I just recently listened to one of David Gates sermons and towards the end he made it sound as if Jesus was coming in a few months and that the United States was going to collapse toward the same time. Another thing he said was that to me i should sell me house my car and basically everything i own. I am a little confused here is he making perdictions as to when Jesus is coming and that owning good stuff is a bad thing or what?
The message of David Gates as described by ACS does not seem to square with Jesus admonition to "occupy 'til I come," nor does it seem to square with SOP counsel. She plainly says that the Lord will show us when we need to rid ourselves of any assets before it's too late. Seems like another one of the devil's methods to get us all worked up so we will make foolish decisions. Sensationalism is not the way to wake up Laodicea. Reality will do that soon enough, and hopeful not too late for too many.
MR No. 1190 Last Sabbath evening the Lord gave me a view of many things, which I will now try to relate. I saw the people of God--some were dormant and stupid; they were but half awake, and did not realize the time we were living in. I saw that the man with the "dirt brush" had entered, and some were in danger of being swept away. I begged of Jesus to save them--to spare them a little longer and to lift them up so that they could get a sight of their situation before it should be forever too late. The angel said destruction is coming like a mighty whirlwind. I begged of the angel to pity, to save, those who were attached to their possessions and were not willing to cut loose from them and distribute them to speed the messengers on their way to feed the hungry sheep, who were dying for the want of spiritual food. I could hardly bear the sight of the sheep dying for the want of saving, present truth, while some who professed to believe the present truth were holding on to their property and were letting them die, by withholding the necessary means to carry forward the work of God. As it was held up before me, the sight was too painful, and I begged of the angel to take it away, and remove the painful sight from me. I saw that when the cause of God called for their property, they were sorrowful, as the young man was who had great possessions, and who inquired what he should do to inherit eternal life. I saw that very soon the overflowing scourge would pass over, and sweep their possessions all away; and then it will be too late to sacrifice earthly goods, and lay up treasure in heaven. {16MR 30.2}
I appreciate much of what David Gates does. However I have seen a challenge with some of his messages. I had a friend from academy that got very excited about the messages that Gates was preaching around 2002. The message was not very different from what he is preaching today. What I saw happen with my friend is that it caused him to develop a fire escape religion - "I better get right because the judge is coming." Rarely have I seen this type "conversion" lead to a sanctifying relationship with Christ. Today my friend is back, perhaps deeper than before, in a Laodicean state. There is a difference, albeit a fine line, between proclaiming the 3 Angel's Messages and creating a sensationalized stir. From the messages I have heard from D. Gates he occasionally crosses the line.
I thank you all for your response to my question, and appreciate it when i get solid feedback such as this. The sermon that i had listened to was called (The Approaching Storm). At just about the end of the sermon he got into a few things that seemed to me as SDA4 Life put it were just a tad over the top to me, after i had listened to his sermon and got to the end i felt well.... must be going to Hell because i am not a complete Vegan! Yesss you heard it here first i have not reached that part in my Christian life yet but i almost there lol. I agree with his message that all that we have and all that we are are the Lords and that we should be as Mrs. White put it spending money to save souls, and Mr. gates had that all right and i got a blessing out of it, but i would have to say that using scare tactics does not work rather it pushes people into a scared mode.
Preaching about reformation and consecration is always appropriate. Today is the day that we need to be ready for eternity. Preparation (taking sanctification seriously, getting out of cities, return to edenic diet, simplifying our possessions, etc.) is not something that can wait. This is a main component of sermons that I have heard from David Gates. This I am in full agreement with. The challenge I have is some of the reasons give as to why. When people begin to specify a time-frame, even with disclaimers, I believe that they are doing a disservice to the recipient of the message. Even when the disclaimer of "I am not date-setting" is given, the concept of mentioning dates in regards to the final events is unwise. It is one thing to say that "Jesus is coming soon!" It is a different thing to say "the final events could very well start later this year." This is where I have seen people resort to a fire escape religion which will often result in spiritual apathy if Jesus does not come within the year.The bottom line is that if people, who have the knowledge today, are waiting for someone to come along and tell them to put that knowledge into practice, it will probably be too late for them when the end-times come. We do not be needing to look at current events as an indicator of when to "get serious."On a side-note:The Three-Angels Messages is an urgent message of repentance and warning that applies directly to our time (the hour of judgment is come!) But, when fully studied, it is not a "turn or burn" message that some make it. It is, critics to the contrary, a wonderful message that demonstrates God's mercy to this sinful world. Why give a final call to repentance when so many had already been given? When people understand the mercy of God they will want to follow Him, not for fear of otherwise being destroyed, but because they will recognize how awesome God truly is. I believe that this is an important distinction between the true gospel and its many counterfeits.