize how involved God is in every detail of our lives and how He is willing to intervene in our behalf if we train ourselves to constantly be in an attitude of prayer and trust in His Divine guidance in everything.

Last night I talked to a lady we will call Mary. Mary told me about a personal incident that happened to her when she was younger. She said that her mother-in-law hated her. One day she slapped her on the side of the face very hard. Mary saw red and was about to hit her mother-in-law back with all of her might because she had taken a great deal of verbal abuse already. She felt this was the last straw.

But just as she prepared to deliver the blow she saw a face she had read about in Rev. 1:13 which describes Christ among the candlesticks. The face spoke to her: "Touch not the hoary head." She stopped completely, frozen in her tracks. Then the voice spoke to her again: "Turn the other cheek." When she turned the other cheek her mother-in-law slapped her again on the other side. She had no angry or bitter feelings but had the joy and peace of knowing she had not only followed her conscience but the teachings of Christ written in Matt. 5 and his voice speaking to her directly. She is 80 years of age and told me she now understands why her mother-in-law was so frustrated and angry. "She was terribly lonely because her sons had grown up and left her." She never had any more problems with her mother-in-law because she never went to see her again. But the victory she won that day has stayed with her all of her life.

This is contrary to human reasoning which tells us that we must be prepared to defend ourselves at all times with a knife, gun, tire iron or ball bat or maybe even mace. I am sure I might get some arguments on that from some people. But, I believe these are unnecessary if a person has the weapons of spiritual warfare such as truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, sword of the spirit (Bible), prayer, perseverance and supplication. See Ephesians 6. These were the weapons Jesus used and taught His disciples to use. These weapons enable us to break the carnal bonds of sin that Satan has bound us with to do his will. Jesus came to give us an example of how to live completely under the power of the Holy Spirit. Never once did He use physical power to deliver Himself even in the Garden of Gethsemane when He told Peter to put away his sword. He said twelve legions of angels were at His beck and call. Jesus knew this was the truth based on God's promise. "For He will give His angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot." Psalm 91:11, 12. The carnally minded person will take these words literally when they are to be taken spiritually. The lion, adder and young lion simply represent the powers of evil to tempt and trip us up in our spiritual walk with God. Through the spiritual weapons God has given us we can overcome all of Satan's temptations if we learn to fight with these weapons. Unfortunately, the majority of God's professed people know very little about these spiritual weapons of warfare. As a result they not only live defeated spiritual lives today, but in the near future will take up the carnal weapons of warfare the world uses to defend themselves just like Peter did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Why do they do this? Because they do not have the Holy Spirit in their lives. As a result the same spirit that leads them to take up the carnal weapons of warfare will lead them on to take the Mark of the Beast. So this is a very serious matter.

Another unfamiliar story you seldom hear about is found in 2 Chron. 20:1-30. The story is about how king Jehoshaphat solved a serious crisis without the use of any of the usual carnal weapons of war. When he heard that the kings of Moab, Ammon and Meunites had declared war on him and the people of Judah. The first thing he did was call for a fast throughout the land. People from all over Judah came to Jerusalem to fast and pray to God for help against their enemies. Jehoshaphat's long prayer, "O our God, won't you stop them? We have no way to protect ourselves against this mighty army. We don't know what to do, but we are looking to you." V. 12. This is when the first miracle happened. God began speaking through one of the Levites, Jahaziel. "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, and you, O king Jehoshaphat!" he exclaimed. "The Lord says, 'Don't be afraid! Don't be paralyzed by this mighty army! For the battle is not yours, but God's! Tomorrow, go down and attack them! (with the weapons of God's warfare which in this case was prayer and singing) You will find them coming up the slopes of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. BUT YOU WILL NOT NEED TO FIGHT! Take your places; stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem! Don't be afraid or discouraged! Go out there tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!'" V. 15-17.

The most amazing part of this story is that there was no protest to this message like there was later in the days of Jeremiah. Although it is true that their backs were against the wall in this situation this is a very strange message in the light of Israel's history of warfare with the sword. Moses and Joshua both believed in the sword. David used the sword. However, Solomon was of a different breed. So, we find the king and people both accepting and praising God for this non-violent battle plan.

Verse 20 tells how the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were marching along the king stops them for a little inspirational pep talk, as it were. "Listen to me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem," he said. "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall have success! Believe His prophets, and everything will be alright!" Then the king consults with the leaders of the people about the song they should sing and who should sing it. They decide that a special, hand-picked choir with special, sanctified garments should go before the march singing these words: "'HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS FOREVER,' as they walked along (in front of the army) praising and thanking the Lord! AND AT THE MOMENT THEY BEGAN TO SING AND TO PRAISE, THE LORD CAUSED THE ARMIES OF AMMON, MOAB, AND MOUNT SEIR TO BEGIN FIGHTING AMONG THEMSELVES, AND THEY DESTROYED EACH OTHER! For the Ammonites and Moabites turned against each other! So, when the army of Judah arrived at the watchtower that looks out over the wilderness, as far as they could look there were dead bodies lying on the ground---not a single one of the enemy escaped. King Jehoshaphat and his people went out to plunder the bodies and came away loaded with money, garments, and jewels stripped from the corpses---so much that it took them three days to cart it all away! On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, as it is called today, and how they praised the Lord." Vs. 21-26.

In Joel 3:2 the phrase, "Valley of Jehoshaphat" is used in connection with the final gathering of all nations where God says He is going to "plead" with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. The phrase, "Will plead," literally means "to enter into a legal controversy." Of course, the parallel to the last days is very clear. Just as God stirred up the nations against Israel in the days of Jehoshaphat so Satan will once again cause all nations to be angry at the final Remnant. It is very interesting to note also that God says His people (His heritage) have been scattered among all nations and His land has been parted. Is it possible that this is a prediction that is yet future for those who will stand for the truth in this last hour? Some even believe that "my land" refers to the USA, the only real Christian nation in the world today. But through greed, love of money and sexual immorality---especially homosexuality, this nation is fast losing their Christian identity. The Lord has allowed examples and parallels in the past history of Israel for the benefit of modern Israel. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (types) and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." I Cor. 10:11.

We all can know what finally happened to Israel when their true Messiah came to deliver them. The overwhelming majority of them rejected His teachings and put Him on the cross of calvary. Why? Mainly because He taught a gospel of non-violence and love for all mankind. But He rose again the third day and reigns, rules and intercedes for us today. He has promised us all the power necessary to accomplish our earthly mission. His wonderful promises are for us again today. "Go ye...and teach all nations...teaching them...and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28:19, 20.

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Dear Bro. Mike: Jan. 12, 1995.

No doubt you have been very busy lately in the various aspects of your ministry. I have said many prayers for you that Our Heavenly Father would help you physically so many people would know God's character better. I have recently returned from Mobile, Al. visiting my children. Before leaving I had sent for two more of your new book, "The Mystery of God Revealed." Many thanks for sending them. It is a wonderful study.

Many years ago I was convinced that God never killed anyone directly...that He is the One who gives life and Satan is the destroyer. Being an SDA since 1938, a firm believer in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, teaching in Sabbath School many of these years, I thought my church had all the truth I needed. Instead of really studying for myself, I got most of my beliefs from the ministers and people who had been in the church for years.

Later, as I saw many signs of Christ's soon coming, I started studying more for myself. In "Christ's Object Lessons," I read the following statement: "In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God for the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new." COL 127. This statement really got me to studying and as I studied I learned some very interesting truths that I never read before.

In the Review and Herald Extra of Dec. 23, 1980, is this statement: "God will give additional light, and old truths will be recovered in the framework of truth: and wherever laborers go, they will triumph. As Christ's ambassadors, they are to search the Scriptures to seek for the truths that have been hidden beneath the rubbish of error and every ray of light received is to be communicated to others."

In "Testimonies to Ministers," page 106, 107 I read, "But beware of rejecting that which is truth. The great danger with our people has been that of depending upon men and making flesh their arm. Those who have not been in the habit of searching the Bible for themselves, or weighing evidence, have confidence in the leading men and accept the decisions they make: and thus many will reject the very messages God sends to His people, if these leading brethren do not accept them...Even if all our leading men should refuse light and truth, that door will remain open. The Lord will raise up men who will give the people the message for this time." In Review & Herald, April 25, 1893, we have this message: "We are not in the place where our fathers were. Advanced light is shining upon us in these last days. We cannot be accepted of God: we cannot honor him by rendering the same service, doing the same work that our fathers did. In order to be accounted guiltless before God, we must be as faithful in our time in following and obeying our light, as they were faithful in following and obeying the light that shown upon them."

I was willing to let go of any idea I might need to give up in order to understand any new truth that was hidden in His Word. Many things I read in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel as well as some things in the New Testament I did not understand. I started studying, asking God to send the Holy Spirit to help me understand some of these deeper teachings in the Bible because I knew it was Him that would lead us to all truth.

Your special "REPORT ON THE 144,000" really got me to studying more than I ever had because I thought you were saying and believing things I did not think would ever be done: i.e. Universal Reconciliation. I thought with God's love and power perhaps He might bring all His children to repentance, but surely not Satan. After reading in the book, "STORY OF REDEMPTION," about how Jesus wept when He told Satan that He could not let him go back to heaven but I also noticed that he was not told by Christ that he never would be permitted to go back. Jeremiah says there is nothing too hard for God to do. So, I really started studying and asking for more light on this from the Bible and Spirit of prophecy. One day I saw something very interesting in Jeremiah's Scriptures I had read before not noticing what God actually says. You had shown me in Jere. 23:18-20 that a grievous whirlwind was going to come upon the wicked, that it would not stop until "He hath performed the thoughts of His heart."

This really impressed me because we are told "In the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." This shows that we have not understood all God has for His people. For some time I had read many texts where God says He has ways to bring His people to repentance. In Isa. 44:21, 22, God says He will not forget Israel and He says He has blotted out our sins before He asks us to repent of them.

One day God showed me some things in the Bible...things I had read before but not having any understanding as to what they meant. I believe these truths had been hidden from me until God knew I was ready for them. I saw in Jere. 31:6 that there is coming a day when "the watchmen upon the mount of Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God." In verses 9-11 we are told that they will come weeping, (and would cause them to walk by the "Rivers of waters" which sounds very much like heaven to me from Revelation 21 and 22) and that Ephraim is His firstborn. No place have I found anything good about Ephraim, but over and over God tells us He loves us and says it is an everlasting love. Jer. 31:3.

THE FOLLOWING LETTER IS ALSO FROM ESTHER BELCHER. Sept. 25, 1995. I asked her to share a little more about her life story and how she came to understand the character of God message.

Dear Bro. Mike,

Thank you for giving me the privilege of sharing with you the following information, which, of course, is of a very personal nature. But if it will be a help to others I am glad to let people read it. There is nothing that brings me more joy than to show people how patient God has been in helping me to once again love my Bible. I want to tell you about how after giving up my belief in the Bible and going into the very deepest darkness God led me step by step into the most marvelous light and truth.

I was born in a small log cabin, Jan. 26, 1908, at Glendale, Florida. I was a very small baby. My great grandmother Laird took me under her care. I was not even strong enough to nurse. When I was three days old she chewed up some sweet potato and bacon and placed a speck under my tongue. She did this until I was strong enough to nurse. After 3 1/2 months I still only weighed four pounds. My father was Joseph E. Harrison, who had served in the Spanish American war. My mother was Sarah E. Wilkerson, who taught school for a few years before marrying my father. He was from a very religious family, all belonging to the holiness church. Mother's family, at that time, had nothing to do with churches. My mother had never seen a Bible until she married. After several years mother joined the Methodist church. She and my father were always agreeable about belonging to different churches and usually went their separate ways each Sunday morning. Daddy was a lay minister and although he usually spoke in his own denominational churches he would also speak in the Methodist church and the Salvation Army Church. So, sometimes we all went together.

One Sunday mother did not go to church with my sister, Iris, Daddy and me. It was a very cold, large church with only a small, wood heater to keep us warm. Because I was never a well child Daddy got my sister and me a seat near the heater. He was the speaker that day and went up on the platform with several others. While he was preaching a lady suddenly started speaking in a tongue she often spoke in that church. She jumped off the platform, took off her shoes and climbed upon on that red hot stove. She just stood there on it and clasped her hands around the red hot stove pipe and then turned to the audience and told everybody in English that because she had been given the baptism of the Holy Ghost God had given her power over fire. Of course, I thought for sure that her hands and feet would be blistered because she stood on that hot stove for several seconds, speaking in that strange tongue. But when she showed us her hands and feet there was no sign of a blister.

We often visited other churches and had our home open to any minister. I wondered why there was such a difference in the beliefs of the various churches. But after seeing this lady stand on that red hot stove I decided there was no church as good as my father's church. I told my mother that I wanted this kind of speech so I too could have power over fire. I went out into some woods near our home where I had often seen my grandmother Harrison go to pray. She would jump up and down and speak in that same kind of tongue. I tried to imitate her movements all the while praying and hoping that I too would be able to speak this strange language she used. When I failed to have the same experience I told my mother that God did not love me. My mother tried to explain to me that God did love me. She said that I didn't have to have that experience to be a Christian. But I was not convinced because I only had a pleasant feeling like I did when I talked to Jesus all alone. But for some strange reason I still didn't believe God loved me and wanted some kind of experience for proof.

In spite of all my mother told me I still didn't believe her. So, a few days later mother told me she was going to take me on a very dangerous journey and that I had to do exactly what she said. She told me that we had to be very quiet. We walked through a field, climbed a fence and crawled through some bushes. Finally, we were up on top of a hill where we had a good view of the valley below. Mother pointed to something I knew was a rum still. To my great surprise there was that same lady that I had so much confidence in next to the still with two married men. I never had confidence in this lady anymore. Mother explained to me that I must not judge others by this lady because there was good and bad in all churches. This was in Glendale, Florida.

At the age of 13 we moved to St. Andrew Bay, Florida. Because I refused to eat nourishing food my health was very bad and I developed severe jaw trouble. My jaws would lock making it impossible for me to open them. Once they stayed locked for a week and my mother had to feed me with a medicine dropper. At other times my mouth would open and I could not close it. There was this one doctor we went to who could open my mouth but often it would be locked again before we reached home. I had three operations for this trouble with no good or lasting results. The doctor gave me one year to live.

An SDA neighbor nurse had heard about a retired Doctor living across the bay. He had once worked at John Hopkins but was now using natural methods of treatment. He was a strict vegetarian. People soon found out that he did not charge for his treatments and two boats carried patients to him daily. Miss Nellie, the nurse tried to get my parents to take me to him but they refused because they didn't believe in his kind of treatments. But I begged them to let me go because I didn't want the Doctor in Pensacola to scrape my jaw bones. Nellie told me that if I would follow his instructions regarding eating and exercising like he would show me that he would get me well so that I would not have to have any more surgery. I was willing to eat or do whatever he said even though I had practically lived on preserves, syrup, biscuits and bacon most of my life. I had refused all other foods. Nellie also gave me a warning to not believe anything he told me regarding religion because she said he did not believe in the Bible. Well, I loved my Bible and did not think anyone could ever draw me away from it. How mistaken I was.

Twenty-two people were on this boat with us. The Doctor was a short, bald-headed man. He frightened me because he was looking straight at me and coming straight toward me. He picked me up in his arms and kept saying over and over, "bless her little heart she has come back to me." I knew that I had never seen him before and I was afraid. He asked everyone to sit down on seats out under some trees because he had something to tell us. He then told us he once had a daughter who died at the age of 16 from a diphtheria shot when she was just recovering from diphtheria. He said that I was this same daughter who had reincarnated and come back to him. At that time I certainly did not believe he had ever been my father but later I did come to believe it because he was so good to me, treating me as his own child. I was not to tell my parents. He said he would explain it to them later, which he did but they never believed in his teachings. But we all loved him very much and were good to him.

He had lost all of his loved ones. His own father died one month and then his wife had a heart attack and died one month later. All this was too much for the doctor resulting in a severe stroke leaving him almost helpless and in need of nurses. One nurse had special training in massage and physical therapy and helped him learn to walk again. He gave up practicing medicine and took courses in Chiropractic, massage and physical therapy. He practiced in California for years and then moved to Florida where he practiced until he retired in St. Andrew, Florida.

One of the nurses had heard him say so many times that he wanted to die and go where his wife and daughter were. She told him how he could get in touch with what he thought was actually his wife. He began meeting with this spirit at a certain time each day. She told him that his daughter had been born again and would come back to him. The Doctor treated me like a daughter and was the nicest person I ever met. He was a very religious man having Christian standards. I got well with no more surgery. He gave me many books to study, each one taking me further away from the religion I had believed all my life. He put my sister through nurses training in Charity Hospital in New Orleans. He gave me a free course in Massage and Physical Therapy and let me work in his clinic. He also bought a large home one block from my parents home. I had confidence in whatever he taught me and gave up my belief in the Bible as an inspired book. Noticing the change in me, my parents became very disturbed and tried in every way they could to get me to come back to what they had taught me. But I was too deceived to ever believe that again, thinking as the Dr. had taught me, that what I now believed had placed me on a much "higher plane." I worked with this man until his death in 1933. This evil spirit had told him that he would come and be with her sometime soon, saying he would always be with me directing me at all times. He did die just when she (the spirit) said he would, but far from the way she said he would die. This disturbed me deeply. I had promised him to always believe in the things he had taught me so he could come back as a baby to me since, he said, he would have to come back as a baby one more time because of smoking cigars.

I married J. L. Canterbury, and had a baby. But instead of it being a boy as he had promised, it was a still birth, a girl. Now, I was truly puzzled but decided perhaps he wanted me to adopt a baby boy, which I did, naming him Charles, after the Dr. The Lord helped me to get a very loving Christian, an SDA lady, to help take care of my baby. She gave me SDA literature to study hoping to bring me back to my Bible. I never read any of it. Then one day I had a patient who needed hydrotherapy treatments. Mrs. Dobbs went with me to his home. It was difficult driving because the road was so bad. But on top of that she kept preaching religion to me after I had asked her to never mention religion to me again. This was so frustrating to me that suddenly, I put my brakes on so hard that it caused her to hit her head. I told her how sorry I was but I didn't want her to talk religion to me anymore because I would never give up my belief in what Dr. Send had taught me. She promised she would never mention it again if I didn't want her to but she said she would never stop praying for me. Then she asked me if I would read a book that she just happened to have in her purse. She made me promise that I would ask God to show me if He had any light in it for me.

Well, when I got back home and started reading this book, "Prophecy Speaks," I remembered having promised to ask God to show me any light that He might have for me. Since I hadn't prayed to the true God for years, I got down on my knees, as my parents had taught me, and very sincerely said, "Dear God, if there is a God. I want to know it." Amen. I didn't know what else to say as the only way the Dr. had taught me to pray was by using Denials and Affirmations.

"Prophecy Speaks," proved to be the most interesting book because it gave me proof beyond a doubt that the Bible had to be an inspired book. Why? Because it showed me that whatever God had predicted in the Bible always came to pass in time. This book was written especially for atheists, infidels and unbelievers. So, now I was ready to talk religion to Mrs. Dobbs. From childhood I knew that when a person died that he knew nothing. I now had absolute proof that the Bible was true. But I also knew I had been having many experiences of talking to someone who had Dr. Send's very voice and this voice had led me in the very way I had been told that he would. It was not all in my mind like some friends said. It was a fact. I was so confused. When I asked Mrs. Dobbs for help she told me that she knew someone one who could help me, her pastor, Elder Walter Walker, an SDA minister of the Panama City, Florida church. He was so very patient with me. He asked me if I now believed the Bible to be an inspired book. I said that although I did believe this truth I also knew that I had talked, in person, to Dr. Send. Then Pastor Walker asked me directly if I really wanted to know for certain if it was Dr. Send or not. He asked me if I wanted to continue talking to this spirit who claimed to be Dr. Send or not. I told him I always wanted the truth concerning everything. He then clearly showed me from the Scriptures in I Sam. 28 that the voice claiming to be Dr. Send was in reality one of the angels who left heaven when Lucifer fell. This was a very big and important revelation for me at this time in my life.

Almost all of my personal friends belonged either to the Church of Christ or the SDA Church. Each denomination began sending ministers to study with me hoping to convince me that their doctrine was the correct one. When Elder Walker studied with me everything seemed so clear and I was sure that I understood the truth and began leaning toward the SDA way until the other minister came and got me so confused that I finally asked them both to stop coming to see me. The main thing that I was confused about was which day God wanted me to keep or worship on, Saturday or Sunday. Which was really the true Sabbath day? I could understand that the 7th day was once the Sabbath, but it was true, like the Church of Christ minister believed, that after the resurrection of Christ, the day had been changed to the first day of the week, then I wanted to honor Jesus by keeping the first day. I knew God had led me from the deepest error and false teachings to the Bible as God's Holy Word. So, once again I got on my knees telling God all about my problem and asked Him to show me from the Bible which day was the truth Sabbath and that whatever day He showed me that was the day I would gladly worship Him on. He led me to open my Bible to Hebrews 4 and I found a very satisfying answer in verses 7-10. Now I was ready to be baptized. Elder Walker baptized me with about 20 others in St. Andrew Bay in 1938.

For several years I was a teacher in Sabbath School in the Panama City Church. Sometimes I taught things that I could not see to be the truth but I stuck by what was in the quarterly not realizing that God has "Increased Light" for us until I started studying for myself. Mrs. Dobbs, that dear saint, had died leaving me all her Spirit of Prophecy books. These were a great blessing and help to me in my ongoing study of the Bible, the most precious of all books to me. As the years rolled by I often had opportunity to give Bible studies. Often when giving a Bible study on the subject of "Hell" I would show them from the Bible that people would not burn forever but that the wicked would simply burn up completely and never exist again. But when they came back with Scriptures like Matt. 25:41 and 46 I had no answer because it does say that the wicked will be burned with "everlasting fire." This caused many to stop their studies with me which made me sad for there were many other truths for them to learn. That is when I was greatly helped by reading your GOD'S LAST CALL NEWSPAPER and books. You showed me from the Bible that God's fire is not literal but represented His light, love and very presence. In contrast, literal fire did not come into existence until Satan became the prince of the power of the air in this earth after Adam and Eve fell and left the Garden of Eden. God's fire always gives life and the righteous will dwell with these everlasting burnings throughout eternity as we read in Isa. 33:14 which speaks of God's people "dwelling with devouring fire...and everlasting burnings." I realized then that God's fire only devours the wickedness of the wicked...destroys the sins of the sinner but not the person himself/herself.

Additional Note:

Esther's father died about 1975, 15 years after his wife died. Her mother died Sept. 3, 1960. Her sister joined the church first and then her mother about three years later. But her father never joined until three years before he died. However, he kept the Sabbath for years. He continued his sermons and preached in a Pentecostal church in Melville, a suburb of Panama City, Fl. about the Sabbath...and called for a show of hands of those who would accept the Sabbath after he preached an entire sermon on the subject from the pulpit that Sunday....not one person in the congregation raised their hands...so he said he would shake off the dust from his feet and never go back. I am not sure if he said that in front of the congregation or later privately or to a small group. One also wonders who was on the platform with him and how many people were in the congregation listening. Esther said he preached in some of the larger Pentecostal churches in the area and must have been greatly admired and well respected for the many years that he had preached the gospel.

Esther said she didn't know when Dr. Send's Father, daughter and wife died one after another in about 30 days time, but it was probably while he was still at John Hopkins although it could have been later, after he moved to California and before he moved to Florida to become a Physical Therapist. He died on the 3rd of October, 1933. Esther said Dr. Send was not a Spiritist or a devotee of Spiritualism. Nor did he ever attend any such meetings. About 1975 the Review and Herald publishing association published a book entitled, "End of Masquerade," by Helen Pike. This is Esther's own story. This book was based on several interviews with Esther.