“Take Heed That Ye Be Not Deceived.”
St. Helena, California
December 24, 1905
Portions of this manuscript are published in 7BC 957.
Will the people of God heed the solemn message contained in Christ’s words of warning to His disciples: 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 1
“And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, He said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And they asked Him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?” [Luke 21:5-7.] 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 2
Now comes the warning: “Take heed that no man deceive you; for many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” [Matthew 24:4-14.] 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 3
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth; behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” [Verses 23-27.] 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 4
The disciples were very anxious to learn the secret time of Christ’s coming. He did not satisfy their curiosity, but bade them take heed to His words, and thus prepare themselves for that great event. They were to perform faithfully their individual duty and give to others the warnings He had given them. 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 5
“Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” [Luke 21:34-36.] 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 6
“I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. ... He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” [Revelation 2:4, 5, 7.] 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 7
The losing of the first love is specified as a moral fall. The loss of this love is represented as something that will affect the entire religious life. Of those who have lost this love, God says that unless they repent, He will come to them and remove their candlestick out of its place. Hatred of their brethren, if entertained and not repented of, will make men blind. Those who cherish this hatred are ready to catch at words and actions and interpret them as injustice against themselves. Unless they repent, the Lord will come unto them quickly and will remove their candlestick out of its place. 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 8
God chooses His servants to do His will and places them in positions of responsibility. But when one in such a position loses his first love, he loses his faith in his brethren and can see nothing valuable in their work. Their every act is regarded with suspicion and distrust. God is dishonored, and the truth is trampled in the dust. God’s servants are made to appear in the worst light, when in reality they are working under the influence of the Holy Spirit. 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 9
He who loses his first love, which he would cherish if his heart were under the control of God, cannot see things in a correct, reasonable light. He grasps at words and acts to vindicate himself and disparage others, placing his brother as a target for others to fire at, and by his supposition striving to uproot the confidence that his brethren have placed in him. Those who continue this work, refusing to reform, must receive the punishment of heaven. 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 10
Never was there a time when we individually needed the clear light of the Holy Spirit more than we do now. Let us examine our own hearts and repent before God. 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 11
“Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” [Revelation 3:14-21.] 21LtMs, Ms 1, 1906, par. 12