The Final Conflict. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/15/2017

The final battle to be waged on this planet has to do with the laws of God versus those laws of men that run contrary to God’s revealed will. A person does not necessarily have to be an atheist, or agnostic, if he/she does not subscribe to the commandments of God. All one has to do is to not align his, or herself fully, with the kingdom of light, and by so doing, the choice will be made against God’s kingdom. Indeed, there are millions of professed Christians today who may live, and work ignorantly under the auspices of the kingdom of darkness, while thinking that they are doing God service. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This distinct possibility, and fact, is raised in several other passages of scripture which demonstrate how folks may think they are serving Christ, when indeed they may be working directly against Him, and thus, it is necessary to address some of the fundamental issues connected to the great controversy, that has been taking place, even before the creation of our world, and which will soon culminate in every living person deciding either for, or against Christ. We will study some of the disturbing questions and answers pertaining to the spiritual battle for our souls, with the hope that the concerns raised, will finally be put to rest.

The Bible tells us that war began in heaven, because of the persistence of one created being, choosing to live contrary to God’s wise order. The indulgence of pride quickly opened the door to jealousy, jealousy gave birth to alienation and discord, then discord finally pitted the two opposing factions against each other, since it became impossible for them to live together anymore. Therefore, a substitute form of government, and a substitute system of ideologies, principles, methods, and beliefs were established, and offered as a viable option to any who chose to believe that God’s way was, and is not the best for created beings. 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.

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The earth was not yet created when this battle took place, but instead occurred sometime after, when God decided to follow through on His plans to bring another planet into being, with a brand, new line of creatures, namely man, together with animals, fish, birds, creeping things, and vegetation. However, the decision made by the Godhead, to create a world in
which, there might be a possibility of sin, causes many people to stumble, and raises a plethora of other questions, that have plagued the minds of those who may not have investigated the issues.

Thus, we will address some of these concerns in a question, and answer format, to make the issues pertaining to the past, current, and final conflict, as plain as we possibly can.

Question # [1] Why didn’t God destroy satan and his evil angels immediately, after they had sinned?
Answer: If God had immediately eradicated sin with the use of force, He would be utilizing a principle which lies at the foundation of satan’s government, and which never produces lasting peace or security. To immediately destroy those with whom there was a disagreement, would cause the loyal ones to serve God out of fear, and any relationship which has fear as its basis, will disintegrate sooner or later, for as the Bible says, “Fear hath torment”. 

The use of force was employed during the dark ages to stifle out Christianity, but instead it caused it to multiply exponentially, making it one of the world’s greatest religions. Since the early nineties, we have employed the use of force, in various forms, and in different degrees, to try to stamp out the cancer of terrorism, but instead, the movement has grown to become a worldwide phenomenon, affecting even those in the higher echelons of society, as well as the intellectual. 

Bin Laden came from a wealthy, well-respected family, and many of his followers are well educated, and therefore, the mere use of force cannot settle the matter permanently. Never! Hence the reason why the principles of God’s kingdom stand in very stark contrast to the principle of subduing enemies through force, because, as was stated before, when we fight fire with fire, all we would get is more fire. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Even when God destroys sin at the last day to put a permanent end to it, He will only do so after the lost, as well as satan and his angels have agreed that the best thing for them is to be destroyed. Let’s read: 

Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 

Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

When Jesus was being arrested by the priests and the mob, Peter resorted to a satanic principle, and Christ immediately recognized his action as such. In other words, Peter attempted to fight fire with fire, but Christ’s principle in this, and similar situations, is not to resist evil, but rather to do good wherever possible, to those who might be seeking to do us harm. Therefore, we are presented with the stark difference between God’s principles, and satan’s own. Let’s read:

Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

The angels who had not fallen did not understand fully, the issues which were at stake, neither were they aware of the natural consequences of satan’s form of government. Therefore, the only way that the universe could be put on a permanent basis of security, was to allow the two opposing methods of government to run their natural course, so that all created beings could make an intelligent, informed choice. It was only at the cross that the holy angels fully understood the issues at stake, and it was only then, that satan and his angels were forever barred from approaching the gates of heaven. Let’s read:

John 12:30 Jesus answered and said, 
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the
prince of this world be cast out. 
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

The same situation with the unfallen angels, that of unveiling the principles, and methods of the only two forms of government, has been on display for centuries on our planet, and like the angels, we too will have to make intelligent, well-informed choices. On the one hand, we have jealousy, covetousness, greed, hatred, alienation, violence, lies, retaliation, and pride wreaking havoc across the spectrum of nations. 

Then, on the other hand, we have the principles of Christ’s kingdom on display, in the persons of His saints, where love, mercy, justice, peace-making, truthfulness, forgiveness, patience, contentedness, humility, and non-violence are to be the ruling traits of character, in those who claim kinship with Christ. And it is through the demonstration of these two opposing views, with their natural results, that all the world will be brought to the point of decision, to choose Christ, or to choose the other option.

Question # [2] Another question that has haunted the minds of many people, even among Christians, is “Why did God go ahead and create the human race, if He knew there would be the risk of Adam, and Eve choosing to sin? 
Answer: God proceeded with our creation because it was a good thing to do, and the risk of evil should never prevent anyone from doing good. It is often the case that children walk contrary to that which is good, by indulging in sins such as adultery, clubbing, drugs, and drinking. But the risk of their choosing to do evil should not prevent us from having children, for doing so is a good thing. 

It was more than reasonable for God to proceed with our creation, knowing that we would sin, for He had already planned a way to rescue us. We too know full well that our children can, and do get sick, but because we have the right medicines available, the risk of their sickness does not faze us. Thus, in the case of Adam and his offspring, rescue was not an afterthought, but was a well-laid plan for our redemption, to be implemented as soon as it was necessary. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

That word “Whosoever”, means whosever, and includes such persons like the thief on the cross, who stole his whole life, and did not have the way, the means, nor the opportunity to restore fourfold, as the scriptures require. Whosoever includes the woman taken in adultery, persons like Peter, who are impulsive in nature, others like Matthew who worked for the IRS, and those like Paul, who before his conversion, persecuted Christians relentlessly, yet, when confronted with that important decision, chose to accept the remedy offered us in Christ.

Whosoever also embraces the current president of the United States, all the members of congress, the steel workers in the rust belt, the rich managers of Silicon Valley, the drug addict on the street, those who are suffering from the opioid epidemic, those who have inherited, and cultivated tendencies to evil, all politicians, all county workers, all prostitutes, and every creed and race can find an equal place, in the provision made for our rescue. Thus, it was quite reasonable for God to go forward with our creation, because the perfect plan for our redemption had been put in place, just in case. Let’s read:

John 5:37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing. 
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

Question # [3] Another question often raised in the great conflict of the ages, is whether God’s law has been given for the benefit, or the hurt of all created beings. In other words, if through the grace, and power of God, anyone was to choose to follow the teachings and instructions of God’s word, will that person be benefitted, or will they suffer loss as a result?

Answer: For almost 6000 years, the idea has been floated that serving God puts one at a disadvantage, and because of this, His laws have been seen, more from the prohibitory side, rather than the freedom side. On the one hand, satan’s kingdom of darkness offers us the freedom to do whatsoever we please, whenever we please, and however we please, with no limitations, or instructions, or laws to followed. God on the other hand, gives instruction, and laws that are designed to foster the health, and well- being of man. 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.

Psalms 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.

This is especially true of the God-ordained day of worship, which contains the principle of cyclical rest, as opposed to a continuous round of activity. And it is over these two opposing principles that the final conflict will be fought. In the beginning, after God created the earth, He rested on the 7th day, and was refreshed. In like manner, He instructed us to keep the 7th day Sabbath holy for the very same purpose, for when we follow the principle of cyclical rest, we are brought into harmony with two other critically important aspects of our being, breathing and our heartbeat, both of which have the same principle of cyclical rest at their core. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 
9 Six days shalt thou labor, 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 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 
17 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 

Genesis 2:2 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.

But a substitute day of rest was introduced many centuries ago, and with the passage of time, has come to usurp the place that the original Sabbath had in the hearts, minds, and culture of many. It is worthy of note that the principle of cyclical rest is also embraced in the teachings of those who espouse Sunday, as the day of rest. Let’s read:

                                            Catechism of the Catholic Church
                                                                Article 3
                                                 THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work. 90 The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.91 The sabbath is for the Lord, holy and set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on behalf of Israel. 

2172 God's action is the model for human action. If God "rested and was refreshed" on the seventh day, man too ought to "rest" and should let others, especially the poor, "be refreshed." 96 The sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. It is a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.97 

2173 The Gospel reports many incidents when Jesus was accused of violating the sabbath law. But Jesus never fails to respect the holiness of this day.98 He gives this law its authentic and authoritative interpretation: "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath."99 With compassion, Christ declares the sabbath for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing.100 The sabbath is the day of the Lord of mercies and a day to honor God.101 "The Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath."102

Therefore, for all intents and purposes, the previous declarations seem to capture the basic concept of cyclical rest, enjoined in the 4th commandment, so there’s only one major difference, the day on which we choose to rest. As it stands, the majority of the Christian world rests on Sunday, while there’s only a minority which rest on the 7th day. Now while it is good to understand and practice the concept of cyclical rest, the day we choose to do so makes all the difference, for the 7th day sabbath is the only day that was blessed and sanctified by God. 

No other day of the week carries such designation, and therefore the question of sovereign authority versus a human invention will usher in the final conflict, in which each individual will deliberately choose to obey God or man. This final conflict is what the scriptures warn the inhabitants of earth about, for it is scheduled to draw a distinct dividing line, between the true and the false. 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. 

To this time we are now hastening, as evidenced by the rapid and unique developments of the last two years, both in the religious and secular realm, and thus, the Lord is calling upon all sincere Christians in every denomination, to consider carefully to whom our allegiance is given, because our eternal destiny hinges on whom we choose to obey. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to be ready, for the time is short. Let’s read:

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. 
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us be sober.  

                                                                       God bless! 
 

Procrastination. Sabbath Afternoon 07/08/2017

Procrastination is often referred to as the devil’s tool, for by tempting us to put off for another day, that which should be done immediately, he gets us to miss out on golden opportunities. The tendency to postpone present duties will also be observed in other areas of our lives, because whatever we may cultivate as a trait of character, whether it’s good or bad, will also run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our life experiences, and could, if not corrected, cause us to put off our day of salvation. Some folks think that God will always wait until they are ready, but the Bible teaches something entirely different. Let’s read: 

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…

The core principle being highlighted in the passage above, is that of availing ourselves of the present opportunities, given by us God, so that we may be saved. And it also warns us against procrastinating, which as stated before, will affect everything we do, if the habit is cultivated. In fact, whatever needs to be done, whether it be spiritual, or temporal, and is being repeatedly postponed for another day, will become more and more difficult to accomplish, and costlier with every missed opportunity.

There are many undeniable examples all around us which will demonstrate how procrastination causes unnecessary heartache, and adverse difficulties, which in turn produce feelings of deep remorse and regret. Let’s observe the tendency from a few well- known examples: 

[1] The National Debt:
Every administration, over the last 50 years, which has taken control have tried to reduce spending but for different reasons, the national debt has always, consistently ballooned, when measured at the end of their tenure. We just keep kicking the can down the road, with the hope that one day, it will vanish, and the same tendency can be observed in millions of households across the land, since most people do not rise higher than their leaders. 

But as stated before, procrastination becomes more costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome. That’s just the nature of the beast!

Lyndon B. Johnson: Added $42 billion, a 13 percent increase from the $312 billion debt at the end of JFK's last budget, FY 1964.
Richard Nixon: Added $121 billion, a 34 percent increase from the $354 billion debt at the end of LBJ's last budget, FY 1969.
Gerald Ford: Added $224 billion, a 47 percent increase from the $475 billion debt at the end of Nixon's last budget, FY 1974.

Jimmy Carter: Added $299 billion, a 43 percent increase from the $699 billion debt at the end of  Ford's last budget, FY 1977.
Ronald Reagan: Added $1.86 trillion, a 186 percent increase from the $998 billion debt at the end of Carter's last budget, FY 1981.
George H.W. Bush: Added $1.554 trillion, a 54 percent increase from the $2.8 trillion debt at the end of Reagan's last budget, FY 1989.

Bill Clinton: Added $1.396 trillion, a 32 percent increase from the $4.4 trillion debt at the end of George H.W. Bush's last budget, FY 1993.
George W. Bush: Added $5.849 trillion, a 101 percent increase from the $5.8 trillion debt at the end of Clinton's last budget, FY 2001.
Barack Obama: Added $7.917 trillion, a 68 percent increase from the $11.657 trillion debt at the end of George W. Bush’s last budget, FY 2009. And right now, the staggering figures are north of 19 trillion, 800 billion, and is increasing at a rate of $27,762.94 per second, or about 1.5 billion each day, based on the past 6 months.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

[2] The nuclear crisis with North Korea:
The current dilemma we find ourselves in did not happen in a vacuum, for there were periods, when positive, remedial actions could have been taken to rein in the rogue state, but for various reasons, the golden opportunities were passed by, with the hope that somehow, the problem will be resolved with time. But alas, here we are today, with a very real threat of a nuclear showdown, all because of that tendency to procrastinate.

(CNN) Here’s a brief look at North Korea's nuclear capabilities and the history of its weapons program. In 1985 North Korea signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
1993: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demands that inspectors be given access to two nuclear waste storage sites. In response, North Korea threatens to quit the NPT but eventually opts to continue participating in the treaty.

1994: North Korea and the United States sign an agreement. Among other stipulations, North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its old, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in exchange for international aid to build two new light-water nuclear reactors.
2002: January 29 - US President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil" in his State of the Union address. "By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger," he says.
October - The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.

2003: January 10 - North Korea withdraws from the NPT. February - The United States confirms North Korea has reactivated a five-megawatt nuclear reactor at its Yongbyon facility, capable of producing plutonium for weapons.
April - Declares it has nuclear weapons.
2006: October - North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. The test prompts the UN Security Council to impose a broad array of sanctions.
2007: February 13 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.
September 30 - At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea signs an agreement stating it will begin disabling its nuclear weapons facilities.
December 31 - North Korea misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities by the end of the year.
2009: May 25 - North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.

2013: February 12 - Conducts third nuclear test. This is the first nuclear test carried out under Kim Jong Un. Three weeks later, the United Nations orders additional sanctions in protest.
2015: May 6 - In an exclusive interview with CNN, the deputy director of a North Korean think tank says the country has the missile capability to strike mainland United States and would do so if the United States "forced their hand."
2016: September 9 - North Korea claims to have detonated a nuclear warhead. According to South Korea's Meteorological Administration, the blast is estimated to have the explosive power of 10 kilotons.
2017: July 4 - North Korea claims it has conducted its first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, that can "reach anywhere in the world."

The current president of the United States claims to be unpredictable, when it comes to revealing what he will do in defense of this country, because, as he says, it’s not wise to let the enemy know what you are planning to do. Well guess what? The current leader of North Korea has been often proven to be quite unpredictable too. Thus, when we have two unpredictable world leaders with their fingers on the nuclear trigger, we might be possibly looking at the final episode of the Wild, Wild, West with John Wayne as cheer leader!

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

But the problem of procrastination also affects us on a personal level, for it is not only a national, or federal problem, it occurs over, and over again, in many different ways, which leads us to our third example.

[3] Clutter:
The garage did not get cluttered overnight, for it took a long time for it to be chuck full of unwanted items. For years we may have planning to clean and tidy it once and for all, but through procrastination, we kept kicking the can down the road, until we are now almost banished from our own garage. And as was stated before, the continual postponing often costs us, for we may have bought many items at the local Home depot, which were lodged somewhere in the garage, but we just couldn’t remember where they were to be found.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

[4] Health and dieting: Do you know how long we have been planning to start exercising, and dieting, but for many varied, and valid reasons we just keep putting it off for another day. Maybe it was the kids, work, studies, church duties, or maybe we were just not motivated. Maybe we had planned to start on New Year’s day, but for some unknown reason, our enthusiasm just waned, and we postponed it for a more convenient season. The bottom line is that we never got to it, and whilst we continue to delay, the cost increases, and damage is being done.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

[5] Church building programs: Do you know how often the church building programs, for several churches have been postponed, for various valid reasons? Year after year passes, the enthusiasm of the congregation goes high, and then low, and in the process, some members may move on. But for some reason, the project is put off for another day, all the while God may have been ready to move at the opportune time. The cost of materials increases as the years slip by, and the project may become more daunting, but again and again, it is put off for another day. 

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

Thus, we move into the core of our study, in which we will observe two examples, one positive and one negative, by which we may learn lessons of critical importance, on how to avoid the snare of satan’s favorite tool, procrastination. We’ll begin with the negative one. Moses sends twelve spies to search the land of Canaan, to bring back a detailed report, and the products of the country, so that the people could be encouraged to trust in the promise of God, that they would inherit the land.

God is ready and waiting, because the opportune moment is now, but ten of the spies begin to speak evil of the place, after confirming that it is flowing with milk and honey. Joshua and Caleb try their best to still the people, and encourage them to go take Canaan immediately, but the ten spies continue to dwell on the obstacles, the giants, in the land, and they deliberately give voice to their own personal fears, thus causing the multitude to dwell on the negatives, instead of the positive commands and promises of God. 

Satan has a field day, using his favorite tool of procrastination, by causing them to dwell upon darkness, and because of their unwarranted fears, the project is aborted, and put on hold for another day. However, even though Joshua and Caleb were ready to move forward right away, this particular project required community effort, because God had promised the land to all the Hebrews, not just Joshua and Caleb. 

Now, if the ten spies did not agree on the feasibility of the undertaking, they should have at least kept quiet, and let it move forward, without throwing cold water on the people’s enthusiasm, since God had already confirmed the land to the Hebrews by a solemn promise. But they encouraged the people to postpone the venture, and the delay would carry a heavy price both in time and in lives lost. Let’s read:

Numbers 13:17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them,
18 See the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 
19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad. 
20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean. 
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel. 
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the
and whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land saying, it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

There is something such as an opportune time with God, that’s why the Bible says that Jesus was born in the fullness of time, meaning at the opportune time, not one day late, and not one day early. It is often the case, when God is ready to do great things for us, our hesitation, delay, and indecision causes us to miss out on the golden opportunity, and it is true that opportunity often only knocks once.

By dwelling upon the difficulties before them, they lost sight of God’s omnipotent power, and this then caused them to put off for another day, that which could, and should have been done immediately. And as was stated before, the delay caused the same project to become much more difficult and risky, and costlier, in terms of human life. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 389] When men yield their hearts to unbelief they place themselves under the control of Satan, and none can tell to what lengths he will lead them. Revolt and open mutiny quickly followed; for Satan had full sway, and the people seemed bereft of reason. They cursed Moses and Aaron, forgetting that God was witnessing their terrible outburst of wrath. Then their feelings rose against God: “Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Thus, they accused not only Moses, but God Himself, of deception, in promising them a land which they were not able to possess.

Numbers 14:20 And the Lord said, 
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers.
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land.
34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 
40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat
them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. 
41 And Moses said, 
42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 
44 But they presumed to go up.
45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

Whatever traits of character we cultivate, they will run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our life experiences. Procrastination in paying off our debts, will also translate into procrastination in matters of health, as well as issues pertaining to our salvation.

 For instance, when the Holy Spirit appeals to our conscience, showing that it’s time to give ourselves to Christ, there is no valid reason for any delay, but instead, we should find the nearest pastor, and the nearest body of water and be baptized. This prompt attitude stands in stark contrast to that manifested by the Hebrews, as is demonstrated in the example of the jailor, who got baptized “Today” when he heard the voice of God speaking to his soul. Here was his golden opportunity, and rather than let it slip, he rises to the occasion, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

Whatever we know we should be doing, whether it be in the temporal or spiritual realm, it is not good to put it off for another day, for as the song says, “Tomorrow might be too late”. Thus, we end our study with the passage of scripture, containing the warning against procrastination in every area of our lives, and we will close with a gentle reminder of the adverse consequences that are incidental to the indulgence of this habit. Let’s read: 

Hebrews 3: 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called  today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
15 Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

The antediluvian world also suffered from the habit of procrastination, for Noah had faithfully preached and given them warning of the coming destruction, but for some reason they kept putting it off. Let’s read:

[P&P pp.97>98] As time passed, with no apparent change in nature, men whose hearts had at times trembled with fear, began to be reassured. They asserted that if there were any truth in what Noah had said, the men of renown the wise, the prudent, the great men would understand the matter. The period of their probation was about to expire. The ark was finished in every part as the Lord had directed, and was stored with food for man and beast. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people.

With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most, gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark. A noise as of a rushing wind was heard and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, their numbers darkening the heavens and in perfect order they passed to the ark. 

Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient. The world looked on in wonder, some in fear. Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom. But men had become so hardened by their persistent rejection of light that even this scene produced but a momentary impression. 

And the rest is history, for they never went in!
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

                                                                God bless! 
 

Miracles, Healing, And Fraud. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/01/2017

With the health-care crisis looming so large on the horizon, the prospect of alternative forms of healing may appear to be more of a viable option to many, and because of this, there are a few instructions we should observe, if we would not fall victims to the devices of the enemy of righteousness. Many folks have now turned to televangelists, spiritual healers, and soothsayers, because they may not be able to afford proper care, and in desperation, some often pay whatsoever is required of them in exchange for healing. 

Desperation often makes people vulnerable, and it has opened the door for many to be deceived, and taken advantage of, and because of this, it has now become necessary to make a very clear distinction
between the true and the false. Before proceeding, it is necessary for us to first understand the reasons why we are where we are, how we got here, also, the scriptural solutions to the ballooning problem. 

Drugs have many different uses, and are employed when surgeries are being done, for anesthesia, for sedatives, and for the treatment of some diseases. However, the continual use of drugs produces some side effects which are often overlooked by doctors, and patients alike, for if we were to carefully read the warning labels on many prescription drugs, we will discover side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, hallucination, suicidal thoughts, rashes, drowsiness, and a host of other negatives.

And the apparent benefits are often outweighed by the adverse side effects, some of which tend to be long lasting. Thus, a history of the development of the problem of drug addiction is in order. Let’s read:

[2SM pp 451>452] When drugs are introduced into the system, for a time they may seem to have a beneficial effect. And the disease, which the drug was given to cure, may disappear, but only to re-appear in a new form, such as skin diseases, ulcers, painful diseased joints, and sometimes in a more dangerous and deadly form. The liver, heart, and brain, are frequently affected by drugs, and often all these organs are burdened with disease, and the unfortunate subjects, if they live, are wearily dragging out a miserable existence.

(CNN) By Sonia Moghe.
Updated 6:41 AM ET, Fri October 14, 2016
Why are opioids so addictive?

(CNN) The abuse of opioids, including prescription painkillers and drugs like heroin, is something the United States has struggled with since before the 1900s. But it's a problem that keeps coming back. To understand how we got to this current epidemic, let's take a look back. Early 1900s: Morphine, and the creation of pain management.

Civil War veterans whose injuries were treated with morphine were among those hooked on opioids at the turn of the century. But "drugs were already on the scene and being consumed at alarming rates long before the start of the war," said Mark A. Quinones, a scholar who studied drug abuse during the Civil War. In 1898, the Bayer Co. started production of another opioid, heroin, on a commercial scale.

 From its first clinical trials, it was considered a "wonder drug," and its use spread as addicts discovered that its effects could be amplified by injecting it. Kimberly Johnson, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment said that in the early 1900s, there wasn't much known about these poppy derivatives. Drugs like heroin were used as cough suppressants. 

"They are effective pain relievers, and that's what they were being used for," Johnson said. "There weren't many other options." World War II was a turning point for physicians treating pain as doctors worked to treat severely injured soldiers. Anesthesiologists opened "nerve block clinics" in the 1950s and 1960s to manage pain without having to resort to surgery, according to a history published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003.

By the mid- and late-1970s, when Percocet and Vicodin came on the market, doctors had long been taught to avoid prescribing highly addictive opioids to patients. But an 11-line letter printed in the New England Journal of Medicine in January 1980 pushed back on the popular thought that using opioids to treat chronic pain was risky. In it, Jane Porter and Dr. Hershel Jick mentioned their analysis of 11,882 patients who were treated with narcotics. They wrote that "the development of addiction is rare in medical patients with no history of addiction."

Jick told the Washington Post in 1977 that less than 1% of patients he studied died from a reaction to the drugs. Patients with terminal illnesses started being treated more with prescription opioids, and doctors and researchers wanted to look at treating patients with chronic pain. Six years later, a paper by pain-management specialist Dr. Russell Portenoy chronicled 38 patients treated with opioids for non-cancer pain. 

He concluded that "opioid maintenance therapy can be a safe, salutary and more humane alternative" to surgery, or to not treating a patient with chronic pain. The studies created a discussion in the '90s around making pain treatment a priority for all patients. "People started talking about pain as the fifth vital sign," Johnson said. Purdue Pharma started testing OxyContin as a long-term painkiller in 1994, and it went on the market in 1996. In the early '90s, the number of painkiller prescriptions filled at U.S. pharmacies increased by 2 million to 3 million each year, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse study. From 1995 to 1996, the number of prescriptions jumped by 8 million.

In 1998, Purdue Pharma created a video promotion called "I Got My Life Back." It followed six people who suffered from chronic pain and were treated with OxyContin. The company distributed 15,000 copies of the video to be used in "physician waiting rooms as a 'check out' item for an office's patient education library."

"They don't wear out; they go on working; they do not have serious medical side effects," a doctor featured in the video said. "So, these drugs, which I repeat, are our best, strongest pain medications, should be used much more than they are for patients in pain." A year after the video came out, the overall number of opioid painkiller prescriptions filled jumped by 11 million. 

Purdue Pharma took out ads for OxyContin in medical journals across the nation in 2000. Seven years later, the company and three of its executives would be charged with misbranding its drug and downplaying the possibility of addiction. Three executives pleaded guilty, and the company settled with the U.S. government for $635 million.

Making pain treatment a priority came to the attention of the Joint Commission, a nonprofit that sets standards and accredits hospitals and medical centers. The group created this standard in 2001: "Pain is assessed in all patients." Medical centers and their doctors were required to examine their patients' pain levels. The Joint Commission printed a book in 2000 for purchase by doctors as part of required continuing education seminars. The book cited studies that claimed, "There is no evidence that addiction is a significant issue when persons are given opioids for pain control." 

It also called doctors' concerns about addiction side effects "inaccurate and exaggerated." The book was sponsored by Purdue Pharma. Portenoy, the doctor who wrote one of several studies that claimed there was little risk of addiction in using opioids to treat chronic pain, spoke out about his own role in the epidemic. "Clearly, if I had an inkling of what I know now then, I wouldn't have spoken in the way that I spoke. It was clearly the wrong thing to do."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that immediate-release opioid painkillers such as oxycodone and fentanyl will now have to carry a "black box" warning about the risk of abuse, addiction, overdose and death.

However, The Lord does not propose to fix any and every problem the human family might be afflicted with, especially those problems which are brought on by a continuous, deliberate violation of natural law. Healing from Christ is most often on a case by case basis, with the fundamental elements of true confession, repentance, and our willingness to turn away from harmful indulgences, playing a vital role. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7:14 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.

Thus, as we embark upon our study, the following are a few important observations, relating to our healthcare system:

[1] Our health-care system in its current form, isn’t sustainable, for it does not sufficiently replenish the money which is used to fund it, and any system that does not replenish itself is doomed to fail, sooner or later. Our congressmen, on both sides of the aisle may be doing their best to solve the problem, but they will encounter headwinds at every turn, since there are fundamental concepts of healthful living that must first be adopted at the grassroots level. 

[2] The opioid epidemic is the result of our drug dependency, for many drugs put in motion a deadly chain of circumstances, which can often lead to an addiction of some kind. It is worthy of note that America consumes about 80% of all the drugs manufactured world-wide, as is evidenced by the following statistics given out by the CDC.

Physician office visits: 
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 2.8 billion Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 74.2%

Hospital outpatient department visits:
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 329.2 million Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 72.5%

Hospital emergency department visits:
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 296.7 million Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 80.4%

[3] Unless prevention is incorporated as the main element in our healthcare system, finding solutions will be the equivalent of searching for a needle in a haystack. Christ’s method of healing always focuses primarily on prevention, with natural remedies, and miracles being the last resort. In other words, we will have to take responsibility for our choices and actions, wherever this is possible, and warranted.

In our day, many spurious miracles, and claims of healing have been introduced, some, for hire, some for purchase, and some for donations. Thus, it is very important for us to understand that there are genuine miracles, as well as counterfeit works of healing, because for every good thing God has given to us, satan has a counterfeit waiting in the wings, and some have gone to great lengths to make a profitable business of the issue. Therefore, it is now imperative that certain cautions be given out which should raise a red flag, and guard our minds against satanic ploys.

[Red flag #1] Any miraculous healing that involves payment, or money of any kind is a fraud, period. This point must be clearly understood, because in our day, a plethora of so-called healing items, such as green prosperity handkerchiefs, blessed salt, and holy water, are now for sale, bringing in millions from unsuspecting victims. In addition, the sale of anointing oil, for folks to receive The Holy Ghost is a  fraud, comparable to, if not much worse than the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. And just like with Bernie, those who peddle such items have "Made off" with millions, from the needy, the greedy, and the vulnerable. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. 

The example of Paul:
1st Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 
12 Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 
15 I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die. 
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

(CNN) By Sam Stringer.
Updated 3:03 PM ET, Mon March 16, 2015
Creflo Dollar is hoping a few folks will see fit to bless him. The minister, known for being a prosperity preacher at his Atlanta-area World Changers Church International is seeking "200,000 people committed to sow $300 or more (to) help achieve our goal to purchase the G650 airplane." 

The figures were presented Friday in a nearly six-minute video on the Creflo Dollar Ministries website and total more than $60 million needed to buy the Gulfstream G650, which goes for a reported $65 million. "The G650 is the biggest, fastest, the most luxurious, longest range, and most technologically advanced jet -- by far," according to the site.

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 

1st Kings 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. 
7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 
8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 
9 For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 
11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak.
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place. 
18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 
19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 
20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back: 
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee, 
22 Thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. 
24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 
26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord.

[Red Flag # 2] Wherever there are mass invitations for healing, promoted by ministers, televangelists, and faith healers, be very, very careful, for it’s most likely another fraud. If a sick person desires healing, he, or she exercises their faith by sending for the “Elders”. But if the elders presume to offer healing services, individually, or en-masse, without being asked, it signals to us that a counterfeit is likely on the way. Let’s read:

James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Acts 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

The solutions:
[1] We need to make sound choices, and decisions in fostering good health. This will include the use of the God-ordained diet of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and grains, wherever this is possible. We will also need to incorporate the laws of health, such as regular exercise, adequate rest, sufficient water, not eating between meals etc. God’s miraculous power, in our behalf, is manifested when we do all we can do, to work in harmony with the guidelines given. Let’s read:

Exodus 15:26 If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight and give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

[2] Change habits and practices where necessary, for it is in our power, to a great extent, to forestall a host of preventable ills and diseases. This will also include adopting God’s system of healthcare, which focuses more on prevention, rather than cure. Let’s read:

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 
6 When Jesus knew that he had been now a long
time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 
9 And immediately the man was made whole.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

[3] Do not open the door to sinful health-destroying habits, for they will cost us more than we are willing to pay, and they will keep us longer than we are willing to stay, and the take us further than we are willing to go. Living by faith in God does not happen by chance, nor does our entire dependence on Him occur in a vacuum overnight. Thus, it is necessary that we wean ourselves off of man-made systems of health, that are contrary to God’s order, for He is willing and able to heal and restore according to His will, all those who trust in His mercies. 

We close with an important quote, and passage:
[C.D. pp 73] When the third angel's message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the church, in the home, at the table. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.

Psalms 103:2 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. 

                                                                  God bless! 
 

Modern Superstition. Sabbath Afternoon. 06/24/02017

Superstition, like many of the ancient spiritual arts has taken on a modern veneer, cloaked in doctrine, philosophy, and practices that have now become a mainstream-phenomena, being quite acceptable to the popular majority. But God has not called us to be popular, but to be peculiar, and because of this, we may need to examine ourselves, our ideas, and actions, to see if there are any forms of superstition being harbored inadvertently. 

God does not condemn anyone for what we may, or may not have done in ignorance, but He is saying to us that many of the common forms of superstitious practices, have no value whatsoever, and will lead us to do things that are contrary to his revealed will. Thus, we must begin our study with a definition of the word: …. Superstition: 
A widely held, but unjustified belief in supernatural causes, leading to certain results of an action or an event, or a practice based on such a belief.

There are three points we need to establish first, in order to lay the foundation for the presentation on modern superstition.
[1] Doctrines, whether they be true or false, affects what we believe, and what we believe directly affects what we do.
If a person believes that when we die we all go to heaven immediately, then that person’s actions will reflect their belief, in doing whatsoever they feel to do, with little regard to right or wrong, for in their minds, the end result is supposedly heaven. 

Thus, the following list of well-known personalities are widely believed to be in heaven currently, even though some of them died during a drug overdose: Prince, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson. And as though that were not enough, believe it or not, even Darwin is buried in Westminster Abbey, the church where prominent Christian men like Isaac Newton are buried.

[2] Every false doctrine is a lie, and every lie has its origination in satan, for he is the father of lies, and thus, wherever falsehoods are being habitually told, believed, and practiced, it is a sign of the working of evil spirits actively engaged in the work against our souls. The following excerpt is taken from a blog we did one year ago, after the nation officially upended the sacred institution of God-ordained marriage. At that time it was stated that great spiritual darkness had come upon the land, and as a direct result of our actions, millions of evil spirits were let loose nationally and internationally. Let’s read:

Bro Mac (Facebook)
August 26, 2016 ·
Short commentary on 1st Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry".... The meaning of the word rebellion is, "The action or process of resisting authority, or control".... When God has made plain His will to us, and we deliberately choose to defy His word, then we are in a state of rebellion, which according to the Bible, is the equivalent of Voodoo. Let's take for instance the following revelation of God's will in the plainest terms: Matthew 19:4 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder".... If we knowingly defy this sacred ordinance of God, then we are practicing witchcraft, hence the reason why millions of evil spirits have been let loose across the land, resulting in an election cycle that defies both logic, and precedent. It's that simple. Think about it! God bless!

However, no one should expect to see red devils running about in their backyards with pitch forks, shoveling skulls and bones. Instead, what we should look for is the evidence of their increased activity, in the words and actions of those who are under their direct influence. Most people may have never seen termites at work; however, here in Florida, we see unmistakable evidence of their presence by their droppings. Let’s read:

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

[3] Every false doctrine has a specific purpose, and is tailormade to lead persons to eternal destruction. 

2nd Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 

The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul will produce superstitious actions, such as prayers for the dead, and intercessions for those who have died. This also includes purgatorial works, and many indulgences of all sorts. What we will discover as we study is that this false doctrine has in itself spawned a host of superstitious beliefs and practices, ranging in effect from fear, to unreasonable expectation, to unsubstantiated hope of eternal life, in addition to a host of unnecessary practices, which cost time, and money. (If The Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed).

Take for instance the rituals folks must go through, in preparation for the burial of a loved one who was a practicing Hindu. Traditionally, the body should be preferably washed by family members, and close friends. Whilst washing, the deceased’s head should be facing southward. A lighted oil lamp, as well as a picture of the deceased’s favorite deity should be kept by the deceased’s head. For the “holy bath” the body is washed in a mixture of milk, yogurt, ghee (clarified butter), and honey or in purified water. 

While the body is being washed, mantras should be recited, and once the body is sufficiently cleaned, the big toes should be tied together, the hands are placed palm-to-palm in a position of prayer, and the body should be shrouded in a plain white sheet. 

Buddhism, Rastafarianism, Hinduism, Catholicism, and certain strains of Christianity, all hold that one common doctrine, that life continues after death. Thus, it is important for us to address this current form of superstition, to find out what God has to say on the matter. In doing so, our most cherished beliefs may be subjected to a wakeup call, however, that’s just the nature of truth; it brings us back to reality. Let’s read:

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 

Those two words, spirit, and ghost are often greatly  misunderstood, and should be made plain before we proceed…. 

Strong's Concordance:
pneuma: wind, spirit. Original Word: πνεῦμα, ατος, τό
The Greek word used for spirit in this passage is “Pneuma”, which simply means air, or wind; not some abstract entity floating away to Neverland. And just in case some people may not know what “Pneuma” means, here’s an advertisement from your local Home Depot, selling an assortment kit of “Pneumatic” tools for $98.44.  HomeDepot.com - Home Depot Power Tools‎. 
       
Again, Strong's Concordance: … ghost
psuchó: to breathe, blow, to make cool. 

In addition, Jesus Himself declared, after He was resurrected, that He had gone nowhere over the Sabbath hours in the tomb, but was resting just like any other human being like Lazarus, or like those thousands who died on 9/11. No disembodied soul or intelligent entity went to heaven at death, for all remain in their graves, undisturbed, until they are called forth by The Son of God. This important fact must be understood, especially in the context of the exchange between Christ, and the thief now turned Christian, on Calvary. Let’s read:

Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, 
Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

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. 

Thus, by a single stroke of false doctrine, the enemy of righteousness has effectively destroyed in many minds, our need of the Savior, and the impetus to choose good over evil. This raises a very important question on the doctrine of natural immortality: What is satan’s purpose in disseminating such a widespread belief in life after death? And to those who will cling to it, what would be their resulting actions. We remember that statement made earlier, that doctrines affect what we believe, and what we believe affects what we do.

Answers: [1] If natural immortality was inherent in human nature, we would have no need of Jesus, who came to give us eternal life. Let’s read:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1st Timothy 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, and before Christ Jesus. 
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and  Lord of lords; 
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto. 

[2] If natural immortality was inherent in human nature, then we would not need the gospel, God’s law, nor any absolute standard of right and wrong, for whatsoever we do would have little bearing on the afterlife. This belief would then open up the floodgates of evil on an unprecedented scale, for the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping would suddenly become irrelevant. 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.

In closing, it is the will of God that these truths be thoroughly investigated, for our hope of eternal life hinges on our acceptance or rejection of them. It is not the will of God that any person should perish in ignorance, and therefore, the following passages of scripture are being given, to remind us that there is no such thing as natural immortality, and there is no need for all the superstitious practices associated with it. Instead, we are reminded that everyone will appear before God, to receive his or her just dues, whether it be good or evil. And the determinations of the judgment will dictate who gets eternal life, and who will not. Let’s read: 

2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, 
8 Harden not your hearts. 
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

                                                                     God bless! 
 

The Issue Of Self-Righteousness. Sabbath Afternoon. 06/10/2017

In the third chapter of Revelation, The Lord points to the sin of self-righteousness as the main spiritual plague upon Laodicea, the last Christian church to exist before His 2nd coming, and thus it behooves us to do diligent searching of heart to see if and where this malady may exist, or lurk in the shadows. This problem arises because we may not be aware of our true condition, or otherwise, may not be cognizant of the potential for us to sin, because of the latent elements of evil in human nature.

When in the upper room Jesus had warned Peter of the danger he was facing, and the potential for him to fall, he became offended, for in his mind he could not see himself as committing such a despicable act. It’s worthy of note, that in the same discourse Jesus did not even mention the possibility of him cursing, and he himself never envisioned the likelihood of him using any four-letter words, for at this time he was an ordained preacher, working miracles, and giving Bible studies.

The speech of the disciples at this time was pure, to a large extent, for they had all been touched by the grace of Christ, and the restraining power of The Holy Spirit was upon them, for one of the very first things The Spirit does for, and in true Christians, is to remove the tendency, or the habit of using curse words, wherever such tendencies, and habits may exist. Therefore, for Christ to allege that Peter could potentially do such a low thing really irked him, and triggered a very emotional, but sincere rebuttal on his part, his pride being deeply wounded. Let’s read:

Mark 14:27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
29 But Peter said unto him, although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Like-wise also said they all.

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 
33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 

[D.A. pp 712] The disciples of Jesus were noted for the purity of their language.

The reason for their self-confidence is that they had real facts to back it up for they were not in the habit of cursing, and some may have never cursed before, but under the right circumstances, elements of evil can be made manifest, of which we had no clue of their previous existence. Maybe, in Peter’s past, he may have “Almost cursed”, but someway, somehow the actual words may have never came out. We do not know. 

What Christ sought to do was to make him aware of dangers he knew not of, latent tendencies that can cause havoc when sudden aggravation is triggered. And by so doing, Christ was implying that a call to prayer was in order, so that Peter, and the other ten disciples could resist temptation preemptively. But if a person does not accept the diagnosis of The True Witness, he/she would not seek the necessary help, and remedies, to brace for the determined assaults of the evil one. This is the problem with Laodicea. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
 
Thus, the question is, how does someone repent of, or ask for help with some sinful tendency they have never, or “Almost” done. Believe it or not, there are many Christians like ourselves living today who may have almost cursed, because of a sudden irritation, or unforeseen situation which came upon us with no warning. There may have been times when we “Almost” cursed, but somehow, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the evil words were stayed from our lips. 

A Christian carpenter was once doing some wood work, and whilst hammering away at one nail, he missed the target, and thus, the blunt force of the hammer flattened his thumb. The words that first came to his mind were not “O Lord”. Again, you and I may have come across some unexpected situation, by which a driver deliberately, or inadvertently cut across our path, forcing us into the oncoming traffic with horns blaring, and other endangered, ticked off drivers shouting expletives.

In the heat of the moment with adrenaline flowing, and the blood close to our skin, the first words that come to mind, are not usually “God bless you!” But our problem may not be cursing, but we may have almost gotten angry, or we may almost have committed adultery. Whatever the almost sin may be, The True Witness of Revelation is calling us to pray preemptively, for the Christian always wins his battles on his knees, in the audience chamber of The Most-High. 

And from there he goes out to the battle, being strengthened with might and power through The Spirit, and assured of victory, even when sudden temptations arise. But it all begins with accepting the diagnosis of The True witness, for if we say we are not sick, we will not see our need of medicine. Let’s read:

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

Ezekiel 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. 

A very important commentary is written by the servant of The Lord pertaining to Peter’s fall, and the sobering lessons we should all learn from his experience. No matter how sincere our conversion, we are not beyond the reach of temptation, and if we see in ourselves the tendency to almost sin, in certain areas, then we should go to God in prayer, beseeching Him to keep us from falling, for He is well able to make the weakest Christian strong, and to enable us to live victoriously from day to day. Let’s read:

[C.O.L pp 155] Peter's fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. 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.” Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12.)

In the lessons from Peter’s experience, and also in the exhortation to Laodicea, Christ gives to us the assurance that those who fall upon The Rock, will be broken, and healed, for He does not leave us with the diagnosis alone, but provides the remedy in Christ. This assurance can be clearly observed in the following two passages. Let’s read:

Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Revelation 3:20 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. 

When, by the grace of God we are cleansed from all unrighteousness, the first words upon our lips, in times of severe, sudden temptation, will only savor of blessings, not cursing. We will not almost curse, nor will we almost sin, because these habits and tendencies would have been cut out by the roots, through the grace and righteousness of Christ. Thus, if we are shaken upside down, inside out by sudden temptation, only God’s goodness and character will be revealed. Let’s read:

Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

[G.C. 622>623] Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Savior be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” [John 14:30.]

Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept his Father's commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.

In closing, we encourage every Christian, and every person to take a good long look at what Christ is saying to us in our day, and wherever we may see the tendency to almost sin, let us not trust to our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ, for He will sustain and strengthen every person who believes in Him. This leads us to our last passage of meditation for today. Let’s read:

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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

Righteousness By Faith. Sabbath Afternoon. 06/03/2017

The doctrine of righteousness by faith is specifically pertinent to the Laodicean church in our day, for it’s the reason why Christ describes self-righteousness as one of the main problems we harbor, preventing us from understanding our destitute condition, and consequently, our need of His own righteousness, given as a free gift to all who believe. God did not send Jesus into this world to condemn anyone, but rather to save everyone who is willing, but in order for that to take place, it is first necessary for us to understand our dire need of The Savior. 

Persons who aren’t aware that they are sick will not go visit the doctor, for doctors are primarily needed where there is sickness present. Thus, in our study of righteousness by faith, it would be necessary for us do some preliminary work, in observing why we are in such great need. In the book of Revelation, Christ outlines the main issues we need to address, so that His righteousness can be imputed, and also imparted on a continuing, daily basis, so that we may be brought to perfection in Him. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

To be lukewarm means to be straddling both sides of the fence, with one foot in the church, and the other in the world. There must be some underlying cause for this grave condition, for it’s the very same predicament the rich young ruler found himself in. When probed by Christ he had stated unequivocally that he had kept all the commandments from his youth, but yet, some unknown, unexplainable void still existed deep within his heart. Then, as it is now, Christ seeks to provide both the correct diagnosis, and the remedy, so that we may avoid the same casualty. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. 
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

Therefore, with these strong words of counsel, and encouragement, we owe it to ourselves to find out why Jesus speaks to us in the way He did, and what must be done to begin to address the situation. In His recommendations to Laodicea, Jesus mentions “Eye-salve”, implying that we need to take a good look at our true condition, before we are ready to understand the importance of His righteousness. The following therefore, are a few important points we must address:

[1] Sin, as far as God is concerned, is not so much a matter of one’s actions, as it is a state into which we are born. In other words, a person does not have to do anything wrong, in order to be declared a sinner. All one needs is to be born.

This point lays the foundation for understanding the extent of the sin problem in all persons, and should prepare the way for us to receive of God’s grace. A person is not morally neutral at birth, for the image of God was seriously defaced in Adam, and because of this, all of his posterity are born with the bias to sin. Fallen human nature, with all of its liabilities such as hunger, thirst, and weariness, does not constitute sin in God’s sight; it is the inherently, inevitable, predisposition to sin that makes all of us naturally opposed to God, and His law. Let’s read:

Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalms 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

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

[Selected messages 1, pp 321] The human family have all transgressed the law of God, and as transgressors of the law, man is hopelessly ruined; for he is the enemy of God, without strength to do any good thing. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7).

[2] The implication of the doctrine of neutral morality at birth, is that the command of God to king Saul, to slay the Amalekites, including infants, would have been something wrong, by slaying the innocent. It is of critical importance for us to get this, for there are many Christians who may secretly accuse The God of the old testament as being cruel and unjust. This mode of thought was reflected during Abraham’s conversation with Christ, as the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was being discussed. Let’s read: 

Genesis 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

1st Samuel 15:2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

[3] Guilt is not a feeling, it is a state, regardless of a person being aware of wrong, or right. We should not wait to “Feel” guilty, before we accept the word of God, as it pertains to our natural state.
Leviticus 5:17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

These passages are not being presented to make anyone feel bad, they are being presented to show the matchless grace and righteousness of Christ, in giving us His own righteousness as a free gift, for if we are not guilty, we would not need a Savior, and if we do not need the Savior, then we do not stand a chance. There is a disturbing phrase often posted on billboards across the land, which reads: “Good without God”. The previous passages will serve the purpose of correcting that slogan to read “Good, God”. 

[4] The righteousness of Christ is not so much about right actions, as it is a state of being. In other words, when we understand that Christ’s righteousness is a free gift, that fact will eclipse our own efforts to try to save ourselves by good works. Instead, the good works will be the natural outflowing of the internal work being done by The Holy Spirit, in sync with our freedom to choose. 

In consequence, our confidence and assurance of eternal salvation will be placed in Christ alone, and His perfect righteousness, and sacrifice, instead of our own performance, which is often riddled with shortcomings, and flaws. There are many Christians who carry a heavy burden unnecessarily, because this sacred, and important truth may not have been fully understood, so let’s say it loud, and let’s say it clear: Christ’s righteousness is a free gift given to every believer, distinctly separated from our own efforts in that direction, yet, enabling us to live and do according to His good pleasure. Let’s read:

Romans 3: 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

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.

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 
12 And the law is not of faith. 
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Now, let’s go into the main crux of our study for this afternoon. There are three main problems we may encounter in our souls when pondering the decision to accept Christ’s righteousness by faith: [1] The Simplicity. [2] The glory. [3] The freeness. The simplicity, because it requires something as abstract as believing, the glory, because we cannot take the credit for any righteousness, and the freeness, for the gift of Christ’s righteousness cannot be paid for, or earned.

These three issues surfaced in the experience of Naaman, who like the rest of us, was afflicted by the leprosy of sin. He hears the good news of the potential deliverance in Israel, and in faith, he now begins his journey to the promised land. But when he arrives at the house of the prophet, there are several issues pertaining to simplicity, which cause him to become offended. 

Elijah is not impressed with his motorcade of black Cadillacs, and does not even come out to formerly greet him as a renowned general, with glowing mention of the long list of his accomplishments, as is often the case when certain renowned speakers are being introduced from the pulpit. 

In addition, Naaman would have preferred if Elijah came out speaking in tongues, jumping, prancing, and rolling on the ground, then, lifting his hands towards heaven, he would touch his forehead, and he, Naaman, would then fall to the ground frothing at the mouth, only to be caught and revived by the elders, waiting in the wings. Or maybe he would have preferred to do some great thing, like 1,000 push-ups, or climb Mt Everest three times. It’s all too simple for Naaman.  Let’s read:

2nd Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 
11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 
12 So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

This leads us to the third issue which is so often a stumbling block to acceptance of God’s free gift of Christ’s righteousness, the “Freeness”, for we may attempt to pay for our salvation with contributions or good works, very much the same like Naaman. In the case of the prodigal son, he offered to work as a form of payment for His father’s gift of kindness. In some instances, very much church activity may be done as a sort of credit towards our salvation, and the great numbers baptized, or the very many food baskets given out, might be viewed by some of us as warranting a return as earned credits. Let’s read: 

2nd Kings 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 
16 But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. 
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 
26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? 
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

The simplicity of God’s remedy, the free gift of His righteousness, and the glory that goes to God alone, is often an offense to proud human nature and thus becomes a stumbling block in the hearts and minds of many. Just like Naaman, we may prefer to do some great thing, so that we can take credit for what is accomplished, or we may think that the process of just looking unto Jesus is way too simple. 

When the Hebrews were instructed to look upon the brazen serpent, so that the venomous stings they had incurred would be neutralized, many of them were not convinced by that simple process, and as a result many died whilst redemption was only one look away, as the song says, “Just one look, that’s all it took”, yet some would not believe. Like Naaman they would have preferred to do some great thing, so that the credit for what would be accomplished would go to the human agent. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 430] Moses was divinely commanded to make a serpent of brass resembling the living ones, and to elevate it among the people. To this, all who had been bitten were to look, and they would find relief. He did so, and the joyful news was sounded throughout the encampment that all who had been bitten might look upon the brazen serpent and live. Many had already died, and when Moses raised the serpent upon the pole, some would not believe that merely gazing upon that metallic image would heal them; these perished in their unbelief. 

Yet there were many who had faith in the provision which God had made. Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters were anxiously engaged in helping their suffering, dying friends to fix their languid eyes upon the serpent. If these, though faint and dying, could only once look, they were perfectly restored. 

Whatever our understanding of the plan of salvation may be, let it never be said that the glory,  the simplicity, and the freeness caused us to stumble, while eternal life was all the while, well within our reach. This exhortation leads us to our final passage of meditation for today:

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection….

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

                                                                    God bless!
 

The Best Lawyer In Town. Sabbath Afternoon. 05/27/2017

In our current judicial system, a good lawyer can make all the difference, for in many cases, he/she may succeed in persuading the judge, or the jury, to let the guilty go free. One such prominent case was the trial of O.J Simpson, in which it was alleged that he murdered his then wife, Nicole. Those who were alive at that time will remember the video of that all white Ford bronco, racing through the streets of California, and followed by a bevy of police cars, as he entered the freeway. If he was guiltless, as was later proven in court by his lawyers, then, we do not know what he was running from. 

There was much overwhelming evidence to convict him of the crimes committed, but because he had a team of “good” lawyers He was ultimately declared guiltless, and set free, after one of his lawyers used a simple glove to overthrow the preponderance of evidence to the contrary. The words then used still ring in our ears today, “If it does not fit, then you must acquit”. Millions around the world watched in horror, and great dismay, as the presumably guilty one walked free, hugging his lawyers with tears of joy, whilst the grieving family looked on in disbelief. 

The Bible teaches us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and since no guilty person may pass through the pearly gates, we all will need A Good Lawyer who can present our individual case in such a way, as to show us guiltless, even though we have committed many hundreds, and thousands of infractions. Therefore, in this Bible study, we will pay a visit to the heavenly courts, in the most holy place, to see how our personal cases are now being decided, and the arguments being presented by The Best Lawyer in town, even The Lord, Jesus Christ.

To begin with, there are a few pointers we should be aware of, the first being that the Bible states that all who are born into sin, have a public defendant given them at birth so that all legal issues pertaining our salvation, needing resolution, can be promptly, and efficiently taken care of. So, this is the very first point, one which is the very best news that ever fell on human ears:
[1] We have The Best lawyer in town. And we are encouraged to make the most of His services, even whilst human probation is drawing to a swift, and final close. Let’s read:

1st John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

This passage leads us directly to our second, very important point:

[2] Everyone is born guilty.

It is not necessary for us to do anything wrong per se, in order to be guilty, for guilt, as it pertains to a person, is a state rather than a feeling or action. In other words, we are found guilty by association, at least, having the genetic code of rebellion passed  down from Adam, to all who came after. This point must be clearly understood by all, and accepted for what it is, for if it is rejected for any reason, it will effectively preclude the next point. Let’s read:

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

Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

If we believe we have not committed any wrongs, infractions, or sins, then we would never consider ourselves as being guilty, and thus, we will not see our need of The Best Lawyer in town. This point is of critical importance to those who believe in the “Once saved, always saved” theory, by which it is alleged that our initial acceptance of Jesus Christ, makes us totally invincible, thus rendering our salvation as a secure, onetime deal. This theology should be utterly rejected, as it is found to be most dangerous to the human soul, and to any prospects, or hopes of eternal salvation. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

[C.O.L pp 154>155] Peter's 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. Everyone should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God's word declares, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12.)

[3] Christ is not only The best Lawyer, He is also the Judge, who will have the last word, on whether any person is guilty or not, and consequently saved or lost.
There shouldn’t be anything more desirable, than for us to have both The Best lawyer, and the Judge, wrapped up into one inseparable package, for then we are literally guaranteed a favorable outcome, if the scriptural prerequisites are met, no matter how grievous our sins, and our wrongs in the past may have been. The Bible is specific, when presenting Christ as Advocate and Judge. Let’s read:

John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

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

This leads us to the fourth point:
[4] There are two aspects of the judgement presented in the Bible, and the stark difference between the them should be clearly understood.

The first is found in the book of Daniel, chapter 7, in which the prophet is shown the scenes of the first phase taking place. As we read, we will observe that absolutely nothing about is mentioned about any human being, for this particular scene is about handing the keys, and the authority of the kingdom over to Christ, after He became “The Son of man” during His incarnation. This is a different aspect of the judgement, than the one in which all cases of every person will be decided. Let’s read:

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand, thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

[G.C pp 480] The coming of Christ here described is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.

Thus, the next aspect of the judgement is the one in which it will be determined, who will be staying, and who is leaving. At this next juncture, the books of our records are carefully examined, with all the good, the bad, and the in-between. It is at this judgement that The Best Lawyer in town will show His true colors, because, according to the Bible, He is scheduled to exonerate all who have ever believed in His ability to save to the uttermost, and who, through their faith and obedience, have demonstrated that they are very grateful for both His sacrifice, and services.  Let’s read: 

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in
his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 
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: 
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This leads us to our fifth point: 
[5] Heaven will be a place of surprises. 
As the Best Lawyer assesses the characters of all who have believed on Him, and as the books of record are opened in the heavenly courts, things that we thought were hidden from friends, family, and foe, are now disclosed with unerring accuracy, and then it will be revealed that very many people who had not formerly accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, will be saved in God’s kingdom. 

On the other hand, there will be those who were once prominent proponents of the word, who were looked upon by the masses, as being spiritually impeccable, but who will be lost eternally. Now, the question is “Why?” Why would so many who have attended church regularly, and who have preached to others, be eternally lost? While some, who may not have had a knowledge of the Bible be saved? This delicate question must be answered by the word of God alone. Let’s read:

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

[G.C. pp 483] As the books of record are opened in the Judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted names rejected. 

When anyone has sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of, and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” [Exodus 32:33.] And says the prophet Ezekiel, “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, ... all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned.” [Ezekiel 18:24.]

All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.

This leads us to our sixth, and final point:
[6] It’s important now that we accept Christ as our Advocate, while probation still lingers, because the rapid, disturbing developments here at home, and abroad, tell us in unmistakable terms, that the heavenly tribunal is wrapping up its session. We should try our best to avoid the snare of Tomorrow, by which we may put off our day of grace for some future time, when we know that tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Take for example the latest suicide bombing in Manchester, of which it is reported that many young adults, and teenagers were among the casualties. As these youths were preparing to attend that concert with Ariana Grande, they had not the slightest idea that it would be their last day on earth. As they put on their makeup, and dressed up in their best, they probably thought that life’s usual round would continue. But lo and behold, some were snuffed out of their life experience so prematurely. 

Now, if this were the end of it all, it would be bad enough, but alas, they too would have to face the Judge of all the earth, for His is the very next face they will see. He alone knows what their eternal destiny will be, but for those who are still alive, God is sending out an urgent appeal, for us to make the best of His sacrifice, and Advocate in our behalf. Which leads us to our closing passage, and quote. Let’s read: 

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

[G.C. pp 491] The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state—men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men.

“Watch ye therefore; ... lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” [Mark 13:35, 36.] Perilous is the condition of those who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments, it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” 

                                 May God add His blessing to the study of His word.

                                                                   God bless! 
 

The Problem Of Lying Lips. Sabbath Afternoon. 05/13/2017

We are now living in an era where falsehoods, and lying every hue, has become the order of the day. And because the multitudes do not usually rise any higher than those who have jurisdiction over them, a cascading, trickle-down effect has now taken root, to the point where it does not seem to bother our consciences anymore. Whereas before, some folks would recoil in horror when blatant lies were being spoken, many people are now quite content to sit and listen to falsehoods with an eager interest that is quite alarming.

However, the Bible teaches us that “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his delight”. Yet, lying has become an integral part of our culture, from the highest echelons of society to the beggar on the street corner, from fraudulent advertisements, to fake news, the practice has now reached epidemic proportions, and it has now been incorporated as a mainstay to our society. In many cases, lying is now considered a vital and important asset to achieving success. 

Not only are these falsehoods being told by some, recycled by others, and regurgitated by the news media, but many are now living a lie, both in the spiritual, and temporal realm. Accountability, and authenticity are rare commodities, and the truth, in any form has now become an endangered species. 

In addition, several very adverse by-products of the phenomena are now on display, for wherever the spirit of falsehood is indulged, injustice, cruelty, and a callous disregard for each other will become the order of the day, as the prophet Isaiah outlined, as he referenced the last days of earth’s history. Let’s read:

Isaiah 59:9 We wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 
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.

When it was repeated several times on this forum, that the real tragedy of June 26th, 2015, was that millions of evil spirits had been let loose across the land, we were not implying that people would begin to see fallen angels showing up in their backyards, because that is highly unlikely, just yet. What will be seen instead are the evidences, and by-products of their presence, which must inevitably include lies of every shape, and color, for this is the currency evil spirits deal in, according to the Bible. Let’s read:

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, we have one Father, even God. 
42 Jesus said unto them, 
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of
your father ye will do. 
He abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 

Therefore, it’s now necessary for us to have a clear understanding of what constitutes falsehood, how it can, and should be avoided, and how we may work in harmony with The Holy Spirit, so that truthfulness can become second nature to us. We will also take several examples of the practice, so we may better understand how we are all affected by it in our own personal experiences. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 

[Patriarchs & Prophets. pp 309] False speaking in any matter, every attempt, or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. 

All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor's reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment.

Two very important words stand out in the above excerpt, of which we should be cognizant, for very many people may not understand or recognize this brand of lying for what it is. The two words are “Evil Surmising”. So let’s ask Mr. Webster for the correct interpretation of these words:
Sur·mise
verb
gerund or present participle: surmising
sərˈmīz/
To suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it. "He surmised that something must be wrong"
Synonyms: guess, conjecture, suspect, deduce, infer, conclude, theorize, speculate, etc.

Now, there are obviously many different forms of lying, and even though we cannot address each, and every kind, because of the constraints of time and space, yet we will study a few of the more common forms, in which lying is displayed.

[1] Exaggeration: Whenever any matter is blown out of proportion, and wherever additional phantom details are added, there we have a manifestation of lying lips. For example, when the twelve spies were sent to spy out the land of Canaan, they all began to recount their experiences truthfully. But when the two faithful ones, Joshua and Caleb suggested that they go up at once to take possession of the land, the unwarranted fears of the other ten drove them to change their tune, and to greatly exaggerate the difficulties that existed. In addition, they began to add some phantom details, which were figments of their own imagination. Let’s read:

Numbers 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Exaggeration also takes place in our day in several different forms, but it’s accepted as being the norm, and is almost expected as a business practice. When vehicles are taken to some mechanic shops, or the dealerships, the work that needs to be done is often blown out of proportion and greatly exaggerated so as to justify substantial increases in cost. Let’s take for example a simple request for a general check up on your favorite Ford or Chevy. 

Old Betsy came in working just fine, but because a “general” check-up was requested, a long, extensive laundry list of must dos, is sometimes suggested, often with the warning, that if the work is not done immediately, Betsy will blow up on your way home. Thus, old faithful has just been diagnosed as an I.E.D instead or your faithful daily driver. This is a form of exaggeration and according to the Bible, is recorded in the column of “Lying lips”. 

[2] Business Lying: False advertisements which may claim that certain products deliver you guaranteed results, when this is not the case, is a form of lying. This form is particularly prevalent today, and is too often indulged by industries, and corporations alike. When the good that a product delivers is touted in clear, understandable language, only to be followed by an individual rapidly rattling off a barrage of its negative side effects, like an auctioneer, so that it’s impossible for us to understand; this too is a form of lying. 

Again, tradesmen, and businesses should not take down-payments for work, and not show up at the appointed time. Neither should inferior materials be used, without the prior consent of the consumer, to increase one’s profit margin. For example, Chinese drywall should not be used in place of much better materials, when the consumer has paid for durable goods and services. 

Companies, as well as tradesmen should not try to get out of fulfilling warranties for work done, or for goods and services rendered, by referring to those “Fine prints” in the contract, that a person needs a powerful binocular to see. Payments for goods and services should be mutually agreed upon, prior to the work being done, and not afterward. In other words, to wait until a company has done it’s work, to inform them that one does not have their funds ready for payment, is a form of lying, and should not be practiced by anyone, let alone Christians.

 [3] Lying in relationships: Husbands and wives should not have differing agendas when interacting with their children, where mom or dad may say or do things secretly with the kids, which they know the other does not approve of, or has not mutually agreed to. Christian parents should provide a united front to their children, and wherever there are any disagreements, then these should be resolved first between husband and wife, but never privately with the kids, and one spouse, with the other being left out of the loop.

Again, husbands and wives should not have in their possession, private email servers, where phantom online visitors of the opposite sex may visit in the wee hours of the morning. And spouses should not become nervous or upset, if the other finds their phone by accident, for neither should have anything to hide. Truthfulness, openness, integrity, honesty, and total access should be characteristics cultivated within the marriage. But lying, of any, and all sorts should be avoided like the plague. Let’s read:

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

[4] Acting a lie. Several examples of this common form of lying, are given in the scriptures. When Judas greeted Christ with the words “Hail Master” he was acting a lie, for he was currently engaged in the nefarious work of backstabbing. When Ananias and Sapphira came to church, greeting the brethren with a holy kiss, and singing songs of praises, they were acting a lie, for they had deliberately planned to swindle God of His dues. 

When Peter was in the court of Caiaphas, mingling casually with the people who had arrested Jesus, and listening to the vulgar jokes about Christ, then seeming to laugh with the mob, he also was acting a lie. When he resorted to swearing and cursing, in order to prove that he was not a Christian, he was acting a lie. When young Christians try to party more than the people in the world, to try to prove that they are on the same page with them, they too are acting a lie, because they are dancing against the pricks of conscience. 

And lying can take some strange twists and turns for those like David, who tried in vain to extricate his person from looming difficulties, after he had done the unthinkable, and had sinned with Bathsheba. He tried first to encourage her husband Uriah to go home and sleep with Bathsheba, so that the time frame for the child’s birth would raise no questions. That apparent interest in having Uriah see his wife was a lie, and it did not work, because one lie often leads to another.

Next he tried drugging Uriah with alcohol so that he could sleep under the influence, S.U.I, if you please. But that also did not work because for some strange reason, Uriah refused to go to his house. And now, as all hope of extrication seemed to be fast fading, David resorted to something which he may not have done under different circumstances, he made his faithful soldier, Uriah, the bearer of his own death sentence, after which he sent for his wife, and hastily got married, so as to force the time frame for the child’s birth into nine months. 

This also did not work, for there is a God in heaven, and even though we may conceal our activities from all mortal eyes, yet the Bible tells us that everything we do is not only open and naked unto God, but is also being recorded live, whether it be day or night, or in between. 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 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or  whether it be evil.

[G.C. pp 486] Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned, and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God. He may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or in the darkness of night; but they were open and manifest before Him with whom we have to do. Angels of God witnessed each sin, and registered it in the unerring records. Sin may be concealed, denied, covered up from father, mother, wife, children, and associates. 

No one but the guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong; but it is laid bare before the intelligences of Heaven. The darkness of the darkest night, the secrecy of all deceptive arts, is not sufficient to veil one thought from the knowledge of the Eternal. God has an exact record of every unjust account and every unfair dealing. He is not deceived by appearances of piety. He makes no mistakes in his estimation of character. Men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all disguises, and reads the inner life.

In closing, The Lord desires that we deal in the truth only, the currency of heaven which bears His name and superscription. If we have to think first before speaking, or acting truthfully, then, truthfulness has not yet become second nature, which means that we need special grace from God, so that if we were shaken inside out, and upside down, the truth only, and nothing but the truth will come out. Which leads us to our last passage of meditation:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those 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.    

                                                                     God bless!
 

Christ, Moshiach, & The 12th Imam. Sabbath Afternoon, 05/06/2017

There is a popular delusion, held today, in high and low places, which not only shapes U.S policy, but has paved the way for the global deception, Christ, and the apostles warned us of. And there are now a plethora of end-time prophecies, interpretations, and predicted events, which in some instances have sparked doomsday fanatics, and bunker builders by the thousands. In our study today, we will set forth the truth about end time events, as they pertain to the 2nd coming of Christ, in a very simple question, and answer format.

Most Jews believe that the long-looked for Messiah will appear in Jerusalem, for they generally believe that Christ was a mere prophet, not the Messiah of the old testament prophecies. But most protestant Christians believe that the Messiah came 2000 yrs.  ago, and are now expecting His return in the city of Jerusalem. This is one of the main reasons for the intense interest in having a U.S embassy relocated within its precincts.

What’s also very disturbing, in the same breath, is that the 12th Imam is also expected to soon make his appearance in the middle east, and that’s one of the main reasons for the never-ending tensions in that part of the globe. And while we are not here to vouch for any of these interpretations, the popular belief is actually based on the scripture, which has been misunderstood, in much the same way as the Bible prophecies which pointed to Jesus, as being the Messiah were, back then. Let’s read: 

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses  rifled.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5 And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

Question: is that prophecy going to be literally fulfilled in that region of the earth? 
Answer: Yes. Absolutely. That’s what the Bible says and that’s what it means in the most literal sense.
Question: So then, what’s the problem with the current popular interpretations?
Answer: The problem with current contemporary interpretations is timing, for when the scripture is studied carefully, it will be discovered that three appearances for Christ were scheduled, the first as Messiah, the 2nd as King, and the third as Judge. As it stands currently it’s one down, and two more to go. 

When Christ incarnate came to this earth, that was His first coming of which many of the old testament prophets pointed to, and to which John the Baptist added His verification, under the direct power of the Holy Spirit. But the verification was not left up to mortals only, for God The father Himself, as well as The Holy Spirit, certified Christ’s first coming as being the one in which His role as Messiah, would be forever sealed. Let’s read: 

Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 
11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in the blood of grapes.

Isaiah 53: 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he
opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 

Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. 
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

The previous passages do cover beyond all doubt, Christ’s first coming as The Messiah, but as stated before, His second coming as King is also distinctly outlined in the scriptures. This 2nd appearance is the one that is looming on the horizon, and which will permanently close off human probation for every person who has ever lived upon the planet. Thus, it is extremely important that we get this one right, because if we miss this train, the next stop will be hell, literally. 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. 
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1st Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This last passage in Thessalonians has one distinct feature, which sets it apart from the prophecy in Zechariah, because the phrases “Caught up in the clouds”, and “Meet The Lord in the air” clearly show that Christ’s feet will never touch the earth at this time, for He will remain in mid-air, while His people are gathered from the graves, together with those who will be alive at His 2nd coming. The prophecy in Zechariah however stands in stark contrast, to the information just given. Let’s read again.

Zechariah 14:3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5 And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

This passage in Zechariah represents Christ’s third coming, in which He will execute those judgments written against all who have despised the day of His grace. This is the reason why Zechariah says that He Lord will go out and “Fight against those nations”. When Jesus Christ comes the second time, He is not coming to fight. It is only at His third coming that he will execute judgement on the wicked. This third coming is certified in scripture, as being the last and final one, which will usher in His reign on the earth. Let’s read:

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 

During this period of one thousand years, the earth will exist without inhabitants, because the cities of the earth, and the nations thereof, will have been destroyed by the second coming of Christ; not just because Jesus did so, but because the destruction is the incidental collateral damage resulting from the sheer power brightness of His coming. Then, after He leaves for heaven, with His saints, the earth will remain desolate, until He makes His third and final entry. The earth in its decimated state is described thus by the prophet Jeremiah. 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.
27 For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are
in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Therefore, a very serious question arises, pertaining to the popular expectation, that Christ, Moshiac, and the 12th Imam will soon appear in the east. Question: Could it be that a counterfeit of all three persons is now being prepared to fill out those expectations, and if so, how can we distinguish between the true and the false?

Answer: Any teaching which prepares people for a temporal reign upon the earth as it is, will feed into the deception that is to unfold globally. For every good thing God has given the human family, satan has a counterfeit waiting in the wings, to ensnare
the careless, and the unwary. 

This is a fundamental principle by which he always operates, that’s why we have the good news, and we have fake news. God has given us true religion, and satan has introduced the false. We have a true day of worship, and there is a counterfeit. God has given us His ideal in diet, but we have fast foods. God ordained marriage was instituted in Eden, but lo and behold we have alternative marriages. And the counterfeits do not stop there, for they have also reached into the arena of the gospel, the Spirit, the prophets, and even Christ Himself. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also
be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Thus, the word of God must speak clearly for itself. Satan will make his appearance on the earth in the form of a being of dazzling brightness, never before seen by mortal eyes, and according to the Bible, the popular expectation of Christ, Moshiac, and the 12th Imam, will culminate into one universally accepted, composite Christ, who will feed into the desires of all who have rejected truth. 

Satan’s counterfeit will be easily distinguished by the following features: [1] His feet will touch the ground, for he will walk the earth, even as Christ did 2000 years before. [2] His appearances will occur in different parts of the earth, since he does not possess the singular ability of omnipresence. Thus, if anyone hears on CNN, Fox news, or MSNBC, or any other news outlet for that matter, that Christ has come, we may know for sure that it isn’t Christ, but is the counterfeit Jesus has warned us of, over, and over again. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 
25 Behold, I have told you before. 

2nd Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work. 
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 

[G.C pp 624] As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.]

The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air., “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered.

He heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.” [Acts 8:10.]

Many years ago, while on tour in New York city, our band members needed to get to a certain location in Manhattan, but for some reason, we took the wrong train, and ended up in the Bronx, about 3:00 am in the morning, after playing at another venue. As soon as we came up out of the train station, we were greeted with a barrage of gun shots, a gentle reminder, that taking the wrong train could cost us dearly. 

There is another train leaving for the “Bronx”, in the spiritual sense, and it seems as if the majority of the world’s inhabitants are boarding. That’s why The Lord speaks to us distinctly in our day saying, make certain you’re on the right train, because taking the wrong one could put your lives in jeopardy. Which leads us to our closing passage for meditation:

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 
                                  May God add His blessing to the study of His word.  
                                                                  God bless! 
 

The Ghost On The Water. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/29/2017

It is often the case, when God is just about to do for us something great, He may appear to our minds as an adversary, instead of a Deliverer. Just when help from Christ is on the way, our minds often interpret His providences as a harbinger of evil, instead of a sign of good things to come. When Joshua, and the children of Israel were just about to enter the lands of the Canaanites, where giants, such as Conan the barbarian were waiting for them, he went alone by himself to pray, to ask God for both guidance, and deliverance, from their surrounding enemies who were bent on their destruction.

But lo and behold, Christ, who had come down in person to deliver His people, appears to him as an armed warrior, with His sword drawn in His hand as if about to have an encounter, prompting him to ask the important question, “Art thou for us, or against us?” Let’s read:

Joshua 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? 
15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. 

Again, when God was just about to deliver the Jews from the tyranny of Pharaoh, His providences had seemed to their minds as an omen of evil, so much so, that they began murmuring, and complaining to Moses. God, in His providence, had permitted that deranged pharaoh to pursue the Hebrews, with the intention of wiping out the entire army, but as the Egyptians were seen to be in hot pursuit of the Jews their faith gave way, and God seemed to them as an enemy, not a Friend. Let’s read:

Exodus 14:8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel. 
9 The Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
11 And they said unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. 
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.

Again, when the disciples were battling with the billows on that stormy night, and had given up all hope of ever reaching land, Christ, who was on the shore, beholding with intense interest, all that was taking place, began His journey across the waves, with the sole purpose of rescuing the disciples. But as they see the figure approaching them, they cry out in fear, for as far as they could see, here was a ghost, coming towards them on the water, to put a  final nail in their coffin, as the grim reaper often does. Let’s read:

Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Thus, the all- important question to be answered is, why is it, when Christ is just about to deliver, or do some great thing for His people, why does He often seem to be a ghost upon the water? This question, and the accompanying reasons must be thoroughly understood by every person who will live through the difficult days that are just ahead, described in the Bible as the time of trouble, such as never was, since there was a nation. Let’s read:

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 
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.

Thus, in order for us to understand why we so often misinterpret God’s providences, as if something bad is going to happen to us, we must begin our study with the reasons given in the scriptures, because Matthew tells us what happened, but he does not tell us why the incident went down the way it did. For this additional information, we must turn to the book of Mark. Let’s read:

Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea.
49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 
50 For they all saw him, and were troubled.
51 And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 
52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Question: What does the miracle of the loaves have to do with their inability to correctly interpret such an event as took place. And what does Mark mean when he says that their hearts were “Hardened?” And the introspect question for us is, could it also be, that our hearts are also hardened, preventing us from understanding God’s good purposes for us. Is Christ at this time appearing to our minds as The Redeemer, or the grim reaper?

To address these concerns, we must study closely, the exposition given on the same incident, by the pen of inspiration, for it will shed great light on why, God’s deliverances often appear to our minds as an omen of evil. Jesus has just dispersed the multitude and after sending His disciples away on the boat, He goes up into a mountain by Himself to pray because the people, as well as His disciples, had just entirely missed the object lessons given through the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Let’s read: 

[The Desire Of Ages. pp 379] When left alone, Jesus “went up into a mountain apart to pray.” For hours He continued pleading with God. Not for Himself, but for men were those prayers. He prayed for power to reveal to men the divine character of His mission that Satan might not blind their understanding and pervert their judgment. Their long-cherished hopes, based on a popular delusion, were to be disappointed in a most painful, and humiliating manner. 

In the place of His exaltation to the throne of David they were to witness His crucifixion. This was to be indeed His true coronation. But they did not discern this, and in consequence strong temptations would come to them, which it would be difficult for them to recognize as temptations. 

Without the Holy Spirit to enlighten the mind, and enlarge the comprehension, the faith of the disciples would fail. It was painful to Jesus to see that their conceptions of His kingdom were, to so great a degree, limited to worldly aggrandizement and honor. For them the burden was heavy upon His heart, and He poured out His supplications with bitter agony and tears.

In this first reading, the prophet addresses the issue of a popular delusion, being one of the main factors which prevented them from correctly interpreting Christ’s mission, the miracle of feeding the people, and the ensuing events which took place on the lake. There is another popular delusion, held today, in high and low places, which not only shapes U.S policy, but has paved the way for Christ to again appear as a ghost, not as king of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 

Most contemporary Jews believe that the Messiah will appear in Jerusalem, hence the age-old conflict over that piece of real estate. And most protestant Christians also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will make His appearance in the city of Jerusalem. This is the reason for the intense interest in having a U.S embassy located within its precincts. What’s also very disturbing, in the same breath, is that the 12th Imam is also soon expected to make his appearance in the middle east, and that’s one of the main reasons for the never-ending tensions in that part of the globe.

And while we are not here to vouch for either of the interpretations, this popular belief is actually based on the scripture, which has been misunderstood, in much the same way as the Bible prophecies which pointed to Jesus as the Messiah were, back then. So here it is, for those who may not have known. Let’s read: 

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5 And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

We will address the correct interpretation of this prophecy in next week’s study, but it is necessary to show the similarity between the ancient delusion, which “Hardened” the disciples’ hearts, and the modern-day delusion, which is hardening the hearts of Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. However, of more importance is the state of mind, which was being cherished by the disciples, after witnessing the miracle of the loaves and fishes. 

They murmured and they complained to each other about The Lord, until great spiritual darkness had enveloped their minds, thus severely inhibiting their ability to see spiritually, and correctly interpret what was seen. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages. pp 379>380] The disciples had not put off immediately from the land, as Jesus had directed them. They had left Jesus with dissatisfied hearts, more impatient with Him than ever before since acknowledging Him as their Lord. They murmured because they had not been permitted to proclaim Him king. They blamed themselves for yielding so readily to His command. They reasoned that if they had been more persistent they might have accomplished their purpose.

Unbelief was taking possession of their minds and hearts. Love of honor had blinded them. They knew that Jesus was hated by the Pharisees, and they were eager to see Him exalted as they thought He should be. To be united with a teacher who could work mighty miracles, and yet to be reviled as deceivers, was a trial they could ill endure. Were they always to be accounted followers of a false prophet? 

Would Christ never assert His authority as king? Why did not He who possessed such power reveal Himself in His true character, and make their way less painful? Why had He not saved John the Baptist from a violent death? Thus the disciples reasoned until they brought upon themselves great spiritual darkness. They questioned, could Jesus be an impostor, as the Pharisees asserted?

They were in the midst of troubled waters. Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves. Until the fourth watch of the night they toiled at the oars. Then the weary men gave themselves up for lost. 

Jesus had not forgotten them. The Watcher on the shore saw those fear-stricken men battling with the tempest. Not for a moment did He lose sight of His disciples. With deepest solicitude His eyes followed the storm-tossed boat with its precious burden; for these men were to be the light of the world. As a mother in tender love watches her child, so the compassionate Master watched His disciples. When their hearts were subdued, their unholy ambition quelled, and in humility they prayed for help, it was given them.

At the moment when they believe themselves lost, a gleam of light reveals a mysterious figure approaching them upon the water. But they know not that it is Jesus. The One who has come for their help they count as an enemy. Terror overpowers them. The hands that have grasped the oars with muscles like iron let go their hold. 

The boat rocks at the will of the waves; all eyes are riveted on this vision of a man walking upon the white-capped billows of the foaming sea. They think it a phantom that omens their destruction, and they cry out for fear. Jesus advances as if He would pass them; but they recognize Him, and cry out, entreating His help. Their beloved Master turns, His voice silences their fear, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.”

Very important spiritual lessons are given to us in this experience, for one error cherished in the heart can dramatically affect our interpretation of events in our lives. The same holds true for the mindset we cultivate. If we train our minds to look on the darker side of life, dwelling on the negatives and hurdles in the way, our interpretation of events will tend to be foreboding. But if we cultivate a cheerful, resilient spirit, our general interpretation of events will tend to be along lines of hope. 

Believing that Jesus is the Son of God, carries with it very much weight, for it’s not merely an intellectual acknowledgement, but is also a deep understanding and an acceptance of some basic facts which come with the title. For instance, if we believe He is the Son of God, then He must possess omniscience, and that means He knows the end from the beginning.

And since He knows the end from the beginning, then He must have known that a storm would arise on the lake that night. And if we believe that God is good, then Jesus Christ would not deliberately put His disciples in harm’s way to be destroyed, for He already stated that He came not to kill, but to save lives. And since He always has our back, as He has clearly stated over, and over again, then, if there’s a ghost coming towards us upon the water, it must be none other than The Holy Ghost.

Now that we have seen how the thoughts we may cherish, or the errors we may harbor, can adversely affect our interpretation of events, it is now fitting that we should end with a quote from the pen of inspiration addressing the issue, as well as verses of scripture, which encourage us to think, and behave as conquerors. Let’s read:

Patriarchs & Prophets. Pp 293>294] 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. 

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. 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
37 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 enable us to believe. God bless!
 

Wrong, But Not Guilty. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/22/2017

This evening we will address the issue of discretion, as it pertains to the laws God has given us to live by, and how this issue is used in some instances to save lives or to illegally alter God’s laws as the case might be. Christians should be very careful not to change what God has clearly stated, in order to adapt to a particular circumstance, even when it may become necessary to violate that which is written. The issue of discretion therefore must be studied carefully so as to avoid a pharisaical indifference to the needs of humanity, on the one hand, while indulging a form of irreverent liberalism on the other.

There are instances where a person, or individuals did that which was wrong, but were designated as guiltless in the sight of God, because of a particular circumstance, or because God had commanded it. In other instances, some presumed to do the very same wrong, and were pronounced guilty, and that is why we must know the difference. Still, in other cases, God permitted wrongs to be done, because the human race was in its infancy, and needed time to adapt to the ongoing revelation of His will.

His permissive will should never be mistaken for His ideal especially after abundant knowledge has been given. For instance, in the days of the Hebrews wine or alcoholic beverages were permitted, not because God endorsed its use, but because of the clamors of the people, and because it was common practice in those days. Thus, God permitted its use until a fuller revelation of His will, and the adverse consequences of drinking were made known. So, those who thus drank, like Noah, David, and Lot, did that which was wrong, but were not guilty, because sufficient light and instruction had not yet been given on the issue.

But now, in the 21st century, with all of the relevant information pertaining to the adverse effects on our minds and bodies, as well as the laws against D.U.I, those who were guiltless in times past, would in our day be guilty for indulging in the very same practice. As light, and knowledge becomes more available to us, God expects a corresponding adherence to what He has clearly stated in His word. Let’s read:

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 
23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. 
24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: 
25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: 
26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.

Some may question why God did not give them the information about alcoholic beverages back then, so that they could be correctly informed as to the dire consequences that accrue, and so that they might be able to make intelligent choices. The word of the Lord to us today is, don’t even go there, for He has caused abundant knowledge to be shed on our way regarding certain articles of food and yet most of us disregard His instructions, even with science to back up His word.

In other instances, God permitted the Hebrews to have slaves, not because He endorsed the practice, but because it was prevalent and socially acceptable in those days. So what God did was to introduce just laws and principles governing their management, so as to mitigate the unfair, and cruel treatment which had become so pervasive. In fact, the American civil war was a judgment from God upon the land, as a direct rebuke to the practice of slavery, but under no circumstances was slavery His ideal will, as is shown in Christ’s first declaration in the temple. Let’s read:

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Again, there are instances where God gave direct command to do that which is inherently unlawful, but because the human agents were enacting the decrees of the Most High, they were guiltless. But for someone in our day to use such instances as a precedent to carry out the very same acts, would be not only presumptuous on their part, but they will be guilty of sin in God’s sight. When God told Saul to smite Amalek, He was giving him the all-clear to kill, an act that is directly contrary to God’s moral law, but because the directive came from God, Saul was guiltless.

This past week, one death-row inmate was put to death in the state of Arkansas for crimes committed many years ago. The persons who thus carried out the execution were acting upon the directive of the judiciary, and therefore, are not guilty of murder, even though the act of killing itself is contrary to the letter of the moral law.

These issues, have become stumbling-blocks for some, and thus, must be clarified from the word of God, so that we may have a clear charter for action. Our study will therefore be focused on Matthew 12, in which an incident occurred which then prompted Christ to clarify the issue of discretion, and also His prerogative to make or break rules, whenever He sees fit. 

The disciples were on a missionary journey with Christ, when they became hungry, so as they were passing through the fields of ripening grain, they plucked and freely ate of the produce, an action, which under different circumstances would be proscribed. But the Pharisees saw it as a flagrant violation of the letter of the law, and they raised a remonstrance about the incident to Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. 
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

Very serious and important issues pertaining to the implementation of the laws of God are raised here.  
[1] Should God’s law be amended to cater for those instances when, like David, a person’s life may be in danger? For instance, in David’s case, he was very hungry, but could not be seen anywhere in public, because a nationwide warrant for his capture was in place. Thus, in the circumstances, he requested for personal use, that which was holy, since apparently, he had no other choice. 

The tithe also is holy, and like the stipulations with the shewbread, is specifically reserved for certain purposes designated by God. Now, if for instance, a mother, and her three young children became very hungry, and all she had was her tithe set aside to be given into the treasury, does that experience with David, and the shew bread therefore give her a legal precedent to spend the tithe on groceries by Publix, for herself and her family, since life is more valuable than the tithe? 

Would she be wrong, but not guilty? And is there an unwritten code of conduct, to be implemented only when cases of real emergency arise? If for instance, David’s case was to be used as a legal precedent for similar situations, then, would the floodgates of our individual discretion be opened? It is worthy of note that David did not presume to take the shewbread without asking the priest’s permission, therefore the onus was on the priest, not on David. Which leads us to our next point: 

[2] When does discretion take precedence over the written law, and who determines what discretion is. Here in the sunshine state of Florida, the speed limit on most highways is 55 mph. But from time to time emergencies arise such as unexpected childbirth, or accidents, in which an individual may be grievously injured, with life threatening injuries. Should Florida law be amended to cater for these, and many other instances, and should the determination of a “Real emergency” be left up to discretion of each citizen?

To answer these pressing questions, the response of Christ should be studied closely, for if it is left open- ended, there is a possibility, and the likelihood that grave changes to God’s moral law would be made, all in the name of discretion. Thus, we should begin to understand the import of Christ’s candid answer, by the designation of each example, for it will shed great light on the immutability of His law. In the two cases, He specifically states that what was done was wrong, but the persons in question were guiltless.

If one was to be caught speeding at 100mph, in a 55mph zone, because a relative, or a child of theirs was experiencing a heart attack, the trooper may or may not let the person off the hook, because of the obvious emergency. However, he is duty bound to correctly designate the act of speeding for what it is. But because of his compassion, or his discretion, he dare not say to the speeding driver that what he was doing is right. Absolutely not, for then he would be presuming to interfere with the very foundation of the Florida statue. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Now, having dealt with the issue of designation, we must move on to the issue of discretion, for here is where it can get quite tricky. Discretion, in specific instances is never to be left up to the individual, but should come as a directive from the God of heaven. This principle applies even in cases where our own judgment may seem to suggest that a violation of the letter is warranted. Let’s take for instance, one valid question that was posed to us by a listener, a couple weeks ago.

A man entered the home of a woman, obviously bent on stealing, or doing her harm. The lady then pointed a gun at the intruder, upon which he then hurriedly made his escape, and the rest is history, for to all appearances, the woman in question did the right thing. Now it’s a good thing that she did not actually kill the intruder, however, the question arises as to whether or not it would have been okay to take the bandit’s life, acting upon her discretion. For answers, we must turn to the word of God to see what Christ do in a similar situation. 

On several occasions, Jesus’ life was threatened, but in each instance, His response was in the currency of heaven. At one time, after a soul stirring sermon that stepped on the toes of His hearers, He was then taken to the brow of a precipice, to be thrown over, but he refused to respond in kind, and instead was hustled out by holy angels, because as far as He was concerned, His life was always in His Father’s hands, and thus, whatever befell Him, would be in accordance with God’s will. This is what living by faith really means. Let’s read:

Luke 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 
25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 
28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 
29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 
30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

Sounds as if Christ used His supernatural power to disappear from the maddened throng, and if so, He employed some level of self-defense, or self-preservation in the process. Really? Let’s read:

[The truth About angels. Pp183>184] Angels of light were in that assembly, watching with intense interest the decision of the hour. Angels of Satan also were on the ground to suggest doubts and arouse prejudice. From unbelief sprung malice. That a man who had sprung from poverty and a lowly birth should dare to reprove them, filled the hearts of the Nazarenes with hatred amounting to madness. The assembly broke up in confusion. The people laid hands on Jesus, thrusting Him from the synagogue and out of their city.

All seemed eager for His destruction. They hurried Him to the brow of a steep precipice, intending to cast Him headlong from it. Shouts and maledictions filled the air. Some were casting stones, and dirt at Him; but suddenly He disappeared out of their midst, they knew not how, or when. Angels of God attended Jesus in the midst of that infuriated mob, and preserved His life. The heavenly messengers were by His side in the synagogue, while He was speaking; and they accompanied Him when pressed and urged on by the unbelieving, infuriated Jews. These angels blinded the eyes of that maddened throng, and conducted Jesus to a place of safety.

But the next example puts the icing on the cake, for it is quite difficult to avoid seeing the implementation of the issue of discretion, as it is demonstrated to be His singular prerogative. The law of God says explicitly, “Thou shalt not kill”. But there are those who believe that individual discretion, especially in cases of self-defense, might be warranted. Thus, to clear up the issue once and for all, Christ gives us a living example in real time. Let’s read:
John 18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

[The Desire Of Ages. pp 694] Standing in advance of His disciples He said, “Whom seek ye?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am He.” As these words were spoken, the angel who had lately ministered to Jesus moved between Him and the mob. A divine light illuminated the Savior's face, and a dovelike form overshadowed Him. In the presence of this divine glory, the murderous throng could not stand for a moment. They staggered back. Priests, elders, soldiers, and even Judas, fell as dead men to the ground.
The angel withdrew, and the light faded away. Jesus had opportunity to escape, but He remained, calm and self-possessed.

John 18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. 
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
 
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

The real issue for us as Christians, now living in a troubled and dangerous world, is whether we are willing to live in harmony with God’s law, no matter what the cost. And if so, whether we are willing to trust our lives, and property, entirely into the hands of the Almighty God. Therefore, in lieu of these and other introspect questions, it is in order for us to end with two passages of scripture which speak volumes to the fact that we too, can live and walk by faith, even as Christ did, and by doing so, we may safely navigate the snares of personal discretion in each emergency or trial. Let’s read:

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

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. 
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

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

                                                                         God bless!
 

The Winds Of Strife. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/15/2017

At present, there are at least 15 ongoing conflicts throughout the world, with no end game in sight for most of them. Since the early nineteen nineties the war in Iraq took its toll on men and women in both the United States and Iraq, and from that time till now we have been sucked into conflict after conflict across the globe. Then, at the beginning of the 21st century, with the onset of 9/11, we responded to that terrible tragedy, which unfolded in New York city, with the hope of permanently crushing out the ideology of terrorism.

But it was discovered that it is much easier to bomb wicked men, than their thoughts, and philosophies, which continue to live on, and cause havoc, even to this present day, and try as we might to extricate ourselves, it seems as if we are just becoming more entangled in the snare of international conflicts. It’s because the concept of war did not originate with mortal man, and it will never be eliminated by any human being, because it has its foundation, and its beginnings in lucifer, the author of all wars. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Thus, it is now necessary for us to trace the history of war from its beginning, to better understand how and when it will all end. War began with the seed of covetousness, cultivated and cherished in the heart of Lucifer, who sought for himself the highest place in heaven. The name Lucifer, and the word sin both have something in common, in that the letter I is at the center. Thus, any created being who has as their motto “ME first” will be wearing the cap of him who first started war. 

The very thought of not being first in heaven did not sit well with Lucifer, and therefore, the evil thought churned over, and rankled in his mind, until it began to find expression in complaints, murmuring, open accusations, and character-assassination of God and Christ. But satan did not stop there, for many of the angelic hosts were so insidiously influenced by his misrepresentations, that one third of them joined in the rebellion, until the evil had metastasized into an open conflict between those who were loyal to God and those who sided with the arch-rebel. 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.

Thus, when satan, and his evil angels were finally evicted from heaven, their ideologies, philosophies, discontent, and their covetousness were passed on to our first parents, after Adam, and Eve had both succumbed to his temptations, to disobey God, and question His wisdom and goodness in withholding the tree of knowledge, good, and evil from them. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the rest is history, for this was the beginning of all conflicts on our planet, the beginning of all fake news, recriminations, blame games, finger-pointing, self-justifications, “Me first” philosophies, and yes, wars, and rumors of war. Whenever any created being has “I” as his or her center, war, and all that it entails then becomes inevitable. Let’s read:

[D.A pp 435>436] The desire for self-exaltation had brought strife into the heavenly courts, and had banished a multitude of the hosts of God. Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus alienation, discord and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.

Genesis 3:9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 
13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 

Thus, we see the beginnings of the tendency to not take responsibility for one’s actions, but rather to blame any and everyone else for the errors we may make ourselves. In their response to God’s inquiry, Adam, and Eve displayed one of the fundamental character traits of satan, the habit of blaming others for one’s faults. Adam cast the blame on God for His making Eve, for he insinuated that if she had never been created, he would not have eaten of the tree.

Eve then blames the serpent, and God indirectly, for if the serpent was never created, there surely would have been no temptation. And satan blames Adam, God, Eve, and even the tree, for if there was no tree to climb, he would not be in its branches in the first place; and if God did not create fruit, the possibility of that specific temptation would not have existed. Thus, the full blame, and responsibility for the fall of man is ultimately placed at God’s doorstep, without any of the guilty persons bearing responsibility. 

A very important commentary is written by the pen of inspiration, on the fallout after Adam and Eve’s sin, and it contains the essential links in a long chain of circumstances which always leads to alienation and winds of strife. Let’s read: 

[P&P pp 57] Soon the thought of his sin filled him with terror. The love and peace which had been theirs was gone, and in its place, they felt a sense of sin, a dread of the future. Adam reproached his companion for her folly in leaving his side and permitting herself to be deceived by the serpent. When the woman was asked, “What is this that thou hast done?” she answered, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” “Why didst Thou create the serpent? Why didst Thou suffer him to enter Eden?”—these were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin. Thus, like Adam, she charged God with the responsibility of their fall. 

The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it was indulged by our first parents, as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they try to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, or upon God—making even His blessings an occasion of murmuring against Him.

This brings us to our day, where the winds of strife, and the threat of war looms large on the horizon, and where nations are angry with one another, and with their own people, for no apparent reason. The relative security, and tranquility we enjoy here, in the U.S.A, is not due to the genius, skill, or wisdom, of any of its leaders, for we have all inherited from Adam, a disposition to make war. 

If someone, or another nation interferes with us for any reason, our natural instinct is not to humbly bow out, but to retaliate, even when we know there might be very adverse results, and consequences. Take for example the following episode with Jacob, and his sons, after Dinah had been defiled by one of the Canaanite princes. Let’s read:

Genesis 34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. 
7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.
24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. 
25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. 
26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. 
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. 
28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 
29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. 
30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

Genesis 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Thus, as was stated before, the relative security, and tranquility we enjoy in the U.S.A, is not due to the genius, skill, or wisdom, of any human being, for we are all born with the propensity to fight. Peace in our neck of the woods, is due rather to the direct interposition of God in our behalf, who has His holy angels stationed at the four corners of the earth, exercising their restraining power over the minds of mad men, until such time that the saints are sealed in their foreheads. 

As soon as this work is finished, the earth will be plunged into those scenes of bloodshed, strife, and unimaginable chaos, described by Bible prophets, the likes of which humanity has never ever seen. Let’s read: 

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, 
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 

Isaiah 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 
3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled. 
4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 

Luke 21:25 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.

The distress of nations mentioned by Christ in the book of Luke, not only refers to wars, and rumors of war as we are now witnessing; it also includes many famines, pestilences, as well as the utter inability of human beings to solve our most pressing problems. Now, here is something for us to consider, as crisis, after crisis looms large on the horizon. Let’s read:
 
[G.C pp. 589] "Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God". 

In light of what is now taking place across the globe, there are three important instructions coming to us from Christ, as He wraps up His work in our behalf, in the heavenly sanctuary.
[1] We must present Christ, and the principles and laws of His kingdom, as the only viable solution to the problems of this world, for He, being the Prince of peace, is the only Person who can cause wars to cease. Let’s read:
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. 
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

[2] We must pray for our national, and international leaders, and we should encourage them to pray too, for every person has some level of skin in the game. In other words, we are not to be indifferent to the suffering of people in other lands, for no man liveth unto himself, and we are all connected by the great chain of humanity. Let’s read: 

1st Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all,  supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of  thanks, be made for all men; 
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

[3] We must preach the word by whatever means available, for we have very limited time to do so in relative peace. Instead of spending our time, and substance on riotous living, we should be doing all we can to advance the cause of Christ and truth, not only in our neck of the woods, but also globally via social media. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus spake saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

[4] We must live in readiness each day, for no one knows how soon Christ will finish the work in the heavenly sanctuary, thus bringing human probation to a permanent close. Whatsoever might eventuate today, tomorrow, next week, or next year, let it not be said that we were found sleeping on our watch, which leads us to our final passage for this evening:

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.

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

God's Instructions On Marriage. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/08/2017

The two sacred institutions given in Eden have in recent years, come under increasing attack by the secular forces, moved upon by the enemy of all righteousness, with two specific purposes in mind: [1] To destroy the foundation of society, of which God-ordained marriage forms an integral part. [2] To destroy the foundation of God’s Government upon the earth, through the introduction of false worship, and idolatry.
 
This is the reason why the Sabbath, and Marriage are the main subjects of a well-coordinated frontal assault from foes within and without. But we are called, as Christians, to restore the breaches that were made in God’s will for the human family, and as such, we are cautioned in the Bible not to offer any substitutions, or amendments to God’s word for the sake of incorporating our personal ideas, opinions, and preferences. Let’s read:

Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

For this reason, we must let the word of God speak authoritatively, for by so doing, the gold standard for marriages will be set, without interference from human devising. But there are three very important points to consider and understand clearly, if we are to receive God’s word objectively:

[1] The laws of God’s government are given with the best intentions, and purposes for the human family, as well as the unfallen worlds. But in some instances, those laws and instructions may not rub us the right way, because they may appear to go contrary to conventional modes of thought, and action. 

Thus, because logic is often the diabolical enemy of faith, we will find ourselves swimming upstream at times, in order to harmonize with what is written in the Bible, rather than go with the flow downstream, which always leads to perdition. It is vain to expect that everything God instructs us to do will sit well with our opinions, and therefore, the mind of faith will always accept God’s word as the final authority in all matters, whether it seems to make sense, or not. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

[2] The status of whatsoever God declares to be wrong or right in His word, does not change with the passage of time, nor does His laws ever conform to custom, or culture. Indeed, the validity, and the immutability of God’s law cannot be judged by what popular opinion enjoins, or by how many folks may agree or disagree, for His word stands aloof of all human interference. Let’s read:

Psalms 119:89 Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. 
90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations. 
142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

[3] God does make allowances for those times of ignorance, when spouses may not have known any better, or where sound, scriptural counsel was not available. In such cases, The Lord has the final say in whether a divorce is warranted or not. However, in such cases, His circumstantial will should never be interpreted as being His ideal will, and the various accommodations He may have granted in certain instances should never to be presented as doctrine.

For instance, in Hosea’s case, God gave the prophet clearance to go marry a prostitute, for the specific purpose of demonstrating in real time, His love for His people, who on many occasions, were unfaithful in their relationship with Him, over, and over again. This case however does not give a Christian man the clearance to go by Tootsies looking for a wife, nor is the prophet Hosea to ever declare from the pulpit, that because God had authorized his own marriage, that it can now be used as a precedent for future generations. Absolutely not!

The following four points therefore, are some of the main issues pertaining to marriage relations, which God has already adequately addressed in His word. The deductions made will be supported by the Bible and thus, should resolve any questions or concerns we may have had on these matters.

[1] The urge to merge is a God-ordained desire, but it must only be fulfilled in the context of marriage. If this law is violated for any reason, the foundation of society begins to be chipped away resulting in much more harm than good, not only to those who are thus exercised, but also to the local community, the church and the nation as a whole, for the adverse ripple effects can often reach as far as the federal government, via the social security administration, as well as the judicial system.

In other words having premarital sex is a sin, to put it plainly, even though this statement will never square with the popular, majority opinion. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
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.

Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Without introducing any technicalities, loop holes, Hebrew, and Greek to confuse our understanding, these two passages declare that any sexual relation, outside of the God-ordained institution, is a form of adultery, ranging in scope from being sinful to being an abomination, as is currently the case with same-sex marriages. God’s mercies, and forgiveness never change the definition of either marriage or adultery.

[2] Having sexual, or any intimate physical relations after menopause should be encouraged, wherever possible, because the physical interaction between husbands, and wives is just as much a part of any healthy marriage, as are the other spiritual aspects, such as love, kindness, and courtesy. In addition to this, our church duties should not be permitted to excuse or preclude, anyone from having intimate relationships with his, or her spouse, and this also covers the practice of celibacy. God is abundantly clear on these points. Let’s read: 

1st Corinthians 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 

Genesis 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 
13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child,  which am old? 
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid.

Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and is wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God, 
11 There appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

1st Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior.

[3] If two atheists, or two Hindus get married, that union is considered as one that God has "Joined" together, even if they did not consult Him first. The choices that we make as it pertains to marriage, are ratified in heaven, whether we believe in Christ or not, because it's the institution that is sacred. Those who get married with, or without God's guidance or consent, are recorded, and are considered as being joined together in the sight of God.

However, that does not necessarily mean that He approves of the union, but it is recorded and also considered as such in heaven. To put it plainly, a husband and wife do not have to be Christians, in order for God to recognize their marriage vows as binding in heaven.
Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The words “a man” is an unqualified phrase, to which no man-made ideas, and opinions should be added, for the Bible explicitly states that we should not add unto His words. Therefore, a Catholic man, a Hindu man, an Atheist man, a Muslim man, and an Adventist man, are all included in this declaration, for it is all-inclusive, and not to be consigned to only those who believe in Christ.

If a man and a woman of any faith, or of any belief system join hands in matrimony, that marriage is considered as “joined” in God’s sight, and therefore, the same respect, and instructions guarding their marriage will also apply across the board. Two of Lot’s daughters were at least nominal believers, but they got married to men living in Sodom. When the angels asked about their whereabouts, the question posed to Lot shows that their marriages were at that time recognized as such in heaven. 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;
12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 
13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. 
14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.

Matthew 19:4 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder".... 

Furthermore, if an Adventist and a Catholic were to get married, that marriage, even though it may be ill-advised, is recorded as legally binding in heaven, and therefore, the differences of beliefs supply no ground for divorce whatsoever, except in such cases where the unbelieving one chooses to leave. This is one of the gray areas where God has made ample provision for difficult circumstances, but the divorce proceedings should not be initiated by the believing one, but instead by the unbeliever. 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. 
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? 
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches. 

[4] Marriage with unbelievers, or those of any other persuasion, although it is contrary to the instruction and command of God, is something which has taken place throughout the old, and new testament time periods. Very serious problems will most likely arise in such instances, because our actions and decisions are guided for the most part by what we do believe. 

What often takes place in such marriages, is that forbearance may be manifested initially, until the euphoria of the moment gradually passes, and then, in many instances, the spouses will return to their old selves, and their former beliefs. Believe it or not, the older a person gets, it’s the more unlikely they are to change their ways, except through the direct intervention of Christ.

Thus, the following passages cover all those other “causes”, with the exception of adultery, which for some reason two people cannot get along, and then find it necessary to separate. Although this should be the last resort, yet in many instances, problems within the marriage may not be able to be resolved, and wherever that is the case, the husband and wife may opt to part company, but with one caveat. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband. 
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

What is noticeably absent in this last passage is any specific reason, for which parting ways may seem to be warranted. The reason why it is left open-ended, is so that it can cover every other reason why living together may simply become impossible. Although this is a difficult truth to swallow, yet it is what God says, for if He were to once open the floodgates of reasons, opinions, and ideas, then, both men and women will think it quite acceptable to separate for “Every cause”, and the sacred institution, meant for the stability of society, will become an open door by which husbands and wives will go in, and out for the most trivial reasons.

Whatever our situation might be, God wants us to make the best of it by His grace, and wherever it’s possible to avoid divorce. Therefore, the following instructions will go a long way in preserving our marriages, or mending broken hearts, wherever mending may be possible. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

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, 
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 
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. 
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

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

Why Some Marriages Fail. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/01/2017

The number of marriages failing in the United states calls into question the way in which the institution is entered into by many, for the percentages are a staggering 40>50%, with second marriages failing at 60%, and third marriages ending in divorce at a rate of 73%. And the trickle-down effects also continue to take their toll, with families, and spouses being estranged, and with the very structure, which is the foundation of society, being shaken. In addition to this, there are some very disturbing statistics, and trends we would do well to ponder, as we study the issue.

[1] Here in the United states, one divorce takes place every 36 seconds. That's the equivalent of nearly 2,400 divorces per day, 16,800 divorces per
week and 876,000 divorces a year.

[2] The rate of divorce for same-sex couples is about half of the figure for straight couples, and the rate is lower among atheists, than with Christians. A very important, but solemn fact to note here is that the stage for trivial divorces in America has been largely set by the celebrity world, for Brittney Spears holds the world record for the shortest marriage, just 55 hours, before her union with Jason Alexander came to an untimely end.

[3] People who wait to get married, until they are over the age of 25 are 24 percent less likely to get divorced, which brings the issue of mature decision into play.

[4] Living together, or cohabiting prior to tying the knot can increase the chance of getting divorced by as much as 40 percent. The longer two people live
together without any formal marriage pledge, the more unlikely that the union will ever take place.

[5] And the carnage continues, because the down-draft effects on children of divorced parents also takes a heavy toll on our society, with forty-three percent of children growing up in America today being raised without fathers. And fifty percent of all American children will witness the breakup of a parent's marriage. 

Obviously, this is not what God had in mind when He performed the first marriage ceremony in Eden, for it was His purpose that society should rest upon a sure foundation, with husbands and wives seeking to cultivate the mutual love, courtesy, kindness, and respect, which will in turn foster longevity within a marriage relation. And thus, the children, having a good example to follow, would also be inclined to be stable within their marriages, so that plan “B”, or the nuclear option could forever be taken off the table. 

But what has unfolded here in the land of the free, and the home of the brave is that very many people enter into marriage with the understanding that if it does not work out the way they expected, they can always leave, and because of this, a deep sense of a lifelong commitment is lacking in many cases. God never intended that problems, which arise within the marriage should trigger separation, but instead should be addressed and resolved in co-partnership with Omnipotence, for there is a solution for almost every problem that may arise.

So it is befitting here that we revisit the marriage vow, as a gentle reminder of what is entailed in the commitment: "I, ___, take thee, ___, to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.

Thus, it is against the backdrop of God’s ideal, and man’s perverseness that we will explore some of the main reasons why marriages fail. We will also turn to the word of God to see how, and where we may be able to stem the tide of dysfunctionalism, so that in our own lives, and families, God may once again be honored, wherever this statement may be warranted. 

The first, and primary reason according to statistics, why failure may occur within the marriage, is that spouses have in some instances, gotten married too soon, without the proper and necessary preparation for the changes they are sure to encounter. When a sacred commitment to another is made for life, it is supposed to cover the unexpected vicissitudes, the challenges, the disappointments, the joys, and the changes that form a part of an ongoing relationship.

Great care should then be taken up front, observing the other person’s character, disposition, and habits as well as spending much time with their immediate family, because, as a general rule of thumb, what is seen in the parents is what will unfold in the child. Apples scarcely ever fall far from the tree, except in cases where conversion takes place, and thus, the time spent with the spouse’s parents, could yield a treasure trove of information, and helpful insights, as to what will almost certainly transpire in the future.

The counsel of God to us, on making hasty, or rash decisions, and commitments, including, but not exclusive to marriage, is that great care and careful thought should be exercised up front, so that we will not renege on that which we have solemnly pledged ourselves to, even if the results may be extremely difficult to deal with. As we study the following text, we should observe the over-arching principles of a deep, steadfast commitment, which should form a part of not only marriage, but of anything we may pledge ourselves to do. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 
3 For a dream cometh, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 
5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 
6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error.
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

A clear distinction must be made between passion and principle, for passion tends to instability, whilst principle tends to longevity. Infatuation is often the main driver in motivating folks to tie the knot, but it is an element which must be held in subjection to raw commonsense, for when left unbridled, it can cause an otherwise discreet person to go bananas, driving him, or her to make a hasty, and impulsive decision. 

A certain young man found, what he thought was the girl of his dreams, with her having good internal characteristics, as well as comely physical features, all in one unbelievably perfect package. Not long after meeting her, he proposed to get married, for he thought he couldn’t run the risk of losing her to someone else. That said, their marriage was hastily arranged, without either of them doing their due diligence, and the marriage ceremony was so well orchestrated that it seemed to be a match made in heaven.

However, not long after the marriage, a disturbing discovery was made, for the beautiful wife was diagnosed with cancer, which was metastasizing, and so, to avoid a premature death, she decided to have a double mastectomy, which indeed saved her life. But the young man had never catered for such a sudden change of events as this, and thus it was not long before he started behaving very strangely, becoming quite irritable, and restless as the days went by. 

However, because this is a very sensitive issue, we will not disclose the details of the final chapter in their experience, but suffice it to say that they were headed for splits-ville, after only a short stay-cation. The servant of the Lord has very timely counsels on the issue of hasty marriage, that those who are now contemplating taking the plunge, will be well served to study very carefully. Let’s read:

[A.H. pp 79>80] Early marriages are not to be encouraged. A relation so important as marriage, and so far-reaching in its results should not be entered upon hastily without sufficient preparation, and before the mental and physical powers are well developed. 

The young affections should be restrained until the period arrives when sufficient age and experience will make it honorable and safe to unfetter them. Those who will not be restrained will be in danger of dragging out an unhappy existence. A youth not out of his teens is a poor judge of the fitness of a person as young as himself to be his companion for life. 

After their judgment has become more matured, they view themselves bound for life to each other and perhaps not at all calculated to make each other happy. Then, instead of making the best of their lot, recriminations take place, the breach widens, until there is settled indifference, and neglect of each other. To them there is nothing sacred in the word “home.” The very atmosphere is poisoned by unloving words and bitter reproaches. 

The next reason why marriages fail, is that there may be lack of communication. Husbands and wives should find time to speak with each other, even if they may not have much to say, because the mere fact of being in each other’s company, goes a long way in keeping those lines of communication open. Often, the hustle and bustle of life may take its toll, or the problem may be a breakdown of courteous communication. 

In some instances, husbands are guilty of acting like bullies, with the wife being expected to act, and do according to his dictates, without reason. In other instances, the wife may feel at liberty to do as she pleases, regardless of how the husband feels. Then again, a spirit of independence is often woven into he marriage, with each other staking their claim to
certain “rights” and privileges that are never to be called into question by the other spouse.

In addition, some Christians often place a very great emphasis upon what the secular world thinks of us, and not what God esteems us to be, and because of this, many wives and husbands have become virtual slaves of popular opinions, and standards, shaping their ideas, valuations, and morals according to the criteria of the world. Thus, whenever communion with each other takes place, it is often against the backdrop of secular modes of thought and action, and behavioral patterns, and dispositions that are shaped more by those Hollywood soap operas, than by the truths and instructions of God’s word. 

However, the word of God gives pertinent counsels to remedy such issues, and if Jesus is in the heart of each spouse, the road to courteous, intimate, and friendly speech will be paved with the oil of God’s love, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. As we read, let us determine not be hearers only, but doers of the word. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. 
32 And be ye kind one to another.

1st Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and like-wise also the wife unto the husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and like-wise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

Ephesians 5:28 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: 
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. 
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Another major cause of breakups is the frequent mismanagement of financial matters, by which one spouse may be driven to insanity, because of the spending habits of the other, or because of the sheer inability to provide for the necessities of life. In ancient times, fathers would generally not give their daughters in marriage, to one who was not financially stable or secure, for this would cause a problem from the get go.

This is the reason why Jacob chose to work so hard for Rachel, a total of 14 years, because when he had fled from his parent’s home, all he had was the shirt on his back. Now, this is not to say that his love for Rachel was not sincere and genuine, but when he had to go shopping by Publix, they would not accept sincerity as payment. God is very down to earth and practical in His instructions to us, and therefore, it is quite in order, for financial issues to be put on the table, both before, and after marriage, so that both parties may be able to navigate the difficulties that may arise.
 
Spending for necessities and wants should be done in a responsible manner, with great care being taken to keep our outflows in line with our inflows. The habit of impulsive spending, or binge shopping for bling, and our favorite things, is often the culprit that triggers resentment within the marriage. A well thought out plan for the management of bills, and saving, should be put in place, and adhered to by both spouses.

Another cause for dissent is when finances are kept separate, with one spouse not knowing where the other stands. Marriage involves the relinquishing of personal privacy, and therefore everything should be read as an open book between spouses. Now, it is understandable that this could be a sensitive area to deal with, if one person does not exercise proper self-control. However, instead of hiding funds under the mattress, husbands and wives should try to help out each other, because each person has peculiar problems, and the purpose of the commitment is to always lend a helping hand.

Husbands and wives should not become chafed at this counsel, because true love always incurs some level of risk, and therefore, we should be there for each other during the sunny days of our experience, as well as the rainy days. Several good instructions coming from the Bible, and from the servant of the Lord will serve the purpose of staving off, and also rectifying such problems if and when they do occur. Let’s read:

Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 
11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof.

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.

[C.S pp 249] 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 or even have overdrawn their account. Thus, they lay the soul open to fierce temptations, and fall into the wiles of Satan.

Last but not least, on the long list of triggering mechanisms for disaster within the marriage is the issue of infidelity, by which many great men, and women have stumbled throughout the course of history. There are several reasons why infidelity takes place, and the wise spouse will do all that he or she can to make intimacy the best that it can be. In a perfect world, the principle of love will be able to keep spouses from straying into forbidden paths.

But now, where there are millions of temptations greeting husbands and wives each day, special care should be taken to do whatever it takes to make the other spouse happy once it does not violate the law of God, and the law of one’s conscience. This will call for self-denial in some instances, and in other circumstances, it will call for real effort on the part of both, but making each other happy and secure in their marriage should be of paramount importance. 

1st Corinthians 7:33 He that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 
34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

God is able to keep anyone from falling, but we also must do our part in facilitating His good work in us. In other words, we should never assume that just because a husband or wife may be a good Christian that, the fact will, in and of itself be sufficient to forestall any and every incursion by the enemy of all righteousness, for most of the infidelities recorded in the scriptures were done by Christians, and thus, because God is practical in His instructions, He bids us do our very best to foster cohesiveness, love, and happiness between ourselves, and then trust Him to take up the slack.

We will end our study with words of instruction that will go a long way in preserving both the happiness and the sanctity of marriage, when applied in the most literal sense.

[P&P pp 147] The instruction given to Abraham touching the sacredness of the marriage relation was to be a lesson for all ages. It declares that the rights and happiness of this relation are to be carefully guarded, even at a great sacrifice. Sarah was the only true wife of Abraham. Her rights as a wife and mother no other person was entitled to share. She reverenced her husband, and in this she is presented in the New Testament as a worthy example. But she was unwilling that Abraham's affections should be given to another, and the Lord did not reprove her for requiring the banishment of her rival. Both Abraham and Sarah distrusted the power of God, and it was this error that led to the marriage with Hagar.

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

                                                                       God bless!

The man In The Mirror. Sabbath afternoon. 03/25/2017

Mirrors are used in most instances to reflect oneself and the closer a person gets to the mirror, the more detail and definition become apparent. Conversely, the further one stays away from the mirror, there is a likelihood that flaws, and imperfections may be overlooked or missed, and if there is no mirror, the person would have very little ability of knowing, or seeing their true appearance. As a result, the proper and necessary assessments, as well as the remedial actions would not be taken, because the individual lives, oblivious of their own defects. 

In the spiritual realm, the gold standard for mirrors is the law of God, as it is exemplified in the life and teaching of Christ, and therefore, if we truly desire to know what our characters look like, we will need
to do analysis against the background of the law of God, as well as the perfect righteousness of Christ. In fact, Christ is the literal embodiment of the letter, and the spirit of the law, and thus, no human being can know their true condition, without first knowing Christ.

In fact, any personal assessment outside of Jesus is certain to produce man-made goodness, which will never pass the searching scrutiny of Omnipotence. which leads us to our first passage for this evening. Let’s read:

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he
was. 
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

One of the reasons why the mirror is important to mortal man is that our eligibility for eternal life will be judged against the backdrop of God’s law, for in the beginning the law was broken, and in order that we be restored to the first dominion, the law of God must be written in our hearts, and practiced on a daily, continual basis, until it becomes permanently embedded in our characters. It’s very important for us to understand this, because over a period of time efforts have been made to amend, change, modify, and alter the mirror, so that it will reflect what we want to see, not what we need to see.

And thus, because an accurate assessment of our lives, characters, and habits, will ultimately call for change, many have chosen to break the mirror and live in an illusion, rather than face the music, and be changed by the grace of God. This is what had taken place as recently as June 2016, when the definition of original, God ordained marriage was altered by the legislature in order to accommodate different and alternate lifestyles, and as a direct result, the many variations and strands which exist today, are no longer identified as sin but are accepted as being the norm.

Wherever the law of God, which gives an accurate reflection of the man in the mirror, is laid aside to accommodate grievous errors, the morality of the nation, and individuals will be put on a very slippery slope, by which righteousness becomes subjective, and the standard of right and wrong becomes just a matter of mere conscience, without absolute truth being the final arbiter. This then opens the gateway for what we are now witnessing with consternation, with fake news, fake truth, and fake persons, being
the order of the day. 

However, the Bible is clear concerning the role that the law of God is to play, in deciding the eternal destiny of earth’s inhabitants, and it will do us well to ponder soberly, where we stand in relation to the righteousness of Christ, who is the embodiment of the law. The following passages therefore outline in the clearest terms, what is now taking place in the heavenly courts, and which will soon culminate in the irrevocable decisions of the judgement, with the man in the mirror being acquitted, or incriminated, as the case might be. Let’s read:

James 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his
commandments for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

A very important commentary is written by the pen of inspiration, pertaining to these issues, and now it behooves us to search our own souls in the light of these solemn truths, instead of being distracted by the issues of the day. We should also be reminded, that over and over again in the scriptures, The Lord  says He will come suddenly, at a time when earth’s inhabitants are not expecting Him to appear, thus, we must watch, lest coming suddenly, He finds us sleeping. Let’s read:

[G.C. pp 483] As the books of record are opened in the Judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted names rejected.

When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, un-repented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” [Exodus 32:33.] And says the prophet Ezekiel, “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, ... all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned.” [Ezekiel 18:24.]

All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.

But there are specific truths connected with God’s great mirror that we should be cognizant of, for as was stated before, anyone who stands in the mirror will soon discover very serious flaws, and defects of character, and as stated before, the closer one gets to the mirror, the more disturbing revelations will be seen. 

Conversely, self-righteousness is often manifested by those who do not have the mirror, or are not making use of it, for in case after case, wherever believers were brought up close to God’s great looking glass of righteousness, they recoiled in horror when the beheld, what they thought was their own goodness. Let’s read:

Daniel 10:5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 
6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. 
7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 
8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 
9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of
his glory. 
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. 
6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 
2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 
4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. 
5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.
6 And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, 
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Now, if Daniel, Isaiah, and Joshua, the high priest found themselves coming up short, what about you and me, who are living in the 21st century, at a time when God’s law has been tampered with and where self-righteousness is the order of the day. When we hear of persons declaring that they have no need of forgiveness, and others who have never lied, nor done anything wrong, we may know that the time has come, of which Christ spoke in the 3rd chapter of Revelation. Let’s read:

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

This takes us to our case study for this afternoon, to the house of a man, who had become quite rich by clandestine means and fraud, but who, after looking at the man in the mirror, discovered his errors, and consequently saw his dire need of true repentance.  Zacchaeus lived at a time when imperial Rome had subjugated the Jewish nation, much to the chagrin of its inhabitants. And the tax collectors, who were Jewish, were given tremendous leverage in levying taxes against the people.

As a result, the abuse of this authority became so notorious and widespread, that men like Zacchaeus were generally held in contempt by all the ordinary people, for they had gotten their riches by milking the populace. But Zacchaeus found himself staring at the mirror of God’s great law, in which he saw himself as he truly was in the sight of God. His own conscience was then awakened to the enormity of his sin, and the counsel of God to repent was set in motion. The rest of his life story is history. Let’s
read:

Luke 19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. 
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, that he was gone to be guest with a man that is a
sinner. 
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

There are many Zacchaeus’ is still alive today for there are many rich men who have gotten their wealth by grinding the faces of the poor, and who are now held in great contempt by the populace in general. The apostle James alludes to this fact as symptomatic of the days in which we live currently. The same greed, the same extortion, the same overreaching is to be seen in the lives of many, and like Zacchaeus some are in dire need of repentance. 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 laborers 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. 
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 
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.

There are certain actions which can and should be taken, as soon as the man in the mirror is exposed, and some of these actions do not require baptism, before being taken. They are literal actions which pertain to the resolution of errors in action, which can be addressed, prior to one’s conversion. When the conviction of sin rested upon Zacchaeus, he did not wait to see Jesus personally, before he began to retrace his steps, for restitution, can and should be done, even if one has not been baptized as yet.

Similarly, if a drug dealer becomes convicted in his conscience that what he’s doing is wrong, there’s no need to keep selling drugs until he meets Christ. Instead, all of his reserves and supplies should be dispensed with, as soon as he has looked into the mirror, and then, Jesus will do for him, what he cannot do for himself, in giving him a new heart
and mind.

Whatever our individual situation may be, wherever we may have come up short, the word of God to us is for us to take a good look at the mirror, and like Daniel, Zacchaeus, Isaiah, and Joshua, repent, so that the perfect righteousness of Christ can then be imputed, and imparted to us. Thus, we end with an invitation from Christ, pointing us to our present duty, especially since we are living on borrowed time. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:20 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. 
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

                                                                      God bless!
 

Laws From The Great Physician. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/18/2017

Every administration that has come upon the stage of action has promised to reduce the national debt, but for some reason, we are left deeper in the red than before. Added to this, there is also a trickle- down effect, by which many families and individuals churches, local and state governments are now also been mired in the snare of increasing debt. 

We are increasingly becoming locked in a chain of circumstances, from which there will be no escape, and the time is coming when the issue will be so out of control, that we will certainly become permanent prisoners of our own devices, if we do not rise to the occasion, and earnestly begin to implement the laws and counsels of the Great physician. In the next passages, we will observe the great, eternal principle of replenishing, which is indispensable for the perpetuation of any system. Let’s read: 

Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: 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.

Any system which does not incorporate the eternal principle of replenishing is doomed to fail, and this principle also applies to monetary issues, temporal endeavors, spiritual advancement, and every issue pertaining to our health and well-being. Take for instance, our spiritual growth and development, which is necessary for us stay the course with Jesus. No Christian will be able to abide in Christ, without daily prayer, and study of God’s word, for the word of God, as well as His Holy Spirit must be renewed in our hearts daily, if we will withstand the powerful forces of evil from within, and without.

In other words, where there is no regular prayer, or rejuvenation of our spirit through our communion with God, it’s just a matter of time before we will fall, and succumb to temptation. It’s not if, but when! Let’s read:
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp. 717>718] As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of man's carnal nature. The work of the enemy is not abrupt; it is not, at the outset, sudden and startling; it is a secret undermining of the strongholds of principle. It begins in apparently small things—the neglect to be true to God and to rely upon Him wholly.

The same principle of replenishing also applies to all financial issues, and stability, for if we indulge in the habit of binge-spending from the piggy bank, one day our financial reserves will run out. Whenever satan succeeds in getting nations and individuals trapped in a deadly cycle of recurring debt, he also suggests that the only way out of the difficulty is to borrow more money.

But for some reason, in the overwhelming majority of cases, those who subscribe to his philosophies are sunken deeper in the pit of financial slavery. It’s very, very strange, that the richest nation on the planet finds itself in the unfortunate situation of having to borrow from poorer countries.

This is the reason why God in His wisdom has set in motion the very same principle of replenishing His treasury, with the willing offerings, tithes, and gifts of His people, so that the churches, as well as His people should not be financially embarrassed. As a general rule of thumb, the habit of borrowing must be avoided, and should only be encouraged when it is absolutely necessary. If we were to follow all His wise instructions and principles, then the following verses of scripture may apply to us. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 28:9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. 
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. 
11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods.
12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 
13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

But just as we must replenish ourselves spiritually, we must also replenish physically too, if we would enjoy long life, health, and well-being. What we eat directly impacts the replenishing processes, as does obedience to the other laws of health which govern our being. Any disregard, or ignorance of these laws will produce adverse results, and will certainly set the stage for the onset of various diseases, aches and pains, and ailments which may have otherwise been prevented.

One of the primary drivers of personal and national debt is the issue of increasing health care costs, and because the laws of replenishing are not now being generally implemented, we will find ourselves in a death spiral, by which we would become engulfed in irretrievable ruin of all sorts. Hence the reason why, as the health-care crisis rises to new heights, the counsels coming from The Great Physician will be more blunt, for the messages given represent a wake-up call to an emergency. Thus, the following statistics are the results of studies, and research done by governmental agencies.

In 2015, U.S. health care spending increased 5.8 percent to reach $3.2 trillion, or $9,990 per person. The coverage expansion that began in 2014 as a result of in the Affordable Care Act continued to have an impact on the growth of health care spending in 2015. Additionally, faster growth in total health care spending in 2015 was driven by stronger growth in spending for private health insurance, hospital care, physician, and clinical services, and the continued strong growth in Medicaid and retail prescription drug spending. Hospital Care (32 percent share): Spending for hospital care increased 5.6 percent.

A system such as this is unsustainable, and we will begin to observe that the health message, and the health care crisis will coincide, as we run out of all viable options, and workable solutions to address the problem. It’s very sad to see our congressmen, many of whom may be well-intentioned, suggesting this or that idea, when, if we were to individually follow some of the basic instructions given in God’s word, we would be able to reduce both our national and personal healthcare costs by many hundreds of billions of dollars per year. 

As a matter of fact, because we focus more on the treatment of symptoms rather than causes, we are literally throwing money down the drain, chasing after an elusive dream. Thus, the counsel coming from The Great Physician to us today, is that it all boils down to individual responsibility in most cases, even though there are provisions and exceptions for those who are born with certain disabilities, or who may not be able to do any better.

But, the issue of our personal health and well-being, should not be a matter left for the Feds to settle, but as much as we can, we should take responsibility for our choices, and the accompanying results. The following important points are submitted for our consideration, as we address the issue of health moving forward. God much more prefers His people to be in perfect health, for the tenure of our service can be greatly extended, and The Lord can use us to do much more work in His vineyard, than if we were bogged down with health issues. 

[1] Banning certain junk foods from the market will not remedy the problem, because the core issue is our freedom to choose, not the myriad of products on display at restaurants, and at supermarkets. The feds cannot be expected to ban hot dogs, French fries, sodas, or rare steak, for this will constitute the use of force, which will contrary to God’s kingdom. It is left with us to choose, whether we will follow the dietary laws and principles given in God’s word, or whether we will use our freedom to disobey.

[2] Some special interest groups have taken it upon themselves to demonize the junk food industry, and burgers, hot dogs, and French fries have often been found guilty in the court of public opinion. But, The Great Physician says it all comes down to the issue of freedom of choice, for Mc-Donald’s and KFC do not stand in their doorways with a baseball bat, to force unwilling customers to consume their various products. Furthermore, the same God who created apples, pumpkins, and fruit, also created the swine, the oyster, and the mouse, so the choice is ours.

[3] It is futile to mount a serious campaign against the companies and industries which produce junk food, for our God-given freedom of choice affords us the privilege of choosing either good or evil. In other words, we should be left completely free to choose between shrimp and black beans, between salad or french-fries, when we go out dining, for McDonalds, and Walmart are not the problem, the choice is ours. If by the grace of God, we are taken to heaven, to that perfect world, there we will find several items, and products that should never ever
be eaten. It all boils down to obedience through choice. 

There are some folks who may live in Ghetto land, surrounded by drugs, crime and prostitution of all sorts, and yet those same communities have often produced pastors, bishops, teachers, and decent law-abiding citizens. The choices made by persons is what made all the difference, in most instances. The buck generally stops with the individual, and for this reason, we are largely responsible for the choices we make.

Not long ago, large sugary sodas were banned in New York city, in an effort to address the staggering increases in obesity and diabetes. But all of these sincere efforts would never produce the desired results if we do not choose wisely. In fact, whenever something unhealthy is banned, the product usually just goes underground, in the form of "Moonshine", and human nature will diligently seek out that which has been prohibited. 

Hence the reason why, in the current debate over healthcare, the issues of personal choice, and our responsibility must be brought into the equation, or else, we will be forever spinning our wheels in the proverbial mud. The temperance movement, which sought to ban alcohol in the United States as the nation headed into the 20th century, produced the opposite of the intended result. In the early 1900s, states began to pass different laws, which banned alcohol sales, and consumption. 

Then, in 1920, a nationwide Prohibition went into effect, but instead of eradicating the problem, it produced a great windfall for the moonshiners. Suddenly, there was no legal alcohol available. The demand for moonshine shot up like a rocket, for moonshiners couldn't keep up with the demand, which led to cheaper, sugar-based moonshine, as
well as watered-down moonshine.

Organized crime blossomed as speakeasies opened in every city. In these secret saloons, there were hidden doors, and passwords, and escape routes in case the "Feds" ever showed up to conduct a raid. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, the market for moonshine grew thin, and today, very few illegal alcohol cases are heard in the courts. [Excerpts from Science, How Stuff Works].

The reason why the nationwide ban produced the opposite effect, is because, as a general rule of thumb, banned products become more valuable to human nature, and the more they are prohibited, the more they will be sought after. This is just a by-product of fallen human nature. In the garden Eden there were a million and one trees, but the only one on which a prohibition was placed, then became the most sought after. 

Similarly, we can eat by Whole Foods or we may eat at Mcdonald’s, the determining factor is whether or not we will abide by the provisions, and prohibitions given by The Great Physician, because, believe it or not, both outlets do sell fries and salads. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3: 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

[4] Insurance companies are not charities, they exist to do business, and to turn a profit. No one should be deluded about whether our personal health may be of any grave concern to these institutions, from a solely compassionate perspective, for their bottom line is money. As a matter of fact, the ideal situation for an insurance company, is when healthy people enroll, which will ultimately drive down medical costs, and expenses to the institution. But from a purely empathetic perspective, they couldn’t care less whether we live or die.

The aforementioned points bring us to the counsels of The Great Physician, for in His Love-letter to the human family, He has stipulated what should, and shouldn’t be eaten. He has also given counsel on issues such as temperance, exercise, and adequate rest, so that his people may enjoy optimum health. It is then left up to us to obey, or if we so choose, to disregard His instructions, but one thing is certain, He will never employ the use of force to make us live a certain way.

The following therefore, are His counsels pertaining to the causes of the three most prominent diseases, now plaguing, and engulfing our healthcare system, namely diabetes, heart disease, and many types of cancers, most of which are preventable, if we would follow His wise counsels preemptively. Let’s read:

Psalms 77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. 
13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Leviticus 3:14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 
15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. 
16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for all the fat is the Lord's. 
17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

Leviticus 7:22 And the Lord spake saying, 
23 Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. 
24 The fat may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. 
25 For whosoever eateth the fat of beast, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. 
26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 
27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

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

The word “Honey” covers the entire range of sweets and “goodies” in which there is to be found considerable sugar content. This includes your favorite ice-creams, sodas, chocolates, pastries, black cakes, dates, candies, lollipops, apple pies, and fruit juices. Wherever sugar in any form is to be found, it should be used in moderation if the source is good, and if the source is bad, the item should be entirely discarded.

No one should be left ignorant of the laws of cause and effect, which are often left to run their natural course, contrary to what smooth-talking preachers may say. If we follow God’s instructions, He will work within us to will and to do His good pleasure, but if we refuse, our prayers for deliverance after we indulge in deliberate disobedience, may return unanswered. 
 
We end our short discourse with both a promise and a warning coming from The Great Physician, for it is His earnest desire that we prosper, and be in health, even as our souls prosper. The following passages should thus be clearly understood, and applied in the context. Let’s read:

Exodus 15:26 "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

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.

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded. 
25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. 
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. 
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. 
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised
all my reproof. 
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

                                                                   God bless! 
 

Casting The First stone. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/11/2017

The study for this afternoon is based on the counsel given by Christ teaching us not to judge or condemn another, nor make foregone conclusions, for only God can read the secret thoughts, and motives of the heart. The reason for this is that many who may indulge in judgmental behaviors, are themselves often guilty of even greater sins, and thus we would disqualify ourselves from correcting others, if we are found to be actively practicing deliberate sin. It is not to say that one must be perfect to preach the gospel, for that time will never come; however, we should avoid the tendency to judge, and condemn. Let’s read:

During the past election cycle, politicians on both sides of the aisle accused each other of lying and perjury; but lo and behold, the same disturbing trend has again emerged, with blatant falsehoods being spoken, and embraced by some. And thus, it is found that the former accusers, have now become the accused. The same thing occurs all too often in Christian circles, where we too may deliberately, or inadvertently point fingers at others, whereas “The man in the mirror” might be the biggest problem. The instructions of Christ on the matter of judging is therefore relevant to both Christians, and all secular folk alike. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull
out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

This passage of scripture constitutes a very solemn warning against the tendency to judge each other's actions, and motives, even when there seems to be a weight of evidence in favor doing so. For instance, when Hannah was praying in the temple, pouring out her soul to God for a child, Eli accused her of being drunk. But at the same time, He himself was not restraining his own sons who were having sex with the female church members, on the church premises. In addition to these grave sins, Eli let his sons practice “Stop and frisk” when it came to the offerings allotted to the priests. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 
16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 
17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

1st Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. 
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. 
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

Let us just suppose that Hannah was actually drunk; which sin, in reality would be greater in the sight of God and man? Having a few bud lights or having sex on the church premises with the members under his son’s care? Again, a prominent, former televangelist was noted for his public railings against the LGBTQ community, calling them sinners, and even leading a march against them, in protest of their alternative lifestyle. But some time afterward it was discovered that the same preacher was interfering with some of the young men at his mega church, much to the chagrin of his parishioners who had held him up on a pedestal, and the rest is history. 

Now, it is true that Christians need to stand up for God-ordained marriage, but those of us who might advocate for such values should not ourselves be living in violation of the same truths we preach, nor should any similar skeletons be found in our closets. A very solemn, and sacred duty devolves upon the shoulders of those who espouse the name of Christ, and the principles of His kingdom to live in harmony with what we preach, for great damage is done to the cause of Christ, when leaders and preachers are found guilty of the very same sins they condemn. It’s akin to a betrayal of the most sacred duties and trusts. Let’s read: 

1st Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Thus, in both of the previous cases, we observe a scenario in which the accuser was guilty of much graver sins, than the one accused, which brings us to the core of our study for this afternoon. Jesus is teaching the people, when suddenly, the Pharisees, and scribes drag a woman into His presence, demanding redress to a supposed grave offense, which in their minds, warrants the death sentence. 

John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 

Now, at first glance, there seems to be something amiss with this accusation, for although it was true, we know that it takes at least two people to commit adultery, so one person is obviously missing from the equation. In addition, since adultery is, and was considered a grievous crime, it’s most likely that the act did not take place in a public setting, for the two persons would be in hiding, which then raises the question of how did these teachers of the law catch her in the “very act”. 

It’s very strange that the man in question, was able to escape, whilst the woman alone was caught red-handed. Very strange! Christ looks on the spectacle in dismay, He listens to their accusations, and then he begins to write in the dust before Him. Let’s read:

John 8:5 What sayest thou?  
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 

As the eyes of the multitude were drawn towards the ground in curiosity, it was discovered that Christ was writing out much graver sins that were being committed by the woman’s accusers, and as they realized that their personal records were now being searched by the eye of Omnipotence, they began, one by one to recoil in silence. Some of the words Christ wrote, without mentioning particular names were: Tax evasion, corban, wife beater, drunkard, party animal, tithe robbers, liars, unpaid workers, covetousness, etc.

Many of the accusers left in silence, and with their heads bowed down low, fearing that their names might be disclosed. But some of the accusers dared to remain, because the previous categories of sins did not speak to their consciences. And because of this, it was necessary for Jesus to continue writing, even though He still refrained from adding any specific names to the charges. 

God does not take any pleasure in exposing, or embarrassing the sinner, thus Christ will convict the accusers in their consciences, without identifying who they actually were. The very same method was employed with Judas, when Christ said “One of you shall betray me”, then leaving each of His disciples to search their own souls in private, while they kept guessing who it might be. As Christians, we should always seek to shield the sinner from any public embarrassment, as far as this is possible, for this is the law and the prophets. Let’s read:

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 

Tootsies, porn, gambler, pedophile, extortioner, liar, fraudster, Ponzi scheme, medical malpractice, etc. 

John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman.

After this second round of writing, it was discovered that the scribes and Pharisees who had accused the woman, had now disappeared mysteriously without a trace, leaving Christ, and the trembling victim all alone. Then the words that will arouse the noblest aspirations in the human spirit, those encouraging words that signal the dawn of a brand new day, are spoken by Christ, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

John 8:10 He said unto her, hath no man condemned thee? 
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

There is a great spiritual lesson in this for us, for at times we may be urged, or prompted by others to judge, condemn, or draw conclusions about others. Let's try by the grace of God to avoid such actions, considering our own selves, lest we also be found guilty. A very important commentary, pertinent to our study, is written by the pen of inspiration, and it will do us well if we were to follow closely in the footsteps of Christ. Let’s read:

[D.A. pp 462] The woman had stood before Jesus, cowering with fear. His words, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone,” had come to her as a death sentence. She dared not lift her eyes to the Savior's face, but silently awaited her doom. In astonishment she saw her accusers depart speechless and confounded; then those words of hope fell upon her ear, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” Her heart was melted, and she cast herself at the feet of Jesus, sobbing out her grateful love, and with bitter tears confessing her sins.

This was to her the beginning of a new life, a life of purity and peace, devoted to the service of God. In the uplifting of this fallen soul, Jesus performed a greater miracle than in healing the most grievous physical disease; He cured the spiritual malady which is unto death everlasting. This penitent woman became one of His most steadfast followers. With self-sacrificing love and devotion she repaid His forgiving mercy.

In His act of pardoning this woman and encouraging her to live a better life, the character of Jesus shines forth in the beauty of perfect righteousness. While He does not palliate sin, nor lessen the sense of guilt, He seeks not to condemn, but to save. It is not Christ's follower that, with averted eyes, turns from the erring, leaving them unhindered to pursue their downward course. 

Those who are forward in accusing others, and zealous in bringing them to justice, are often in their own lives more guilty than they. Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This will be the spirit of all who follow Him. Christian love is slow to censure, quick to discern penitence, ready to forgive, to encourage, to set the wanderer in the path of holiness, and to stay his feet therein.

We end with a passage of scripture which should be adopted both in theory and in practice, by all who take the name of Jesus. 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.

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

                                                                  God bless!
 

God's Preventive Healthcare. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/04/2017

The physical, and spiritual well-being of the people mean a whole lot to Him, because, not only does good health promote quality of life, and longevity, but it may also extend the period of time in which we can do service for Christ. Thus, He has given to us a healthcare plan that will facilitate the practice, and benefits of the laws of health, when we follow His instructions diligently. In addition to the many benefits derived in the here and now, there is also the prospect before us that some folks who are now living may never die, but may instead be translated to heaven at the 2nd coming of Christ. Let’s read:

1st Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So now that Obamacare might be on the chopping- block, it would be a good time for us to consider the alternative God has provided in His word because in very many cases, it may be not necessary to waste precious resources, paying for some of those drugs and medicines which do not address the root cause of disease, but instead only afford temporary relief. For instance, most of the pain relievers available on the market today do not solve the root cause of the pain, but yet they leave deadly traces in their path, which will catch up with the users sooner or later. 

For instance, one of the reasons why diabetics, and those who may suffer from high blood pressure are given a regimen of drugs to follow, is because it is the symptoms that are being treated, not the root cause, and thus, the drug companies are producing millions of decent, law abiding drug addicts. In addition, any continuous dependence on drugs for survival, is not the ideal will of God for His people.

Again, in one advertisement from a prominent drug manufacturer of antacid, the sufferers are depicted as eating those foods which cause the problems of dyspepsia, and indigestion. Then the words “Fight back” are used, and a dose of the medicine is given. Quick relief follows and then the sufferers are again shown at the same table, ready for another adverse cycle of wrong eating, and temporary relief. This is definitely not God’s will, for any habit or pattern of eating or drinking, which will adversely affect the body, must be given up, in order to facilitate good
health.

However, in our study today, we will not focus too much on natural remedies, diets and foods, but will instead observe a few important pointers, which would give us guidance as we move forward. Thus, the overarching laws and principles pervading God’s healthcare system, and other man-made systems of healthcare will be seen stark contrast, but before we begin, there are a few fundamentals we should understand.

[1] God does not enforce His health laws, instead He allows the laws of cause and effect to run their natural course. Although The Lord has stipulated in His word what should, and should not be eaten, any person may freely consume anything, from legumes to snails, from veggies to cockroaches, it all has to do with our freedom to choose which God does not, and will not coerce. Let’s read:

Proverbs 26:2 "As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come"... 

This passage of scripture teaches us of the laws of cause and effect, and reiterates the solemn truth, that "The Curse", referring to those adverse results and consequences arising from our bad choices or a wrong course of action, does not occur in a vacuum. Now, it is true, that there are some conditions that are not preventable by the person in question, for one may have been born with such an issue, but in very many cases, other diseases are preventable. 

Our current system of medicine focuses a whole lot on treating the symptoms of diseases, rather than first addressing the root cause of the problems, and because of this, a deadly cycle has emerged that costs trillions of dollars, and millions of preventable deaths. God's plan is prevention, with His miraculous power as a back-up. 

[2] Any healthcare system which focuses primarily on treating symptoms, is a very flawed system, for God’s system involves cutting disease at its roots, which in most cases will call for lifestyle changes. Here is where some of the so-called miracle working preachers today have done tremendous damage, by offering to the multitudes, miraculous healing, with no lifestyle change. 

This manner of working directly contradicts the way in which Jesus healed, for He taught us, by precept and example, that if diseases are brought on, as a result of a wrong course of action, our habits, and practice must be corrected. Thus in very many cases what seems to be the power of God at work in mass assemblies for random healing is really the power of demons being manifested, parading under disguise of Christianity. Let’s read: 

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

[3] Coverage does not prevent the onset of disease nor the approach of death, for thousands of people die each year, being fully covered. All that coverage does is to afford access to healthcare, when we get sick. That’s all. It’s akin to the gospel of Jesus Christ which covers every person born into this world. But millions of people will be eternally lost, even though full coverage has been provided, because of their own choices. Which leads us to our next point.

[4] Prevention is better than cure. One of the main highlights of Obamacare is preventive medicine, by which insurance companies are required to provide medicines and services that can stave off the onset of disease. Now, that's all well and good however, the main obstacle standing in the way of prevention is our freedom to choose. In other words, Humana, Aetna, and Cigna can provide for all the preventive medicine they like, however, that does not prevent anyone from buying a big mac, and a large order of fries. 

Similarly, Progressive insurance company can grant full comprehensive coverage to an 18yr. old, but that coverage does not prevent him from drag racing on the street. Therefore, in most cases, the preventive medicines and services provided, are only as good as the choices made by those who are thus covered. Which leads us to a very common-sense passage of scripture, which should be applied to every area of our lives. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

[5] Most of the diseases we now suffer with here in America, are the results of what we eat, or how we eat. Believe it or not, the incorrect ingestion of food and drink must be addressed, if we desire to bring down our insurance bills significantly. In the Bible, a direct and undeniable connection is made between what we eat, and the fountain of youth, and thus, we owe it to ourselves to ask the introspect question, “Am I now doing, or eating, and drinking anything that will adversely affect my overall health, and ultimately my wallet? Let’s read:

Psalms 103: 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.

Many people have become very discouraged in the battle against weight-loss, and they have essentially lost the inner drive to tackle the problem. Indeed, if we were to observe the many times we may have started on weight-loss programs, shed a few pounds, stopped, and started again, we may discover, that over a lifetime, we had lost our entire body weight over, and over again.  The many fad diets, and quick weight-loss programs may produce temporary gains, but many people relapse after a while, because the main goal was to lose weight, not to change lifestyle and habits.

A much better approach would be an entire lifestyle change, by which the causes of weight gain can be addressed, and corrected over the long-term. Thus, a systematic, well thought out plan for sustainable health will produce long-lasting results, especially when coupled together with faith in God, and consistent adherence to the laws, and principles of healthful living.

[6] Two main culprits are identified in the Bible as the root cause of most common diseases, and the pertinent instructions have been given for avoiding their use as articles of food. However, when we read of any dietary prohibitions in the scriptures we should understand that God has given them for our best good, and as such, we should read and practice objectively, even though our favorite foods may be involved. Let’s read: 

Leviticus 7:22 And the Lord spake saying, 
23 Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat. 
24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. 
25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. 
26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 
27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Some folks claim that these dietary laws were given for the Jewish people only, but that claim is clearly disputed, both in the scripture and by discoveries of modern medicine. If in our day, any orthodox Jew was fed animal fat, and meat with traces of blood, and another ordinary gentile from the Bronx was fed the same diet, the results would be the same for Jew and gentile, because the laws of health given in the Bible are universal in nature, meaning that they apply to every person, with no distinction or bias, based on creed or race. Furthermore, if we desire clarification on this matter, it’s best to ask a Jew. Let’s read:

Acts 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

This leads us to the core of our study, for Christ has made abundantly clear in His word, the way healing takes place under His healthcare plan, and we will need to study the blueprint very, very carefully, so that we may be enabled to distinguish between the true and the false. For every good thing Christ has given the human family, satan has a counterfeit, and just as there is a God-ordained healthcare plan, there is one being orchestrated by the enemy. 

Thus, we should understand that miraculous healing that comes without a call for permanent, concrete change, where it is warranted, is not a production of God, but is the counterfeit on display. Therefore, the following Biblical examples deal primarily with diseases which could have been prevented, and includes the course to be pursued by those who seek healing, which comes from God. Let’s read:

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Mark 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and  the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

We end with a passage of scripture which asks of us an introspect question, and as we contemplate the answers, let us remember that open registration in God’s preventive healthcare plan begins today! Let’s read:

Jeremiah 8:21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 
22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

                                                                         God bless!
 

666. The System Of Numbers. Sabbath Afternoon. 02/25/2017

The system of identifying individuals by numbers began many years ago, and was adopted for good reasons, the primary one being that the system is infinite for we can never run out of numbers. Since  the time when it was first introduced into the major industrial countries, the system has ballooned into a phenomena we now cannot live without, because at every turn, and for almost every transaction, we are hedged in and dependent on numbers of some sort, thus making it quite difficult to exist outside of the numerical system.

The current identification system that’s being used, tethers a person’s face, their fingerprints, and other biometrics to a series of numbers, which must then be used to access almost all goods and services that are “apparently” essential for life. And because of this, almost any transaction we need to engage in, and almost every place we need to go, we will run into the system of numbers. The following are just some of the essential areas of our lives that are difficult to access without the use of numbers.

Health-care: A person falls sick, and needs to see the doctor, or needs to be taken to the hospital if it’s an emergency. But before being admitted, there are certain numbers that will be required, which will include member I.D number, group number, payer I.D number, etc. amongst others. The same is true for filing any insurance claim, because a series of numbers will first be required before the claims can be processed.

Ditto for federal benefits of any kind, for a person’s social security number, together with other forms of numerical identification must be submitted first, before payments of benefits can be received. The same requirements must also be met, in order to access federal buildings, to travel, to do banking, to engage in social networking, to access all types of credit, to receive refunds when purchases are made using plastic, or checks, and in some instances, even to use the county disposal may require a person to produce an identification number of some kind.

Even the lottery is not immune to the numerical system, for if a person purchases a winning mega-millions ticket, he/ she must produce some sort of number in order to access the winning funds. For us to pay bills, close on a mortgage, for us to file taxes, and even to be buried, some sort, or a combination of numbers must be produced. Also, when a person is born, he/she is immediately subjected to a series of numbers, so as it stands currently, our existence is hedged in, and it is almost totally dependent on several branches of the numerical system.

Thus, it is becoming increasingly difficult, and nearly impossible for a person to exist without being tied to the numerical system. As a matter of fact, many undocumented immigrants now living in America, are living outside of the numerical system, and we are beginning to see how extremely difficult it can be. Now, the Bible states that the issue of worship will soon, also be tethered to the numerical system which is what the mark of the beast is all about. 

The number 6 is a number which represents the imperfection of man, for man was created on the sixth day of the week, and therefore, triple (666) is emblematic of a man-made system of existence, which is totally devoid of God. Thus, in its efforts to perpetuate its existence, humanity will realize that worship of some sort is necessary, and thus, in its attempts to enforce worship, a national day of rest will be implemented, to which all must subscribe, if they desire to retain their economic privileges. Let’s read: 

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns
like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
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.

Thus, a singular and definite decision will have to be made by the followers of Christ in the future, when the mark of the beast begins to be implemented for we will have to decide whether we will live by faith, or by numbers. The Bible says that the just shall live by faith, but the numerical system does not require faith for access. In contrast, the storehouse of God’s blessings, providences, and deliverances can only be unlocked, and accessed with the key of faith. So says the scripture. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And then the Bible goes on to demonstrate in real time, how faith in God must be interwoven in all of our experiences, giving us a rich, and inexhaustible resource that transcends the limitations of living by numbers. From Abel to Enoch, from Noah to father Abraham, and from Christ, to those who will exist amid the closing scenes of earth’s history, faith in God alone will be the motif by which true believers will live. The importance of this mode of thought, and action cannot be stressed enough, for we will need to exercise it in the most literal sense, in the not too distant future. 

As was stated before on this forum, living by faith in God alone does not happen overnight, but instead is the result of myriad experiences, through which we come to know God, have proven His promises, and have cultivated the habit of trusting in Him for any and everything by obedience to His every word. Now, although we do currently live in the numerical system, yet it is necessary that we cultivate a living faith, by not looking to mortal man for solutions, but instead, looking to Christ as our all in all. 

As we read, and study the lives of the various Bible characters we will see that man-made institutions, limitations, conventional wisdom, and systems were never consulted in their decision to obey God. God gave them instructions, they obeyed, and the rest is history. We will also observe that many challenges they faced are similar to ours, and their difficulties were surmounted by relying wholly upon God, not on man. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. 
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured not accepting deliverance.

To demonstrate in the most literal sense what living by faith in God alone, and outside of the numerical system translates into, we will take one example of faith, which shows us how we must exist in the not too distant future, when the mark of the beast will be tethered to the numerical system. Paul and his fellows are stranded upon the island of Melita, and because the night is cold, they gather sticks to start a bon-fire. Whilst doing so, a venomous snake sinks its deadly fangs into Paul’s hand, the people look for him to succumb to the poison, but he doesn’t, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Acts 28:2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold. 
3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. 
5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. 
6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Now, we are not suggesting by any means that any person listening today should pursue the very same course of action, because, we may now engage the numerical system to receive our medical assistance, without violating our consciences. What the Bible is saying however, is that the time is coming when, if we find ourselves in a similar emergency, the use of any medical facility will not be an option, unless we subscribe to the 666, numerical system. 

This is the grim, sobering truth facing all those who will stand firmly for the right, during the darkest days of earth’s history, regardless of consequences. All we would have to lean upon during this fearful time, will be the promises of God, and for us to live in such a radical manner will not occur suddenly, for it takes time to learn how to trust and obey. Thus it is, that the experiences of faith and obedience God may now be granting us, should be used as stepping stones, so that when the big one comes, we would already be accustomed to walking by faith. 

The following passages should be understood, and studied very closely because when they are coupled together with faith and obedience to Christ’s every word, they will form a bulwark against any, and all incursions of the evil one. Living by these promises would be necessary, in order that we be enabled to refuse the numerical system, which will be forced upon all people, and yet survive by God’s grace and power alone. We must begin with the cultivation of a living connection with Christ, without which the promises of God to us are meaningless. Let’s read:

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; 
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Isaiah 4:5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.
6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 
9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; 
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone

[E.W pp. 271] 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.

We just have to let you know that the big push now being made with the chip program locally is not a coincidence, for it began to take shape here locally during the election season. And thus, it is of critical importance that its advocates and practitioners try to study, and understand the deep import of the following passages and quotations. Let’s read:

Psalms 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.

[C.D. pp 72] “When the third angel's message is received in its fullness”. Question: What is the third angel’s message? The Bibles gives us the answer: 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…

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. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.

Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

It behooves us then to begin to put into practice, the instructions God has given us for so long, for as we are seeing with our own eyes, final movements will be rapid ones. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which we will do well to contemplate often. Let’s read: 

 Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 
3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

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

                                                                         God bless!
 

Giving God A deadline. Sabbath Afternoon. 02/18/2017

Many of us as Christians need to practice patience in real time, for it is one of the main characteristics by which those who live in the last days, will come forth victoriously. Waiting upon God is not so much about specific deadlines, as it is watching for the guiding cloud, to see what He will do, and when He will do it. And because God is a Spirit, our moods do determine, to a large extent, whether we will make ourselves vulnerable to the assaults of the evil one, who often tempts us specifically on deadlines.

As a general rule of thumb, the problem most folks have with God is that we think He takes too long to fulfill His word. And wherever this is the case, the door is swung wide open for us to be tempted to adopt alternative methods, and principles, which
inevitably lead us to sin against God or man. Thus, the mood we harbor whilst waiting, sets the stage for miracles and success, or failure and defeat. 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.
 
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Thus we will embark upon an extensive observation of several incidents, and occurrences in the Bible, with a specific emphasis on mood, and the results and effect it has on outcomes. It’s important for us to learn our lessons well as we study, because great patience, and a calm assurance must be manifested in our lives as we wait in earnest expectation of the soon return of Christ, in the not too distant future. Our journey begins with Abraham and Sarah, who had been given a specific promise from God that they would have a child, and that against all odds.

The promise was made to Abraham when he was seventy-five years of age, and thus, according to conventional wisdom, they both will have a limited amount of time for the promise to be fulfilled, or so they thought. And so, they waited, and waited, and waited. One year passes, with no results, two years, then three, then four. A decade goes by, and to all appearances, it seems God has forgotten about the promise. 

Two decades, and still no child. Abraham and Sarah are now old, she has long passed menopause, and both of them, being members of AARP, are eligible for benefits for the elderly. They receive retirement funds from the social security administration, and the golden years roll on and on, and still no child, all of which are grim reminders that time is supposedly running out. And because, like Bob Marley, most of us do not like to wait in vain, an alternative plan is suggested, which will ultimately lead them into a serious sin, and in the process, the course of history will be changed forever. 

This past week, the president of the United states met with current Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss hopes of a peace deal with the Palestinians. The age-old conflict between the two nations can be traced back to that one, fatal decision that was made when Abraham and Sarah thought that God was taking too long! Let’s read: 

Genesis 15:5 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.

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.

Next, we go to the Hebrews who are instructed to wait, whilst Moses is called up to the mountain, to commune with God, and to be given the two tables of stone, engraved with the ten commandments. The very nature of the call to Moses suggests it must be open-ended, and thus, The Great God of heaven is not to be held to a specific deadline, to which He must comply. Both the people, and Moses are to wait patiently for God to make the very next move, whenever He thinks is best. Let’s read:

Exodus 24:12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. 
13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 
14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. 
16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

A very interesting commentary is written by the pen of inspiration, pertaining to Moses’ wait upon the mount. One day passes, and nothing happens, two days, and still nothing. Three days, four days, and still not a word from God. What is one supposed to do during this time of waiting upon God, and what should be our mood, when His timing seems to be open-ended? Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets. pp 313]  For six days the cloud covered the mountain as a token of God's special presence; yet there was no revelation of Himself or communication of His will. He had been directed, “Come up to Me into the mount, and be there,” and though his patience and obedience were tested, he did not grow weary of watching, or forsake his post. This period of waiting was to him a time of preparation, of close self-examination Six days must be employed in devoting himself to God by searching of heart, meditation and prayer before he could be prepared for direct communication with his Maker.

But at the base of the mount, an entirely different mood has pervaded the restless multitude. One day passes, then two days. One week, and then two weeks, and still no word, or sign from Moses. One month, and still silence, and so, a supposedly viable alternative is suggested, because, as far as they are concerned God is taking too long! Like Abraham and Sarah, the suggested alternative will inevitably lead to sin, because, although many of us may not know it, giving God a deadline is a sin. 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.
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

[Patriarchs & Prophets. Pp 319>320] During this period of waiting, there was time for them to meditate upon the law of God which they had heard, and to prepare their hearts to receive the further revelations that He might make to them. They had none too much time for this work; and had they been thus seeking a clearer understanding of God's requirements, and humbling their hearts before Him, they would have been shielded from temptation. 

But they did not do this, and they soon became careless, inattentive, and lawless. As they drew near the encampment, they beheld the people shouting and dancing around their idol. It was a scene of heathen riot. 

But the next incident is different, because this time God gives a specific deadline, which comes and goes with no sign of His promise. Here is where many of us as Christians have stumbled, and this is why we need to learn our lessons well, while we can. If God has given a specific time, and it comes and passes, with no apparent sign of His promise, that fact should not change our mood, from being calm and patient, to being restless, and complaining, because waiting upon God puts Him in the driver’s seat, to fulfill His promises at His discretion.

Saul is told to wait for Samuel, for he will show up in seven days, to offer sacrifice and ask God’s blessing, before the army goes into battle. And Saul actually obeys, and waits, and waits, and waits. One day passes, then two. Three days, four days, and still no sign of Samuel. He begins to panic, for his soldiers are beginning to desert him, and many are already M.I. A. Five days, then six days, and then with a firm deadline in mind, he impatiently waits for the entire seventh day, and still no sign of Samuel. 

Finally, in desperation, he does what he hesitates to do, for his conscience is telling him that it is wrong. However, because the deadline has come and gone, he feels that he has no choice but to institute plan B for as far as he is concerned, God is taking too long. 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. 
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, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 
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, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

Remember now, that we are paying close attention to Saul’s mood during the time of waiting; whether it will be with that calm assurance, Psalms spoke of earlier, our whether he will join with the young and the restless. The mood he indulges will ultimately determine whether he will succumb to temptation, or whether he will come forth victoriously. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets. Pp 618] The time for the proving of Saul had come. He was now to show whether or not he would depend on God and patiently wait according to His command, thus revealing himself as one whom God could trust in trying places as the ruler of His people, or whether he would be vacillating and unworthy of the sacred responsibility that had devolved upon him. Would the king whom Israel had chosen, listen to the Ruler of all kings? Would he turn the attention of his fainthearted soldiers to the One in whom is everlasting strength and deliverance?

With growing impatience he awaited the arrival of Samuel and attributed the confusion and distress and desertion of his army to the absence of the prophet. The appointed time came, but the man of God did not immediately appear. God's providence had detained His servant. But Saul's restless, impulsive spirit would no longer be restrained. 

Feeling that something must be done to calm the fears of the people, he determined to summon an assembly for religious service, and by sacrifice entreat the divine aid. God had directed that only those consecrated to the office should present sacrifices before Him. But Saul commanded, “Bring hither a burnt offering;” and, equipped as he was with armor and weapons of war, he approached the altar and offered sacrifice before God.

And we can go on, and on, and on. From the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were instructed to wait for the promise of the father, until they were imbued with power from on high; down to the time of William miller, when those early advent believers looked earnestly for the return of Jesus. And on to our day, where we ourselves have fallen prey to the devices of satan on deadlines, because, as far as we are concerned, God is taking too long! Let’s read:

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

Here in the 21st century, we have apparently been pre-programmed to a mindset of deadlines, for we are constantly subject to specific dates, and times for the fulfillment of various chores, responsibilities, and duties. There is a deadline for our mortgages, a deadline for school fees, a deadline for car notes, a deadline to file taxes, deadlines to complete certain jobs, and deadlines we may have preset for getting married. 

Therefore, we must be very, very careful, lest we attempt to lock the God of heaven into a deadline timeframe, for the fulfillment of His promises to us, for if we do, like Abraham, Sarah, and Saul, we will inevitably be led into sin. The period of trial before us will require a faith that can withstand delay, for the patience of the saints will be severely tried, to see, if for any reason, we will adopt plan B, which is the mark of the beast, 666. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

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; 
11 And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

We close our study of the scriptures with some good advice for the times when we may be prone to becoming frustrated with God, if He does not come through in expected ways. Let’s read:

[Steps to Christ pp 121>122] Some are always fearing, and borrowing trouble. Every day they are surrounded with the tokens of God's love; every day they are enjoying the bounties of His providence; but they overlook these present blessings. Their minds are continually dwelling upon something disagreeable which they fear may come; or some difficulty may really exist which, though small, blinds their eyes to the many things that demand gratitude. 

The difficulties they encounter, instead of driving them to God, the only source of their help, 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. We should not allow the perplexities and worries of everyday life to fret the mind and cloud the brow. If we do we shall always have something to vex and annoy. We should not indulge a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials.

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

                                                                        God bless!