“It’s freezing to death in here!” someone exclaimed. The truck’s heater was broken, and it was early January. We are thankful to be in the States for furlough, seeing friends and family and sharing stories of what God is doing in the Philippines. Someone graciously allowed us to use this truck while we are here. Despite coming from the perpetual summer of the Philippines and arriving in the States in mid-December, we are adapting to the cold fairly well, by God’s grace. However, we sure missed having heat in the truck. With my father-in-law, we opened the hood to see what the problem was. There was sufficient coolant in the radiator, but he topped it off for good measure. Then we checked the hoses going to the heater core. They were nice and warm. However, the vents were blowing cold air, and the hose coming from the heater core was cold. The problem was in the heater core, which was receiving heat but selfishly sharing none of it with us.

This experience with the selfish heater reminded me of something I read. “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof” (Judges 5:23). Why was Meroz cursed? The Bible explains, “because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty” (Judges 5:23). “What had Meroz done? Nothing. This was their sin. The curse of God came upon them for what they had not done” (2T 284).

This warning comes down to us at the end time for whom this sin of selfishly doing nothing still tempts. Ellen White depicts a very sad scene. “In the visions of the night a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire fall among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say: ‘We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.’ Others, with agonized voices, said: ‘You knew! Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.’ On every side I heard similar words of reproach spoken” (9T 28).

Thank God that by His grace it doesn’t have to be that way for us! We don’t have to be like that selfish heater core, nor like the silent Christians. Let us receive His word into our lives. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

Later that night, Ellen White had another, brighter vision: “I went to sleep again, and I seemed to be in a large gathering. One of authority was addressing the company, before whom was spread out a map of the world. He said that the map pictured God’s vineyard, which must be cultivated. As light from heaven shone upon anyone, that one was to reflect the light to others. Lights were to be kindled in many places, and from these lights still other lights were to be kindled. . . . I saw jets of light shining from cities and villages, and from the high places and the low places of the earth. God’s word was obeyed, and as a result there were memorials for Him in every city and village. His truth was proclaimed throughout the world” (9T 28).

By God’s grace, that is why Adventist Frontier Missions exists. Won’t you join us? You can join us with your prayers for the unreached. You can join us with your financial gifts to help reach the unreached. Or perhaps God has laid it on your heart to carry the gospel to the unreached cities and villages yourself through the power of the Holy Spirit. If that is your desire, please contact us at AFM.

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