THREE DAYS BEFORE THE SUN
by Warren LeRoi Johns
He's done it again. In his characteristic hard-hitting style, Warren LeRoi Johns confronts the agnostic mindset of those who promote popular theories of origins. He drives his points home with the keen logic of an experienced attorney - which he is. He arms his readers with intellectual building blocks to form a bastion of defense against the prevailing propaganda from the "scientific establishment."
This book is now available from LLT for just $15.00.
Click here for more information.
Pat's Paragraphs
March 8, 2012
Friends, I’m writing you for prayer. I need prayer because I’m tempted to fear. Hell and Mr. Fudge is in the final stages of post-production. The music is composed and recorded (and it’s beautiful!). It’s not fully paid for yet. The final audio mix will be finished by March 13. That’s not paid for yet. The biggest (and most pricey) job yet to be done is called color grading. It’s not paid for yet. And we have no money. True, Alabama owes us enough to almost cover these things. But Alabama has not come through yet, and April 13 marks the beginning of the Houston Film Festival, where we hope to win some awards and show the film.
So I get this clutching at my chest when I think about work needing to be done, people needing to be paid, and no money. The words, “what if...?” squirm through the fingers of my mind. What if we don’t get enough money to finish? What if I can’t pay the people who’ve worked on this? What if, what if, what if????
Rev 21:8 tells me “the fearful...shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Woe! I don’t want to go there! Didn’t Jesus and His reps on earth often tell folks to “fear not?” I John 4:18 reminds me that fear is cast out by perfect love. So if I’m afraid, something is wrong and it has to do with love. Do I really believe that God loves enough to take care of me? It’s not about having nothing to fear: I mean if a man came walking toward me on top of the water in the middle of the night in a storm, I might be quaking in my boat. If a glowing being appeared in front of me out of nowhere, I might freak out. If I have big bills and tight deadlines, very little time and no money, ya, that’s terrifying. It’s about trusting God in fearful times. That’s what I want prayer for. I want to be at rest, assured, walking- every-moment with God, trusting, Spirit-filled, fearless. And I need a lot of prayers to pull that off.
Prayers, promises and history I do have the promises and the history. Promises I’ve leaned on over and over when I’ve been in this place. God’s own words that say He’ll provide for all my needs, that His Grace is sufficient, that in weakness He is my strength, that my very need is the assurance I shall receive. I’ve got history too – years of seeing God true to His Word, providing according to our need. I’ve seen Him direct our steps, provide scholars, crew, locations, information; I’ve seen Him open doors and take our labor of love to places we would never have dreamed it could go. He has been over-the-top faithful! He has been amaz- ing! Every promise He gave us has come true.
So how could I even begin to fear? There’s no excuse. It’s the mystery of iniquity. I look at Israel of old in wonder, that they could grumble, fear and complain after God had drowned the strongest of Egypt in the sea, and fed them bread from heaven every morning. But sadly, I’m tempted just like they were. I’ve seen the wonders of God; I’ve been in great need and He’s been faithful. Now when I’m in great need again, temptation stands at the door, ready to hide all His faithfulness and plant it’s doubts in my soul.
So pray for me! Pray for us. Pray for Hell and Mr. Fudge, that God will make it mighty for His Name’s sake. Thank you.
March 10, 2012 My phone rings; caller ID tells me it’s a close friend, one of several who received the above plea of mine. I ?pick up the phone and hear her husband’s voice. He says he’s read my letter, says it was in his inbox. Now, I know I did not send it to him. How it got there is a mystery to me. He’s a lovely man, honest-hearted and true, but not of the household of faith, as far as I know. He wants to help; offers to lend us money against what’s coming from Alabama; writes a check, a big check, enough to bring us through this phase of post-production. What do you think!? Is God amazing or what? How can I not laugh with joy at His providence? What is that about God having “a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing”? Thank you my friends for your prayers, thank you Father, for hearing and answering in a way that is obviously You – not me! You hear every cry for help, and you are there whether we see you or not. Friends, please don’t stop praying! We’re not finished yet. This is a war and God will win because, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4.
Happenings |
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| Mar. 16-17 | Sabbath History Seminar - Central Valley Adventist Church: Fresno, CA (Jim Wood) |
| Mar. 23-24 | Sabbath History Seminar - Central Adventist Church: Tacoma, WA (Jim Wood) |
| Mar. 30-31 | Sabbath History Seminar - Phenix City Adventist Church: Phenix City, AL (Jim Wood) |
| Apr. 13-14 | Sabbath History Seminar - La Grange Adventist Church: La Grange, IL (Jim Wood) |
| Apr. 18 | Illinois Conference Pastors Meeting: Hinsdale, IL (Jim Wood, Edward Fudge) |
| Apr. 26-28 | Pacific Union ASI Convention: Loma Linda, CA (Pat Arrabito) |
| June 7-9 | Christian Scholars’ Conf.: Nashville (Pat Arrabito, Jeff and Jim Wood, Edward Fudge) |
| July 22-27 | Newfoundland Campmeeting (Jim Wood) |
| Aug. 8-11 | North American ASI Convention: Cincinnati (Exhibit booth: Pat Arrabito) |
| Sept. 9-11 | Southwestern Virginia Campmeeting (Pat Arrabito) |
Sabbath History
Sabbath-reforming monk. You can take your pick of his names: Ewostatewos, as the Ethiopians call him; or Eustathius, the Latin version. The nephew of a prominent Ethiopian bishop, he founded a new order of Ethiopian monks and spearheaded a Sabbath revolution. This all happened back in the 14th century when Ethiopian Christianity was dominated by priests and bishops of the Egyptian Coptic church.
The Copts were hard-line opponents of Sabbath observance, rejecting the practice as a Jewish custom. Ewostatewos called for a return to the Sabbath keeping that had been a custom of the Ethiopian Church many centuries earlier. This put him at odds with the religious establishment. Leaving his movement in the hands of trusted colleagues, he had to flee for his life. He escaped along with several of his disciples.
His first destination was Cairo. There, in the court of the Coptic patriarch, he was accused of observing Sabbath as well as Sunday. He readily confessed to the charge, resting his defense on the Ten Commandments and the Apostolic Canons. Finding no safe sanctuary for his minority brand of Christianity in Egypt, he and his friends went on to Jerusalem, surviving abuse and attacks along the way.
They left the Holy Land to sail for Cyprus and then on to Asia Minor, finally settling in Armenia. Ewostatewos died there in 1352. His disciples returned to Africa, renewing his campaign to restore the Sabbath to its proper place in Ethiopian practice. In the face of violent opposition, persecution, and excommunication, they remained true to the cause.
Their dedication paid off in the end. In 1450, Emperor Zara Yaqob convened a church council which commended the observance of the Sabbath, along with Sunday, as an authorized practice for Ethiopian Christians.
Want to know more about the Sabbath controversies in Ethiopia? Read A Social History of Ethiopia by Richard Pankhurst, published by Elm Publications. Available on Amazon.com.