Overcoming Revenge. Sabbath Afternoon 07/28/2018

Revenge: The action of inflicting hurt, or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands. Synonyms include vengeance, retribution, retaliation, reprisal, requital, recrimination, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

It is never good to seek for revenge or to rejoice in retribution when our enemies may fall. The godly sentiment, after one’s adversaries take a hit should be sadness, and seeking restoration wherever it is possible. But for us to gloat over the failures of our adversaries, sends the wrong message, and it’s not akin to the Spirit of Christ. Hence the reason why the following passages should be memorized, and practiced, in co-operation with The Spirit of God. Let’s read: 

Proverbs 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 
18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst give him drink.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Being a Christian does not in any way minimize our sense of justice, in fact, the understanding, and the practice of God’s laws and principles makes justice more acute, and well-balanced. But mercy is most often to be preferred, especially when dealing with any personal wrongs that may have been done to us because a disposition of being quick to forgive, and forget, the attitude of joy, and eagerness for reconciliation is well pleasing in God’s sight.

However, we must not believe that as Christians we would not experience feelings of revenge, for this is what natural human nature clamors for, whenever injustices or wrongs are done to us personally. If we experience these sentiments occasionally, that does not mean we are not Christians, but we are to resist these feelings, by asking God to remove them, and instead implant His grace, and His own Spirit in our hearts. 

But those who erroneously conclude that they are invulnerable to these sentiments, in an unguarded moment, will blow a fuse. All of the 12 disciples had serious flaws in their character, for even John, who is described as the one closest to Jesus was found to be indulging revenge on different occasions. Christ therefore encouraged him not to travel down that road, for it eventually drives a person insane, as it did with king Saul.

Another point we must take into consideration is that satan launches multiple assaults on the same point, to wear our patience thin, if we seek to justify ourselves in a wrong course of action. The same is true for the sin of revenge, whenever it is indulged. Some Christians have been willing to forgive “Most” times, but there are some occasions when we may feel that the envelope has been pushed a little too far in a particular situation.

Thus, satan sits on our shoulders, waiting to point out several logical reasons why, in such and such a case, vengeance is warranted. However, no amount of pressure, or justification on our part will warrant a departure from the principle of pursuing peace on a personal level, for we are instructed in the most solemn manner, not to pursue revenge. Let’s read:

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Proverbs 24:29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

David had his own personal battles to fight with the sin of revenge, for he went from partial indulgence, to resolute resistance, to full-blown reprisal when Nabal got under his skin. He was tempted over, and over again on the same point until he admitted that he had a problem, and turned decisively away from that course of action, by the grace of God. But it is not an easy victory to gain, for it goes against our natural grain. 

David was being hunted like a wild animal by Saul, who was bent taking his life, and to all appearances it seemed as if The Lord had provided the perfect opportunity for him to take revenge. Even his most trusted soldiers, when evaluating the situations had concluded that The Lord was encouraging David to retaliate, but God was only proving him. There are times when logic points in one direction, but the will of God is in the opposite direction. As Christians we must know the difference. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 
3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 
4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. 
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 
6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. 
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed. 
12 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 
15 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

In this previous episode, David partially indulged in revenge, with the backing of his soldiers, but God reproved him for even cutting off Saul’s skirt. There are times when we too may have almost sinned on this point, but it is never advisable or safe to indulge temptation in the slightest degree, for revenge can become a slippery slope very quickly. Thus, another opportunity must be given for David to take a decisive stand against this evil. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 26:3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 
7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him. 
8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 
9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? 
10 David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the
Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. 
11 The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 
12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

This second time around David was quite decisive in refusing to indulge even the thought, for he spoke against Abishai’s suggestion in definitive terms. It is worthy of note that in both instances, satan spoke through David’s most loyal friends, as he often does when trying to tempt us to depart from the straight and narrow path.

At such times even the providences of God may be misinterpreted by those who may have the best of intentions. Therefore, it’s important that the advice we accept must have God’s Spirit in it. This means that unless God has specifically instructed us to the contrary, His revealed will is to be followed to the letter, even if evidence to our senses may seem to indicate otherwise. There are critically important lessons to be learned in obedience.

When the jailhouse in which Paul and Silas were locked up was shaken by an earthquake, and the chains fell off their hands and feet, it was not God’s will that they should escape, because God had not specifically told them to do so, even though it may have seemed as if His providence was suggesting otherwise. They were to remain incarcerated until God gave them specific instructions in the matter.

But, even though David was victorious in the second episode, he had not gotten the complete victory for there were still some spots, some wrinkles, some leftovers of revenge in him. And if God left these untouched, they would grow under the cover of darkness, and ripen into active retaliation at some later time.

Therefore, God had to expose David’s core on the issue, guiding him to permanently relinquish any disposition to indulge revenge, no matter what the reason, for the Christian character must remain as pure gold, even when circumstances and situations may change. It is not God’s will that we be the sport of circumstances, because when Christ is dwelling in the heart by faith continually no dart that satan may hurl at us should stick. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 
5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 
7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 
8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 
9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 
10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 
11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and  my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? 
12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 
13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. 
21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. 
22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

1st Samuel 25:14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our
master; and he railed on them. 
17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. 
18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 
23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 
24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 
26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies,
and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 
30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 
31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. 
32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 
33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 308] “Thou shalt not kill”… All acts of injustice that tend to shorten life; the spirit of hatred and revenge, or the indulgence of any passion that leads to injurious acts toward others, or causes us even to wish them harm (for “whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer”); all these are, to a greater or less degree, violations of the sixth commandment.

Let us then try by the grace of God to resist the urge to indulge revenge, even in the slightest degree, for God desires that we serve Him in spirit and in truth always. We therefore close with a gentle reminder:

1st Peter 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous.
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.            

                                                                         God bless!
 

From Eden To Eden. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/21/2018

Some folks may have wondered about the different permissions, instructions, and what may seem on the surface to be a disconnect between what God’s stated ideals are, what He has permitted in certain instances, and what He expects of us now. Added to this conundrum, there are some who use the Bible to support their preferred views, and there are folks who may quote scripture in defense of a very strict adherence to the letter.

Therefore, without the knowledge, and the proper understanding of why God does what He does, we may find ourselves adrift upon an open sea, which accommodates liberal and conservative views, and everything else in between. It is thus necessary for us to study the Bible with a humble spirit, willing to be instructed by the sacred oracles, and making room for any discretionary moves God makes, or may have made to suit specific circumstances.

So, let’s give a very brief synopsis of the pertinent issue:  The human race began in Eden, when God created man, and gave us His ideals for godly living. Sin came along, and ruptured our relationship with God, ushering in the interim period, in which there is back and forth, pulling and tugging between the will of God and our own desires, God permitting us to do things He did not necessarily agree with. 

Salvation is then instituted and put in place through the death of Christ, thus paving the way for all who so desire to believe and prepare for the new earth. It is summed up in four words, From Eden To Eden. That said, it is without a doubt that different texts have sent different messages at times, and thus, we who are now living in the last days of earth’s history must have a clear understanding of what the will of God is for our specific generation. 

The following are just a few illustrations of what is being referred to, and they will be divided up into three main categories: [1] God’s original ideal. [2] Everything else in-between. [3] His will for the “Now generation”. As we read, let us not grasp at any so-called loopholes, neither let us make provision for the flesh, rather, let us with an earnest spirit, seek to be aligned with God’s will for us now. Some of the passages make for difficult reading. Let’s read:

[1] Marital and social relationships:
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 
27 So God created man in his own image, in the
image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

[2] Diet and foods:
Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

The Sabbath and worship:
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

[2] Everything else in-between:
Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 
2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

2nd Samuel 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

Exodus 21:7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. 
8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 
9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 
10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.

Genesis 29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 
3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. 
4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
Genesis 30:9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

Deuteronomy 12:20 When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. 

Deuteronomy 14:21 If the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Lord hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. 
23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. 
24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee:
25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: 
26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.

Leviticus 11:2 These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. 
3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 
4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 
5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but
divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 
6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 
8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Judges 17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 
6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Exodus 16:28 And the Lord said, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 
29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

Ezekiel 20:13 But Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted.

[3] God’s will for the “Now Generation”:
Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 
19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 
20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Here are just some of the reasons why we may see what may look like a disconnect between what God originally ordained, and what He permitted and did during the in-between period. Although we may not know every specific reason, yet, as a general rule of thumb, God honors the freedom of choice that He has blessed us with, even when it may go contrary to what is best for us. So, the following are the main reasons, why he permitted or did certain things that may seem contrary. Let’s read:

[1] Continual resistance to God’s revealed will:

Ezekiel 20:24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live.

[2] Insisting on having our own desire: 

Deuteronomy 12:20 When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

Psalms 78:29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire.

Genuine ignorance of God’s revealed will: 

Numbers 15:2 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Moses, 
24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savor unto the Lord, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. 
26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Therefore, believers who were living in adulterous relationships for many years, with several wives, such as Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, and the many other thousands of otherwise faithful people of God in times past will be saved in God’s kingdom, while those who are living in the “now generation”, who are standing as it were on the brink of eternity, will be lost eternally if we were to practice the same  things as what Abraham and David did.

Those who have opportunity to make the needed changes through repentance, and a turning away from sin, but who point to the previous scriptural examples of God’s circumstantial permissions, to sustain themselves in a wrong course of action, will find themselves on the opposite side of the fence when Christ comes. In other words, David, Jacob, Abraham and Solomon will be celebrating with their harps, while those from the now generation who followed on in their footsteps will be lost.

Again, many Sunday keepers from days gone by will be saved in God’s kingdom. Such Christians may run the entire gamut, from Martin Luther, Zwingli, and John Knox to Calvin. They may include some of our own relatives and friends who were otherwise true to God, but upon whom the light of the Sabbath did not yet dawn. They will be saved when Jesus comes because they sincerely followed Jesus to the best of their knowledge.

However, after the truth about the Sabbath goes viral world-wide, and there remains no doubt as to its obligatory claims, then, if the “now generation” were to point to those past Christians, as a reason why they should continue worshipping on the first day of the week, then they will be lost in the final conflagration, for to whom much is given, much will be required. 

Again, on the issue of diet, whatever we may have read in the Bible concerning God’s permissions for His people in former years, and whatever Paul may have wrote for the people of his day, if it is not in harmony with the health message for the “Now generation”, and if it is conflicted with information God has revealed through His servant for our day, it will become a snare whereby many will stumble and fall.

Thus, we must close with a passage of scripture which every true believer should observe, for it pertains especially to our generation, to whom the full glory of God’s will has been revealed. Let’s read:

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.
                                                                        God bless! 
 

Testing The Prophets. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/14/2018

One of the symptoms of these last days is that there would be a proliferation of false prophets across the land, in so much that Christ saw fit to warn us about their activities, their purposes, and their source. It is not good for us to believe any and every prophet or televangelist who claims to be God-sent, for as far as we know, none of them ever claimed to be sent by satan, yet according to the Bible, false prophets are much more numerous than the true.

It has always been the case that false prophets will outnumber those God-ordained servants, who try to turn the people from their sins. This is because it is stated in the scriptures that the false specialize in soothing itching ears, lulling the unwary into a false sense of security, and above all prophesying for the sake of gain.

Therefore, the children of God, the world over, are not to be ignorant of their devices, but it is our God-given duty to distinguish between the true and the false, with the purpose of embracing the good and rejecting the evil. The warnings God has seen fit to impart to us are given for very valid reasons, and no one can view them lightly except at the peril of their souls. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 
25 Behold, I have told you before.

2nd Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The reason why there are so many false prophets is because they know what the multitudes desire to hear, and they feed them the things they desire, such as [1] Once saved always saved. [2] When you die you go to heaven. [3] God will bless you even if you live in deliberate violation of His revealed will. [4] God will heal you, regardless of your violation of the laws of health. [5] God will forgive any sin. Etc.

And there are several other smooth doctrines that are promoted and disseminated by false prophets such as the prosperity gospel, and the doctrine of freedom to do whatsoever one desires, because of Christ’s sacrifice; the doctrine of a second probation and the false prophecy that Christ will usher in His eternal kingdom beginning in Jerusalem. 

These are just some of the smooth things itching ears crave, for they are in harmony with the carnal desires of man’s fallen nature, just as it was in days of yore. On the contrary, a true prophet isn’t usually welcomed, nor appreciated by the multitudes of people, because as a general rule of thumb, those messages sent by God do not appeal to what we
prefer to hear. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord today. 
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 
7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him? 
8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. 
12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand. 
13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. 
14 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.

Therefore, it behooves us to test the prophets, to see whether they are sent of God, or sent by satan, for the source makes the world of difference. The Bible has given us several smell tests that should be applied before we subscribe to the teachings of any prophet not found in the Bible; and the application of these tests are never to be regarded as a lack of faith, but as a guarantee that we are not being led blind-folded to perdition.

Test [1] Deuteronomy 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 
2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 
3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

This is the first and foremost test given, for it has to do with the tendency to lead, or not to lead astray. In other words, if the tenor of a prophet’s words are of such as to lead us away from God, and if the end result of their teachings encourage disobedience, or rebellion against God, then that prophet is false and should be utterly rejected.

Test [2] Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Prophets who teach that God’s law is abolished are false prophets, plain and simple. It does not mean that they cannot change, but presently they are in the false category. God’s law is the only part of the Bible that was written in stone, to show its eternal nature, and therefore, if one comes along saying it is no longer binding upon men, then that person is striking directly at the foundation of The Lord’s government, and by their teaching, renders God’s plan of salvation null and void.

Test [3] Deuteronomy 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? 
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Be very, very careful with this one! False prophets have at times predicted future events precisely, and true prophets can predict events that do not come to pass. There are circumstantial prophecies, where the outcome depends on the response of the folks involved. Such was the case with the prophet Jonah, who was sent by God with a very specific prophecy which did not come to pass. 

This did not make him a false prophet, because the response of the Ninevites had affected the outcome and therefore, the God-given prophecy was then to be rendered void. Again, Samuel had prophesied of Eliab, that the Lord’s anointed was before Him, yet it was not accurate, for at this specific time God had not said so. 

This was Samuel’s own judgment being based solely on external evidences, however, Samuel made the correction as soon as The Lord instructed him. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:2 And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. 
3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. 
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

The tendency to hold God rigidly to His word, when He is dealing with frail human beings, could cause us to reject His true servants, if in some instances, everything may not add up squarely. Being a true prophet does not make him/her infallible, and thus, we should be willing to walk humbly with God, just in case we might need some wiggle room.

Some have made it their life work to search out for minor inconsistencies in the writings of Ellen white, and they point to these, as veritable proof that her writings are flawed, and therefore could never have been inspired. There will be a great awakening one day soon, when we may discover too late, that it is God who is perfect, and not man, through whom He channels His messages and instructions. 

In the Bible, one gospel writer describes a situation where two blind men were healed by Jesus Christ. Another gospel writer says it was one blind man. If we were to quibble and stumble over these minor discrepancies in the prophetic writings, we would eventually reject not only Ellen white, but the Bible itself. The believing mind will accept what the Bible states in such instances, meaning that it was both one, and two blind men. Let’s read:

Matthew 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us. 
28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 
29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man  said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

In fact, when we examine God’s own testimony of Samuel, we discover that God gave him a perfect A rating. Similarly, when we read in the Bible that Job was a perfect man, it does not mean that Job didn’t have any faults or errors, it means that the overall tenor of his life tended to perfection. Let’s read:

 1st Samuel 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

Therefore, it’s necessary for us to remember that the accurate fulfillment of prophecy is just one slice of the pie, when it comes to testing the prophets, the main test being the tendency to lead, or not to lead astray. If the general tenor of a true prophet’s work is to lead to God, to obedience to His laws, and to reverence His name and His word, then that prophet is in all likelihood valid.

Test [4] Physical phenomena:
Numbers 24:3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said. 
4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open.

Acts 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to the earth.

Acts 22:17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; 
18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and  get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

Daniel 10: 4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 
6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 
7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 
8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, 
and I retained no strength. 
9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 
17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 
18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me

It is often the case when in vision, that a prophet may not breathe. During such a time the he/she would be sustained solely by the power of God until the vision is complete. This phenomena may last up to several minutes, or hours as the case might be, thus giving evidence that God’s power is at work in the person who is thus exercised.

[C.E.T pp 11] He explained to the people that she did not breathe while in vision. Then he turned to Daniel 10:17 and read Daniel's experience while in vision: “There remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.” Elder White next invited those who cared to do so to come forward and examine Mrs. White. He always gave freedom for such an examination and was pleased if a physician was present who could examine her while in vision.

As the people pressed close, they saw that Mrs. White did not breathe, yet her heart continued to beat normally, and the color of her cheeks was natural. A mirror was brought and held before her face, but no moisture gathered on the mirror. Then they brought a candle and lit it and held it close to her nose and mouth. But the flame stood erect, without a flicker. The people could see that she did not breathe. 

For two hours Mrs. White was in vision. For two hours she did not breathe. Then as the vision came to a close, she took a deep inhalation, paused for about a minute, breathed again, and soon was breathing naturally. At the same time she began to recognize her surroundings, becoming conscious of what was going on about her.

God in His mercy has given to His remnant people a goldmine of information, instruction, and counsels, ranging from the raising of children, health related issues, financial advice, and counsels on marriage and divorce. These instructions were given to shed light on matters that were previously obscured, or were hidden from view, or were barely understood. 

In particular, the revelations thus given are meant to prepare God’s people to stand through the last great conflict on planet earth, for there are many instructions given on how to meet the coming crisis intelligently, strategic moves to be made, and how to prepare for the transition period, when we will move over to trusting in God alone, for our bread and water. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 99>100] Again and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions, for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one. We should now begin to heed the instruction given us over and over again. 

Therefore, in testing the prophets, it is God’s will that we do so with the intention of receiving His words, which can save us from making grave errors. 
                                                                     God Bless!
 

Six Dispositions Of Saul. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/07/2018

The history of Saul, Israel’s first king, was written for those who were to come after, so that by a carefull study of his rise and fall, we in our turn might make straight paths for our feet. Saul was called to be the head of the nation, and at the outset he seemed to be a timid and humble person, for when it was time for his inauguration, he was found to be in hiding. 

But apparent humility does not always prove to be genuine, because genuine humility is a by-product of the indwelling of The Holy Spirit, in cooperation with our freedom of choice. In other words, a really humble spirit is not a naturally occurring ingredient of human nature, and thus, it must be implanted by God, and carefully nurtured when God leads us in ways we may not necessarily agree with.

Saul’s initial opinion of himself was not accurate, and our opinions of ourselves are not correct either, therefore, it is God alone who can show us our real selves, by bringing us into difficult circumstances in which our weaknesses surface. Then, if we’ll accept the revelation of God by confessing our sins without making excuses, and blaming others, Jesus stands ready to forgive, forget, and to cleanse. Let’s read:

Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Our intellectual abilities would often drive us to make certain discretionary decisions, which in our own sight may seem as the right thing to do in such and such a situation. That’s all well and good, but a truly humble person will bow to the sovereignty of God whenever we must choose between our ways and God’s ways. In other words, humility will lead us to accept and follow God’s directions, even when we may think He is making a mistake. Let’s read:

Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. 
2 For all those things hath mine hand made, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Psalms 119:128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

When the people of Amalek had attacked the men of Israel in the wilderness without being provoked, The Lord had then stated to Moses that the warlike tribe would be blotted from under the heaven. But because God is merciful, and takes no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked, He allowed time for grace, and repentance, if haply, like the Ninevites, they would somehow change course, and secure a reversal of coming judgment.

For four hundred years God’s sentence was put on hold, until His mercy could no longer overlook their stubborn rebellion, and therefore the time had now fully come for Him to execute judgment against the Amalekites. To Saul was given the explicit command by God through the prophet Samuel, to slay utterly everything and everyone that pertained to Amalek. But Saul disobeyed, and in his, sin six dispositions of Saul surfaced.

These dispositions are often found to be in many of us who are professed Christians, and therefore, as we read the sacred history of Saul’s fall, it should be with an introspect look, to see if we may have those same tendencies, and if so, we may find pardon and forgiveness while mercy still lingers, for God is in the business of restoration, not condemnation. 

Christ does not point out our errors just to make us feel bad, for it is His purpose that we know our true selves, that we may see our need of cleansing, and if we so choose, He will forgive and restore. Christ’s way is a way of reconciliation, not of denunciation, and therefore, any sin which we truly confess will be truly be forgiven. Let’s read:

1st John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Thus, as we embark upon the study of the turning point of Saul’s career, let us remember that these six dispositions which will be revealed, didn’t occur in a vacuum, but instead were cultivated, in spite of the most earnest efforts by God and Samuel to try to save Saul from irretrievable ruin. Let’s read:

[1] The disposition to use independent judgment.

1st Samuel 15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. 
2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. 
8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 
9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 

It is often the case that our own ways, methods and modes of thought and action would not be aligned with God’s, and therefore it’s important for us to be humble enough to surrender our own preconceived ideas whenever, and wherever they are found to be out of sync with God. In fact, the Christian’s life is an ongoing project to fully align our minds with the mind of God. That’s why the scripture says “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus".

Therefore, it’s important for us to decide in advance that if for some reason there is a clash of wills and ways, we would humbly bow to the sovereignty of God, knowing that He does, and knows what is best and right in any given situation. Two passages in the scriptures express this sentiment. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

[2] The disposition to blame others for our faults. 

1st Samuel 15:13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul  said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. 
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 

It is never a good policy to blame others for errors we have made, because the journey to restoration begins with a candid acknowledgement of our sins, without seeking to incriminate others, without the use of excuses such as peer pressure, circumstances or the most famous one, “The devil made me do it”. Confession to God should never be done with the intent to implicate others. Let’s read:

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done
nothing amiss.

[3] The disposition to render partial obedience.

1st Samuel 15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. 
19 Wherefore didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? 
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 

If Naaman had dipped only six times he would’ve remained with his leprosy, and if Joshua and the Hebrews had marched around Jericho only six times the city have remained standing. When the Jews gathered manner some gathered more, and some gathered less, but when they weighed it, somehow it boiled down to one omer.

That’s because partial obedience is no obedience at all, and if it is deliberate, then it is registered in the books of heaven as rebellion. Saul partially obeyed God’s command, but Samuel assessed his actions as witchcraft. In our day, those who deliberately obey only nine out of the ten commandments are out of sync with God, for He desires all or nothing. This is confirmed in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

[4] The disposition to justify ourselves in sin. 

1st Samuel 15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. 

In other words, what Saul was saying is that there are times when there are valid reasons to disobey God. It is often the case that some good may be accomplished via disobedience, but one thing is certain, God does not accept either the good that is done in such instances, or the reasons given. This is an issue that must be made crystal clear, for there are many who erroneously believe that God will be pleased if good is done the wrong way.

Cain may have brought the fruit of the ground with the reason that it was the vegetarian thing to do, or that it would avoid animal cruelty. And many drug dealers may make large contributions to their local churches, thereby providing much needed funds for charitable causes. In fact, Al Capone started one of the first soup kitchens in New York city during the great depression, and it is stated that he did more to help the people of Chicago than the state did.

Real people were helped in real time, and many hungry mouths were really filled, but according to Samuel’s evaluation given to Saul, the good that a person may intend to do will never atone for the disobedience that is done in the accomplishment of such goals. Good works do not make disobedience acceptable in God’s sight; that is one of the many delusions of the last days. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 23:18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

[5] The disposition to value praise above obedience.

1st Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Praise without obedience to God’s revealed will is flattery and should never be practiced in public or in private. In fact, if The Lord had to choose between obedience and praise, He would choose obedience any day, for praise will certainly follow after. In our day many people are loud on praise, but quite silent on obedience, and because of this Jesus cautions us not to go down that road. Let’s read:

Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men….

[6] The disposition to confess only when caught.

1st Samuel 15:23 Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord. 

We should never wait until we are forced to confess before doing so; instead, when the God speaks to our consciences, either through His word or through His Spirit, or even through the voice of a friend, we should rise to the occasion and confess our sins, for this will put us on the fast-track to restoration. 

But for us to try to hide, and cover it up, and make excuses until we may be confronted or exposed will only prolong the process and this may cause us to question our own sincerity. The best time to confess to God, is when our consciences have been pricked, or as soon as we are aware of any wrong doing. To put it off gives the devil time and opportunity to do more damage. Let’s read:

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; 
15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

 After these six dispositions surfaced in Saul, there was still room for repentance and change if he so desired, but he allowed his wounded pride to cause bad feelings against Samuel to fester, because of the reproof God sent through His servant. And thus, God’s voice became less and less distinct in his soul, until, by hardening his own heart, The Spirit of God finally departed from him, and he was left to leader he had chosen.

When in our own Christian experience, any un-Christlike disposition surfaces, let us make haste to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and God who is quick to forgive and forget will begin the process of healing, just as soon as we confess. Thus, in closing, we are cautioned not to follow the ways of Saul and others who persisted in a wrong course, for the same God who saved Nebuchadnezzar, will heal the wounds of the weakest saint. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10: 11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

                                                                       God Bless!