N V Doors DOiiic re than one sad tale has been told of too little suddenly that his door of opportunity was closed. and too late." Recall Jesus' story of the Ten Virgins Said his master. "Take from him the pound, and give it who were awaiting the Imminent return of the bride to him that hat/i ten pounds" Luke 19:24. groom. Five of them were wise and well prepared for The book of James tells the same truth in these his arrival, even if it should be unexpectedly delayed. stark words; "To him that knoweth to do good, and loeth And five were not wise, and not prepared. Jesus it not, to hun it is sin' James 4:1 7. called these latter ones "foolish.' We quite naturally think that something we do What made the difference? All had brightly burn wrong is more serious than something we simply do ing lamps until.,.the time delayed, and the lamps of not do. But James tells us this is not true. He says that five of them were burning low, Getting more oil not to do what we know we should is equally as wrong became urgent. And while these five went to find oil as openly committed sin. In other words, sins of for their lamps-the bridegroom came. `4nd they that omission are ust as culpable as sins of commission. were ready went in with him to the ,narriage: and the door Neglect is serious. It is the warning of the book of was shut." Hebrews: "How shall we escap if we neglect so great sat The open door dosed. Opportunity was suddenly vation...? Heb. 2:3. Let us repeat, `How shalt we gone and gone forever. escape,...if we neglect...r The same calamity overtook the people of Noah's In Jesus' parable, the virtue of the "merchant man, time. After all those years of preachuig and building. seeking goodly pearls" was that "when he had found the day arrived when the ark was finished, and Noah one pearl of great price, Ihej went and sold all that he and his family went in. And the Lord shut the door had, and bought it" Matt. 13:45-16. I-Ic did not wait. Gen. 7:16. There was no neglect, no delay. When he had found the pearl he was seeking, he immediately took action and went and sold all that he had, and bought it.H The same was true of the man finding the treasure hid In the field. "The kingdom of heaven is like unto The road marked treasure liii' in a field; the which when a `no': lath bund, he hideth, and for joy thereofgoeth and selleth all that he TOMORROW usually leads bath, and buyeth that field" Matt. 13:44. His action was immediate, when he had found it. to the town called NEVER. Scripture calls us again and again to decide, and to act immediately upon our decision. God promises no sure tomorrow, only a sure NOW. "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" The open door closed. Suddenly opportunity was 2 Cor. 6:2. God calls us to act with decision. It is gone, and gone forever. The door was shut, and no now or never. one else could get in. The road marked TOMORROW usually leads to the Luke 19:20 tells of the man who carefully wrapped town called NEVER. his talent in a napkin and put it in a safe place. This The only sure moment is now, now while the door surely did not seem like any serious crime. The man is still open. Says Jesus, "Behold, I stand at the door, and was not openly defiant, or rebellious, or dishonest. knock: ifany man hear my iuiee, and open the door, I will His sin was Only this: that he did nothing with his come in to him, and will sup with hi,,:, and he with `Ne" opportunity. The door was open, and he did not Rev. 3:20. He will not knock forever. enter. Unused opportunities, like unused muscles, atro But when the lord of that servant returned, what phy. The unwound clock stops. Open doors do close. did he say when the servant proudly unwrapped the Simple neglect can destroy us. The only safe course unused talent and handed it back to him? He learned is to act now.* MWIDDO MEANS IN THIS ISSUE "a place of troops' Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon; Editorial "a place of God Young's Analytical DOORSDOCLOSE Concordance. Megiddo was and is a town in 2 Palestine, strategically located, and the scene of Sermon frequent warfare. In the spiritual parallel, it is a place where soldiers engaged in spiritual war UNTIL HE COMES 4 fare gather to renew their strength and courage 2 Cor. 10:4-5. FAKING JESUS SERIOUSLY S Article THE GRUMBL[NG BUSINESS 10 - in God, the Creator and sustainer of the earth, the world the universes, and all life, in Poem whom we "live, and move, and have our WHAT I NEED Ii being." Bible Study - in the Bible as our only source oftrue knowl THEY DID IT THEIR WAY Part Seven 12 edge about God and His purposes and plans The Last Chapter . "Ye did run well" . Good and Evil for His creation and for the salvation of humankind. Quotable Quotes 14 -in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Perfect Example, who was conceived of the Dru `flu Holy Spirit and born of a virgin; who minis THE END OF THE AGE Part One 16 tered among His brethren, was crucified, res From the Days of Noah urrected, and taken to heaven and seated at the right hand of the Father, crowned with Poem immortal glory, and who shall shortly return JUST FOR YOU 18 to be King of the whole earth. WHY ARE WE HERE' - in the Holy Spirit, the openly manifest power 20 of God, which God bestowed at various times and in various ways to reveal His knowledge Questions and Answers to humankind, to support His spokesmen, to WHAT 15 TUE NEW COVENANT' 23 confirm His utterances, and to demonstrate Samuel a Priest? * Holy Spirit Changes One's Nature? His supreme power and authority. Know Your Bible? 25 - in life as the gift of God, and in our sacred Of Flowers and Gardens . Angels * Agriculture * Blood responsibility to use it for God and His com ing Kingdom. Back Cover - in humankind as providing the raw material APRAYER 28 from which shall be selected and developed a superior, God-honoring people upon whom God will bestow the blessings of immortal life in His soon-coming Kingdom. - in ourselves as capable, with the help of w God, of applying to our own lives the pre The Megiddo Message USPS 338-120 is published monthly except March/ApnI and cepts and principles taught in the Word of September/October issues by tie Megiddo Church! 481 Thurston Road, Rochester. New God, in this way perfecting that high quality York 14619. Telephone: 716-235-4150, Periodicals postage paid at Rochester, New York. of moral character which God has promised Publication Stan: Ruth E, Sisson, Editor; Gerald Payne, Executive Editor: Neviton H. to recompense with life eternal in His heav Payne, Senior Editor emeritus. Mwork and design by Margaret A. Tremblay; enly Kingdom on earth. Subscriptions Manager. Donna R, Mathias. Subscription Rate and Renewals: One year ten issues $5.00. Send to Megiddo Church. - in the promise of God, that Jesus Christ will 481 Thurston Road, Rochester, New York 14619-1597. Orcall 716-235-4150, soon return to rid the earth of all sin and suf Address Changes? Be sure to notify promptly of any change in your address. Please fering and inaugurate an eternal and world include your old mailing label and your new address. Send to Megiddo Church. 4Th wide kingdom of peace and righteousness, Thurston Road. Rochester. New Yo,1 14619-1697. Postmaster Send all changes of until Gods will is done here as it is now address to Megiddo Church. 481 Thurston Road. Rochester. 1W 14619. done in heaven. hAL: http://vvw,megdo,com, E-mail address: nieglddoservtech.com. Manuscript Policy: Unsolicited manuscripts for publication are not accepted. The Herald and the KING The Megiddo Message is The offinal organ of the Megiddo Church. Inc.. founded in 1880 OuR PLANET will soon witness the greatest events by L. T. Nichols. Pubhcation was begun in 1914. Maud Hembree, Editor-in-Chief in its history. For centuries God has been silent. l914-1935; Ella M. Skeels, Executive Editor 1 935-I945; Percy U. Thatcher, Editor 1945-1958; Kenneth F. Flowerday, President and Edtor 1958-1985; Newton H. Payne, But that silence will soon be broken by the Editor 1 985-1997. arrival of Elijah the prophet, who comes to her The Megiddo Message is available in microfilm from University Microfilms, Inc., Serials ald the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. TMBehold, Acquisitions. North I will sand you Elijah the prophet before the 300 Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor, Ml 48106, coming of the great and dreadful day of the Indexing: The Megiddo Message is indexed annually, in December. Combined indexing Lord:.., lest I come and smite the earth with a available, 1944-1996. curse" Mal. 4:5-6. Bibte Quotations: Unidentified quotations are from the King James Version. Other versions Then shall follow the King of kings and Lord are identified as follows: NES-New English Bible; NIV-New International Version; NASA-New American Standard Bible; RSV-Revised Standard Version; TLB-The Uving of lords, to begin His momentous work of trans Bible; JB-The JerusaJem Bible; Pblflips-fhe New Testament in Modem English; Moffatt- forming our world into the glorious and eternal The Bibio, A New Translation; NHSV-New Revised Standard Version; NKJV-New King Kingdom of God.