Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
2 Thessalonians 2: 7-12
2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.
2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2:9 [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Miracle-working Deceptions of Satan—
None need be deceived. The law of God is as sacred as His throne, and by it every man who cometh into the world is to be judged. There is no other standard by which to test character. “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Now, shall the case be decided according to the Word of God, or shall man’s pretensions be credited? {7BC 911.4}
Says Christ, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” If those through whom cures are performed, are disposed, on account of these manifestations, to excuse their neglect of the law of God and continue in disobedience, though they have power to any and every extent, it does not follow that they have the great power of God. On the contrary, it is the miracle-working power of the great deceiver. He is a transgressor of the moral law, and employs every device that he can master to blind men to its true character. We are warned that in the last days he will work with signs and lying wonders. And he will continue these wonders until the close of probation, that he may point to them as evidence that he is an angel of light and not of darkness (The Review and Herald, November 17, 1885). {7BC 911.5}
We are very blessed to have the Law and the Testimony as our moral standard to live by. Paul stated he would not know sin if it were not for the law. Sin is not imputed where there is no law. The law points out sin. Sin is what separates us from God. Christ Jesus said He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill the law. To fulfill is to preach fully. In the Book of Matthew, Christ forbade anyone even thinking that He would change the law. Tradition can never take the place of the law. Christ kept the law. His death magnified and justified the claims of the law. The blood of Christ cleanses us from sin. The law leads us to Christ and converts the soul. We are to follow in Christ’s steps. The law is the gospel concealed, and the gospel is the law revealed. The
law existed before proclaimed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. Eve knew the law in the garden as did Cain when he slew his brother Abel. The antediluvians all broke the law but for the eight on the Ark as every heart was evil every day. The Israelites kept the Sabbath before Mount Sinai. David called the law perfect. Keeping the law is our duty to God and fellowmen. The entire world is subject to the law. The law is our passport to glory. O how I love thy law.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
We thank You for giving us the privilege of coming into Your presence in thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We thank You for blessing us with the law and the testimony. We receive Your light and sacred truths in Your Word. It is our prayer to receive the continual outpouring of the Holy Spirit for none to be deceived in these last days. Satan is on the prowl performing miracles and lying wonders, deceiving even the very elect. We thank You for the law that keeps us from believing in these deceptions coming from Satan. By having the law and the testimony as our moral standard, we know the truth that saves and makes us free from sin. We pray for Your help to overcome sin, which is what separates us from You. We pray that You abide in us and we abide in You. Satan is the transgressor of the moral law, always tempting Your people. Satan tries to remove Your law from our minds and our hearts. We claim Your promise that You will write Your laws into our minds and hearts and that our sins and iniquities will You remember no more. We thank You for coming to this earth, not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Thank You for shedding Your blood to wash us clean and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You did not want anyone even thinking that You would change the law and You always kept the law. We pray for the churches throughout the world that are following the traditions of men and not Your law. We pray for the fortitude to always keep the law and fulfill our duty to You and our fellowmen. We submit ourselves to You and pray to one day be in Your glory. O how we love Thy law. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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