One Year Closer

It’s hard to believe that we made it! Three hundred sixty-five days have gone by: the elections are over, countless friends and relatives have been lost to death, jobs have been lost, relationships have been severed, health issues have come to the front and we have watched prophecy being fulfilled every night on the television. We’ve seen how sin has been normalized, Christianity has become politicized and our country, instead of being a nation that claims to be under God, appears to have become a nation ruled by political ideologies. All of this happened in one year, but through it all we have survived.

The time of trouble that most of us grew up hearing about and that the old Adventist preacher would preach about has taken on a new shape and a new approach. But those who are God’s true remnant are able to see through the distorted messages that we are hearing from the political pundits and even from the distracted pulpits in this country and abroad. We see clearly that the prophetic clock has already sounded the alarm. Our challenge in the Southwestern Union and in our conferences, including my conference, is to make sure that we are not distracted by the confusing sounds that are coming from every direction within and without the Church. The time has come for us to refocus and recalibrate, and to restart the true mission and purpose of the Church. Our division, our union, and our conferences have become the new mission field of the world. The call has come. It is time for us to do what God has called all of His people to do—to stand on the wall and to warn men and women of every race, creed and color that the judgment is set, the books are open, there is forgiveness and the blood of Jesus is available for all who will come to the foot of the cross and cry out, “Have mercy on me!”

I challenge you not to grow weary of what you hear and what you see, but instead, focus on these three things: the Second Coming of Christ; the confession and repentance of your personal sins; and the spreading of the Third Angel’s Message to as many that you come in contact with at your job, in your neighborhood, including your family members.

We cannot change the direction the world is going in—it will only get worse—but we can change our direction with God’s help. It is time to break the hold that money, worldly and church politics, friends, materialism and selfishness has on us, and go back and focus on the purpose and mission of God’s Church.

We are one year closer to the end of time but thank God we are one year closer to His return. All eyes focus on the prize which is Jesus Christ.

By Calvin L. Watkins, Sr., President