Just as the
ten tribes of Israel became lost to the eyes of the world after their
Babylonian captivity, so it is also with the true church which has
largely become lost to human view since the captivity began in the days
of Constantine. God still knows what has
become of the teln lost tribes of Israel, and God still knows the
members of His true and holy church.This pearl of great price, though
remaining hidden and buried from the prying, curious eyes of an
unbelieving world, stands far beyond the comprehension of a church
system that has worshipped and honored the works of it`s own hands. It
is still known and loved of God as a treasure hid in a field. Century
after century, year after year, day after day, and hours on end it is
the object of His continual care as He strengthens, establishes, and
keeps each precious member. In His love He causes them to grow in
stature by secretely feeding them the milk of the Word, the bread of
Life, the strong meat of Revelation, and the rich corn and wine of His
coming Kingdom. With loving paternal care He unerringly brings them to
sonship. The chastening of the rod falls upon them until they suffer
such dire loss in all things of the world that their sinking souls seem
to be beyond hope and recovery. But in
the greatness of their distress they learn to sing with the joy of the
Lord in their hearts,"The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord."Beneath the rod of His correction they
learn to know true values. They see them rise like a green bay tree,
which, after it is grown, has no known value. They see them grow like
the grass which today is gree and tomorrow is withered. They see all
earthly things as the flower of the field which blooms today but
tomorrow is cast into an oven to wilt and die. He
makes their gold and silver canker and lose it`s value that men may see
that only in Christ are true values to be found. Men of earth have no
understanding of true value.They are much like Jonah who was very angry
that God had destroyed the gourd, which grew up in one night and upon
which he bestowed no labor, but was unable to see the value of 120,000
souls whom God had spared from judgment by his preaching.Such is the
understanding of carnal men...  Breaking free from Mystery Babylon: what a great day is at hand!
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