Giving According To The Blessing. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/21/2015.

The Bible teaches us that the cycle of life, both before and after sin, centers around the great principle of giving, and in order for us not to be continually catering for ourselves, God has put in place a plan of benevolence, whereby the delicate virtue of giving can find continuous exercise. Most Christians are aware that 10% of our increase is the Lord’s, whilst in addition to that, freewill offerings are required for the ministry of the gospel and for the upkeep of the sanctuary. And while it is true that some people return a faithful tithe, the fact remains that a far lesser number are adequately  involved in the return of freewill offerings, which does more harm than good to those who stint in their giving. The beauty about the sacred system of benevolence thus instituted by God is that it allows the rich as well as the poor to return appropriate amounts, according to the blessing of The lord, so that the free exercise of benevolence is not unduly restricted to those with an abundance of means. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.

In ancient times provisions were made by God so that the offerings were to be staggered, meaning that those who could afford little, could give an amount that would be commensurate with their blessings or earnings, whilst those with much more means could also return amounts that would reflect the large blessings which they enjoyed. Hence the reason why several different types of animals were to be used in the services of the sanctuary, ranging in value from the expensive bullock to turtledoves. And then if a person could not even afford the two turtledoves, provisions were made so that they
could bring an offering of flour and oil. But one thing was made certain, that no one in the Lord’s congregation was exempt for any reason, other than that they just did not have the physical ability or capacity to possess any means. Let’s read:

Leviticus 5:1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 
2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. 
3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.

4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing:
6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
11 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.

This is the reason why the parents of Jesus, even though they were both dirt poor, and could not afford to stay in the Marriot hotel back then, when they came to dedicate Christ, brought two young pigeons, the very best that they could do at their financial level, as is afforded in the old Testament. Joseph and Mary were god-fearing people, and they understood that financial constraints was no excuse for them being relieved of their privilege and duty to bring an offering unto God. Poverty or hard times should never to be put forward as valid reasons why the Lord’s treasury should suffer in any way, for it all has to do with our order of priorities, and the way we view our relationship with God, and the gratitude we express for the untold blessings of life. Let’s read:

Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

 And this is also the reason why the woman who could only return her last two mites, was not let off the hook by Christ, even though as He Himself had stated, she cast in all her living. As a matter of fact, if anyone had a so-called valid excuse not to return an offering, it would be this woman, for she was much poorer than the parents of Christ, and after she had returned all that she had, she would go home, shut her doors, and hope for the best of God’s providences to provide her next meal. And Christ, knowing her dire situation could certainly have pulled her aside quietly and told her that she should instead by a slice of Pizza, since she was now absolved of her duty because of dire poverty, if at all this would be acceptable in God’s sight. But as the record shows, Jesus accepted the two mites as being the very best that she could do, and for this she is commended by The Master. Let’s read:

Luke 21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

Many of us as Christians make a critical mistake by giving according to the “Billing” instead of giving according to the “Blessing”. This is a serious error which needs to be corrected, for whenever this is practiced, the sure results that are stipulated in the Bible certainly come to pass without fail. Our bills that we have accumulated should never be the basis for what we return to the treasury, for this will almost certainly result in God’s cause being left for last. And maybe we were not previously aware of this fact, but there is something called a “Generic blessing”, where there is no special interposition of God on our behalf to deliver or to provide. Generic blessings are those that every person enjoys such as sunshine, rain, and the air that we breathe. 

But if a Christian family finds themselves in a very difficult financial situation, where their house is about to go into foreclosure, and eviction looms large on the horizon, they will certainly need more than sunshine and rain, for even though these are immense generic blessings, the banks we know of do not currently accept them as payment, and thus we will need a tailor-made blessing to meet the emergency. This is the kind of promise made to the faithful, who like the woman with her very last two mites, do not swerve or shrink from duty, for even when the outlook is grim and foreboding, the great kindness of God to us through Jesus ought to call forth our deepest gratitude and highest praise, and thus, whenever we give according to the blessing, as opposed to the billing, the sure mercies of God are fulfilled in their due season. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, 
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. 
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

 But too often it is the case where as Christians we become weary of well-doing, and our faith in The Living God is encompassed by doubts and fears, and before we know it, the bills and the cares of this life are given first preference in our priorities, whilst the blessings of God are hardly acknowledged, or even mentioned. For instance, let’s say we have a typical family of four, and the parents make a consistent income of about $6,000 per month, it is often quite possible that after the bills are paid, that hardly any remnants would be left over for the cause of God, because of the way in which their priorities may be stacked. There are also real and imaginary needs and wants, and it’s very important for us to know the difference, for often, we go window shopping, and some items which we had never catered for, or even thought about previously have the potential to suddenly become urgent needs, which we cannot live without. 

There is a saying that goes like this “What eye don’t see, heart don’t grieve” meaning that if we never saw it in the first place, the item in question would not have suddenly become a dire necessuity. The following specimen is a list of bills which are often deemed absolutely necessary each month, and the two parents who make about six grand per month are now going to divide up the spoils, not according to the “Blessing”, but according to the “Billing”. Let’s read:

Take home salary: $6,000.00                  
Mortgage: $2400.00                      Balance: $3,600.00
Car note to Ford: $350.00            Balance: $3,250.00
Auto Insurance: $250.00               Balance: $3,000.00  
Health Insurance: $375.00            Balance: $2,625.00
College Tuition: $1200.00             Balance: $1,425.00
Groceries: $600.00                        Balance: $825.00
Cable, cell phone etc: $300.00     Balance: $525.00
Credit cards: $175.00                     Balance: $350.00
Electric Bill: $160.00                       Balance: $190.00
But we still are not finished as yet, for there are also some services that are deemed necessary, which  for some reason we cannot live without, and for this reason we are often tempted to go deeper into the funds that should have been set aside for God. Let’s read:

Manicure: $25.00                            Balance: $165.00
Pedicure: $25.00                             Balance: $140.00
Other “Cures”, including Hair salon visits, the vet, dog food, and make-up: $125.00.  Balance: $15.00. And so we come to church with a few mites jingling in our pockets, to give The Great God of heaven the mere leftovers. And although He is hidden from our view, our names are then placed in the ledger of “Left-over blessings”, which according to the Bible, are subject to the varied and frequent assaults of satan, hence the reason why many Christians often  find it impossible to make ends meet. Let’s read:

 Haggai 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. 
6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. 
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. 
9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

A very important commentary on the returning of tithes and offerings has been written by the pen of inspiration, and it’s worthy of our consideration as we weigh both the issues, and the consequences of giving according to the blessing, as opposed to us giving according to the billing. Let’s read: 

[Acts of The Apostles pp. 75]  All our blessings come from His bountiful hand. In turn, He would have men and women show their gratitude by returning Him a portion in tithes and offerings—in thank offerings, in freewill offerings, in trespass offerings. Should means flow into the treasury in accordance with this divinely appointed plan,—a tenth of all the increase, and liberal offerings,—there would be an abundance for the advancement of the Lord's work.

The way in which we can avoid this common pitfall which currently affects very many Christians, is by giving a stipulated percentage of our income and our increase, as opposed to a fixed, flat figure that remains static, whether or not we are blessed with much or little. The method of percentage giving is to be given due consideration, so that if God blesses us with much, there will be a corresponding return of liberal offerings, and if we bring in little, then the returns will reflect that fact. This method will serve the purpose of bringing us into line with the God of equity, who stipulated the principle, that the rich, and the poor alike should be required to return the
right amounts in their legitimate sphere. Let’s read:

Exodus 30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the  poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

2nd Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

Let us therefore consider what Christ has done for us on the cross, in pouring out His soul unto death, that we might have eternal life, and have it more abundantly, and let us also contemplate on what He continues to do for us in the heavenly sanctuary, for it is the will of God that our giving should always be commensurate with the manifold blessings Christ bestows on us each day. We therefore end with two  passages of scripture which encourage us to always exercise that living faith in God, which prioritizes the interests of His kingdom first, and our various needs, and those of our fellowmen after, because a well-known song says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way”. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need of all these things.  
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. 
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.  God bless!

The Conversion Of Brother Nicodemus. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/14/2015

The case study of the conversion of Nicodemus presents a golden opportunity for us to look into our own souls, to see whether or not the truths of God’s word, and our practice are compatible. It is very possible for us to be baptized for many years, taking part in various services of the church, and even holding several offices of responsibility, while the essence of thorough, or ongoing conversion is lacking. This is one of the main characteristics of the contemporary Christian church, hence the reason why the title for our study today includes the words “Brother Nicodemus”, for according to the Bible, we have a lot in common with him, and many of us as Christians are just as in need of conversion, as he then was.

Our study begins with a planned visit to see Jesus by Nicodemus, who after much thought, and careful consideration of the potential consequences of such an action, decided that it was in his best interest for him to visit Christ at night, when no one else would be watching, and where an uninterrupted discourse could take place. To have a personal interview with Christ in broad daylight, would no doubt cause him to be looked upon with scorn and ridicule by his fellow colleagues, who were also professors at the leading universities and theological seminaries of the day. This first aspect of his decision have a one on one interview with Christ, immediately brings to light both the goodness and the kindness of Jesus, for it does not matter what time anyone comes to Him, whether by day or by night, once we keep on coming. Let’s read:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto  him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Without going into any long preamble about issues and topics that are not of salvific value, Christ goes straight to the point of most concern, which is his conversion, for as an honored theologian, and a well-respected member of the elite Sanhedrin, Jesus was concerned that his profession to know the God of the scriptures was primarily intellectual, and while scriptural knowledge should never be discounted, yet if there is no commensurate change of heart along with a knowledge of the scriptures, then the whole purpose of studying them could be defeated, for the Bible is not to taken merely as any other textbook, to be studied with critical analysis, that does not touch the heart. And even though Nicodemus was a sincere seeker for truth, yet it was necessary that Christ clearly state that the essence of theological knowledge should be conversion. And  as Jesus continues to reiterate His first statement, Nicodemus finds himself in a pretty uncomfortable situation as he correctly assesses what is implied by Christ’s words to him. Let’s read:

John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

This last statement of Christ, “Ye must be born again” must have startled Nicodemus out of his comfort zone, for by implication, it meant that his relationship with God was nowhere near what it should be. The problem with this situation is that Christ was not here speaking to Beyonce or Snoop Lion, nor even to someone who was pagan, or who was an abandoned sinner, loaded with known sins of adultery, thefts, or infractions. Here was a pretty decent person who attended church regularly, was in good and regular standing, both in the church and in the up-scale community where he lived. 

He was not even an ordinary church member, as your average John Doe, but was actually a professor of theology, at one of the most prestigious, world renowned seminaries of the day, and he also had a perfect credit score. This is the professor who had corrected your theology papers, who is versed in several languages such as Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic, and his exegesis of the Old Testament is unparalleled. And so it was, that when Jesus stated unequivocally that he needed to be baptized, we can understand why Nicodemus was not only taken aback at what that statement implied, but as any of us in a similar situation might also do, he became offended. If for some reason, Christ were to make that same soul-searching statement to any of the prominent, contemporary theologians of the day, or to a well-respected Evangelical such as Joel Osteen or T.D Jakes, many Christians will be up in arms as to His assessment, and many more might be quick to throw out Christ’s evaluation as being ill-advised at best. A very interesting commentary is made by the servant of The Lord pertaining to this very first interview, which, as his later history shows, marked the beginning of Nicodemus’ conversion. Let’s read:
 
[Desire Of Ages pp. 168>171] He greatly desired an interview with Jesus, but shrank from seeking Him openly. It would be too humiliating for a ruler of the Jews to acknowledge himself in sympathy with a teacher as yet so little known. And should his visit come to the knowledge of the Sanhedrin, it would draw upon him their scorn and denunciation. He resolved upon a secret interview, excusing this on the ground that if he were to go openly, others might follow his example. Learning by special inquiry the Savior’s place of retirement in the Mount of Olives, he waited until the city was hushed in slumber, and then sought Him.

In the presence of Christ, Nicodemus felt a strange timidity, which he endeavored to conceal under an air of composure and dignity. “Rabbi,” he said, “we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.” By speaking of Christ’s rare gifts as a teacher, and also of His wonderful power to perform miracles, he hoped to pave the way for his interview. His words were designed to express and to invite confidence; but they really expressed unbelief. He did not acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah, but only a teacher sent from God.
Instead of recognizing this salutation, Jesus bent His eyes upon the speaker, as if reading his very soul. In His infinite wisdom He saw before Him a seeker after truth. He knew the object of this visit, and with a desire to deepen the conviction already resting upon His listener’s mind, He came directly to the point, saying solemnly, yet kindly, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
He was a strict Pharisee, and prided himself on his good works. He was widely esteemed for his benevolence and his liberality in sustaining the temple service, and he felt secure of the favor of God. He was startled at the thought of a kingdom too pure for him to see in his present state.
But by virtue of his birth as an Israelite he regarded himself as sure of a place in the kingdom of God. He felt that he needed no change. Hence his surprise at the Saviour’s words. He was irritated by their close application to himself. The pride of the Pharisee was struggling against the honest desire of the seeker after truth. He wondered that Christ should speak to him as He did, not respecting his position as ruler in Israel. Surprised out of his self-possession, he answered Christ in words full of irony, “How can a man be born when he is old?” Like many others when cutting truth is brought home to the conscience, he revealed the fact that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. There is in him nothing that responds to spiritual things; for spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

This same problem of having an exalted estimation of our own righteousness has affected very many Christians throughout the ages, and as we study the rise and fall of many Bible characters, with their consequent conversion, we ourselves are prodded to do some deep soul-searching as to what our current relationship with The Lord really is. It is easy to feel saved, if there are a lot of good works being engaged in, and if there is an in-depth knowledge of the scriptures, and while all of these are good, and to be encouraged, yet the searching eye of God bids us not to compare ourselves with others, but rather to see ourselves in the mirror of Christ’s perfect righteousness. Peter also thought of himself as being converted, just like Nicodemus, but it was only when his true colors were manifested, that he realized how in need of God’s grace he really was. Let’s read:

[Christ Object Lessons pp. 152>155]  In his early discipleship Peter thought himself strong. Like the Pharisee, in his own estimation he was “not as other men are.” When Christ on the eve of His betrayal forewarned His disciples, “All ye shall be offended because of Me this night,” Peter confidently declared, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” Mark 14:27, 29. The evil that led to Peter’s fall and that shut out the Pharisee from communion with God is proving the ruin of thousands today. There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. Peter’s fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Self-confidence led him to the belief that he was saved, and step after step was taken in the downward path, until he could deny his Master. 

It is worthy of note in both instances of Peter and Nicodemus, that conversion involves a germination process by which the word of God takes root in the heart, is acknowledged and acted upon, and then The Holy Spirit brings the seed sown to maturity. After the death of Christ on Calvary, when evidence after evidence was presented to his mind by the Holy Spirit, the same Nicodemus came boldly to the front, and cast in his lot with the people of God, and from that time forward, the needed change of heart that Christ previously spoke of took place, and like Peter, his conversion was complete and enduring.  Like the two Bible characters mentioned, some of us as Christians may have been attending church regularly for many years, we may have held various church offices, and we might be highly esteemed amongst the brethren, as well as the secular world. But the question is, could it be that we have much more in common with brother Nicodemus than we know of, and is it possible, that if Christ were to make that same assessment of our relationship with God, that most of us would likely become startled out of our wits. As we ponder on the statement to Nicodemus, and its implications, it becomes more and more apparent that it is not so far-fetched after all, for the statement then made to him, is the very same statement Christ is currently making to the Laodicean church, for we also are apparently in dire need of thorough conversion. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

As we read and ponder these solemn words, there will be a very strong temptation for us to think of someone who we might know of who is in this exact situation. But God does not desire us to think of anyone else who we know of, but rather to think of ourselves, for the messages thus given are directly addressed to you and me, who are currently in good and regular standing. One of the ways in which we can know for certain if we are currently standing in Nicodemus’ former shoes, is by the ease and speed with which we resolve difficulties arising within the body of believers. The tendency to be united in one heart, mind, and purpose, putting the interests of God’s kingdom first, and self out of the picture, is one of the manifestations of conversion, for it is unity in Christ that forms the foremost identifying mark of the brotherhood of believers. But for us to indulge in back-biting, bickering, fault-finding, or mutual animosities, where we sit on one side of the church to avoid those whom we do not agree with, is a sign that we must be born again. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 3:3 “For whereas there is among you
 envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said”… 3 “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
11 “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

We may have been saved ten or twenty years ago but the real question for us to answer is whether we have been saved today, because the process of conversion and sanctification is an ongoing work with an upward trajectory, and therefore it is of the utmost importance that we heed the evaluation of Christ given to the Laodiceans, so that like Peter and brother Nicodemus, we can be born again, if need be. We therefore end with a golden treasure of counsel given to us, with the hope that a surrender of ourselves to God each day will ultimately result in the thorough conversion we may stand in need of. Let’s read:

[Testimonies vol. 5 pp. 168>169] No matter how high his profession, he whose heart is not imbued with love for God and for his fellow men is not a disciple of Christ. Though he should possess great faith, and even have power to work miracles, yet without love his faith would be worthless. He might display great liberality, but should he from some other motive than genuine love bestow all his goods to feed the poor, the act would not commend him to the favor of God. In his zeal he might even meet a martyr's death, yet if destitute of the gold of love he would be regarded by God as a deluded enthusiast or an ambitious hypocrite.
Charity “doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” The heart in which love rules will not be filled with passion or revenge, by injuries which pride and self-love would deem unbearable. Love is unsuspecting, ever placing the most favorable construction upon the motives and acts of others. Love will never needlessly expose the faults of others. It does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but rather seeks to bring to mind some good qualities of the one defamed.
Love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” He whose heart is imbued with love is filled with sorrow at the errors and weaknesses of others; but when truth triumphs, when the cloud that darkened the fair fame of another is removed, or when sins are confessed and wrongs corrected, he rejoices.
“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience such forbearance makes necessary. This love “never faileth.” It can never lose its value; it is the attribute of heaven. As a precious treasure it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.  God bless!

A Time To Speak. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/07/2015

One of the very first aspects of our daily lives to be affected for the better, after the process of godly conversion has begun, is the aspect of speech, the way in which we speak in all of our conversations, and interactions with friends and foes, in-laws and outlaws. Whatever comes out of our mouths bears testimony either for or against the truth, and thus it is imperative that the most careful consideration, caution, and wisdom be used in speaking, lest we cause the name of Christ to be reproached by an un-Christ-like mode of conduct. What we say, when we say it, and how it is said is deemed of such great importance, and such great eternal consequences that Christ, and several of the Bible writers spoke, and wrote extensively on the matter, with the hope that as Christians we will not only be well-informed as to our manner of speaking, but that we will also put into practice, that which we have seen, heard, and handled of both the spoken word and the Living Word. Let’s read: 

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. 7 “A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
This last passage in Ecclesiastes tells us with certainty that there is a right time to speak, and there is time to refrain from speaking, and as the disciples of Christ we should know the difference. In all of our discourses with one another, it is the will of God that we deal only in the currency of heaven, meaning that whether we be in friendly territory, or in volatile, tense, or argumentative situations, we should, by the grace and power of God, maintain our cool. Some of us as Christians are in dire need of growth, and development in this area, for many of us are tripped up much too easily, and are prone to blow a fuse whenever we are short-circuited by the enemy of all righteousness, or by those human agents who may despitefully use or persecute us.

The currency of satan on the other hand, consists of slander, gossip, snitching, arguments, all bickering, accusation, anger, rumors and fairy tales. It is one of satan’s main methods to stir up bad feelings, by digging up old grievances and sins from the past, thereby tempting the ones who were thus involved to respond to the said charges, whether they are real or phantom. The political front runners, in both the Democratic, and Republican parties, as well as those who sit at the “Kids” table in the debates are finding this out the hard way, for it is the work of Satan through human agencies, which goads both reporters and investigators to search for any wrong doings in the past, and then to insinuate ulterior motives for the course of action thus pursued. And because there is nothing new under the sun, all we need to do is to look back at the Biblical, historical precedents so that we may understand the issues  currently taking place with Ben Carson, the one who is causing some former, spiritual leaders to literally turn in their graves. Let’s read:

Daniel 6:1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel
was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

What Seventh-day Adventists like Ben Carson believe. By Daniel Burke, CNN Religion Editor Updated 11:52 AM ET, Wed November 4, 2015

Carson, who earnestly committed himself to the church when he was 14, is perhaps the faith's most famous member. Trump later said that he wasn't trying to "send a dog whistle" to religious conservatives who might look askance at Adventist doctrine. "All I said was that I don't know about it," he told ABC. Fair enough. A lot of Americans don't know much about the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Protestant Christian denomination turned 150 years old in 2013, which makes it a relative newcomer on the religious scene. 
Unique Adventist beliefs:
1.    Adventists worship on Saturday, the "seventh day"
2.    Adventists do not believe in an eternal hell
3.    They do believe that Jesus' second coming is imminent.
4.    Adventists believe in the visions and prophecies of Ellen White.
And then, sitting squarely inside of op-ed is the mention of his earlier years:
“Carson's violent past: Bricks, bats, hammers”

This method of digging up old dirt goes directly contrary to the teaching of scripture, for whenever we have given our lives to God, our past sins are not even to be mentioned. Furthermore, the concerns that are being raised about a person’s violent past, when we all know that such an individual has been touched by the grace of God, does not figure into God’s reckoning of that person’s ability to lead, because again, as the Bible clearly says, there is nothing new under the sun. Moses had a much more violent past than any of the currently leading candidates, yet he too was touched by the grace of God, and was enabled to lead the Hebrews out of Egyptian slavery, to the borders of the Promised Land. As a matter of fact, in spite of his violent past, Moses is described in the scriptures as being the meekest man to live on the face of the earth, that being under Christ. Let’s read:

Exodus 2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12 And he looked this way and that way, and when  he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 
13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 
14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. 
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

Numbers 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Another ploy of the devil is to start an unfounded rumor, then give it to the news media to spin, and churn in the rumor mill, so that the end product is loaded with many additional details that cannot be corroborated. Thus a minor traffic incident such as a fender-bender, can end up being a major accident with several people severely injured and taken to the hospital in very critical condition, and with the poor driver fleeing the scene on foot, into a densely wooded area. The disposition to take the gossip of the day to discuss among other people, or to accuse a person of any wrong-doing behind their backs, instead of directly approaching the one who may be at fault, is one of the ways in which satan manifests himself through human agencies, and the tendency to regurgitate the sins and errors of the past, whilst dwelling upon the juicy tidbits of bad news, is a display of satanic character. These are just some of the reasons why the wise man says there is a time to speak, and a time to refrain from speaking. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, 
that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Zecharia 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and
stood before the angel. 
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

[Desire Of Ages pp. 353>354]  “Behold,” said Jesus, “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Christ Himself did not suppress one word of truth, but He spoke it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact, and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. Every soul was precious in His eyes. While He always bore Himself with divine dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the family of God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission to save. The servants of Christ are not to act out the dictates of the natural heart. They need to have close communion with God, lest, under provocation, self rise up, and they pour forth a torrent of words that are unbefitting, that are not as dew or the still showers that refresh the withering plants. This is what Satan wants them to do; for these are his methods. It is the dragon that is wroth; it is the spirit of Satan that is revealed in anger and accusing. But God’s servants are to be representatives of Him. He desires them to deal only in the currency of heaven, the truth that bears His own image and superscription. The power by which they are to overcome evil is the power of Christ. The glory of Christ is their strength. They are to fix their eyes upon His loveliness. Then they can present the gospel with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible.

Those who are brought in controversy with the enemies of truth have to meet, not only men, but Satan and his agents. Let them remember the Savior’s words, “Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:3. Let them rest in the love of God, and the spirit will be kept calm, even under personal abuse. The Lord will clothe them with a divine panoply. His Holy Spirit will influence the mind and heart, so that their voices shall not catch the notes of the baying of the wolves.

Thus it is, that whenever we are faced with the spirit of accusation, or whenever we find ourselves in a volatile situation, in order for us to understand when is the time to speak, and the time to refrain from speaking, we will need to study the example of Christ, as He was being investigated by those who only sought to malign His perfect character. When brought before Pilate, Christ graciously responded to His direct questioner, for it was then “The time to speak” since Pilate had not crossed the boundary of God’s grace as yet. However, to the Jewish leaders who were bickering and making wild accusations, all the while speaking vehemently over each other, as is often the case on certain news channels, Christ answered not a word, but rather kept completely silent, as the rumors and empty charges flew back and forth. Let’s read:

Matthew 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. 
12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 
13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 
14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

However, when Jesus was brought before Herod, and questioned with many words, it was then the time to “Refrain from speaking”, for this was the same Herod who had previously beheaded John the Baptist, and since his probation was already closed, Christ had not a single word for him. Furthermore, Herod’s quest for a miracle to validate the rumors he had been hearing of Christ would have served absolutely no purpose, for miracles do stand alone, if they fail of converting the sinful heart, and thus, no type of response in such a situation would ever be warranted of any Christian. As a matter of fact, this is the reason why we have concluded on several occasions, that whenever a mass-shooter demands of us whether we are Christian or not, the scriptural thing to do is to remain silent, just as Christ did, for this will in no way be a denial of our faith in Him. Let’s read:

Luke 23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 
9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 
10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 
11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

[Desire Of Ages pp. 729]  A large company of the priests and elders had accompanied Christ to Herod. And when the Saviour was brought in, these dignitaries, all speaking excitedly, urged their accusations against Him. Herod questioned Christ in many words, but throughout the Saviour maintained a profound silence. At the command of the king, the decrepit and maimed were then called in, and Christ was ordered to prove His claims by working a miracle. Men say that Thou canst heal the sick, said Herod. I am anxious to see that Thy widespread fame has not been belied. Jesus did not respond, and Herod still continued to urge: If Thou canst work miracles for others, work them now for Thine own good, and it will serve Thee a good purpose. Again he commanded, Show us a sign that Thou hast the power with which rumor hath accredited Thee. But Christ was as one who heard and saw not. The Son of God had taken upon Himself man’s nature. He must do as man must do in like circumstances.

There are two valuable lessons we can deduce from the experiences of Christ as it pertains to the time to speak, and the time to refrain from speaking. These vital lessons must now be practiced by each and every one of us, on an ongoing basis, if we are to correctly represent Christ in our lives in the midst of a perverse generation, among whom we are to shine as lights in the world.

[1] However volatile the situation may be, we need to keep our cool, and determine by the grace of God, not to utter any “Corrupt” communication for any reason.

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.

[2] This leads us to our next important lesson, for if for any reason we find ourselves in an atmosphere of heated argument, we should never speak over the other person, by raising our voices over theirs in a shouting match, for this will only pour gasoline on an already inflamed situation. As a matter of fact, according to the Bible, if we do not have something good to say about others, it would better be left un-said, and even though it is most difficult to bridle our mouths in instances like these, yet it is a sacred Christian duty and must at all times be observed. For us to speak whilst another person is speaking, for any reason, is not a manifestation of Christian courtesy, for this is how arguments usually become very heated and out of control. Let’s read:

James 2:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is
the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

We therefore end with two passages of scripture which clearly delineate the guiding principles to be adopted, in all of our conversations and interactions with others, and wherever we have fallen short, or may be struggling with these issues, let us always remember, that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Let’s read:

1st Peter 3:9 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.

Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. 

                                                                        God bless!

Handling The Problem Of "Hypocrites" Sabbath Afternoon 10/31/2015

There has always been an issue of the presence of hypocrites in the church, and this fact has often been cited as the reason why many people have stopped attending, because of the fact that some members live contrary to what the word of God teaches on several points, whilst they actively advocate to the contrary. First of all we must understand that the meaning of the word hypocrite is one   who says something and does another. Even Christ encountered this problem in His earthly ministry, and He cautioned His disciples not to follow the lead of those who practiced hypocrisy. Let’s read:

Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

There are some facts about hypocrites that are essential for us to understand before we proceed, for after a probing investigation, we discover some startling issues pertaining to those who are often labeled as being hypocrites.

[1] Some of the best saints started off as hypocrites. Let’s read:
John 18:18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

Mark 14:66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 
67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of
Nazareth. 
68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.
69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 
70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 
71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 
72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

[Desire of Ages pp. 712]  Peter tried to show no interest in the trial of his Master, but his heart was wrung with sorrow as he heard the cruel taunts, and saw the abuse He was suffering. More than this, he was surprised and angry that Jesus should humiliate Himself and His followers by submitting to such treatment. 
In order to conceal his true feelings, he endeavored to join with the persecutors of Jesus in their untimely jests. But his appearance was unnatural. He was acting a lie, and while seeking to talk unconcernedly he could not restrain expressions of indignation at the abuse heaped upon his Master.

Galatians 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 
12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 
14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 

[2] Any church, or any religion which claims to be without hypocrites is a false church. In every religion and in every church there are to be found those who teach or advocate for one thing, and  then do the exact opposite. We clearly remember one of the most particular instances back in the islands, where a certain Rastaman was known to be quite vocal against the eating of all meats, or “deaders” as they are referred to. This was all well and good, until one night he was discovered at a local Kentucky fried chicken restaurant, chomping down on some finger-licking good chicken. When confronted about what he was doing there, he just shook his dreads with a wry smile on his face. The same was true of Bin Laden, who had often referred to America as the great satan, because of the immorality and lewd dressing habits indulged across this country. The same Bin Laden was found with a number of X-rated movies in his possession, whilst he severely chastised the west for similar sins. And the list goes on and on, from Bible characters to secular folk, not one segment of society, nor of any religious establishment is immune from the problem of hypocrisy. And the reason is given in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Psalm 19: 12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

[3] Just because a person may have fallen into dreadful sin, does it mean that they are hypocrites. Let’s read:

Proverbs 24:6 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

[4]Hypocrites can be changed by the grace of God.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. 
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

[Conflict and Courage pp. 234]  Isaiah had denounced the sin of others; but now he sees himself exposed to the same condemnation he had pronounced upon them. He had been satisfied with a cold, lifeless ceremony in his worship of God. He had not known this until the vision was given him of the Lord. How little now appeared his wisdom and talents as he looked upon the sacredness and majesty of the sanctuary. How unworthy he was! how unfitted for sacred service! ...
The vision given to Isaiah represents the condition of God’s people in the last days. They are privileged to see by faith the work that is going forward in the heavenly sanctuary. “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” As they look by faith into the holy of holies, and see the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, they perceive that they are a people of unclean lips,—a people whose lips have often spoken vanity, and whose talents have not been sanctified and employed to the glory of God.

[5] The presence of hypocrites is no reason to stop attending church. This last fact about hypocrites is where our study for this afternoon takes up, for it is one of the most common reasons given by dis-affected members for not being willing to attend church anymore. Let’s read:

1st samuel 1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah"..... 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

At this time in ancient Israel’s history, the services of the sanctuary were riddled with the most heinous sins and hypocrisies, and according to the Bible, most of the Hebrews had become quite discouraged from attending church services, for they abhorred the offering of the Lord, as executed by the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas. Their blatant sacrilegious practices were apparently used as valid reasons for staying away from the services of the temple, to the point where some members were now actually afraid to go to church. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:16  And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

But there was one family which did not allow the hypocrisy of Eli and his sons to interfere with their faithfulness and their relationship with God, and even though the sacrifices and offerings they took to the temple were most likely being used inappropriately, they still continued to attend on a yearly basis. This aspect of dealing with the problem of hypocrites is worthy of emulation in our day where many sincere Christians have become discouraged and disillusioned by the worldly-mindedness and the double standards practiced and countenanced in many churches. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father".....

If everyone in the church were to stop attending because of a preponderance of hypocrites, then no faithful members will remain to make a difference. And when there are no faithful members in attendance, the administrative services of the sanctuary, and the necessary outreach to the community are left in disrepair, and before we know it, satan has gained a stunning victory, by both severely restricting the usefulness of the church, whilst at the same time, robbing the congregation of spiritual nutrition, which then leads to more and more spiritual declension. 

As Christians, there are times in our experiences when we may not feel enthusiastic about attending church services, because of the abundance of hypocrites, or because of coldness on the part of fellow believers. However, we should always remember that it was Christ who died to save us, and as such, our faithfulness to Him should not be based on existential negatives, but we should rather consider that our sacred commitment is first and foremost, to God, on an individual basis. 
Let us therefore seek to emulate the faithfulness of Elkanah and his entire household in our own experiences, for God honors those who honor Him, and the faithfulness of a few, might very well be the agencies by which The Holy Spirit might institute positive change for the better, and the greater good of all. 

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to stay the course with Christ, even during days of conflict and apostasy, for God is able to turn the tide of evil in favor of righteousness, according to His good pleasure. Let's read:
Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

                                                                      God bless!

The Right To Bear Arms. Sabbath Afternoon. 10/24/2015

The second amendment of the U.S constitution provides all citizens the freedom and the right to bear arms, so that the issue of personal protection of life, family, and property can be handled and dealt with on an individual basis, with persons taking responsibility for their own safety. In harmony with this right, many millions of citizens have purchased guns, ammunition, and all sorts of protective gear, so that great swaths of our nation are now armed to the tooth. The guns thus purchased, and kept in many homes, offices, or those worn on our persons now run the entire gamut, from the popular Smith and Wesson hand revolvers, to A.k 47s, assault rifles which include long-range shot guns, and the very notorious Bushmaster, used to kill several persons a few years ago. Thus it is, that the issue of personal protection, has become much more than a right in, some cases, but instead has ballooned into a sort ofobsession, with gun ownership in the United States now being estimated at approximately 300 million. Let’s read:

Constitution of United States of America 1789 (rev. 1992) 2nd Amendment:

A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

In addition to these rights and freedoms, we are now facing the very real prospect of nationwide open-carry laws, which provide registered gun owners to publicly display their weapons, and there are now hundreds of thousands of public places and venues which allow for such displays. As a matter of fact, there are only five remaining states across the country, which do not have open-carry laws, thus, if there is any national unrest for any reason, we mustunderstand that millions of guns, ammunition and other types of weaponry are readily available, for they are already in the hands of very many people across the land. Thus, we are becoming more and more prone to arm ourselves, because of very real and existential threats to our personal security, and it may not be long before we find ourselves living in the wild, wild, West. Let’s read:

The Washington Examiner: A bill that would allow the open-carry of a firearm in public got its first hearing before a justice subcommittee in the Florida House of Representatives Tuesday. HB 163 would relax existing Florida law by allowing anyone who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon to be able to do so openly, meaning guns could soon be visible on the hips of Floridians. Owners of private property in Florida, such as owners of malls and movies theaters, could still ban guns regardless of a license. Also under Florida law, there is no carrying guns in schools, government meetings, airports or bars. According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Florida is one of only five states plus the District of Columbia that prohibits the open carrying of guns altogether. Fifteen states currently allow open carry with some sort of license or permit, while 31 states allow open carry without any sort license or permit. The bill cleared the House sub-committee by an 8-4 vote Tuesday morning. It now heads to four more committees before heading for a full floor vote.

Now, while it is true that this forum does not vouch for or against our individual freedoms and rights, yet it has now become necessary for us to study the sensitive issue of personal protection from a Biblical perspective, for whatsoever we decide to do, and whatsoever choices we may make, should bear the stamp of God’s approval, since, as Christians we are under the direct jurisdiction of our invisible Leader, even The Lord Jesus Christ, who is King of kings, and Lord of Lords. Thus, in harmony with the protection project, which is now before our faces, our case study will be taken from the scriptures, where a devout Christian by the name of Job is living, not in the plains of Judea or Palestine, but in the Lone Star state of Texas, where open-carry laws are now the order of the day. Let’s read:

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

 Job is a rancher, living on the border with Mexico, and he has several herds of long-horn cattle which he often sells to the local supermarkets and other grocery chains, so that he now has a thriving, and profitable business, with several sheep-handlers, and other servants in his employ, and he is a well-respected member of the community in which his ranch is located. And since the laws of his state do provide for open-carry laws, he can now legally buy several Bushmasters, and other long-range rifles to protect himself and his family from bandits, and other ranchers who may wish to do him harm. And so, he has a decision to make, since, on the border with Mexico where he lives, he has often witnessed many immigrants and drug dealers crossing over his property during the day, and also at nights, and so, the issue of personal protection for his family and property is a very real concern that he has do deal with. Question: Should Job, the Christian purchase a plethora of guns and ammunition as provided for by the state of Texas, or should He simply trust in the invisible protection which God bestows on all of His true servants? This question must now be answered not only by Job, but by every believing child of God, because the issues are right at our very doorsteps.

So let’s begin by establishing some undeniable facts from the scriptures, which deal directly with these very sensitive issues. The very first point for us to address is whether or not the protection from God, trumps the personal protection we may engage in personally, and if so, what should be our response to this fact. The scriptures tell us that there was a day when the various heads of other inhabited worlds in the universe had a conference meeting of sorts with God, and satan, now being the de-facto prince of this world was also in attendance, for because of his temptations to our first parents, he had cunningly usurped this right from Adam. And as he took his proverbial “seat” at the table, The Lord was moved to ask him what he was doing there, to which he replied that he came from wandering up and down in the earth. But under further probing by The Lord, satan was forced to acknowledge one of the most sublime truths ever revealed to mortals,

 that The God of heaven takes the protection of His people, their families and their property very seriously, to the point where several invisible agents are sent to watch over us night and day, 24/7. Let’s read:

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Now, if Job had gone ahead anyway, and had armed himself to the tooth, because of the many and very real existential threats to his person and property, then the question for us to answer is whether such actions would have been sufficient or adequate to ward off robbers and bandits, if they had decided to make a brazen raid on Job’s family ranch. To answer this question we again turn to the scriptures, for as Christians we are cautioned to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. As the dogs were let loose, and the guardian angels pulled back their protecting forces from around Job, we observe that mayhem and disaster quickly follow, and all of Job’s well-coordinated efforts to protect his life and property are quickly unraveled, for the scriptures explicitly state that if The Lord does not keep the house, the watchman wakes in vain. Let’s read:

Job 1:12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.

Psalm 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to

eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Psalm 33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.

Thus it is, that a very real question, and a very valid concern looms large in the minds of millions of God fearing Christians such as Job, whether we should take up arms, or whether we should trust to the providences of God. Some are at a loss to grasp the reasons why God, who had protected Job in Texas for so long, now permitted such devastation and trouble to come upon him as in a moment. But it was necessary for the curtain to be lifted, so that all of humanity could get a glimpse of the real issues behind our national and personal security, and thus be led to trust in God rather in the many measures we may take to secure ourselves and our families. Although most of us, as citizens of the land of the free and the home of the brave, might not be aware of it, the mercies of God are the only reason why we are not consumed, for as was demonstrated in the foregoing passages, there are many billions of invisible foes which can, and do wreak havoc when permitted, and there is nothing we can do, and no security measures we can take to  to stop them from causing destruction in a moment,  except we trust in the Living God. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp. 589>590] Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God.

Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. It is God that shields his creatures, and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. Satan has control of all whom God does not especially guard. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power.

One of the passages of scripture which many people often stumble over, or misinterpret, have to do with the advice once given by Christ, when the time for

 His crucifixion drew near. In this instance, The Lord advised that the disciples should purchase swords, which were the equivalent of bearing arms back then, in anticipation of the coming conflict with the powers of darkness. The disciples readily responded by saying that they already had two, which means that they too misunderstood the words of Christ as being an endorsement of the right of Christians to bear arms. Let’s read:

Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

But this one, singular instance should never be allowed to override other passages which deal with the very same issue of protection, for if we were to take the admonition given on this one occasion, and were to act upon it by purchasing guns and all sorts of ammunition, we will place ourselves in a position where we will have taken the issue of our personal protection out of the hands of God, and therefore, whatever the result might be in any given situation, we would be responsible if we used deadly force in protecting ourselves. Furthermore, if we were to read further upon the very same instance with the disciples, we will observe that Christ was in no way endorsing the bearing, or use of arms, for He then stated emphatically, the laws of cause and effect that will apply to those who decide to go that route.  Let’s read:

Matthew 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

It is worthy of note that two important statements are here made by Christ, the first one which says implicitly that they which take the sword will perish by the sword, and then He makes reference to the fact that holy angels are quite capable of protecting Him, if need be. Thus it is, in this particular response Jesus refuted the view that as Christians we should be armed in self-defense, and also confirmed that the angel of The Lord is able to protect us from all foes, whether seen and unseen. But never should we conclude that because of our right to carry guns in self-defense, that we should now arm ourselves to the tooth, in the anticipation of some probable confrontation with robbers, mass-murderers, or even terrorists. Our lives are in God's hands, and as such we should trust His promises to protect those who serve Him according to His will, once we walk in tandem with His laws and institutions. Let's read:

Psalm 91:1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

If a Christian were to adopt the policy of toting guns and ammunition, the possibility of using such items spontaneously goes up exponentially, if a person is confronted with a dangerous situation on the spur of the moment, for it gives us the immediate option to use deadly force, as was the case when Christ and His disciples were rudely apprehended by the mob who came to arrest Jesus at night. The excuse of mental instability that is often put forward when mass-murders shoot many people or many students at random, seems to suggest that their actions were the result of some psychological condition, which does not affect otherwise sober people. But Peter, like most of us, was “Mentally stable”, until he was faced with a sudden danger, and when this threat occurred, the natural instinct of self-preservationkicked in, and he then resorted to the use of deadly force, albeit against God's will. What we need to understand is that it’s not in every situation that it may be God’s will for us to be delivered, for after speaking brilliantly about the heroes of faith, the apostle Paul says “And there were others”. In other words, whilst Daniel and the three Hebrews were delivered by the direct inter-position of God, many martyrs such as Stephen, and many other Christians died at the hands of Rome, however, in the sight of God, both groups were considered conquerors, and will go on to receive the crown of life which God will give to all the faithful. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.

It is therefore necessary that The scriptural truths pertaining to preparations, and efforts to defend ourselves, now be made known, for according to the Bible, things are about to get a whole lot worse, and thus, we will have to decide whether to arm ourselves, or to leave our lives in God’s hands; to adopt our rights granted in the 2nd amendment, or to let God decide whether we live or die. The following scriptures clearly outline both God’s will and the nature of the conflict, so that every true Christian may be acquainted with the right course of action to pursue, when faced with dangerous and life-threatening situations, and while it is true that we still retain our rights to choose, the time is now, that we consider whether the laws and provisions of men will take precedence over the teachings of God’s word in these matters. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

 but mighty through God to the pulling down of  strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his”... “disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

In closing, there is a detailed account given in the scriptures about how Christians should deal with potential enemies or foes, and it will do us well to carefully consider the effect that following the unique methods of God, has on the minds of the ungodly. God’s ways are not man’s ways, for He deals only in the currency of love, and even though at times He is moved to execute judgments against those who may harm His people, yet His actions are always conducted for the very best good of saints and sinners alike. With this in mind, let us then be humble and willing enough to both implement and learn of Christ’s methods in fending off evils, for the word “Christian” means little Christ. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 6:8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee,

open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them:

wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

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.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

May God bless the study and practice of His Word. 

Wet Foot, Dry Foot, And The Law Of Faith. Sabbath Afternoon 10/17/2015

In the year 1995, an informal agreement was made between the United States and Cuba, by which Cuban migrants who made it to U.S soil, would not be repatriated, but would have been eligible for an immigrant visa, permanent residence, and finally U.S citizenship. Those who were thus successful in braving the turbulent and often dangerous waters between the two countries, then reaching shore, were informally referred to as “Dry foot” migrants, meaning that they had reached dry land. On the other hand, those who were not successful, but were otherwise lost, or were intercepted at sea by the U.S coast guard, were then repatriated, and were designated as “Wet foot” migrants, because they were apprehended or lost at sea. But to make that trip, with no certainty of ever reaching land required a big leap of faith, for history shows that very many people who attempted to make the perilous journey have been lost at sea, with some estimates putting the figures at several thousands, if not more. 

Therefore, the mere fact that individuals in Cuba
would take the risk of not arriving in the U.S, thus putting their lives on the line for what they believe would be a better life, teaches us a lot about how the Christian’s faith works, for there are very many similarities, and important lessons to be deduced from these daring experiences. What is worthy of note, is that in deciding to make that dangerous journey over turbulent seas, Cuban immigrants are never guaranteed that the going will be all smooth, and so it is with this understanding that they zip up their boots and take the leap of faith, believing that the “Promised land” will be theirs at the end of the voyage. People who embark upon such a perilous journey in faith are usually successful in life when they arrive in the U.S, for by making that voyage on rafts or small wooden boats, they do display a very rugged mentality that is quite capable of braving, and surmounting the most daunting challenges.

Our personal decisions to obey and believe Christ, should not primarily be based on guarantees that everything will go smoothly without a hitch, for like the Florida straits, it is a perilous journey that the Christian embarks upon, with temptations, and all kinds of hurdles and difficulties to surmount, in addition to which there are disappointments which at times severely test our faith, and our sanity. But faith that is not tested cannot be trusted, for just as the tensile strength of a bridge must be rigorously tested before being available for daily traffic, just so must the Christian be tested in various ways, so that a rugged enduring faith may be developed as a part of the fabric of our characters. This will ultimately require that we trust God in places where we may not be able to trace His movements, or where our human logic, methods, ways and means may fail of affording any solutions.

This is one of the important lessons The Lord taught the Hebrews as they were being prepared to cross the river Jordan, at a time when the waters were at flood stage, overflowing its banks into nearby fields. The instruction from God was that the priests who bore the Ark of the Covenant should stand ready on the banks of the Jordan, and as soon as their feet got wet by touching the waters, the river would then split in two, and the whole congregation would go through on dry land. Thus the “Wet foot, dry foot” method of exercising faith in God was firmly established, meaning that we might never see or experience miraculous results if we are not willing to get our feet “Wet”. In other words, if we wait for the river Jordan to part before we make our move, then the possibilities of dry land on the other side may never be realized. Let’s read:

Joshua 3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites”…
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. 
12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 
15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) 
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 
17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Earlier on in their wanderings, the children of Israel had failed signally, just as God was about to work a mighty deliverance for them, in giving them the land of Canaan. At this time God had repeatedly told them that He was going to bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, meaning that it was well watered, the soil was rich, and the earth there brought forth fruit and food in abundance. But not being satisfied with what God had declared on several occasions, they suggested to Moses that spies be sent out to search the land, in order to double-check God’s promises, to see if they were indeed true, and since that decision to send spies was a decision based on fear and doubt, it did not fail to produce the evil results that a doubting spirit always produces. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophet pp. 387] Eleven days after leaving Mount Horeb the Hebrew host encamped at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Paran, which was not far from the borders of the Promised Land. Here it was proposed by the people that spies be sent up to survey the country. The matter was presented before the Lord by Moses, and permission was granted, with the direction that one of the rulers of each tribe should be selected for this purpose. The men were chosen as had been directed, and Moses bade them go and see the country, what it was, its situation and natural advantages; and the people that dwelt therein, whether they were strong or weak, few or many; also to observe the nature of the soil and its productiveness and to bring of the fruit of the land.

But there is something radically wrong with this request as was made by the people, for if God had already stated that the land is flowing with milk and honey, then to send out spies to verify these facts would show unbelief in the words and promises of God, and as the sacred record shows, this mindset is a “Wet foot” mindset, meaning that all those who deliberately indulge a doubting spirit, without true repentance, are never the ones to cross over onto dry land. And in harmony with this sobering truth, we read of the sad results of harboring doubt, in the face of God’s promises and assurances. Let’s read: 
Numbers 13:16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 
18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 
19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 
20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, 
whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up
their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 
3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

[Christian Service pp. 110] Often the Christian life is beset with dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage and death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, Go forward. Let us obey the command, even though our sight cannot penetrate the darkness. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey. Faith looks beyond the difficulties, and lays hold of the unseen, even Omnipotence, therefore it cannot be baffled. Faith is the clasping of the hand of Christ in every emergency.

It is often the case that when we presume to “Spy” out the land, that our worst fears are confirmed, therefore it’s always better to adopt the “Dry foot” mentality leaving the future fulfillment of God’s promises in His hands. Decisions that are based on fear usually cost us dearly, because they are made preemptively, without trusting God. While decisions that are made through faith are usually capable of overcoming unexpected and unforeseen challenges, for faith places its strength and confidence in the omnipotent power of God, whilst fear dwells almost solely on that which is logical and that which can be seen. Hence the reason why the apostle James says that fear has torment, for it is continuously riddled with ever-changing negative possibilities that may, or may not occur, and in most cases fear serves as a deterrent that is centered in phantom dangers, that are usually prefaced with the words, “What if”.

A young man seeks to be married to the girl of his dreams, but then the question arises, “What if”. “What if” she does not turn out to be whom I had expected, and “What if” she cannot cook good food, and “What if” the marriage does not work out. And before we know it the poor young man has so many unanswered questions in his mind that he not only begins to doubt the girl of his dreams, but also goes on a witch hunt for phantom problems which exist solely in his imagination, to the point that finally, on his wedding day, when pressed by his pastor for a positive response to the marriage vow, he answers, not with “I do”, but blurts out “I might”. Thus the marriage which could have been a God-send, starts off on a tenor of enlarging real or unreal difficulties, with plan “B” always sitting in the shadows.

Again, a husband and wife seek to purchase their first home, and after prayer they are led by God to a beautiful home in the Miami suburbs, in a decent neighborhood with good schools. It is located just minutes from where they both work, the mortgage note can be easily afforded, and it’s five minutes away from Publix, where shopping is a pleasure. But then again, that haunting question, “What if” begins to unravel, and to nip away at what God has already done. “What if” it has termites? Guess what, if any one lives in Florida, you will have termites sooner or later! Again, “What if” a sink hole should develop in the future, or “What if” a hurricane comes along? “What if” the neighbors are not friendly? And “What if” we should lose our jobs? Now all these are viable concerns, but if left to run riot unbridled, they can then cause the couple to question God’s leadership, and like the Israelites of old, they too might begin to complain that God led them in a path to kill them and their family. Thus it is quite possible for us to reason and worry ourselves out of the hands of Christ, and whenever this occurs He appears to be more of an enemy than a Friend. 

Therefore, if we are looking for the perfect mate, the perfect house, or the perfect church, with no possibility of there being any hiccups along the way, then we will be disappointed, and we may be left no choice but to join Alice in wonderland. Let’s read:

           [Patriarchs and Prophets, 293, 294]
Though their present needs are supplied, many are unwilling to trust God for the future, and they are in constant anxiety lest poverty shall come upon them, and their children shall be left to suffer. Some are always anticipating evil, or magnifying the difficulties that really exist, so that their eyes are blinded to the many blessings which demand their gratitude. The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only source of strength, separate them from him because they awaken unrest and repining....

Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us but does not help us to bear trials. No place should be given to that distrust of God which leads us to make a preparation against future want the chief pursuit of life, as though our happiness consisted in these earthly things.

Thus it is that in all of our endeavors, whether it be in soul-saving, church-building, or dealing with the many problems that may come our way from time to time, let us therefore manifest that perfect trust in the power of Jehovah to guide us with wisdom
and discretion, and also to fulfill His promises in due season, for whatsoever we have gotten clearance from God to do, He is able to perform, once we do not run ahead of Him, but patiently wait for His word. As Christians we often prefer a long detailed plan stretching way into the future, but if God were to deal thus with us, then we will not need faith, for our obedience will be based on fact, not on trust. Whenever God says go forward, it means for us to proceed full speed ahead until He says stop, for the rivers of Jordan before us usually open up, only as we take that first step in getting our feet wet. Then as we proceed, trusting in God, we are able to walk through on dry land, according as His providence and promises guide us. 

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which cautions us not to fall into the same errors of the ancient Hebrew people by not trusting in God, and harboring unbelief and doubt, for their “Wet foot, dry foot” experiences were written so that we may
make straight paths for our feet. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 
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.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!

Godly Sorrow Versus Human Sorrow. Sabbath Afternoon. 10/10/2015

The lines between godly sorrow for sin, and human sorrow for results have become increasingly blurred in our day, to the point where it is pretty difficult to tell the difference, especially since a popular brand of pseudo repentance has been creeping upon us, through the dissemination of false teachings on this point. As a general rule of thumb, any sorrow for sin which does not lead us to repentance, including a radical, permanent change of lifestyle and habits, is false, and is neither endorsed nor recognized in the scriptures. Godly sorrow can be likened unto an individual making a complete U-turn on the road of life, by which the former sinful habits, and practices are given up, in favor of Christ-like characteristics, virtues, and values, which are rightly described in the Bible, as being commensurate with a person’s claim to be a Christian. Let’s read:

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance”…

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Human sorrow on the other hand, focuses squarely on the tragic results of sin in its different forms, and is often emotionally charged, but does not address the root cause, nor does it come up with permanent solutions. And in the context of sin and its results, it is often found to be blaming circumstances, others, or society, for a wrong course of action, and always seeks to vindicate itself, never accepting any of the responsibility for the end results. And what is even more disturbing about it, as it occurs in our day, is that it is often the catalyst for a multitude of good deeds, which in many instances, are meant to offset the wrongs that are cherished and indulged. Hence the reason why the Bible stipulates for us what true sorrow for sin consists of, and therefore it is of the utmost importance that we be able to know the differences between the two.

Whenever Christ takes possession of an individual’s heart, there must always to be observed, a forward momentum in constant growth and development of the character, for God’s true people are a people on the move, and therefore, when the history of their lives are traced from point A to point B, after they have received the Holy Spirit, there is always to be seen a general upward trajectory. This is not to say that there will not be any low points in our lives or in our experiences, for everyone falls short of God’s glory from time to time, yet the general tendency in those who have truly given their lives to God will be upward, and not retrogressive. This solemn Biblical truth about godly sorrow for sin, and the confession and repentance which attends it, is encapsulated in several passages of scripture, so that we may not be deceived nor swayed by the many counterfeit forms of  repentance that have now become the order of the day. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2nd Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do

 these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The history of Esau’s life presents an interesting case study on the issue of pseudo repentance, and the book of Hebrews cautions us all, not to follow in his footsteps, for although he seemed to be a very emotional person, he never came to the point of total surrender to the requirements of God, and for this reason he is described as being “Profane” in the Bible. Some have erroneously concluded that since he was a hunter, and took pleasure in the chase and the capture of wild beasts, that he was hard and unfeeling in all his ways. But the Bible shows us that this was definitely not the case, because on several different occasions, he was moved to emotionalism and tears, when his heart was obviously touched.

Case in point was when he had decided to avenge himself on Jacob for the birthright that he sold, and which was taken away from him by the cunning of Jacob. As he approached his brother with his family members, wives and little children all in a row, he was moved with human compassion, and instantly forgot about his murderous plots. And as he came even closer, he could not contain himself anymore, but was rather overcome by his emotions, and ran towards his younger brother, who was now in limp mode, and fell on his neck and wept profusely. Thus it is obvious that Esau was not devoid of all human sympathy, but could be touched with human feeling just like anyone else. In addition to these evidences of human pity, Esau never afterward renewed his animosity and hatred towards Jacob, for when it was time to bury their father Isaac, both of them showed up, standing shoulder to shoulder, grieving the loss of their father. Let’s read:

Genesis 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and

 Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

Genesis 35:27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Again, when Esau learned of the deception which was practiced upon Isaac by his brother Jacob, he broke down in tears, and pleaded with his dad for a blessing. Here again he is manifesting that human sorrow for bad results, but not godly sorrow for sin, and although he lifted up his voice and wept with an exceedingly bitter cry, yet those outbursts of human emotion were not sufficient to secure him pardon and forgiveness, for at the end of the day, he sorrowed for temporal loss, not for wounding and despising the God who desired to save him. Q: Did he do some good charitable deeds in his life? Absolutely! And was his heart touched by human suffering, and feelings of pity? Certainly! But that was not what God was looking for, because sorrow for sin, which would result in a permanent change of course and action, was conspicuously absent. Let’s read:

Genesis 27:34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding

bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

Hebrews 12: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God”….

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

The current leader of the Vatican has introduced one of the most dangerous forms of repentance ever dispensed to mortals, for it bears a semblance of holiness and piety, which, if not understood for what it really is, can be innocently swallowed like a cold draft of spiritual cool-aid, which when imbibed, will induce a slow, and imperceptible slumber, from which those who are thus deceived, may never ever awaken, except it be by the most vigorous, urgent intervention of The Holy Ghost. This pseudo form of repentance, make allowance for good deeds, and charitable acts of mercy, to atone for wrongs that are never ever given up or repented of, and which does not call for a radical change in previous evil practices and habits. What it also does is to allow us to retain our defects of character and cherished sins with the vain hope that God will somehow lower His standard of righteousness to save us in our sins, and since He is a God of love, will not follow through on His judgments which are to be meted out to those who deliberately continue in sin.

 [BBC news, Europe: 29 July 2013.]

“Speaking to reporters on a flight back from Brazil, he reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's position that homosexual acts were sinful, but homosexual orientation was not”….

The meaning of the word “Orientation” in context, as is given in the dictionary means:

a :  a usually general or lasting direction of thought, inclination, or interest.

b :  a person's self-identification as heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.

"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to

judge?"… His remarks on gay people are being seen as much less judgmental than his predecessor's position on the issue. But Pope Francis said “gay clergymen should be forgiven and their sins forgotten”.

A vital ingredient of godly sorrow for sin is strangely absent from these sentences, for the word change is nowhere to be found, as is clearly required in the scriptures. For us to eliminate the word change from the concept of sorrow for sin, is to undermine and make of none effect, the very essence of the gospel, for the Bible specifically states that faithful war must be waged against cultivated or inherited tendencies to evil, if we are to facilitate the inner working of The Holy Spirit in our hearts. Therefore, if we have tendencies to drink alcohol, or do drugs, or if we have the tendency to overeat, or if our one weakness is a desire for those of the same sex, then as Christians, we obviously cannot be satisfied with the status quo, for the Bible teaches us that those inclinations, those tendencies, and propensities are indeed sinful, and therefore cannot be deliberately practiced or indulged whilst one is claiming to be a Christian. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Furthermore, the charge of being judgmental, when ever the Bible points out sin, is nothing new, for there is nothing new under the sun. When Christ commanded us not to “Judge”, it means not to proscribe any person, excommunicating them from the merits of His grace. But never does it carry the connotation, that the preaching of unadulterated truth from God’s word is to be avoided, because of any political correctness, or because of the popular majority opinion to the contrary. Instead, a solemn and sacred duty devolves upon the shoulders of every true Christian to give the trumpet a “Certain sound”, whether the people will hear, or whether they will forbear, for to do anything less than what is thus commanded in the Bible, will represent a betrayal of sacred trusts, and will cause those who are thus guilty, to pay dearly for the lives of those who might have otherwise been warned, and saved. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.

2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee”… “to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they”… “have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.

5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear”….

If the passages of scripture pertaining to what we are now witnessing, and studying had ended here, there would not have been any cause for alarm, for we might have concluded that the job description given was only riddled with hurdles that are difficult to surmount, and thus, in the worst case scenario, we could expect stiff opposition from the sin-loving

multitudes. But the passages do not stop here, but rather continue on with dire repercussions for the ones who are found unfaithful to their charge, by either watering down the truth to suit itching ears, or by otherwise withholding those truths that are not palatable or popular, for the sake of avoiding imminent conflict with the powers of darkness, or because of self-preservation reasons. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman”….. “therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

Whenever the servants of God are sent to rebuke sin in the world or in the church, it is quite common for them to be viewed as being judgmental, for the human heart does not naturally take kindly to any reproof, but often sets up an affront to resist the working of The Holy Ghost. For instance, when Lot dared to call sin by its right name, when addressing his fellow-citizens on the topic of gay marriage, the very same charge was brought against him, and were it not for the direct interposition of God, he would have been torn in pieces by those who had their consciences thus disturbed. Let’s read:

Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again,

 This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Now it is important for us to declare by the sole authority of the scriptures, that God is not the enemy of man, for He sent His Son Jesus into the world, not to condemn, but rather to save. And in harmony with His mission to do so, repentance after the godly sort must of necessity form an integral part of the whole salvation process, if we are ever to be saved in His kingdom. The steps in being reconciled to God are clearly outlined in the Bible, so that no one needs to err, as concerning what is involved. Whatever sinful propensities or evil desires we suffer with must be identified, using God’s great standard of righteousness, and we must confess wherever we have fallen into sin. If this is done with a desire to be reconciled to God on His terms, then He will respond by doing what we cannot do for ourselves, by sending us His Holy Spirit who will implant new desires in our hearts, and will give us His enabling, supernatural power, so that the old habits with which we were shackled, can be permanently uprooted. Anything short of this is the equivalent of cheap grace, and will set up those who fall for it, for very bitter disappointment, when the numbers are finally tallied. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding”….. “saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.

13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast

 scattered thy ways to the strangers “.. “and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

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.

In closing, The Lord makes a final appeal to earth’s inhabitants for us to presently avail ourselves of His gracious overtures to save us, by accepting His gift of repentance through Christ, as the only means by which change for the better can be materialized in our lives. Good works are good in their legitimate sphere, but cannot save us, if while claiming to be Christ’s, we continue to cling to sin. Thus it is with words of solemn pathos, in loving entreaties that fail of human comprehension, that the last chapter in the last book of the Bible, tells us of God’s love to save the human family, and it’s His will that we now respond in the affirmative, before our probation, as a nation and as individuals, is forever closed. Let’s read:

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                         God bless!

Three Vital Lessons In Obedience. Sabbath Afternoon. 10/03/2015

There is a familiar hymn which we often sing that goes like this, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way”, and for many years we may not have been aware of the full import of those words. But now the time has come for us to understand three vital lessons pertaining to obeying God’s voice, lessons which are to implemented both now and in the future, if we are to survive the coming final conflict between the powers of good and evil, which have been predicted in the Bible for so long. A mind that is trained to implicitly obey God’s voice, is of more value than intellectual accomplishments and claims of faith, for at the end of the day, it’s not merely the hearers of His word, but the doers who will find an entrance into the pearly gates.

There are many who claim to have received The Holy Ghost, and there are many others who boast of having a knowledge of Christ, but in the final analysis, it is only those who follow through in obeying God, who will be saved, regardless of whatsoever the profession of being a Christian may be. The Lord made this plain to king Saul, after he deliberately refused to carry out God’s commands to the letter, for he thought to himself that good intentions and actions will atone for obedience, a mistake that is being repeated all too often in our day. Hence the reason why the three case studies for this afternoon will focus our attention squarely on different aspects of obedience that we may not have previously considered. Let’s read:

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.

Here in these two verses the Lord is saying that if He has to choose between worship and us obeying His voice, He prefers obedience, because worship without compliance is the equivalent of rebellion. It is therefore important that we train our minds to obey God’s voice implicitly, even before we receive logical reasons for doing so, because in the final conflict against the powers of darkness, nothing but perfect obedience to the voice of God will do, and since practice makes perfect, we may want to begin with those instructions which have been plainly revealed in the scriptures. As a matter of fact, if we are habitually hesitant in obeying the written word, we may never graduate to the spoken word, as it comes through the voice of God. And so the first example we will explore has to do with Joash, king of Israel who had come to visit with Elisha the prophet, just prior to his death.

As Elisha lay on his death bed, the spirit of The Lord came upon him, while Joash was weeping over him, and moved upon the prophet to give the king some tokens of future victories over the Syrians, who had been a sort of menace to the Hebrew people, at times invading their country and putting them to tribute. The prophet then gives the king a series of commands, which as the king obeys implicitly, the explanations do follow. It is now necessary that we keenly observe the commands given, and the action taken by the king in response, for they teach us the first lesson in obeying the voice of God. Let’s read:

2nd kings 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.

17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

Now even though the first four instructions coming from The Lord through Elisha, seem to suggest that Joash was being prepared shoot his arrows, he must not be found shooting them before being told to do so, for then he would be running before God, in doing what seems obvious, a very common mistake that is made in the lives of many Christians. When God, through His providence opens up a way for us to procure victories, it’s imperative that we wait patiently for His guidance and leadership all along the way, lest we be tempted with a presumptuous course of action, which did not have the stamp of His approval. This is what took place with Joshua after God had promised the Hebrews the Land of Canaan, and they then moved upon His promises and took it upon themselves to attack the city of Ai, before consulting with Him as to the timing and the method to be implemented in gaining the victory which was already theirs.

Up to this point Joash had done well, in obeying implicitly what The Lord had spoken through the prophet Elisha, but on the next command given, he tripped up, for he stopped doing what he was asked to do, without being told to stop. This brings us to a very important aspect of obedience, for whenever God has given us the green light in a certain course of action, we are to proceed full speed ahead until He bids us stop, and under no circumstances should we conclude that we have done enough to satisfy His requirements. Some Christians are called to serve in different capacities in the church, and it is often the case that we stop midstream, without being told to stop by God, and we allow problems, discouragement, and a lack of cooperation on the part of other members to prevent us from finishing what we once started, under the direction of God. If God has told us to run, we are to keep on running until He bids us stop. If Lot had stopped for any reason, after being told by the angels to run for his life, then we would have read of two pillars of salt instead of one. It’s that serious. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 13:18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.

19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria

but thrice.

The next important lesson in obedience to God’s voice is taken from the experience of Zipporah, Moses’ wife, who had refused to have their son circumcised, according to the plainest command of God in this matter. Zipporah probably thought that the physical pain that circumcision would cause her newborn, was an unfair, and totally unnecessary requirement, and since she could not draw a logical or scientific line between circumcision and salvation she chose to go with plan “B”, which always seems to be the better way, as it is often presented by the adversary of souls. And if we in our day begin to look for excuses for disobeying God’s written word, the devil will be more than happy and willing to supply numerous passages of scripture to support us in a wrong course of action, because for every temptation to disobey God’s voice, he has a whole surplus of Biblical passages, taken out of context, to confirm the disobedient in sin. And in the case of Zipporah, he would have undoubtedly used the following, if it were available back then. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

This same method of pitting scripture against the plain commands of God, is used profusely in our day, where millions of professed Christians excuse disobedience on the premise of love and mercy to our fellowmen. But the word of The Lord to us is “These ought ye to have done, and not to have left the others undone”, for good works never atone for obedience, and deliberate, partial compliance with God’s word is reckoned as full blown disobedience. This second lesson needs to be fully comprehended by all, for it has now become all too common to quote the scriptures out of context in order to justify sin. The false doctrine of “Mercy without compliance”, satisfying the conditions upon which mercy is to be granted, is a satanic message that is concocted in the laboratories of hell, and which will lead millions of unwary Christians to destruction.

Furthermore, in the experience of Zipporah, her husband Moses was to enter satan’s enchanted ground, and the devil would have liked nothing better than for Moses to enter the chamber of magicians, with one act of disobedience hanging over his head, for then Moses would be torn to pieces, and God’s name would have suffered great reproach as a result. This second lesson cannot be emphasized enough, especially now, as God is preparing to send a company of obedient soldiers into enemy territory, to wage spiritual war against the powers of darkness. If for any reason we were to presume to wrest satan’s captives, without our complete compliance with everything we know to be right, the enemy of souls will then maul to death, all those who are in the habit of partial obedience. Let’s read:

Exodus 4:21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand”…..

22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.

23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.

25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 

26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 255>256] On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning of the Lord’s displeasure. An angel appeared to him in a threatening manner, as if he would immediately destroy him. No explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God’s requirements; yielding to the persuasion of his wife, he had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. He had failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled to the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel”… Zipporah, fearing that her husband would be slain, performed the rite herself, and the angel then permitted Moses to pursue his journey.

In his mission to Pharaoh, Moses was to be placed in a position of great peril; his life could be preserved only through the protection of holy angels. But while living in neglect of a known duty, he would not be secure; for he could not be shielded by the angels of God. In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God’s law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.

The third and final lesson in obeying God’s voice is taken from the experiences of Paul and Silas, who were imprisoned for preaching the gospel. These men were following the mandate given by Christ to every Christian, and as such were in harmony with what God had commanded. But, as is often the case when the sin-loving multitudes become infuriated by the preaching of the plain utterances of God’s word, Paul and Silas were thrown in jail, in a sort of maximum security prison, with their two feet being shackled with iron chains, so as to prevent their escape. But at midnight, Paul and Silas, instead of complaining with the “Why me syndrome”, they instead prayed and sang praises unto God, for the privilege of suffering for the sake of Christ, a mode of thought and action that is worthy of emulation in our day.

The Lord then responded with a remarkable miracle in a terrible earthquake which followed, which then caused all of the chains which had bound Paul and Silas, and every other prisoner to fall from off their hands and feet, in addition to which all the doors of the prison were thrown wide open, so that whoever desired to escape, could now do so. But strangely enough, Paul and Silas, together with all the other prisoners stayed put, even though it seemed that the providence of God had opened up a way for their escape. And then again, if they so chose, the devil would be standing by with a plethora of texts to sustain them in a wrong course of action. Texts such as,  “Psalm 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

The question then is, “Why would Paul and Silas deliberately remain in jail, even though it seemed as if the providence of God had pointed unmistakably to their deliverance? The answer has to do with our third and final lesson in obeying God’s voice, for whenever we are to be brought into straight places on account of preaching the gospel, we are still to wait for the voice of God if deliverance is His will, and unless they had received a directive coming from the mouth of God, implicit obedience will mean that they stay put, even if His providence was to the contrary. If Paul and Silas had opted for the easy way out, then the jailor might never have learned of Christ, and he and his entire family might never have been baptized.

Now some may be wondering why such serious lessons in obedience, and why it is necessary to not make a move without God’s plain directions. The reason is that in the near future, only the obedient will be shielded, and it is only by total compliance with His every word and instruction that we may find safety. The days in which we live are filled with turmoil and distress on every hand, and it is no longer entirely safe to even attend school. Added to all this is the fact that there are millions of sincere Christians who are now sitting in the shadows of Babylon, waiting for the voice of God to make their move, and it is through the preaching of “Moses and Elijah”, that the multitudes will be brought to the point of decision, as is stated in the book of Joel. Let’s read:

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of  mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame

of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.

11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

[Early Writings pp. 271] Said the angel, “Look ye!” My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude and holy, sacred joy.

The numbers of this company had lessened. Some had been shaken out and left by the way. The careless and indifferent, who did not join with those who prized victory and salvation enough to perseveringly plead and agonize for it, did not obtain it, and they were left behind in darkness, and their places were immediately filled by others taking hold of the truth and coming into the ranks. Evil angels still pressed around them, but could have no power over them.

I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents. The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone, and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”

No one is to erroneously conclude that satan will stand idly by as his territory is being invaded, for he will put up a desperate struggle, that if possible, this company of soldiers may be overthrown. Thus it is of critical importance that we train our minds to an unquestioning obedience to the written word of God, so that when He begins to utter His voice, we will already be in the habit of trusting and obeying. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reveals to us the graduation process, from the word of God written in the scriptures, to the word of God spoken by His literal voice, and which emphasizes the importance of implicit obedience to the written word in our day, for it is the will of God that every Christian come on board now, before His voice goes forever silent in our consciences. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                       God bless!

Understanding The Issue Of Forgiveness. Sabbath Afternoon. 09/26/2015

There are many different views and teachings on issue of forgiveness, especially as it pertains to the role of Christ in His High-Priestly ministry in the heavens, and the current earthly ministry of priests and bishops who have claimed to have the power and authority to forgive sins. Now, while there may be conflicting views on this issue, the Bible makes it crystal clear that pardon and forgiveness of sins can only be granted by Jesus Christ, because His death for us on Calvary effectually removed the need for any human intermediary. And thus we can now go boldly before the throne of grace to obtain mercy. In addition to this statement of fact, we should also be aware that one of the most important subjects directly addressed in the first angel’s message of Revelation 14, is that of the investigative judgment now taking place as we speak.

And since this judgment has to do with the eternal destiny of all people, it must of necessity include the forgiveness and blotting out of sins, an essential prerequisite for entrance into the pearly gates. Thus it behooves every individual living on planet earth, regardless of what religion, denomination, caste, creed, or cult we belong to, to fully understand the import and ramifications of this central truth, for our future depends on it. To begin with, there are some fundamental truths about forgiveness that we should understand from a scriptural standpoint, in order that we may proceed rationally, with further investigation on this matter, in a manner that will make us aware of the solemnity of the first angel’s message.

The first important point to observe is that the old system of using an earthly intermediary as a priest has been permanently nailed to the cross, and as such there is no need for us to confess our sins to a mortal man, just like ourselves. In other words, the death of Christ on the cross opened up a new and living way for all, so that we can go directly to Christ through the Holy Spirit, and confess our sins to Him. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

1st John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

These verses tell us with certainty that there is no need for penance, and the repetition of numerous prayers in an effort to secure the forgiveness and favor of God, for by His death, Christ has reconciled the entire human family back to God, if we accept Him, and were to follow His rules of engagement. This sacred truth, when it is adopted, lifts the heavy burdens of sin from off our shoulders, for now we can cast all our cares upon Jesus, who shed His blood to set us free. No more need to go through a bishop or priest with our most personal besetting sins, for no human being is to be made privy to our shortcomings, unless there is an issue involving someone who has been hurt by a wrong course of action. And even then, we are cautioned by Christ not to take the matter to a priest, bishop, pastor or elders, for Jesus gives us pertinent instruction on how all such matters should be handled, as pertains to forgiveness and reconciliation. Let’s read:

 Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee,

 thou hast gained thy brother.

16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

The next very important point for us to understand is that Christ has by His death, opened a door that no man can shut, and He has shut a door which no man can, nor should attempt to open. The door that has been opened up is the one that leads us to the most Holy place, where Christ is now interceding on behalf of those who walk through that specific door, by faith, and where forgiveness and blotting out of sins take place. Now brethren, we are constrained by God to break some disturbing news to the world at large, for if any individual were to go through any other door for any reason, after having come to a knowledge of this sacred truth, forgiveness of sins will be nowhere to be found. The seriousness of the first angel’s message is not nearly comprehended as it ought to be, so we are obliged to put it bluntly, so that what is about to be stated from the Bible will be understood in clear and unmistakable terms.

If any person has read, and understood from the Bible that there is only One Mediator between God and man, which is Christ Jesus, and then continues to take his or her sins to a priest, or bishop seeking absolution and forgiveness, all such sins will remain untouched in the books of heaven, and will stand to witness against that person in the judgment, for the simple fact that they continued to go through the wrong door. A deliberate decision to enter through the wrong door will end in sins not being forgiven, and thus our transgressions which remain, cannot ever be blotted out. This is one of the important, solemn truths, shining in a dark place, in the context of the first angel’s message, waiting to be heralded by the remnant who are supposedto give the trumpet a certain sound. Let’s read:

John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he  goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This”….. “spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

During the dark ages, comprising the 1260 years of papal supremacy, the Bible was kept away from the multitudes, and it was chained to monasteries, so that the people were left in spiritual darkness. And in addition to this, it was predetermined by bishops, priests, prelates and popes, that the scripture could only be understood, and rightly interpreted by the clergy, and because of this, whatever the spiritual leaders back then presented to the people, was thus received as a God-send, not to be investigated, or even queried. However, since that time, the Bible has been made widely available to the masses, so that right here in America, most Christian homes now have at least one Bible at their disposal, so that we are without excuse.  

In our homes we have different doors for gaining access to various amenities. We have the garage door if we need to reach our cars, and we have the bathroom door if we want to have a shower. Then again we have bedroom doors for if we need to have a good night’s rest. Thus, if we need to use our cars to make an emergency trip to the doctor, we would not use the bathroom door, for as far as we know, there are no vehicles parked there. And if we need restful sleep, then the correct door to use will be the bedroom door, for there our souls may find rest. But for us to believe that Christ will park an S.U.V in the bedroom just because we believe that transportation can be found there, will not change the dynamic, because the garage is for vehicles, the bathroom is for showers, the kitchen for food, and the bedroom door is used so that we may find rest.

Therefore, if any individual goes through the wrong door of priests and bishops, seeking forgiveness of sins through their mediation, after having learned of the truth which clearly designates Christ as our own High Priest, they too, will find no forgiveness of sins whatsoever, and all of the transgressions that were ever confessed under such a system, by those Christians who have known better, will remain in the records of heaven untouched, and unpardoned, if the right changes and corrections are never made. This sacred truth, and the eternal consequences of our choices and decisions in this matter, should be thoroughly understood in the context of the first angel’s message, which brings to light the solemnity of the investigative judgment, now taking place at this very moment, as we speak. Let’s read:

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.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.

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, as in the provocation.

Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

There is not a single mention in any of these verses, of even a hint or suggestion, that we must confess our private sins and weaknesses to any mortal man, for as we read these verses, it becomes very clear, that forgiveness of sins is all about Christ, who is to be the center of our focus, our faith and our utmost admiration. But when our focus is removed from Jesus’ ministry of forgiveness, and the blotting out of sins in the Most Holy place, and we instead place our attentions on a sinful mortal like ourselves, we put ourselves in a position where the mediation of Christ in our behalf becomes of no avail, and thus the entire gospel becomes a dead letter, not being able to produce the fruit of the Spirit in us, nor the cleansing from all unrighteousness that is essential to us being granted an entrance into God’s eternal kingdom of glory.

 These sacred truths are urgently to be dispensed, for there is about to be a very rude awakening, in which millions of Christians will realize too late, that pinning our hope of salvation on the forgiveness of a mere mortal man, has cost us eternity, hence the reason why the following instructions, and the dire warnings are coming to us from God today. Under a veneer of pseudo piety and humbleness, millions are succumbing to the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, and just as Christ stated in His words of warning, the popular majority are all now following blindly, where the beast leads the way.

When the Bible teaches us to walk humbly with God, it is not referring to the habit of driving around in little cars, instead it has to do with the complete surrender of our persons to Christ, His institutions, and His laws, by which He alone is exalted, and we follow wherever He may lead. This type of godly humility will lead us to surrender our preconceived ideas of truth and duty, in favor of “It is written”. Thus the following prophecies and warnings given in the Bible, are addressed squarely to our generation, which is on the verge of those climactic events that are scheduled to shake the very foundations of our society as we know it, in the very near future. Let’s read:

2nd Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea”… “and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 “And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of

 life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Now brethren, in lieu of these prophecies which are now being fulfilled before our very eyes, even as we speak, it becomes necessary for us to present in the clearest terms, and in three simple steps, what the process of forgiveness is, and how remission, and the blotting out of our sins must be accomplished, according to the scriptures. The Bible does not only point out problems, but it also gives us the solution, and thus, the following verses of scripture, when adopted, will grant us not only forgiveness of sins, full and free, but will also grant to us an abundant entrance into the eternal abodes of bliss, when The Lord comes to claim His own.

[1] We must first confess our sins directly to Christ, not to man, and we must do so with the intention of forsaking our sins, through the enabling power of the Holy Ghost, who is granted to all who believe. 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.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.

Psalm 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”…..

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

[2] We must be willing to walk in obedience to all of God’s commandments, including the fourth, for God sent Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins, not in our sins. Thus, The Holy Spirit takes up residence in the hearts of all those Christians, whose purpose it is obey God. This aspect of God’s ongoing forgiveness through Christ cannot be emphasized enough, especially in our day when a cheap form of grace which countenances grave sins, is now being peddled across the land. Let’s read:

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

1st John 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the

love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance”… “and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

[3] If we continue on in the first two steps outlined, all of our sins will finally be blotted out, when Christ is finished with the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. As the ancient sanctuary was cleansed on the Day of Atonement, when the earthly high priest took all the confessed and forsaken sins of the people, and placed them upon the head of the scapegoat, just so, when our sins are finally blotted out, Christ will take them and place them upon the head of satan, the antitypical scapegoat. And here is a sure method of knowing whether our sins have been blotted out as yet; if we can remember any of our sins, it means that they have not been blotted out as yet. It’s that simple! Let’s read:

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.

(The Great Controversy. Pp. 620) Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God would not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So, in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal. Their sins have gone beforehand to Judgment, and have been blotted out; and they cannot bring them to remembrance.

The last important point for our consideration is that when we forgive those who have trespassed against us, and when the Bible says that whatever sins are remitted on earth, are remitted in heaven, The Lord would have us understand that He always retains the last word, and ultimately decides who is to be a recipient of forgiveness, because the final word always remains with God, and never with man. For instance, when Jesus was dying on the cross, He spoke those timeless words to those who pierced, and mocked Him saying, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”. But under close investigation, we find that the prayer was never answered for many of the same people, because some of them refused to follow through on the other scriptural stipulations, which would have caused that prayer to become a living reality. Some did not confess, and others did not repent, and thus many of them prevented God from fulfilling Christ’s petition on their behalf. Let’s read:

Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him”….

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

In closing, there is a very interesting commentary on this very point, written by the servant of The Lord in the book Great Controversy. Pp. 666 and 667. The multitudes of the lost are now gathered for the last great final conflict, and every human being that has ever lived upon the earth is alive for the first time together. Let’s read:

As soon as the books of record are opened, and the  eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. Above the throne is revealed the cross; and like a panoramic view appear the scenes of Adam’s temptation and fall, and the successive steps in the great plan of redemption…. “The awful, mysterious agony in Gethsemane, beneath the crushing weight of the sins of the whole world; his betrayal into the hands of the murderous mob; the fearful events of that night of horror,—the unresisting prisoner, forsaken by his best-loved disciples, rudely hurried through the streets of Jerusalem; the Son of God exultingly displayed before Annas, arraigned in the high priest’s palace, in the judgment hall of Pilate, before the cowardly and cruel Herod, mocked, insulted, tortured, and condemned to die,—all are vividly portrayed.

And now before the swaying multitude are revealed the final scenes,—the patient Sufferer treading the path to Calvary; the Prince of Heaven hanging upon the cross; the haughty priests and the jeering rabble deriding his expiring agony; the supernatural darkness; the heaving earth, the rent rocks, the open graves, marking the moment when the world’s Redeemer yielded up his life.

The awful spectacle appears just as it was. Satan, his angels, and his subjects have no power to turn from the picture of their own work. Each actor recalls the part which he performed”….. “The weak, time-serving Pilate; the mocking soldiers; the priests and rulers and the maddened throng who cried, “His blood be on us, and our children!”—all behold the enormity of their guilt. They vainly seek to hide from the divine majesty of His countenance, outshining the glory of the sun, while the redeemed cast their crowns at the Saviour’s feet, exclaiming, “He died for me!”

Now brethren, if Jesus, as our One and only High Priest and Mediator, forgave those soldiers who pierced Him, and yet their sins still remained in the books of heaven to condemn them in the judgment, how is it that we are now expected to believe that a mere mortal priest or bishop can absolve anyone of their guilt and sins, through the administration of confessionals and absolution. There is absolutely a profound disconnect between what we have just read, and what we are now seeing in the current beatification of men and women, and in the age old practice of presuming to exalt mortals to sainthood. God is now calling His people out of that system of worship and forgiveness which is not productive of any good, and it’s His will that as we study and learn of these important truths, that we may step up to the plate, by following the instructions given in His word on these issues.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to look to Jesus alone, for He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau”….

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

22 But ye are come unto”… “the city of the living God”… “and to an innumerable company of angels.

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.

                       God bless!

The Snare Of Outward Appearance. Sabbath Afternoon 09/19/2015

The Bible has much to say about the snare of outward appearance, especially as it pertains to the tendency it has to affect the processes of decision-making. Beginning with our first parents, Adam and Eve, who succumbed to the deceptive arts of the evil one, because of his dazzling beauty and smooth sounding speeches, the habit of making decisions based on what appeals to our eyes has come down to us through history, causing the ruin of some of the world’s greatest leaders, from Jacob’s firstborn, Rueben, to Samson, to David, and from the ancient Hebrews to the Jewish leaders in Christ’s’ day. And now, as we’re standing upon the brink of eternity, the arch- enemy of God and man is scheduled to redouble his efforts, using the time-proven snare of outward appearance, to which millions have already succumbed, and will continue to fall for, if we do not reset the parameters by which we make our choices.

Our case study for today begins with Samuel and the children of Israel who demanded a king, instead of Jehovah, who had carried them on eagle’s wings from days of old. Having observed the customs and practices of other nations, they finally came to the aged Samuel with the proposal that he make them a king, even though they were keenly aware that it was not the will of God. This rude request greatly troubled the prophet, and he did what should be done whenever we are faced with unforeseen or dire circumstances, he took the matter to The Lord in prayer, asking for guidance in moving forward. To his inquiry God gave the answer that he should then acquiesce with the wishes of the people in making them a king, an ill-fated duty that he immediately set out upon. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

Now, it is very important that we understand the dealings of God with us, His earth-born children, for when He tells Samuel to show them the manner of king that would reign over them, The Lord hoped that when it was revealed to them how the new  king will grind their faces in oppression, and how he would take advantage of their sons, daughters, and resources, that they would think twice, and reason soberly from cause to effect, and hopefully retract their ill-advised request. But, as is so often the case when we insist on having our own way, in spite of God’s revealed will to the contrary, they stubbornly insisted that the request go through, even though severe suffering and remorse would be their lot. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

Thus it was, with great sorrow and forebodings of coming evils, that Samuel set out on his errand, to anoint the very first king of Israel. Now it’s critically important for us to understand that it was not any type of king they were looking for, because they had already formed an image in their minds of what their new king should look like. He should be a very tall, and handsome looking person, preferably a big muscular bodybuilder on steroids like Goliath, who would naturally instill fear in his foes, by his very person. His character would not matter that much, and even if they were to see serious flaws from the start, they were willing to overlook these traits in favor of having their own desire.

The same problem is now occurring in the political arena, where deep concerns about character and vitriol exist in the minds of many, as it pertains to certain candidates, but because of financial stature, or social standing, or an unprecedented popularity, many are now willing to overlook serious errors in judgment, in the one who fits in with their external imagery and desires. And the very same situation obtains when a man’s own preconceived idea of beauty, governs his decision- making processes. So that when sees an extremely good looking woman who fits the bill, in many instances, he will be willing to overlook very serious flaws in her character, by allowing her fatal beauty to override good common sense. And it’s only after they have tied the knot that he begins to go nuts, when he realizes too late that he just married an extremely, pretty fool. Let’s read:

Proverbs 11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

1st Samuel 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

1st Samuel 10:20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken”…..

23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

No inquiry as to his credentials or qualifications were made, and no question about his character surfaces, so in the minds of the Hebrews, the deal is signed, sealed, and settled, all because of Saul’s commanding presence and because of his rare external features. As a matter of fact, the Bible teaches us that this was one of the main reasons why most of the Jews rejected Christ as being the Messiah, for He did not fit the bill as far as externals go, and for this reason, the majority of the nation rejected Him, and would have nothing to do with His claim to be the Messiah. Let’s read:

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

John 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?

42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

43 So there was a division among the people because of him.

52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

But apparently, not even the holy prophets were immune to the snare of outward appearance, for after Saul had passed off the stage of action, a new king was in the making, and Samuel was again sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to take over from the place where Saul had left off. Jesse’s sons were now called to the sacrifice, or anointing, and in harmony with the snare of outward appearance, Samuel is quick to announce that the first son to pass before him is undoubtedly The Lord’s anointed. Eliab’s presence makes a deep impression on the prophet’s mind and the same two features, his countenance, and stature are mentioned as reasons why Samuel jumps to a hasty conclusion. In this first hasty statement, Samuel utters something that is not at all true, and his words cause a temporary, spiritual embarrassment for him, which probably caused his credibility to come into question, in the minds of those assembled. In this instance he does not even wait for The Lord to make an input, since Eliab’s stunning appearance is made to override rational, deliberate thought. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of  the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

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.

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.

The reason why these ten sons were passed before Samuel, beginning with the eldest, is because there is another aspect of “outward appearance” which is often allowed to bear sway over reason, and it has to do with seniority, by which those who are more advanced in years are deemed better suited to hold certain positions of national trust. While this may be true in some situations, we should understand that age is no barrier to service with God, and does not influence His decisions in any way, as far as a person’s suitability for office is concerned. The spiritual factors such as a willingness to serve, being humble and teachable, and a total dependence on omnipotent power and guidance are the credentials God looks for, whilst externals, such as intellectual accomplishments, social standing, and a person’s financial status, have no weight whatsoever in His decision-making processes.

Thus it was, that after Jesse’s ten sons had passed before Samuel, and The Lord had not chosen any of them, that Samuel was in a quandary as to who will be The Lord’s anointed, prompting him to ask Jesse if these were all his sons. It was then, and only then that the father remembered that he had another son, the youngest, who was out in the fields taking care of his sheep. This youngest son did not have the skills in war as the elder brothers had, and he did not have the benefit of association with the nation’s leading men, but he did have The Holy Ghost, which, in the sight of God was the most important credential of all, and it was this singular qualification that sealed the deal in the mind of God. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:11 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.

A personage is scheduled to visit the United States of America soon, and he carries with him an aura of holiness and some of the same external features, which had caused the ancient Hebrews, and even Samuel to make wrong choices. His spiritual stature is like Saul’s, “From the shoulders up, higher than all the people”, and his countenance is like Eliab’s, of the sort to cause the multitudes to make hasty ill-advised decisions. And like the Hebrews of old, we are in grave danger of repeating the same words then spoken “God save the king”. Hence the reason why the explicit warning from God concerning him is to be found in the very same rebuke which was spoken to Samuel, when he inadvertently stated of Eliab, that The Lord’s anointed was before him. This dire warning coming from the Almighty God must be understood in the context of what will soon take the world by storm. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:7 “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.

Some may be questioning in their minds, why such a serious warning about an apparently meek person who has the adoration of millions across the globe, and others may be hard pressed to see through the messages of love, forgiveness, and mercy, someone who is diabolically opposed to the God of heaven. It is therefore important that the following scriptures which explain the reasons why, be understood with clarity in our minds, lest like Samuel, we also reach the conclusion that “The Lord’s anointed is before Him”. Let’s read:

Mark 2:7  Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

2nd Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter”… “as that the day of Christ is at hand.

3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Not because a person, or a spiritual leader may visit the poor and less fortunate, or visit prisoners in jail, or take in refugees, does it mean to say that he or she has the stamp of God’s approval, for all of these good and charitable deeds can be externals which are used to validate one’s spiritual credibility. To usurp the position and authority of God, and to

speak blasphemies, is to claim the power to forgive sins, something which only the God of heaven can do, and thus any person who makes such a claim is directly undermining the High Priestly ministry of Christ, who alone has both the power and authority to forgive, and to blot out all sins. These truths then leads us to the next verses of scripture God is calling our attention to, and it is His will that we decide and choose according to what is written in His word alone. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

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.

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.

23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

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.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.

2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him”…

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 stedfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts”…

1st John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Revelation 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? ....

5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

And now brethren and sisters and people across the nation and across the globe, the time has now come for certain truths to be finally exposed, since they have been hidden under a bushel for way too long. The ancient Hebrews hid the light of truth and duty, contained in the commandments of God, from the world, holding it as a peculiar national treasure, all the while the world sat in moral darkness as to what God requires. A similar situation has now obtained in many churches, by which the dire warnings and loving entreaties of God have similarly been hid under a maze of protectionism, and by so doing, millions in our day are left to follow blindly where satan leads the way. But the time is now, when the inhabitants of the earth must be made aware of  what is to transpire in the near future, and the necessary preparations and decisions which will be incident to those eventful days. Let’s read:

(The Great Controversy pp. 623 and 624) Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of Heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ himself, and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world’s Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing, and will profess to have revelations from Heaven contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures.  As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ.

The church has long professed to look to the Savior’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.] The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth.

His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.”

Now brethren and listeners, in lieu of these things which will certainly come to pass, it behooves every sober, thinking person to beware of the ploy to use the messages of forgiveness and mercy to woo millions of unsuspecting victims, into the web of lies and falsehoods which has been disseminated by Babylon and its agents, for if we make decisions based on popularity and other external outward appearances, we are certain to fall into the snare which will engulf the overwhelming majority of the world. We therefore end with a plea coming from The Most High, that we be not deceived by outward appearances, for God looketh on the heart. Let’s read:

Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His word.

                   God bless!

The Rule Of Law. Sabbath Afternoon. 09/12/2015

The Bible teaches us that the law of God has been given as the rule and guide of life for all individuals, and as the various issues on morality and spirituality begin to take center stage, there are some very soul searching, and fundamental questions we will have to ask ourselves, as it pertains to the prioritization of our loyalties, whether God will come first, or man will bear sway. One of the issues that is brought to bear in the first angel’s message, is that of everyone being held accountable for the deeds done in the body, a topic which is scarcely ever mentioned from the prominent pulpits of the day, but one which will ultimately determine the eternal destiny of millions. In defending the actions of the courts over the past two weeks, many have argued that it is now the law of the land, and as such must be obeyed without question.

Another point that has often been raised is that we are a nation of laws, and therefore are duty bound to obey the dictates of the courts, even if we differ on the moral substance and validity of its decisions. Now while it is true that Christians are cautioned in the Bible to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, God will have us understand that there are times when Caesar’s requirements will conflict with His law, and then we will have to choose to obey either God or man. The term “Caesar”, refers to any earthly government that God has brought upon the stage of action, or that has been permitted to rule over the people under its jurisdiction. Any which way, the Bible makes it clear that kings, presidents, and all earthly rulers come into power either by the permissive, or providential will of God. This is a very fundamental and important fact which needs to be thoroughly understood before we proceed, because there is a general tendency in most secular leaders, to forget that it’s because of God why they are in power, even if in some cases the rulers may choose to do evil. Let’s read:

Exodus 9:13 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God”… “Let my people go, that they may serve me.

16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Psalm 75:5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

Daniel 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Isaiah 40:1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.

Now, it is important for us to understand that the statement which is often made, that says “We are a nation of laws” is quite commendable, for it clearly suggests that we live by the rule of law. Whenever a new president is sworn into office, the Bible is used, and in the pledge of allegiance to the state, we use the words “One nation under God”, and again, on our dollar bills are printed the words, “In God we trust”, suggesting that the moral law of God should be the template used in issuing court decisions and reaching conclusions. If this ceases to be the case, then we would be no different to other nations, for under closer examination, we will find that everynation under heaven can claim to be a nation of laws, for they each have their specific institutions and codes which govern their peoples, even though in many cases their laws may vary from ours. North Korea, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Pakistan, Jamaica and Trinidad all fall under that very same category. Even the Taliban can claim to be a nation of law, so the real question to be answered is whether or not we are a nation of “Just” laws, and whether or not our laws are in harmony with the greater moral law of God, thus making us uniquely distinct from other nations which do not profess Christianity as their foremost religion.

For instance, under a strict interpretation of Sharia law, some of the behaviors that are permitted and some which are forbidden, will make those of us who live in the west cringe with rage, but whatever might be our reaction, in some parts of the world it is the law of the land, and therefore, if we are to pick up on the same trend of thought that is now obtaining here in the national debate on marriage, then whatever the law of the land is in other parts of the world, we must not become incensed if it does not bode well with our modes of thought and action. Let’s read:

Under a strict interpretation of Sharia law, theft is punishable by amputation of the right hand, and criticizing or denying any part of the Quran is punishable by death.

• A Muslim who becomes a non-Muslim is punishable by death.

• A man can marry an infant girl and consummate the marriage when she is 9 years old.

• A woman can have 1 husband, but a man can have up to 4 wives.

 A man can unilaterally divorce his wife but a woman needs her husband's consent to divorce.

• A man can beat his wife for insubordination.

• A woman who has been raped cannot testify in court against her rapist(s).

• A woman cannot drive a car, as it leads to fitnah (upheaval).

• A woman cannot speak alone to a man who is not her husband or relative.

Then if we were to travel to North Korea, we will come across a completely different set of national laws, some of which may seem very cruel in nature, because the freedoms and liberties we now enjoy here, are largely forbidden by the current “Caesar” of that country. Again, if we were to take a flight to Haiti, Jamaica, or Italy, or Russia, we will find other constitutions or laws, some of which we strongly disagree or agree with. So if we were to go with the current view, that whatever it is, it’s the law of the land, and must therefore be implicitly obeyed, then we would have to keep quiet, when women and girls are prevented from getting an education in some countries, for it is the “law of the land”.

It becomes evident that the real issue at stake is not whether or not we are a nation of laws, but rather, whether our laws are just, and in harmony with the great principles of the righteousness laid down in the Bible, but to merely claim that we are a nation of laws is an abstract and subjective statement at best, if left to stand on its own merit. When God tells us to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, He was not thereby giving “Caesar” the freedom to do whatsoever he pleased, regardless of what the great moral law states, for the Bible shows us time and time again, that Jehovah at times calls Caesar to account for deeds that are committed and legislated, contrary to His statutes, even if “Caesar” has never entered into any formal relationship with God.

When Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon defied

 the God of heaven on different occasions, The Lord finally gave him an ultimatum which would result in him eating grass for seven years, if no changes were made, so that he could understand that The Most High rules in the kingdom of men. What is worthy of note in this and other similar instances, is that the king never claimed to be a Christian, and this fact was not taken into account by God either, because as far as The Lord is concerned, there is absolutely no difference between a Christian or a pagan when it comes to the issue of accountability, hence the reason why He intruded into Nebuchadnezzar’s thoughts with a reality check that would resonate with kings and secular leaders for many generations to come. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar”…. “and before him I told

the dream, saying,

10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;

21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:

22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:

25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.

Thus we have the clearest evidence in the previous verses, that Nebuchadnezzar was held to account by a much higher standard than the law of the land in Babylon, for if he were to be judged by the laws and statutes of his realm, he would have gotten off free, but when he was judged by the higher law of God, which is the gold standard for every created being, he was found guilty, and as such, was made to eat grass for seven long years. Thus, the issues that will be decided in the final conflict, within the domain of every heart, and also within the national arena is whether to hold the great moral law of God as the ultimate standard of conduct, or whether the laws of men, which in some instances are in direct opposition to the Bible will be allowed to bear sway. No one living in the last days of this earth’s history will be able to avoid the coming diabolical conflict, for according to the book of Revelation, everyone living on the planet must of necessity take sides, for there will be no such thing as sitting on the fence as mere spectators. Let’s read:

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.

The issue of accountability figures prominently in the first angel’s message, and states that the hour of God’s judgment has come, not “Will come”. This then means that currently as we are speaking here today, names of individuals are being called in the heavenly courts, and their eternal destiny is being decided, based on the rule of God’s immutable law. This is what the prophets, and even Christ Himself cautioned us about, for earth’s inhabitants are to be held to a much higher standard than whatsoever might be the current laws of the land. The gravity of this situation is not nearly understood, even by many Christians, and it is for this reason why some people have gone overboard, and taken iniquity to another level. But the word of God will stand, even if we do not believe it, for its fulfillment has never been tethered to the philosophies and opinions of mortal man. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow”….

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books

were opened.

2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men”….

Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 “And they were judged every man according to their works.

For very many years, Jesus Christ has been looked upon as One who waits in subjection as the human agent passes laws and modifies behaviors, based upon the desires of the carnal heart, and One who is too loving and kind to judge, because of His great love for humanity. But the first angel’s message begins with the words “Fear God”, because the very same Jesus who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, so that He might save us from our sins, is the very same Jesus who is now judging us in the heavenly courts, and the decisions of that court will never, ever be reversed. Thus it behooves us to make those choices and decisions that are in harmony with the greater moral law, so that our practice, and expectations of eternal life can both be aligned and realized, as the hour of judgment draws to a close. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms this sacred truth, and it is the will of God that everyone be advised by what is written in His word, pertaining to the rule of law. Let’s read:

Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                        God bless!

The Kentucky Clerk, And The Mark Of The Beast. Sabbath Afternoon. 09/05/2015

This past week was filled with some very disturbing developments which every thinking person will be wise to carefully consider, for the implications are much more far-reaching than the state of Kentucky, and point us unmistakably to the institution of the mark of the beast. The very concept of the mark is embodied in the experiences and decisions which took place, and therefore, what we have before our faces in miniature form, is what the implementation of the mark of the beast will look like in the very near future. We will like to take this opportunity to advise and caution our Sunday-keeping brethren and friends, and also those who keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, that the many fanciful interpretations of the mark of the beast, which are proposed by the overwhelming majority of Christian theologians, is not what the Bible defines it as.

 As a matter of fact, the issue is centered around obedience to either God, or the laws of the state, whenever there is a conflict between the two, and thus the issue of worship figures prominently in the mark of the beast, being an integral part of serving God or man. As Christians, the Bible tells us that we have a moral obligation to obey the laws of state, if they do not force us to violate the higher, and much more important commandments of God, whenever and wherever this is possible, for all Christians are to be found faithful as citizens of earth and heaven. But when man-made laws presume to overreach into the arena of our sacred duty to obey God, then we are counseled in the Bible to obey God rather than men, for this very issue will decide the eternal destiny of millions across the globe.

It is imperative therefore that we have a very clear understanding of the issues at stake, so that we may be prepared preemptively to withstand the forces of evil that are arrayed against our souls.

There is no precedent, command, or instruction in the word of God which authorizes any mortal man or woman to unite two people of the same gender in unholy matrimony, for not only does the Lord forbid such brazen actions, but He also commanded in ancient times, that whoever presumes to indulge in such activities, as well as other specific sexual prohibitions, should be put to death. Therefore the attempt to characterize this current, diabolical conflict between truth and error, as a person’s civil rights, is not in harmony with sound doctrine. God ordained in His word that all men and women be treated equally, once it is done in accordance with that which He has commanded, but to try to include same-sex marriage under the same umbrella, is an act of rebellion against the King of Kings. Let’s read:

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Now while it is true that we are not living under a theocracy anymore as a nation, yet our individual accountability to God still stands, and whereas we are not to prevent any person from making their own individual choices, yet we must be aware that no one is authorized to force us to subscribe to a course of action that is clearly forbidden in the Bible. If the Kentucky clerk was just required to put the state’s stamp of approval on the gay marriage licenses, then the onus would be on the state, but to require her to put her personal signature on such documents, will make her a participant in the evil, and under no circumstances should she comply. The problem is what does she do next? Should she able to continue working under such conditions, where a conscientious violation of God’s law, and her own conscience is a part of her job description? Or does she relinquish her position, and thereby risk the possibility financial difficulties. These choices are what will be included in the mark of the beast when it bursts upon the stage of action. Let’s read:

Kim Davis stands firm on same-sex marriage; the Kentucky clerk stays in jail.

By Eliott C. McLaughlin and Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN

(CNN) Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk Kim Davis was given a second chance: She didn't have to issue same-sex marriage licenses herself; she merely had to agree not to interfere with five deputy clerks who had told the federal judge they'd issue them in her stead. Staver later told CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper" that Davis would issue licenses if her name and title were not on them. "Because that in her understanding and mind, is authorizing something that is contrary to her Christian values and convictions," he said. "That's where the conscience rub is."

To put one’s own signature on a document will be to essentially endorse what that document says, and therefore the Kentucky clerk is absolutely right in refusing to bow to the powers that be. If a man was to put his signature on a stolen check, he will be found guilty of endorsing fraudulent activity, even if he did not want to sign it. And we are not to be deceived into thinking that this issue will go away anytime soon, for according to the book of Revelation, the issue of whom we obey and whom we worship will metastasize from the public arena to the private sector, to include pastors, laity, public and private organizations, atheists and Christians, families and individuals, and every person who will be living on the planet when the apocalyptic beast rears its head. Absolutely no one will be exempt, and therefore, what is taking place in Kentucky is what will soon be coming our way in the very near future. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

The beasts here referred to are not those cryptic looking creatures that are often depicted in places where the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation are investigated. These beasts represent specific world powers and nations of the earth, which are the focus of the prophecies dealing with their varied activities. Thus the “First beast” whose deadly wound was healed represents papal Rome, which received a deadly wound in A.D 1798, when the then ruling pope was taken prisoner by the French, and died in captivity. Since that time, there has been a revival of the same dogmatic principles by which the papacy had ruled by fiat during the dark ages, and these same policies and practices have been gradually adopted by the lamb-like beast in the passage.

 Thus, in accordance with the principle of coercion, the lamb-like beast is scheduled to use any means to try to force all Christians and secular folk to do its bidding, on pain of financial persecution and other economic sanctions, and finally death, for all who resolutely refuse to comply. This is the essence of what we are now witnessing in a nutshell with the Kentucky clerk who was jailed for non-compliance with the laws of state, which are in opposition to the law of God. And even though at present, it may seem as if the issue is relegated to the issue of marriage, yet the lamb-like beast is scheduled to spread its tentacles to the area of worship, where a specific, man-made day of worship, together with a set of religious dogmas will be enforced, with all dissenters having their economic privileges being denied and finally permanently cut off, to the point where literal starvation, or trust in God will be the only two remaining options on the table. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

The separation of church and state is critical to the maintenance of our religious liberty, and thus, our freedom to disagree on matters of conscience and the law of God, should never be tied to a person’s credit cards or bank accounts. But according to the prophecies in Revelation, and in harmony with what is now taking place with the Kentucky clerk, the lamb-like beast of Revelation 13 is scheduled to change what many have taken for granted for so long, and the issues of worship and obedience will be inseparably linked to one’s economic activities, so that non-compliance will result in material loss, and finally life itself, in some cases. This is the issue before our faces, and this is the reason why all Christians everywhere, together with all secular folk should now understand the ramifications of the decisions and current actions of the courts. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

In the third book of John is outlined the three fundamental aspects of our existence as human beings, as it pertains to God’s good will for us, for we are multifaceted in our being, and it is the will of God that all three aspects of our existence be well balanced and fine-tuned, in harmony with His will and purposes for us. The passage in question deals with prosperity, health, and spiritual well-being, all which contribute to our happiness in the here and now, and pertain directly to our destiny in the great hereafter. These three aspects of our existence are thus represented in the mark of the beast, whose numerical value is 666. But one by one, we are seeing each aspect being brought under the direct control of the state, to the point where many Christians are now being forced to adopt principles, practices, and guidelines that can all have adverse effects in the temporal and spiritual realm. Let’s read:

3rd John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Prosperity, which is the first aspect mentioned, is already being governed and mandated to a large extent by the states, so that if corporations, and firms do not adhere to state guidelines in certain matters of conscience, they are prevented from doing any business, and are thus forced out of the market, or are otherwise squeezed into buckling under severe pressure from news media and social groups, who have adopted the popular opinion. A case in point is the incident in which a bakery was forced to make a wedding cake for a gay couple expecting to tie the knot shortly. Just as with the Kentucky clerk, the state used the principle of coercion mentioned in Revelation, in order to get the bakery to comply with its wishes, even though they conflicted with the owner’s religious beliefs. Thus their economic privileges would be cut off, just as Revelation states, if they refused, and the dire prospect of jail time would loom large. Let’s read:

Court Rules Baker Can’t Refuse to Make Wedding Cake for Gay Couple.

Decision is latest to limit the rights of religious business owners involved in wedding services

DENVER (AP) — A discrimination complaint over a Colorado bakery's refusal to make a wedding cake for a gay couple is being heard in a Denver court. At issue in the complaint from David Mullins and Charlie Craig against Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver is whether religious freedom can protect a business from discrimination allegations from gay couples. The bakery owner faces up to a year in prison if the court rules against him and he continues to refuse to make wedding cakes for gay couples.

Appeals court rules Colorado bakery can't refuse service to gay couple.

By Nick Gass. 08/13/15, 12:27 PM EDT

The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that a dessert shop could not refuse service to a same-sex couple that wanted to order a wedding cake, affirming previous rulings. “Masterpiece remains free to continue espousing its religious beliefs, including its opposition to same-sex marriage. However, if it wishes to operate as a public accommodation and conduct business within the State of Colorado, CADA prohibits it from picking and choosing customers based on their sexual orientation,” Judge Daniel Taubman wrote.

The next aspect of our being mentioned by John is that of health, for he specifically says that God’s will for us is that we “Prosper and be in health”. But in this second “6”, here again too, the lamb-like beast is observed to be enforcing healthcare, to the point where our mandatory subscription is now the law of the land, and those who choose to differ on those standards, methods, and practices prescribed, are now penalized with heavy fines. In addition to these coercive policies, all who adopt the new law will be the subjects of man-made methods of healing and maintaining good health, systems that are known to be riddled with drugs, which in some cases do more harm than good. And thus, God’s methods of using natural remedies as a first resource, is now being exchanged for a system based on pharmaceuticals, and the effects are there before our faces, so that we can reason from cause to effect. Let’s observe the following samples of recalled drugs that have been taken off the shelves in recent months.

    Accutane     Actos     Celexa

    Chantix     Clomid     

    Crestor     Darvocet     Darvon     Depakote        

    Lamisil     Levaquin     Levitra

    Lexapro     

    Pradaxa     Prevacid

    Prilosec     Yasmin. Etc, etc.

Then according to Revelation 13, there is only one more shoe to drop, and that’s the institution of the national Sunday law, which is already on the books, just waiting to be enforced when the same lamb-like beast follows in the footsteps of the papacy. We are already experiencing the headwinds of such an action, which will also be addressed by the judiciary, just as the two previous aspects, prosperity and health care, were mandated. And similarly, just as the principle of coercion against one’s conscience was adopted in the cases of the baker and the now jailed Kentucky clerk, just so will a national form of worship be made the law of the land.

The mark of the beast, represented by the number 666, is just a man-made system of enforcing laws, which are fundamentally flawed, and that are in direct opposition to the revealed will of God. Man was created on the sixth day of the week, hence the triple sixes are representative of man-made efforts and alternatives to God’s perfect will for the human family.

In his visit to the United states later this month, pope Francais is scheduled to push for the adoption of Sunday, not only as the official day of rest, but also as a general family day, when the working classes, who have labored, and suffered extreme fear and stress from the recent upheavals in the stock market, can find peace and rest for one day out of the week. The concept is not bad in and of itself, the only problem is that Jehovah has already stipulated which day it should be, and therefore, to coerce one’s conscience to the contrary, with the threats of jail time, pecuniary fines, and cancelled economic privileges, will be akin to what we are now seeing in embryo form with the clerk from Kentucky.

It is therefore of critical importance for all of us as Christians, whether we be Sabbath-keeping or Sunday worshipers, to now fully understand the important issues that are at stake, so that we may be enabled to make informed decisions and choices as we move forward. The example of Peter and the other apostles are set forth in the scriptures as a template we should follow, when we are faced with similar circumstances, for obedience to the God of heaven is our foremost and highest duty, and after that, the laws of men, if they do not conflict with what God has specifically stated in His word. We therefore end with two passages of scripture which confirm both the certainty of the predictions made in God’s word, and the course of action prescribed, so that we may stand firmly for righteousness, amidst the storm that is about to envelope the entire globe. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”…..

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of”…..

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is  profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council”….

28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? ….

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches.    

                      God bless!

A Bishop Must! Sabbath Afternoon. 08/29/2015

The office of a bishop is one of the most sacred to devolve upon the shoulders of men, for it is fraught with eternal consequences for those who are under their care, and thus the spiritual qualifications and stipulations that are given in the scriptures must be closely followed and adhered to, in order that the cause of Christ may not suffer loss, and so that the sacred office might be a conduit for God’s saving grace to all the church and to the world at large. Furthermore, the Biblical instructions given are not only restricted to bishops and pastors, but they also extend out to all those who have been ordained as preachers and elders, deacons and televangelists, and everyone who is called by God, or otherwise assumes the sacred role of leader in one form or another, for it makes no difference whatsoever.

There are those who are ordained to preach, and then there are those who are permitted to preach, but any which way, the stipulations remain the same, because the eternal destiny of souls depend on the faithful administration of truth and duty in the one who is serving in such a sacred capacity. It is worthy of note that none of the twelve disciples of Christ were ever formally ordained by the religious leaders back then, for they received their calling directly from Christ, and as such they were to also fulfill the recommendations given in the scriptures. As Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw some fishermen mending their nets, and to them He addressed the words, “Follow me”.

 Then in another instance He saw a man working with the IRS, and again He called on him to leave his accounting work to follow where He would lead the way. Yet again, on another occasion, a particular person is not called by Christ, but intrudes himself into the inner circle of disciples, and as with any of the other disciples, he is permitted to preach. And the specific calls continued until there were twelve men from the common walks of life, whom Christ ordained and then sent out to preach.  Let’s read:

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying”….

7 “As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of  heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Formal ordination by the church, as Christians are instructed to do in the scriptures, is good, and any person graduating from one of the most prestigious theological seminaries in the land, is quite a great  achievement, and should be encouraged whenever, and wherever possible. But The Lord will have us to understand that these certifications, in and of them selves, do not guarantee that the students are now ordained of God, for it is often the case that persons may graduate with a doctorate in theology, whilst they may have a failing grade in the Holy Ghost, yet the requirements as mentioned in the Bible must still apply. A very interesting commentary on this issue is penned by the servant of the Lord, and is worthy of our observation as we move forward with the presentation for today. Let’s read:

(Last day events pp. 204) The Comforter is to reveal Himself, not in any specified, precise way that man may mark out, but in the order of God—in unexpected times and ways that will honor His own name. He will raise up from among the common people men and women to do His work, even as of old He called fishermen to be His disciples. There will soon be an awakening that will surprise many. Those who do not realize the necessity of what is to be done will be passed by, and the heavenly messengers will work with those who are called the common people, fitting them to carry the truth to many places.

Laborers Qualified by the Holy Spirit.

In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged.... God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the outward training of scientific institutions. These facilities are not to be despised or condemned; they are ordained of God, but they can furnish only the exterior qualifications. God will manifest that He is not dependent on learned, self-important mortals”.

Thus it is, that to all who assay to handle the sacred truths of God’s word, whether they are formally ordained, or are “Permitted” to preach, the sacred instructions and requirements will apply, and as we read, let us then consider where we are currently in our day, where a plethora of genuinely ordained, and self-proclaimed preachers and televangelists have overspread the land, some of whom specialize in a wide variety of smooth-sounding, tailor-made gospels that are being dispensed to the multitudes. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given

to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

A perusal reading of the previous verses tell us that we are in very serious trouble as it is currently, for not only have the sacred instructions been blatantly disregarded in many instances, but many bishops have gone a step further by incorporating political correctness, and secular agendas into the pulpit, and as a result, we have a greatly compromised gospel that has surfaced in our day, in which the sacred truths of God’s word have been substituted for a host of motivational speeches, by which those who sit in darkness are being flattered into a carnal sense of security, and heaven is being offered on terms that are not recognized nor endorsed by God.

In addition to all these discrepancies, we are also being faced with several instances of sexual abuse by prominent religious leaders, to the point where there are now thousands of cases locally and world-wide, where pedophiles and preachers are found to be wearing the same shoes, and the stipulation of “One female wife” as given in the scriptures, has now been interpreted to include two of the same gender. Thus, the sacred truths of God’s word are being handled, or mishandled by those who are walking directly contrary to what the Bible teaches.

 It cannot be emphasized enough, that it is of critical importance that the dissemination of God’s word be not mixed with spiritual cool-aid, which will then inevitably cause the spiritual demise of those who espouse and endorse such creeds. Most prominent among these teachings is the doctrine which states that God’s law was nailed to the cross when Jesus died on Calvary. This singular doctrine, more than any other has opened the floodgates of moral

abandon upon our world, for wherever there is no absolute moral standard, we become a law unto ourselves, with variable standards of right and wrong being espoused and cultivated from person to person. Thus, the argument often cited by many Christians, that the L.G.b.T community is harboring unscriptural views, is being signally overturned by the fact that we too have endorsed a day of rest that has no Biblical foundation.

Thus, Christians and gays are often found to be sailing in the same boat, by stating that God’s law is no longer valid. But the same God who wrote with His own finger, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” is the same God who said “Remember The Sabbath day to keep it holy”, and if we are found to be in violation of one of the commandments of God, we will by so doing disqualify ourselves from speaking up against other violations that occur in our society. This odd situation was addressed by Christ, with the hope that all who take the name of Christ may live in harmony with what is written, so that as bishops, elders, deacons, and spiritual leaders, we may be “Blameless”, as is written in the instructions given.   Let’s read:

Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 “First cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Similarly, as Christians we can condemn the act of killing, of the two reporters who were shot dead on live T.V recently, by the deranged gunman, yet if we are found to be in violation of another of the same law, then we are in the same boat, for the apostle James addressed this issue directly, by stating that he who offends in one, offends in all, for God is the Author of all Ten commandments. The law against adultery, stealing, covetousness, and murder, also contains the Sabbath commandment, and therefore one cannot be surrendered in favor of the other, without us being held liable. Let’s read:

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.

And now ladies and gentlemen, Christians, and fellow believers, straights and gays, seculars and pagans, friends and neighbors, we now present to you the honorable, sacred, and eternal law of Ten commandments, as written by the finger of God, and as we go through them, let us consider that they are given for our best good, and were written down in stone to show their permanence, and will be written in the hearts of all those who choose to be partakers of God’s saving grace, for this is the whole purpose and essence of the plan of salvation, as is written in the book of Hebrews. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

It is the will of God that every Christian, and every person who desires to be active partakers of God’s mercy and saving grace through Christ, now submit themselves to God, so that the principles of His law be indelibly etched into our consciences. God did not send His Son into the world, to die for our sins, so that we could continue in sin, so that grace may abound, for if that were the case, then it would have been better for us to die in our sins. We therefore end with four passages of scripture which show the purposes, uses, and validity of God’s law of Ten commandments, and it is the will of God that every sincere-hearted person now step up to the plate, and be counted, for God is now wrapping up the process of making up the citizens for His eternal kingdom of glory. Let’s read:

Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make”… “saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments,

that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

May the Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                        God bless!

Wrong, But Not Guilty! Sabbath Afternoon. 08/22/2015

The study for this afternoon has very far-reaching implications, for it presents a sort of paradox, in which a person may actually have done something wrong, but are not considered guilty in the sight of God. These situations occur more often than many realize, and if the law and will of God are not very clear in our minds, we will be driven to extremes, in either the letter or the spirit of the law. The law of God defines what sin is, and it will do us well to study very carefully when sin actually occurs, so that we may avoid it at all costs. There are instances where God has commanded individuals to do that which in and of itself is not lawful, but because they carried out His mandate they are not held as guilty.

And then there are other instances when the human agent has taken the initiative in doing or saying that which is wrong, but they are not regarded by God as being guilty. And it’s because this issue of being wrong and not guiltless is so sensitive and far reaching in nature, that we must approach this study with a humble and teachable spirit, willing to learn of Christ, and being willing to follow where He leads the way. Furthermore, it is critically important that we know the difference of the sin that is unto death, and that which is not, especially at a time when a knowledge of God’s law and His will is of supreme importance, both on a personal level, and also globally.

In the days of Christ, there was an incident in which His disciples were found plucking the ears of corn upon the Sabbath day, and the Pharisees became very upset at what they deemed a blatant violation of the fourth commandment, being condoned also by Christ. And thus after bringing it to His attention, Jesus was moved to address the issue, since it had to do with a fine balance between the letter and the spirit of the law, something which was seriously lacking in the understanding and interpretation of the scriptures by many of the Jewish leaders. The reason why it is therefore necessary for us to study this issue closely, is so that the letter is not made to cancel the spirit, and vice-versa. Let’s read:

Luke 6:1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;

4 How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?

5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

In this instance, David was being hunted as the nation’s most wanted man by king Saul, and being hungry and starving, he went into the house of God and asked for any bread that was available, but there was only the shewbread, which was strictly forbidden for anyone, other than the priests to partake of. But because David could not even go to the grocery to buy food for fear of being killed by Saul, he took the last resort and ate of the shewbread, which under different or normal circumstances, would be considered sin. Thus, in his explanation of this incident, Jesus declared that David did that which was wrong, but was not held guilty, because human life is of greater value than the shewbread which could easily be replaced. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.

5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

Now, if there had been common bread available, and David still went ahead, and insisted on having the shewbread, then he would have been guilty of the sin of presumption, but because of the current circumstance, in which he had no other choice, he did that which was unlawful, but was guiltless. The question then is whether in similar dire situations, we too may do that which is unlawful, and yet be guiltless. This is a very sensitive topic, and must be approached reverently, lest we be destabilized in our concepts and practice, as is commonly the case with many Christians who may not understand the difference.

 Yet again, on the same occasion, the explanation or precedents cited by Christ deserve our undivided attention, for He again makes reference of the priests, who baked bread over the Sabbath hours, in harmony with the direct instructions of God, for them to put in fresh-baked bread every day, for the services and purposes of the sanctuary. It’s of great importance for us to note, that in both instances, Jesus does not say that what was done is right, for He uses the words “Not lawful” and “Profane”, words which imply that the deeds were wrong. The same words “Not lawful” are also used to describe Herod’s illicit sexual relationship with his brother’s wife, a sin that John the Baptist was moved upon to rebuke, albeit at the cost of his life. Let’s read:

Mark 6:17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for

 thee to have thy brother's wife.

19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man”…

Thus, in His explanations, Christ makes use of the same word, and declares that the priests profaned the Sabbath by baking bread over the sacred hours, but were guiltless in the sight of God. This raises the question of what constitutes sin in the sight of God, for in one instance, a man was stoned for gathering sticks upon the Sabbath day, whereas in another instance, the disciples are plucking corn and eating freely in the presence of Christ, and He declares them to be guiltless. Question: Where is the line of demarcation between doing wrong and being guiltless, and doing wrong and being guilty? This is a very serious question indeed, and must therefore be thoroughly investigated and understood by all who desire a knowledge of God’s law and His will. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

The case study for this afternoon will center around Rahab, who was a known prostitute in her town, yet she had a faint knowledge of the true God, through the historical experiences of the Hebrew people. On one occasion, two spies were sent to search out the city where she lived, and in order to conceal their real intent, they gave the impression that they were going to have a rendezvous with her, in order to  conceal their real motives. So before we move on to Rahab, let’s begin first with the spies, who obviously deliberately gave the wrong impression to the men of that town, by going to the house of a harlot, and so the question is, were they wrong in deliberately planning this move? Was it deception? And if so, were they held guilty?

But Rahab also joined in with them, for news had come to the king that two spies were in town, and therefore he sent to her house to make inquiry as to their whereabouts, upon which Rahab proceeded to give a long story, complete with specific details on how they had come and left her premises, with the additional advice that the kings soldiers should pursue after them quickly, lest they should escape. All this time, the spies were hiding on her roof top, amongst the stalks of flax, and so both the spies and Rahab had studiously cooperated in giving a false impression, to those sought them. Again, the same question is asked: Is Rahab’s story defined as being a deception, and if so, was she guilty of wrong-doing? Before we address this question, let us read a detailed exposition on what actually constitutes deception, so that our conclusions may be in line with what is written. Let’s read:

(Patriarchs and Prophets. Pp 309)  “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor’s reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment.

Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither tonight of the children of Israel to search out the country.

3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:

5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

Similar scenarios have actually been repeated so many times in the scripture, that it is now time to investigate what is God's view’ of the matter. In the days before the Exodus, pharaoh had commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill all the male children, and to save the girls alive. This mandate was then utterly disregarded by the midwives, for the law of God says “Thou shalt not kill”, and so the male children were being birthed, in violation of theking’s word. When he got wind of what was taking place, he sent to find out why the Hebrew midwives were violating the law of the land, and the reason they gave fall into the same category as Rahab’s experience. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Question: Was the response of the midwives wrong and was it considered a falsehood, and if so were they held guilty by God? Again, a similar situation unfolds as a large company of soldiers surround the house of the prophet Elisha, for he had warned the king of Israel on several different occasions, of the plots of the Syrian king to invade their territory. As the servant of the prophet sees the size of the army, and realizes that they are both outnumbered and cornered, he exclaims in dismay, “What shall we do”. Elisha then turns to the army and speaks to them, telling them that he is not the person they are looking for, and that they are in the wrong place, and he proceeds to lead them directly to the king of Israel. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 6:10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and

 compassed the city about.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

Again the question is asked: Was it a falsehood that was uttered? Was Elisha wrong in saying what he said, and if so, was he guilty in God’s sight? To be guilty means to be held accountable for something wrong. So was he held accountable by God? And the much larger question to be answered is, what would Jesus have done, if He were placed in similar situations? Would He use short “Stories”, and what is His ideal for His children? Let’s read:

John 18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

Let us just make two observations here: (1) That God is leading us to a stage of spiritual maturity, in which we will speak only the perfect truth at all times and in all places, in spite of the consequences. Rahab, Elisha, and the midwives could have chosen to speak the perfect truth, but the only issue with that option is that deliverance is not guaranteed in every instance, and thus, a deliberate decision to be truthful under all circumstances, must be made by every Christian, and God will give us the enabling power to stand firm as a rock, but we must decide.  In other words, if we are squeezed on every side, or if we are shaken upside down, only the truth, and nothing but the truth will come out. God is a God of truth, and He desires nothing more than His people deal only in the currency of heaven.

 (2) It requires a very radical kind of faith to speak the perfect truth, when faced with dire, or life-threatening circumstances, when if we were to go with plan “B”, we may save ourselves and others from certain death. The condition of “No guile” as is described in the book of Revelation, in reference to the 144000, is not easily attained, and it brings to light our dire need of God’s grace and mercy, for as we review our lives with introspect lenses, we see where like Rahab, we too have made up “Stories”, from time to time, and probably with the best of intentions, and like her we have been placed in situations where plan “B” seemed as the only viable alternative on the table.

But God is guiding us into all truth, and as such He may permit certain circumstances to come our way, in which we may have opportunity to practice being truthful, and speaking nothing but the perfect truth. This is the preparation that is now needed by all, so that no guile may be found in our mouths. Let’s read:

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

(Excerpts from The Great Controversy pp 622 & 623).  The “time of trouble such as never was,” is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess”… Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation. He had kept his Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.

Let us therefore earnestly seek to cultivate an atmosphere of truthfulness and frankness, putting away all petty lies and various types of fraud, so that our faces and our hearts may be radiant and resplendent with the spirit of truth. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to be truthful, and even though we may have been wrong, but not guilty in the past, let us endeavor by the grace of God, to be like Jesus in thought, word, and deed, for this is God’s ideal for all Christians. Let’s read:

Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me”….

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                       God bless!

The Third Angel's Message Personalized. Sabbath Afternoon. 08/15/2015

The third angel’s message given in Revelation chapter 14, represents one of the most serious warnings ever given to mortals, for it states that if any person were to accept the mark of the beast for any reason, that individual’s probation will be immediately closed forever, with no possibility whatsoever of that person ever being saved. In other words, to accept the mark in one’s right hand or in the forehead, would be essentially to sign on to a death sentence, from which not even Christ could rescue us. This is the reason why it is given in such stern language, so that all the inhabitants of the earth may understand what is at stake, and also the eternal consequences of the decisions then made, pertaining to the issue. It is therefore necessary for this message not to be watered down or made pretty and appealing, lest we lessen its force, and thereby cause the inhabitants of earth to regard it lightly. Let’s read:

 Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them,  saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.

Now it is true that the main issue at stake here is worship and by accepting the mark, individuals will be giving their allegiance to the prince of this world, whilst those who receive the seal of God’s approbation, and who refuse the mark, will thereby signal their commitment to serve The Living God alone. In this decision there is no such thing as straddling the fence, by which we hold onto Christ with one hand, whilst we cling to the world and our economic freedoms with the other. There are only two camps that can be developed in the last great final conflict, and it’s those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith and testimony of Jesus Christ; and those, who by accepting the mark of the beast in their

Right hand or forehead, will deliberately choose the only other option on the table, that of serving satan. This is the reason why in the previous chapter, only two groups are focused on, for there will not be any neutral ground when it comes time to decide on this momentous issue. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast”….

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the

means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a

 man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Now, it is true that because the final conflict centers on worship, it follows logically that the issues at stake must pertain to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, for the spurious Sabbath that is held as a sacred legacy by most Christians, stands in direct opposition to that of the Bible, and since most evangelicals and protestants have no problem with the other nine, the issue of worship will be determined by the most controverted and forgotten one, of the laws contained in the Decalogue. As it stands, there are millions of sincere Christians across the globe, who really do not know that the seventh day Sabbath is still valid, and that it is the only day held sacred by The God of the universe.

 Sunday sacredness has been handed down from generation to generation as a sacred legacy, and many have followed in its train, without investigating its origins or whether there is any scriptural basis for keeping it. But the time has now fully come for the spurious day to be unmasked, and that’s why God is now making an urgent appeal to the citizens of earth, to be very careful what we do, and who we worship, lest we be found putting darkness for light, and light for darkness, thus following blindly where only tradition leads the way. To set the record straight, God has never instituted any change in the day of worship sanctified at creation, and there is no scripture which teaches us of another day. The decision to hold an ordinary day (Sunday) as being sacred is a child of the Roman papacy, and has behind it none other authority than that of mortal man.

 God did not institute the Sabbath at Creation, to get rid of it at the cross, only to reinstitute it again in the earth made new, for this is directly contrary to His manner of working, in which consistency and unchangeableness, are visible, active attributes of His character. Furthermore, God has singled out the Sabbath commandment, as the one we should be especially careful not to violate or disregard, for it contains both His name and office, and also the territory which He governs. Let’s read:

 Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the

 old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

However, as stated before, the purpose of the study is not mainly to determine from the scriptures which day is the correct day of worship, but rather to bring the issue of the mark of the beast to the home-front on a much more personal level. Currently, there are thousands of Sabbath-keepers who have great intellectual knowledge pertaining to the warning given in Revelation, and there are many others who can probably rattle off from the top of their heads, all of the pertinent, historical data, in regard to Sunday worship, yet in heart and practice many of us may be actively preparing ourselves to receive the very same mark, we have warned others of. This very sad scenario was alluded to by the prophet Jeremiah, as he wrote with solemn pathos of the last days of earth’s history. Then again, the very same issue was raised by Christ, as with prophetic vision, He saw many Christians in earth’s final hours, clinging to tradition instead of the Holy Scriptures, hanging on for dear life to a hope that was built in castles made of sand. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 8:19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country

20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt”.. “astonishment hath taken hold on me.

Luke 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west,

 and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Thus it is, that God will have us to understand that, even though the mark of the beast centers around the issue of worship, on a personal level it will be the culmination of a series of little and large decisions that were previously made, in what some may consider the simple things of life, which then ballooned into that one final decision, to forever part ways with Christ. Whenever truth and duty conflict, and there is a decision to be made one way or the other, then the fundamental issue of “Cost” rises to the surface, and the choice is made whether to move forward with truth and duty, or whether to forbear. Thus the issue of the mark of the beast is not merely an issue of Sunday or Sabbath observance, but rather a deliberate choice to bear, or not to bear the cost of truth.

Therefore, it is very easy for us to know whether we are preparing ourselves to receive the mark of the beast, or whether we are preparing to stand firm for the truth, for our decisions all have to do with our willingness to bear the cost of living by every word of God, or conversely, buckling under pressure when the heat of the furnace is turned up several notches. When all of our economic privileges are on the line, together with all the creature comforts we can’t seem to do without, then the question will be, are we willing to bear the cost of remaining true to God, when friends and family forsake us.

 A Christian who habitually makes excuses for dipping into his or her tithes and offerings whenever Malachi Chapter 3, and their mortgage note collide, is thereby preparing him or herself to receive the mark of the beast when it does come around, for if we are not willing to fore-go our rent or mortgage in order to be faithful, then we will not be willing to forego our economic privileges when the beast threatens to take them away, if we do not relinquish Sabbath worship. This is essentially what took place with the rich young ruler, who was faced with the decision of relinquishing his earthly possessions, in favor of the immortal inheritance. On the one hand, he ardently desired to be a Christian, and to partake of the joys of service, while on the other hand were his mega millions, which afforded him the luxuries of this life.

 To his wondering mind arose the question of whether a balance could be struck between the two, for if he could embrace Christ and mammon at the same time, then he could have the best of two worlds, or so he thought. But God has specifically stated that one must be surrendered in favor of the other, meaning that our priorities must give truth and righteousness the leeway at all times, in order that God may have the first place in our hearts. And it was this solemn choice that was being pondered by the rich young ruler, when he decided the sacrifice was too great, and so he went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions. Thus, if this young man was living in the last days of earth’s history, he would have indeed taken the mark of the beast, albeit with great sorrow and remorse, but he would have taken it. Let’s read:

Matthew 19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 And he said unto him”…. if thou wilt enter into life,

 keep the commandments.

18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

The following is an excerpt taken from the book Desire of Ages, as the servant of The Lord treats upon the same incident. Let’s read:

(Desire of Ages pp. 520)

 Christ’s words were verily to the ruler the invitation, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Joshua 24:15. His exalted position and his possessions were exerting a subtle influence for evil upon his character. If cherished, they would supplant God in his affections. To keep back little or much from God was to retain that which would lessen his moral strength and efficiency; for if the things of this world are cherished, however uncertain and unworthy they may be, they will become all-absorbing.

The ruler was quick to discern all that Christ’s words involved, and he became sad. He was a member of the honored council of the Jews, and Satan was tempting him with flattering prospects of the future. He wanted the heavenly treasure, but he wanted also the temporal advantages his riches would bring him. He was sorry that such conditions existed; he desired eternal life, but he was not willing to make the sacrifice. The cost of eternal life seemed too great, and he went away sorrowful; “for he had great possessions.” He refused the offer of eternal life, and went away, and ever after the world was to receive his worship.

The same scenario of worship was again played out on the stage of action when the multitudes in Christ day were found to be following Him because of the “Loaves and fishes” He provided for them from time to time. The term “Loaves and fishes” must not be restricted to literal food, for they also include the “loaves” of health and wealth, and also the “fishes” of material blessings and all earthly possessions, mixed together in a deadly potion of spiritual Cool aid, that is laced with false doctrines and empty promises, which are then sold to the multitudes via motivational speeches, as being the true gospel. This was the prospect and the desire most prominent in the minds of many of Christ’s disciples, when The Lord decided to bring the whole issue to a head. Let’s read:

John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles,

 but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

(Desire of Ages pp. 392)  By the public rebuke of their unbelief these disciples were still further alienated from Jesus. They were greatly displeased, and wishing to wound the Saviour and gratify the malice of the Pharisees, they turned their backs upon Him, and left Him with disdain. They had made their choice,—had taken the form without the spirit, the husk without the kernel. Their decision was never afterward reversed; for they walked no more with Jesus.

Praise and flattery would be pleasing to their ears; but the truth is unwelcome; they cannot hear it. When the crowds follow, and the multitudes are fed, and the shouts of triumph are heard, their voices are loud in praise; but when the searching of God’s Spirit reveals their sin, and bids them leave it, they turn their backs upon the truth, and walk no more with Jesus.

As those disaffected disciples turned away from Christ, a different spirit took control of them. They could see nothing attractive in Him whom they had once found so interesting.

What is worthy of note, is that the point of no return as chosen by these false disciples, ends with John 6:66. Now, whether this is a mere coincidence, or whether it was deliberately orchestrated by The Holy Ghost when the scriptures were being translated, is anyone's guess, but it does remind us of that dire warning as given by the third angel of Revelation 14, which delineates the fate of all those who choose mammon over God. By the simple decisions that are made every day, we too are setting ourselves up to either receive the seal of God's approval, or conversely, the mark of the beast, for whenever the gospel calls for sacrifice of any kind on our part, there the issue of the mark of the beast is present in miniature form, and the choices we then make will shape the larger decisions in the very near future.

If we are only willing to serve God when there is no cost involved, then we are preparing ourselves to receive the mark of the beast, whether we keep the Sabbath or not, for as stated before, the mark will impact every person on the planet in a very personal manner. It is therefore very important, that as we live from day to day, that our choices be in harmony with the principles of Christ’s righteousness, even when sacrifice, self-denial, or other costs are involved, for the pathway to heaven was paved in self-denial, and thus all who will be found in Christ, must cultivate this principle, both in theory and in practice. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encapsulates the very essence of discipleship, and it is the will of God that all who take the name of Christ, be thus exercised, in theory and in practice. Let’s read:

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

                          God bless!

God's Law From Eternity To Eternity. Sabbath Afternoon. 08/08/2015

The Bible teaches us about the sacred nature of God’s law of Ten Commandments, as given at Mt Sinai and written upon two tables of stone, which were to be given to the world as a precious legacy, and to be observed from generation to generation. But it is important for us to understand there was not a time when the sacred law was not in existence, for it is everlasting in nature, being the foundation principles of heaven, of the universe, and also of God’s character. Theologians have tried in vain to propose that the law was first given at Sinai, but the Bible debunks such theories as being totally without merit, and in many instances, are just the means used to get around our obligation to keep it.

 Furthermore, The Lord would have us understand that whenever we presume to interfere with, or alter His sacred precepts, we are thus endeavoring to change the core operational principles of the entire universe, and as such will run into very serious problems in the natural and spiritual realms. The Law of God has always been in existence from time immemorial, long before this world was created, and will continue to exist throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, for wherever God is, there His law is always to be found. Let’s read:

Psalm 93:1 The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty”…

2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

Psalm 111:7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.

8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.

Psalm 119:151 Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth.

152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

There is a theology which teaches its adherents that the law of Ten Commandments is divided into two parts, with the first four regulating our vertical relationship with God, and the last six pertaining to our relationship with our fellowmen. Now, while this is true, we must also be aware that the last six also pertain to angels and to all created beings, for the same core principles apply evenly across the board, to every inhabitable world in the entire universe, without exception. This point is of very critical importance for us to understand, for it will shed great light on the gravity of our crimes in attempting to alter the law of the universe. For instance, when satan sinned in heaven, he broke all of the laws contained in the ten commandments, including the last six. When he desired to have the highest place in heaven, and tried to usurp God’s authority and His throne, he was thus guilty of breaking the law which says “Thou shalt not covet. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's

house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Isaiah 14: 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Ezekiel 28:11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned”…

(Great Controversy pp. 499.)  To the very close of the controversy in heaven the great usurper continued to justify himself. When it was announced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the Creator’s law. He reiterated his claim that angels needed no control, but should be left to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right. He denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of law; that, freed from this restraint, the hosts of heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state of existence.

But covetousness was not the only violation committed in the heavenly courts by the enemy of all righteousness, for the Bible teaches us that he was a murderer from the beginning and also the father of all lies. As Lucifer went from angel to angel in heaven, he spread a series of well concocted falsehoods about the law of God, stating that it is too restrictive in nature, and that if angels, who were created perfect were left to do as they well pleased, they could not do anything but right, since righteousness was ingrained in their very being. This infernal reasoning has often been repeated down here on earth, with many popular theologians and politicians echoing the same sentiments, and as a result millions of people are being misled into thinking that the abolition of God’s law will bring us more freedom.

 This is one of the most terrible calculations to make, for there is not a single verse in the entire scripture that promises blessings as a result for disobedience. Thus it was, by the introduction of these falsehoods, that the

 devil sealed the fate of one third of the angelic host, and lied, and stole, and killed in the process. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon”….

4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Exodus 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and

said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?

22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

John 8:44 “The devil”..... “was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The first five commandments were also broken in heaven, for the first which says “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” was violated when the enemy assayed to be like God. Then again, he and the angels who followed in his train could not keep the set hour of worship in heaven, for they had introduced a false form of self-worship which prevented them from rendering unto God His just due. And the apostle James sums up the whole matter by stating unequivocally, that whoever breaks one of the commandments is guilty of all, for God is The Author of the entire universal law. Let’s read:

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.

Thus we have unmistakable proof from the scriptures, that God’s law was in existence from the earliest times, and has continued uninterrupted down to our present generation. However, there are some issues that need to be clarified before we continue, for it has often been stated by theologians and laity alike, that the law was given to the Jews, and not intended for other nations. Nothing can be further from the truth, because, as was stated before, God’s law was in existence before any of the nations came upon the scene of action, hence the reason why Adam and Eve, together with Cain were all concluded under sin, because of the transgression of the ten commandments, even though at that time they had not been written down in stone. Whether God’s law is written or spoken makes no difference, for it is just as valid in any form.

 It is not necessary for laws to be written in order for them to have force, because in most of our homes across America, we have rules and laws that are to be implicitly obeyed by the children, yet in almost every single case, those stipulations are never written down anywhere. For instance, if a teenager or child violates a given curfew of 11:00pm, and the father of the home calls him or her to account, the teen does not try to justify the act by saying the curfew is not written, for the parent’s voice carries as much weight as any rule that may be in written form. Thus it was from the creation of the earth, up to the time when God saw fit to have His law written down in stone, it had been passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, and was obeyed and respected by the faithful until Mount Sinai. Let’s read:

Genesis 26:2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said”

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8 But he refused, and said”….

9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law”….

20 “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Furthermore, the command given by God through Moses for the children of Israel to do “Sacrifice unto Him” was indeed a stipulation for the reinstitution of the Sabbath, observance, for whilst living in Egyptian bondage, many of the Hebrews had either forgotten, or could not keep it as they should. Thus when Moses and Aaron appeared before pharaoh with the mandate coming from God, he responded by complaining openly to them that they were encouraging the people to “Rest” from their labors. Pharaoh could not possibly be speaking of the rest as in sleep, for the children of Israel must have sufficient rest in order for them to do manual labor in the blazing sun. So the “Rest” that Pharaoh is referring to is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, even though at this time it was not written down anywhere, since the giving of the law in written form at Sinai was still yet future. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry,

 saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

(Patriarchs and prophets pp. 258.)   In their bondage the

Israelites had to some extent lost the knowledge of God’s law, and they had departed from its precepts. The Sabbath had been generally disregarded, and the exactions of their taskmasters made its observance apparently impossible. But Moses had shown his people that obedience to God was the first condition of deliverance; and the efforts made to restore the observance of the Sabbath had come to the notice of their oppressors.

The reason why it is so very important for the inhabitants of the earth to understand these issues, is because in our day, as we are standing upon the brink of eternity, there is renewed animosity and open rebellion against the Ten Commandments, and according to the scriptures, it is the avowed purpose of satan to abolish all law, leaving all the  inhabitants of earth to be guided by their own individual consciences, and thus abandoning the godly principles of absolute truth. This action will inevitably set up a variable standard of righteousness that changes from person to person, with the comedian Bill Cosby justifying himself in multiple illicit, sexual relationships, and with Bin Laden endeavoring to enter the pearly gates after doing 9/11.

 The recent decisions of the Supreme court are just the headwinds of satan’s efforts to abolish God’s law from the hearts and minds of men, hence the reason why the greatest threat to our national security has never been terrorists, but the abandonment of the eternal principles embodied in God’s law, which as stated before, governs not only this planet, but the entire universe, and thus, the annulling of the sacred precepts, will be the signal for national ruin, this according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of

 Jesus Christ.

Psalm 119:126 It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.

Isaiah 24:1 Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. 

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof;  because they have transgressed the laws, changed the  ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Let us therefore not be carried away by any whimsical notions of supposed freedom as a result of abolishing the sacred law, for it was given to us so that peace, harmony, and prosperity, which seems so evasive in our day, could once more become a living reality. Wherever the sacred statutes are observed and cherished, crime goes down significantly, families are raised to honor both God and man, the earth brings forth fruit, grain, and harvests in abundance, adultery and sexual fornication is unheard of, rain falls in its due season, and withering droughts and wildfires cease, terrorists are kept at bay, and riches, prosperity and stability are the sure results, for the Bible states that the law of God is ordained to life, and if by the grace of God, and through the power of His Holy Spirit, we will submit ourselves for the sacred principles to be etched in our consciences, the sure benefits will certainly be made manifest, for they were given with our best interest in mind.

We therefore end with three passages of scripture which show that the universal law of Ten Commandments are given to us for our longevity, prosperity, and our benefit so that we and our children may live happily ever after. Let’s read:

Psalm 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:

 the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of  water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

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 “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.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                                       God bless!

Dispensing With Erroneous Views. Sabbath Afternoon. 08/01/2015

The Bible teaches us that the word of God is given for instruction and admonition, and sound doctrine, so that the Christian may be furnished unto all good works. But these are not the only purposes for which they are given, for the scriptures state that the word is also written for correction, meaning that it must be consulted when we endeavor to correct erroneous views which may have been harbored either ignorantly or deliberately. As it is used by Paul in the book of Timothy, the word correction presupposes that some or all of the views we may have previously harbored about God and spiritual things could possibly be wrong, and thus the Bible is given to either eradicate the preconceived ideas, or to clarify certain controverted points of doctrine. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

One such correction had to be administered in the case of Job’s friends who had cultivated erroneous views of God, and the reasons for human suffering. After Job had been hit by one calamity after another, the enemy of souls brought upon him a very loathsome disease, very painful in nature, and abhorrent to the sight, in so much that his friends and family had to stay at some distance when visiting or speaking to him. When his friends first saw him in his distress, they became greatly troubled in spirit, that a godly man could have fallen on such bad times so suddenly, and because of the severity of the disease inflicted by the enemy, they lifted up their voices and wept aloud for their friend, throwing dust upon their heads in a show of abandoned grief. Let’s read:

 Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal;

and he sat down among the ashes.

11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place”….. “for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

But after the seven days of mourning had passed, Job’s friend, Eliphaz, could not hold his peace anymore, and he was moved to utter the abundance of his heart in a series of scathing rebukes for the wrongs he supposed had been committed, and which he thought had triggered Job’s terrible disease and misfortunes. And the more he reasoned and spoke, the more it became evident that his views of God and spiritual things were pretty distorted, and thus were in need of urgent correction. Using his line of reasoning, which had become quite common in his day, Eliphaz had concluded that Job’s many and sudden tragedies must have been a direct result of something wrong he had done, and without asking or verifying the facts in the case, he blurted out what was to become the cause for a stern rebuke from God.

In his view, the laws of cause and effect followed their natural course without wavering, and therefore the presumption of Job’s guilt was a foregone conclusion, resulting in the untimely demise of almost his entire family, together with thousands of sheep, and oxen, and menservants in the whole process. Furthermore, Eliphaz lay the blame squarely at God’s feet, painting Him as being very angry at Job for his supposed wrong-doing, whilst he let the real culprit in the matter go entirely free. These preconceived, but erroneous ideas and conclusions must of necessity be addressed, lest we poor mortals view our great Redeemer as our enemy, and the conversely, the devil as our dearest friend. Let’s read:

Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job.

10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

The purpose of the Bible study for this afternoon is not to clarify who is to blame or who is to be responsible for the tragedies in Job’s case; instead we must of necessity seek to clarify or correct Eliphaz’s views, using the scriptures, which as stated in 2nd Timothy, are given for correction.

Question: Can a straight line be drawn between sin and calamity, and if a person or a nation is in deliberate

 violation of known truth and duty, does that have a direct negative impact on their misfortunes? It is very important for us as Christians to understand this question, and the scriptural answer, because in our day, the song of Eliphaz is often repeated, albeit in much more subtle ways. For example, in many of our insurance policies, hurricanes and deadly tornadoes are described as being “Acts of God”. In other words, let us just say that Job had actually committed some grave iniquity, without repenting, would Eliphaz then be justified in drawing his conclusion, as it pertains to evil cause and calamitous effects? Or would his line of reasoning still be deemed unwarranted and entirely unreasonable?

Answer: Whenever deliberate, high-handed iniquity or sin is committed by individuals or nations, a direct line can reasonably be drawn between sinful cause and adverse effect, if the cause and results are what the Bible says it would be. Under no circumstances is the human agent to presume to make any such connections of his or her own volition, but if the word of God states clearly that such and such would be the result of a certain evil course of action, then we should believe it, and that settles it period. To reason thus can not be categorized as being judgmental, as is often claimed by those in the media, but is simply stating or reiterating what the word of God says. And as far as cause and effect goes, in both the spiritual and temporal realms, God always has the last word.

A perfect example of what the scripture is here referring to, occurred when the Jews had neglected to build the sanctuary of the Lord, but had instead lavished all their means and earnings upon themselves. This constituted the sin of idolatry in one of its most insidious forms, for anything and anyone who we place before God, in order of priority, then becomes a graven image, of the which God has already stated that He will not share His glory with, under any circumstances. The Jews had left God for last, in their order of priorities, and as a direct result, the land refused to produce fruit and grain in abundance, for their own stubbornness was being duplicated by the soil, which was under their jurisdiction, with God being the overseer in chief.

The Hebrews had renovated their own homes, they had

bought stainless steel furniture, some had upgraded the kitchen and bathrooms to granite, and some others had decided to redo their floors with modern artistic tiles, since at that time, home depot back then had them on sale. Still others of the more affluent had chosen to add swimming pools to their back yards, in order to increase the resale value, and a whole lot of other upgrades and additions were being made, whilst shrubs and nettles were growing in and around the house of God, without anyone batting an eye. Now, it’s important for us to understand that God had no problem whatsoever with the addition of swimming pools and other up-grades, for the Bible says nothing against any Christian who desires, and can afford a swimming pool. We must be very careful in harboring erroneous concepts of God, for He delights in giving the very best gifts to His children. Let’s read:

 Ecclesiastes 2:4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood

 that bringeth forth trees:

7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.

The Lord has no problem whatsoever with all these creature comforts, once they do not interfere with the service that is due to Him. The problem was that He was being left for last, and that order of priority is now going to draw a straight and direct line, to the impoverished productions of the earth, because this law of cause and negative effect is not a figment of man’s imagination, but is instead the plain utterances of Jehovah, regarding the relation of a sinful course of action, to resulting adverse circumstances. Let’s read:

Haggai 1:2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the

Lord's house should be built.

3 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

Now brethren, no one is here to lobby for any church –building fund, neither is it the intended purpose to place a burden on the conscience of anyone. All the Bible is stating, is that whenever there is known iniquity being committed, whether it be by a nation or individuals, a direct line is drawn in the scriptures as to root cause and adverse effect, for the Bible explicitly says that whatever man soweth, that shall he also reap. The question then for us to answer, is whether anything has changed from the days of Haggai till now, and have the same laws of cause and effect become extinct in our era?

In other words, if we pass laws legalizing iniquity in high and low places, can the same direct line be safely drawn between root cause and adverse effect, just as it was in the days of the prophet Haggai?  The Bible explicitly states what will be the result of indulging same-sex marriage, as is currently the case, so the question then is, what should we as a nation reasonably expect, without anyone being judgmental or condemnatory? Should we now expect smooth, easily sailing, as it pertains to the forces of nature, or as it relates to the financial sector, or are we to expect what God says will be the sure result? To answer this very important question we now turn to the word. Let’s read:

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 

27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Now, based upon what we have just read, God has no doubt drawn a direct line between this particular type of  abomination and the negative circumstances that will inevitably accrue, and since the decision to legalize gay marriage in all fifty states was made on the 26th of June 2015, therefore, as an investor, I must expect the Dow Industrials to take a hit, and based solely on what the Bible says, I must now place my bets for the following business day on the down side. And because the word of

 God does not, and cannot fail in any single particular, I can confidently expect my investment to the down side to reap millions. Let’s read:

Friday, June 26th 2015: In a landmark decision for gay rights, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled 5-4 that the Constitution gives same-sex couples the right to marry.

Monday June 29, 2015. 10:14 a.m:

Stocks Sink as Greece Crisis Sparks Global Selloff. Dow Tumbles 350 Points on Greek Debt Crisis:

NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Monday's stock selloff picked up speed in the final hour of trading, a warning sign that investors can expect more turmoil from Greece's debt crisis”… “Adding to global fears was Puerto Rico's debt crisis following Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla's comments that the island's $72 billion in debt is "not payable."

In the U.S., banks were hit the hardest. JPMorgan Chase (JPM - Get Report) shares closed lower by 2.4%, while shares of Citigroup (C) fell 2.5% and Bank of America

(BAC - Get Report) slipped 2.9%.

The very grave mistake that is being made, and repeated so often is that the spiritual factors which are affecting our everyday lives are not brought into the equation, for they are held and viewed as separate entities. The Bible utterly debunks any such theory or conclusion, because as stated previously, the potent spiritual law, regulates all natural and economic laws under its jurisdiction, and therefore, whenever it is interfered with for any reason, it throws the other laws under its domain out of balance. This is what the scriptures teach, and sooner or later, every member of the human family will have to come to grips with this sacred truth. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate”…..

The doctrine which teaches its adherents that blessings are in store for those who deliberately commit iniquity is nowhere to be found in the scriptures, and as such it constitutes an erroneous view that must be corrected by the word. However, because this nation is a great nation, and the mercies of God are extended to us, it is our positive duty to let everyone know what course of action must be pursued, if we are to return to a state of peace and tranquility. God takes no delight in the hardships and perplexities of the sinner, but He does stipulate what must be done, if a reversal of our misfortunes is to be realized.

 We will first need to confess that we have done wrong, by abandoning God’s order on marriage, and the laws which support the evil will need to be reversed. If this is done with a contrite and humble spirit, we will see a dramatic drop in the senseless killings across the land, mass shootings will drop significantly, the severe drought in California and other places will be erased by torrential rains, and the economic activity of the country will begin to increase exponentially. In addition to these, the oft-repeated standoffs between police and citizens will be reduced significantly, for all of these increased negatives are just spinoffs of the word “Spue”, as it is used in the passage in Leviticus. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7:12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him”….

13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

16 “And mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

It is therefore incumbent upon us to do what we know to  be right, by making speedy work of repentance, and if we do, God will respond in the positive by blessing our efforts to walk in harmony with His revealed will. Even though what is stated in the Bible concerning these matters may not bode well with the popular majority, nevertheless it is the word of God, and as such will ultimately find fulfilment in due season, one way or another, for His word is settled forever in the heavens. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms the sacred nature of the word of God, and it is His will that the right proactive measures be now taken, to institute the appropriate, and much needed reforms. 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.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit of God is saying.

                          God bless!

The Investigative Judgment. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/25/2015

The scriptures teach us that there is an investigative judgment now taking place in the heavenly courts, which will ultimately decide the eternal destiny of all those who have ever taken the name of Jesus. The serious nature of this judgment must be understood by all for it represents the very final decision to be made as to whether we will be granted the gift of immortality, or whether eternal damnation will be our lot. Although there are some who do not take kindly to the truth that we all will be held accountable for our deeds, yet it is for our own good that we should take the time to understand the import of the judgment, hence the reason why this afternoon’s study will address specific points which need to be clarified in our minds. We start first by establishing beyond all doubt that there is an investigative judgment now taking place in heaven. Let’s read:

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and

 the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

 Point # (1) In this first judgment here mentioned by the prophet Daniel, only the names of those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, and who have entered into a covenant relationship with God, will be admitted for consideration, for the rest of earth’s inhabitants will be judged at a later time, and because of this the names of those who have refused to appropriate God’s grace to themselves through Jesus Christ, would not even be considered. In other words, a person who has had the opportunity to see and understand the truths of God’s word, and who deliberately turns away, cannot stand a chance, because once the books in the first investigative judgment have been closed, the opportunity to be saved will have forever been removed. This is why it is so very important that every member of the human family see and understand this first point. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

In order for a person’s name to be blotted out of God’s book, their names would first have to be written, hence the reason why we conclude that there must be two separate judgments which take place. When the disciples were given power over the enemy, they were cautioned not to rejoice because the evil spirits were subject unto to them, but rather to be glad because their names were written in heaven. When Christ made this statement in reference to names being written, which is also similar to the one made in Exodus, He was referring to the faithful as well as unfaithful believers, because at this time the, disciples included Judas who betrayed Him, yet he was an evangelist who had taken the name of Jesus, and because of this, his name too was also written in the very same book as was Moses and Daniel, and therefore he must come up for consideration in the first investigative judgment. Let’s read:

John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

The reason why the first angel’s message in Revelation Chapter 14 is so important and urgent, is because all the inhabitants of the earth need to know that they must at least have their names registered in the books of the investigative judgment, for without them being written, they will not be brought into the equation. Hence the reason why the first message as given by the angel is included in the “Everlasting gospel”, for it plays a very critical role in the eternal salvation of those who are registered in Christ. This is not to say that our motive for accepting Jesus as Lord and savior should be based solely on being registered, but what we must be aware of is the fact that the investigative judgment represents the only opportunity to be forever linked to Christ, and as such we should make the most of it. Let’s read:

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.

Point # (2) The judgment of the finally impenitent takes place during the one thousand years which transpire between Christ’s second and third coming, and the records of their deeds are not considered with the intention of saving them, but rather to mete out due recompenses for the sins that have been committed. In this aspect, the investigative judgment differs greatly, for its purpose is to save as many people as possible, who desire to be saved, whereas with the second judgment, the sole purpose is to assess penalties for sinful deeds done in the body. The records of sins committed by those who are included in the second executive judgment, are not, and cannot be covered with the blood of Christ, for the Day of Atonement will have long been gone. Let’s read:

 Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and

judgment was given unto them”….. “and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

1st Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Point # (3) We are judged not only by our sins and good deeds, but more so by the only remedy that has been provided in Christ. God is not so much concerned with the spiritual deficiencies we are born with, as with what we do with the provisions for our healing that have been made available through Christ. Now it is true that those of us who claim to be Christians must be found walking in harmony with the light that has been diffused upon our pathway, yet in the final analysis, it is the righteousness of Christ and His good deeds that are to be credited to our names, which will then be the determining factor in whether we are saved or lost eternally. There is a tendency to go to one of two extremes on this very important point, and of these two views we must be wary, because the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

The good works that we are commanded in the Bible to do are absolutely essential, and must never, ever be downplayed in significance, because of the superiority of Christ’s righteousness. Believing is just as important as doing, and these two aspects of salvation are members of the same spiritual family that cannot exist apart from each other. In other words, faith in Christ’s righteousness in no way eclipses our sacred duty to walk in newness of life, for at the end of the day it is not what we say nor profess, but rather what we do which will determine whether Christ’s righteousness will cover for us in the heavenly courts. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

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.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 21:28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, the first”…..

The “Doing” part is critically important, however we must be careful not to place excessive emphasis on our doing, to the point where Christ’s perfect righteousness in our behalf is lost sight of, because this represents the other extreme we should be mindful of. Some Christians focus so intently and solely on Christ’s righteousness, that they disregard the doing part, and thus put the onus on Christ alone, without the necessary and accompanying work of self-denial. The fact of the matter is that although as Christians we strive for perfection in Christ, yet we often fall short of His glory, in addition to which we have sinful history that we just cannot shake, except it be through the blood of Christ. Hence the reason why it is important for us to not lose sight of the fact that it is both the blood and the righteousness of Christ that will secure for us a seat at the welcome table, and this sacred truth should ever be uppermost in our contemplation and views of the investigative judgment.  Let’s read:

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,  and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere 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

Point # (4) The doctrine of “Once saved, always saved” attempts to preclude the doctrine of the judgment, for it presumes to confer perpetual forgiveness on those who are most in need of pardon. The Bible teaches us that it is quite possible for those who were once saved by God’s grace, to turn back to the former life of sin, because our salvation is a deliberate free choice that is made by each individual on an ongoing basis. Therefore, at any given point in our Christian experience, we are free to return to our old ways if we so choose, because God only accepts the free service of love, and as such, will never prevent anyone from retrogressing back to a life of sin, if they so choose.

 This sad scenario has actually taken place many times in the experiences of those who once walked with the Lord, and the Bible itself confirms the possibility, therefore we conclude that the doctrine of “Once saved, always saved” must be a doctrine of devils, designed to lull the unwary into a false sense of security, to which there will be a very rude awakening, albeit too late. If our decisions to follow Christ were immediately locked down for eternity after accepting Him, then one of two results will begin to unfold. The first one is a robotic obedience, by which the Christian has no choice but to obey God, and the second is the freedom to sin at great lengths, since the first and final decision to follow Christ can never be reversed. In both cases these erroneous theories are debunked in the scriptures. Let’s read:

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

1st Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in  the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

2nd Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Ezekiel 33:3 When I shall say to the righteous, that he

shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

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.

Matthew 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Ezekiel 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write”….

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not,

 and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Point # (4) Every thought, word, and action must of necessity be recorded, because all decisions made in the heavenly courts must rest squarely upon verifiable facts, with no exceptions whatsoever. This is one of the aspects of the investigative judgment that scarcely gets any due attention, and because it isn’t presented as it ought to, there is a resulting tendency to live loosely, without any concern about accountability. God does not judge us on just mere hear-say, or what He believes is right. The facts in every case must be presented from the records, and then the final determination is made as to whether the blood of Jesus will permanently cover our sins, a very solemn thought indeed.

We live in an era when many people think that they are accountable to no one but themselves, and thus, the sins and decisions that can forever alter our destiny are not given due consideration, and it is for this reason why our righteousness has now become relative to many, with unstable, shifting moral standards, varying from person to person. But the Bible teaches us that our thoughts and actions are carefully weighed in the judgment, and if sins are not confessed and forsaken during our probationary time, then they will stand against us when the books of record are revealed. Let’s read:

 Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Isaiah 65:6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,

7 Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

Point # (5) Our sins are not yet blotted out, for this action only takes place after our lives have come up for review in the heavenly courts, and the holy sanctuary has been cleansed. Our confessed sins are currently covered, but not yet blotted out, and they can be uncovered if we were to choose to go back to our former way of life. In the earthly sanctuary the Day of Atonement represented the antitypical day of investigative judgment, and the sins of the people were removed from the sanctuary only after the high priest had presented the Lord’s goat as a sacrifice for sin, and the iniquities of the people were transferred from the sanctuary to the head of the scape goat. Until this process was completed, the record of sin remained. Let’s read:

Leviticus 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within

the vail”…… “and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins”….

17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place”…..

20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the  wilderness.

22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

In lieu of these solemn truths that are transpiring now in heaven, what manner of persons ought we to be, living as those who will be judged by the perfect law of liberty as spoken of by the apostle James. The rapid declension of morality and righteousness in our generation, and by the introduction of many sacrilegious, satanic versions of the Bible, it is obvious, even to the casual onlooker, that the end of all things is at hand, and thus as Christians, we should be at the forefront of not only warning the world of what is to come, but also to be living in harmony with the solemn truths we preach, for soon and very soon, the investigative judgment will close, after which no decision for Christ, no prayers for the sinner, and no intercession for those who do not know God will ever again be accepted. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which calls us to the urgency of the moment, and it is the will of God that all who have ears to hear, take heed and be counted, for the time is at hand. Let’s read:

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.

                         God bless!  

Understanding God's Promises Of Success. Sabbath Afternoon 07/18/2015

In the Bible there are written many promises made to those who enter into a covenant relationship with God, and these promises are not given to us as rewards for good behavior, but rather because God is good and takes great delight in giving good gifts to His children. There is nothing we may do to deserve any of the good promises God has made to us, because they are made not because we are good, but because The Lord is good. In addition to the promises given, there are instructions on how they must be facilitated, because it always takes cooperation between the human agent and the Divine for success to become a reality in our lives. Furthermore the promises of success thus given are conditional, meaning that there are certain stipulated steps which must be put in place, before the promises can be materialized. Let’s read:

Joshua 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law”…. “turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

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.

Because this promise is heavily loaded, it is therefore necessary for us to understand first what is the Bible definition of “Good success” because what the world defines as being successful, is often described in the word as a miserable failure. For instance, this past week a prominent candidate for the presidency released his earnings, and to many he is seen as the epitome of good success, because with the secular world, money, fame, fortune, and higher education are all manifestations of one being very successful, hence the reason why many may look to such individuals as those who should be emulated.

But with the Christian, being successful must inevitably result in being saved in God’s kingdom, or else our lives would not be worth the living. And although there are many undeniable instances in the Bible, where certain individuals who played by the rules, became very rich and famous, yet these elements are not what finally decided whether or not they were successful, because as was stated before, true success must of necessity include a saving relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.

Hence the reason why we will find many instances in the Bible where individuals were martyred for their faith in God, but were deemed extremely successful in life by the heavenly standards, whilst other characters were very wealthy, and yet their lives were not estimated as being a success, because that one singular element of a vital connection with God was missing. This is the reason why in the scriptures we will find many paradoxes on the issue of success and prosperity, for there are those who were rich in this world’s good, yet were poor, and there were those who were very poor by worldly standards yet were extremely rich. Thus we must be very, very careful when defining what true success is. Let’s read:

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain”…

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and”… “they speak loftily.

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

However, there are some important issues we should be aware of when trying to understand God’s promises of success and prosperity, for many Christians erroneously conclude that the blessings of God in this area come with no adverse conditions, and because of this many of us

 often become dismayed at what we see as unwarranted difficulty and hardship in the fulfillment of His promises. We should therefore settle this matter once and for all in our hearts, that prosperity and good success as given by God, often includes major disappointments, obstacles, and hurdles, which will severely challenge our faith in His power to deliver on what He has promised.

 Furthermore, it has been observed on several occasions that playing by the rules is never an absolute guarantee that everything will then go smoothly without a hitch, for there are other nocturnal forces of evil that are hell-bent on forestalling God’s promises to us, and though these unseen, and human agents do not have the power within themselves to overturn one iota of God’s word, yet they will certainly mount an orchestrated and determined challenge, to cause us to buckle under temptation, and thus yield to feelings of despair and discouragement. This fact is critically important for us to understand, so that we may not succumb to doubt and murmuring against God, when it may occur. Let’s read:

Genesis 37:5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed

the saying.

These dreams were not figments of Joseph’s imagination, neither did they occur because he had eaten split peas late at night, but were rather the direct interpositions of God, revealing to him the fact that there was a bright future ahead of him, complete with fame and fortune of no ordinary character, in addition to a position of great authority. However, as sacred history reveals to us, the road to Joseph’s future success would be marked with severe trial and manifold temptations which would try to threaten both his faith and his sanity, and these daunting challenges would come after he had played by the rules.

The reason for this is that whenever it is revealed that God is going to bless his people and make us a great success, the old devil goes to work, and sets a series of challenges in motion, if by any means he could cause us to forget about God and turn our backs on His promises. This he has done time and time again, and in some instances, with great success. It is unrealistic then for us to think that good success will come our way without a hitch, because as stated before, every step of advance

made by the Christian in any line will be subject to the ire of the dragon, who will work both through supernatural and human agencies to try to overthrow our faith in God.

This sobering fact we must always as a rule bring into the equation, so that we may not harbor any unrealistic ideas of how success is accomplished, and thereby become very discouraged and disheartened, when things did not go the way we had planned or expected. In the case of Joseph, his road to success would be marked with a series of impediments, ranging from being sold by his own family into slavery, to attempted rape by his own master’s wife, and then to cap it all off, several years in jail, all because he chose to play by the rules. Yet in and through all the vicissitudes of his life, the Bible tells us that God was with Joseph, and thus we may know for certain, that in the fullness of time, every promise made to him by God, will be fulfilled to the letter in their due season. Let’s read:

Genesis 37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again”…

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.

17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.

19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Psalm 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them

stronger than their enemies.

(Excerpts from Early writings pp 266)  I saw that Satan bade his angels lay their snares especially for those who were looking for Christ’s second appearing and keeping all the commandments of God. Satan told his angels that the churches were asleep. “But,” he said, “the sect of Sabbath-keepers we hate. Be very vigilant then. Cause disturbance and confusion if possible. Battle every inch of ground. Crowd every attraction around them, and they will be surely ours. I saw that Satan carries out his plans well. He is constantly putting suggestions into the minds of God’s people. He leads some in one way and some in another, always taking advantage of evil traits”… exciting and stirring up their natural besetments.

The same thing took place after God had promised to bless the Hebrews with a land flowing with milk and honey. At this time the children of Israel were playing by the rules, and as far as God was concerned, they were actually doing that which was right and pleasing in His sight. And so, true to his form, the devil goes to work again, to try if by any means he could present manifold temptations to cause them to stumble, and thus forestall in some measure, God’s promises of good success and prosperity to His people.

We should observe in this next instance that the very same temptation of sexual immorality was used as that which was brought to Joseph, because there are only three categories of temptations the devil can choose from, and whatsoever may be our issue that we are tempted with, we may know for certain that it is just an old temptation in recycled form. However, unlike Joseph, this time he had a measure of success, and although many were thus thrown off course on account of their sins, yet again, the promises of God were fulfilled to His people in the fullness of time, because as stated before, God’s word will be fulfilled one way or another, even if there be distractions and challenges along the way. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they

were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor”… “saying”… 

6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed

16 And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

19 God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him,

and the shout of a king is among them.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob”…

Now brethren, in lieu of the challenges that will certainly be mounted by the enemy to overthrow our faith in the promises of God, there are certain preemptive points we must of necessity take into consideration, in order for us to avoid falling into the snares of discouragement, doubt, and murmuring, which have the potential to derail our faith and resilience in God.

Point # 1: Continue to play by all the rules of engagement that are written as preconditions to the fulfillment of God’s promises of success, for these must be followed diligently, without turning to the right hand or the left. It is of critical importance for us to maintain this first step, for a deliberate departure from the path of rectitude can trigger adverse and unnecessary hardships along the way.

Exodus 23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place

which I have prepared.

21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not”.. “for my name is in him.

22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

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.

Point # 2: Maintain an unwavering faith in God that trusts Him even when we cannot trace Him. Sometimes it may seem as if the road to success is shrouded in much darkness and uncertainty, but in and through all of the ups and downs, God is silently working out His own good purposes, and we will reap in due season if we faint not.

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Point # 3: Avoid the temptation to doubt and murmur, for these have the ability to obscure the providences of God, and if left to run their natural course, could actually cause us to interpret blessings as curses and vice versa. Whenever the spirit of complaining is indulged over a period of time, God is seen to be an enemy instead of a Friend, Father, and Redeemer, and whatsoever good He may do for us will often come across as an omen of evil. Doubt and murmuring are the diabolical enemies of faith and trust, and if we suffer with these two maladies, we should now ask God to forgive us, and to grant us a ready and believing mind that dwells in the positive, instead of negative territory. Let’s read:

 Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.

6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:

7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and

 honey.

9 Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones”….

1st Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured”

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.

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.

Let us therefore zip up our boots and cultivate a cheerful spirit, in the good times and bad, because all things work together for the good of those who love God. All things may not necessarily be good in and of themselves, but when lumped together as an indivisible whole, it will be seen that God has led us in the very best paths to success and prosperity. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to continue hoping and trusting in God for the future, because He knows and does only what is best for His people. Let’s read:

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                                    God bless!

The Final Conflict Between Faith And Science. Sabbath Afternoon 07/11/2015

The Bible teaches us that in order for our relationship with God to be normalized, it must be faith-based, for trust is an indispensable essential to any relationship, whether horizontal or vertical. In the book of Hebrews the fundamentals are laid out in the clearest language, because no other premise for reinstatement with our Creator is admissible or workable. The reason for this is because there will always be issues that go beyond the realm of rational or logical modes of thought by man, or any created being for that matter, hence the reason why the relationship between God and any created being must rest squarely upon faith and trust. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The word “Must” is used in the above passage, meaning that there is no other way of building a relationship with God. But modern science is predicated on the belief that statements and theories must be proven first before we can accept them as fact. This mode of thought is directly opposed to the mindset of faith, which believes God’s word first, and acts upon it first before any scientific data or research, experimentation or analysis, is available. But under no circumstances does a lack of scientific data on a particular subject, cause the true Christian to postpone obedience or their belief in what God has plainly said.

These two modes of thought were early introduced in the history of the human race, when God explicitly said that eating of the forbidden tree, or even touching its fruit will result in death. But not long after, a scientific approach to the same subject matter was introduced to Eve by the devil, who attempted to prove that what God said was false. As a matter of fact, according to his own infernal research and analysis, quite the opposite was true, for by touching and eating of the fruit, he showed that he had apparently graduated to a higher state of existence than previously, for not only did he not die, but he instead had acquired the power of speech, something

that was unknown to the animal kingdom.

And thus Adam and Eve were faced with the dilemma of choosing between two modes of thought that were to shape their after history. On the one hand they had the clear instructions of God, with the stated results before them, but with no proof or scientific research to verify that this would indeed be the case. On the other hand, they had living evidence before them which they could not deny, in that the serpent had both touched and eaten of the forbidden fruit, yet there seemed to be no sign of death either in him or in Eve, who was the first to venture outside the perimeter of God’s will.

Question: Which mode of thought and action were they to go with, with God’s word that required faith without first having proof? Or with the undeniable evidence of scientific proof and analysis before them? Thus it is, that on these two modes of thought and consequent action, the eternal destiny of all the inhabitants of the earth will forever be decided, and the final conflict between faith and science will be fought out on the battlefield of the human mind.

From that fatal moment onward, when Adam and Eve chose to go the secondary route suggested by satan, the very same issue has arisen again and again within the context of the human experience, and the very same questions have surfaced on numerous occasions, with the very same results. Furthermore, other serious issues have arisen as by-products of the same two modes of thought, which have perplexed millions for thousands of years. For instance, after Cain had slain his brother Abel, The Lord then told him that the shedding of blood would cause the ground not to produce as bountifully as it did before, because the shedding of blood directly affects the production of fruit and grain. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength”…..

Question: Was the curse that was uttered in the above verses a direct act of God against Cain, or would it be the natural result of his wrong-doing? In other words, is this something that God is now going to do to Cain, or will the stubbornness of the earth be a natural consequence of his wrong-doing? And if so, what are the implications for us in our day when the same or a similar courses of action are pursued? There is an electrical substation with a distinct warning sign that says danger lurks on the inside.  

If a person then presumes to scale the fence and gets electrocuted in the process, can we reasonably conclude that FPL did something to him, or was his untimely death the natural result of his wrong course of action. We must be very careful when answering this question, for if we concluded that FPL did something to the man, then we would be agreeing with satan that there are no natural negative consequences for scaling the fence, and that the man’s death was a direct and deliberate act of revenge by FPL against the offender. This is the core concept ingrained in the cryptic words, “Ye shall not surely die”, for here the devil proposes that sin does not naturally carry any negative consequences, and that any adverse side effects are the result of a God seeking revenge.

Now there are instances in the scriptures, where God, in His capacity of Sovereign Ruler of the universe, saw it fit to intervene in the human experience, and He executed direct judgments against nations and individuals, since He retains this right as creator and judge of all the earth. But this is not the question under consideration here. The real issue at stake is whether sin of itself carries with it any natural, adverse consequences or not.

One thing is certain, and has been established beyond any reasonable doubt, that there is no known science that links bloodshed directly to the production of fruit and grain, and so the question arises again, would we believe God when He states that shedding of innocent blood across the land will severely compromise the farming industry, and this without any scientific data or evidence, or do we submit to our finite modes of thought, research, and analysis to the contrary? 

Again, in the days of the antediluvians before the flood, Noah preached for 120 years that torrential rain was on its way, but up to that time, and during the entire period of his sermons, not one drop of rain had fallen, and there was no scientific evidence, or historical precedent to now justify any rational belief of Noah’s singular message of coming rain. Furthermore, there is no known science that can possibly make a direct link between sin and rain.

 And so, the very same question arises again to haunt our minds, should the antediluvians submit to Noah’s mode of thought, which believes God’s word first, and takes proactive steps in that direction without any scientific data, analysis, or research to confirm what he is saying, or should they go with the undeniable evidences of their senses, backed up by historical precedents which clearly show that rain had never once fallen upon the earth? Now, even though there was no known science to back up Noah’s claims, yet the fact remains that it did rain, and it rained in torrential down pours, to the point where about seven billion people drowned in the deluge, for which there was no previous scientific proof.

Then several centuries later, when the Hebrews had been brought into the land of Canaan through the great providences of God, they were like Adam and Eve, given clear instructions on certain courses of action to avoid at all costs, because very detrimental results would accrue, if for any reason the forbidden practices were indulged. The indulgences of pagan nations were then given as the reasons why they were uprooted from their native lands, and were destroyed from the inside out by their own sins and wrong-doings. Let’s read:

Leviticus 18:1 And the Lord spake”…. 2 “Unto them, I am the Lord your God.

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the Lord your God.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any

stranger that sojourneth among you:

27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.

Now, there is again no known scientific data, analysis, or research that links same-sex marriage and other similar indulgences to the defiling of the land, nor can any man connect the two through any known secular formula of cause and effect. In other words, we are faced with the very same modes of thought that were at first introduced in the Garden of Eden, and thus the same questions are before our faces. Should we believe God’s word, without any scientific proof linking the forbidden activities to the deterioration of the earth, or do we submit to current evidences of science and research, which state that great social progress has been recently made in our modern society?

Now let’s probe the first mode of thought and action a little more deeply to see what are the benefits that will  accrue to the believer. The Bible states that if a person or nation desires to enter into a covenant relationship with God, believing Him is a fundamental essential. This belief is not based on what we can see or prove in a laboratory, but instead takes God at His word and runs with it. When this mode of thought is adopted, it throws wide open the door for countless possibilities that are not available to the skeptic, because faith in God is not constrained by finite research and experimentations.

In other words, a person who adopts this first God-given way of thinking can experience miraculous occurrences in their lives that are simply not possible to those who  limit their belief to what can be seen, heard, proven or felt, hence the reason why the scripture teaches us that “Anything” is possible to those who believe, and that is a

 pretty strong word. Let’s read:

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.

1st Samuel 17:1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle”…

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled

 from him, and were sore afraid.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul

said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

In our day there is a dark cloud of unbelief and spiritual darkness that has overspread the land like the shades of night, and because there isn’t any known scientific proof for the prophecies that are to be fulfilled in the very near future, many skeptics and doubters have now adopted the scientific mode of thought, and there are now to be found millions of people across the globe with whom proving is believing. Even the historical precedents set forth in the scriptures are reasoned away on scientific grounds, and as a result we are at a loss to make a direct link between sin, and the many troubles and perplexities that have now become the order of the day.

But the Bible teaches us that the prophecies pertaining to the last days of earth’s history will be fulfilled in their due season, whether we believe them or not, because of the basic fact that scripture has never, ever been subject to our finite science. Furthermore, we will soon have to grapple with the fact that there are indeed supernatural forces of good and evil at work in the 21st century, and therefore the mode of thought and action we now adopt will decide which camp we will be identified with.

 There is not one single instance in the Bible where a nation or an individual was rewarded with blessings for doing evil, not one, and that’s why our expectations as Christians should be based upon the word of God alone, and nothing else to the contrary. In the very final conflict between faith and science those questions that were first introduced in the Garden of Eden will have to be settled once and forever within the domain of our minds, and because we are perilously close to the close of probation, it is now necessary that the mind of Christ be found in us, so that the faith He exercised may become our own daily experience.

The Bible speaks of a time of trouble that will envelope the world, and the mode of thought and action we adopt will determine our eternal destiny. If we now choose to believe science, and the modern philosophers of the day, we will be swept into the ranks of those who cannot ever please God, but if we chose the faith-based mode of thought and action, we will be more than conquerors in the final conflict, because as Jesus said, all things are possible to them that believe. Let’s read:

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

The time here spoken of is just ahead of us, and we are already experiencing the headwinds of the coming storm. It is therefore incumbent upon us to make decisions that are commensurate with the teachings of scripture, rather than with the evidences of our finite science, for at the end of the day, those who have believed in God and acted on their belief will never be ashamed, but we will be mighty glad that we followed God’s instruction to believe. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which prepares us to stand in that great day, and it is the will of God that what we have studied this afternoon, will translate into faith in action, because the time is at hand. Let’s read:

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                                       God bless!