It matters which voices you listen to. In an age of skepticism and doubt, in earth’s last days, God speaks to us with a clear voice and shares a message of eternal consequence. Are you listening?

<p>It matters which voices you listen to. In an age of skepticism and doubt, in earth’s last days, God speaks to us with a clear voice and shares a message of eternal consequence. Are you listening?</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

It Is Written

John Bradshaw

Yet They Ran

1 of the great things about coming to the United States from another part of the world, my home country you know is New Zealand, so I have a lot in common with Canadians.

We're both members of the British Commonwealth.

We're familiar with God Save the Queen and all that.

1 of the fascinating things about coming to live in the country in which I'm now a resident is history.

Americans, of course, like many or most people, are very proud of their history.

And they've really made a legend about what's become 1 of the most famous messages in history.

And what's interesting about it is that it probably wasn't even said.

American history loves good stories, even if they're not entirely true.

Now, if it's true, then things happen something like this.

At least According to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote these words more than a hundred years after the fact, based on reality, not everything is true, but something like this happened.

He wrote, "'Listen, my children, And you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.

On the 18th of April in 75, hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year.

He said to his friend, if the British march by land or sea from the town tonight, hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch of the North Church Tower as a signal light.

1 if by land and 2 if by sea, and I on the opposite shore will be." Wadsworth got a few things wrong in that epic poem, But historical accuracy was not his likely objective.

More likely he was trying to capture the spirit, the excitement of it all, and he certainly succeeded in doing that.

On April 18, 1775, 700 British soldiers gathered on Boston Common and boarded ships to go and raid Concord.

Their intent was to destroy patriot military stores, weapons that had been hidden there.

Revere rode through present day Somerville, Medford, and Arlington in Massachusetts, warning patriots along the way.

That familiar phrase, so many people are familiar with it, the British are coming.

But whatever the exact wording, Revere's message got through.

The patriots were ready and a revolution began.

If you have a message, it's important the message is clear.

And it's important the message is accurate.

Paul Revere went with a stunning message.

But think about what that message really was.

In essence he said, there is real trouble coming.

There is an enemy approaching." And so what was the response?

The response was 1 of steadfast resistance and heroic victory.

Because the message of What was bad news was a message that aroused them to action.

You can imagine, can't you, if Revere had ridden through Massachusetts announcing that all was well, heralding peace and safety.

There may well have been no American Revolution, and Americans would be looking forward to celebrating Queen's birthday weekend in early June every year.

Let me read to you 1 of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.

Someone very kindly gave me a drinking mug, a, what, no, a peppermint tea mug recently.

I know the thoughts I have towards you saith the Lord.

Thoughts to give, depending on the version, an expected end, or thoughts to give you a hope and a future.

Jeremiah had been telling God's people they were going into Babylonian captivity.

The 10 northern tribes had been carried away in 721 B.C.

For more than a hundred years only Judah and Benjamin had existed and for years Jeremiah had been telling the people that they were going into captivity.

It was because of their extreme wickedness.

Did people want to accept Jeremiah's message?

Now if you turn to the previous chapter, there's a voice.

Jeremiah chapter 28, and we shall pick it up where?

Hananiah, Hananiah the son of Ezra the prophet.

He said, thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the King of Babylon.

Within 2 full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord's house that Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, took away from this place and carry them to Babylon.

And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, King of Judah, with all the captives of Judah that went into Babylon, saith the LORD.

For I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon." This is Hananiah's message.

Verse 15, Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah, the LORD hath not sent thee, but you make this people to trust in a lie Therefore thus say of the Lord behold I will cast you from off the face of the earth this year you shall die because you have taught rebellion against the Lord." So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

"'I have not sent them, ' saith the Lord, "'yet they prophesy a lie in my name.'" In chapter 26, they had plotted to murder Jeremiah to silence his voice.

Jeremiah chapter 23, verse 1, Woe to the pastors that scatter my flock.

Jeremiah 23, 21, I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.

I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesy.

I'll give you 1, and I hope you don't think I'm being unkind.

All over evangelical Christianity there is a myth being promoted that before the return of Jesus, the faithful ones will be raptured out and taken to heaven before the time of trouble takes place.

This is a message of peace and safety if ever there was 1.

Yet the falsehood was spread as though it was the gospel truth.

People are being set up for the shock of a lifetime.

It is a conspiracy on the part of the enemy of souls to leave people unprepared for what is coming upon the earth.

And it's part of a wider scheme to divert the attention of people away from the great matters of the great controversy.

The focus on the law of God as Satan endeavors to lead the world into disobedience.

The same ministers of the gospel who claim that it isn't important for people to keep the commandments of God perpetuate other mistruths as well.

Now, of course, there's some truth to that.

You can come into a saving relationship with God, that is, without knowing anything about the commandments of God.

You can, you can claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior and yield your heart.

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Yet They Ran

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