2016

April 23, 2016

In the Bible we read of Christ, from birth to about twelve years of age, and then for eighteen years, there is silence, until Jesus is presented as the Lamb of God at the age of thirty. During these eighteen years of silence a tremendous amount of activity actually took place, however, the Bible sums it up briefly by stating that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. These few words speak volumes, even though many Bible students may have glossed them over.

However, it must be noted here that between the ages of twelve and thirty, a whole lot of pressure is brought to bear upon our souls by the enemy of all righteousness, for his temptations against our fallen nature usually assert themselves in their severest forms, especially during those turbulent teenage years. And thus, we should never conclude that the three temptations against Christ in the wilderness, were the first forays of the devil against His soul.

This conclusion can be drawn from the Bible, which teaches us that Christ was tempted in “All” points, just as we are yet without sin. But many folks have stumbled over this statement of scripture, believing that Christ had an advantage over us in overcoming, and thus the logical reasoning that naturally follows that mode of thought, is that we cannot reasonably be expected to overcome, as Christ overcame, since some assume that He must have had an advantage. And as a direct result, many have given up all hope of overcoming, preferring to grovel in the liabilities of fallen human nature, instead of appropriating the victories that can be ours daily through Christ.

The subsequent overtones of these conclusions can be seen in doctrines which advocate for faith in God and in Christ’s righteousness, even as the believer continues to live in sin. And thus we have come to an era in Christianity, where faith in Christ has now become quite lopsided, with little corresponding growth in grace and practice, as the word of God clearly stipulates. Let’s read:

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.

Therefore, it is for the purpose of correcting these erroneous theories of Christ, that we now turn to Bible for answers, not only about His victories in the wilderness, but also about those eighteen years of silence which were referred to previously. There are a few fundamentals we need to cover first, before we can better understand Christ’s temptations and His victories in our behalf.

[1] In accomplishing the singular act of incarnation, God did not do anything for Christ, which was not done in the first Adam, and since Adam could have sinned, and he did, then Jesus also could have sinned, but He didn’t. In other words, the first Adam was created without any bias to sin, and therefore, because Christ must pick up from where Adam lost, He too was made without any inherent bias to sin, for God was His Father, just like the first Adam. Let’s read:

Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
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.

[2] The first Adam was created from the dust of the earth, while the Second Adam was made using the same processes we are all now subject to, but this was all done in love and mercy, so that thousands of years of degenerate human nature would fall upon the shoulders of Christ, thus making Him one with us. Fallen human nature is not a sin, it just means that the natural urges which occurred mildly, and were easily controllable in the first Adam, have now been thrown entirely out of balance, and because of this, we now experience bouts of extreme pangs of hunger, thirst, and sexual urges, which when we permit to run unbridled, result in a dire lack of self-control. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating and drinking, nor is it a sin to be given in marriage. The problem occurs when we take these inherently God given desires to extremes and indulge excessively in them contrary to God’s revealed will. Thus it is, that when a decision is made to participate in any of the aforementioned activities in a manner that is clearly against scripture, sin occurs. Gay marriage, shacking up without being married, one or two night stances, polygamy, marrying, and divorcing, and remarrying several times, for very trivial, unscriptural reasons, all become sin, for they are contrary to God’s ideal, given in His established order.

[3] These biological urges, in their disturbed and fallen state, are what set the stage for Christ to be tempted in all points like as we are, hence the reason why we are admonished in the Bible, not to allow these urges to cause us to make decisions that are not in harmony with the scriptures. Let’s read:

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.

[4] Being made sinless does not prevent a person from being tempted, and this statement covers all situations, including Adam, Christ, Eve, satan, and the millions of angels who fell with him. Let’s take for instance, the first Adam who was not created with any inherent bias to sin, but was tempted just like Christ, and he did fall. It is worthy of note that even in his sinless state, the power of temptation asserted itself against his soul, and thus it was with Christ, who chose to react differently. It all boils down to our God-given freedom to choose. Let’s read:
Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

The devil and the angels who fell with him were all created sinless, without any bias to sin yet they all fell, and thus, it would be quite erroneous for us to conclude that in the incarnation of Christ, God the Father put up invisible fences, and hedges around the soul of Christ, so as to insulate Him from the severest temptations. On the contrary, God pulled out all the stops, and permitted satan to hurl his best shots, and fiercest temptations against Christ, and the rest is history, because Christ came out victorious on every point. Let’s read:

[The desire Of Ages pp. 753] The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Savior in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal.

Ezekiel 28:12 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.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

[5] This leads us to our next logical observation, for according to the scriptural laws of science, both parents contribute to the makeup of their offspring. And thus the question is, what did The Holy Ghost contribute, and what did Mary contribute, so that Christ could be born sinless, with Him having one parent who was a sinner, and the other who was sinless. It must be noted here that Mary was not a mere surrogate for Christ without having any input, because she did bring something to the table. If this is not the case, then Christ could not be tempted in “All” points, like as we are.

This then raises another very important scientific question, because many folks, including Christians, have erroneously excused Adam’s sin, believing that he had no other choice, but to follow his wife into never land. Question: If Adam had not sinned, and then had children by Eve in her sinful state, would his kids have been born with inherent propensities to sin, or would we all have been born with moral neutrality? In other words, can a sinless father and a sinful mom produce children who have no bias to sin? And if so what does that teach us about the male and female contributions to the make-up of their children? To get some answers we must turn to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

1st Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

These, and other statements lay the responsibility of transferring sinful propensities squarely at the feet of man, for Mary could make no contribution in that area whatsoever, hence the reason why Christ was not predisposed to sin, as we are. When we examine the nature of the fall in Eden, we see that Eve fell because of deceit, but Adam made a choice that was well-informed and deliberate, and that’s why sinful propensities came from through Adam to his offspring. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

This brings us to the incarnation of Christ, where A sinless Father, is coupled together with a sinful mother, and no evil propensities can be transferred by the mother. If The Father were to do something in Mary that would have miraculously prevented a natural transfer of sinful propensities, then it would be considered by some as a shady deal, rendering Christ invulnerable, and not subject to the normal processes and liabilities we go through. In essence, Mary would produce a sort of righteous robot, who could not ever sin. Robots are the creation of man, not of God. And so we read of Christ’s incarnation as announced by the angel Gabriel. Let’s read:

Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest”…
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

This level of science, not even the angel Gabriel could comprehend, that’s why the best description he could give was “That Holy Thing”. As was stated before on this forum, the word Omniscience really consists of two distinct words, “Omni and Science, and therefore it is with reverence that the curtain is drawn aside for the believing members of the scientific community to investigate the vast treasures of knowledge and understanding which are revealed in Christ. Mary’s contribution to the process is fallen human nature, whilst the Holy Ghost’s contribution is the sinless characteristics of God the Father.

[6] Earthly fathers do play a very important role in the production of their children and because of this, several passages allude to the fact that the brunt of the responsibility for a child’s moral constitution, rests with the father. This sacred but solemn truth should act as a firm, restraining order against the reckless, and wanton indulgence in sin by men, for the powerful sinful propensities are transferred from father to son as a legacy. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:5 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.

1st kings 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

1st Kings 22:51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

And now, having gone through the fundamentals we now turn to the eighteen years of silence. We will take up the history of Christ from the age of twelve, what took place during those eighteen years, and immediately after, when He is revealed as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. Let’s read:

Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

From this point forward, up to the age of thirty, The Lord will be subjected to relentless temptations, for as stated before, it is during the teenage and young adult years that temptations are very fierce, and so difficult to resist. The Bible teaches us that Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin, so God will have us understand that the three temptations we read about in the wilderness, are not the first assaults against the soul of Christ. The devil followed Christ relentlessly during His teenage years, and Jesus had to overcome, just the same like we have to be victorious, by praying and trusting to the strength of The Father in heaven. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:15 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.

Thus it is, that from age twelve to thirty some of the severest temptations took place. He was tempted in all points, like as we are, which means that all the common enticements to sin, to which all are now subject, were brought to Christ on many occasions during His teenage and young adult years, “Like as we are”. Christ was tempted with girls, like as boys and men are, yet without sin. The town of Nazareth where Christ grew up had many females who were interested in Christ. Even the local church where He attended services had female members who must have been drooling over Him. And He had to watch His step at every turn, even in church, “Like as we are”. They came in all shapes and sizes, at all hours of the day and night, for different and apparently valid reasons, but Christ was just as relentless in resisting through the strength of God, as satan was determined in brings his temptations. Let’s read:

[The youth instructor #3] Christ's childhood and youth were scarcely noticed in the gospels. He was brought up in wicked Nazareth. The inhabitants were proverbial for their selfishness, avarice, fraud, deceit, and general wickedness. Christ, the Redeemer of the world, was not situated where the influences surrounding him were the best calculated to preserve a life of purity and untainted morals, yet he was not contaminated. He was not free from temptation. Satan was earnest and persevering in his efforts to deceive and overcome the Son of God by his devices.

Christ was the only one who walked the earth upon whom there rested no taint of sin. He was pure, spotless, and undefiled. That there should be One without the defilement of sin upon the earth, greatly disturbed the author of sin, and he left no means untried to overcome Christ with his wily, deceptive power. But our Savior relied upon his Heavenly Father for wisdom and strength to resist and overcome the tempter.

Christ was also tempted on the issue of food, for the temptations on food are much stronger than those on sexual urges. As Christ passed through the town of Nazareth, the local Red lobster would be cooking up a storm, and the smell of freshly baked bread rolls, and deep fried shrimp could be picked up from a distance. Then the temptations to indulge appetite, contrary to Gods revealed will, would come to Him. And after a long day at work, tired and thirsty, neighbors and friends would invite Him to have a bud light or two, for social reasons, but He continues to resist the clamors of fallen nature. Let’s read:

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Proverbs 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

These varied temptations continued through the eighteen years of silence, during which time satan had opportunity to hone his skills, in preparation for the big one that would take place in the desert. It’s worthy of note that of all the temptations known to man, he begins with the most irresistible- food. And God made certain that Christ would be in the most vulnerable position, so that His victory on this point will forever clear the way for satan’s sophistries on food, and overcoming would be permanently put to rest. As a matter of fact, if by the grace of God, we can gain the victory over food, all other subsequent temptations will lose their stranglehold over us, for as the Bible has stated on several occasions, it all began with food, and it will end with food. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

There are times in our Christian experience when we go through terrible ordeals over the issue of food, and of all temptations it is proven to be the most formidable and difficult to resist, especially at times when we are presented with so-called valid reasons why we should indulge appetite contrary to God’s revealed will. The grace of God, together with the victories Christ gained in behalf of the human family provide the power, and necessary incentive for every person to live victoriously each day.

But if we subscribe to the idea that it is impossible for us to overcome, then we will be literally succumbing to defeat by agreeing with our arch-enemy in the false doctrine that we cannot overcome. Let’s read:

[The great controversy pp. 489] “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” [Proverbs 28:13.] If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed.

Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But Jesus pleads in their behalf his wounded hands, his bruised body; and he declares to all who would follow him, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” [2 Corinthians 12:9.] “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Let us then learn the pertinent lessons of self-denial from the life of Christ, His teenage, and young adult years, and on into manhood, and may we never forget that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of the sacred truth, that with God nothing is impossible, and therefore, we too can overcome, even as Christ did, for this is the whole purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

God bless!

The Right Arm Of The Third Angel's Message. Sabbath Afternoon 04/16/2016

April 16, 2016

For very many years our church has advocated the health message, pointing everyone back to God’s original ideals, as it pertains to diet, health of mind and body, and the use of nature’s remedies. But now the time has come for the message to take its rightful place as the right arm of the third angel’s message, as the servant of the Lord has clearly stated. In fact, if we were to look up the phrase: Right arm of the third angel’s message, we will see it occurring no less than 57 times, and thus it is important for us to give it due consideration, since the voice of the third angel will be sounding much louder in the not too distant future.

Now, some may be wondering why we have begun to place such a heavy emphasis on health on our
Face-book page, by putting up articles, pictures, and videos on a wide range of health-related issues such as exercise, foods and natural remedies. The reason is that many people do not know that God is always practical and down to earth in His instructions, and while many of us as Christians may be looking for a great miracle to occur to change our habits and our lifestyles overnight, the fact is that the means by which God will work to bring about change, is via the products and methods He has already ordained.

If someone needs to go to their doctor or physician for the treatment of diabetes, cancer, or heartburn, it will not bode well with the doctor for the patient to bring their own medicines, for the doctor is the one who stipulates what treatments and medicines are to be used in restoring health. Similarly, it will not bode well with Jesus if, in the restoration of health, that we bring to the table, those products He has not prescribed, for as stated before, it will be unreasonable for us to expect positive results if
insist that God works with products and methods we recommend.

For instance, Naaman, who was terminally ill with leprosy was told of Elisha the prophet in Israel, but when he arrived at Elisha’s house, he became pretty disturbed because the prophet did not come out in a show of spiritual exuberance, raising his hands to the heavens, and invoking God’s miraculous power in his behalf. Instead, the prophet told him of one of the simplest remedies you can find, water. God, the Physician, is going to cure Naaman, but the patient has to use only those products and methods which are stipulated.

And even though the water and seven dips do not make any sense whatsoever to the patient, we must remember that in our own experience with doctors and medicines, the names of some of those drugs many people use also do not make any sense either, let alone being able to pronounce them. Thus, after much fretting and anger, Naaman finally took the plunge, and God worked through the agency of water to bring about healing.

The health message, which as stated before is the right arm of the third angel’s message, is to work in much the same way, with the implementation and use of methods, diet, and natural remedies, coupled together with prayer and faith. God’s omnipotent, healing power will be used through, and in harmony with what He has ordained, and nothing else, when the third angel will begin to sound in our day. What is worthy of note however, is that in the fifty-seven instances given, not one mention is made of either the first or second angel’s messages, but instead, every single reference is inseparably linked to the third.

And so, the question is why? Why is the health message being directly linked to the third angel’s message, and not necessarily to the first or the second, even though it is good to preach it at any given time? It’s quite worthy of note that as stated before, this health message deals directly with diet, medicine, disease, its causes, and cures. And so the question is, what does the mark of the beast have to do with diseases, diets, and cures? For starters, we must read what the Bible specifies as the third angel’s message. 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”…

[Testimonies for The Church vol. 6 pp. 288] Again and again I have been instructed that the medical missionary work is to bear the same relation to the work of the third angel's message that the arm and hand bear to the body. Under the direction of the divine Head they are to work unitedly in preparing the way for the coming of Christ. The body has need of the arm in order to do active, aggressive work. Both have their appointed work, and each will suffer great loss if worked independently of the other.

[Testimonies vol. 6 pp. 327] When properly conducted, the health work is an entering wedge, making a way for other truths to reach the heart. When the third angel's message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.

Thus, the message must of necessity have some direct correlation to medicine, health and food, for all these are involved in medical missionary work. Whenever God is just about to do a magnificent work, satan introduces a counterfeit so that the lines of distinction between the true and the false may become quite blurred. Thus, we find it very interesting that a man-made system of health and medicine with drugs as a pillar, has recently become the law of the land, being mandated by the highest judicial body in the U.S, which may suggest that we might be much closer to the sounding of the third angel, than previously thought.

When a person goes to the doctor because of some sickness or ailment, the doctor not only prescribes medicine, but also counsels his patient on what to eat, and drink. And therefore, many of the products and methods which are now implemented will be found to be directly opposed to God’s ways and means of achieving cures.

For years we have focused squarely on the Sabbath, as being one of the most controversial doctrines, the universal, and national rejection of which, will close the probation of this earth permanently. But from what we have read, it seems as if The Spirit of God is directing our minds to a closer investigation of the literal ramifications of the implementation of Sunday laws, for the mark of the beast will affect all commerce in the most literal sense, including, but not limited to the purchase of food and medicines, none of which we can do without.

As it stands currently, most minds are programmed to decide and act along certain standard modes of thought, whenever there is a medical emergency, or any other health issue for that matter. For instance, if we get a cold or flu, most people automatically think of, and reach for a slew of cold remedies, or flu shots, without taking the time or the effort to see if these products are in line with God’s methods and stipulated materials. And if we were to get a headache we reach for the medicines most readily available at the local pharmacy. And if we were to get heart-burn and indigestion, after eating what we weren’t supposed to be eating in the first place, there we go again, with a host of antacids and so-forths.

(CNN) 04/15/2016."Taking one of the most prescribed medications in the world -- proton pump inhibitors -- might dramatically increase a person's risk for kidney failure and kidney disease, new research suggests. The study was released Thursday in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Doctors prescribe proton pump inhibitors, also known as PPIs, to help people who suffer from regular heart burn, ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux. They are sold under the names Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix, Aciphex and others. About 15 million Americans have prescriptions for them, although people can get them without a prescription -- so the number who use them is likely much higher.

The mark of the beast will effectively and entirely bring all man-made food and medicines under its domain, and then it will be that those who have not accustomed themselves to living according to the God ordained methods and systems of diet and medicine, will certainly encounter serious difficulty when the carpet is suddenly pulled from beneath our feet. To adopt, live by, and trust in God and His ways takes time and does not happen overnight, for in the real world, it takes many, many years to trust in God entirely. The difficulty will arise because so many Christians have not made it a habit to trust in God solely, and because of this, it won’t be an easy matter to switch over from one mode of action and thought, to the other suddenly.

Our preamble being covered, we now turn to the word of God to study the blueprints given, so that we may be instructed as to what will take place in the near future. We begin with the contest on Mt. Carmel, which mirrors what will take place with the modern day version of departures from the grand principles of God’s law. Already it has been taught for many years in some theological circles, that the law given at Sinai was for the Jews only, and as such has no bearing on post Judean Christianity. And with the repudiation of God-ordained marriage by the supreme court last year, there remains one, and only one more shoe to drop, before the third angel begins to sound with a loud voice. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

The “Trouble” is a direct result of trampling on the commandments of God, for as stated before on this forum, the law of God is much more potent than all other natural or physical laws. As a matter of fact, the other laws of nature are entirely subservient to the Decalogue, and whenever it is interfered with, the other laws under its jurisdiction are thrown out of balance.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.
We observe the ratio of true prophets to the false. In our day the very same situation has obtained, for there are thousands of false prophets, presenting fables and smooth things to itching ears, whilst the true prophet of God stands alone in single file.

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

Every mountain has a peak, so it was at the height of Israel’s apostasy that the contest between the law of God and the laws of men took place, and history is scheduled to be repeated, according to the Bible. Hence the reason for the following text. Let’s read:

Malachi 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb”… “with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

1st Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

In the final conflict to be settled soon, there will only be “Two opinions” to be decided on. The issue that will decide the eternal destiny of many billions of people, is the issue of worship, hence the reason why the book of Revelation specifies the issue. Its either Sabbath, or Sunday worship, for this is the last standing issue as it pertains to the law of God, versus the laws of men. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast”…
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life”…
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.
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.

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.
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,

1st Kings 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

This rain is symbolic of the latter rain, the great and final outpouring of the Holy Spirit to prepare all of earth’s inhabitants for the coming of The Son of Man. As the early rain was given at the inauguration of the Christian era, to cause the up-springing of the precious seed, just so The Holy Spirit is to be given near the close of earth’s history, to prepare all who so desire, to stand before The Son of Man when He appears. Let’s read:

Joel 2:23 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.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.
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.

James 5: 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

1st Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand”.

[The Great Controversy pp. 640>641] The voice of God is heard from Heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming, and delivering the everlasting covenant to his people. The wicked cannot look upon them. And when the blessing is pronounced on those who have honored God by keeping his Sabbath holy, there is a mighty shout of victory.

Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about half the size of a man's hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Saviour, and which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to be the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence they gaze upon it as it draws nearer the earth, becoming lighter and more glorious, until it is a great white cloud, its base a glory like consuming fire, and above it the rainbow of the covenant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror.

But, not long after the contest on Mt. Carmel has been decided, Jezebel issues a death threat to Elijah and he decides to flee for his life. It’s worthy of note that Ahab was generally kept in the shadows, being subservient to Jezebel, whilst the woman ran the show. Now, it’s worthy of note that both Ahab and Jezebel were national leaders, but the woman had the upper hand in executive orders, when the death threat to Elijah was issued. Soon, there might be a woman and a man running the show, both of whom are national leaders, but as in the time of the Elijah message, the woman will also have the upper hand, as far as executive orders go. Think about it! Let’s read:

2nd Kings 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

It is at this point, after Elijah has been cut off from all commerce, that he depends upon God entirely for food and medicine, for in the mountains and the wilderness where he is hiding, there are no shops, or malls, nor any Wal-marts to be found.] Let’s read:

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Let’s recap carefully the nature and sequence of events, and then let everyone judge for themselves whether or not it is a blueprint. [1] The nation has departed from the laws of God. [2] Elijah is sent to proclaim a famine. [3] He then goes into hiding where his diet is changed from KFC to a non-flesh diet. [4] There is a national contest between the commandments of God and the laws of men. [5] Rain, which represents the latter rain is poured out in copious amounts at this time, and millions of people have turned to serve the Living God. [6] The woman, who is a national leader with executive powers issues a death threat to Elijah. [7] Because of this he flees to the mountains and wilderness. [8] Through the ministration of angels he is protected, and fed two meals, consisting of bread and water.

[Maranatha pp. 270] In the day of fierce trial Christ will say, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over-past.” What are the chambers in which they are to hide? They are the protection of Christ and holy angels. The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies, and in all parts of the earth.

I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst. During the night a very impressive scene passed before me. There seemed to be great confusion and the conflict of armies. A messenger from the Lord stood before me, and said, “Call your household. I will lead you; follow me.” He led me down a dark passage, through a forest, then through the clefts of mountains, and said, “Here you are safe.”

There were others who had been led to this retreat. The heavenly messenger said. “The time of trouble has come as a thief in the night, as the Lord warned you it would come.” 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.

Observe the following: Two meals, Bread, Water, and Mountains. Then, speaking of the days of conflict that are just ahead, the prophet Isaiah says the very same thing, for there is nothing new under the sun, and as has been stated over and over again on this forum, God teaches by repetition. Let’s read:

Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. [Is it a mere Coincidence? Not so much.]

In preparation against that time, it’s important that we adopt specific modes of thought and action, so that when that day comes upon us unawares, we will not find it difficult to exercise unwavering faith and trust in God.

[1] Spiritual preparation: The Great controversy pp. 621>622] Those who exercise but little faith now, are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of Satanic delusions and the decree to compel the conscience. And even if they endure the test, they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of trouble, because they have never made it a habit to trust in God. The lessons of faith which they have neglected, they will be forced to learn under a terrible pressure of discouragement. We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving his promises.

[2] Physical preparation. The remnant are called to be living embodiments of the message they preach, with the God-ordained laws of health, diet, and medicine, being incorporated into our daily routine and experiences, so that when we open our mouths to present these sacred and solemn truths, people will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus.

In closing, we encourage each and everyone to live in readiness, and as much as is possible, to align ourselves with the modes of thought and action prescribed in the Bible, because our probationary period on earth is given so that we may prepare for the finishing touch of immortality, when Christ comes to receive His own. Let’s read:

[Maranatha pp. 80] When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy, will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects, and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us.

Revelation 22: 20 Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Why Could We Not Cast Him Out. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/09/2016

April 09, 2016

The title for this afternoon’s study is taken from one of the more humiliating experiences of the disciples of Christ, as they were faced with a situation which could have greatly honored God, but which instead caused the kingdom of God major embarrassment. The whole situation began to unfold when a demon possessed boy was brought to the disciples, so that they could cast the evil spirit out. At this time, Christ was nowhere around, for He was descending from the mount of transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, and so, a multitude had gathered around the apostles to witness firsthand a miraculous exorcism, the likes of which had hitherto been performed by the disciples on several previous occasions.

The demon-possessed boy in this instance had been tormented from his childhood, and it was in utter desperation that his father had sought the help of Christ. However, not finding Jesus anywhere, the father turned to His disciples, who had been left at the foot of the mountain, and who had previously been given power over unclean spirits. Thus, in this situation, the disciples were to stand in Christ stead, doing what He would do in such a case.

But instead of a resounding victory for the kingdom of God, a signal defeat ensued, for after raising their hands towards heaven, and invoking the name of Christ in their behalf, the devils taunted the efforts of the apostles, and threw the child violently on the ground, in a show of utter disregard for the disciples who could not account for their sudden loss of Holy Ghost power. This defeat then caused many of the Jews, together with the scribes and Pharisees, who were always looking for a valid excuse to discredit the works and claims of Christ, to triumph for the moment, by reinforcing their argument that Christ’s claims to work miracles was a big fraud, and here before their faces was the undeniable evidence they long sought. Let’s read:

Mark 9:14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

Not only had the cause of Christ suffered reproach as a result of this defeat, but the effect of the loss served the purpose of destabilizing the man’s faith, so that valid questions started to emerge in his, and everyone else’s mind concerning the truthfulness of Christ’s claims. And not only this, but being a public gathering, opportunity was now given for the rumor mill to start churning, and churn it did. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 427] Authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, had been conferred on the disciples when Jesus sent out the twelve to preach through Galilee. As they went forth strong in faith, the evil spirits had obeyed their word. Now in the name of Christ they commanded the torturing spirit to leave his victim; but the demon only mocked them by a fresh display of his power. The disciples, unable to account for their defeat, felt that they were bringing dishonor upon themselves and their Master. And in the crowd there were scribes who made the most of this opportunity to humiliate them.

After Christ had arrived on the scene, and after evaluating the situation, He then answered the father’s plea for help, and with His word of power, drove the demons into never land, and thus the day was saved by the power of Christ alone. But then a lingering, and disturbing question still yet remained unanswered in the minds of the disciples… “Why could we not cast him out?” And this one question continued to bother them, until they sought for the answers directly from Christ, albeit in a private setting, because as fellow believers, we are never to lick our wounds in public view. And to the haunting question Christ gave this reply, stating that it was unbelief on their part which prevented them from expelling the demon, and thus secured for satan a moment of triumph.

In fact, the evil spirit was able to get a restraining order against the disciples, based solely on their unbelief, and thus their sacred missionary work, which should have been advancing continually, was brought to a temporary halt, all through unbelief. It is therefore of the utmost importance that we investigate closely, what unbelief consisted of on this occasion, for there are very precious lessons to be learned and applied, and also there are serious pitfalls to avoid, if we do not desire to have a repeat of the same experience. The problem of unbelief in this instance consisted of “Position”, an age-old problem which still persists even in our day.
It all started when James and John, together with their mother, went privately to Jesus and requested that they be president and vice president in the new kingdom. Thus, in seeking for the highest place, they manifested that disposition which has been the cause of most controversies. After the other ten disciples got wind of the secret request, they too became indignant, for they could not believe the brazen nature of the two to make such a request.

In addition to this, there were other more highly educated men amongst the twelve who could be much more adept at leadership and administration, therefore, for these two uneducated fishermen to presume to ask for the highest place in the kingdom savored of audacity to the highest degree. And to add insult to injury, the clandestine way in which the request was made, behind the others’ backs, caused strife and alienation which threatened their unity.

The cause of very many problems in governments, conferences, churches, and households, is that of “Position”. Indeed, the great controversy in which we are all involved today, and which has persisted for almost six thousand years began in heaven over the issue of “Position”. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14:13 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.

Matthew 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 643>644] There was “a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.” This contention, carried on in the presence of Christ, grieved and wounded Him. The disciples clung to their favorite idea that Christ would assert His power, and take His position on the throne of David. And in heart each still longed for the highest place in the kingdom. They had placed their own estimate upon themselves and upon one another, and, instead of regarding their brethren as more worthy, they had placed themselves first.

The request of James and John to sit on the right and left of Christ's throne had excited the indignation of the others. That the two brothers should presume to ask for the highest position so stirred the ten that alienation threatened. They felt that they were misjudged, that their fidelity and talents were not appreciated.

It was in this frame of mind that the disciples had attempted to cast out evil spirits, and they got a rude awakening, when they realized that the Holy Ghost does not operate on that wavelength. Satan understands this, hence the reason why he always insinuates himself under one guise or another, to bring in the spirit of alienation, for he knows all too well that successful missionary endeavors cease to exist wherever disunity is harbored for any reason, whether valid, or invalid.

This is certainly not what Christ had intended when He called together His disciples from all walks of life, just as He does today. We observe with interest that His call covers the entire spectrum of human activities, and professions, ranging from the quite uneducated, to the more intellectual, from the accountant to the more sophisticated doctor. All of these men would obviously have different tastes, mannerisms, cultures, and deportments, as well as very serious flaws in their characters. What we can describe as quite a motley crew, yet they were to dwell together in unity under the umbrella of Christ and His righteousness. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 295>296] All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them to His service. Even John, who came into closest association with the meek and lowly One, was not himself naturally meek and yielding. He and his brother were called “the sons of thunder.” While they were with Jesus, any slight shown to Him aroused their indignation and combativeness. Evil temper, revenge, the spirit of criticism, were all in the beloved disciple. He was proud, and ambitious to be first in the kingdom of God.

But day by day, in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience. The Savior did not withdraw from them because of their weakness and errors. They continued to the end to share His trials and to learn the lessons of His life. By beholding Christ, they became transformed in character.

The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. There were the publican, Levi-Matthew, and the fiery zealot Simon, the uncompromising hater of the authority of Rome; the generous, impulsive Peter, and the mean-spirited Judas; Thomas, truehearted, yet timid and fearful, Philip, slow of heart, and inclined to doubt, and the ambitious, outspoken sons of Zebedee, with their brethren. These were brought together, with their different faults, all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil; but in and through Christ they were to dwell in the family of God, learning to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit.

They would have their tests, their grievances, their differences of opinion; but while Christ was abiding in the heart, there could be no dissension. His love would lead to love for one another; the lessons of the Master would lead to the harmonizing of all differences, bringing the disciples into unity, till they would be of one mind and one judgment. Christ is the great center, and they would approach one another just in proportion as they approached the center.

Unity amongst fellow believers is of the most critical importance, for it determines whether or not the world will believe the message of truth Christ has given us, to give others. In other words, alienation amongst brethren effectively brings to a halt any effective evangelistic outreach, and according to Jesus’ own words, it certainly prevents the world from believing. Hence the reason why we must understand the dark arts of the adversary of souls who continuously seeks to introduce the spirit of disunity and alienation, for both valid and invalid reasons. Let’s read:

John 17:21 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.

2nd Corinthians 2: 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Ephesians 6:11 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 armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

[The Great Controversy pp. 395>396] The prince of evil was losing his subjects; and in order to bring reproach upon the cause of God, he sought to deceive some who professed the faith, and to drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error, every failure, every unbecoming act, and hold it up before the people in the most exaggerated light, to render Adventists and their faith odious. Satan is “the accuser of the brethren,” and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of the Lord's people, and to hold them up to notice, while their good deeds are passed by without a mention.

He is always active when God is at work for the salvation of souls. The prince of evil contests every inch of ground over which God's people advance in their journey toward the heavenly city. In all the history of the church, no reformation has been carried forward without encountering serious obstacles.

It’s important then for us to understand that each follower of Christ is in a different stage of spiritual development, and as such, we will have to make allowance for growth in grace, which actually takes place at different rates for each believer. Especially is this counsel relevant when there are many new believers coming in from protestant, evangelical, and Catholic churches, who may not have had the light we have had for many years. These new converts should not be fed with spiritual dumplings lest they choke and vomit, but instead should be fed with milk, as situation may warrant. In addition to this, the work of character building, conviction, and decision making on matters of conscience rests with each believer individually, and therefore, the conviction of one person should never be forced upon another, even if it may be with the best of intentions. Let’s read:

[Our High Calling pp. 91] God wants us to have an individual experience. I cannot work out a character for you, and you cannot work out a character for me. The gospel deals with individuals. Every human being has a soul to save or to lose. Each has an individuality separate and distinct from all others. Each must be convicted for himself, converted for himself. He must receive the truth, repent, believe, and obey for himself. He must exercise his will for himself.... Each must surrender to God by his own act.

The Lord does not desire that our individuality shall be destroyed; it is not His purpose that any two persons shall be exactly alike in tastes and dispositions. All have characteristics peculiar to themselves, and these are not to be destroyed, but to be trained, molded, fashioned, after the similitude of Christ. The Lord turns the natural aptitudes and capabilities into profitable channels.

To every man God—not man—has given his work. This is an individual work—the formation of a character after the divine similitude. The lily is not to strive to be like the rose. There are distinctions in the formation of the flowers and in the fruits, but all derive their peculiar variance from God.... So it is God's design that even the best of men shall not all be of the same character. A life consecrated to the service of God will be developed and beautified in its individuality.

No Bible study which identifies problems amongst believers should be convened and ended without a providing a viable cure. Thus, it is important that we show from the word of God the one and only cure that will remedy these issues. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

The Word “Longsuffering” actually consists of two distinct words; “Long” and “Suffering”, and thus, in harmony with its meaning, we should seek to adopt and practice in the real world by the grace of God, the scriptural principles that are involved. There are times when for the sake of unity, we may have to bear with situations which in our judgment might be less than ideal. This is particularly true in cases where there are grey areas in our beliefs, where God does not draw a distinct line either in the Bible or in the spirit of prophecy.

We should not attempt to place red lines in the sand where God has not done so, for this is how the Jews of old came up with the doctrine of “A Sabbath Day’s journey”, together with a host of other binding rules and regulations, which placed unnecessary burdens on the necks of the people, and caused them to view God as being harsh and unfeeling. Thus forbearance is a must if unity is to exist amongst believers. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp. 168>169] 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 we ever seek to learn and practice the lessons of humility and brotherly kindness, so that the souls for whom Christ died, and who may be entrusted to our care, would not stumble at nonessentials, nor stagger at issues which are non-salvific in nature. May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word.

God bless!

The Doctrine Of The Church. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/02/2016

April 02, 2016

The doctrine of “The Church” is one that must be thoroughly understood by all Christians, for it has a lot to do with where our focus, and interests are centered; whether on Christ, the family of God, and the great commission given to us as believers, or whether on buildings, and edifices. The modern phenomena of the “Mega-church” has caused thousands of would be Christians to lose their way, because there is the tendency to become lost in the maze of 10,000>20,000 plus congregants.

And along with the mega-church often comes a shift away from the basic, fundamental principles of true godliness, because the buildings, the theatrics, the bling, and glamor inherent in many services all have the effect of drawing away our attention to the human and the earthly, instead of to the Divine and the heavenly. But this current state of things in our day is headed for an abrupt halt, when the testing times spoken of in the book of Revelation, will soon begin to unfold. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:15 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.
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.

[Last Day Events pp. 180] Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and the greater proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.

In the days of Christ, even the disciples had fallen into the snare of undue admiration of the temple, and it required numerous concerted efforts on the part of Christ to turn back their attention from the temporal to the eternal. The pride and joy with which they revered the temple were encapsulated in their conversation with Christ, pertaining to the large granite and marble stones which had graced its foundations. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, so it’s obvious that their hearts and minds had been deeply impressed by the extravagance, and magnificence of the buildings and architecture. It’s worthy of note that the “People” are not once mentioned in in their exclamations, for it’s evident that their priorities and focus had become caught up in the building itself, which was the pride and joy of every Jewish person then living.

To substantiate this fact, we only need to observe the reaction of the Jews when Christ said He would destroy the temple and in three days, build it again. He was obviously referring to His death on Calvary, but just the very mention of interfering with the building was enough to stir indignation in the minds of the Jews. Let’s read:

John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

Mark 14:7 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,
58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

Mark 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

This leads us to our very first point on the doctrine of the church:
[1] The church is not about buildings and edifices, or magnificent structures, it was, and should always be the worship and service of God, and about people, who comprise the church. Let’s read:

Exodus 25:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

And then we move over to the New Testament where the same concept is reiterated, for nothing has changed as far as the church is concerned. It is supposed to be dead focused on Christ, His people, and the great commission given to all Christians, not on expensive, magnificent buildings or architectural achievements. Let’s read:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

1st Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

It was not the building Paul was persecuting, it was people. We read nowhere in the Bible where Paul sprayed paint on the temple doors to deface them, nor did he scrawl graffiti on its walls. The heavy emphasis on buildings and edifices, as is now the norm here in America, with mega churches of glass, and pipe organs made of gold, are symbolic of a tectonic shift from the spiritual to the temporal, and with this shift comes a very conspicuous void that is commensurate with the absence of The Holy Ghost.

[Last day Events pp. 148] Let those who desire to be refreshed in mind and instructed in the truth study the history of the early church during and immediately following the Day of Pentecost. Study carefully in the book of Acts the experiences of Paul and the other apostles, for God's people in our day must pass through similar experiences.

Thus it becomes necessary for us to pull together several passages of scripture, so that we may be able to trace as with a pen of fire, the early history of the Christian church, just before, and after the outpouring of The Holy Spirit. We begin with the Thursday night, just prior to the arrest of Christ. He is having the last supper with His disciples and there is in-fighting amongst them, right at the communion table, and in consequence there is alienation and bad feelings, right in the very presence of Christ.

Similarly, just prior to the time of the outpouring of the latter rain, we may expect an increased amount of in-fighting within the church body, for there must be a terrible sifting process whereby the wheat will be separated from the tares. In the precedent being used of Christ and His disciples, the “tares”…(Judas) will be separated from the “wheat”… the remaining eleven apostles. This ordeal which is about to take place accurately mirrors what takes place in the 7th chapter of Revelation, for out of the twelve original sons of Jacob, only one is missing, Dan, and because there is nothing new under the sun, and because God teaches us by repetition, eleven of the original apostles will remain whilst only one is sifted out, by his own choice. Let’s read:

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the one tribe missing from the original twelve sons of Jacob, Judas accurately mirrors the same characteristic of Dan, hence the reason why in his final benediction to his sons, Jacob, under the power of the Holy Ghost makes mention of what both Dan and Judas would do, blending with his prophecy, a sort of riddle, which juxtaposes Judas’ character with the salvation which was soon to be revealed in Christ. Let’s read:

Genesis 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. 18 I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.

Luke 22: 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.
22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!
23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26 But ye shall not be so”…
29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 643>644] On this last evening with His disciples, Jesus had much to tell them. If they had been prepared to receive what He longed to impart, they would have been saved from heartbreaking anguish, from disappointment and unbelief. But Jesus saw that they could not bear what He had to say. As He looked into their faces, the words of warning and comfort were stayed upon His lips. Moments passed in silence. Jesus appeared to be waiting. The disciples were ill at ease. The sympathy and tenderness awakened by Christ's grief seemed to have passed away.

His sorrowful words, pointing to His own suffering, had made little impression. The glances they cast upon each other told of jealousy and contention. There was “a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.” This contention, carried on in the presence of Christ, grieved and wounded Him. The disciples clung to their favorite idea that Christ would assert His power, and take His position on the throne of David. And in heart each still longed for the highest place in the kingdom.

They had placed their own estimate upon themselves and upon one another, and, instead of regarding their brethren as more worthy, they had placed themselves first. The request of James and John to sit on the right and left of Christ's throne had excited the indignation of the others. That the two brothers should presume to ask for the highest position so stirred the ten that alienation threatened. They felt that they were misjudged, that their fidelity and talents were not appreciated. Judas was the most severe upon James and John.

When the disciples entered the supper room, their hearts were full of resentful feelings. Judas pressed next to Christ on the left side; John was on the right. If there was a highest place, Judas was determined to have it, and that place was thought to be next to Christ. And Judas was a traitor. Another cause of dissension had arisen. At a feast it was customary for a servant to wash the feet of the guests, and on this occasion preparation had been made for the service.

The pitcher, the basin, and the towel were there, in readiness for the feet washing; but no servant was present, and it was the disciples’ part to perform it. But each of the disciples, yielding to wounded pride, determined not to act the part of a servant. All manifested a stoical unconcern, seeming unconscious that there was anything for them to do. By their silence they refused to humble themselves.

Not a week has passed since the last supper, but for some strange reason all the strife and in-fighting has suddenly ceased, for upon the first day of the week after Christ came forth from the tomb, the eleven disciples are found huddled together in the one room, with no one arguing or quarreling about who should be the greatest. Instead, in somberness and trembling they have now come together, and have put aside their differences, since they are convinced that they are faced with a common danger which will threaten their very existence.

Their conclusions stem from the fact that Christ, being so badly beaten, bruised, humiliated, and crucified, their fate seems to them to hang in the balance, and as far as they are concerned it’s only a matter of time before the authorities smoke them out, and execute them just as they did to Christ. Similarly, all of the in-fighting which is now taking place in several churches, will come to an abrupt halt when we are faced with a common danger threatening our very existence.

In times of peace lions and hyenas will hunt and kill wild deer and buffalo, because their instinct to kill each other for food is in their very nature. But when they are faced with the common threat of a raging wildfire, all killing, and all animosities will suddenly cease, because, like the disciples, they too become quite concerned for their lives, and they do not have the time nor the will to fight, whilst death is staring them in the face.

The mark of the beast, which will strip us down to bare bones will be that common threat faced by all of Christendom, and the world at large, and thus, in the face of that common, mortal danger, all those who decide to remain faithful will come together as one, as a tightly knit unit, just as it took place with the disciples of old. Let’s read:

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

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.
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.
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.

From this point forward in the disciples’ experience, (The period of fear and consequent unity), up to, and after the pouring out of The Holy spirit, the Christian church becomes dead focused on people, and new converts who, by the power of The Holy Spirit are joining the newly formed Christian faith by the thousands. The apostles’ focus is not now on buildings and edifices, for the Bible teaches us that persecution scattered the disciples, forcing them to flee, preaching the good news as they fled, and it was through persecution and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the gospel was then taken to every inhabitable place on the globe.

Similarly, it will be through the outpouring of the latter rain, coupled together with persecution, that the last day believers will be impelled to carry the last message of God’s grace to a dying world. Let’s read:

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

In our day, there is the tendency to put a heavy emphasis upon buildings instead of the people, and in so doing we run the risk of making a very grave error that was made by the Jewish people. After the Romans had besieged the city of Jerusalem in A.D 70, thousands upon thousands of Jews, instead of fleeing to the mountains as The Lord had counseled previously, fled to the building, in which all of their interests were centered, as if the building could save them.

And as they gathered there hoping from protection from the invading forces, the building upon which they had centered their focus was set ablaze, and according to the famed Jewish historian, Josephus, blood flowed down from the temple steps like water, and the invading Roman army plundered and slaughtered without mercy, all those who had made the temple their refuge. Let’s read:

Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

[The Great Controversy pp. 33>34] Titus would willingly have put an end to the fearful scene, and thus have spared Jerusalem the full measure of her doom. He was filled with horror as he saw the bodies of the dead lying in heaps in the valleys. Like one entranced, he looked from the crest of Olivet upon the magnificent temple, and gave command that not one stone of it be touched. Before attempting to gain possession of this stronghold, he made an earnest appeal to the Jewish leaders not to force him to defile the sacred place with blood.

If they would come forth and fight in any other place, no Roman should violate the sanctity of the temple. Josephus himself, in a most eloquent appeal, entreated them to surrender, to save themselves, their city, and their place of worship. But his words were answered with bitter curses. Darts were hurled at him, their last human mediator, as he stood pleading with them. The Jews had rejected the entreaties of the Son of God, and now expostulation and entreaty only made them more determined to resist to the last. In vain were the efforts of Titus to save the temple; One greater than he had declared that not one stone was to be left upon another.

The blind obstinacy of the Jewish leaders, and the detestable crimes perpetrated within the besieged city, excited the horror and indignation of the Romans, and Titus at last decided to take the temple by storm. He determined, however, that if possible it should be saved from destruction. But his commands were disregarded. After he had retired to his tent at night, the Jews, sallying from the temple, attacked the soldiers without. In the struggle, a firebrand was flung by a soldier through an opening in the porch, and immediately the cedar-lined chambers about the holy house were in a blaze.

Titus rushed to the place, followed by his generals and legionaries, and commanded the soldiers to quench the flames. His words were unheeded. In their fury the soldiers hurled blazing brands into the chambers adjoining the temple, and then with their swords they slaughtered in great numbers those who had found shelter there. Blood flowed down the temple steps like water. Thousands upon thousands of Jews perished. Above the sound of battle, voices were heard shouting, “Ichabod!”—the glory is departed.

What is most worthy of note in this particularly dark period of Jewish history, is that every Christian who had not built their hope and faith upon the building, but upon the Lord Jesus Christ, fled, not to the church, but to the city of Pella, and according to the sacred record, not one of them perished, nor did any of their children who had just been born. Let’s read:

[The great Controversy pp. 31] The besieged, despairing of successful resistance, were on the point of surrender, when the Roman general withdrew his forces, without the least apparent reason. But God's merciful providence was directing events for the good of his own people. The promised sign had been given to the waiting Christians, and now an opportunity was afforded for all who would to obey the Savior's warning. Events were so overruled that neither Jews nor Romans should hinder the flight of the Christians.

Upon the retreat of Cestius, the Jews, sallying from Jerusalem, pursued after his retiring army, and while both forces were thus fully engaged, the Christians had an opportunity to leave the city. At this time the country also had been cleared of enemies who might have endeavored to intercept them. At the time of the siege, the Jews were assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and thus the Christians throughout the land were able to make their escape unmolested. Without delay they fled to a place of safety,—the city of Pella, in the land of Perea, beyond Jordan.

Hear the word of The Lord now, the antitypical Titus is almost here, the Romans are again on the move, and in our day, a spiritual siege, far more dangerous and deadly than that of Titus is coming our way, yet many seem to be incognizant of it. And in our day, just as it took place back then, millions who have placed their trust and their focus in buildings and edifices, will be left without a refuge, when the carpet is pulled out from beneath our feet. At that fearful time, it will be made manifest whether we have built upon The Rock Christ Jesus, or whether we have built upon the shifting sands of buildings, and decorated places of worship.
It is now high time that we awake out of slumber, for now is our salvation much nearer than when we believed. We therefore end with a most sobering passage of scripture which cautions us to center our hopes, aspirations, and faith, in The Son of God who died to redeem us, not in buildings and houses of worship, as is so often the case in our day. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:24 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.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.

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

God bless!

Surviving In An Era Of Extremes. Sabbath Afternoon 03/26/2016

March 26, 2016

We are now living in an era of extremes, in which all the systems of earth are being stretched to their limits, with no resolution in sight, and thus, with the widespread rejection of Jesus, and His salvation in many circles, and with the many manifestations of evil and ungodliness now being witnessed on a daily basis, it becomes quite evident that we have only a few remaining moments of time to get our houses in order, so that we may not be swept off our feet as the scheduled shaking begins to exponentially intensify.

Starting with the weather systems, we see that the winter of 2014-2015 was the warmest on record, since records began to be kept in the 18th century. As was stated before, the violation of God’s moral law naturally results in the interference of natural and physical law, for God is the Author of both. Sea level rise is now taking place at an alarming extent, and officials in Miami Dade and Broward counties are now being forced to address, and reckon with the ominous prospect of land reclamation through unprecedented sea level rise, which according to the Bible and science, will threaten all the coastal cities of America, this as iniquity across the land deepens. Let’s read:

By Mike Clary and Brian Ballou, Contact Reporters Sun Sentinel. Sept. 28 2015.
Early Monday, the National Weather Service in Miami issued a coastal flood advisory for Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. Receding water in the morning left puddles and debris on many streets in the Las Olas Isles, Riviera Isles and Idlewyld neighborhoods. Mud and leaves covered many sections of Coconut Isle Drive.
"It's the highest I've seen it," Angelini said. "But I'm not too worried because there's no storm." In Delray Beach, some roads looked more like lakes. Residents said it's common for the high tides to rise over the seawalls into the streets.

The winter of 2014-15 was the warmest on record worldwide, according to the state of the climate report released by the (NOAA)National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday. This tops the previous warmest winter of 2007 by 0.05 degrees Fahrenheit. Global temperature records are available for the period 1880-2015.

The American West Dries Up!
ALAN TAYLOR APR 2, 2015 21 PHOTOS IN FOCUS
Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown stood on a dry, bare hillside in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which would normally be deep under snow at this time of year, and announced an executive order aimed at dramatically reducing water usage statewide. The severity of the drought, now entering its fourth year, has already reached record levels in many places in California and across the West. Lake Powell, a reservoir on the Utah-Arizona border, is currently at 45 percent of capacity and is at risk of reaching the lowest level on record by September. California's snowpack, which generally provides about a third of the state's water, is already at its lowest level on record.

And then we have the dramatic rise of extremism in the Middle-East, across Europe, and right here in the continental United states. In days and centuries gone by, we often read of horrific crimes committed against humanity by the likes of such criminals as Hitler and the Roman emperors Nero, Domitian and Caligula. But these rulers all had one basic thing in common, in that they always sought to preserve their own lives, whilst doing great harm to others. But the violent brand of extremism in our day is one in which the perpetrators look forward to dying, which presents quite a unique and unprecedented type of challenge, for how are our soldiers, our law enforcement, and prosecutors alike, to combat a mindset that eagerly looks forward to death?

And then there’s extremes in the political arena also, for every person you ask will attest to the fact that there has never ever been an election cycle quite like the one we are now witnessing, with cursing, and beatings, and fist fights, and punches occurring so often. And never in our nation’s history has the left gone so far to the left, and never before have the right gone so far to the right, so that there seems to be no middle ground for rational beings to take sides anymore. We are indeed living in an era of terrible extremes!

And as if that were not enough, it seems as if the same extreme mindset has been permeating our churches, for anywhere you go, you can now find extremely liberal churches, where liberty is viewed as license, and where the highest moral standard is that of one’s feelings, emotions, or the ever variable standards of righteousness which can change from person to person. Then on the other extreme end of the spiritual spectrum, we’re now faced with ultra conservative churches, where the service of God has become lifeless and formatted, with no joy or gladness, and where a cold formalism has replaced the life-giving currents of faith, hope, and love. It is indeed evident, that we are currently living in an era of extremes!

But while we are not to vouch for conservatives or liberals, we must give the trumpet a certain sound, for in the not too distant future, the churches of Christendom, including the remnant church will be subjected to a terrible shaking that will result in a mass exodus from the truth, and therefore it is imperative that we give warning before it happens so that all who so desire, may position themselves intelligently and securely in Christ, The only One who can keep us from falling.

In years gone by, Bible studies have been conducted in such a manner as to identify problems as well as workable solutions. But the very daunting challenge about that which is headed our way, is that we are now faced with the prospect that there may be no answers or resolutions, to the two extremes which will be developed. In commenting upon this very terrible ordeal the servant of the Lord, as well as the Bible prophets give a clear and distinct warning. 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.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children”…
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

Selected Messages 2:114 (1896). If Satan sees that the Lord is blessing His people and preparing them to discern his delusions, he will work with his master power to bring in fanaticism on the one hand and cold formalism on the other, that he may gather in a harvest of souls.
[Last Day Events pp. 172>174] Divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest. When the law of God is made void the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Even in our day there have been and will continue to be entire families who have once rejoiced in the truth, but who will lose faith because of calumnies and falsehoods brought to them in regard to those whom they have loved and with whom they have had sweet counsel”… The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out, the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.

The Title of our Bible study for this afternoon is “How to survive in an era of extremes”, and in harmony with that solemn theme the Bible gives us a few pertinent instructions, which if we are diligent to follow by the grace of God, will go a long way in enabling us to emerge unscathed at the other end of the tunnel.

[1] We must keep our eyes on Christ, never forgetting The one who bled and died to save us from sin. It is satan’s relentless effort to cause us to let go the hands of Christ for any and every reason. It is therefore imperative that during these trying times, that we focus on Christ, not on the variables nor the crucibles which may threaten our faith and our sanity from time to time. Let us then be aware that the heat of the furnace will soon be turned up several notches, and it will only be those who cling unflinchingly to Christ who will survive. Let’s read:

Romans 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses”… “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.

[2] We must study the word of God for ourselves, so that we be convinced of the truth individually. This point cannot be stressed enough, for there are too many who depend on others to explain the word of God to themselves. This is not to say that there’s no room for the teaching ministry, but The Lord will have us to understand that the onus is on us to dig deep for ourselves, just like the Bereans did. Let’s read:

Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

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.

[Last Day Events pp. 70] When the time of trial shall come there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance. And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe, but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.

[3] We must ask God to clothe us with the armor of Christ’s righteousness from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet. This last, but very important requirement is absolutely essential to us not being swept off our feet. The various pieces of the armor are to be found in the following passages, and it will be worth the while for us to put the entire chapter to memory, for we will need it in short order. Let’s read:
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.

[Early Writings pp. 269>270] I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads. Now and then their faces would light up with the marks of God's approbation, and again the same solemn, earnest, anxious look would settle upon them.

Evil angels crowded around, pressing darkness upon them to shut out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the darkness that surrounded them, and thus they be led to distrust God and murmur against Him. Their only safety was in keeping their eyes directed upward. Angels of God had charge over His people, and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness.

As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a ray of light from Jesus came to them, to encourage their hearts and light up their countenances. 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.

Now brethren, it is with a solemn appeal that we will end our study for today. Now is not the time to play church, nor is it expedient for us to be having a superficial relationship with The Lord, centering our hope of salvation on formalism and ritual, when the essential elements of practical godliness are lacking. Hence the reason why we close with the following passage, and it is the will of God that as many who desire to be saved from the coming terrible ordeal, may take heed whilst there is still opportunity to do so. Let’s read:

Revelation22:16 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.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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

God bless!

Beware Of False "Profits" Sabbath Afternoon. 03/19/2016

March 19, 2016

In our day, there is an overwhelming obsession with profit-making, and the pursuit of temporal gain has caused many people to stumble over the things that will one day perish. Now, although in the scriptures we are counseled by Christ to be faithful stewards in the management of unrighteous mammon, yet it is not His desire, that we accumulate “False Profits” using methods and practices that His word does not approve. However, it’s important that we harbor a balanced, scriptural view of business practices, for in the parable of the talents, the unfaithful steward was punished not because he had incurred any loss, but because he refused to multiply his God-given talents.

The Lord in that parable had not suffered any loss whatsoever, because the unjust steward had kept his master’s goods safe and sound. But it’s not good enough for us to preserve our material blessings, as well as our God-given talents, in good and regular standing. God expects of us very large returns on His investments, therefore, as we review every year that passes us by, we should be able to trace from point A to where we are currently, a steady stream of improvements, additions, and multiplications in all things.

For instance, if we were instrumental in leading two people to Christ last year, this year we should bring in no less than four. If our outreach efforts to the community was centered in one or two zip codes last year, God expects us to penetrate new frontiers this year, pressing the battle to the very gates of hell. But for us to be content with the status quo is a counterproductive mindset, and is rebuked in the words of Christ when He states that whosoever is not gathering with Him is actually scattering.

The same expectation applies to our finances too, for it is not the will of God that year after year after year should find His people debt-ridden, or worst yet, sinking deeper into the financial snares which satan sets for souls. As Christians we should be a people on the move, not backwards, nor stagnant, but rather in forward motion, facing new challenges and overcoming new hurdles, and penetrating new frontiers, and reaching for the stars. Never should the possibility failure prevent us from trying, for with God, all things are possible.

Those who will be translated to heaven without ever seeing death are those who through the grace and merits of Christ have maximized every God- given opportunity. They are representative of the full potential that can be realized in every line by the sacrifice made to restore us to perfection. And
thus, the servant of The Lord offers us counsel on the mindset which should be both cherished and cultivated in achieving those goals. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp. 331>332] Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. A noble, all-round character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies.

We shall have to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life. Remember that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress.

Let nothing hinder you. Fate has not woven its meshes about any human being so firmly that he need remain helpless and in uncertainty. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances.

Thus it is, that with the correct objective in mind, we turn to the issue of false profits, because in our efforts to maximize, we must be very careful not to violate the rules of engagement. One of the points we should always bear in mind, is that God is a very practical, down to earth God, and thus, the blessing of The Lord upon the works of our hands does not preclude the possibility of any loss. On the contrary, the Christian must make allowance for some losses, whenever the situation might warrant it.

The reason for this is that there are certain methods and practices employed by the secular world which we cannot adopt in preventing or retrieving losses. For instance, the Christian cannot lay in wait for a person who owes them cash, complete with a brand new machete from Home Depot. This cannot, and should not be done, for it goes contrary to the scriptural grain, neither should we be found calling our debtors in the wee hours of the morning, nor should we be making hundreds of harassing phone calls as is currently done by secular debt collectors.

And if for some unavoidable reason, there arises a situation where outstanding debts owed cannot be retrieved in a Christ-like manner, we should have the capacity to let it go, without going under financially. Some of us may not have considered this point previously, and as a result might not have made provision to incur any loss. Let’s read:

And as a result, if a job, or one contract goes sour, then we are faced with the dire prospect of having no food on the table, or running into the red. As Christians, God desires that we position ourselves intelligently in this world, so as to avoid as far as is possible, the various snares that are laid for the feet of the unwary, for we should not be ignorant of satan’s devices. Let’s read:

Luke 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Thus, our case study for this afternoon will be taken from the Laban and Jacob model, from which we may learn a plethora of very valuable lessons which can then be applied to real life situations. Let’s read:

Genesis 31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.

Changing his wages ten times was not the problem, the problem was that the changes were made so that Jacob would earn less for the same amount of labor, for if the ten changes had always resulted in extra funds to Jacob, we would never have read of any such complaint by him. Thus, this action on the part of Laban, of trying to deliberately manipulate the recompense for Jacob’s labor, so as to maximize his own profits at the expense of his employee is what constitutes “False Profits”.

Now, although we may not have considered it, the “False Profits” of Laban’s time are still in existence today, albeit in a new, recycled format, for there are many multinational corporations which have indeed adopted the Laban model towards their employees. And as Christians, we should never be found using similar methods, or practices, for the scriptures do issue a pretty stern warning against all who tamper with principles that are contrary to sound doctrine in these matters. Let’s read:
James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Donald Trump’s proposal to bring back millions of jobs to America from overseas, is easier said than done, for upon close investigation, it is observed that Americans wouldn’t stoop that low to work at the starvation prices that those in other countries are paid to build and produce the many products we have come to enjoy, right here in the land of the free. Let’s read:

China-India Wage Comparison: Posted on May 10, 2013 by Asia Briefing.
May 10 – UBS, a global financial services company, has recently published its exhaustive global summary of prices and earnings as part of a report released once every three years. Using their listed global benchmark of New York as a standard for comparison, we have extrapolated the data UBS produced on China and India regarding wages and salaries.

Car mechanics are defined as having completed an apprenticeship, having five years of experience and of approximately 25 years of age. New York based mechanics earn an average of nearly 25 times of what their counterparts in India make, despite Indians working a work week that is nearly 20 hours longer.
Shanghai mechanics log into and out of work at roughly the same times as their New York counterparts for about 20 percent of their pay.

Gross annual income of building laborers:
Building laborers are defined as single, unskilled or semi-skilled laborers aged 25. Laborers in India earned less than a quarter of those in Shanghai, making India the new go to area for low cost workers.

The workers in these poorer countries are no doubt grateful for the work, for they often have nowhere else to turn. And yes, it is true that they have also entered into legally binding contracts with their foreign employers, to work for starvation prices. However, in the sight of God, daylight robbery is taking place, for those who take advantage of the poor on account of their misfortunes are just as guilty in the sight of God as are Bernie Madoff and the CEO of Enron.

An illegal immigrant who does not have a work permit may agree to do hard labor at a greatly reduced cost, and he may never say a word about being mistreated, because of the fear of being reported to the authorities, yet he suffers on in silence, whilst his employer may think he is doing him a favor. This also is a manifestation of false profits, and it is recorded in the books of heaven as grand theft. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 308>309] “Thou shalt not steal.” Both public and private sins are included in this prohibition. The eighth commandment condemns man-stealing and slave dealing, and forbids wars of conquest. It condemns theft and robbery. It demands strict integrity in the minutest details of the affairs of life. It forbids overreaching in trade, and requires the payment of just debts or wages. It declares that every attempt to advantage oneself by the ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of another is registered as fraud in the books of heaven.

Isaiah 59:12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Malachi 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against”.. those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.
31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

That question of Laban’s presents another common problem with false profits, for he suggests gifts in exchange for hard labor. This is the reason why Jacob answered the way he did, because business, as it pertains to the employer and his employee is not about giving, but rather about earning, and as such the issue of just recompenses figures prominently into the equation, instead of a freewill offering that is subject to changing feelings and circumstances. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

Jacob in this instance negotiates for himself not the thoroughbreds, but rather those that are speckled and spotted, leaving the best with Laban. But Laban is not content with this, even though he agrees to it, but instead goes about to set in motion, a ploy by which Jacob will end up working for him for free. To ask, or expect an employee to work for free is thus another manifestation of false profits. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

But Jacob cannot be let off the hook entirely, for although The Lord blessed and multiplied that which he earned, yet there is a grey area which needs to be addressed, for it touches on the issue of retaliation for wrongs committed against our own person, when the problem of false profits arises. If for example, an employer is treating his employee unfairly, by systematically defrauding him, is it then God’s ideal will for Christians to continue to seek the best interest of that employer, or should we adopt subterfuge methods to bring back balance to the equation? Let’s read:

Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

The Bible teaches us not to respond in kind when we are treated unfairly, and even though in Jacob’s experience, his actions might be excused by some on the grounds of fairness, yet The Bible teaches us a more excellent way to deal with such problems. The following passages may not be easy to swallow, but it is the ideal will of God, and the remnant who live in these last days of earth’s history will be found living within the context of God’s ideals, not merely His circumstantial will. Let’s read:

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

Matthew 5:44 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.

For reference purposes, the Christian employer will take several pertinent issues into consideration when he is determining the hourly or weekly rate of his employees. [1] He will first bring the golden rule into his transactions, and thereby will place himself in his employees’ shoes, to see if he would like to be treated in the same manner that he intends to deal with his employees. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

[2] A Christian employer will not merely seek to pay the minimum wage, if it is not commensurate with the average standard of living, or if it will make it virtually impossible for his workers to subsist on such an income. What is legal and right in the courts of the land, is often at great odds with the principles of the gospel, and thus, the issue of fairness, should always trump what might be legally permissible under Caesar’s law. Let’s read:

Leviticus 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him”….
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have”….
37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.

[3] False advertisements, in which goods and services are offered, but do not live up to the stated expectation must be avoided at all costs. In addition to this, any attempt to undersell one’s competitors for the sole purpose of increased market share is a violation of the law which states thou shalt not steal and as such is another manifestation of false profits.

In closing, the Lord would have us understand that His kingdom is not of this world, and even thou we have to put food on the table for our families, yet it is of the utmost importance that we live, not just for the here and now, but for the great hereafter. We end with a passage of scripture which outlines God’s ideal in some measure, for His people, and we hope and pray that we will become hearers and doers of the word. Let’s read:

Psalm 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4 “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

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

The Problem Of Being Unequally Yoked. Sabbath Afternoon 03/12/2016

March 12, 2016

The Bible study for this afternoon is based on one of the most misunderstood passages of scripture that teaches us as Christians not to be unequally yoked with those who have not yet accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. The teaching is most often applied to marriages with those who are not of the same faith, but the very concept contained in the principle is more broad-based than some may have previously thought. The principle also applies to our political affiliation, our various business adventures as co-partnerships where Christians and unbelievers would have an equal say in any decision-making.

God will have us to understand that Christ loves everyone, including unbelievers, and He died to save as many as desire to be saved, and because of this undisputable fact, the instruction given in His word pertaining to being unequally yoked, has more to do with a practical, commonsense approach to a delicate issue, which is fraught with both temporal and eternal consequences, rather than an arbitrary injunction against unbelievers.

It’s important then that we view the counsel given from God’s perspective, especially since the Bible teaches us that He always has our best interest in mind. The Lord never gives us instructions that will cause us harm or heartache, and often when His counsels seem to go against our modes of thought and action, it’s because the principles and methods we would normally espouse are usually not the best for us, thus, whenever we read the Bible, it should always be with the humble attitude of a learner in the school of Christ, rather than an attempt to force the scriptures to harmonize or to comply with our own personal views and preferences. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 14:6 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This is not the only passage of scripture which treats upon the same principle for there are several others which enlarge upon the concept, and explain why God strongly advises against it. Let’s read:

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Deuteronomy 7:1 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest”…
2 “Thou shalt make no covenant with them”…
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods”…

Now, it is true that in some isolated cases, The Lord has overruled for His own purposes of mercy, yet His unmerited kindness in one situation should not be viewed as an endorsement of a mode of conduct that is contrary to His revealed will. Solomon chose to go outside of the perimeters set, pertaining to marriage with unbelievers, and although the Lord had overruled in the first instance, yet Solomon mistook God’s mercy for license, and continued on in the same course, until he was bound in spiritual chains which almost cost him eternal life.
Therefore, it is with solemn appeal that we now investigate from the scriptures, the two primary reasons why God advises us against any such move.

[1] The issue of different masters.
If a Christian and a non-Christian become married, then the one who has not yet yielded his or her life to Christ is under the jurisdiction of another master other than Christ, and this fact will often be the source of much pulling and tugging when certain important decisions need to be made. The passage in 2nd Corinthians which states that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing one, does not change the fact that two masters are in control in the home. In other words, a Christian cannot force Christ to be his wife’s master through marriage, for each one must make that decision unilaterally.

For instance, if a situation arises in the home, in which funds run short, and there is a decision to be made about whether to pay the mortgage note, or whether to return tithe, the unbeliever will in most cases vouch for the payment of the mortgage, for in their mode of thought it makes absolutely no sense to run the risk of default or eviction, just to honor God first. The Christian believer on the other hand, may view things quite differently, and may rightly conclude that giving to God His own first is the only sensible way out of such a predicament, because the believer’s mode of thought and action is based on God’s promises, not merely on logic.

As a result, satan, the other “master” sits squarely on the shoulders of the unbeliever and reasons that the Christian’s decision in such a dire situation must be absolutely stupid, whilst the Christian believer decides that God’s promises are sure to be fulfilled in their due season. And thus it is, that because of these irreconcilable modes of thought, problems and differences of opinions will often arise when dealing with such sensitive and important matters. 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”..

For instance, a nation has fallen on economic hard times, because of a fearful departure from God. In the resulting recession, the gross domestic product takes a serious hit, and many families have fallen on hard times with millions losing their jobs, as well as their earthly possessions. One family in particular is hit very hard, to the point where both parents are out of work for months, and now they are reduced to their very last meal, after which they must shut their doors and die from starvation. But the wife is a believer, and she makes a decision that is almost sure to anger her unbelieving spouse, because she prepares the last bit of food they have, and gives it as an offering to God. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the”… “woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

[2] The issue of obeying The Unseen God.
A non-Christian will generally have a problem with taking orders from a God whom they cannot see. The concept of The un-seen God constitutes one of the main stumbling blocks in a situation where two people are unequally yoked together in marriage, for it is quite difficult for an unbeliever to give their lives over to be governed by a Being whom they have never ever seen. Thus, to trust their lives to be directed by His laws, principles, and faith in Him will undoubtedly pose a series of daunting challenges.

In the days of ancient Israel we get a clearer view of the magnitude of this second problem, because the mixed multitude, who had always been accustomed to worshipping visible idols, often became restless and quite turbulent whenever Moses, their visible leader went missing in action. No sooner had he departed on some journey up the mountain, than they began to clamor for visible gods, and this mode of thought and action was replicated throughout their entire desert experience, resulting at times in open revolt and rebellion. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
4 “And they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
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”.. “saying,
8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us”…
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones”….

But the next verses hit the nail on the head, for, as coming directly from the mouth of God, it puts the finger directly where the problem lies. It is not merely a butting of minds, but God points out what is triggering the stark difference between Caleb’s view, and the rest of those who have unbelieving minds. Let’s read:

Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;
23 Surely they shall not see the land”
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

The servant of The Lord sums up the mindset of the unbelieving multitude in a short statement which we will do well to ponder, in the context of being unequally yoked. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs and prophets pp. 293] “They were unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness the continual evidences of His power.

Now brethren, in view of the serious ramifications of being unequally yoked with unbelievers, we will end our study with two very important statements, which should help us as we consider these issues.
Statement [1] Those who may be considering such a move at this time should be aware that God’s blessings cannot be invoked upon such a union, if we deliberately choose to disregard His counsels on this matter. Let’s read:

[The Adventist Home pp. 63] Never should God's people venture upon forbidden ground. Marriage between believers and unbelievers is forbidden by God. But too often the unconverted heart follows its own desires, and marriages unsanctioned by God are formed. Because of this many men and women are without hope and without God in the world. Those who are ruled by passion and impulse will have a bitter harvest to reap in this life, and their course may result in the loss of their souls. Those who profess the truth trample on the will of God in marrying unbelievers; they lose His favor and make bitter work for repentance. The unbelieving may possess an excellent moral character, but the fact that he or she has not answered to the claims of God and has neglected so great salvation is sufficient reason why such a union should not be consummated.

Statement [2] For those who might already be in such a situation, the counsel of God is to make the best of it, for in no case should anyone conclude that divorce in such a situation should be eagerly looked forward to. Let’s read:
1st Corinthians 7:12 “If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

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

When Doubt Becomes A Sin. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/05/2016

March 05, 2016

There are times in our Christian experience when we might harbor doubts and second thoughts about the promises God has made to the believer, and even though we do not benefit in any way from cultivating a doubting spirit, yet there are certain circumstances in which it may be pretty difficult to believe that God will save or deliver as the situation may warrant.

However, it must be stated here that whatever the reasoning, the science, or the logic might be, the fact that The Lord has made to us several promises, which do cover all of the known, and unforeseen circumstances of life, should be enough to override any doubts or questions to the contrary, and thus it is good and right that we should always cultivate a disposition to believe God’s promises, regardless of what our reasonings may conclude.

But there are times when doubt becomes a sin, for the history of God’s dealings with us in the past should provide sufficient evidence and assurance of His faithfulness, and thus, after many undeniable instances of Him coming through for us, doubting Him in new situations becomes unwarranted. The servant of the Lord writes a golden nugget on this point, and we should be cautioned and sobered by its implication. Let’s read:

[Testimonies vol. 9. Pp. 10] “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history.”

A recorded incident, involving the disciples of Christ in what appeared to be a life-threatening situation, provides ample fodder for our study, because their experiences in this instance caused them to doubt, and wherever doubt is manifested, faith and hope automatically take a back seat. Thus, as we review this incident, let us always remember this singular point as pertains to God’s deliverance and our own safety:

Whenever we are beset by dangers or difficulties on every side, it is good and advisable to pray for help, however, our safety and deliverance depends not so much on our asking, but in the fact that God has promised to be with us till the end of the age. If a child is in imminent danger of being run over by a vehicle, the parents will naturally take the initiative in pulling the child out of harm’s way, whether or not the child asks.

On a much larger scale is our relationship with Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us by His own precious blood. Our faith should rest squarely on the sacred promise that all things work together for the good of those who love God. His manner, and timing of deliverance may not be our first preference, but it’s always the best. Let’s read:

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.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Mark 4:36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

There are several very important points to note in this incident, and it is the will of God that we never forget the pertinent lessons to be applied in our own experiences, when it may seem as if our own ship is sinking too.

[1] With Christ in the vessel it cannot sink.
This point is of the utmost importance. The storms of life may seem to present dangers, either real or imaginary, and our vessels may begin to fill with troubled waters, but if Jesus is in the vessel it’s not going down, period. It is one of the devices of satan to tempt us to believe that in some desperate and trying situations, we will sink, and this temptation often produces doubt. But God has given us a mega promise to override all such reasoning. Let’s read:

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour”…
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
5 Fear not: for I am with thee”…

This leads us to our next, very important point:

[2] Sometimes in our Christian experiences, it may seem as if Jesus is sleeping, especially is this the case when our prayer requests may not receive the immediate answers we often crave. In this instance, Christ was really in a deep sleep, for He was weary from the hustle and bustle of the day, but we must focus our attention on the line of reasoning to be observed in circumstances where it may seem to us as if Christ is asleep. If the vessel has to sink, it will have to take down Jesus with it, and Christ isn’t going down under any circumstances. Thus there is another promise to stop this mode of thought, (the belief that God is sleeping) dead in its tracks, for God never sleeps nor slumbers. Let’s read:

Psalm 121:I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

[3] It is not the will of God that our peace should be disturbed by external circumstances, for when this is permitted, doubt and fear take over, and doubt is the diabolical enemy of faith. Doubt often causes us to use methods and alternatives which prove to be more disastrous than our actual troubles. Take for example when David was being hunted by king Saul, he made his escape to Achish, king of Gath, for in his mind, he had been forsaken by God, and so he believed he had no other choice but to take matters into his own hands.

In his desperation he saw no other way out than to go with plan “B”, by turning to the enemies of God for help. But when it was discovered by the pagan philistines that he was the one who had slain their champion Goliath, he started to sweat and dribble, for in his mind, he had now sealed his own doom. In other words, through fear and doubt, satan had succeeded in getting David to jump from the frying pan into the fire. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 20:1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, what have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
3 And David sware moreover, and said”… “as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

1st Samuel 21:10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

[4] Often when beset with trials, temptations, or even life-threatening situations, we try to deliver ourselves by “Rowing” against the currents, and often to no avail. It is also true, that in many dire circumstances, we remember that Jesus is in the vessel, only after everything and everyone else has failed us. Jesus should be to the Christian, not a last resort after everything has failed, but the very first choice in seeking to circumnavigate difficulties. Let’s read:

Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, what meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

[6] There is absolutely nothing to be gained by us worrying ourselves silly; not a single benefit, not a single solution, not a single remedial action, for worry constitutes one of those emotions that feed off of fear and doubt, hence the reason why it is antithetical to the cultivation and practice of living faith in God’s promises. In addition to this, worry often exacerbates volatile situations, driving us to make rash, hasty, or ill-advised moves. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
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?

Thus it is, that the history of God’s people down through the ages have provided both evidence and assurance, that The Lord is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or think, and therefore, we who are standing on the borders of the heavenly Canaan, should not now be doubting, and fearful, as if our faith does not have sufficient, reasonable grounds to stand firmly upon. Hence the reason why we close off this chapter in our lives with a miniature review of the past experiences of the Hebrews. Let's read:
[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 292>294] When they had been a month absent from Egypt, they made their first encampment in the wilderness. Their store of provisions had now begun to fail. There was scanty herbage in the wilderness, and their flocks were diminishing. How was food to be supplied for these vast multitudes? Doubts filled their hearts, and again they murmured. They had not as yet suffered from hunger; their present wants were supplied, but they feared for the future. They could not understand how these vast multitudes were to subsist in their travels through the wilderness, and in imagination they saw their children famishing.

The Lord permitted difficulties to surround them, and their supply of food to be cut short, that their hearts might turn to Him who had hitherto been their Deliverer. If in their want they would call upon Him, He would still grant them manifest tokens of His love and care. He had promised that if they would obey His commandments, no disease should come upon them, and it was sinful unbelief on their part to anticipate that they or their children might die for hunger.

God had promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people, and to lead them to a large and good land; but they were ready to faint at every obstacle encountered in the way to that land. But they were unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness the continual evidences of His power. They forgot how their children had been spared when the destroying angel slew all the first-born of Egypt. They forgot the grand exhibition of divine power at the Red Sea.

They forgot that while they had crossed safely in the path that had been opened for them, the armies of their enemies, attempting to follow them, had been overwhelmed by the waters of the sea. They saw and felt only their present inconveniences and trials; and instead of saying, “God has done great things for us; whereas we were slaves, He is making of us a great nation,” they talked of the hardness of the way, and wondered when their weary pilgrimage would end.

The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God's dealings with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan.

God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan. Many look back to the Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel.

When brought into strait places, they murmur at the process by which God has chosen to purify them. 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. Do we well to be thus unbelieving? Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? 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.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture, if and when it is applied to our personal experiences, will effectively vanquish the spirit of doubt and fear. Let’s read:

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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

The Unity Of The Brotherhood. Sabbath Afternoon. 02/27/2016

February 27, 2016

It is of the utmost importance that the unity of the brotherhood amongst us not be broken for any reason, because the adversary of souls persistently seeks to bring in the spirit of disaffection and strife, for he knows all too well that a kingdom divided against itself will not stand. Hence the reason why we should all seek to maintain the bond of unity at all costs, being willing at every point in our Christian experience, to put aside our petty differences, so that we may focus more intently on the work of soul saving, to which we have been called.

There is a nature video entitled “The battle at Kruger” by Jason Schlosberg, which exemplifies the way in which Christians and all church members should stand united as one, both in doctrine, in practice, and in looking out for the best temporal and eternal interests of each other. The reason why it’s so important for us to cultivate a tightly knit community of believers is because the enemy of all righteousness seeks to isolate and discourage as many of us as he can, for whenever our unity is broken up, the vital power of the Holy Ghost then becomes a scarce commodity, as we will observe in one of the references given later in this study.

Thus, the following observations should be made when reviewing the Battle at Kruger, for the video contains very deep spiritual lessons, which we will do well to apply both personally and collectively, for none knows how soon these lessons may need to be implemented in the most literal sense.

[1] It is never advisable for any Christian to wander aimlessly in life, unmindful of the fact that we are in a serious war against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against wicked spirits in high places. This is the reason why the following text is so very important for us to remember. Let’s read:

1st Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

[2] Evil spirits often hunt for their prey in packs, combining well-coordinated effort and discipline to achieve their goals, very much the way in which a pride of lions, or a pack of hyenas would hunt. It is also to be observed that they often seek to isolate the weakest member of the herd, so as to bring maximum force and terror to bear against the youngest or the weakest. Let’s read:

Mark 5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

[Testimonies vol. 1 pp. 301] Those who depart from the right are in serious danger now. They separate themselves from God and from the watchcare of His angels, and Satan, ever upon the watch to destroy souls, begins to present to them his deceptions. Such are in the utmost peril; and if they see and try to resist the powers of darkness and to free themselves from Satan's snare, it is not an easy matter. Satan and his angels are unwilling to lose their prey. They contend and battle with the holy angels, and the conflict is severe.

[3] Whenever the agencies of evil have succeeded in overthrowing a weak member of the faith, then it is our positive duty to muster our forces in a well- coordinated effort through prayer, and through the power of Christ, to rescue the one who is in grave danger. The enemies of Christ focus on uniformity, whereas we should focus on unity, for here is where our strength in Christ lies, since as the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall”. Let’s read:

John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. 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:

Judges 20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man”…. “unto the Lord in Mizpeh.
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Thus there are very deep and important spiritual lessons to be learned from the following video, and we may soon have to put them into practice, literally. Let’s watch: … “The battle at Kruger”.

In the Bible is exposed the way in which evil angels work in harmony for the accomplishment of one common purpose. Because of sin, fallen angels are often to be found bickering, and fighting amongst themselves, for this is the natural outworking of sin, but when it comes to their main goal and purpose in life, that of seeking out prey and keeping their victims in bondage, they will immediately put aside their differences, and work together in harmony for the accomplishment of their one common purpose.

The same method of operation is true of the current pontiff, who is studiously seeking to bring the many warring, and often fractured factions of Christianity, secularists, and political leaders to the negotiating table, for the final accomplishment of the long sought dominion over a one world religion, and one world government, under the auspices of Rome, which is referenced several times in the book of Revelation, chapters 13 & 14. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:3 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.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
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.
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.

This is the reason why we see the current leader of the roman church insidiously inserting himself into the political, as well as the religious arena, via such common interests as climate change, ecumenism, global poverty, and the extremely sensitive issue of immigration. There is without a doubt, a concerted, systematic, and deliberate effort now being made to influence all political decisions, and legislations around the globe, in both the secular and spiritual realms, which is what the Bible has so often warned earth’s inhabitants of, especially in the last book of the Bible.

And for those who may not be cognizant of what is now taking place right before our eyes, the next few following examples will give us some insight into those efforts being made by the current pontiff, to consolidate all political and religious forces, being willing to put aside divides and differences for the accomplishment of the universal religio/political new world order.

In other words, just as the lions in the video worked deliberately and in concert for the achievement of their one common goal, just so the current pope is dead set on building on the same principle, towards the very same end. But what is really sad, is that the same unity and oneness of purpose is often lacking in the ranks of the soldiers of the cross, hence the reason why the power of God is not manifested in our midst as it could and should be. Let’s read:

Mother Jones: Pope Francis urges Congress to treat immigrants in “humane and just” way.
In a powerful speech to a joint session of Congress Thursday morning, Pope Francis pushed the United States to confront several political issues that tend to divide Republicans and Democrats, including immigration, climate change, the Iran deal, Cuba, poverty, and the death penalty.

The Guardian: Flying back to Rome from a trip to Mexico, the pope said: “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian.”

It’s almost certain that pope Francis has scripture to back up this proposal, for the Bible has lots to say about the treatment of strangers, and the very suggestion seems on the surface to be pregnant with mercy and compassion, but beware, be very aware. Let’s read:

Exodus 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

The Guardian: It is Pope Francis’s penultimate day in Cuba before heading to the US for his first ever visit to the country. Francis is credited with playing a key role in the easing of relations between the two countries”…

(CNN)The leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the President of Iran met Tuesday at the Vatican, a face-to-face encounter that speaks to a changing geopolitical landscape and both men's significant role in it. Cameras captured Pope Francis and Iran President Hassan Rouhani shaking hands and sitting down across from each other. The Vatican later offered a glimpse into what it called" cordial discussions" touching on the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear accord and "problems afflicting the Middle East."

"The parties highlighted the importance of inter-religious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting reconciliation, tolerance and peace," the Vatican said.

(CNN) Pope Francis, who has repeatedly called for an end to the death penalty, on Sunday proposed that Catholic leaders suspend the practice for a year to mark the Holy Year of Mercy. "I make an appeal to the conscience of all rulers, so that we can achieve an international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty," the Pope said in his Sunday address in St. Peter's Square. "And I propose to those among them who are Catholic to make a courageous and exemplary gesture: that no sentence is executed in this Holy Year of Mercy."

Pope: "Thou shalt not kill' has absolute value and applies to both the innocent and the guilty"

It sounds pretty good on the surface, but the only problem is that it is diabolically opposed to what the scriptures teach on the same point. It means that if Hitler and Bin Laden were living today, they would go scotch free after murdering millions of Jews, and thousands of Americans respectively. Hence the reason why the scriptures warn us of a deadly spiritual foe who will surface in the last days of earth’s history, resembling an angel of light in character, but beneath a veneer of supposed piety, will seek to muster and consolidate world powers and agencies thus bringing the people of earth to his knees.

For anyone to call for the universal abolition of the death penalty under the pretense of mercy, with no regards to the innocent or the guilty, is to destroy the basic principles of justice, as it pertains to the deliberate shedding of innocent blood, and thus the person who makes this suggestion is one who seeks to take the place of God as the ultimate arbitrator of wrongs between earth’s inhabitants. In other words, what is being suggested is that God is unfair in the instructions He has given us on the very same issue, and thus the very authority of Jehovah is now being brought into question. Let’s read:

2nd Thessalonians 2:3 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.

Genesis 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require”… “at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Numbers 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.
16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

Question: What is an example of “An instrument of iron” in our day? Let’s read: Kalamazoo, Michigan (CNN)
The man accused of killing six people and injuring two more in a Saturday evening shooting rampage in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was an Uber driver who picked up and dropped off passengers between shootings, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN. The source, who is not authorized to speak to media, said investigators believe Jason Dalton was even looking for fares after the final shooting of a nearly seven-hour killing rampage.

Thus according to the pope’s counsel, a person such as this, who manifested no regard for the sanctity of human life, and who had no previous grudges with any of his victims, must be permitted to live, with tax payers footing the bill for his food, clothing, and shelter, for as long as he lives. And all this is being suggested in an effort to coalesce the world around one common purpose, that of the one world form of religion and government embodied in concept of the new world order. Let’s read:

(CNN) Delicately dancing around centuries of theological tensions, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba on Friday and pleaded for world leaders to protect persecuted Christians. In their joint declaration, the Pope and patriarch touted their historic conclave as an "indispensable" example of civility for a world riven by violence, poverty and sectarian strife. "We are not competitors but brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as those directed to the outside world."

Since his election in 2013, Francis has made concerted efforts to heal the breach between Catholics and Russian Orthodox Christians, telling Kirill in 2014: "I'll go wherever you want. You call me and I'll go." The meeting is a diplomatic victory for Francis, who has made door-opening dialogue a prominent feature of his foreign policy.

There is a song that we often sing which goes like this, “Blessed be the tie that binds”, and for many years we may have sung that hymn without ever realizing the full meaning of the words. The “Tie that binds” refers to much more than potluck on Sabbaths, or the occasional social activities which many churches involve themselves in. It means looking out for the best temporal and eternal interests of each other, with each one willing to make whatever sacrifice is necessary, whether it be in time, money, or prayers, so that the one who is hurting may be restored, or souls who are in danger within and outside of the community of believers may be delivered. The apostle Paul puts it this way. Let’s read:

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in he spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Philippians 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

The Bible gives us several literal examples of how the unity of the brotherhood should be cultivated and strengthened in real time, for it is not a mere theory, to be held aloof, or separately from our everyday experiences, but should be applied in very practical ways. Let’s read:

Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also”…
4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon
him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

This is a perfect example of the doctrine of the unity of the brotherhood which is being spoken of today, because the believers were willing to put aside their differences, they laid aside their secular work, just to address a common threat and emergency, which had resulted in one of their number being taken prisoner by Rome. The united states army has special forces who will penetrate deep into enemy territory to rescue one of their own. This is not labeled retaliation, but is rather a code of conduct that is based on the sacred principle of no soldier being left behind. Now isn’t it important then that as Christians we have our own special forces, those who are willing to go deep into enemy territory to retrieve one of our own, when one of us have fallen and “Can’t get up”?

Thus The Lord would have us to understand that if one of our number should be taken in a similar manner, the whole body of believers should go after the perpetrators under the direction of Jesus Christ, praying with all supplication in The Spirit, and with a two edged sword in our hands, until the one who is in danger is rescued. This is not called retaliation, it is just the nature of battle. As was stated before, whenever a soldier or marine in the U.S army is captured by our enemies, the military sends in special forces to rescue the captured soldier, and in like manner, we should have special forces in the spiritual realm, who through the power of Christ will do the same according to His will. It all has to do with strengthening and maintaining the unity of the brotherhood. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 1:1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed.

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 427] As the people on the plain caught sight of Jesus, they ran to meet Him, greeting Him with expressions of reverence and joy. Yet His quick eye discerned that they were in great perplexity. The disciples appeared troubled. A circumstance had just occurred that had caused them bitter disappointment and humiliation. While they were waiting at the foot of the mountain, a father had brought to them his son, to be delivered from a dumb spirit that tormented him.

Authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, had been conferred on the disciples when Jesus sent out the twelve to preach through Galilee. As they went forth strong in faith, the evil spirits had obeyed their word. Now in the name of Christ they commanded the torturing spirit to leave his victim; but the demon only mocked them by a fresh display of his power. The disciples, unable to account for their defeat, felt that they were bringing dishonor upon themselves and their Master. And in the crowd there were scribes who made the most of this opportunity to humiliate them.

Pressing around the disciples, they plied them with questions, seeking to prove that they and their Master were deceivers. Here, the rabbis triumphantly declared, was an evil spirit that neither the disciples nor Christ Himself could conquer. The people were inclined to side with the scribes, and a feeling of contempt and scorn pervaded the crowd. But suddenly the accusations ceased. Jesus and the three disciples were seen approaching, and with a quick revulsion of feeling the people turned to meet them.

The night of communion with the heavenly glory had left its trace upon the Savior and His companions. Upon their countenances was a light that awed the beholders. The scribes drew back in fear, while the people welcomed Jesus. As if He had been a witness of all that had occurred, the Savior came to the scene of conflict, and fixing His gaze upon the scribes inquired, “What question ye with them?” But the voices so bold and defiant before were now silent.

Some may be wondering what’s the meaning and purpose behind the study for this afternoon, and how does the issue of the unity of the brotherhood figure prominently into the current issues of the day. The Lord will have us to understand that our salvation is now much nearer than most Christians believe, and thus, because the time is short, Christ is preparing for a massive, final invasion of the kingdom of darkness, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and to set the captives free.

Therefore, He is now calling all soldiers of the cross to be girded with the whole armor God, from the crown of our heads, to the soles of our feet, and to become a tightly knit community of believers, who would preach the unadulterated word, in season and out of season, so that the last message of God’s salvation can be taken to a dying world. He is now looking for online and offline soldiers, special forces who would pray without ceasing, and true Christian workers who will use the sword of the Spirit both defensively and offensively, and the sure promise is given us, the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

This is absolutely not the time for us to be found bickering amongst ourselves, or tearing one another down, but just like the current pontiff is mustering his forces, putting aside all differences for the soon accomplishment of one common goal, we too must not be coming up short on our side of the fence, in finishing what God has given us to do. We therefore end with both a promise and a caution coming from The Captain of our salvation, even from Jesus Christ, to press the battle relentlessly against the kingdom of darkness, on each and every front, leaving the results of our labors with Him, and being careful to maintain the unity of the brotherhood, in the bond of peace. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 3:8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
10 Moreover he said unto me”… “all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
11 And go”… “tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
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.
24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go!

May God add His blessing to then study, and doing of His every word. God bless!

Avoiding The Sin Of Self-Righteousness. Sabbath Afternoon 02/06/2016

February 06, 2016

One of the most disturbing examples of the sin of self-righteousness can be found in the prayer of the Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray. This particular individual had apparently spent a lot of time evaluating others, and as he dwelt on the sins and faults of his fellowmen, and church brethren, he finally came to the tragic conclusion that he was quite righteous in comparison, and because of this, his prayer was of the “Trump” variety, recounting all of his good deeds before God, so as to warrant His favor.

Thus there are some critically important lessons for us to take away from his experience, for we should at all cost, avoid emulating his example. And as we study the various aspects of his prayer, we would see clearly that we all are in dire need of the grace of Christ. The following therefore are just a few of the deductions made from his prayer, and it is the will of God that we review them with a humble and teachable spirit, so that wherever in our lives, the same tendencies are mirrored, we can confess and forsake the sin of self-righteousness. Let’s read:

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Observations:
[1] Throughout his entire prayer, he never asks for forgiveness, because, as far as he is concerned, he never does anything wrong, and so God’s mercies are not needed.

The sin of self-righteousness often manifests itself in a brand of thanksgiving that makes oneself the center of attraction, for it seeks to enumerate in great detail all the so-called good deeds that were performed during the week. It goes out of its way to keep a record of these good actions so as to portray oneself in the most favorable light before God and man. In contrast, the truly righteous tend to forget the good deeds they have done, for they are aware that their good deeds were performed through the grace and power of Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

A very interesting and important commentary is written by the servant of The Lord, as it pertains to all our good deeds, and accomplishments, both in
the church, and wherever we may go. The fact of the matter is that if Christ were removed from the human equation, there won’t be any good deeds, for we do not have it naturally within ourselves to do any good. This solemn fact applies even to those who claim to do good without Christ, for they do not acknowledge His work in their hearts, yet His Spirit continues to strive with men. But when The Holy Ghost is finally removed from the equation, the Bible gives us a glimpse of what our world will rapidly descend into. Let’s read:

Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh”….
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

[Patriarchs and prophets pp. 717] The Bible has little to say in praise of men. Little space is given to recounting the virtues of even the best men who have ever lived. This silence is not without purpose; it is not without a lesson. All the good qualities that men possess are the gift of God; their good deeds are performed by the grace of God through Christ. Since they owe all to God the glory of whatever they are or do belongs to Him alone; they are but instruments in His hands. More than this—as all the lessons of Bible history teach—it is a perilous thing to praise or exalt men; for if one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God, and to trust to his own strength, he is sure to fall.

This leads us to our second observation from the prayer of the Pharisee.
“I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers”
[2] The sin of self-righteousness makes it a duty to keep strict records of the errors and shortcomings of others, for as the Pharisee prays, he seems to have a check list of the sins of the people. Thus a lot of his time is spent closely investigating the sins of fellow church brethren, and because of this he is effectively used by the adversary of souls as a ready conduit for bad news, as is evidenced in his prayer. This second aspect of the sin of self-righteousness is particularly disturbing, for it causes us to do satan’s dirty work of spreading, and exposing the errors of other brethren, instead of diligently seeking to hide a multitude of sins, as the apostle James indicates. Let’s read:

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.

Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

The “Repetition of a Matter” was indulged by the Pharisee, and some may be inclined to excuse him on the grounds that his prayer may have been done in secret. But the scripture forbids this practice even when it is done privately, for God is a Spirit, and the malice and bitterness and tale-bearing encouraged in secret is just as offensive in His sight as the open-carry variety. Some Christians may not have been aware of this previously, and somehow may have inadvertently done that which is not right in God’s sight. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 10:20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

Leviticus 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

[3] The sin of self-righteousness often brands the entire body of believers as hypocrites, just because of the errors of a few, which incites some to refer to the remnant people of God as “Those guys”. Thus all the good work that the General conference is doing throughout the world, and the many millions of people who have been helped by ADRA, are all tossed out because of the apparent unfaithfulness or real sins of a few. When in his prayer, the poor Pharisee refers to “Other men”, he thus included every church member, and all would-be candidates for heaven, judging the entire church body based on the sins of one person. This tendency often leads to serious divisions in the church, and is frequently the catalyst for establishing off-shoot churches. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

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

[Christ Object lessons pp. 152] For each of the classes represented by the Pharisee and the publican there is a lesson in the history of the apostle Peter. 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.” Peter did not know his own danger. Self-confidence misled him.

He thought himself able to withstand temptation; but in a few short hours the test came, and with cursing and swearing he denied his Lord. When the crowing of the cock reminded him of the words of Christ, surprised and shocked at what he had just done he turned and looked at his Master. At that moment Christ looked at Peter, and beneath that grieved look, in which compassion and love for him were blended, Peter understood himself.

Let’s take for instance the following ideal given in the scriptures, as to how we should react to the injustice in certain forms against ourselves. Let’s read:

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.

If asked, we may tell others of what we would like to do in such situations, and we can presently quote a number of texts which demonstrate what should be done, but what we will actually do in such and such a situation, no one knows, but God alone, and thus the scriptures teach us not to put any trust or confidence in human performance, but rather to distrust ourselves, by placing our utmost confidence in what God can, and will do through us. Let’s read:

[Christ Object Lessons pp. 152] He went out and wept bitterly. That look of Christ's broke his heart. Peter had come to the turning point, and bitterly did he repent his sin. He was like the publican in his contrition and repentance, and like the publican he found mercy. The look of Christ assured him of pardon. Now his self-confidence was gone. Never again were the old boastful assertions repeated. Christ after His resurrection thrice tested Peter. “Simon, son of Jonas,” He said, “lovest thou Me more than these?”

Peter did not now exalt himself above his brethren. He appealed to the One who could read His heart. “Lord,” he said, “Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Then he received his commission. A work broader and more delicate than had heretofore been his was appointed him. Christ bade him feed the sheep and the lambs. In thus committing to his stewardship the souls for whom the Saviour had laid down his own life, Christ gave to Peter the strongest proof of confidence in his restoration.

The once restless, boastful, self-confident disciple had become subdued and contrite. Henceforth he followed his Lord in self-denial and self-sacrifice. He was a partaker of Christ's sufferings; and when Christ shall sit upon the throne of His glory, Peter will be a partaker in His glory.

The good news is that the sin of self-righteousness is not altogether hopeless, for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins. Yet there are certain pitfalls and snares to avoid in the Christian journey, so as not to succumb to this sin. The first, and the most important medicine that is required when treating the sin of self-righteousness, is for us to:
[1] Behold Christ.
By beholding His perfection, His purity, His flawless righteousness, and His great mercy in dying to save us from our sins, we will avoid falling into the snare of judging ourselves by merely human standards, which are seriously flawed. When we observe the perfection in Christ, our behaviors and actions pale in comparison, and thus we can never conclude that we are not like other men, as the Pharisee did.

[2] Believe the Bible testimony about ourselves.
The scriptural evaluation of all human beings in our natural state is not good and this inconvenient truth has often proved a pretty difficult pill to swallow. The scripture tells us that there is none that doeth good, nor is there anyone who naturally seeks after God, no not one. Thus, to someone who has been born into a Christian household, who, for many years have repeated their memory verses, and has been quite active in the church for as long as they can remember, it is quite a shock to find out that there is none that’s naturally good, no not one.

As a matter of fact, the Hebrews often referred to their descendancy from the line of Abraham, as proof that they must have been born with some good in themselves naturally. And even in our day, Stevie Wonder has taken up the very same mode of thought and evaluation, as is evidenced in the song “Ebony and Ivory”, in which he declares that there is good and bad in everyone. But what does the scripture say? Let’s read:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God”…

Thus the very crux of the matter is encapsulated in the following verses, and we would do well to read them with a humble and contrite spirit, for they do delineate, in terms that may not seem politically correct, our true nature, our real selves. Let’s read:

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

Psalm 14:2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Isaiah 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

1st Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The question we must answer individually is, do we accept this scriptural evaluation of ourselves in our natural state, or do we much more prefer to go with the Stevie Wonder doctrine, that there is good and bad in everyone? If we desire to avoid the sin of self-righteousness, we will have to first accept the scriptural evaluation, and then proceed onto the next step, by beholding Christ. Thus it is with solemn pathos that we read the following quotation from the servant of The Lord, with the hope that we
harbor right concepts of the frailty of human nature, while at the same time taking hold of Christ, the Eternal and Perfect one, in whom all perfect righteousness and purity is centered. Let’s read:

[Christ Object Lessons pp. 154] 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.

Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Everyone should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God's word declares, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life.

Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, I am saved, are in danger of trusting to themselves. They lose sight of their own weakness and their constant need of divine strength. They are unprepared for Satan's devices, and under temptation many, like Peter, fall into the very depths of sin. We are admonished, “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence on Christ.

It was necessary for Peter to learn his own defects of character, and his need of the power and grace of Christ. The Lord could not save him from trial, but He could have saved him from defeat. Had Peter been willing to receive Christ's warning, he would have been watching unto prayer. He would have walked with fear and trembling lest his feet should stumble. And he would have received divine help so that Satan could not have gained the victory.

It was through self-sufficiency that Peter fell; and it was through repentance and humiliation that his feet were again established. In the record of his experience every repenting sinner may find encouragement.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to put our entire confidence in Christ and His righteousness, not in ours, for Jesus is to be everything to you and me. Let’s read:

Galatians 2:20 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.

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

Pharmaceuticals Versus Godly Methods Of Healing. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/30/2016

February 02, 2016

Pharmaceuticals have now become a billion-dollar industry, with millions of sub-scribers dependent on drugs and other synthetic products to find the relief they seek, from the many sicknesses, diseases, and pains, with which the human family is now plagued. And many have become so drug-dependent that it has now become almost impossible to live without a plethora of pills, injections, and pain relievers. In addition to this predicament, our very mentality has also undergone serious changes, in that we often look to drugs as the only way out.

Thus it is necessary for us to know that there are alternatives, and we owe it to ourselves to take the time to understand and to implement, as far as is possible, godly methods of healing. In order for us to work intelligently, and in harmony with godly methods of restoring health, we should study the way in which God works. Therefore, the following points should be carefully considered as we observe the differences between God’s ideals, and the over-dependence on pharmaceuticals.

[1] Man’s way of tackling health problems is mostly reactionary, meaning that our health-care systems focus intensely on cures, after illness has occurred. God’s method is primarily preventative, with the use of natural medicines as a back-up plan, and direct miracles of healing being the very last resort when all else has failed. In other words, The Lord generally prefers not to perform a direct miracle, if it can be avoided through preemptive measures. (See T.V ad on Tums)

In the days of Christ, we often read where He went about doing good, and healing all the diseases of the people, but those direct interventions of God’s omnipotent power have largely died away, since it was not His preferable method of doing things, but rather became necessary because of the ignorance of the people, pertaining to disease and its causes. Hence the reason why the health message for today focuses primarily on prevention, with cures, and all miracles being second and last resorts respectively.

[2] Even though it is never His ideal will, God does not dispense entirely with a scientific knowledge of good and evil, as it pertains to the use of drugs, for there are many cases where man may not be aware of any other natural alternatives. In other words, if in the treatment of a certain deadly disease such as Ebola or Zika, certain man-made, synthetic drugs are found to be effective, then it is our first duty to go to God in prayer to find out what His will is in such matters.

[3] There is a very fine line between presumption and faith, and it’s the will of God that we know the difference. While we should not form the habit of drug dependence for every disease, or ache, and pain that occurs, yet we should manifest that wisdom and discretion born from above, that would lead us to take those necessary, unavoidable steps in prolonging a good quality of life, as far as is possible. This advice is to be of real value to those who may be prone to go to extremes on matters pertaining to faith, versus man-made cures.

For instance, if a nurse or health-care worker were inadvertently to become infected with the deadly aids virus in the performance of a blood transfusion, then the first thing to be done is prayer, by sending for the elders, for it was not a deliberate exposure. However, if the condition is not reversed, then the individual may choose to take the available drug treatments to preserve their immune system, even though there may be harmful side-effects. This does not mean that there is a lack of faith on the part of the affected person, it just means that where there are no known, natural alternatives, a person is free to choose to preserve life at a less than ideal level.

In extreme cases such as this, the Christian is faced with some pretty tough choices, and there are some questions which we will have to confront on these issues sooner or later. For instance, in a situation as was just mentioned, if a direct miracle isn’t granted for whatever reason, should Christians reach for the inhibitors to the disease, which are just within their reach? Or do we make our wills and put our houses in order, preferring to die rather than to take drugs with well-known, bad side effects into our system? Will God be honored by death in such cases? Or is it His will that we try to prolong our lives using drugs with known, adverse side effects?

Take for instance the drug ZIAGEN, which is the brand name for Abacavir sulfate, a synthetic carbocyclic nucleoside analogue with inhibitory activity against HIV-1. Each tablet contains abacavir sulfate equivalent to 300 mg of abacavir as active ingredient and the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and sodium starch glycolate. The tablets are coated with a film that is made of hypromellose, polysorbate 80, synthetic yellow iron oxide, titanium dioxide, and triacetin.

Question: What are the possible side effects of Ziagen? The caution is given: Stop using abacavir and call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of an allergic reaction from two or more of these specific side effect groups:
Group 1 - fever;
Group 2 - rash;
Group 3 - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain;
Group 4 - general ill feeling, extreme tiredness, body aches.
Group 5 - shortness of breath, cough, sore throat.
Abacavir may increase your risk of a heart attack. Some people may experience worsening of a previous medical condition (such as an old infection) as their immune systems improve, or develop new conditions because their immune systems have become overactive. This reaction may occur at any time (soon after starting HIV treatment or many months later).

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unexplained weight loss, persistent muscle aches/weakness, joint pain, numbness/tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs, severe tiredness, vision changes, severe/persistent headaches, signs of infection (such as fever, chills, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores), signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, unusual growth in the neck/thyroid known as a goiter), signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (such as difficulty breathing/swallowing/moving your eyes, drooping face, paralysis, slurred speech).

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: mental/mood changes (depression, anxiety). Changes in body fat (such as increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the arms and legs) may occur while you are taking HIV medication. The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss the risks and benefits of therapy with your doctor, as well as the possible role of exercise to reduce this side effect.

Thus it is that a person who has contracted the aids virus is faced with pretty tough choices, and this predicament is not only restricted to this particular plague, for there are new diseases coming upon the stage of action, which will force us to address the issue of pharmaceuticals versus godly methods of healing. Let’s read:

(CNN) The Zika virus "is now spreading explosively" around the Americas, the head of the World Health Organization said Thursday, calling the level of alarm over the disease "extremely high." "The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty," WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan told her organization's executive board members. "We need to get some answers, quickly."
The mosquito-borne disease is now in "23 countries and territories in the region," according to Chan. While it's been around in some form for decades, alarms have been raised only recently about Zika's suspected connection with "birth malformations and neurological symptoms." "Arrival of the virus in some places has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome," Chan explained.

After being first detected in 1947 in a monkey in Uganda, Zika was most often found along the equator from Africa into Asia. Nine years ago, new cases popped up in islands in the Pacific Ocean. Last year, it made its way to the Americas -- with already devastating results.

The number of cases there has grown exponentially, prompting significant public health measures aimed at curbing it and protecting those most endangered by it, particularly women who could become pregnant or who already are. Chan called an emergency committee meeting to convene February 1 in Geneva, Switzerland, to talk about what health officials worldwide should do about the Zika virus.

In order for us to understand the very grave nature of the issues now at stake, as it pertains to godly cures versus pharmaceuticals, we would need to extract the sacred principles upon which Christ was victorious, both in the wilderness of temptation, and also at the cross. When satan came to Christ in the wilderness, he ingeniously began with the age- old temptation on appetite, because the work of restoration must of necessity begin where man fell. As was stated before, God is leading us from Eden back to Eden, and thus, the exit door from Eden, in the form of the tree of knowledge, of good, and evil must again passed be through on the return route, meaning that victory must begin where failure first started. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

If Jesus were to turn stones into bread, and partake thereof, like Adam and Eve, He would have suffered the very adverse effects of disobedience, and so He refused this temptation to sin. It is worthy of note that at this time, Christ was extremely hungry, to the point of death, in so much that all His physical features had undergone terrible changes as a result of not fasting. His eyes were sunken deep into their sockets, and His ribs were showing, yet He refused to eat food that was not ordained as God’s will.

Many Christians point to Christ’s experience and we often conclude that He did it, so that we won’t have to pass through the same experience. That’s all well and good, but the very same temptations are often brought to us with very different results, even when they occur on a much smaller scale. Again, on the cross, as Jesus hung between earth and heaven, the temptation on appetite is presented for the very last time. His lips are now parched, His tongue is now dry, for He has had nothing to drink for more than twenty-four hours. And in His humanity, He cries out for liquid to quench His thirst. Let’s read:

John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished”…. “saith, I thirst.
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

The potion that was offered to Christ was also taken from the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, for it contained a concentrated amount of fermented alcohol that would undoubtedly act as an effective pain-killer. But with the good that will be done, also comes the evil, for it would impair His judgment and His reasoning powers, thus giving the adversary, the advantage. There are many pain-killers available in the pharmaceutical industry today, which do some good, and some evil, and the question for us to answer is, what do we do in a situation such as this, where like Christ, we may be suffering intense pain, and the only available option, is a pain-killer that contains elements of good and evil?

A person has had a major operation, after which he begins to suffer severe pain, and it increases to the point where it becomes unbearable. His physician then recommends an epidural injection, which as advertised, does bring relief for several months. But after some time has elapsed, the pain returns with a vengeance, and this time around it has become so acute that, not only is a much higher dose of the pain-killer administered, but it is recommended by his doctor that he be placed on morphine drips.

The question is: What is God’s will in such situations? And the deeper question for us to address, as we consider this sensitive matter is, what are we to do if such a situation comes our way? Do we pray with an open mind, and a submissive spirit for God’s will to be done, even if it means expiration? Or do we cling to life with years of the recurring cycle of pain, medication, and more pain. In some cases, the first option may be the best route to go, however, God never forces His will on anyone, and because of this, the choice is ours. But these are just a few of those disturbing questions which must be addressed more sooner than later, for they are all inextricably linked to the health message which we preach. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 746] To those who suffered death by the cross, it was permitted to give a stupefying potion, to deaden the sense of pain. This was offered to Jesus; but when He had tasted it, He refused it. He would receive nothing that could becloud His mind. His faith must keep fast hold upon God. This was His only strength. To becloud His senses would give Satan an advantage.

It is quite interesting to note that the temptations on appetite which were brought to Christ, are the very two temptations that we must again face in our journey back to Eden, and even though many of us may not have understood the principles that are at stake, yet we are cautioned that those two will certainly be coming our way in the future, and so, probationary time is granted to all to prepare. Let’s read:

[The great Controversy pp. 621] The assaults of Satan are fierce and determined, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord's eye is upon his people, and his ear listens to their cries. “But it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace fire; their earthliness must be consumed that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected. The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger,—a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.

In closing, it is has become necessary to present an inconvenient truth, for although many people may not know it, there are many new diseases that will be coming upon the planet, for which there will be no vaccinations or drugs, for they will be surfacing so fast, and so furiously that there won’t be enough time to do the necessary research to come up with cures.

Then it will be, that all those who have fallen into the snare of running first to man-made drugs for every little ache, pain, fever, flu, and indigestion, instead of adopting the simple laws of health that have been available to us for so many years, will be tempted to continue running to man for help, since that mode of thought and action which has been cultivated for so long, will have put the essential elements of faith in God, and obedience to the laws of health on the back-burner. The mark of the beast actually represents a man-made mode of thought and action, which will ultimately encompass the three dimensions of our existence as mentioned in the 3rd book of John, including universal health-care. 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.

The material, spiritual, and physical facets of our being are here included; two are already down, with only one more to go, and with the recent repeal of the sacred institution of marriage, there is only one more link in the chain that connects humanity to the heavenly world. When that last link is broken, all hell will break loose.

Learning to trust our health with God actually takes several years of practice in the real world, and thus Christ bids us to now urgently investigate what He has been saying all along on these matters, before the earth be smitten with a host of new diseases for which there will be no man-made remedies. This is not merely a good suggestion, it is a prophecy made according to what is written in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Pes·ti·lence definition:
A fatal epidemic disease, such as bubonic plague.

And the reason for these fearful visitations is also given, so that Christians may position themselves intelligently, according to what is written.

Deuteronomy 28: 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.

Let’s stop right here, for there currently exists great ignorance pertaining to the silent operations of the kingdom of darkness, in the context of the on-going spread of certain diseases. There are only two rulers contending for the supremacy of the human heart, and indeed the world at large, and though they are invisible to mortal eyes, yet our allegiance to one of the two powers determines to a large extent whose jurisdiction we will fall under. For instance if nations institute laws that are in harmony with God’s great rule of righteousness, then by so doing, they will be beneficiaries of God’s promise of protection from a host of dangers.

But if deliberate efforts are made to make His law null and void, then those same countries will by so doing come under the direct jurisdiction of the kingdom of darkness, which now possesses secret laboratories, from which proceed numerous viruses, diseases and afflictions which plague the human family. Thus it is, that when we read in the Bible that The Lord will do such and such, in response to presumptuous sin, it is merely demonstrating the fact that by deliberate rejection of Christ and His laws and institutions, the “other” ruler has taken over, hence the reason why so many adversities follow. In other words, The Lord is often pictured in the Bible as doing that which He allows, and thus we must exercise great caution and understanding when reading the following verses and quotations. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 324] “Unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place.

Deuteronomy 28:27 The Lord will smite”… “with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:
58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book”…
59 Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Now, it is extremely important that we be clothed with the armor from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet, because what we are speaking of will take place in a very brutal, and unprecedented form, for as the nations have cast off the restraints of God’s law, including the sacred institution of God ordained marriage, then He is left no other choice but to give the guilty over to the leader they have chosen, a leader whose past-time is dealing in death. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp. 589]. 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. It is God that shields his creatures, and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous.

Although many of us may not have known it, the servant of The Lord, Ellen G. white experienced a serious panic attack, when the deadly outbreak of Diphtheria hit very close to home, even her own children. And urgent decisions needed to be made, lest the children should be consumed in the deadly outbreak that was then sweeping the nation. The reason why we read of the after history of her sons is because she adopted the God-ordained remedy, and so said so done, for God works alongside the cures and remedies of His approval.

This is the reason why God will be rising to meet the emergency on behalf of all those who have learned by experience to trust in Him. Thus, the following information is written for a particular reason, which we will one day find out the reason why. We close with a bit of history on the issue of pharmaceuticals versus godly cures. Let’s read:

[The Review And Herald Dec. 9, 1862] That fatal scourge, diphtheria, is in our midst, and many are dying of it. Helplessly physicians and parents reached out for means of combating the disease. [Jan 13 1863] The diphtheria has been raging throughout the country to an alarming extent, and seems, to a great extent, to baffle the skill of physicians. It is confined almost exclusively to children, and when once underway, death is almost certain to be the result. It will pass through whole towns, missing scarcely a family, and in some instances whole families of children have been swept away by it.

Across from the page in the Review that carried the reprint from Illinois, an item was published that the editors felt might help some stricken families: Cure for Diphtheria. A lady of Port Byron, Cayuga County, New York, cured six children (five of them her own) of diphtheria by the following remedy: “When the symptoms are first discovered, take Spanish flies, pound and mix with Venice turpentine, spread it on a piece of soft cloth, and bind it over the throat, which will raise a blister, and soon remove the disease from the throat.”

Span·ish fly- noun, plural: Spanish flies:
A bright green European blister beetle. A toxic preparation of the dried bodies of Spanish fly beetles, formerly used in medicine as a counter irritant and sometimes taken as an aphrodisiac.

There was anxiety in every home in Battle Creek. Would the dread disease strike and lay low some of the precious children? And then it happened! In the first week of February, two of James and Ellen White's three boys complained of severe sore throats and high fever, and they could hardly utter a word—undeniable, frightening symptoms. They had diphtheria.

Fortunately—in the providence of God, no doubt—there had come into their hands, an extended article entitled “Diphtheria, Its Causes, Treatment and Cure.” It was written by Dr. James C. Jackson, of Dansville, New York. How eagerly James and Ellen White read it. It made sense, and they immediately put its prescriptions into use, following every detail. The treatment called for was simple—employing only a washtub, towels, sheets, and blankets—but demanded diligent attention and earnest labor. In great detail Dr. Jackson pointed out the procedures that would bring relief and finally a cure. These were attained by the simple means we today call hydrotherapy—with proper baths, packs, rest, and fresh air, and above all, absence of anxiety. Jackson reported that over a period of years, while employing these means in hundreds of cases involving young and old, not one patient had been lost.

Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

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

God bless!

Scriptural Methods Of Weight-Loss. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/23/2016

January 24, 2016

There are now in existence many diets and exercise programs to choose from, and all claim to be ideal, however, God will have us understand that, while some of them may bring us some results, yet it is much more important that we be able to ask His blessing on our efforts, for whatsoever is not in harmony with scriptural doctrine and principle will be doomed to fail in one way or another. Especially is this the case where certain suggestions, coming to us from secular sources may tend to push us to extremes in our dieting, and exercise regimens.

After a detailed review of some of the more popular diets, we have found that some of the foods, and some of the methods recommended, have indeed been taken from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil. Therefore, as we examine the various diets we must line them up with the knowledge God has been pleased to reveal through His word, and also from the pen of inspiration. One of the snares for us to avoid at all costs, is that of fad dieting, which as advertised, often promises us incredible results, and quick weight loss in just a few weeks or months.

As a general rule of thumb, the instructions of God pertaining to diet and exercise do not usually work in a hurry, for they are based upon the permanent life-style changes, which call for stern discipline up front, and consistency on an ongoing basis, until our practice becomes second nature. And as we thus endeavor to submit ourselves to the necessary disciplines, then God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, by bringing about gradual changes in our taste buds, and by also giving us the impetus, energy, and resolve to be consistent in our actions.

The following therefore are just a few of a plethora of diets which are currently popular with many here in America, and we will also observe the God-given knowledge either in favor of, or against them as the case might be. Let’s read:

[1] The south beach Diet:
Designed by a Florida-based cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, MD, who wanted to protect his patients from serious medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes, the South Beach Diet stresses the importance of controlling hunger by eating before it strikes. Dieters are urged to disrupt the typical "hunger-overeat-gain weight" cycle by cutting out carbs and focusing on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs — whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. While the first phase of the diet is strict, the third "Maintenance" phase is meant to be a lifelong eating plan that allows you to enjoy occasional treats while maintaining a healthy weight.

Now while it is true that the whole grains, fruits and vegetables mentioned in this diet, are in harmony with God’s ideal, yet the “dairy” part is not, for in many persons, the casein protein found in dairy is the cause for severe migraine headaches. Also, the principle of eating before we are hungry, in order to prevent over-eating is never to be adopted, for then we will form the wrong habit of eating before the stomach has completely dispensed with its previous work-load.

In addition to this, the scriptural method of having appropriate portion sizes will take care of the age old problem over-eating, for the issue here is not primarily one of overindulgence because of being hungry; instead it is one of self-control. The method of fighting an evil habit with another wrong one has no scriptural basis, and should never be adopted by anyone, when facing challenges of weight loss.

Furthermore, it is never good to eat when we are not hungry, for then the digestive organs will be forced to violate the principle of rest which should be incorporated into any long-lasting diet program, and thus, the delicate work of efficiently breaking down any food we have ingested, will be severely impaired. Let’s read:

Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

[This Day with God pp. 210] It is important that the digestive organs shall not be overtaxed. There are many who keep the stomach continually at work. Indigestion is the result of food taken into the stomach before the digestive organs have had time to dispose of the foregoing meal. Such a habit would produce disease, because the digestive organs would be overtaxed.

Weight Watchers:
Though the Weight Watchers system has evolved over the years, this flexible diet's tenets have remained the same: Eat a balanced diet, eat in moderation, and eat what you want. The diet uses a points system to track what you eat and provides motivation through local support meetings with weigh-ins (or dieters can attend "virtual meetings" online).

This system, like the south beach diet has some good in it, for it espouses the godly principle of
eating a well-balanced diet in moderation, but it also contains some evil, for it gives us permission to eat whatsoever we desire, a principle that is known to be diametrically opposed to the stipulations we have been given in the scriptures, as it pertains to clean and unclean foods.

The freedom to eat “What we want” will inevitably include forbidden items such as pork, rare steak, oysters, and sushi (raw meat and fish). Even though these articles of food are popular with the masses, yet the word of God forbids them, for they are the cause of many strange and deadly diseases that have come upon the human family. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat”..
6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is
unclean to you.
8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcasses in abomination.

The Mediterranean Diet:
If a dinner of fish and veggies with a glass of red wine sounds like an ideal meal to you, you may have found your diet match in the Mediterranean Diet. This diet includes the food staples of people in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece and Italy. With an emphasis on heart-healthy fats, those containing omega-3 fatty acids The diet is rich in seafood, nuts and legumes, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil, as well as red wine in moderation.

One staple of this diet is “Red wine in moderation”, but this again leads us contrary to what the Bible says, for even though the antioxidants found in red wine are often touted as a good reason for drinking it, yet the alcohol, and fermentation does harm to the body and brain. Because something good may be mingled with something evil, does not make it safe, on the contrary, it renders the product all the more dangerous, since it is likely to be consumed by those who are thus mislead. Furthermore, the very same antioxidants can be found in their purest form by ingesting the fruits from which the red wine was derived in the first place. Let’s read:

Proverbs 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Raw Food Diet:
Advocates of the Raw Food Diet believe that cooking food and breaking down its enzymes leads to losing many of the food's nutritional benefits. Restricting food that is cooked or heated above 116 to 118° Fahrenheit, the plan allows you to eat as much as you want, as often as you want as long as it is raw and vegetarian. Though nutritionists praise the focus on fresh produce and the avoidance of processed foods, many say the diet is lacking in nutrients and is difficult to sustain.

The raw foods diet has become popular with many who are seeking alternatives to the refined foods, and the flesh meats that are known to be the cause of many cholesterol related illnesses. However, the scriptures do not teach us the principle of eating as much as we want, whenever we want, for even the eating of good food, can have adverse effects, if it is done intemperately. A person can do real damage to himself by drinking too much pure water. Thus the Bible teaches us the principle of “All you should eat”, not “All you can eat”. Let’s read:

Proverbs 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

The following therefore is a scriptural, dietary plan
that all may choose from, and it does not seek to stipulate amounts, nor does it restrict anyone who may not be in a position to access the products that are mentioned. There are places in the earth where it is virtually impossible to live on God’s ideal diet, and because of this, allowance has to be made for all those who may be in such situations. Take for instance, the clean meats and fish that are to be found in the 11th chapter of Leviticus, which are permissible; even though they do not represent the very best dietary plan, yet God makes allowances for those who cannot do any better, because of circumstances beyond their control.

It is important for us to remember that on the issue of diet, and weight-loss, different people will have different nutritional needs, and because of prior health conditions and allergies, and the availability of certain articles of food, some may be able to adhere to God’s ideal, whilst others may not be able to. We therefore present God’s ideal, since as was stated before, He is taking us from Eden to Eden, however, the choices are there before us, so that wherever possible, we may have good alternatives. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 4:9 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof and”… “shalt thou eat thereof.
11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.

Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast”…“eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it:
18 “Thou shalt eat the herb of the field.

Genesis 43:11 “Take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey”… “nuts, and almonds.

Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

Because of the present condition of our world, organic foods are becoming more and more of a rarity, and even when they are available, may be out of reach to the average John Doe. Thus we should seek out those items that are easy to procure, and trust God’s goodness to take up the slack when we cannot do any better. Hence the reason why we emphasize the scriptural principles such as discipline, faith in God, adequate rest, lots of water, avoiding processed foods as much as is possible, and not eating between meals, nor late at night before going to bed. Whenever and wherever these and other sound godly principles are adopted, and coupled together with, regular exercise weight-loss will take place.

In closing, it is of critical importance for us to be consistent, for one of the main reasons why many of us try and fail so often, is because of a lack of consistency by which the necessary disciplines pertaining to diet and regular exercise are left up to chance, or are otherwise controlled by the feeling of the moment. Success in anything good will not come without well directed effort coupled together with consistency, and therefore we must settle it in our hearts, that come what may, we will try by the grace of God to be disciplined enough, so that our efforts may not be in vain. We therefore end with a quote from the pen of inspiration, which should encourage us to keep pressing on until we realize our goals as it pertains to diet, exercise, and weight-loss. Let’s read:

We shall have to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you cannot overcome.

Remember that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress. Let nothing hinder you. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances.

We close, not with a text, but with a theme song for our exercise program, and which can be our motto for this new year:

Lord, I looked down the road and I wondered
And I wondered
And I wondered
Yes I looked down the road and I wondered
A long, long way from my home

So I buckled up my shoes and I started to run
I started to run, I started to run.
So I buckled up my shoes and I started to run
I started to run, I started to run.

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

God bless!

The Glorified Body. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/16/2016.

January 17, 2016

In our study of the scriptures it is imperative that we all cultivate the attitude of a humble learner at the feet of Christ, being willing to be taught of The Lord, and never forcing our own ideas and opinions into the declarations of scripture. This means that the Bible must be studied objectively, and not subjectively, without the common impediments of personal bias, preferences, and even traditional injections of commonly accepted modes of thought. Thus it is, that in our study of the glorified body, great truths will be revealed in the Bible, and from the pen of inspiration, which will shed much light on issues and topics that heretofore were covered in mystery.

To begin with, there are certain specifics that are clearly established in the word of God, pertaining to the brand new glorified body which God will give to those who are saved eternally in His kingdom. There are very marked differences in this new body, when compared with the

mortal body we now have, and it is these differences which account for the permission of certain previously unexplained activities.

Fact [1] The glorified body can withstand extreme heat, friction, and the gravitational pull of earth. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Matthew 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

In order for Moses and Elijah to make that trip from heaven to earth, and back, they would have to travel at billions of miles per second, or more, hence the reason why Elijah could not take his man-made clothes on his first trip, for they would be consumed by the friction and excessive heat generated by the great speed. This is also the reason why on the first day of the week, when Christ came forth from the tomb, His grave clothes were found neatly folded, for as He was about to ascend to God The Father, the earthly material would be incinerated by the tremendous friction and heat generated by the speed of travel. In addition to this, it is obvious that the glorified body is not subject to gravity as we know it, or else they all would still be down here on this planet. Let’s read:

John 21:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

[The great controversy pp. 677>678] All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar, worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe, and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation, suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity.

The space shuttle, of which we so often boast pales in comparison with the speed that the new, glorified body can withstand, for there are no inhibitions, according to the previous passages of scripture. Let’s read:

The three Space Shuttle Main Engines, in conjunction with the Solid Rocket Boosters, provide the thrust to lift the Orbiter off the ground for the initial ascent. After the solid rockets are jettisoned, the main engines provide thrust which accelerates the Shuttle from 3,000 mph to over 17,000 mph in just six minutes to reach orbit. As they push the Shuttle toward orbit, the engines consume liquid fuel at a rate that would drain an average family swimming pool in under 25 seconds generating over 37 million horsepower. This must be one of the biggest jokes in heaven!

Fact [2] The glorified body can adapt to other forms, depending on the needs of the particular situation, and as such, it has the ability to pass through solid matter, with no adverse consequences whatsoever. Let’s read:

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

1st John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

John 20: 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

1st Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,

bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

[The Great Controversy pp. 631>632] In all ages, God has wrought through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of his people. Celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men. They have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of wayfarers. Angels have appeared in human form to men of God. They have rested, as if weary, under the oaks at noon. They have accepted the hospitalities of human homes. They have acted as guides to benighted travelers.

They have, with their own hands, kindled the fires of the altar. They have opened prison doors, and set free the servants of the Lord. Clothed with the panoply of Heaven, they came to roll away the stone from the Saviour's tomb. In the form of men, angels are often in the assemblies of the righteous, and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom, to make a record of their deeds, to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance.

Thus it is, that after we have done detailed research of a few specifics regarding the glorified body, we should now be prepared to do the Bible study for this afternoon, for there are some sticking points in certain declarations of scripture which we should now be able to address. One

of these issues is the undeniable fact that Christ ate clean meat, fish, milk, and butter, all of which are well known animal products, and which do not represent God’s ideal for our dietary needs. And it is a fact that this was done in His pre-incarnate, incarnate, and post-incarnate form. This issue has for several years caused a certain amount of disturbance in the minds of many Christians who have tried in vain to reconcile what seems to be an apparent disconnect between what God clearly states in His word, and what Jesus Christ did on several occasions.

In the beginning, God gave man fruits, nuts, and grain as his ideal diet, and after sin vegetables were added. After the flood however, God permitted man to eat flesh foods which were already being consumed by most, so in fact, what actually took place is that God finally permitted us to do what man was already doing, but He then added stipulations against the eating of blood, and later on He designated some meats, and fish as clean or unclean.

But the problem which we must now confront is the fact that on several different occasions, when the Hebrews had murmured in the wilderness for both flesh and fish, Christ, who led them through the journeying, obviously became upset, whereas He Himself ate the very things which the Jews had then murmured for. Therefore, the question is, why on the one hand Christ would be upset with His people for their requests, and then on the other hand, He would eat the very things they had murmured for? Let’s read:

Genesis 18:1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Luke 24: 36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

Beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is evident that Christ ate a number of items that are not consistent with God’s ideal will as far as diet is concerned, because we have seen for ourselves how on different occasions He ate fish, butter, milk, and meat, without experiencing any adverse effects. Some may endeavor to reason these undeniable facts away on the grounds that He, being God, can do whatsoever pleases Him, and then use His supernatural power to reverse, or prevent any of the known side effects of such a course of action. However, the action of the angels on several occasions is another matter entirely, for they are created beings, and from the references given, they too have consumed flesh on many occasions, without suffering any adverse side effects. Why have they done so, and how is it possible? 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;

2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

Question: What’s really going on? Because to many minds it may seem that these contradictory actions would most likely cast a shadow on the issue of health reform, and so, before we reach any wrong conclusions prematurely, it’s necessary for us to observe the various descriptions given to Christ in the following passages. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:8 “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Matthew 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

We are starting to get the sense that Christ is much more than Our Redeemer and King, for the previous passages also portray Him as a family Man, desiring the intimate fellowship and communion with members of the human family, of whom it was predicted, and who currently is a permanent member. Thus, in order for us to understand some of the actions of Christ and the angels on several different occasions as it pertains to their consumption of foods that are not on the ideal list given in Genesis, we will need to see Jesus in the context of a Father a Friend, a Brother, as made very plain in the foregoing verses, and thus we may put ourselves in His shoes.

Question: Is it true, that as fathers and mothers, as friends, as brothers, and as families, on social occasions, we ourselves have eaten things that we would not have usually eaten, but because of the family atmosphere we were in, we let it pass? And as friends, on social occasions, have we not also eaten when we were not really hungry, but because of the social gathering of friends and family, we made allowance for such occasions?

Let’s take for instance the Christmas holidays, when friends and family, in-laws and outlaws, including uncle Willie came by, didn’t we consume ice cream, and cake, and candy, and a host of other food items which we would not usually eat under normal circumstances? And is it true that we were even willing to pay the price in the gym, just so that we could have a jolly good time with our family and friends? Well Jesus, is not only our Savior and King, but according to the Bible, He is also our Father, our brother, and our best Friend, and therefore, on social occasions, He does what any sincere father, or brother, or friend would do, by consuming items which are not on the ideal menu given in Genesis, even when he was not hungry, for spirits do not eat food as we do.

It was the social atmosphere that drove the angels to partake heartily of Lot’s hospitality, for they were not hungry, and it was the social atmosphere with His disciples which caused Christ to partake of what was their common fare. If He were to provide at this time, a meal of fruits, vegetables, and salads, He would by so doing interfered with the social setting, very much the same way if we were to go out with some of our family to Red Lobster, and they were to order sushi or raw oysters. That meal would interfere, or “should” interfere with the social setting, for it’s not a part of our everyday diet.

God’s ideal will for us as far as diet is concerned is one that is free from the use of flesh foods, for as sated before God is taking us from Eden to Eden. However, in our sojourn here on this earth, the fellowship of the brotherhood is of much more importance, and is to be held as a sacred legacy in our interactions with each other, for by so doing, we will be able to help in very meaningful ways, the efforts to aspire to God’s great ideal. This is not merely a suggestion, but it is the explicit will of God, as the scriptures solemnly declare. Let’s read:

Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

God is now taking His people on a journey from Eden to Eden, and as such, it would be well if we could cooperate with Him in the restoration of body soul and spirit. Hence the reason why the first chapter of the Bible contains dietary information for us, and the very last chapter of the Bible reiterates the information given in Genesis.

Let’s read:

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

[Letters and Manuscripts vol. 1 pp. 85] I saw two long golden rods on which hung silver wires, and on the wires most glorious grapes. One cluster was more than a man here can carry. And I saw Jesus step up and take of the manna, almonds, grapes, and pomegranates, and bear them down to the city, and place them on the supper table. Soon we heard his lovely voice again, saying: Come my people; you have come out of great tribulation, and done my will, suffered for me; come in to supper, for I will gird myself, and serve you. We shouted Hallelujah, glory, and entered into the city, and I saw a table of pure silver, it was many miles in length, yet our eyes could extend over it.

And I saw the fruit of the tree of life, the manna, almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many other kinds of fruit. We all reclined at the table. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the fruit. He said, not now. Those who eat of the fruit of this land, go back to earth no more. But in a little while if faithful, you shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life, and drink of the water of the fountain, and he said, you must go back to the earth again, and relate to others, what I have revealed to you.

Whilst we sojourn on this earth, let us therefore follow after those things which make for peace, and although God has given us His ideals in the scriptures, as far as diet is concerned, yet the fellowship of the brotherhood is to have preeminence at all times and in all places. We thus end with a few verses of scripture which confirm this sacred truth, and let us work untiringly towards that end. Let’s read:

1st Peter 2:Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 “Not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

God bless!

The Fountain Of Youth. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/09/2015

January 09, 2016

The fountain of youth has been a topic that has fascinated millions for thousands of years, and for good reason, because as far as we know, most of us human beings desire to live for as long as possible, and in the best physical condition that can be had. And there are several statements made in the Bible and written by the pen of inspiration, with which some of us may have been familiar, but have not certified through a thorough investigation of the scriptural concepts, and the principles of healthful living.

It is never good for us to follow blindly without personal conviction, any plan for living well, for then our practice will be spasmodic at best, being subject to change with the fad and practice of the day. In addition to this, we should exercise great care in not allowing the wisdom of men to usurp the knowledge God has given us in His word, for whatever might be the current scientific research and discoveries, God’s knowledge of the human frame supersedes anything we may come up with, that may be contrary to what the scriptures teach.

Thus, the Bible study for this afternoon represents the first in a series of presentations on healthful living, and the information given out will be based on golden nuggets of truth gleaned from a careful, and very detailed study of scriptural statements, which in many cases may seem to defy logic, and conventional modes of thought and action on the issues of health, diet, and exercise. Not only were several peculiar passages of scripture examined, but we also used ourselves as “guinea pigs” so as to verify and ascertain what God has been saying all along. The following therefore, are just a few of these statements drawn from the Bible, and also

from the pen of inspiration. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

Deuteronomy 32:48 And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,

49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people.

Several deductions of interest can be drawn from these few verses, which when understood rightly can enable us to live for as long as possible, and in the best of health throughout our entire lifespan. It is not God’s ideal will that we should be sick, and if that is the case, then we must do all we possibly can to ascertain the causes, and to remedy, or put into practice, whatever instructions, laws, and methods God has been pleased to reveal to us, and then we are to trust His goodness to take up the slack, when and wherever He sees best. The first takeaway from the passage above is:

[1] Moses, at age 120 years died prematurely. The scripture teaches us that it is appointed unto all men once to die, but it must be understood that by a wrong course of action we often accelerate that appointment. Indeed, most people living on planet earth do die prematurely, this according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 7:16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou

destroy thyself?

17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

[2] Moses did not die from natural causes, nor from old age, because the Bible gives the specific reason for the cause of his death. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:23 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

Deuteronomy 3:23 And I besought the Lord at that time, saying,

25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good

land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

26 But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

And lest we draw the wrong conclusion about the character and dealings of God with His earthborn children, He would have us to understand that the wages of sin is still death, and even though the gift of God through Jesus Christ is eternal life, yet in this life, the laws of cause and effect are allowed to run their natural course. And thus it was, on account of that sin at Meribah, that satan showed up for his payment in the form of Moses’ demise. Let’s read:

Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp. 478] Had not the life of Moses been marred with that one sin, in failing to give God the glory of bringing water from the rock at Kadesh, he would have entered the promised Land, and would have been translated to heaven without seeing death. But he was not long to remain in the tomb. Christ Himself, with the angels who had buried Moses, came down from heaven to call forth the sleeping saint.

Satan had exulted at his success in causing Moses to sin against God, and thus come under the dominion of death. The great adversary declared that the divine sentence—“Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19)—gave him possession of the dead. The power of the grave had never been broken, and all who were in the tomb he claimed as his captives, never to be released from his dark prison house.

These solemn statements raise additional questions for our consideration, for instance, if Moses had not sinned at Meribah, could it be that he would have lived many more years, without ever experiencing the natural processes of aging? And if so, could it be that those who will be translated to heaven in the last days, when Christ appears, will like Moses, not experience the aging processes which conventional wisdom states must come upon all men?

The real answer to these disturbing questions raises the prospect that many of us may be falling short of God’s glory based on a certain given life expectancy, whereas, an experience much more glorious may be right at our fingertips. 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.

“These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

[Counsels On Diet and Foods. pp.47] If you pursue a wrong course, and indulge in wrong habits of eating, and thereby weaken the intellectual powers, you will not place that high estimate upon salvation and eternal life which will inspire you to conform your life to the life of Christ; you will not make those earnest, self-sacrificing efforts for entire conformity to the will of God, which His word requires and which are necessary to give you a moral fitness for the finishing touch of immortality.

But before we proceed, let’s first revisit the sacred statements made concerning Moses at the time of his death. If Moses is just about to die, and God is now asking him to climb a mountain several miles high, then it means that his natural force had not been diminished, which tells us that conventional wisdom on the natural processes of aging did not apply to Moses for some unknown reason, nor did his bones deteriorate as is commonly understood in the scientific community.

The scriptural statements made, pertaining to the profound absence of the normal aging process in Moses presents a predicament that cannot ever be explained, or rationalized away by using mere logic, because it is immediately obvious that a profound disconnect exists between our current modes of thought on this matter, and the sacred, insightful declarations of scripture. Let’s read:

[National institutes of health. Gov.] The skeleton provides support and structure to the body. Joints are the areas where bones come together. They allow the skeleton to be flexible for movement. In a joint, bones do not directly contact each other. Instead, they are cushioned by cartilage in the joint, synovial membranes around the joint, and fluid. Muscles provide the force and strength to move the body. Coordination is directed by the brain but is affected by changes in the muscles and joints. Changes in the muscles, joints, and bones affect the posture and walk, and lead to weakness and slowed movement.

People lose bone mass or density as they age, especially women after menopause. The bones lose calcium and other minerals. Vertebrae also lose some of their mineral content, making each bone thinner. The spinal column becomes curved and compressed (packed together). The joints become stiffer and less flexible. Fluid in the joints may decrease. The cartilage may begin to rub together and wear away.

Question: If the foregoing declaration applies to all people without any exception or variables, how is it then, that God is asking Moses to climb a mountain several miles high at the age of 120 years, without any support or helper. And since the average age of Egyptian men at that time was between 30 to 50 years at best, how is it that Moses almost tripled that number, without any known side effects on his physical ability? It is obvious that something is not adding up, and the time has fully come for us to discover why.

Furthermore, the case of Moses is not isolated,for Caleb, who was one of the only two faithful spies, also makes the same claim in his testimonials, for it is apparent that he too did not suffer at all from the natural aging process, for some unknown reason. Let’s read:

Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.

9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.

10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

We want to be certain about what we are hearing from the mouth of Caleb. Is he really saying that at the age eighty-five, he is willing to pick a fight with the giants in the land of Canaan, because he has not experienced any deterioration whatever in physical strength, nor in stamina for a period of 45 years? And if so, could it be that our current understanding of the aging process is partially flawed, because it is based on science which does not incorporate the scriptural knowledge, principles and instructions on health, into its analyses and conclusions?

Thus it is that we are confronted with a few basic questions for which we need to find answers. Was Moses and Caleb being sustained supernaturally, solely by the power of God, without any effort or input on their part? Or did they incorporate specific laws of health into their practice, thus cooperating with Divine agencies in the promotion of longevity, well into their most senior years?

And the deeper question for us living today in the 21st century will be, is it possible for us, like Moses, to greatly forestall the aging processes, if we were to discover what Moses and Caleb did? And if not, what is the real purpose of The Lord allowing such information to be written in the Bible. These and many other haunting questions are what drove us to investigate the information given in the Bible, so that if possible, we too can live for 120 years, without our natural force being abated, nor our eyes being dimmed.

It is worthy of note that in the Bible, both God’s ideal and His circumstantial will pertaining to aging is presented, and it may be that the choice is ours, depending on which route we decide to take. Let’s read:

Psalm 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

If God intended that this statement should apply across the board, with no possibility of alteration through the implementation of laws and principles of health, then we must ask respectfully of those in our midst, who are currently in their nineties, what are you still doing here? It must be that this text applies in a generic format, based not on God’s ideal will, but rather on the results of the course of action taken by the multitudes. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low.

This again is generic information, pertaining to most of us who choose to follow conventional wisdom or instructions for healthful living. However, if by faith, and through cooperation with the Lord, we were to adopt the principles, methods, and instructions He has been pleased to reveal, then it is quite possible for this passage to never apply to us, and like our friend Moses, God may have to ask us to die. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp. 378] God brought the Israelites from Egypt, that He might establish them in the land of Canaan, a pure, holy, and happy people. In the accomplishment of this object He subjected them to a course of discipline, both for their own good and for the good of their posterity. Had they been willing to deny appetite, in obedience to His wise restrictions, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed both physical and mental strength.

They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But their unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God, prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard which He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings which He was ready to bestow upon them.

The following therefore begins a detailed account of what God did for Moses, and what he himself did in cooperation with God. And because the path of the righteous is as the shining light that shineth more and more until the perfect day, we will also include additional instructions coming directly from The pen of inspiration, with the hope that we may adopt and practice them in living healthier and longer lives.

[1] The first thing God did for the children of Israel, even before He changed their diet, was to put them on a most vigorous walking program, for God knows that daily exercise is critically important for staving off a host of ailments and diseases. This very simple aerobic activity goes a long way in forestalling many of the ailments and adverse conditions we so often suffer from, and it will do us well if we can start to incorporate this exercise, or something similar into our daily regimen. Let’s read:

Exodus 12:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,

2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.

Exodus 14:20 And they took their journey from Succoth”….

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

And they walked and they walked and they walked, with some very conservative estimates putting their entire sojourn in the wilderness at approximately 16 to 23 miles on their days of travel, to accumulate several thousand miles of walking. This aerobic activity as given by God is nothing new, for even before man sinned, and ever after, God ordained that exercise should form a vital part of our daily regimen, so as to promote health and vitality, and also to prevent a number of diseases. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;

18 “And thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground”….

[Messages to young people pp. 232] Since the mind and the soul find expression through the body, both mental and spiritual vigor are in great degree dependent upon physical strength and activity; whatever promotes physical health promotes the development of a strong mind and a well-balanced character. Without health, no one can as distinctly understand or as completely fulfill his obligations to himself, to his fellow-beings, or to his Creator. Therefore the health should be as faithfully guarded as the character. A knowledge of physiology and hygiene should be the basis of all educational effort.

Article by The Washington post: 12/16/2014

Evidence continues to accumulate that physical activity can help hold off the changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's Disease, and perhaps the devastating symptoms of the disease itself. The latest information comes from researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who looked at 317 late-middle aged adults and determined that those who exercised five times a week or more had fewer of the age-related changes in the brain that are associated with the disease, and did better on cognitive tests.

Age remains the single greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's, greater even than having the gene found in many people with the disease, the study confirmed. But "what we have shown here is that physical activity diminishes the deleterious influence of age," said Ozioma Okonkwo, an assistant professor of medicine at the school who led the study.

People who exercised had less accumulation of "beta amyloid plaque," the proteins that build up in the brains of people who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. They had less shrinkage of the hippocampus and less reduction in use of glucose in the brain, two other symptoms of the disease. And they had fewer neurofibrillary tangles, twisted fibers inside brain cells of people with Alzheimer's. When researchers tested the people who worked out, they did better on memory and visual-spatial tests.

As has been stated again and again on this forum, God is more practical and down to earth in His instructions and methods than many of us realize, and thus it will do us well to begin implementing the simple instructions on healthful exercise given for our best good. These practices coupled together with a living faith in God will ultimately put us on track to work in harmony and in cooperation with the Divine agencies, and if we become diligent and faithful in doing so, we will soon begin to reap the positive results, across the entire spectrum of our life experience.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture for our consideration, which will prepare us for the next round of instruction on healthful living, so that we may begin to drink from the fountain of youth. Let’s read:

Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

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

Learning How To Wait Upon God. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/02/2016

January 02, 2016

One of our greatest needs as Christians is the trait of patience, as an integral part of our relationship with God, for many of us do stumble on this one point, which leads us into distrust of God, and bad consequences which are almost a sure result of not waiting upon Him. In the time of trouble ahead, this singular, important characteristic is pointed out as being absolutely essential, with the hope that we may now cultivate it throughout all of the many vicissitudes of our Christian experience. Thus it is, that a profound promise is made to all who by faith, choose to wait humbly upon God. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

As a general rule of thumb most Christians have two main problems, which sometimes adversely affect our relationship with God, if allowed to run riot. The first is that we sometimes find that God takes too long in answering our prayers. If only we can get a definite time-table when we pray, so that the much needed answers we seek may come at an appointed time, then all may be well. But for us to wait for the answers to come in “The fullness of time”, where God will answer us at a time of His own choosing, hardly ever fits our bill. And from the days of Christ, down to our generation, the same problem has persisted in one form or another.

For instance, when Christ was about to leave this earth for heaven, the disciples asked Him for a specific time for His return, and for the ushering in of the long-awaited kingdom. And even before this, Christ was pressed for a time-table pertaining to the end of the world and His second coming. In the two instances however, Jesus refrained from giving any specific time, for He is too well acquainted with the undesirable results of giving specifics on time, as it pertains to His return, as well as certain other issues we may enquire about. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom”..?

7 And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

The fact is that if God were to reveal to us that He was coming next week, many of us may stop doing certain things that we already know we should not be doing anyway, and many of us may start to do the things we should have been doing all along. It is what we refer to as the Santa “Claws” mentality, by which kids are often taught to put on their very best behavior, in anticipation of Santa’s arrival, and after the euphoria of the moment has past, many often return to “Pouting”. In the year 1844, when over half a million Christians across America were expecting Jesus to return in the fall, drunkards suddenly became saints, and curse words were suddenly exchanged for songs of praise. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp. 368>404]

Wherever missionaries had penetrated in all the world, were sent the glad tidings of Christ's speedy return. Professors of religion were roused from their false security. They saw their backslidings, their worldliness and unbelief, their pride and selfishness. Many sought the Lord with repentance and humiliation. The affections that had so long clung to earthly things they now fixed upon Heaven.

Sinners inquired with weeping, “What must I do to be saved?” Those whose lives had been marked with dishonesty were anxious to make restitution. Often was heard the sound of earnest intercession. Everywhere were souls in deep anguish, pleading with God. Many wrestled all night in prayer for the assurance that their sins were pardoned, or for the conversion of their relatives or neighbors. For some weeks preceding the time, worldly business was for the most part laid aside. The sincere believers carefully examined every thought and emotion of their hearts as if upon their death-beds and in a few hours to close their eyes upon earthly scenes.

After the passing of the time”… “a large class who had professed to believe in the Lord's soon coming, renounced their faith. Those who had based their faith upon the opinions of others, and not upon the Word of God, were now as ready again to change their views. The scoffers won the weak and cowardly to their ranks, and all these united in declaring that there could be no more fears or expectations now.

The same disposition is also prone to be replicated in our experience, if God were to give us a definite time for answers to our prayers. For instance, if a person were to pray to God for deliverance from his or her creditors, and God were to say in response, that deliverance will come on January 15, 2016, it is quite probable that between now and the next two weeks, that person will do all that he or she knows to be right, so as not to upset the answer to prayer. But if God were to say, in the fullness of time He will deliver, without giving any specific time-line, our behavioral patterns may or may not change, as it all depends on the depth of our relationship with God.

The next problem many of us have with The Lord is that He sometimes does not give us many details, as to a certain course of action to pursue, but instead He may choose to guide us on a day by day, pray as you go basis. Most people will prefer a long detailed plan of action, stretching many, many years into the future, but for us to look for the guiding cloud each day, often invokes feelings of restlessness, doubt and impatience. It is worthy of note, that if God were to always give us specific times, and the extensive details we so often crave, then we will not need faith, for we will be walking by fact, not by faith. Hence the reason why the following scripture is so very important for us to apply in our Christian experience. 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.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Thus it is that our first lesson will be taken from the experience of Abraham and Sarah, to whom The Lord had declared that a son of promise would be born. No specific time was given up front and hardly any details describing how it was to take place were related to them. All Abraham knew is that one day, he and his wife Sarah were to have a son, and like the rest of us, he would need to wait for the fullness of time. But as is so often the case, when a period of waiting has passed, we often grow weary of the wait, and then it is that satan’s suggestions of plan “B” seem to be more and more plausible, for satan reasons along strictly logical lines of thought, whilst the Christian is required to hold logic subservient to faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Let’s read:

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless”…

3 “Behold, to me thou hast given no seed”…

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,…”he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

It’s important for us to observe that this passage is taken from chapter fifteen of Genesis, for the very first verse of the next chapter presents one of the more common errors made by the human agent, after The Lord made a promise to us. After waiting, and waiting, we become frustrated and then seek to fulfill His promises in our own time and way. Thus it is that as a general rule of thumb, we are in danger of making very grave mistakes, which then open the doors for satan to severely tempt us for many years to come, and often the decisions we make under such conditions become the catalysts for greater errors to occur. Let’s read:

Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

This one wrong move, made in desperation, proved to be just the beginning of a series of disturbances brought about by the enemy of souls, for up to this point, Hagar had been quite content to dwell in the tents of Abraham as a maid. But now, in her new role of Abraham’s second wife, she becomes quite assertive and arrogant, traits of character that had never surfaced prior to this close encounter with Abraham. And it is very often the case that certain undesirable character traits become apparent only after the fact, and the person who seems to be our knight in shining armor today, may very well turn out to be our worst nightmare tomorrow, but only after the critical decisions and actions have been taken. Let’s read:

Genesis 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 145] Abraham had accepted without question the promise of a son, but he did not wait for God to fulfill His word in His own time and way. A delay was permitted, to test his faith in the power of God but he failed to endure the trial. Thinking it impossible that a child should be given her in her old age, Sarah suggested, as a plan by which the divine purpose might be fulfilled, that one of her handmaidens should be taken by Abraham as a secondary wife. Abraham's marriage with Hagar resulted in evil, not only to his own household, but to future generations.

Flattered with the honor of her new position as Abraham's wife, and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud and boastful, and treated her mistress with contempt. Mutual jealousies disturbed the peace of the once happy home. Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah's earnest entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault. She desired to banish her rival; but Abraham refused to permit this; for Hagar was to be the mother of his child, as he fondly hoped, the son of promise. She was Sarah's servant, however, and he still left her to the control of her mistress. Hagar's haughty spirit would not brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. “When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”

This leads us to the next critical lesson we can take away from this experience: Satan’s counterfeit to God’s promises very often look like God’s will up front! But like the prophecy in Revelation, it may be sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly, when the adverse results begin to unravel. If God were to resurrect Abraham today, so that he could behold with his own two eyes, the results of that one fatal move, he may very well choose to go back into the grave, rather than face the music, which is currently laced with avant garde intonations, akin to the music score from a horror movie. Plan B, C, and D are all substitutes for God’s perfect will, and they never produce the desired results, because they emanate from the adversary of God and man.

The last lesson in waiting upon God, which we will discover, is that deliverance is usually just around the corner from a bad decision to go with plan B. for this next important lesson we now turn to king Saul, who fell into the snare of desperation, and made a critical move which was the beginning of his own undoing. At this time, Saul, and the armies of Israel were being threatened with annihilation by the philistines, who had amassed an immense army, to accomplish their goal. And Saul had been instructed by the prophet Samuel to wait for his arrival, so that the necessary sacrifice could be made, in order that God’s power, and presence would go before them, thus guaranteeing them victory over their foes.

Many Christians, in reading the experience of Saul at this time, have concluded that it was indeed a

regrettable move that was made by the king, but Saul actually did better than some of us do, for at least he waited for the specified time before acting. It is often the case that we are not even willing to wait for any specified time, and are thus tempted in desperation, to make decisions that could cost us dearly. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

If there was any person who had a so-called valid reason for adopting plan B, it would have been Saul, for he had indeed waited the specified time set by the prophet. The question then is, if God has given a specified time for the fulfillment of a promise, and that time seems to have elapse without the stated fulfillment, are we then at liberty to choose plan B, seeing that, like Saul, we may have fulfilled our end of the bargain by waiting? What was king Saul to do after obeying the instructions to wait? The answer to this very critical question takes us back to the title of the Bible study “Learning to wait upon God”. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed”….

12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.

14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

There are three vital lessons in learning how to wait upon God, that can be deduced from the failures of both Abraham and Saul: [1] Desperation should never be allowed to drive us into disobedience. For instance, if we are dying of starvation, and the only option on the table is pork chops, which The Lord has specifically forbidden for human consumption, then we may pray and ask God for a miracle according to His will, and if He delivers, then that’s all well and good, but if not, it is much better to die doing God’s will, than to live in violation of His word.

[2] Patience must be cultivated through active exercise, for it is not an attribute human beings are

born with. Therefore, when expecting answers from God on a particular issue, we should have an open-ended disposition, so that God may work out things in His own time and way, which as sacred history has shown, is always done with our very best good in mind. 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.

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him”…

[3] There are no known viable alternatives to God’s ideal will, therefore, as Christians we should avoid the snare of harboring last resort planning in our decision making processes whenever godly principle and human logic may collide. The decision-making processes of the Christian may often seem to the logical thinking mind as being extreme at best, and

quite radical at worst, but if we were to faithfully follow the teachings and instructions of God’s word, we will find sooner or later that they have been given in infinite wisdom, and the end result will always be in our best interest. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to wait, and continue waiting, until the good and perfect purposes of God are fulfilled in their due season. Let’s read:

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

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

Doing The Right Thing For The Wrong Reason. Sabbath afternoon 12/26/2015

December 26, 2015

It is one of the greatest misconceptions abounding in the world today, both in the secular world, and also in Christendom, that merely doing the right thing will afford us an entrance into God’s kingdom, and for this reason many are dead set on doing what is right so that they may be saved. Now, it is true that God desires us to do right, and we are often encouraged in the scriptures to do good, but this, in and of itself, does not ever constitute the righteousness God desires to be cultivated in us.

As a matter of fact, if our highest motivation for doing right is merely to be saved, we will soon find out that we have run out of right things to do, and when we become thus maxed out, a certain amount of frustration and uneasiness begins to settle into

our Christian experience. In addition to this, there are a number of people who have done right, and have led pretty decent lives when compared with some of us, but who have never submitted to the righteousness of God, the righteousness which is by faith in Christ Jesus.

Now, it is true that in the absence of the knowledge of Christ’s righteousness, God will save many by the law of conscience, yet if the knowledge of Christ’s righteousness is within our reach, and has never been applied to our hearts, all the right, and good that may be done will avail us nothing in the end, an unfortunate situation that is clearly brought to light in the following passages of scripture spoken by Christ Himself. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you”….

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.

If our motivation for doing right, and refusing to do evil, does not stem from a love for Christ and a deep appreciation for what He has done and continues to do in our behalf, then our religion is in vain, and we will find ourselves destitute of eternal life when He appears, if the necessary changes aren’t made. We should never avoid doing evil because of fear of the results, or because of being caught, or even because everybody else may frown upon our wrong course of action. All of these are very poor excuses for us to refrain from doing evil.

Neither should we do the right thing just because everyone else around us are doing it, or because we have read it in the Bible. In other words, if we were to begin keeping the Sabbath merely because we have read about it in the scriptures, and we were to remain at that elementary stage of obedience, we may soon find the day of rest pretty boring, if we do not enter into the spirit of rest, understanding and appreciating the core principles that God intended.

And then our Sabbath-keeping would become quite rigid, and methodical, with us quietly resenting its approach each week, viewing it as a sort of ironclad restriction to our temporal advancement, and then counting down the hours for it to end, so that we can breathe a sigh of relief, after having done the “Right thing”. Anyone who professes to keep the 7th day Sabbath holy, but who eagerly looks forward to its close, has not yet entered into the spirit of the law, and is then stuck in neutral gear of the letter. And the Bible clearly states that the letter killeth, but The Spirit giveth life.

If we were to go out on a date with our spouse to be, and she were to find out that we were eagerly looking forward to ending the time spent together, she will be not only be greatly disturbed, but will most likely reconsider the motive for taking her out, for it may be that we were doing the right thing for the wrong reason. The same concept holds true for many of those who claim to look forward eagerly to “Santa Claws” each year. The mindset of many is captured in the words:

You better watch out

You better not cry

You better not pout

I'm telling you why

Santa Claus is comin' to town

He's making a list

He's checking it twice

He's gonna find out

Who's naughty or nice

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake

So you better watch out…..

The same holds true for the returning of our tithes and offerings, merely because it is the right thing to do. Just like it is with the Sabbath, it is good for us to start obedience at some point, but if we were to remain at the elementary stage of just doing right because we have read it in the Bible, then we will inevitably miss the whole purpose of the God-given instruction, and the cheerful gratitude which should accompany all our gifts would be strangely absent.

Thus it is, that if we are not careful in following on to know The Lord, we will inadvertently fall into the snare of doing the right thing for the wrong reason, as many of the Jews did in ancient times. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, what have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

In these passages we find that some of the Hebrews were doing the right thing, but because it was being done for the wrong reason, the joy of serving and giving was absent from their relationship with God, and thus had become a sort of penance from which they had hoped to derive absolution and the favor of God, a problem which had also plagued the rich young ruler in Christ’s day, and one which has still persisted in many of the protestant and evangelical churches of our time. Let’s read:

Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 “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?

In this young man’s life, which was apparently filled with doing right, scriptural things, an unexplained or strange void had now surfaced, and try as he might to find the root cause of his emptiness, he was at a loss to know why, after faithfully doing that which is right, that he experienced such unfulfilled feelings of spiritual barrenness. Thus it was, in his perplexed state of mind that he posed the question to Christ, “What good, or right thing shall I do in order to inherit eternal life”.

If we find ourselves in a position like the rich young ruler, doing good things so as to inherit eternal life, then we will need to take stock of our lives urgently, for salvation has always been a free gift of God, and the Christian’s obedience to the right things written in the scriptures should ultimately spring from love to God, and love to our fellowmen. Anything short of this will make our religious experience a rigid and formatted exercise in doing many right things with the wrong frame of mind, whereas God can only accept the free service of love, which stems from an intelligent, understanding of His good purposes towards us in Christ Jesus. Hence the reason why Jesus answered the young ruler the way that He did. Let’s read:

Matthew 19:21 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.

The problem here is that the young man did not have God at the top of his priorities, as far as love goes, for his desire for riches had supplanted the love for God in his soul. So what had taken place in consequence is that he had searched in vain to find a balance between the two, by having his foremost energies and interests centered in the here and now, whilst holding onto right deeds for dear life. A very interesting commentary has been written by the servant of The Lord, pertaining to the young ruler’s religious experience, and it will do us well to learn the lessons God will have us derive from it. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 520] Christ made the only terms which could place the ruler where he would perfect a Christian character. 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.”

His claim that he had kept the law of God was a deception. He showed that riches were his idol. He could not keep the commandments of God while the world was first in his affections. He loved the gifts of God more than he loved the Giver. Christ had offered the young man fellowship with Himself. “Follow Me,” He said. But the Savior was not so much to him as his own name among men or his possessions. To give up his earthly treasure, that was seen, for the heavenly treasure, that was unseen, was too great a risk. He refused the offer of eternal life, and went away, and ever after the world was to receive his worship.

It is a quite alarming commentary of our time, that the experience of the rich young ruler is too often duplicated in the lives of many Christians, who are endeavoring to do right things, in order to quiet the conscience on the issue of having God first in our affections. If we were to do some soul-searching, we will soon find out where our highest joy comes from, and if it is not in communion with Christ, and serving Him, then the right things that we may do which are written in the scriptures become a dead format without the spirit, and our interest in Christ and spiritual things will gradually wane.

This condition is not hopeless however, for Christ was sent into the world to save us from all our sins and from any condition that puts God in the second place in our order of priorities. And so the question we must answer is, how can we grow to love God in sincerity, to the point where we can look forward in eager anticipation to spending our entire days and nights communing with, and thinking of Him. And how can obedience which springs from love and gratitude to Christ be our highest motivating factor to doing the right thing?

The answers to these important questions must be given careful consideration, if there is to be a revival of true godliness which springs from true love in our souls. The first thing we must realize is that we do not naturally have it within ourselves to love God, and therefore the obedience which works by love must of necessity begin with God. This vital truth, that love to God cannot ever be generated originally by the human agent, is written in the Bible, with the hope that we will not trust to our own good deeds or righteousness as a passport to heaven. Let’s read:

1st John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

This scripture brings us to our next point, because an intelligent appreciation of God’s character can only be had through a study of His word. Thus, to know him means to study His character as it was manifested in the life of Christ, with the motive of submitting to His all-wise rule. There are those who have become obsessed with nature, and who love to view the handiwork of God in the great outdoors. And the Bible also tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God, which means that nature speaks to us clearly about the goodness of God. Let’s read:

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

This is all well and good, and we are encouraged to go out in nature whenever and wherever possible. But nature does not tell us of The God who bled and died on the cross to save us from eternal ruin, who forgives us of our sins, and delivers us when we are in trouble, who spoiled the domain of death so that we might have eternal life. Only the Bible does that, hence the reason why it is impossible to come to a good understanding and appreciation of the loving character of God without the study of His word.

Thus it is, that if we desire our obedience and our service to God to rest squarely upon the merits of His great love towards us in Christ Jesus, we will need to study His character, as manifested in His word, especially the closing scenes of His life on Calvary, by which He set us free. By dwelling on the great sacrifice which Jesus made in our behalf, we will lose all desire to wound Him afresh through any deliberate sin, we will have the highest motivation for doing the right thing, and thus the love of Christ will constrain us, instead of the adverse results of sin being our primary repellent against doing evil.

We close with an inspired quote from the pen of inspiration, with the hope that we all may graduate from an elementary obedience, to a spirit-filled understanding of the God whom we serve, so that love and gratitude may become the spring board for all of our thoughts and actions. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 83] In our association with one another, we should take heed lest we forget Jesus, and pass along unmindful that He is not with us. When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Savior's presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ.

Many attend religious services, and are refreshed and comforted by the word of God; but through neglect of meditation, watchfulness, and prayer, they lose the blessing, and find themselves more destitute than before they received it. It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones.

As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.

As we associate together, we may be a blessing to one another. If we are Christ's, our sweetest thoughts will be of Him. We shall love to talk of Him; and as we speak to one another of His love, our hearts will be softened by divine influences. Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be “changed into the same image from glory to glory.”

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to feed on Christ the Living word and the written word, for if we do, we will continue to grow in grace, and in a knowledge of Him who died to redeem us from sin and its consequences. Let’s read:

John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them”….

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

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

God bless!

Harboring Correct Concepts Of God. Sabbath Afternoon 12/19/2015

December 23, 2015

It is of critical importance that Christians subscribe to correct and Biblically sound views and concepts of The God of the Bible, so that our expectations and understanding of Him may be in harmony with what the Bible teaches and nothing else. Especially is this counsel pertinent in our day, where a great abundance of false teachings and interpretations have been disseminated amongst the people, who have subsequently held their hopes up high, only to be sadly disappointed, when their expectations of God are not met.

One of the ways in which the false prophets have succeeded in leading the multitudes to incorrect views of God is to present a God of human devising, who is held in subjection to the whims and fancies of the human agent, and who must deliver, help, and heal, without any preconditions being met. And therefore, to meet this emergency God has outlined in His word what needs to be done, and the method of scriptural interpretation to be engaged, in order that we may have the clearest views possible, of the God whom we serve, the God that is presented in the scriptures. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

A “Private interpretation” therefore, is one that is not supported by scripture, or one which is taken out of context, or otherwise misinterpreted to suit our personal ideas of what we think the scriptures should mean. Millions of such interpretations and variations now abound, hence the reason why the very next passage of scripture is given so that any sincere seeker for truth may know whether or not, that which he is subscribing to is indeed of God, or whether it proceeds from man’s imagination. Let’s read:

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

Thus it is, that we are going to investigate several warped concepts that are currently being held by millions of people the world over, and then we will bring the scriptural interpretations to bear against them so that the erroneous views may be corrected. It is then of critical importance that when reading the Biblical viewpoint, that we resist the temptation to insert our own ideas, because the Bible is to stand alone on its own two feet, without the encumbrances of human devising, philosophical or politically correct additions, and subtractions.

However, before we begin, it is necessary that we review an incident which took place in the days of old, when the philistines were engaged in a battle with the Hebrew people, and who were ultimately successful in capturing the sacred ark which housed both the law of God, and the shekinah glory of His presence. The apparent capture of Israel’s God by the Philistines, and where they consequently placed the sacred ark containing the Shekinah glory, with the moral law is worthy of observation, for they put it in the most sacred place known to them at that time, in their temple, next to their foremost god, Dagon.

But they did not place the ark of God there because they loved Him, for they hated Him with a passion. The fact that the philistines disdained Israel’s God can be verified in the experiences of Goliath, who had openly defied the God of the Hebrews, making a mockery of Him and His people. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:4 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.

Now, since they had no love whatsoever for the God of the Hebrews, then the next logical question is, why would they place Him in their most revered place, and not in the garbage bin, or in the toilet? The answer to this important question can be understood in the light of what is now taking place with Isis, whose members intensely hate the God of Christianity, and therefore, it will be considered one of the most egregious abominations ever, to have an image of Jesus at one of their places of worship.

Therefore, it is evident that the Philistines must have seen some major benefit in the decision to put the ark next to Dagon, for not only did they desire to display the rare trophy of the sacred chest they had captured in battle, but it is apparent that they desired to produce a unique, and quite formidable coalition between Dagon and Jehovah, for in their warped concepts of God, such a joint cooperation would then render them invincible to all their foes. And if that were the case, then they would have no problem worshipping Him according to their own distorted methods. This conclusion is clearly seen because of their own testimony of the God of Israel. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.

7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.

8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

1st Samuel 17:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

There are very many people living today who will have no problem whatsoever worshipping The God of heaven according to their own concepts of God, if, as was the case with the philistines, there is some major national or personal benefit to doing so. And there are many nominal Christians who have taken the name of Christ, not because of any love or deep appreciation of His character, but rather because of the material blessings associated with being called a Christian. Hence the reason why the first scriptural concept of God we will deal with is that of serving God on His terms, and not ours.

[1] The specific promises of God to His people, such as protection, health, material blessings of wealth, and even eternal life, are all given on condition. If all of the conditions are met, then our expectations of favorable results may be warranted. But if some, or all of the preconditions are deliberately disregarded for any reason, then it will be unreasonable for us to expect the desired outcome. This first scriptural concept of humanity’s relationship with God should be thoroughly understood, especially in our day where the health/ wealth gospel on our own terms has become so popular. The Bible is very clear on the teaching of God’s promises and their fulfillment. Let’s read:

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.

Proverbs 3:9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

However, the converse of these two promises are also true, for if we refuse to hear the law of God, and cherish iniquity, or known sins in our hearts, then the above promises cannot be fulfilled until the stated conditions are met. This constitutes one of the greatest errors of our time, that God will overlook deliberate, recurring sins we commit, and answer our prayers anyway. Let’s just say here, that if we were to pray for a particular material blessing,

whilst practicing known sin, then any answers we may receive are not coming from God, but are the result of counterfeit blessings.

This widespread delusion has driven many millions of Christians to so-called “Faith healers” who offer healing, wealth, and deliverance, on terms that are neither recognized nor endorsed by God. Thus it is, that the multitudes are not called upon to make any changes to our lifestyles and habits, but are rather encouraged to call upon the name of Jesus, whilst we do the very things He has expressly forbidden. This scenario sets us up for major disappointment, for we often find out too late that God has not been listening to our prayers, because the preconditions written in the Bible were never met. Let’s read:

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Let’s take for instance the issue of security, which has become a hot button topic in the recent rounds of debates. The promise of protection is one of the fundamentals God has promised to those who are called by His name, hence the reason why it has so often been stated that our focus as Christians is not on survival, but rather on surrender to The Lord Jesus Christ. In harmony with this teaching, and the accompanying promises made to true believers, it is not necessary to stock-pile weapons of any kind, for the Bible specifically stipulates what our weapons and ammunitions ought to be. 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.

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.

Thus, when these conditions are fulfilled, and as we seek to cooperate with God in their fulfillment, the literal enemies like Isis, who seek to do us harm will be taken care of by God, for He has also given us mega promises of protection, when the stated preconditions are fulfilled. Let’s read:

Leviticus 26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

9 For I will have respect unto you”….

Numbers 23:19 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, neither is there any divination against Israel”….

Question: Were these promises made only to the Hebrew people, or do they apply evenly across the board to every person living on earth, regardless of ethnic origin, or political affiliation? This question leads us to the very next scriptural concept we will consider, and one that has too often been distorted to make it seem as if God is partial in His dealings with earth’s inhabitants, having favorites on the one hand, and enemies on the other.

[2] There are absolutely no favorites with God, for He loves each person as His very own, and thus, if a pagan or heathen nation or individual were to take the Bible as it reads, the blessings stated there will apply evenly, without bias, without favoritism, and without exclusiveness, for all people are God’s, both by creation and redemption. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine”…

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

6 And”.. 9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Isaiah 56:2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;

5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

The next scriptural concept is one that addresses the fatal notion that God is too good to destroy the beings He has created, if we continue in deliberate sin, and that because of His great love and kindness towards us, it is inconsistent with His character to mete out judgments to those who continue living in rebellion against His sovereign authority. This view is the very same one that was held by the ancient antediluvian world, and which, as the after history shows, ultimately caused the demise of billions of people.

[3] God retains the prerogative to save or to destroy according to His discretion, and the delusion that His love prevents Him from executing warranted judgments, is entirely false and is nowhere to be found in the Bible.

It is quite incorrect and even dangerous to draw such a conclusion, for whenever this view is held by humanity, there is to be seen moral abandon, and the practice of iniquity to a fearful extent, hence the reason why the Scriptures are given to correct this widely held view. Now, it is true that God delights in mercy, and indeed He does not take pleasure in the death of the sinner, but He will have us understand that His great love for us does not tie His hands, nor inhibit Him from executing judgment whenever and wherever it becomes necessary.

In other words, a balanced understanding of this vital point will lead us to appreciate God’s loving kindness towards us, yet at the same time will not lead us to presumptuous sinning against Him, when we know better. This is the correct view of God on this point, and it is ably supported by a plethora of passages that deal with this very issue. Let’s read:

Exodus 33:12 And Moses said unto the Lord”…. 18 “I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Deuteronomy 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:

28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

1st Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

[4] Another warped concept of God that is often put forward to the multitudes, causing us to look upon Him as an arbitrary Ruler, is the false doctrine of generational curses, by which the iniquity of the fathers, together with the penalties, are inflicted upon their offspring, regardless of whether they themselves choose to do good or evil. This false, and erroneous theory has led many to believe that because of generational sins that may have been indulged and cultivated by parents and progenitors for a number of years, that the children are bound in an iron destiny to do evil, and that the children are born with a natural, inevitable curse hanging over their heads. The Bible also gives us the right interpretation of the character of God to correct this erroneous view. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb”…

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Thus it is, that in these four examples given, we have the testimony of scripture, describing the character of God, as it pertains to His dealing with earth’s inhabitants, and if we were to employ the scriptural format for interpretation given, then our concepts of the God of heaven would be greatly enhanced, and as a result, we will be enabled to pray an commune with Him intelligently, thinking and praying along Biblical modes of thought and action, so we can have the confidence that God will hear and answer our petitions when we pray. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to worship and serve The God of the Bible, and not the god of fable and philosophy, for anyone who chooses to serve and obey Christ will never be ashamed. Let’s read:

Isaiah 65:23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.

24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

God bless!

"Santa Claws" Is Coming To Town. Sabbath Afternoon. 12/12/2015

December 12, 2015

It’s holiday time again folks, and as the festive spirit of the season approaches, many millions of people will be driven by the frenzy of the moment to spend and to do that which might be regretted, after the euphoria of the season is gone. The reason why the name of this iconic character is spelled the way it is, is because for some unknown reason, whenever he passes through, most folk end up either moderately or severely depleted financially, in addition to this, the interest payments on the many purchases made begin to pile up with the coming of the new year.

Now, although God has no problem whatever with the giving and exchanging of gifts, and even though the Christmas season has absolutely nothing to do with Christ, yet, as the world engages in spending and indulgences, He would have us understand that the principles of His kingdom do not change with the seasons, and therefore the laws of sowing and reaping will apply whether or not “Santa Claws” is coming to town.

It is one of the most successful, and most common ploys of the devil to infuse our minds with warped concepts of God, and the way He operates, for he knows all too well that as Christians, we will think and pray along those modes of thought that have been incorporated into our understanding of God, and then our expectations of Him will ultimately be based on what we believe. Hence the reason why so many Christians become utterly disappointed, and discouraged when the god of our own devising does not deliver according to our expectations.

For instance, if we were to go on a shopping spree, being driven by the frenzy of the moment, and were to spend other people’s money in the form of agent plastic, purchasing big ticket items which we cannot really afford, then when January 1st comes, and the bills come due, we should not complain to God for deliverance. And if He does not answer us according to our expectations, we should not then conclude that He is treating us unfairly. In addition to this, our freewill offerings should not be made to suffer because of what we have irrationally spent in the heat of the moment.

Similarly, with our food and drink and the pastries, and ice cream that we plan on devouring over the yule-tide season. If we choose to go that route, God is not going to reverse any of the side effects in a miraculous way come January, for to harbor these concepts of God is to think of Him as being Santa Claws, fulfilling our wish list at our discretion. On the contrary, it will require a slow, hard slug-fest in the gym in order to reverse the after-effects of our course of action, and if God does not answer our petitions for immediate weight loss, we should not then begin to murmur against Him.

Before we begin however, there are some pertinent facts about Santa Claws, and these will shed light on how the Christmas celebration became inculcated into our culture.
[1] Santa’s real identity is that of a Roman Catholic bishop, commonly referred to as saint Nicholas who lived during the reign of the notorious roman emperor Diocletian, and who was renowned for the giving of gifts to children, helping the less fortunate, and was known to protect sailors, and those who were abused also.

After he died on December 6th A.D 343, the yearly commemoration of his death became routine, with the giving and exchanging of gifts becoming a part of the celebration, to mimic the benevolence he had been noted for. However, the celebration of what we now know as Christmas, which is really the Mass of Christ or Christ-Mass was officially put in place by pope Julius, not because it was the birthday of Christ, but most likely because the winter solstice, and the birthday of the pagan sun god Mithra took place around the same time.

Thus it seems, that in an apparently slick move, to incorporate the most festive elements of the pagan celebration with Christianity, pope Julius instituted the Christ-Mass as an official church holiday. After the death and burial of Mr. Nicholas, legend has it that a unique, liquid relic was miraculously formed at his grave site, and it was called “Manna” because of its healing properties, and because of this, his popularity, and people’s devotion to him grew exponentially with the passage of time.

Then when the pilgrims fathers relocated to the new world, Christmas celebration, together with the veneration of Santa Claws was observed more and more, and with the passage of time, merchants saw the festive season as a time to capitalize on the business opportunities which came to be associated with it, hence the reason why most of the big stores see it as a time to get in the black, while the masses of people usually end up in the red.

It’s interesting to note that the majority of Santa’s attire is red, whilst only a very small portion is black, and thus, when viewed from a financial perspective, the ratio of red to black in his attire, represents the merchants and the people, with the former being made very rich, whilst the latter often become very poor, or otherwise heavily debt-laden. As a matter of fact, “Rudolph”, the red nosed reindeer originally had nothing to do with Santa Claws, until Robert L. May, a copywriter at the large Montgomery Ward department store, came up with the story, with the sole purpose of bring more holiday traffic into the store.

Montgomery Ward sold almost 2.5 million copies of the story in 1939. And when it was reissued in 1946, over three and half million copies were sold. Several years later, a musician friend of Robert May wrote a short song based on Rudolph’s story. It immediately went viral, and sold over two million copies. Since that time, the story has been translated into twenty five different languages and has been made into a television movie, narrated by Burl Ives, which has charmed audiences every year since.

We can make a bet that in our lifetime we will never see any person looking anything like the caricature portrayed in movies and comic strips as the devil, all grotesque, with two horns and shoveling dead souls with a spade. Instead, he comes to humanity in the form of an angel of light, dressed in garbs of logical reasoning, with philosophical modes of thought and suggestions and traditions that are directly contrary to the word of God. And it should quite alarm every thinking Christian, that the overwhelming majority of this earth’s inhabitants have already bought into his sophistries in one way or another.

This is because his representations are most often through human agencies, in order to disguise and lure the unwary into his snares. Let’s read:

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.

Let’s just suppose that the birthday of Christ was December 25th. If that were indeed the case, then we should expect that Jesus would be the reason for the season, Right? Now let’s ask any child who they look forward to seeing most during the Christ- Mass season, whether it is Jesus or Santa, and the human agent is sure to get two thumbs up. Added to this, if as tradition says, it is the actual birthday of Christ, shouldn’t we then be lavishing our gifts on Him, who is supposed to be the center of attraction at this time of year?

How is it that the majority of our spending is on our friends, family, and ourselves, whilst we sometimes bring a leftover of a pittance as an offering into the courts of God at this time? Thus it is that the human agent is made to usurp the place of Christ, and that’s the reason why the agents of our adversary always come dressed in human garb. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this The man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?

The words in this last verse which asks the cryptic question, “Is this the man” means that instead of some hideous looking creature from never-land, the adversary comes to us in the form of human beings, who themselves often do not know that they are being motivated by remote control. This constitutes the reason why when we take a good look at Santa claws, we will see the human agent also aspiring to be like God, a hint that is quietly portrayed in one of the most popular songs that is often played on the airwaves during the Christmas season. The following are just a few of the lyrics, with the passages of scripture which clearly show that some of Santa’s stated attributes really belong to God alone. Let’s read:

“He knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you’re awake”….

Psalm 139:1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

“He knows if you’ve been bad or good”… (and then the instruction is given in the song), “So be good for goodness sake”.

That Sounds Like God To Me. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Sounds like God to me!
The visual imagery of Santa Claws is one of excess, excess in eating and drinking, and in order to avoid the snare of overindulgence in spending, the word of God issues a few cautions to us, especially since we are now living at such a volatile time in earth’s history, when the financial markets, together with millions of households across the land are struggling for survival. As a matter of fact, since we are at the turning point of another seven year cycle, we are to be doubly cautious in our spending habits, just in case there is a repeat of 2007-2008 around the corner.

The following are passages of scripture that are to be read and understood objectively, without ever placing our own spin on what we think should be included or interpreted into them. Especially should we be careful with the use of credit cards which, as we are all aware of, allows us to spend money that we do not really have, and thereby wiping out our future earnings even before we get paid.

Thus, by employing these plastic chains, very many people have been brought into financial bondage, and even though some of us may not be aware of this fact, the devil earnestly seeks to bring as many Christians as he possibly can into financial slavery, in order to set the stage for mandatory negotiations in the very near future according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Proverbs 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom”…
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

All those who refuse to submit to the teachings of God’s word concerning the avoiding of unnecessary debt, will find out too late that it is one of the most formidable agencies that will be used in forcing the mark of the beast upon unwilling hands and minds. Therefore, to forestall such an undesirable situation in any member or in any family, The Lord issues to us the following warning, with the corresponding, corrective measures to be taken, to put our houses in order, before that dreadful time arrives. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp. 607] As the controversy extends into new fields, and the minds of the people are called to God's down-trodden law, Satan is astir. The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work, papists and Protestants unite.

As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment-keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. [ And then the corresponding counsel is given, so that all who will escape this financial snare, may do so while probation still lingers. Let’s read:]

[The Adventist Home pp. 392] All must practice economy. No worker should manage his affairs in a way to incur debt. The practice of drawing money from the treasury before it is earned, is a snare. When one voluntarily becomes involved in debt, he is entangling himself in one of Satan's nets which he sets for souls. Many are poor because they spend their money as soon as they receive it. Abstracting and using money for any purpose, before it is earned, is a snare. The world has a right to expect strict integrity in those who profess to be Bible Christians. By one man's indifference in regard to paying his just dues, all our people are in danger of being regarded as unreliable.

[The Adventist Home pp. 374] Many, very many, have not so educated themselves that they can keep their expenditures within the limit of their income. They do not learn to adapt themselves to circumstances, and they borrow and borrow again and again and become overwhelmed in debt, and consequently they become discouraged and disheartened. Be determined never to incur another debt. Deny yourself a thousand things rather than run in debt. Avoid it as you would the smallpox.

In closing, it’s necessary for us to remember that God will not leave us to perish by the determined efforts of a relentless foe, however, it’s important for us to follow the guidelines given in the Bible for the confessing and relinquishing of sin, and if we humble ourselves, asking God to forgive and heal us, He will respond by helping us in ways we may not have been aware of, and by showing us ways and means by which we can live debt free. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7:13 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 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

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

God bless!

Why Some Christians Go Broke. Sabbath Afternoon 12/05/2015

December 05, 2015

Why Some Christians Go Broke!

Sabbath Afternoon

12/05/2015

It is not the ideal will of God that His people should be mired in debt, or barely be able to survive from a pecuniary perspective, especially in places where an abundance of means and ample opportunities for a noble existence is available to all. Even though we have read of the faithfulness of the widow with her two mites, yet we are to understand that right here in America, and in other developed countries, her poverty is to be the exception, rather than the rule, whenever, and wherever we have the physical and mental ability to do better.

But we should never conclude that it is God’s ideal will for His people to be broke or impoverished, for the Bible clearly states that if God’s people were to adopt godly principles, instructions, and laws, then success will attend us on our way. Furthermore, if as Christians we are continually broke, then the cause of truth will ultimately suffer, because of a lack of funds, and because of the impressions that will be left on the minds of those who do not fear God, who are likely to draw conclusions based on what they see.

For instance, if a person is an atheist, or secularist, and has been exposed to some limited knowledge of Christianity, of which he would like to do more research on before deciding in favor of the religion of the Bible, then his curiosity and intelligence will lead him to do some investigation as to the pros and cons of the Christian faith. But if in his search he were to discover that the vast majority of God’s people are wallowing in serious debt, and losing their homes and churches at an alarming rate, he will be led to question what is the root cause, and this impression of Christ’s religion may produce a bad taste in his mouth.

And worst yet, if he were to read the following news headlines, he may have serious doubts about whether Christianity makes sense or not, if he is predisposed to reason along strictly logical lines of thought. Let’s read:

Personal Finance | Fri Mar 9, 2012 10:25am EST Related: U.S., MONEY, HOUSING MARKET

Banks foreclosing on churches in record numbers

LOS ANGELES | BY TIM REID

Banks are foreclosing on America's churches in record numbers as lenders increasingly lose patience with religious facilities that have defaulted on their mortgages, according to new data. The surge in church foreclosures represents a new wave of distressed property seizures triggered by the 2008 financial crash, analysts say, with many banks no longer willing to grant struggling religious organizations forbearance. Churches are among the final institutions to get foreclosed upon because banks have not wanted to look like they are being heavy handed with the churches," said Scott Rolfs, managing director of Religious and Education finance at the investment bank Ziegler.

However, this Bible study will not directly address the age old issue of tithes and offerings, for we have already covered those issues on several occasions previously, hence the reason why our focus will be on the practical application, or neglect of Biblical principles as it pertains to financial stability. In the word of God there are formats given to us for both temporal and spiritual success, and since The Lord is more practical than most Christians realize, it will do us well to study the principles and laws that are laid down in His word, so that we may chart straight paths for our feet. This does not mean that every single Christian will be lifted out of poverty, but as a general rule of thumb, great success will attend our way if we were to diligently adopt and implement the instructions given in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Joshua 1:7 “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.

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.

The following issues therefore are some of the most common reasons why some Christians end up being broke, and as we study from root cause to effect we hope that God will grant to us a humble spirit that we may be instructed from His word in these and all

other matters. First of all, we begin with the most common claim:

[1] We do not earn enough to be financially viable.

This has often been put forward as the reason why we cannot make ends meet, but in many cases, it’s not how much or little we earn, but rather how we manage the funds that are entrusted to us by God.

Now it’s important for us to understand that some of the truths presented will be pretty blunt, for as stated previously on this forum, God is much more practical than many Christians realize, and if we are to harbor reasonable expectations of Him, then we will need to follow the guidelines He has given us faithfully, without being motivated by emotionalism or spontaneous decision-making, that often causes us to go into the red. In addition to this, if we were to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and drink our medicine, God will be more than pleased to guide and deliver according to His good will. But if we refuse and rebel against His plain utterances, we can be assured that satan will absolutely smoke us out, until we are reduced to less than nothing. Let’s read:

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Thus, in accordance with the immutable laws of sowing and reaping, the real issue we must address as pertains to earned income, is that of living within our means, and having the necessary discipline and self-denial to keep our outflows below our inflows.

One of the first instructions given in the Garden of Eden is to “Replenish”, which simply means to put back or restore that which has been expended or used. Therefore if we do not have a plan in place to replenish what we desire to spend, then we should avoid spending in the first place, wherever this is possible.

It is worthy of note that even though we live in the richest country on earth, America, for many years has had to borrow money from poorer countries to pay its debt, and what takes place in high places has all too often produced a trickle-down effect, for just as the rain water falls high up in the mountains and flows all the way down to the valleys, just so we are seeing the adverse effects of the majority of people not being able to meet their obligations without borrowing, just like the federal government cannot meet its financial obligations without going deeper and deeper into debt.

Thus, to cure this monetary madness, we will need to buckle up and take drastic measures to harness our spending, lest satan bind many of us with these financial chains, and thereby compass our ruin. This will call for great sacrifice and self-discipline, but we should here remember that the words disciple and discipline come from the same root, and therefore we should be willing and ready to implement the laws, instructions, and principles that are given in God’s word. Let’s read:

Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

It is worthy of note that some of the world’s richest men are often found to be the most frugal in their spending habits, while the much poorer classes are usually the ones who are quick to spend on things that are not really needed, and who are motivated in many cases by impulse. Let us take for instance two well-known public figures who are billionaires, Donald Trump, and Warren Buffet. For all of his boastful claims, it is surprising that Donald trump has actually spent far less than most of the other candidates, whereas one would expect him to be flaunting his cash in every which way. In other words, he is running a very fiscally conservative campaign, and only spends when he absolutely has to. This contrasts with some other candidates who have already run out of cash, and were forced out of the horse race because of mismanagement, or a lack of funds. Let’s read:

The Washington Post: Donald Trump’s extremely fiscally conservative campaign. By Chris Cillizza December 2 at 7:44 AM.

Donald Trump has spent less than 1 percent as much money as Jeb Bush on ads so far in the 2016 election, according to calculations made by NBC News, even as the real estate mogul continues to lap the former Florida governor in both key early state and national polls. Jeb and his aligned Right to Rise super PAC have dropped $28.9 million on TV ads to Trump's $217,000 on a flight of radio ads. That spending chasm is almost the inverse of where each man stands in the race -- with Trump alone at the top and Jeb mired in the murky middle.

But Warren Buffet is even more of a case study than Trump, for although the Donald has a plethora of flamboyant homes across America, Buffet bought his house in 1958 for a mere $31,500.00, and has been content to live at the same residence ever since. It may very well be that those who do not know Christ are silently implementing Biblical principles, while those of us who profess to know the Bible are accepting the short end of the stick. Let’s read:

Article by The Motley Fool.

Warren Buffett's house is the object of endless fascination when people learn about him -- and for good reason. Buffett is one of the richest people in the world; therefore, it's always surprising to learn that he's lived in the same house for most of his adult life. Warren Buffett bought his house in Omaha, Nebraska in 1958 for $31,500. The house is stucco, and has five bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Warren Buffett has called his house "the third best investment" he ever made.

Now, there is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. A mature Christian will, by the grace of God be able to practice fiscal discipline, while at the same time being benevolent, for the two principles are actually inseparably intertwined in the scripture. In other words, those who have to give when there is a call for finances, are usually the ones who have exercised frugality from principle, gathering up the fragments that nothing be lost, whilst at the same time having their hands wide open to help those who are in need, or responding liberally whenever the cause of God requires funds.

This fine balance of frugality and benevolence can be found in Christ who set the example by precept and active exercise of both virtues. In addition to this, the servant of The Lord has written a note-worthy commentary on both principles, one which deserves our consideration. Let’s read:

John 6:11 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.

12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

[Counsels on Stewardship pp. 251] Those whose hands are open to respond to the calls for means to sustain the cause of God and to relieve the suffering and the needy, are not the ones who are found loose and lax and dilatory in their business management. They are always careful to keep their outgoes within their income. They are economical from principle; they feel it their duty to save, that they may have something to give.

[2] The issue of unnecessary upgrades.

The issue of unnecessary upgrades is one of the points we need to observe closely, for it is often the case that we decide to purchase new and upgraded furniture, or a new car with hefty payments, when in fact, the one we have presently works just fine. The Joneses who live next door should not be the motivating factor for any of our new purchases and upgrades, neither should we permit fad or fashion to ultimately drive us to the showroom or the mall. The desire to have the latest model car, or even the newest i-phone, has driven many Christians deep in the red, for the wages of sin is “Debt”.

Very careful consideration of actual needs versus wants should be done before making purchases of any kind, and it will help a great deal to budget first before going window shopping, where certain items that glitter the eye have the potential to suddenly become urgent needs. Especially are we to guard against the abuse of agent plastic, which history has shown is far less painful to use than cold, hard cash. Credit cards do allow us to make our purchases with someone else’s money, and after the euphoria of the moment is gone, then we are left saddled with high interest payments that often cause us to stint the cause of God. In addition to this, our net worth is based not on what we owe, but rather on what we own, and thus it is important that Christians not fall into the snare of unnecessary upgrades. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

[3] Loose spending in times of plenty.

There is a general tendency for many Christians to spend loosely in times of plenty, when we are far less likely to give careful thought to our outflows. When there is an abundance of cash, most people do not think of the rainy days, which according to the Bible will certainly come, and many more are persuaded by satanic agencies dressed in garments of light, to spend wantonly on what may seem to be good, at the time.

The common excuse, that we can afford such an item is often touted as the reason why we should indulge in unwarranted purchases, but the real question is will we be left empty-handed after “Affording” it. The fact that folks do tend to be more lavish and careless in times of plenty is one of the important points mentioned in the Bible, with the hope that the knowledge of this phenomena will ultimately cause a change for the better in our thinking and decision making processes. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 5:11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

This last point is borne out in the experience of the prodigal son who, because of an over-abundance of cash, spent it all on riotous living.

Luke 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

On receiving such a large sum of cash so suddenly, the prodigal son, who did not have the necessary experience to handle so much funds responsibly, immediately embarked upon a wild shopping spree, making his first stop at the local Porsche dealership, where he picked out the priciest automobile that money could buy at the time. And he did not desire to settle for the base model, but added a few extras such as 22 inch rims, low profile tires, and a robust sound system with 18 inch speakers. From there he went to your local mall, where he bought the latest types of bling in abundance, ranging from the new I-phone six to a large 80 inch flat screen TV, so he could view his favorite games and movies in larger than life proportions.

And to make things worse, whilst at the shopping mall he ran into his financial advisor “Santa Claws” who then encouraged him to spend more than he should, with the promise that after the yuletide season, the monetary issues will just vanish into thin air. Then after spending those huge sums without thinking soberly, he decided to pass the evening at south beach, where apparently there are girls, girls everywhere. And so it was, that in one day, he blew the better portion of his father’s hard-earned cash, drinking at earth’s polluted cisterns on things that do not satisfy.

But as the word of God declares, whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap, and thus, swiftly and surely a day of reckoning was coming, in which he would be now forced to ponder in silence, his rash decisions with vain regrets and remorse. And then, to avert total collapse he has no choice but to feed swine, the only job he could get at the time, since his youthful days and energies were not spent in pursuing an education, but was rather expended on the instant gratification of the moment, when he was spending loosely in times of plenty. Let’s read:

Luke 15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, for in each and every one of our Christian experiences, there are times when we have made grave mistakes in both the financial and spiritual realms, and God who is faithful, and takes no delight in the poverty of His people sends us words of reproof, caution, and encouragement, with the hope that we will grab the bull by the horns and make the necessary reforms so that we may extricate ourselves from financial slavery.

Then it is, that the results of His gracious overtures will depend on what we do with the instructions and cautions given, for if as stated before, we were to humbly drink our medicine, God will respond in the affirmative by helping us out of the hole we may have dug for ourselves, for as the scriptures declare, He takes no delight in the many adversities we may have brought upon ourselves, but rather seeks earnestly to reinstate us to where we ought to have been in the first place to be.

Therefore, in harmony with His good purposes for His people, and for Christians everywhere, we end with a passage of scripture which ought to trigger sober reflection, and thus be the catalyst for permanent change in our behaviors and decision-making, that we may avoid answering in our own personal lives, that cryptic question “Why some Christians go broke”. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called”….

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

God bless!

Prophecy And The Jewish Calendar. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/28/2015

November 28, 2015

To begin this study, we must state unequivocally that there is no existing calendar known to mortal man which gives us an accurate account of the age of the earth, and even though we can compute with relative accuracy, the events and prophecies given in the Bible, we are to acknowledge that because God has never given us a beginning date for the creation of the world, and because there are some discrepancies in the methods of counting the years from Eden to Abraham, all figures during that time are approximate, and not to be held as set in stone.

However, there must be a profound disconnect between the prophecies of the scriptures pointing earth’s inhabitants to last day events, and the time frame given in the current Jewish calendar, which has been adopted for the most part by many Bible scholars in tabulating the approximate age of the earth, for if we use that method of reckoning, then we still have 224 years to go before we approach the much anticipated six thousand mark.

This is the reason why yesterday on the Jewish calendar, black Friday was marked thus:
Fri, 27 November 2015 = 15th of Kislev, 5776
ט״ו בְּכִסְלֵו תשע״ו
The Jewish official calendar is the Hebrew one. And according to Jewish counting, on September 24, of 2014, we entered the Year 5775, that is - the supposed 5775th year since the world was created on Saturday night, October 6, 3761 BCE.

Now, it is true that we also believe in the Biblical narrative of creation, however, the method used of calculating the age of the earth, refuses to square evenly with apocalyptic prophecies of the Bible, and therefore Joel sounds an urgent alarm in the holy mountain of God, that our salvation is now much nearer than when we first believed. And his solemn trumpet call has also been echoed by several of the other Bible writers, warning the inhabitants of the earth that Christ’s 2nd coming will take the world by storm, and most people, including Christians will be entirely unaware that the proverbial “harvest is past and the summer is ended”. 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.
12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly,
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

1st Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

One of the main reasons why we cannot depend on the Jewish calendar for knowing where we are now in the stream of time, is because, after the rejection of Christ by the Jewish nation, they ceased to be God’s peculiar people, and the privileges they had previously enjoyed, of having the sacred oracles and prophecies given them by God, were permanently curtailed after the time prophecy given to Daniel concerning them had elapsed.

Thus, because of the forfeited, privileged position, of the Hebrew people, we are now forced to revisit the Hebrew tabulations as it pertains to the actual age of the earth, which is off the mark, for as stated before, there is currently a profound disconnect between the prophecies that are being fulfilled as we speak, and the time frame given in the Jewish calendar, when pitted against a few definitive statements written in the scriptures.

In addition to this, whatever the Jewish calendar, or any other for that matter might read, the Bible tells us that God’s work upon the earth will be cut short, and thus it is imperative for us to investigate the truth pertaining to where we now are in earth’s history. Let’s read:

Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Therefore, we owe it to ourselves to observe what the scriptures say concerning the age of the earth, and also the given time frames of the fulfillment of certain prominent prophecies. According to the prophet Daniel, the birth of Christ into this world was to take place around the time of three to five B.C., and after His crucifixion, three and a half years would elapse to close off their probation, with the destruction of Jerusalem taking place in A.D 70. Then the year 1844 would bring to and end, the longest time prophecy given in the book of Daniel, bringing us to the beginning of Christ’s investigative judgment, which started in the fall of that same year. Let’s read:

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Since seventy weeks, of seven days is equal to 490, then the next passage of scripture must of necessity have a much deeper meaning than what appears on the surface, for Christ was apparently pointing the minds of His Jewish hearers to something ominous in the not too distant future, something cataclysmic of which most of them were unaware. Let’s read:

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.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his
servants.

Full Definition of “THEREFORE”
a : for that reason : consequently
b : because of that
c : on that ground

Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Daniel 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be
cleansed.
27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision”…..

The command to rebuild Jerusalem was confirmed by king Artaxerxes in the year 457 B.C, which would place the beginning of the investigative judgment, or “The cleansing of the sanctuary” in 1844 A.D., or 2300 years later, but if we were to follow the Jewish method of computation, the year 1844 A.D would be 5605, and if we were to use Christ’s birth as the dividing line between the B.C and the A.D time period, there would actually be a deficit of about 239 years, when compared against the six plus one format given in the Old Testament, as it pertains to both days and years.

Hence the reason why there is a serious disparity between the end time prophecies given in the Bible which are currently being fulfilled as we speak, and the Jewish calendar, which puts us many years into the future, when the earth, for all intents and purposes, will most likely be already decimated by the coming of Christ. And whilst we are on the issue of six plus one, it will be well for us to observe that God is a God of order, and whatsoever He has set in motion will come to fruition in the fullness of time. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

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

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.

Exodus 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

Exodus 23:10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy olive yard.

Leviticus 25:2 “When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord.
3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;
4 But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

The math is simple folks, for if God is now giving the Hebrews instruction pertaining to His ideals for the planting and rejuvenation of the earth, and since He has stipulated that the land must rest one year for every six years of planting, then it means that sixty years of cultivation will require ten years of rest, six hundred years of planting will require one hundred years of rest, and six thousand years of tilling the soil must result in one thousand years of Sabbatical rest.

Furthermore, in delineating His future purposes to the Hebrew people, and in explaining the principle of root cause and effect, whenever violation of the Sabbatical rest occurs over extended periods, God specifically stated that His people would be brought into captivity by a heathen nation, and the reasons are given so that there may be no misgiving on our part as to the seriousness of the six plus one format introduced in Eden, and reiterated and stipulated at Mt. Sinai. Let’s read:

Leviticus 26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

And then, as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the western sky, the word of The Lord will come down like a train, to be fulfilled when the measure of the guilt of the Hebrew people is full, for after years of violating the six plus one format, the Sabbatical rest for the land comes due. And so said so done, for a heathen nation comes upon the scene, destroys the city of Jerusalem, and carries very many of the Hebrews captive, leaving the land desolate, so that it may enjoy the Sabbaths of rest that are required. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 36: 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.
19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.
20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:
21 To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Question: How is it then that the earth will be made entirely desolate for exactly one thousand years in Revelation chapter 20? And how is it that this fact is also confirmed by the prophet Jeremiah, who lived hundreds of years before John was even born? Is it a coincidence, or could it be a repetition of the six plus one format, which God gave to us in Eden, and again confirmed to the Hebrews. And if so, could it be that the earth is approaching six thousand years, hence the reason why all of the last day events we are given in the scriptures seem to be converging in quick succession, as if a final climax is about to take place? 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 I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

In speaking of this very time, the prophet Jeremiah was shown in vision the condition of the earth as it will be during the one thousand years referred to in Revelation, and we should not be surprised to find that it replicates on a much broader, scale the very same desolation experienced by the Hebrews, when their land became due for its Sabbatical rest. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.
27 For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

My fellow Christians, this just cannot be a mere coincidence, and since God is not a man that He should lie, then the next question we will need to ask ourselves is “Where are we now in the stream of time, and how close are we to the ushering in of the one 1000 years of Sabbatical rest? It is worthy of note that our current system of education based on the theory of evolution must be seriously flawed, according to the “Six plus one” format given in the scriptures, and very soon that great lie that has been perpetuated by Darwin and his followers will be unmasked for what it really is.

And then it will be that many of earth’s inhabitants will see too late, that the world is not nearly as old as science would have us believe. This then means that current scientific methods of carbon dating, on which we rely securely, must now be brought into question, if as science says, many of the fossils and archaeological discoveries date back to millions and millions of years. The fact is that through the theory of evolution, a very great lie is being peddled to the multitudes, and according to the Bible it is not God who is behind it. Let’s read:

Numbers 23:19 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?

Very many statements have been made by the servant of The Lord in regards to the age of the earth, and while the Hebrew calendar puts the six thousand year mark two hundred plus years into the future, God has through His prophet stated otherwise, and thus it behooves every person to study carefully, that which has been revealed, so that the final conflict, which will usher in God’s everlasting kingdom of righteousness, will not find any of us sleeping, as is so often cautioned in the scriptures. Here are just a few samples of what is being spoken about. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 413] For six thousand years, faith has builded upon Christ. For six thousand years the floods and tempests of satanic wrath have beaten upon the Rock of our salvation; but it stands unmoved.

[The Great Controversy pp. 659>660] For six thousand years, Satan's work of rebellion has “made the earth to tremble.” He has “made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof.” And “he opened not the house of his prisoners.” For six thousand years his prison-house has received God's people, and he would have held them captive forever, but Christ has broken his bonds, and set the prisoners free.

Even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of Satan; and alone with his evil angels he remains to realize the effect of the curse which sin has brought. For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth, to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense.
Since his fall, his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection; but he is now deprived of his power, and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of Heaven, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future, when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done, and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.

In closing, we present three prophecies given in the scriptures pertaining to the last days of earth’s history, and then, if we are honest in heart, we will need to ask ourselves the following two questions: [1] Are those stated prophecies now being fulfilled?
[2] Are we very close to the six thousand mark, or according to the Jewish calendar, are we two hundred plus years away? Let’s read:

Daniel 12:1 “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time”
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.

Matthew 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass”…..
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

If it took us just twenty years to reach the “Days of Lot”, as far as gay marriage is concerned, what on earth makes us think that the coming of Jesus will be 224 years away? We end with a solemn passage of scripture which cautions us not to sleep during these days of upheavals and unrest, days of terror and uncertainty, but rather to watch and be sober, for the coming of The Son of Man is actually very near, even at the doors. Let’s read:

Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

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

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