Set Thine House in Order

1. SET THINE HOUSE IN
ORDER – OUR
GREATEST NEED
2KINGS 20:1
ChS 41.4

2. 2Ki 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick
to death. Isaiah the prophet the son of
Amoz came to him, and said to him,
Thus says Yahweh, Set your house in
order: for you shall die, and not live.
A REVIVAL OF TRUE GODLINESS
AMONG US IS THE GREATEST AND
MOST URGENT OF ALL OUR NEEDS. TO
SEEK THIS SHOULD BE OUR FIRST
WORK.--Review and Herald, March 22,
1887. {ChS 41.4}

3. The line of distinction between professed Christians
and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable.
Church members love what the world loves and are
ready to join with them, and Satan determines to
unite them in one body and thus strengthen his
cause by sweeping all into the ranks of spiritualism.
Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain sign of
the true church, will be readily deceived by this
wonder-working power; and Protestants, having
cast away the shield of truth, will also be deluded.
Papists, Protestants, and worldlings will alike accept
the form of godliness without the power, and they
will see in this union a grand movement for the
conversion of the world and the ushering in of the
long-expected millennium. {GC 588.3}

4. 2Ki 20:1 “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto
death”
HAS ANYONE EVER SEEN THE SDA IN ITS FORMER
DAYS?
Hag 2:2, 3 "Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of
Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son
of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of
the people, saying, 'Who is left among you who saw
this house in its former glory? How do you see it
now? Isn't it in your eyes as nothing?

5. 1Ki 18:21 Elijah came near to all the
people, and said, "How long will you
waver between the two sides? If
Yahweh is God, follow him; but if
Baal, then follow him." The people
answered him not a word.
WHY COULDN’T THE PEOPLE SAY A
THING?

11. The subject of health reform has been
presented in the churches; but the light has
not been heartily received. The selfish, health-destroying
indulgences of men and women
have counteracted the influence of the
message that is to prepare a people for the
great day of God. If the churches expect
strength, they must live the which God has
given them. If the members of our churches
disregard the light on this subject, they will
reap the sure result in both spiritual and
physical degeneracy. And the influence of
these older church members will leaven those
newly come to the faith. {6T 370.3}

14. HENCE
The Lord does not now work to bring
many souls into the truth, because of the
church members who have never been
converted and those who were once
converted but who have backslidden.
What influence would these
unconsecrated members have on new
converts? Would they not make of no
effect the God-given message which His
people are to bear? {6T 370.3}

15. 1Pe 4:3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the
desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts,
drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable
idolatries.
Ro 13:12-14 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let's
therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let's put on the
armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling
and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and
not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.
Eph 5:14-16 Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise
from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.“ Therefore watch
carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the
time, because the days are evil. Therefore don't be foolish, but
understand what the will of the Lord is.

16. What shall I say to arouse the remnant people of God? I was
shown that dreadful scenes are before us; Satan and his angels
are bringing all their powers to bear upon God's people. He
knows that if they sleep a little longer he is sure of them, for
their destruction is certain. I warn all who profess the name of
Christ to closely examine themselves and make full and
thorough confession of all their wrongs, that they may go
beforehand to judgment, and that the recording angel may write
pardon opposite their names {1T 263.1}.
A SLEEPING SDA
Often we have been told that our cities are to hear the message, but
how slow we are to heed the instruction. I saw One standing on a
high platform with arms extended. He turned and pointed in every
direction, saying, "A world perishing in ignorance of God's holy law,
and Seventh-day Adventists are asleep." The Lord is pleading for
laborers, for there is a great work to be done. There are conversions
to be made that will add to the church such as shall be saved. Men
and women in the highways and byways are to be reached {Ev 32.4}

17. Seventh-day Adventists have been chosen by
God as a peculiar people, separate from the
world. By the great cleaver of truth He has cut
them out from the quarry of the world and
brought them into connection with Himself.
He has made them His representatives and
has called them to be ambassadors for Him in
the last work of salvation. The greatest wealth
of truth ever entrusted to mortals, the most
solemn and fearful warnings ever sent by God
to man, have been committed to them to be
given to the world; and in the accomplishment
of this work our publishing houses are among
the most effective agencies. {7T 138.2}

18. TIME TO GET READY
Then my eyes were taken from the glory, and I was
pointed to the remnant on the earth. The angel said to
them, "Will ye shun the seven last plagues? Will ye go to
glory and enjoy all that God has prepared for those who
love Him and are willing to suffer for His sake? If so, ye
must die that ye may live. GET READY, GET READY,
GET READY. Ye must have a greater preparation than
ye now have, for the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both
with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate and
to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. Sacrifice all to
God. Lay all upon His altar—self, property, and all, a
living sacrifice. It will take all to enter glory. Lay up for
yourselves treasure in heaven, where no thief can
approach or rust corrupt. Ye must be partakers of
Christ's sufferings here if ye would be partakers with
Him of His glory hereafter." {EW 66.2}

19. REVIVAL AND REFORMATION
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent
and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will
move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.
THE GREATEST FEAR OF SATAN
There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of God shall
clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the Lord can pour out
His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent congregation. If
Satan had his way, there would never be another awakening, great or small,
to the end of time. But we are not ignorant of his devices. It is possible to
resist his power. When the way is prepared for the Spirit of God, the
blessing will come. Satan can no more hinder a shower of blessing from
descending upon God's people than he can close the windows of heaven
that rain cannot come upon the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot hinder
the work of God, or shut out His presence from the assemblies of His
people, if they will, with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away
their sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every temptation, every opposing
influence, whether open or secret, may be successfully resisted, "not by
might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah
4:6). {1SM 124.2}

20. WHAT IS HINDERING REVIVAL AND REFORMATION?
Matthew 12:25 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, "Every
kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every
city or house divided against itself will not stand.
But how often do professed Christians, by their lack of self-control, open
the door to the adversary of souls! Divisions, and even bitter
dissensions which would disgrace any worldly community, are common
in the churches, because there is so little effort to control wrong feelings,
and to repress every word that Satan can take advantage of. As soon as
an alienation of feeling arises, the matter is spread before Satan for his
inspection, and the opportunity given for him to use his serpentlike
wisdom and skill in dividing and destroying the church. There is great
loss in every dissension. Personal friends of both parties take sides with
their respective favorites, and thus the breach is widened. A house
divided against itself cannot stand. Criminations and recriminations are
engendered and multiplied. Satan and his angels are actively at work to
secure a harvest from seed thus sown. {1SM 123.1}

21. WITHDRAWAL OF GOD’S SPIRIT
Am 8:12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even
to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and
shall not find it.
Then I saw Jesus lay off His priestly attire and clothe Himself with His most
kingly robes. Upon His head were many crowns, a crown within a crown.
Surrounded by the angelic host, He left heaven. The plagues were falling upon
the inhabitants of the earth. Some were denouncing God and cursing Him.
Others rushed to the people of God and begged to be taught how they might
escape His judgments. But the saints had nothing for them. The last tear for
sinners had been shed, the last agonizing prayer offered, the last burden borne,
the last warning given. The sweet voice of mercy was no more to invite them.
When the saints, and all heaven, were interested for their salvation, they had no
interest for themselves. Life and death had been set before them. Many desired
life, but made no effort to obtain it. They did not choose life, and now there was
no atoning blood to cleanse the guilty, no compassionate Saviour to plead for
them, and cry, "Spare, spare the sinner a little longer." All heaven had united
with Jesus, as they heard the fearful words, "It is done. It is finished." The plan
of salvation had been accomplished, but few had chosen to accept it. AND AS
MERCY'S SWEET VOICE DIED AWAY, FEAR AND HORROR SEIZED THE
WICKED. WITH TERRIBLE DISTINCTNESS THEY HEARD THE WORDS,
"TOO LATE! TOO LATE!" {EW 281.1}

22. UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES WE ARE LIVING IN
1Ch 12:32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had
understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of
them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their
commandment.
Zec 1:4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried,
saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and
from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the
LORD.
Ho 6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will
heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us:
in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we
know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the
morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain
unto the earth.

23. ALTHOUGH A
CORPORATE
TASK, IT IS AN
INDIVIDUAL
WORK

24. Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto
you to serve the LORD, choose
you this day whom ye will serve;
whether the gods which your
fathers served that were on the
other side of the flood, or the
gods of the Amorites, in whose
land ye dwell: but as for me and
my house, we will serve the
LORD.