Daily Devotional, Year 4: September 15 (Noble Bereans, Part 29: “Re-Thinking Ellen White Concerning Jesting”)
By admin On July 11th, 2023.
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Daily Devotional, Year 4: September 15
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Noble Bereans,
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Part 29:
“Re-Thinking Ellen White Concerning Jesting”
To read part 1, click here…”September 2nd (Noble Bereans?)”
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So, in this little series, the subject of those noble Bereans has been introduced. And today, it is still worthy of a little more exploration into another area of concern.
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Let’s look at the key Bible passage… “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming there, went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:10, 11
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St Paul Preaching (Raphael, 1515) – Wikipedia – US public domain
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AN OPEN-MINDED SPIRIT IN BEREA
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Okay, so those in Berea were more noble, because they:
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1. “Received the Word with all readiness of mind.”
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2. “And searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
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And thus, the Bereans were ready to receive new teachings, which no doubt, conflicted with the supposed, “orthodox” teachings of that day.
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Therefore, an open-mindedness permeated their hearts, and a willing desire to search the Scriptures daily, in hopes that these seemingly new teachings were indeed true and biblical!
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La Bible, Notre-Dame – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-Alike License
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ELLEN G. WHITE
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Many accusations have bee
n made over the past decades against Ellen G. White by the so-called “orthodox” churches, but even by some within the 7th-Day Adventist Church.
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Some criticisms have been petty, while other accusations have been more serious.
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But for those of us who have tried to be “good Bereans” by thoroughly researching her life, we realize how hollow most all of those accusations really are!
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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A LIFE ABOVE REPROACH
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Yes, Ellen White’s life was above reproach in most every respect!
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But as can be expected, Satan has used unsanctified minds to dredge up any and every possible criticism against that little lady. From hypocrisy concerning her diet counsels, to having the police come to her home once, to plagiarism in her writings, to being called a false prophet and cult leader, to attempting to put the Church under Old Testament Law.
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These spurious accusations have been and still are made against Mrs. white!
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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“In regard to infallibility, I never claimed it”
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Truly, Satan and his armies have left no stone un-turned in attempting to cast mud on Ellen White.
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And contrary to popular opinion, she never claimed her writings to be infallible…“We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and Heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed…In regard to infallibility, I never claimed it; God alone is infallible. His word is true, and in Him is no variableness, or shadow of turning.”
Christian teachings and Experience of Ellen White, p.203 & Letter 10, 1895
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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“THEY WHICH LEAD THEE CAUSE THEE TO ERR”
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And let’s face it. All those “not-so-noble and not-at-all-Bereans” who are too busy to do their own personal truth-seeking research, have merely allowed their church leaders to do their homework for them, and have perilously placed their soul’s Salvation in the hands of mere men…“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…O My people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” Hosea 4:6 & Isaiah 3:12
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These above two little verses really speak a mouthful in regard to today’s church-world! Like never before, today’s church parishioners are mostly content to let others do their homework for them.
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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THE ADULTEROUS WOMAN ADMITS NO WRONG!
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But compare the life and writings of Ellen White to today’s church leaders. Do you even find one joke, or jest, or frivolity, or any “lightness” in her writings?
(For “lightness” references, see 2nd Corinthians 1:17 & Jeremiah 23:32 along with Matthew Henry comments on those two verses)
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Not one instance! Rather, she believed the duty of calling souls to Christ to be a far more serious and sacred trust, to ever be mingled with the common and impious humor of the world! In her own words…“they need to pray more and talk less; for souls are hanging in the balance.” (SpTB02, p.46)
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Now compare that to the jovial radio and television preachers so often heard today!
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Not only are their sermons often filled with a low-grade piety, but it’s quite common for them to keep their audience in stitches by jokes, jests, lightness and mockeries! And they don’t even apologize for it!
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It reminds us of this following proverb of Solomon…“Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.” Proverbs 30:20
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Yes, in contrast to the virtuous woman who Ellen White was, these modern-day preachers more closely align to the adulterous woman in the above Proverb 30:20 verse. We often sin with our mouths and then claim, “I have done no wickedness!”
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
Laughing – (cropped and color added) – Fotothek df roe neg – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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BIBLE FREE OF ALL HUMOR AND JESTS
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But listen to God’s Word… “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, NOR FOOLISH TALK, NOR JESTING, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks…Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:2-4, 6
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This above passage was one which Mrs. White took to heart!
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And she often pointed out that neither Jesus, nor John, nor Paul, nor any of the other writers of the Bible made any jokes, jests, nor engaged in any lightness or frivolity anywhere in the Bible!
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No, not one instance, even though many preachers will wrestle with some scriptures to deceitfully imply some joke made by Jesus or someone else in Scripture!
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But, as already stated, the Noble Berean will be pleased to discover not one instance of comedy, etc., was ever used in the vast volumes of Ellen White’s writings. Not one instance!
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
John The Apostle – by Alonzo Cano – 1635-1637 – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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LIVED BY HER WORDS
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Now listen to her very own words in her paraphrase of Ephesians 5…“There is nothing gloomy in the religion of Jesus. While all lightness, trifling, and jesting, which the apostle says are not convenient, are to be studiously avoided, there is a sweet rest and peace in Jesus that will be expressed in the countenance. Christians will not be mournful, depressed, and despairing. They will be sober-minded, yet they will show to the world a cheerfulness which only grace can impart.” Child Guidance, p.146
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And all those who are familiar with her life fully understand that Ellen White lived by these words!
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While daily engaging in charitable deeds in her community, to spending tireless hours writing letters to cheer up and encourage her many friends, to her countless other endeavors such as starting colleges and hospitals and churches, Ellen White exhibited cheerfulness even during her times of physical pain! Oh yes, perhaps her critics and detractors can spy out some instances in her 70-year-long ministry in which she failed in this area.
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But all those “Noble Bereans” out there will want to begin to search “the Scriptures daily” in hopes of matching up her writings and even her life to the only infallible test of truth, the Bible!
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Ellen White – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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Now let’s end this little discourse with the following statement by a notable Christian reformer from yesteryear…
“They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart…False teachers handle holy things rather with wit and trifling, rather than with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-murderers. They are like evil surgeons, that skin over the wound—but never heal it…False teachers are Hell’s greatest enrichers.”
Thomas Brooks on, “The 7 Chacteristics of False Teachers”
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ABOVE PICTURE: Thomas Brooks after Unknown artist – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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TO READ PART 30. CLICK HERE…
September 14 (Noble Bereans, Part 30: “Re-Thinking Ellen White Concerning ‘Cults’”)
Marilyn Manson performing Antichrist Superstar – Share-Alike License – cropped – altered image – Wikipedia
Ellen G. White – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to be an open-minded seeker of truth, even if it means giving up a very highly regarded Church opinion! Let me be willing to investigate any seemingly new teaching if it appears to have some biblical validity…
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… DECEMBER 19 (Noble Bereans, Part 19: “Re-thinking Ellen White Regarding The Mark of the Beast & The Sunday Sabbath”), or you can also read…NOVEMBER 23 (Noble Bereans, Part 20: “Re-thinking Ellen White Regarding Her Old Testament Statements”)
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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FINALLY WALKING UPWARD INTO THE HIGHWAYS OF ETERNITY
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Day by day, you will find yourself walking, like the Disciples, spreading the precious Gospel seed wherever the Spirit leads.
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Taking the lovely name of Jesus, with every word spoken. Walking through this sin-darkened world, witnessing to those who take notice that of a truth, Jesus is present within you. Even like faithful Enoch, walking through the highways and byways of life in this world, spreading the Gospel-seed of unpretentious love.
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Day by day, you will become more and more closed in with God. Moment by moment, your heart will become intertwined with God’s heart, eventually two hearts beating as one heart.
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And just like Enoch, when the appointed time of sojourning on earth is finally done…you will walk onward…and upward…and into the highways and byways of eternity. (“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” Genesis 5:24).
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Thomas Cole – Pilgrim of the Cross at the End of His Journey – wikimedia – US public domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Castor and Pollux & The Mystery Ship of Scripture”
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TOMORROW…
September 16 (Noble Bereans, Part 19: “Re-thinking Ellen White Regarding The Mark of the Beast & The Sunday Sabbath”)
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY
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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS IS STUDY #312 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…
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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain
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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, and tags, etc.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.