It's dangerous

[Richard OFfill]

Just because something is successful doesn't mean that God is blessing it.

It is dangerous to measure the blessings of God with a material yardstick. It is sobering to realize that the fact that people are preaching in the name of Jesus and having success isn't evidence that God is blessing the work (see Matthew 7:21-23). At the end of the day, everything we do must be tested. But the test isn't how much money we've put in the bank or the number of people who attend the services each week.

It sounds like a hard line, but it's absolutely essential in this world of illusions and counterfeits that we test every result we obtain and every answer to prayer that we receive by the Word of God.

[Ed Sutton]

My thinking I am right, righteous, and secure; is different than the Bible showing if I was right, righteous, and secure.

[newbie]

I've always wondered why other ministries that don't have the truth prosper?

[Raven]

Because they give the people "what they want."  They preach smooth things that tickle the ears.  What is the average person going to want to hear, "repent" or "I'm OK, you're OK?"  Most churches are nothing more that pious social clubs, embracing the latest trends, and having a good old time.

[Ed Sutton]

From Newbie

I've always wondered why other ministries that don't have the truth prosper?

They have not spiritually prospered, but have become a holding area for the groups seeking God and those seeking religion, and God is waiting for His Remnant people of Revelation chapter 10 to surrender to Him unconditionally so that He can use them sufficiently to call those honestly seeking God unto Himself, the honest will leave the religionists and turn to God as the Remnant of Revelation ch 10 live it & preach/teach it, the religionists will become persecutors.

see {EW 277.1-278.2} & {Ev 66.3} & {LDE 212.4 - 213.3}

  Our world is a vast lazar house, a scene of misery that we dare not allow even our thoughts to dwell upon. Did we realize it as it is, the burden would be too terrible. Yet God feels it all. In order to destroy sin and its results He gave His best Beloved, and He has put it in our power, through co-operation with Him, to bring this scene of misery to an end. "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 24:14.  {Ed 263.2}   

Get enough religionists together and appeal to their desire for the fanciest, flashiest, biggest, best, and $$$$ will flow to that end.

The winds of strife in the USA are stirring like the early 1990's, God's trying to wake up the sleeping virgins who DO have oil, both IN the SDA Church and outside it.   He intends one fold and is working to get it.

  https://www.whitehorsemedia.com/docs/christ_and_his_righteousness.pdf

[newbie]

I wonder if God lets them just be because they do believe in Jesus and maybe waiting for them to come out at some point like during the Loud Cry?

[Ed Sutton]

I think so, but there is a limit to the time alloted to the great Controversy, at some point the time alloted to delay the Second Coming will expire. Everything else has happened on God's schedule, whether the timing was preferred or required.  I would not expect this to be different. But extending the timing allows evil more room to grow, develop, inspire wicked technology, and more suffering.