Desperation Temptations. Sabbath Afternoon 12/14/2019

The Bible cautions us of the devices of devils, which are set forth in scripture so that we may understand the pitfalls we must avoid. Prominent among these are temptations that presented to us when we get desperate for some reason. At such times, we tend to be more vulnerable than at other times when the conditions may be more favorable to obedience. Obedience to God should never be predicated on favorable circumstances, for our faith is not usually tested in favorable experiences, but in the grueling events that tempt us to the core.

It is at such times when we must make those deliberate decisions to keep moving forward with our commitment to God. Fair-weather Christianity has gained a lot of traction in our day and thus, when the rug is pulled out from under our feet, the mettle we are made of is often revealed. It is one of the devices of devils to create circumstances where it may seem illogical to serve God, or to continue waiting on Him, for His promise to be fulfilled. At such times, after a reasonable period of waiting, suggestions from the enemy begin to seem more attractive, and if things really get desperate, then many individuals are prone to go with alternatives that are contrary to God’s revealed will.

This has taken place over and over again in times past, and in our experiences today, it is too often duplicated. Therefore, whenever our backs are against a wall, and there seems no way out of our predicaments, we should be on high alert, because the enemy, as a roaring lion, will be on the ground prowling, seeking to improve on the opportune moment. Especially is our faith to be strong, and resilient by trusting in God, and having made a firm decision to be faithful no matter what, so that whatsoever may transpire, we will not turn to the right hand or left.

In other words, we all must decide individually, that there is never any valid reason to disobey God, for if we make that decision in our minds, and we put our implicit faith in Jesus, half the battle is already won, and the next half will just be to wait it out. When in Revelation 14, the Bible speaks of the patience of the saints, it is primarily referring to the action of waiting it out. “It” being the final conflict. Thus, there are certain things we should never do, even when we are under tremendous pressure and stress.

For example, in the U.S military, there are certain things soldiers should never do, even when they may be in grave danger, or stressful conditions, because existential threats should not be permitted to alter one’s code of conduct. Therefore, soldiers are never to be creatures of circumstance, never. Here are just four of the many creeds governing a soldier’s behavior and actions at all times, and in all circumstances whether the conditions be favorable, stressful, dangerous, and even if unexpected delays, with no specified time frame are encountered.

[1] I will always place the mission first. [2] I will never accept defeat. [3] I will never quit. [4] I will never leave a fallen comrade.

Many examples of desperate temptations are given in the Bible, but one stands out more than the rest, because it involved actual obedience to a certain extent on the part of the human agent. Abraham and Sarah are promised a child in their golden years and for all intents and purposes it seems to be quite improbable, according to conventional thinking. They wait and they try to have a child, and they try and they wait to have a child, all the while trusting in God who first gave them the promise.

If we try to lock God down to a specific time-frame for the fulfillment of His promise, we will stumble in our faith sooner or later. Even when He has given us a specific time for fulfillment, He still reserves the right to exercise discretion in the matter. If there is a delay for some unknown reason, we will have to trust God, that He knows what He is doing.

Indeed, there are times when adverse conditions may develop during the waiting period, and it may seem to us that certain negatives could have been avoided, had God come through when we thought it was prime time. Even then, our faith should not stumble, for “All things” work together for the good of those who love God, and “All things” can include delays.

Thus, Abraham and Sarah exercise their faith in the interim period, whilst their biological clocks kept on ticking, until one day, Sarah became so desperate in her expectancy, that she succumbed to one of the doctrines of devils which was at the time supported by the laws of the land.

Abraham also bought into the strategy, and excused disobedience on the basis of unexpected delays. This ploy is often used by devils to tempt us to a wrong course of action, especially if we have waited on the Lord for the fulfillment of His promise to us. Plan “B” essentially refers to anything else other than God’s revealed will, no matter what the reason and excuse might be. Thus, a son was born to Hagar and Abraham, the repercussions of which are still being felt even today.

On the other hand, we have another example of a desperate situation, which turned out differently. Mary and Martha have their brother suffering at home and they send to call Jesus, if haply He might come to save him from death. Christ receives the solemn message and He determines to go but again there is a delay. Precious minutes, and hours go by, but Christ gets delayed by the throngs of people presently seeking Him. Time is running out on Lazarus, and the situation worsens into desperation, yet Mary and Martha continue to cling tenaciously to their belief that Jesus will show up in time.

In their desperation they refuse to turn to the pseudo faith-healers of the day; they won’t permit Lazarus to be pushed down on the ground by some preacher. With them, it’s Jesus or nothing, period. Hours turn into days, they approach the inevitable cliff, and they go over, for Lazarus finally bites the dust, gives up the ghost and dies. Jesus now gets a chance to go, but by the time He arrives, Lazarus is already dead, and as far as Mary and Martha are concerned the golden opportunity has now passed, “BUT” Let’s read:

John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

What many Christians may not have realized is that the trial of our faith often includes some element of delay to see whether we will let go of God, or if we will let go and let God. Thus, it was with the Hebrew people in the wilderness, who encountered delay in entering the land of milk and honey. So, it was with some of the disciples of Christ who expected Him to set up His kingdom right there and then. Daniel encountered delays and Joseph encountered delays; Hannah encountered delays, and the great disappointment of 1844 also included an element of delay.

And on to our day, where we may encounter delays in finding the right person to marry. We may encounter delays in obtaining healing from some disease, or in being financially emancipated from plastic. Whatever the delay might be, and whatsoever the reason might be, the bottom-line question for us is whether we will surrender our faith in God when we get desperate. Will we adopt plan “B”, or like the saints of Revelation 14, will we just wait it out?

In other words, when Christians are looking for, and expecting the fulfillment of God’s promises to us, is there some predetermined threshold point we have set in our minds, at which we will either turn back, succumb to plan “B” or fall for the alternatives the devil often peddles in place of the genuine? What will we do when we get to desperate temptations? There are several ways and means to deal prudently with desperate temptations. The following is a list of important pointers to consider:

[1] Satan cannot force anyone to sin, by falling for his substitutes to God’s will. He can solicit, he would heckle, he would entice, and he will reason logically against faith, but he is never permitted to force us to sin. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:13 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. Psalms 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

[2] Deliverance is often just around the corner from one hasty, desperate move. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 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.

[3] Predetermined timelines for the fulfillment of God’s promises, on the part of the human agent, almost always sets us up for a fall. Much better to leave the fulfillment open-ended, for God is always on-time, always. Let’s read:

Psalms 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

[4] Wait on God, He knows what He Is doing. There is a big difference between waiting while grumbling and waiting while praising. Our attitude makes all the difference. Let’s read:

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

[5] Where it is warranted, avoid making important decisions when in a desperate frame of mind. In most cases where this occurs, the decisions thus made breed regret. In closing, let us try to avoid the snare of desperate temptations, for there is no need for us to worry ourselves out of the hands of Christ. God has given us His promise that He will be with us always, and His word is as good as gold. Let us therefore seek to exercise a childlike faith in Jesus, knowing that He always knows what is best for His children. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

God Bless!

Starting And Stopping. Sabbath Afternoon 12/07/2019

One of the primary reasons why we may seem to be sticking in neutral or reverse, as it pertains to doing anything worthwhile, is because we start and stop, but do not see our goals through to the very end. Whatever is worth accomplishing, whether it be in the physical or spiritual realm will have to be done consistently if success is to attend our efforts. God’s people are to be a people always on the move.

Ministries in the church often begin with a big bang, but after a while, the enthusiasm, energy, and drive often fizzles, and the good purposes that could have been accomplished in collaboration with God, often vanish into thin air. The problem, in most cases is that we started and stopped, for some reason or another.

At the beginning of every new year, resolutions are made, and we get pumped up, energized, and full of enthusiasm to start our exercise program, but that’s until about April or June, when the other issues and concerns take a toll, and before you know it we may miss one or two days, then a couple weeks, and by this time next year, our exercise regimen is entirely off the table. The problem in most cases is the start and stop syndrome.

The same phenomenon occurs with diets and food, when in the heat of the moment we take a pledge to eat right. Our freezers are emptied of forbidden things, Jenny Craig and Oprah stimulate us and we begin to see the results we once thought impossible but that’s until birthday parties, weddings and other social events come along.

Bit by bit we begin to slip up, and before you know it the twinkies, doughnuts and big mac’s beckon to us at every turn, and the diet plan which began in earnest falls flat on its face. The problem in most cases is that we started and stopped. In fact, the habit of starting and stopping is solely responsible for the overwhelming majority of failures in life, both in the spiritual and temporal realm.

The same syndrome of starting and stopping can be traced to proper spending, saving, devotional time, church building, sleeping, and almost every aspect of our living experience that requires consistency. But starting and stopping, and restarting over, and over again tends to blunt our morale over a period of time, and if we do not address this issue, we may sink down into despair over our repeated failures.

Then, the time will come when we’ll doubt our own resolve to do and dare, and before you know it, the joys of life, in accomplishing anything worthwhile, will seem more and more far-fetched. Then comes depression, regret, and a lack of will to challenge any difficult situation, or to reach for new horizons. God’s will is that a continual growth by His grace, and a forward motion in life be the purpose and the practice of His people. God not only promises a long life to those who serve Him, He also promises a long quality of life, so that we may render the best, and longest service possible, whilst we can.

But to do so we must overcome the tendency, and habit of starting and stopping. This will call for stern discipline on the part of believers, but God’s grace, when united with human effort, can accomplish a lot more than we can imagine. The motive power to continue doing that which God has instructed us to do, and anything that is worthwhile, is available to us through the power of Christ.

Yet, we should be humble and willing enough to ask God for such things as resilience, courage, fortitude, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. God never condemns us for failures, but He desires that we tap into His omnipotence, to get the energy and power to carry on. His power is promised to every believer, and may the force be with you. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40:31 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.

There are several examples in the scriptures which demonstrate the effects of starting, and stopping, when something upright was to be achieved. As we observe these instances, let us remember that they were written for our instruction, with the hope that we would chart a right course for our feet and make any corrections where necessary.

The problem of never-ending hostilities suffered by the Hebrews was largely the result of starting, and stopping, for they began to drive out, and conquer the nations which God had given into their hands, but after a while they lost steam, got comfortable, and refused to carry God’s purpose over the finish line.

As we read, we will see that the problem of starting and stopping is pervasive, for nearly all the tribes of Israel suffered from the same syndrome. Like many of us at the beginning of the new year, they started off with a bang, but as time passed by, their energy waned, and they allowed latent foes to reside in the territories given them by God. Let’s read:

Judges 1:27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns.

28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute and did not utterly drive them out.

29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them and became tributaries.

31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

Judges 2:1 And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spoke these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

The start and stop syndrome again affected those in the days of Haggai the prophet, for they had begun to build the temple, but just as before, they had lost steam halfway, and left off doing that which was to be accomplished. God called them back to the work for if He had not intervened, it would have been left to ruins. Let’s read:

Haggai 1:2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, this people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.

3 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?

5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

However, the habit of starting and stopping can be overcome, just like any other tendency, because the grace of Christ in the soul is available and is given to those who ask, so that we may live victoriously. The Bible gives us very helpful hints, and instructions so that we may kick the habit of starting and stopping once and for all. The following are some helpful hints.

[1] Find out from the scriptures whether the goal is worthwhile and upright.

Deuteronomy 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land.

Deuteronomy 6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee.

Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

[2] Take The matter to The Lord in prayer.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[3] Sit down and count the cost soberly, and practically.

Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

[4] Make a pledge to God and to yourself.

2nd Timothy 1:12 I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 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.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error.

[5] Renew your commitment, and strength daily by tapping into God’s omnipotent power.

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

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.

Will power, resilience, fortitude and courage are all characteristics that are found in Christ, and thus, as Christians, we are to be beneficiaries of both His power and character. If we desire something good, we will have to ask for it, for God will not intrude on our freedom of choice arbitrarily. There are things in the spiritual realm that are given only in response to fervent prayer. Let’s read:

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Be not motivated by mere feelings, because feelings often fluctuate and vanish, so that the promises and pledges that were made in the heat of the moment, fall flat when the euphoria of the moment is gone. A well-thought out plan, together with the cost of implementation must be made before even thinking about beginning anything worthwhile.

Especially is this true when it comes to serving God. for The Lord cannot work through instrumentalities who cannot be depended upon, or who will allow His service to be left up to chance or feeling. When doing ministry, there are days when we will not feel good, and at other times we may get discouraged. God’s work has to continue uninterrupted, when we feel good and when we feel bad.

On several different occasions Moses and Aaron were threatened with stoning, the people accused them of things they never did, and put their actions and intentions in a false light. But at every turn, we read that they fell upon their faces before the Lord, meaning that they sought both the power, and will to carry on from God.

Serving God faithfully and consistently, even when the going gets rough will develop a soldier-like form of thinking, which is ready to fight the good fight of faith, on sunny days, and rainy days. This in turn will develop a character of consistency that will in most cases, run as a golden thread throughout the fabric of our experience. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:3 And the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

Acts 5:40 And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Again, the recuperation time after hiccups should be as short as possible, with the end goal always in mind. There will be times when it may be virtually impossible to be consistent for a while, such times as when sickness, disability, injuries, or some other emergency may put us on hold for a period of time. But if the goal is worthy, we should be back in the game as soon as possible.

Sustainability in achieving worthy objectives over the long haul will call for sacrifice and discipline and therefore, we should take all the necessary time to roll the plans over in our minds, taking them to The Lord in prayer. Then, if He gives us the go-ahead, we should humbly ask Him for will-power and energy to sustain the venture over many years, as the case might be.

In closing, let none of us faint or be weary in well-doing for in due time we will reap if we faint not. Even though we may have started and stopped over and over again, remember that the battle will only be lost if we refuse to try again. The righteous falls seven times, but he doesn’t stay down, he gets back up again and fights relentlessly until he is victorious.

We therefore end with two passages of scripture that will greatly help us in overcoming the start and stop syndrome. Let’s read:

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

God Bless!

Understanding God's Favor. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/30/2019

The favor of God is unmerited by fallen beings, yet it is manifested in His people, some more, some less according to nuances in attitudes, and a willingness to obey Him. Several persons in the Bible enjoyed the favor of God upon them, and these examples, and the situations in which they occurred should be fully understood by those who desire God’s favor upon them and their families.

Joseph was favored by God, even though he was sold into slavery in a foreign land. After all his tears and soul deep searching he turned to the God of His fathers, and there in Egypt, he served and obeyed God with a cheerful spirit. The favor of God was bestowed upon him, even though, like everyone else he had to surmount difficulties, problems and challenges of his own.

The favor of God upon Joseph also notably resulted in collateral blessings to Potiphar’s household, for God’s favor is not minuscule in nature, but it often overflows to those with whom we interact. In fact, whenever a true Christian meets or greets another person, some sort of blessing should rub off on the other person.

It may not always be financial or temporal blessings but it may be something related to one’s health, or something spiritual in nature such as godly counsel, encouragement, or friendship, but whatever it may be, the one who is in Christ will in most cases be a blessing or help to others. Let’s read:

Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple;

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

In Joseph’s case the favor of God translated into a host of material and spiritual blessings for Potiphar, his family and his business because not only did God prosper them for Josephs sake, they also had a god-fearing example before them continually, so that the knowledge of the true God was diffused. Let’s read:

Genesis 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

6 And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.

Job also was well favored by God, even though he too had his trials and temptations. Difficulties in life do not determine or restrict God’s favor, and those occasional periods of doubt and discouragement do not adversely affect it, but how we approach those negative circumstances will make all the difference. God’s favor upon Job was so extensive, that even satan was forced to take notice. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

Daniel also was favored by God, which had a direct effect on his interaction with the chief officials in

Babylon, who otherwise would not be friendly to him. That’s because the favor of God upon one, will inevitably affect another, and will often smooth the rough edges, and subdue stubborn hearts, which otherwise would appear obdurate, uncooperative, unfriendly, or even rude. Let’s read:

Daniel 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

Daniel 1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

For this celebrity chef to risk death in order to please Daniel, speaks volumes to the favor of God upon His people, for it affects situations, people, and outcomes for the better. Some may not have known this, and that’s why we must understand God’s favor. Let’s read:

Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

But the more the Bible is studied it becomes clearer and more evident, that the attitudes we cherish and cultivate, the dispositions that we foster play a huge role in affecting our favor with The Lord. Harboring a cheerful spirit, dwelling on the blessings of life, having a positive attitude of living faith in God, and being resilient when facing difficulties, all go a long way in making our lives on this earth much brighter.

On the contrary, grumbling and murmuring about real, or phantom troubles, dwelling on difficulties, refusing to count our many blessings, and allowing the challenges of life to stifle the spirit of praise and thankfulness, puts our minds and our outlook on life in a cloudy vein of thought and action, that has an adverse effect on almost everything we attempt to do, even affecting God’s favor upon us.

Every person is surrounded with an aura that would affect those with whom they come in contact. That aura can energize, encourage, and strengthen, or it can deter, limit, restrict, and discourage. When we cultivate faith in God, it doesn’t mean that we won’t have problems, but if we trust God with a cheerful, and thankful spirit, He will show us many different ways to find resolutions.

In fact, having a positive outlook on life, despite our problems is one of the remedies for several health issues as recommended in the Bible, because when the attitude is right, it opens the door to blessings and deliverances which would not otherwise have occurred.

Now, if you find that we are dwelling a whole lot on attitude of late it’s because we are, for our general attitude in life can make or break, it can strengthen or discourage, depending on Who and what we may choose to focus on. This is one of the reasons why Christ did not do many miracles in a certain place, because the attitudes of the people had restricted Him greatly. Let’s read:

Mark 6:4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country;

5 And he couldn’t do no mighty work there, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

It’s not because He did not want to, it’s because He simply couldn’t, all because of the atmosphere of unbelief that was being cherished by people in that area. Therefore, the Bible instructs us in hundreds of passages about the effects of our attitudes, and how it affects God’s favor upon us, either for the better, or adversely. Let’s read:

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Psalms 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Then you have the flip-side by which God’s favor can be adversely affected because of the wrong attitude cherished. It makes a very huge difference!

Deuteronomy 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee and shall pursue thee and overtake

thee.

46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed forever.

47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies.

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

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

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

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

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

[Colporteur Ministry pp 67>68] Every soul is surrounded by an atmosphere of its own, an atmosphere charged with the life-giving power of faith, courage, and hope, and sweet with the fragrance of love.

Or it may be heavy and chill with the gloom of discontent and selfishness, or poisonous with the deadly taint of cherished sin. By the atmosphere surrounding us, every person with whom we come in contact is consciously or unconsciously affected.

[Test. Vol 6 pp 43] When the grace of God reigns within, the soul will be surrounded with an atmosphere of faith and courage and Christlike love, an atmosphere invigorating to the spiritual life of all who inhale it.

Thus, the favor of God must be understood in the context of the commensurate attitudes that should be manifest in His people. God had promised favor to His people, so that wherever they went, and any individuals they interacted with, would be affected, in one way or the next. Let’s read:

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

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice

of the Lord thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

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.

12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and 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.

Of particular interest are verses seven, and ten of the previous chapter, for it speaks specifically of the enemies of God’s people being afraid of them. The favor of God would thus subdue obstinate nations, and kings, or, conversely, those who were willing to accept of God’s grace would be blessed. Let us read again:

Deuteronomy 28:7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way and flee before thee seven 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.

This favor of God was demonstrated in real time when the spies were sent to Jericho, in preparation for the victory that God would give to Israel. That nation, having now passed the boundaries of God’s forbearance, would not have courage to fight, and yet, if there was anyone in that city that would be susceptible to God’s grace, they would partake of God’s favor too. Let’s read:

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

8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:

13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have and deliver our lives from death.

This fact about God’s favor upon His people is what makes the next instance so interesting, for Moses and the Hebrews approach a certain king and ask him for a reasonable favor, but for some reason he refuses blatantly, and prepares himself for battle if needs be. Even though they plead respectfully with the king, somehow, he is only manifesting a defiant hostility, and thus the question is “Why”. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

16 And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border.

17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

It becomes apparent that God’s favor upon Israel had somehow vanished at a time when they were expecting to be favored. The question is why; what could have taken place in their relationship with the Lord, that would cause His favor to dissipate into thin air? For the reasons, we only have to read the preceding verses of the same chapter. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:3 And the people chode with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 422] The encampment of Israel at Kadesh was but a short distance from the borders of Edom, and both Moses and the people greatly desired to follow the route through this country to the Promised Land; Had the people, when brought into trial, trusted in God, the Captain of the Lord's host would have led them through Edom, and the fear of them would have rested upon the inhabitants of the land, so that, instead of manifesting hostility, they would have shown them favor.

But the Israelites did not act promptly upon God's word, and while they were complaining and murmuring the golden opportunity passed. When they were at last ready to present their request to the king, it was refused.

Even though some may not be aware of this, the favor of God is inextricably intertwined with the right attitude, because God is a Spirit, and where there is a cheerful, contented spirit that avoids the urge to murmur and complain, there, the favor of God will be manifest when coupled with obedience.

It is of critical importance then, for us to avoid the habit of complaining. There is always much to be thankful for, because even though we may not be where we would like to be, let us always remember that there are those who are much less fortunate than ourselves, and who would eagerly take up our garbage and make the best of it.

This past Thanksgiving, millions across America sat at sumptuous tables and partook of God’s bounties, with many left-overs to spare. In another part of the world people woke up to a breakfast of mud-cakes and water, and they dined with a cheerful spirit. We should always be mindful of the many opportunities and privileges granted us, and be thankful for God’s unmerited favor.

We therefore close with a passage of scripture, and a quote from the pen of inspiration that will enable us to cultivate right attitudes, and a much brighter outlook on life. Mountains we may climb and rivers we may cross, but in all things there is always much to be thankful for. 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.

[TDG pp 305] Talk hope and faith and thanksgiving to God. Be cheerful, hopeful in Christ. Educate yourself to praise Him. This is a great remedy for diseases of the soul and of the body.

God Bless!

Think Big! Sabbath Afternoon. 11/23/2019

The blessings of God being bestowed upon us can be turned into a great success, or failure because of our attitudes. Success for the Christian depends not so much on the amount of blessings received, but of the use we make of them, because God will grant us opportunities, but success has to do with what we do with those opportunities.

Some individuals, through diligence, dispatch, and wise management will make a million dollars out of mere pennies, and others, because of indolence and mismanagement will reduce a million to pennies. In most cases it is the attitude that we manifest which determines success or failure. One’s scant resources should not prevent us from exercising intelligence, ingenuity, or sound wisdom.

Some persons are blessed with multiple talents and gifts, and yet, these blessings remain unused for the most part. Then again, some are given one, or two talents, and by their attitude the gifts are multiplied a hundred-fold. Thus, in all that God bestows upon His people, He requires that Christians think big, not limiting or measuring our potential by conventional standards, but through faith in God, we are to reach for the stars.

As a general rule of thumb, our faith in God, and our concepts of His abilities, determine to a large extent what He can and will do for us. If we harbor a small concept of God, His blessings upon us will generally be commensurate with what we think. However, if we do not think restrictively of Him, we open up our hearts to receive much, for with God, nothing shall be impossible.

The following therefore are little snippets of truth pertaining to our attitudes in life which determine success or failure.

[Christian Service pp 238] Many who are qualified to do excellent work accomplish little because they attempt little. Throughout His life on earth, Jesus was an earnest, constant worker. He expected much, therefore, He attempted much.

Genesis 39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

[Conflict and courage pp 74] The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph's care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God; without steadfast, well-directed effort however, success could never have been attained.

[Christ Object lessons pp 331] Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. A noble, all-round character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ.

God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies. We shall have to criticize ourselves closely and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected.

2nd Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

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

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

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

Christians who really believe in God should always be growing, expanding, developing, and climbing Jacob’s ladder one rung at a time. In other words, if we were to think big, next year will not meet us in a stagnated position, where we were this year. There are new goals, higher heights, newer horizons, and challenges to surmount.

Thus, if we adopt a large, broad platform thinking we will find that output will increase dramatically, both in the spiritual and temporal realm. Enlarging our borders not only pertains to material pursuits; it also pertains to growing God’s kingdom, because, whatever attitudes we manifest and cultivate in the temporal realm, will also be translated in spiritual matters.

Character does not change with situation, place, or circumstances; instead, it runs as a common thread throughout the fabric of our experiences. A striking example of thinking big is given in the experience of a widowed woman, who ran into financial difficulty after the death of her husband.

Like many of us, the creditor was at the door, and the demand was made for payment or “else”. In her utter desperation she turns to God for help through the prophet Elisha, and what follows next is to serve as a scriptural instruction on thinking big.

Several spiritual lessons pertaining to our attitudes, our methods, and our concepts of God are given in the narrative, with the hope that wherever we may see ourselves falling short, we would buckle up our shoes and start to run. So, let’s lay the groundwork for the study by observing a few important pointers.

[1] Whenever we are in a difficult situation, the first step is to seek God, but we should bear in mind that our attitude would often make a huge difference in the outcome. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

Proverbs 3:4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

[2] Deliverance and blessings often begin with what we have at our disposal, because God often utilizes resources that are available, and He would multiply them, if we cooperate with Him. Thus, it was with the five barley loaves and two fishes that furnished food for thousands. God could have provided the raw material, but He usually doesn’t do this when any resources are available. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.

[3] The size and the extent of the blessing is entirely in the woman’s hands. God has promised, He stands ready to work, but the size of His blessing will solely be dependent on the woman’s capacity to receive. God encourages her to think big, and not to limit His power, but He will not force her into thinking big.

Her faith must take hold of unseen realities, and the only limit will be what she believes, and thinks that God can and will do. In other words, we cannot out-think God’s blessings, for whatsoever the size of the blessing we may come up with, God could come up with more. If the widow was to borrow a hundred vessels, she will receive one hundred vessels worth of blessing.

But if she were to think big, and borrow a million vessels, she would then receive a million worth of blessings; it’s entirely up to her, the ball is entirely in her court. Now, there is a big difference between faith and greediness, therefore the two should not be mixed up.

Faith in God, in instances such as this, occurs when one doesn’t put a limit on God; greediness is when one can never be satisfied. God through His prophet encourages the woman to think big, because this is her golden opportunity.

With this one chance, she could retire with a huge nest egg, or by thinking small, she could become a slave to debt again. From here on out, it’s entirely dependent on her attitude, her faith, and her belief in the power of God. She could ask Elisha for help this once, or by her attitude she could be coming back again and again for help.

As a matter of fact, as far as God is concerned, this one blessing could be a one-time deal of a lifetime, that will not only solve her present problems, but it could cover her food, rent, medical bills, and college tuition for her sons, in the future, with vacations in Europe, or at Disney world. It’s all up to her because whatsoever she thinks, and believes, is what God stands ready to do.

Many Christians might not have known this about God, and as a result some have imposed finite and humanistic limitations on what God can and will do. To such Christ says, be it unto you according to your faith, or, by changing our attitude we can realize big changes in our blessings. It’s all up to us. Let’s read:

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundant above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us,

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus.

2nd Kings 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

Neither God, or Elisha tells the woman how many vessels to burrow, for she isn’t given any specific number; all that is done, is that she is encouraged not to think small. “All thy neighbors” means every single neighbor she could think about, even those in the home-owners association who often snitch on other neighbors, and with whom she may not get along.

The words “Burrow not a few” also drives home the point that she should think big. God stands ready to work, Elisha has done his part by instructing, and encouraging her, but her faith must close the deal, either in an itsy-bitsy manner, or in spectacular way. The onus is now on her, for if anything falls short in this blessing, the fault will not be with God. Let’s read:

2nd kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

In the privacy of her home the woman and her sons fill bottles upon bottles of oil, and they all relish the moment, as they witness first-hand, the miraculous power of God being exercised in their deliverance. All goes well until finally, they reach the last bottle, and here is where our Bible study begins. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

Obviously, there was room for more blessings, but when the widow finally realized what was actually taking place, the supply of vessels ran out, and thus, according to the measure of her faith, God dealt to her His blessing. Now, if for some reason she had ten thousand more bottles, the oil would still be flowing.

Very often in our Christian experience, God stands ready to do and bless much more than we expect, but our narrow views of His power effectively puts a limit on what will take place. Therefore, one of the most critical lessons for us to embrace is that we ought to think big, in our understanding of God.

Little concepts of God often breed little blessings, whereas great ideas of God breed great blessings. Saul and the other Israelites were harboring minute concepts of God, that is why Goliath could shake them down day after day as they cowered in fear. David on the other hand seemed to be eager for the opportunity to take down the giant, because he had trained his mind to always think big when dealing with God.

Same situation, same giant, but different concepts of God result in success or failure. It is true that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so as we observe David and Saul’s attitude, let us learn our lessons well. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25 And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that is come up?

26 And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

However, there is something much deeper to the narrative of the widowed woman, that deserves our utmost attention. What Elisha said to the woman up front is just as important as what he did say after the fact, and as we read, questions may arise in our minds that would demand an answer. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Question: Why did not Elisha tell her from the onset that this one blessing was to take care of herself and her children for the rest of their lives? Why not divulge this critical piece of info, upfront, so that the woman could realize the extent and the seriousness of this onetime act?

It is quite possible that if she had known of this up-front, she would have rented one of those big U-Haul trucks and filled it with vessels, because she would be looking at a blessing that was to take her to her grave. So again, we ask the question: why was that critically important piece of information withheld until the woman had made her move?

Answer: If Elisha had told her upfront that the blessing would be for her lifetime, then her actions would be based on fact, not on faith, because in most cases more information almost always results in the exercise of less faith.

Those who indulge the habit of clamoring for more and more information about God and His promises, usually act only when every risk and obstacle is removed. Thomas demanded more information and was later reproved by Christ for doing so. Let’s read:

John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

After the day of Pentecost the name of Thomas goes into oblivion because it’s never mentioned again in the scriptures. Thus, we have a lesson for all time, that the exercise of faith is not so much knowledge-based, as it is an attitude and a choice, even though knowledge is essential.

The Bible speaks of some folks who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. The same disposition of skepticism was manifested in the days of Christ when the leaders demanded of Him a sign. They would not believe, nor exercise that child-like faith in God, because doing so bruised their ego.

Even when Christ gave them indisputable proof of His Divinity, by raising Lazarus, they responded by desiring to put both Christ and Lazarus to death. Thus, an excessive amount of information can often stymie faith in God. So the question is, how much information and evidence we need before we believe?

When, like the widow woman in the story, God has promised to do great things for us, let us not encourage doubt and skepticism, but let us rather take hold of the arm of omnipotence, for as we have stated over and over again, God is a Spirit, and therefore an attitude of belief on our part is much more pleasing to Him, than the “Thomas” disposition that keeps on demanding proof.

Let us then take God at His word, and be not faithless, but believing, for He is faithful who has promised, and will bless us abundantly if we think big, and when He sees we can handle it. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that encourages us to always exercise a living faith in God. Let’s read:

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

God bless!

Building Bullet-Proof Marriages. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/16/2019

In the Bible, marriage was ordained and given to us by God as one of two sacred institutions which were to be perpetuated throughout the entire history of mankind. The other, being the Sabbath, was given for the well being of the human family, and when they are incorporated together they have the effect of fostering longevity, stability and the general good of all society.

After Adam was created, God saw fit to provide him a female wife, with the intention that the two were to share in all of life’s experiences and would grow and mature throughout the process. Children were to be born as a result of the sacred union, and as a direct result, the stability of homes, communities, and nations would rest squarely upon the proper adherence to God’s order.

One wife for one man is God’s ideal, and as the children would grow, love and learn in such a stable environment, they too would go out from home to form families of their own. They would thus pattern their marriages and families according to what they had seen, and heard at home, and so, society would be built upon a sure foundation.

But, over a period of time, the sacred institution has taken several fatal bullets from visible, and invisible forces, to the point where it is currently dragged in the dust, and children are becoming more confused on mother’s, and father’s day. Thus, now more than ever God’s ideal for marriage is to be respected and restored and honored in the lives of all those who are called by His name, wherever it applies.

There are several concepts and philosophies that were introduced over the years which have caused catastrophic damage to marriages, and these have been so cleverly introduced, that millions have had their thought processes insidiously invaded, and are now calling good evil and evil good.

This is because the arch-enemy of God and man is a deliberate, and protracted worker, who utilizes the principles of gradualism to introduce theories, and concepts that are entirely foreign to God’s order, in a manner that may seem to appeal to logic, and the greater good of man. But wherever and whenever we depart from God’s ideal, we will suffer adverse consequences, both locally and nationally.

For instance, throughout the first years of human existence, male with female was the indisputable order of the day, even though the original plan God gave began to be perverted through polygamy. So, even though the sacred institution was scarred by men having a duplicity of wives, at least it was then understood that males should have females. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Genesis 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

But then, alternative relations began to be gradually introduced beginning with women with women and men with men, to our day currently where we are facing a plethora of options which God would not even recognize or endorse. So how did we get here? It’s the principle of gradualism at work, and before you know it, anything and everything goes.

Today, marriage is reduced and distorted to include any designation man may come with, for we were given one male and one female in the beginning, but now we have morphed into, gay, lesbian, queer, non-binary, trans- sexual, bisexual, and those who adopt a fluid status that can change from one day to the next, according to how one may feel in the morning.

The principle of gradualism has also been employed in heterosexual marriages by which various theories and escape routes have been adopted, some by law and others by the clamors of the popular majority. Thus, in our day, when the marriage institution has become clouded and hardly discernable, it is high time for those who know God to build and maintain bullet-proof marriages, wherever it applies.

This will call for a humble and teachable spirit, and a willingness to follow God’s order, God’s instructions and His principles, which were written for our good. To begin with, our minds would have to be rewired by the written word of God, wherever an invasion of our thought processes might have occurred.

In the days of Christ, a question was posed to Him, which demanded a firm and prompt answer. It had to do with plausible or commonly accepted reasons for one spouse separating from another. That same question is still being asked today, and for that very reason, we should begin building our bulletproof marriages by addressing that question. Let’s read:

Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

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?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

In our day, marriages are being dissolved for some of the most trivial reasons, and millions do embark upon their journey with the thought that if it does not work out as expected, there is always an escape route in “Every cause”. Thus, this mode of thought represents an invasion of our thinking, and in order to build a bullet-proof marriage, that option of one leaving for any trivial reason must be taken off the table permanently.

Even though there are valid cases where dissolution may be warranted, our general thinking should not include a plan “B”. Instead, it is God’s will that the “Lock the door and throw away the key” mentality be adopted. If separation must inevitably take place it should be coincidental, not viewed as an ongoing option to be used whenever things don’t go right.

The Bible teaches us that marriage is likened unto the relationship Christ has with His church and Jesus does not leave His church for any trivial reason. As a matter of fact, He promises to be with us always, to the end of the age, and therefore, if we pattern our marriages after the similitude of Jesus’ relationship with the church, we should be willing to follow in His footsteps. Let’s read:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

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.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled.

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Once the decision and the choice has been made to stay in the marriage no matter what, [Barring those scriptural reasons for dissolution] the next issue will be how to deal with troubles when they arise. If the option of separation is harbored then the necessary attempts at resolution, and the painstaking efforts to cultivate the relationship may not be made.

Thus, assuming that the decision is made to stay in the marriage, and work it out, we would need to follow the instructions God has given in His word. It is of critical importance for us to deal always in the currency of heaven, especially when and if troubles arise. Both parties should seek God for wisdom and discretion in dealing with bumps in the road.

Issues will arise from time to time, for we are fallen beings, and we live in an imperfect world, yet the way in which spouses seek to resolve problems can make or break the relationship. There are certain methods to be avoided under any circumstances. Then again, there are attitudes and methods to be cultivated, which will go a long way in fostering longevity and happiness. Here are a few. Let’s read:

[1] Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

27 Neither give place to the devil.

Allowing the sun to go down, while harboring anger means that spouses would part for bed, without a resolution to differences that have arisen during the day. This will inevitably give satan time to work on a person’s mind, churning the matter over and over again, whilst adding perspectives, and presumed intentions that may have never really existed.

Now, while it is good and advisable to take some time to think and pray before we address some volatile issue in the marriage, we should not wait too long to resolve or speak, for with every passing moment, damage is often being done, alienation may be deepening, and the devil is kept busy.

One of the ways the devil intrudes into marriages when the going gets rough is to tempt one or the other spouse to involve a third party, such as in-laws, and outlaws. Great care must be taken when spilling the beans to those outside the marriage, for if and when the leak is discovered, it often fosters bitterness, resentment and retaliation.

Here is where the wisdom of God is greatly needed, because in our relationships with each other, when difficulties are to be resolved, the scriptures always recommend privacy, as opposed to publicity, since issues that are resolved in the public square often trigger other deeper problems than before. In most cases, if God is at the center of the marriage, issues can be resolved privately. Let’s read:

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

[A.H. pp 177] There is a sacred circle around every family which should be preserved. No other one has any right in that sacred circle. The husband and wife should be all to each other. Never should either the husband or wife in sport or in any other manner complain of each other to others, for frequently indulging in this will end in trial with each other and perhaps estrangement.

The home circle should be regarded as a sacred place, a symbol of heaven, a mirror in which to reflect ourselves. Friends, and acquaintances we may have, but in the home life they are not to meddle. A strong sense of proprietorship should be felt, giving a sense of ease, restfulness, and trust.

[2] 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.

Contrary to what many Christians may think about the matter, “corrupt communication” can often be things that are true. Not because something is true means it must be said. Wisdom is the result of the proper application of knowledge, and thus, there are things that are best left unspoken, even if they are true.

On many current television shows, spouses go on air to spill the beans about their most private lives, and as a result, arguing and bickering in the public square often takes place. In many cases, what they said about each other might be true, but it becomes corrupt communication, by the undue exposure of the matter to those who had no business listening.

The faults and shortcomings of either spouse must never be unduly disclosed outside of the marriage, because stories, and sensitive information have a way of taking on a life of their own, as they are repeated from one to the next. In addition, the love of God in the heart will lead us to exercise sound discretion, as to the timing of what we must say.

This is critically important, for words spoken out of season in a sensitive situation may do more harm than good, even if one’s intentions were upright. In a manner that is conducive to growth, and in the fullness of time is how Christ deals with His church, when speaking that which we need to hear, for He does not disclose that which may be inappropriate, that will cause one or more to stumble. Let’s read:

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.

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

[3] 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.

Tit for tat methods of dealing with problems that arise in the marriage should be strictly avoided, for your wife or husband is your best friend, not your enemy. Even though it may take time for wounds to heal, yet concerted efforts should be made, not to deter, but to encourage healing.

Even repeat offenders should not be excluded from gracious overtures, for this is how God forgives us in Christ. This is not to say that repeated errors are to be encouraged, but the general attitude should be

to forgive, restore and grow from a bad experience, rather than the attitude of three strikes and you’re out, for Christ deals mercifully with us. Let’s read:

1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now we move on to the positives that are to be encouraged. Mutual respect, kindness, courtesy, cleanliness, and a general attitude of seeking the happiness and best good of each other, should be cultivated. The spirit of so-called independence that is fostered by certain feminist movements has not always been conducive to longevity in the marriage, for even though some good is accomplished, yet in some aspects attempts are made to try to dismantle God’s order.

Doing things together, making decisions and taking actions together, socializing together, talking often together, sleeping together, rejoicing and weeping together, praying together, worshiping together, eating together, shopping together, and planning together, should be the preferable attitude that is cultivated in the marriage.

Some spouses lead single lives while still married, under the same roof because in some instances one may feel having independence is a manifestation of liberty. But when we look at the way the Godhead operates, we discover that everything that is done is accomplished in tandem with each other. The Holy Spirit doesn’t go rogue on Christ, with no regard for His feelings, and The Father also does not exercise autonomous authority without Christ.

A close symbioses is always exercised, even in the minutest detail, so that at the end of the day, what the Son does, it’s just as if The Father, or the Holy Ghost did it. The spirit of independence is one of those concepts that have been introduced into the marriage institution, and in many cases has resulted in single parent families.

Even in dealing with His church, God seeks to call us to the table, where everything is done mutually. It is the spirit of independence that caused the first sin, in heaven and it was the spirit of independence that caused Eve to think that she could handle any issue on her own. It is the spirit of independence which causes us to think that we can live victoriously all by ourselves without God to sustain us.

In fact, the mantra “Good without God” which is a phrase often lauded by atheists, hearkens back to that same spirit of independence. Therefore, even though our individuality must remain intact, yet it is God’s will that we pattern our marriage relationship after what the Godhead does, and encourages each spouse to do to make the marriage bullet-proof. Let’s read:

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

John 5: 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

Finally, whatever may be the current situation in one’s marriage, let’s always remember that mutual love, and consideration for each other will go a mighty long way in smoothing the rough edges, and will serve to make the marriage relation a happy experience, instead of one filled with regrets. Let us then follow the counsels and exhortations found in the Bible, for they were given for our best good. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13: 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

God Bless!

The Unpardonable Sin. Sabbath Afternoon 11/09/2019

The unpardonable sin occurs when there is nothing more that can be done to save a person. The Holy Spirit is the only Agent that can facilitate any true repentance, and once He takes leave of a person, it then becomes impossible for one to repent. There is no more reserve power for salvation, and there is nothing more God can do, when the work, and the Person of the Holy Spirit is rejected.

God respects our freedom to choose and whenever that freedom is continually exercised in rejecting God’s merciful overtures to save, our choice finally becomes set in stone, and becomes permanently irreversible. In very many cases, individuals may be permitted to live after such an event takes place, but additional years do not change the fact. Thus, wherever it is possible, this grievous sin should be avoided.

Now, it is important for us to understand that there are several different triggers, that set in motion the unpardonable sin. A persistent rejection of light and the continuous quieting of one’s conscience, when wrongs and sins are brought to our attention. Then, there is the habit of deliberately crediting the work of the Holy Spirt to satanic agencies and there is the practice designating evil as being good.

Also, the habit of sinning deliberately, after one has been made aware of the truth, will cause the voice of conscience to gradually go dead. All of these, or any combination thereof will eventually bring folks to the point of no return, for it is not so much that God stops speaking, it’s that we stop listening. Thus, several passages of scripture caution us against any of these indulgences which could result in the sin of no return. Let’s read:

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

2nd Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.

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.

King Saul was given ample opportunity to do right, but on several occasions, he either disobeyed the voice of God, or offered partial obedience. Like all others, he was not expected to render service that’s acceptable to God without the wherewithal to do so and therefore he was given the Holy Spirit to enable him to do right. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 11:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

When the Holy Ghost is given to a person, He then enables him or her to put good choices into action, but throughout one’s lifetime the freedom to do good or evil remains intact. Force is rarely used to coerce the will, hence the reason why we see in the scriptures, where at times holy men may have fallen into sin.

It’s not that persons did not have the Holy Ghost, it’s just that He respected their choices, for a person, having the Holy Spirit dwelling within, does not prevent anyone from sinning.

Thus, it was that Saul, being loaded with The Holy Spirit would on many occasions, make choices that he was consciously aware, were contrary to God’s will. And, having thus indulged in willful sin after he had received the Holy Spirit, his choices culminated in permanent rebellion, which becomes incurable, and ultimately ends in destruction.

Several opportunities were granted him so that he could redeem the time if he would, but Saul often got angry when reproved, and he came to hate the prophet Samuel, for showing him his sins. The Lord speaks to us through His word, through ordained prophets, through the pastors and elders who have been selected by Him for that purpose.

He also speaks through His Spirit in our consciences, and through His providences which are designed to appeal to our intelligence. Sometimes, God tries to reach us through sacred song, as He did with Saul, when David would play skillfully on his harp.

At other times, God may speak through a friend, a co-worker, or even a neighbor. In some extreme circumstances He may use donkeys to reach us, but no matter how God tried, Saul just would not listen. Thus, it reached a point where it became useless to try to redeem him, and he was finally left up to the other leader he had chosen. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

1st Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Again, the unpardonable sin occurs when we credit the work of God deliberately, as being that of the devil, and that against the most conclusive evidence to the contrary. When the truths God would have us know are brought home to our consciences with unusual clearness, and when we cannot bypass and reason away the truth, but yet say it is from satan, then there’s nothing more God can do to save us.

The human conscience is naturally distorted, so that we cannot of ourselves distinguish right from wrong perfectly. Therefore, The Holy Spirit is imparted to enlighten the conscience and bring the truth of God home to our minds. When this is done, and we then call that work as coming from the devil, we do insult to The Holy Ghost, and if this is done over, and over again, the voice of God will go silent in our minds.

This is what was occurring when Christ was casting out demons from a certain man, and the Jews who witnessed the event with their own two eyes, and who were convinced in their heart that God was at work, then made a conscious decision to call it the work of Beelzebub. Christ then issued a warning that is echoed by Isaiah against putting darkness for light, and light for darkness. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

This same stubborn refusal of the truth was also the undoing of many of the Hebrews in the wilderness, after God gave them conclusive evidence that they were in the wrong. On one particular occasion, the people had been deceived by Korah, into believing that Moses and Aaron were usurpers, and that it was mismanagement on their part that had delayed the entrance into Canaan.

Even though they well knew that this was not the case, the matter ripened into open rebellion, and was brought to The Lord for final resolution. God then showed by His providence, who was right and who was wrong, because Korah, Dathan and Abiram who were the leading men in the rebellion, were destroyed from among the congregation in what can only be understood as the direct judgment of God.

At this time the general congregation who were not the instigators, were allowed to see with their own two eyes the unnatural demise of those who set up themselves against the leaders of God’s choosing. It was an irresistible interference from heaven which was designed to appeal to the conscience, and in response to the judgment, the people fled in terror. Let’s read:

Numbers 16:26 And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

27 So they got up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.

30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them.

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

35 And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Thus, the congregation was given time to change their attitude. The main rebels were gone, and now if the people would reason intelligently from cause to effect, they would clearly see that they had been misled, and the right thing to do would be to repent by acknowledging that they were wrong, and asking God to forgive by renewing a right spirit in them.

But they deliberately chose not to do this, for they spent the night grumbling about what had recently transpired, reasoning that Moses, and Aaron had been the cause of the untimely deaths of really good men. This attitude would put them on a fast track to the unpardonable sin, for there is nothing else that God could do to convince them.

The same stubborn resistance of clear evidence was also manifested in pharaoh, who would not listen to God, to Moses, or to the Holy Spirit’s appeals to his conscience and intelligence. Pharaoh wouldn’t even listen to satan, for he had gone so far, and so long in the rejection of truth that even his magicians could not reason with him. When a person wouldn’t even listen to satan, then there is no hope for him or her.

Thus, as the Hebrews rejected every evidence that God gave, and as they deliberately chose not to believe what they had seen and heard, the voice of conscience went permanently dead, never more to be reawakened. Whenever this occurs, a person is rendered permanently incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong, for by their own choice they have closed the door to reason. Let’s read:

Numbers 16:41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.

42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 405] Notwithstanding they had had the most convincing evidence of God's displeasure at their course, in the destruction of the men who had deceived them, they dared to attribute His judgments to Satan, declaring that through the power of the evil one, Moses and Aaron had caused the death of good and holy men.

It was this act that sealed their doom. They had committed the sin against the Holy Spirit, a sin by which man's heart is effectually hardened against the influence of divine grace. There is no reserved power by which God can work to convict and convert the sinner.

Thus, it is of great importance that those of us who have been granted opportunity to be saved in God’s kingdom, not follow in the footsteps of those who committed the unpardonable sin in times gone by. The following, therefore, are several pointers which would guard against us taking that fatal step.

[1] Whenever we hear the voice of God appealing to us to turn from our wicked ways, and when God gives us clearest evidence that we are in the wrong, let us not fight against The Spirit. Let’s read:

Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;

15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

[2] Cultivating skepticism and unbelief is anathema to faith and will result in the unpardonable sin if a deliberate choice to the contrary isn’t made. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:6 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.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

2nd Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

[3] Continual indulgence in sin, against a knowledge of the truth, will culminate in the sin of no return, because every sin committed contributes to the deadening of one’s conscience. Let’s read:

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.

[4] A persistent, and deliberate rejection of the Holy Ghost would result in demon possession by default.

Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

An interesting commentary is written pertaining to demon possession by default. One does not have to deliberately invite the devils in, for them to take up residence in a person’s heart; they squat by default whenever God’s Holy Spirit is rejected. No man can serve two masters, so it is either one, or the other who will be in control of a person’s mind, and if it’s not Jesus, the default setting of demon possession is the only other option on the table. Let’s read:

[D.A. pp 324] Unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion.

We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.

We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

We therefore end with two scriptural exhortations for us to make the best of God’s gracious efforts to save us, because “TODAY” is always the best time to receive Christ. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

2nd Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

God Bless!

Attitude Makes A Difference. Sabbath Afternoon 11/02/2019

There are very valid reasons why we keep on saying that God is a Spirit. Man often looks on the outward appearance, judging and assessing things, situations and circumstances according to what can be seen or observed. But God looks on the heart, meaning that our innermost thoughts, feelings, and dispositions are brought into the equation when determinations are to be made for selecting individuals to fulfill His will.

Even when assessing the value, and worth of one’s decisions and good deeds, the spirit that motivates the person is of much more importance than is the very deed itself. Intention must be followed up by concrete actions, but a willingness to do God’s will is the very first step in acceptable obedience. One can actually do right things and be rejected of God if the heart and mind really isn’t in the matter.

A woman and her three young children are driving through a school speed zone at 15 m.p.h. which is the limit here in the sunshine state. She knows and understands the dangers that speeding in a school zone can bring, and she willingly obeys the rules of the road. It’s an intelligent, and willing decision that is thus made by her.

An executive on his way to work is also driving at 15 mph but he is running late, and he is frustrated and furious because he must stay within the speed limit, yet, he also obeys the rules of the road. As far as God is concerned, the executive is actually driving over the speed limit, because the spirit that drives his actions is toxic. His attitude is not right, for if he had his way he would be stepping on the gas.

Lip service, without the right attitude, constitutes a form of flattery, and that’s why we are encouraged to serve God in spirit first, and then in truth. Again, in the final judgement, when assessments are to be determined, the spirit, attitude, and thoughts which drove our decisions and actions will have very much to do with our eternal destiny. Let’s read:

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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.

There are times when obstacles present themselves to certain individuals, and their natural outlook may be one of foreboding. All the negatives that can and may occur are stockpiled and dwelt upon until what was actually a mole hill becomes a mountain. But at times, others may be presented with the very same problems, but instead of seeing obstacles, they see only opportunity.

Our general attitudes in life have very much more to do with our success or failure, than the adverse or favorable situations we may find ourselves in. In fighting life’s battles, there are those who would, by their attitude, turn troubles into blessings, but with others, blessings are turned into troubles no matter how favorable the circumstances may be. Thus, in most instances, attitude is the determining factor.

Joseph turned his troubles into great blessings by not dwelling on the wrongs that were done to him without cause. He could have succumbed to the why me syndrome, or he could have sunk down into a deep depression, knowing that he was only trying to do what is right, when wrongs came knocking at his door. Attitude made all the difference.

David saw an opportunity to defeat Goliath, where Saul and the other men of Israel cowered in fear. It was Goliath’s sheer size, and arrogance that caused them to be intimidated but it was the same size and arrogance that motivated David to challenge him. It was the same adverse situation, and obstacle which faced them, but Saul saw failure, while David only saw opportunity. Attitude makes all the difference.

God could use David to do great things, because he had a childlike faith and trust in Him. Not only could David be used to take down Goliath, but bears and lions also trembled in their boots, because the same fearless, trusting attitude was manifested on many different occasions. Even though he faltered a few times, yet his general attitude, and outlook on life made a huge difference.

There are those with talents and gifts, which are left dormant for their entire lives, while there are those who have very little, who by their attitude alone will turn anything to gold. Some will obey God, when it is convenient to do so and only when every obstacle has been removed. Others need little convincing, to act upon His word. Attitude makes the difference.

After Jesus ascended to heaven, Thomas’ name is mentioned only once, in the book of Acts, and we do not read of any significant instances of faith in action because he cultivated an attitude of unbelief. In contrast, Peter who in faith and obedience had walked upon water, is mentioned 63 times in Acts and beyond. Attitude makes the difference!

Question: What caused the difference? The answer is attitude, because Thomas stubbornly refused to believe when his fellow brethren told him that they had seen The Lord. These were not false prophets, for Thomas to think that they were lying, but were his fellow-disciples who had hung out with Jesus on so many different occasions.

And therefore, he had no valid reason to believe that they will concoct such a far-fetched conspiracy theory, as to say Jesus was raised, and even if he did not believe their report, at least he knew by his own experiences with Christ, that such an event could take place, because Jesus had raised more than one person to life while he was with them. But, for all of this, Thomas still would not believe.

As was stated before God is a Spirit and our attitude often makes all the difference; thus, when the time came for Jesus to visit His disciples, it would be very interesting to hear what He has to say, and whom He will address first. As we read, we will understand why our attitudes are of great importance to God.

John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Some people need a whole lot of explanations and evidences before they believe, while others harbor a childlike faith which is ready and prompt to act as soon as God would speak. Some people accomplish much because they attempt much, while others will accomplish little because they attempt little. It’s our attitude makes the difference!

The huge differences that our attitudes make was demonstrated in the healing of the blind man who had received his sight from Jesus, even before he knew who Jesus was. Even though Christ initiated the healing process, it was his attitude and speedy obedience that contributed to a large extent, to his healing.

As we read the narrative in this first example, we’ll observe his attitude, for this is what makes a huge difference in whether God will do great things for us or whether we will live average lives. God grants us opportunity, but success depends on what we make of it. Attitude makes the difference!

While many valid, and reasonable questions could have been asked, the man bypasses all man-made reasoning, and obeys, and the rest is history. As a matter of fact, the very simplicity of the situation is a stumbling block to some, while it is a blessing to others. Let’s read:

John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

In very many instances in life, it’s not the situation that needs to be changed, it’s the attitude. Success depends not so much on situation, location, or on favorable circumstances, but on attitude, for if one was to cherish a living faith, not dwelling on real or imaginary doubts and problems, many difficulties would disappear as if they were phantoms. Let’s read:

[C&C pp 92] Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, “Go forward.” We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit.

Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, “Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly” but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.

Thus, we turn to our main course, in the experience of Gideon and the people who volunteered to fight the Midianites who had come up against Israel. In response to his call, thousands responded readily, but the attitudes then harbored by some were not right, and they were asked to return home. Let’s read:

Judges 7:2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

It’s not that there were too many people, there were too many of a certain type of people.

God could have used the many thousands who had responded, but because He is a Spirit, and attitudes mean a whole lot to Him, He could not use most of them. In other words, a few with the right attitude would be much more effective than thousands with the wrong attitude. Discouragement, faithlessness, fear and cowardice are contagious elements in the spiritual realm, so, in this instance the more would not be the merrier. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 14:6 Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.

Judges 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

Even though it seemed as if only the brave ones had remained, yet their attitudes will prevent God from working through them. They were not like minute-men, eagerly awaiting God’s command to advance. Most of these who remained would manifest a sort of laissez-faire attitude; they would be found either texting, or casually surfing the internet, when there was a national emergency on hand.

They would stop at Starbucks, or Dunkin Doughnuts on their way to fight the Midianites, and whilst they slowly sipped coffee, they would be found chatting unconcernedly about the news of the day, from the economy to impeachment, and therefore, by their attitudes it was manifested that their minds were not up to the task at hand, and that is why God refused to use them. Let’s read:

Judges 7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

Hear the word of The Lord now. Character is often tested by the simplest means for it’s the little things in life that make a big difference. Whenever a living faith in God is cherished in the heart an indomitable spirit would be seen. The Spirit of God does not deal in defeat, but only in victory, and therefore, all who sincerely espouse the name of Christ are to live like conquerors.

Attitudes of sloppiness, tardiness, unbelief, a lack of attention to details, untidiness, presumption and all rebellion should be put away. In their place we can, and should cultivate habits of obedience, diligence, belief, dispatch, kindness, courtesy, faithfulness and a humble teachable spirit, for wherever a conscious dependence on God is cherished, victorious living will be the only result. Let’s read:

Many whom God has qualified to do excellent work accomplish very little, because they attempt little. Thousands pass through life as if they had no definite object for which to live, no standard to reach. Such will obtain a reward proportionate to their works.

[C.O.L pp 331>332] Remember that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress. Let nothing hinder you.

Fate has not woven its meshes about any human being so firmly that he need remain helpless and in uncertainty. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances.

We end with a passage of scripture that should help us in developing and cultivating the right attitudes, if we were to trust in God fully, asking Him for grace to live victoriously each day. Let’s read:

2nd peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

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

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

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

God Bless!

My Will Or Thy Will. Sabbath Afternoon 10/26/2019

There are things that represent God’s ideal will for us and there are other things which represent His secondary will, which is often a result of us insisting on our own way or complaining of God’s ideals. It is always best for us to have God lead in His own way, and we follow humbly on, trusting His goodness and wisdom, and His power to bring to pass the good He has purposed to do for us.

But if we insist on implementing our will, God often respects our freedom of choice, and grants us what is not for our best good. As a result, serious evils or adverse situations may arise which otherwise would never have occurred, if we had waited patiently on Him. At such instances some retreat into a why-me syndrome, not duly considering that it was our own will that was super-imposed in such and such situation.

This has occurred so often that it needs to be seen for what it is, because those who will live through the final conflict must be living in God’s ideal will, not our own. It is one thing to be tempted, for we know that we will be tempted, but it is another to invite unnecessary temptation. Satan will do what he always does, but we should never encourage or help him in his nefarious work.

When God says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, it means just that and nothing else, however we often do carry heavy, and unnecessary burdens that God never intended because of the choices we have made contrary to His wise instruction. In fact, if we were to ask God in humility to lead and guide us, we will often discover that life will be much less challenging than it currently is.

Unnecessary diseases, unnecessary divorces, and unnecessary disturbances and arguments do often erupt because we chose my will over thy will. Thus, as we study the ways of God, it will be well for us to cultivate a humble heart and a teachable spirit, for those whom God will lead, must first be willing to be led. In fact, if we were to let go and let God, we will find that His ways are the very best. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

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

Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Proverbs 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.

4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Deuteronomy 4: 40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, forever.

Especially in our planning and decision-making, we should seek to involve God up front, and hurried or spontaneous actions should be avoided wherever possible, because God’s will is not usually found in spur of the moment actions. God is a God of order, and therefore we should understand that all of His counsels are well-thought out.

There are several examples in the Bible of “my will” being imposed upon God and some instances it may seem as if my will was actually the better, and more sensible thing to do at the moment. But when we look further down the road, we will discover that in many instances, what God permitted was never His will, but He respected the freedom of choice, and

let some plan for themselves. Let’s read:

[1] Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian.

2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.

7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

But the excuses begin to fly left, right and center, as they often do with us. First it was a sense of his own insufficiency, then it was the issue of how he would certify God’s name to the people when asked, then again it was the unfounded premonition of unbelief on the part of the Hebrews. Then it was the issue of him not being eloquent.

With every new excuse, God provided assurance that the so-called obstacles would be taken care of, but try as He might, God couldn’t convince Moses that it was best for him to go alone, in Jesus name. Thus, for one reason or another Moses’ will in the matter was respected by God, because He honors our freedom of choice. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12 And He said, Certainly I will be with thee.

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

Exodus 4: 10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

Several miracles were given as evidence to pharaoh and the Hebrews, so as to convince Moses that God would be with him. But after all of this, after Moses had run out of excuses, and still refused, God finally gave in and gave him Aaron to go with him. As we read the narrative, one has to wonder whether God would have ever chosen Aaron, or if he was a last resort of sorts. Let’s read:

Exodus 4:14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

It could very well be that God saw trouble brewing down the road with Aaron’s influence, why He had hesitated so long before going that route. It was a true statement that Aaron could speak well, but he also had characteristics that would put the Hebrew people in very grave danger, and thus cause three thousand of them to be slain. All this might have been avoided if “My will” didn’t impose upon “Thy will”.

[2] Moses and the seventy elders.

Here we go again! Moses is facing a stubborn and complaining people who are bent on insurrection. It is taking a heavy toll on him, his patience is wearing thin, and in frustration he begins to plan for himself. Instead of trusting in the arm of Omnipotence, his faith stumbles, and he believes that God has made a mistake in making him the leader alone.

Thus, in the heat of the moment, a spontaneous suggestion is made, and it is granted in response to the freedom of choice. To the surface reader, it may seem logical for others to share the burdens Moses was carrying, so that he wouldn’t prematurely wear out. But as far as God is concerned, the suggestion is a mistake, and would culminate in apostasy in the future, but the human agent does not see this, and again, “My will” is suggested over “Thy will”. Let’s read:

Numbers 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

11 And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father?

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, “whom thou knowest” to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 380] The Lord hearkened to his prayer and directed him to summon seventy men of the elders of Israel—men not only advanced in years, but possessing dignity, sound judgment, and experience. The Lord permitted Moses to choose for himself the most faithful and efficient men to share the responsibility with him.

Their influence would assist in holding in check the violence of the people, and quelling insurrection; yet serious evils would eventually result from their promotion. They would never have been chosen had Moses manifested faith corresponding to the evidences he had witnessed of God's power and goodness.

[3] This leads us to our third and final example: The people clamor for a king, against the revealed will of God.

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

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

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

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

Samuel then shows the people in graphic terms what the results of their decision will be, how they would suffer great loss because of their choice, and how their families and finances would be adversely affected, and yet for all this they insisted that they must have a king. So, what does God do? He grants them “My will” instead of “Thy will”. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8:16 He will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

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

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

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us;

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

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.

This reminds us of the words of that favorite hymn:

“Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pains we bear,

All, because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer”.

It is worthy of note, what the bible says, pertaining to this specific instance, where my will was super-imposed over thy will, and the Hebrews insisted on having a king. Let’s read:

Hosea 13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.

11 I gave thee a king in mine anger and took him away in my wrath.

Thus, the pulling and tugging between “God’s will” and “my will” continues to this very day and can be seen in the many troubles some have brought upon themselves. God presents His ideals, which are the very best for us, but like the Hebrews of old, we do insist on having our own way and in many instances we endeavor to plan for ourselves. Here’s what the Bible has to say on the matter.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 29:1 He that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

A good relationship with God depends much more on our attitude, and on a willingness to obey and let God lead, than many Bible studies and sermons. If a humble and teachable spirit is cultivated, if we were to cultivate a sense of our own inefficiencies, and a sense of God’s omnipotence and intelligence, we will be spared much unnecessary hearth-ache, and worry and most of the problems we now suffer with would never have come our way.

But the issue of freedom of choice is often allowed by us to be used in a manner that we know God will not approve of. We consider ourselves as free moral agents with the freedom to make intelligent choices and not as the beasts who are governed strictly by mere instinct. But we should always remember that in Noah’s day, the animals with instinct went in first while the most intelligent, with freedom of choice stayed out.

In the tsunami that ravaged Indonesia in 2004, it was discovered that most of the animals with their God-given instinct, had fled to higher ground, while tens of thousands of people perished below. Thus, our attitude towards God plays a very huge role in whether or not He will guide us in our decisions.

God does not force His ways upon anyone, neither does He coerce the free will of persons, but we can rest assured, that if we were to acknowledge Him in all our ways, with the attitude of being content with how He leads, blessings will take the place of curses and resolution will take the place of many problems we now suffer from.

In the book of Matthew, we have often read of the “Beatitudes”, which delineate the right attitudes we should cultivate in our relationship with God. In fact, the word itself means supreme blessedness, or exalted happiness, if we were to follow the teaching there given. But verse 5 of Matthew 5 is of critical importance, because it sets the stage for a workable ongoing relationship with Christ.

Faith in God is a must, but genuine faith is exercised when a humble spirit is present. It took humility for Noah to believe that a flood would come, when, for all that was known back then, that belief of his was not based on intelligence. It took a humble spirit to exercise that faith of Abraham when He was told by God that his posterity would number in the millions, even thou his wife was barren.

Thus, in every instance where genuine faith is to be exercised, a humble attitude, is necessary, for God can only lead those who are willing to be led. Many passages teach us this important “Be” “Attitude”. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Psalms 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

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.

If in our walk with God, we would seek to cultivate a humble, teachable spirit, then the sky would be the limit for what God will do for us, in us, and through us. Let us then use our freedom of choice to choose “God’s will” and not “My will” for whenever this is done, our lives will be made a whole lot easier than those who insist on “My will”.

Therefore, we close with a quote from the pen of inspiration, and a passage of scripture that should both caution and encourage us in being humble. Let’s read:

[Humble Hero pp 313] Many who profess to claim the Lord’s promise talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet they receive no benefit. They do not surrender their lives to be guided by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. But many want to manage themselves. God gives the Spirit only to those who wait humbly on Him.

Luke 22:41 And he kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.

God Bless!

How Kings Are Selected. Sabbath Afternoon 10/19/2019

Many people are at a loss to understand why things have become so toxic in the secular realm over the last few years. And many others erroneously believe that God’s jurisdiction only pertains to those who believe in Him. But this is not the case for God holds jurisdiction over secular, as well as spiritual leaders.

It is not necessary for one to believe in God for Him to have jurisdiction over him or her, for all souls are His, both by creation and redemption. In particular, those who bear sway in the secular realm do so at the discretion of God, not of man. Some may vote and others may protest, and at other times, rulers may come to power through conflicts and wars, but at the end of the day, it is God who always rules in the affairs of men.

The fact is that God’s will often gets accomplished using the natural processes we are accustomed to, so on the surface, it may seem as if the craftiness, and money injected into political maneuvering is what produces results, but this is not the case. In all and through all, God is working behind the scenes to get His will accomplished. Several passages teach us this sobering truth. Let’s read:

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

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

Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Thus, in certain instances, secular rulers may come into power by peaceful means, but at other times they may come into power through violence, and war, but God is still working in the background even though the methods employed by men may not be scriptural. This fact has perplexed many people who erroneously believe that God is restricted to using only Biblical means and methods.

In the case of Cyrus, God permitted him and guided him to go to war with Babylon, so that the kingdom was overthrown when it was time to pass on the scepter and the method employed in doing so, also had its origin with God. Even before birth, Cyrus was being groomed to conquer Babylon, so that the purposes of God could be fulfilled.

The wisdom, the methods, the unfolding situations which accommodated the conquest, all had their origins with God, but to the secular mind, it seemed to be an arbitrary coming together of unfortunate events, but in all and through it all God was at work, hidden from view. Let’s read:

Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

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

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

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

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

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

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

Then, after all the intricate and extensive planning was done the human agent accomplished God’s will and Babylon was overthrown in the dead of night. But poor, frail mortals often take the glory for what God has ordained or accomplished through human instrumentalities. The scriptures seek to correct this erroneous mode of thought, to the intent that we may know that God still sits on the throne. Let’s read:

Psalms 33:8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

11 The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

13 The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.

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

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

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand.

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.

24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25 And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.

27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

Thus, the selection of kings, rulers, and presidents is the product of God, even though He works through the various systems established on earth. Now, as stated before we must be careful in understanding this matter, because we should not always expect that things would go in a godly manner just because God selected a king or ruler.

Nebuchadnezzar was selected by God, as the Bible confirms, but he tried to roast the three Hebrews when they would not bow down to graven images. Saul was selected but he set himself in array against the plainest commands of God, and ended up going to a witch, instead of to the Lord. And in the book of Numbers, the future of kings and nations were laid out, many years in advance.

This brings us to pharaoh, the king of Egypt who sat upon the throne after Joseph had died. According to history, this particular pharaoh was groomed by his instructors to hate and oppress the Hebrews, and thus, when he came into power, he carried out that which he was prepared for. But in the narrative that pertains to him he speaks very proudly as if he does not even acknowledge the existence of God.

But God explains to him through Moses that indeed, it was not by the capricious unfolding of events, nor even by the cunning and planning of his instructors that he came into power. It was the providence of God alone, why he sat upon the throne at that time, so that a specific segment of sacred history could be implemented at a specific time.

So, the question is: “Why would God install a proud rebellious pharaoh, who would not only afflict the Hebrews, but would set himself in direct rebellion against God’s revealed will? Why would God choose a stubborn person, instead of one who will go with the flow? The answer is that God could use man’s stubbornness to accomplish His purposes.

Thus, at this time, a king who would be naturally stubborn would be the best pick to fit the schedule. God would not deliberately make him stubborn, but He will use his natural stubbornness to accomplish His will. Judas was not forced to betray Christ, but his natural greed was employed in bringing God’s purposes to pass.

Thus, kings and rulers, politicians and regular folk often fulfill God’s will any which way; some often cooperate willingly, while others cooperate in a stubborn manner, but at the end of the day, God’s will is accomplished one way or another.

In other words, the time for the deliverance of the Hebrews had now come, and one way or another, pharaoh will let them go. He could cooperate with God or he could rebel against God, but at the end of the day, the Hebrews are leaving, period. Let’s read:

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Exodus 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

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

17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

20 He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses.

21 And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.

And concerning God’s will, of using that stubborn pharaoh to let His name be proclaimed throughout the earth, the sacred record teaches us that God’s will was accomplished, for many nations, who had heard of the plagues, and utter discomfiture of the Egyptians, had that unfortunate experience etched into their memories permanently, and never to be forgotten. Let’s read:

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

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

1st Samuel 6:2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

Similarly, in our day, kings and presidents are once again, set up by The God of heaven to accomplish His purposes. Like pharaoh, they may be proud and boastful, or they may be stubborn. They may not seem to be godly at all, even though God installed them, but we are not to become perturbed or upset because at the end of the day, it is God’s will that is being accomplished.

At the end of the age Christ is scheduled to appear, to take the reins of control from secular rulers, and in preparation for that cataclysmic event there are certain developments which must take place first. Therefore, specific presidents and rulers who would manifest specific traits of character will be selected for the accomplishment of God’s purposes, so as to facilitate the soon return of Christ. Let’s read:

Purpose # [1]

All earth’s inhabitants must be given an opportunity to choose or reject Christ.

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.

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

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Purpose # [2]

The mark of the beast (The mandatory system of worship) must be set up, to draw the line between those who will serve God, and those who won’t.

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

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

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

Purpose # [3]

The false system of worship and its advocates must be judged by the very nations who subscribed to the religious dogma.

Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Therefore, as we see with our own two eyes, and hear with our own two ears, many unprecedented occurrences across America, and across the globe, let us not lose hope and worry, as do those who do not know these things, but let us look up with the eye of faith, knowing that our redemption draws nigh.

A sacred obligation also rests upon the shoulders of those who know of, and believe the revealed will of God, for there are millions and billions of persons who are yet to be enlightened concerning all these things. Let us then work diligently towards this end while we still have the freedom and limited time to do so, for we must remember that Christ’s second coming will take place as a thief in the night.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of the blessed hope, and our duty to live in readiness each day. Let’s read:

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

God Bless!

Beware Of Cute Doctrines. Sabbath Afternoon 10/12/2019

A “Cute” doctrine is one that appeals to the carnal nature of man, provides an easy way out of God’s revealed will, and does not call for self-denial in any way. It is also cunningly constructed so as to incorporate one or more scriptures, to try to give it credence, and it has the effect of lulling its subscribers into a false sense of security.

In other words, cute doctrines offer the best of two worlds, for they permit people to do as they please, while expecting to enter God’s kingdom. Eternal life is guaranteed to all, regardless of one’s choices and actions and the name of Jesus is often used as a sort of umbrella, to give a veneer of righteousness.

Many cute doctrines have been concocted over the years with the sole purpose of indulging the people in what they want, not what they need. Especially in our day, when divergent forms of Christianity have emerged and where anything and everything is now huddled under the banner of Christ, we are warned in the scriptures not to subscribe to smooth words, which will subject the adherents to the most serious disappointment.

The word of God must not be twisted and turned, or deliberately taken out of context to suit what the masses of people clamor for, for those pastors and evangelists who engage in such activity are giving the people erroneous concepts of God, and because people usually act on what they believe, the actions and lifestyles which follow such teachings, draw the people further and further away from God’s ideals.

We are warned in the scriptures to be vigilant and sober, for the enemy walks about seeking whom he may devour. Thus, in every instance where any cute doctrines are disseminated, we would find that the same Bible is used in such a manner as to justify the erroneous teachings, and once preachers read the so-called verification from the scriptures it becomes etched into the minds of those who desire smooth things.

The following are just a few examples of which we are referencing, and we will discover that the many, divergent forms of doctrines in Christendom today, are for the most part certified with scriptures, when used to suit the clamors of the masses. To put it in plain words, if people want to do wrong, there will always be a scripture that seems to support it.

[1] The cute doctrine of eating anything, clean or unclean.

Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

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

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

1st Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

[2] God’s law has been nailed to the cross, and therefore it is no longer obligatory upon men.

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

[3] The Sabbath is no longer the sacred day of rest.

Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

[4] The natural immortality of the soul.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: more-over the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.

[5] Once saved always saved.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my

Father's hand.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This particular doctrine of once saved always saved, which was concocted in the depths of hell, proposes to guarantee eternal life to all those who have been saved by God’s grace. But the issue is not whether we are saved, but rather, are we continuing to be saved. All of the Hebrews were baptized, and saved, but their after-history demonstrated that this would not continue to be the case with the majority of them.

After being saved, it is incumbent upon us to submit to the daily process of obedience, by which growth in righteous, and spiritual maturity take place. Even when the genuine work of The Holy Spirit is being accomplished in our lives, we are not guaranteed salvation, if we do not continue in The Lord. In fact, here’s what the Bible has to say on the matter. Let’s read:

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.

1st Peter 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Thus, with every false doctrine introduced to the masses, there are scriptures, misinterpreted, and perverted, taken out of context, to try to support the erroneous belief. In fact, as was stated before, almost every evil that men want to do, they would find a scripture that may, on the surface seem to support it.

Thus, in almost every instance where false doctrines are introduced, the Bible is used as the foundation. Now, some may be wondering why this is the case, if indeed it is God’s word. The same Bible gives us the answer. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:14 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.

These “ministers” here mentioned do not generally advise people to do bad things per se. In fact, they encourage good things that are not God’s will, and here is where the difficulty lies, for many people are at a loss to recognize them for who they really are.

Going to church regularly is a good thing, but there is a right way, and a wrong way to do it. Eating fruit is good, if we ask any dietitian, but there is a right way to eat fruit, as Adam and Eve later found out. Similarly, the one who stands in the pulpit with the Bible in hand isn’t necessarily a minister of God, as some will find out all too late. Let’s read:

[The story of redemption pp 24] Satan is a diligent student of the Bible and is much better acquainted with the prophecies than many religious teachers. He knows that it is for his interest to keep well informed in the revealed purposes of God, that he may defeat the plans of the Infinite.

However, the cute doctrine we are going to deal with today, is the one that teaches its adherents that God is too good to punish transgression. And as a direct result people go on sinning and sinning with no fear of consequences. God’s great mercy is held up to the multitudes as a sort of weakness on His part, that precludes any justice from being served.

But before we unpack this cute doctrine, there are some things we need to be aware of. God starts off as King and Creator of the universe in Genesis [1], He transitions to The Savior in the gospels, and He returns as King and Creator in Revelation. The three angel’s messages were designed and intended to prepare us to meet the King, not the Savior.

It is true that God takes delight in mercy, and He is not pleased when people perish, but His grace and kindness in no way inhibits the execution of justice when it is warranted. What we’re now seeing in the public square currently is that people in high places are sinning without apparent impunity, and because justice is deferred, men are emboldened to go even further. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Thus, those who present a one-sided God of mercy and grace, with no justice, are preparing people to meet a savior of their own choosing, and who the cap fit will wear it. Let’s read:

[G.C 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. 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.

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.

Thus, the cute doctrine that teaches its adherents that God is too good to punish transgression, that His great love for us effectively precludes Him from administering justice, is a false doctrine that has to be corrected by the scriptures for mercy and grace do not invalidate justice in any way shape or form. Let’s read:

Leviticus 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

5 So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

8 And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

There are several important points for us to note in this narrative. Aaron had led the Hebrews into gross idolatry, instead of standing up for the right, even if it may have cost him his life. At that time, he had manifested a very pliant and gentle attitude, which had garnered for him the sympathies of the people.

This was in stark contrast to Moses who manifested righteous indignation at the sight of the “carnival” that was taking place at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Moses in his hot anger had broken the law of God to pieces but Aaron’s demeanor was much more palatable to those who had sinned, and in their minds, Aaron was the better. Let’s read:

[P&P pp 323] Aaron endeavored to make the people responsible for his weakness, but notwithstanding this, they were filled with admiration of his gentleness and patience. But God seeth not as man sees. Aaron's yielding spirit and his desire to please had blinded his eyes to the enormity of the crime he was sanctioning. His course in giving his influence to sin in Israel cost the life of thousands.

And Aaron’s pliant attitude also led him to overlook wrongs in his sons and like Eli his offspring, he made the fatal mistake of believing that his sons would eventually outgrow their natural tendencies to evil.

Therefore, instead of exercising parental authority, according to God’s order, He allowed serious evils to grow and strengthen, until they lost all sense of holiness, and became incapable of differentiating between right and wrong.

Thus, over a period of many years, his sons, Nadab and Abihu became ripe for destruction, and the way in which judgement was executed against them is a signal to us that God is no respecter of persons, and the narrative should be studied very carefully, lest some, inadvertently suffer the same fate, while they erroneously believe that God is too good to punish.

God is not in the business of reversing the results of every wrong that has been committed. The doctrine of free grace, whereby nations, and individuals are let off the hook after deliberately indulging in sin for many years is false and will cause disappointment to its adherents. It is in very rare instances that God will intervene to entirely reverse the laws of cause and effect.

If He was to continually do this, then the teeth of the law would be extracted, and persons would be led to sin with impunity. Forgiveness is guaranteed to all who confess, repent, and forsake, but in the temporal realm, the effects of a sinful course will usually have to be borne by the transgressor, at times for many years. Let’s read:

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In our day we are seeing with our own two eyes, and hearing with our own two ears, some of the worst sins, and wrongs taking place. Lying is the signature characteristic of satan, and yet, lies are being told on a daily basis. Inhumane practices are being practiced, and every type of fraud, scandal, and injustice is being done.

Also, the constitution of the United States is being challenged for its constitutionality, and to many it may seem as if God is asleep or has left iniquity and sin to run unbridled without impunity. All of this will soon come to a screeching halt for even though God may extend mercy and grace for many years, there comes a time when He will say, “Thus far and no further.

It is of critical importance then for us not to be deceived as to what is transpiring across the land. When the red line is crossed in heaven, God will act as He has done in times past, and retribution for sin that has not been confessed and forsaken will begin and not cease until the claims of the law have been satisfied.

Therefore, those who currently believe that God is too good to punish will be alarmed at the severity of His judgments, and because of this, persons are counseled to cultivate balanced views of God. He is merciful and just at the same time, but He will in no case spare those who persist in sin. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that confirms this.

Isaiah 28:21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

God Bless!

How Faith Is Tested. sabbath Afternoon 10/05/2019

It is often easier to speak of faith when things are going good, but it’s when things begin to go down- hill, or when obedience becomes uncomfortable or difficult, that our faith is tested. Some Christians do well in sunny days, but when the rains descend and the floods come to beat upon that house, some fall and stumble.

And thus, the question for each of us personally is whether we will continue to obey God when the going gets rough. It is not always easy to obey God, for there are times in our Christian experience when logic may pull us in a different direction, other than what God has said. At other times the magnetic pull of family and friends may cause some to negotiate God’s word, and thus put them at odds with Him.

It is for this very reason that God told Abraham to leave the associations of native country to go into a strange land, because the situation in a foreign land would be more favorable to spiritual development, and growth than in the place where customs, and culture would have exerted a negative influence.

It is the same reason why He took the Hebrews out of Egypt, because the dire influences of idolatry had imperceptibly infiltrated their thoughts, and, being constantly surrounded by evils and temptations, the environment in which they lived would inevitably take a toll on their faith. Let’s read:

Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.

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

Exodus 8:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exodus 8:20 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus, saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

It is not God’s will that our faith should be tested unnecessarily, and constantly by the environment we live in, for undue tests can do more harm than good. There are times in our experience when God would permit tests to come our way, but wherever possible, the best environment for spiritual growth should be sought out, because tests are intended to refine, not to destroy. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Again, in His providence, God has led some of us to leave our native country, because if we were to stay where we grew up, the fire water, and the pudding, and the festivities of the place might be too strong for some to resist, and thereby our faith would be tested unnecessarily. In all of our studies, we should seek to learn the ways of God, for they will help us to better understand Him, and cooperate with Him.

However, wherever we may find ourselves, we can be assured that our faith will be subjected to tests sooner or later, and we should understand that this occurs primarily in difficult situations. It has to be demonstrated whether or not we will continue to obey God in the most trying circumstances, for it is then and only then that faith can be certified.

Whenever General Motors, or Ford are looking to release a new Camaro or Mustang, they do run the engines in stressful conditions, and then the car is taken to various test sites, where it is put through the wringer, and subjected to crashes at different speeds to see if the quality of the product would withstand the necessary rigors, before it’s certified.

If the vehicle fails to perform as it should, and if the testing reveals certain flaws, then it is returned to the manufacturer’s facility for correction, and then it is retested again, so that finally, when the stamp of approval is placed on the hood, the certification process would have proven successful.

Similarly, each one of us would be put through the wringer on various levels and at various test sites to see if we would be certified because faith that is not tested cannot be trusted. It was only after Abraham had survived the most rigorous test, at one of these sites that God certified His faith.

Prior to the test with his son Isaac, Abraham was taken to the site where marriages are tested. In that instance, Abraham failed, because he made some illegal adjustments at the request of his wife. It is one thing to commit adultery, but it’s another thing when the offer to do so comes from one’s spouse. Let’s read:

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

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

Furthermore, the laws of the land back then had made provision for certain adjustments to God’s law, in cases where one’s wife was barren. What was Abraham to do in this instance? He had the promise of God at his back, he had the letter from the doctor confirming that Sarah was infertile, and now he has an offer on the table from his own wife to commit adultery.

It’s not to say he volunteered the suggestion, and furthermore, he had been trying to have children the biblical way with Sarah alone for many years, but it was not happening. What was he to do? Will he continue to obey God, or will he buckle under pressure at the test site?

We all know the story of his failure, and because of this he needed to be returned to the manufacturing plant for inspection, and correction, and then he would be retested. He would be taken to a different test site, where much more rigorous testing is done, before he can be certified. Let’s read:

Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt(Test) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

A very interesting commentary is written by the servant of The Lord pertaining to this test and the consequent certification that took place at the test site, Moriah. There is great need for us as Christians living in these last days of earth’s history to know and understand as much as possible, the ways of God. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 148>151] Abraham was tempted to believe that he might be under a delusion. In his doubt and anguish he bowed upon the earth, and prayed, as he had never prayed before, for some “confirmation” of the command if he must perform this terrible duty.

He went to the place where he had several times met the heavenly messengers, hoping to meet them again, and receive some further direction; “but none came to his relief”. Side by side the father and the son journeyed in silence. The patriarch, pondering his heavy secret, had no heart for words. His thoughts were of the proud, fond mother, and the day when he should return to her alone.

That day, the longest that Abraham had ever experienced, dragged slowly to its close. While his son and the young men were sleeping, he spent the night in prayer, still hoping that some heavenly messenger might come to say that the trial was enough, that the youth might return unharmed to his mother. But no relief came to his tortured soul.

The loving thing about God is that He will only allow tests that we should be able to bear because Toyota Corollas need not be tested as rigorously as would a Mustang. This is the very reason why Sarah was not taken to the same test site as Abraham was because God knew she was a Corolla as far as obedience and faith were concerned. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:13 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.

This is not to say that Sarah wouldn’t have her own trials, but her testing would be commensurate with what she was expected to endure. We should also understand that there are different types of test sites. There are test sites where persons are tested on conflict resolution. Then there are marriage test sites where husbands and wives would be severely tempted to deviate from God’s ideal.

There are monetary test sites too, where Christians are put through the wringer to see if they would be found faithful when they have little or nothing. The test site of ridicule, scorn, and love of approbation did Peter in, when it became most unpopular to be associated with Jesus. Satan deals in both ridicule and flattery, and at such test sites some Christians are known to stumble big time. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.

74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Again, there is the test site of anger management, a place where some are found wanting. It was at this test site that satan was permitted to tempt Moses to the core, for on previous tests, he had observed that cracks had begun to appear. First, it was with the spontaneous killing of the Egyptian taskmaster, then with the breaking of the Ten commandments that were written on stone. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

Thus, a list of the more prominent test sites are given in the Bible, so that we may know what will come our way sooner or later. The points that are listed there represent the various temptations and tests that we may have to contend with, but if we do not put ourselves unnecessarily in harm’s way, God is able to keep us from falling. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

It was determined that satan would be permitted to pull out the rug from under Job’s feet to see if he would continue to serve and obey God. Prior to this, things were going pretty well with Job and his entire household, a fact that satan himself acknowledged when the issue of his faithfulness came up.

Thus, he was permitted to be taken to a test site where the material things of earth would be pitted against one’s love for God. To serve and obey God when we are flush with blessings is one thing, but when or if they are removed, some renege on their commitment to be faithful to God. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

And now, having survived this first brutal test, he is permitted to be taken to another infamous test site, one where one’s health and well-being would be sorely tested. It is one thing to serve God when one is in good health, and the radiance of life could be seen on one’s brow.

But when one’s body is riddled with cancers, and unbelievable pain becomes one’s daily lot, with the drugs and painkillers losing their sting with every use, a person’s faith can be severely tested, and the temptation to give up hope and throw in the towel can be real. In Job’s case, a sudden onset of painful boils and blisters began to affect him, and his skin, once clear and radiant became full of sores.

Would he now throw in the towel in frustration, or will he continue to obey God when the going gets even rougher? Added to this, his own wife turns on him, the one who should be encouraging him above all others, now joins satan in making his situation even harder to bear. Will he survive the test, or will he buckle under pressure? Let’s read:

Job 2:4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Most of us will never be put through the wringer as Job was, for this was an isolated instance where the integrity of The Lord was called into question in the public square. And indeed, it was a vital point that needed to be addressed in public, for the question was raised that God’s people may have been bribed to serve Him.

This question must of necessity be settled once and for all, because if God has to bribe us to serve Him, then we would be obeying Him for what He has and not for who He is. God could only accept the pure service of love; which is based upon our intelligent understanding of His character, for if we serve God for only what we can get out of Him our faith is vain and it would be signally overthrown at one of those infamous test sites.

In the not too distant future, our faith in God will be severely tested. As we see with our own two eyes, the proliferation of all kinds of evils, we should be reminded that the Bible predicts that there will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. Of that time, the prophets of The Lord were inspired to pen the following cryptic words. 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.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

[G.C pp 622] It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal.

[L.D.E pp 260] The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies and in all parts of the earth; and they will be tried singly, not in groups. Everyone must stand the test for himself. The faith of individual members of the church will be tested as though there was not another person in the world.

[G.C. pp 621] The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger, a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.

Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer. All who will lay hold of God's promises, as he did, and would be as earnest and persevering as he was will succeed as he succeeded.

Let us then use the various trials and adversities that come our way from time to time as practice. Let us not buckle under pressure, nor give up our faith in God when troubles and temptations come. Instead, let us fight the good fight of faith, laying hold on the arm of omnipotence, and trusting God in every adverse situation, for if we keep our heads lifted to the skies, from whence comes our help, we will live victoriously, and would be certified by the angel of revelation 7.

We thus close with two passages of scripture which should encourage everyone to be faithful in every situation. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:26 And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

God Bless!

How Jacob God Paid. Sabbath afternoon 09/28/2019

The history of Jacob’s interaction with Laban, in the keeping of his flocks, and the renumeration Jacob received, and how he received it, contains a whole lot of instruction for us in our day, when unions are on strike for better wages and working conditions, and when greed and covetousness are too often the order of the day with corporations and those under their employ.

Inequities, and injustice at the work-place and the habit of draining workers of every ounce of energy for the lowest possible salary is one of the signs of the last days. The reason for this is that as people cast off the restraint of the Spirit of God, every evil trait of character will be developed and displayed, including covetousness which is the basis for all sin.

The rich often covet the labor, and productivity of the poorer classes, and the poorer classes, in turn, often covet the resources and wealth of the rich, so that a never-ending cycle of greed is set in motion. These traits of character are referred to in both the old and new testaments, as signs that the coming of Christ is near. 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.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Isaiah 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15 And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

This phenomenon is nothing new because from the times immemorial the working classes of earth have been trodden underfoot in many instances. Case in point was the treatment of the Hebrews in the land of Egypt after Joseph died, for they were expected to produce much, for little or next to nothing, and this at the urging and brutality of those in charge.

This is the reason why God said He would spoil the Egyptians when the Hebrews left , for there were a host of gross injustices taking place for many years. The Hebrews were forced to build treasure cities, and other buildings at the command of pharaoh and the work was to be done in the burning sun, with no shelter, and with the taskmasters urging them on at every turn with beatings and brutality. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor.

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.

Exodus 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof.

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus, saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore, have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?

In the case of Laban, and Jacob, who was under his employ the same spirit of avarice and injustice now appeared, and because of this their family relations got strained, to the point where it was necessary for Jacob to leave. Laban, whose grasping spirit was the motive force behind the fraud then practiced would change Jacobs wages whenever it would fatten his own pocket.

Principles were disregarded, his word was not held sacred, and contracts and agreements entered into with Jacob would be dissolved with no compunction of conscience on Laban’s part, because all he was concerned with was increasing his material wealth, very much the same as what took place in Egypt. Thus, the history of Laban’s treatment of Jacob and how Jacob eventually got paid, should be studied. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me anything: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

32 I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

On the surface it appeared as if Laban agreed to the proposal, but because his actions speak louder than words, what transpired next represents a deliberate intent on his part to squeeze the most out of Jacob for less than the least. In plain language, he desired Jacob to work for free, something which as Christ’s servants we should not encourage, except it be for the kingdom of God, or in charitable situations. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:35 And he (Laban) removed that day the He goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

He did not consider that his own daughters would be on the receiving end of his injustices, seeing that they were married to Jacob, and he did not even leave a few speckled sheep, crumbs as it were for Jacob; instead he removed every animal Jacob could ever claim as his own.

This ultimately set the stage for what happens next, for Jacob could not reasonably be expected to work for free especially given the rigors and responsibility that were incidental to that type of work. Yet in the narrative there are things Jacob should not do as a Christian, for there are lines in the sand that should never be crossed, even when injustices take place.

The unfolding situation should be followed closely and understood within the context of God being the ultimate arbitrator of any wrongs done to His own people by others. There are times when, because of His grace, He might let things slide for a while, but at other times when inequities become extreme, He will intervene. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ring-straked, speckled, and spotted.

40 And Jacob did separate the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-straked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves and put them not unto Laban's cattle.

41 And it came to pass, when-soever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Genesis 31:10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me.

Now folks, there are some pretty troubling aspects to this narrative which beg further inquiry. First of all, it must be stated, that after careful investigation it seems as if what Jacob did with the various trees, which all produce nuts, did not have any bearing on the conception process which followed. This is as far as we now know, even though the process did involve several specifics.

Indeed, there are levels of science about which we know nothing, as is manifested multiple times in the books of Leviticus, and Exodus, which detail several specifics in dealing with the disposition of leprosy. However, for the time being, we should stay within the limits of what we do know.

It is obvious that God intervened by a dream, and in the most literal sense, in exponentially multiplying Jacobs flocks to remove any superstitious inputs on the part of Jacob, if we can call them superstitious. The greater point is that God often works through the human agent, to accomplish His purposes, even though the human side of the equation may contain flawed methods.

In this case, the gross injustices done to Jacob were being addressed, and as such, God, who has entire, and supreme jurisdiction over the affairs of men, saw it fit to right the wrongs that were being done. We must be careful, in our understanding of who God is, and His ways of doing things, so that we do not limit the extent of His power and jurisdiction.

But even though God got involved in the situation it is not a certainty that He approved of, and ordained everything that Jacob did. For instance, when Jacob deliberately orchestrated that only the feeble cattle become Laban’s, and the stronger ones be his, that could have been a form of rendering evil for evil, or it could have been God’s way of requiting Laban for his evil ways, using Jacob’s flawed methods.

There are times, when God is working through the human agent, when everything may not come out perfect, and humanistic thoughts and methods may intrude into God’s providences. However, in His role as The ultimate arbitrator, whatever He allows, then falls under His direct jurisdiction, and we as mortals, are not to balk at Him, nor question His dealings.

There are things Nehemiah did that may not square with certain principles in the Bible, yet God allowed him leverage to do them. David, Moses, and several other prophets of God were at times allowed to do things which may seem un-christlike to some of us, but because He rules in the affairs of men, we must be humble and teachable in our assessments of His providences.

God permitted the Egyptians to be “spoiled” for the injustices done to the Hebrews. But He went a step further and gave His people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians which means He caused their requests for gold, silver, and precious jewels to be looked upon favorably by those who had worked His people for years, without just compensation.

Thus, in both the instance of Jacob, and in the same situation with His people in Egypt, God showed that He will deal with matters of injustice sooner or later and while we as Christians should always take the high road, forgiving those who trespass against us, and not rejoicing when our enemies may fall, yet in God’s own time, justice will be done. Let’s read:

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

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

As we approach the end of time, we will see with our own two eyes, and hear with our own two ears grievous miscarriages of justice, and we ourselves, just like the Hebrews of old, might be required to make brick without straw. We will see the grossest and most inhumane treatment of peoples, and we may be cut to the heart at the apparent impunity of the wicked. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 145>146] Those who live during the last days of this earth's history will know what it means to be persecuted for the truth's sake. In the courts, injustice will prevail. The judges will refuse to listen to those who are loyal to the commandments of God. In cases where we are brought before the courts, we are to give up our rights, unless it brings us in collision with God. It is not our rights we are pleading for, but God's right to our service.

Let us then not take it upon ourselves to multiply cattle in the gutters with hazelnut and chestnut trees, but let us rather go to God in prayer that He may direct us as to what course of action to pursue, for He is merciful but also just. We therefore close with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to do right in similar situations such as Jacob’s. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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.

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

God Bless!

God's covenant Of Protection. Sabbath Afternoon 09/21/2019

Living in an evil world, where strife, and conflicts, man-made and natural disasters occur so often, it is important for us to know of, and understand God’s covenant of protection. After any major disaster the question always arises that if God is alive, why does such and such tragedy take place. And if He sits on the throne of the universe, why doesn’t He protect millions from catastrophe.

These are complex questions with complex answers and although the Bible does not give us the reason in every situation, yet great light is shed upon issues which pertain to God’s covenant of protection. The promises of God are claimed by many, far and wide but it’s important to know that with many promises there are preconditions.

Thus, as we review both the old and new covenants, we should do so with a humble and teachable spirit for whatsoever is written in those covenants is what will take place in the lives of those who voluntarily enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. This is not to say that God does not care about the other multitudes of people, for Jesus died to save all.

But just as there are special privileges in a marriage, based upon vows made at the altar, just so, there are special promises made to those who enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. But there are several greater issues to be considered when trying to understand the issue of protection, of which a list of some of these will follow next.

[1] We are living in an evil world, and because of the sin problem, disasters will occur. Sin produces collateral damage, and therefore in many instances of tragedy, the innocent may be involved. Because of the sin of Adam, all his posterity suffer collateral damage, for we are here for just a brief moment, and before you know it, we wither and die as a flower.

Thus, those who had nothing to do directly with Adam’s original decision to sin, do suffer the after-effects of transgression. Millions of people across the world are suffering as a result of the trade war with China, yet on a personal level some may have had nothing to do with the decisions, either directly or indirectly, that were made.

The same is true of the sin problem, some will get hurt in the process. Even Christ suffered collateral damage on the tree, and therefore, we should think it no strange thing if innocent folks suffer at times. The good news is that salvation through Christ also produces collateral benefits to those who may have nothing to do with Jesus. Let’s read:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression.

[2] There are consequences to actions and decisions taken by persons. There are the laws of sowing and reaping which must run their natural course in most cases, and thus, our expectations should be held in subjection to those natural laws. If we sow good, it is likely that we will reap good, but if we sow evil we should not expect to reap good. Let’s read:

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Deuteronomy 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, forever.

Isaiah 24:4 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.

[3] God takes no delight in the destruction of beings He has created, yet He does retain the prerogative to permit such things to happen, according to His discretion. There are a few times when, on account of unbridled iniquity, He had to put a check on sin, but for the most part, destruction is the work, or by-product of evil angels.

Therefore, we should seek to understand as best as possible the difference between what God does and what He permits. Because of God’s great love, He has granted to all created beings the freedom of choice, which can be used for choosing good or evil. Thus, calamity and tragic loss often occurs because of our choices, and God should not be expected to reverse every consequence of wrong actions on our part.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Russia caused considerable damage to the planet, and we are still reeling from the fallout of the Fukushima meltdown in several, different ways. Seafood was and is still being adversely affected by the Deepwater Horizon which caused millions upon millions of gallons of oil to spill into the Gulf.

These disasters with all of their aftereffects on man and the environment were permitted by God, but He is in no way liable for the tragedies or the results of man’s choices. If persons continue to pollute the atmosphere without restraint, and if we continue to burn the Amazon rain forest, terrible catastrophes will certainly follow and God may or may not permit them.

Let mortal man then be very careful about how they blame God for any and everything, because God has made no promise to backstop every wrong or error man makes, especially when, for the most part he is rejected by the masses.

Most of the tragedies and conflicts we read of in the old testament, where God’s people were involved, had to do with God’s response to provocation by the enemies of His people, and thus these instances must be understood in context. Many nations like the Philistines the Amorites and the Moabites were bent on wiping Israel off the face of the earth.

Therefore, in many instances, God responded to the provocations by doing what any good parent would do. Case in point was the unprovoked attack by the Amalekites, as the Hebrews journeyed from Egypt. In that instance they were not prepared for war and the Amalekites took advantage of them.

Thus, in response, God directed Moses, and Joshua to fight, as He would work through their efforts, but even then, God did not destroy the Amalekites until a few decades later. Thus, throughout history, God’s judgments against nations, and individuals have always been tempered with mercy. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:8 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

1st Samuel 4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

1st Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction.

On the other hand, most of the destruction and disasters that have taken place upon the earth can be traced back to the work of satan, his angels and his human agents. With him, no difference is made as to who is on his side or not, for he is a murderer from the beginning.

After Saul had faithfully done his bidding, and went to the witch of Endor for guidance, satan rebuked him for disobeying God, and instead of helping him, sought to finish him off the next day. Thus, he is the destroyer who wreaks havoc upon individuals and nations in the overwhelming majority of cases. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.

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!

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

[G.C pp 589>590] While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power.

He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.

Thus, seeing that we are in pretty bad shape down here on this planet, it would be well and wise for us to study carefully, God’s covenants of protection in the Bible. The first covenant made between God, and Abraham, included protection, and would only be granted in response to faithful obedience to His laws. Let’s read:

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

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

Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

But when Abraham violated God’s law by marrying Hagar, God did not prevent that family feud which ensued. The alienation that occurred was the law of sowing and reaping running its natural course. Thus, God’s covenant of protection is predicated on our obedience to His voice.

The covenant that God made with the Hebrews also included promises of protection, which were to be granted in response to faithful obedience. These promises and their prerequisites were plainly stated so that none would have cause to misunderstand. If the Hebrews would walk circumspectly in the ways of God, then His protection would cover them.

But if not, they would be exposed to many disasters and calamities. These adverse circumstances would not happen all at once in most cases, but if there was deliberate sin, or repeated rebellion over an extended period of time, then the negative results would kick in. Let’s read:

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

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

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

16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

Now, it is worthy of note, that as it stands currently, God has entered into no such agreement with any nation on the earth. The new covenant written in Hebrews includes promises of God’s protection to persons individually, to those who have voluntarily entered into a covenant relationship with Christ, to obey His laws and commandments, but as a nation, no such guarantees are made. Let’s read:

Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

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

Those who would be covered under God’s covenant of protection must, like Abraham and all the faithful down through the ages, walk in obedience to God’s laws and statutes. They must endeavor through the power of the indwelling Christ, to live in accordance with the principles, and laws of God’s kingdom, for anything short of this would be a fairy-tale version of God’s protection.

This does not mean that no adverse situation would affect the righteous, neither does it mean that we would be free from adversity, or from the effects of storm and rain. Those who embrace God’s covenant would find a sure refuge in Jesus, and they would be covered by God according to His will, when things go south, because they have voluntarily placed themselves under His direct jurisdiction.

Being covered by your insurance company does not guaranty that you won’t have any accidents, just as being covered by God does not provide immunity from disaster or adversity. Coverage offers a backup plan, and that is why the following passages were written for our understanding. 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.

Thus, as a multitude of disasters, hurricanes, wars, tumults, tornadoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis are on the uptick, increasing in frequency and intensity, as a woman in labor pains, Christ invites everyone not to seek for mere human solutions, but to find a refuge in Him while the window of opportunity is still open.

Now, whilst our Great High Priest is wrapping up His work in the heavenly sanctuary, and now, as God’s Holy Spirit is gradually being withdrawn from the earth, let us seek shelter in Christ by appropriating His new covenant, for when probation closes, God’s protecting care will only be upon those who are in Christ, while all others will have no shelter. Thus, we close with a scripture that certifies this promise. Let’s read:

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 daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

God Bless!

The Ways Of God. Part [3] the Distribution Of Gifts. sabbath Afternoon 09/14/2019

The first segment of The ways of God had to do with the fact that God is a God of order, and that perfect order is followed in heaven. This characteristic must be cultivated in those of us who serve in different ministries, because orderliness must run as a golden thread throughout the fabric of Christianity. Those ministries that are run by mere feelings, or that are done sporadically will fail of producing meaningful results for God’s kingdom.

Well directed effort, and consistency on the part of those who serve, will place folks in a position where God can use them efficiently. Therefore, when once an individual realizes his or her gift, a commitment to serve faithfully should be made to the Lord first and then to the church, and community at large, as the Lord directs. But in no case should sporadic or haphazard service for God be done. Let’s read:

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

1st Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

One of the main reasons why some Christians suffer from burn out is because too few in the church try to do too many things, and as a result, a plethora of inefficient ministries are held by some. The fact is that there is only so much one can do in twenty-four hours, and therefore, if we spread ourselves too thinly, we will inadvertently dishonor God.

One the other hand, The Lord forbids complacency, by which some members only expect to be served, with no meaningful contribution to God’s kingdom being done. There is no such thing as a Christian without a gift, and thus, it behooves us to find out what our gifts and talents may be, and through the power and guidance of The Holy Ghost, use them to lead individuals to Christ.

Now, it is true that there will always seem to be a shortage of willing persons to serve in the various offices of the church, and some may feel pressured to extend themselves over and beyond the call of duty. We should try to avoid this snare, and only take that which would be done willingly, decently, orderly, and consistently. The cup that is full to the brim can be quite difficult to carry.

In the formation of the early Christian church, it was discovered that the apostles were expected, by the new converts to do everything, but this would soon become a problem, as their ministry of evangelism would suffer. Thus, very early up God directed them to distribute the ministries to such as would render faithful service, so that each person could stand in their God-given lot. Let’s read: Let’s read:

Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Thus, the disciples who were called to preach the gospel would not be bogged down with the serving of food, and those who could cook would not be bogged down with preaching. Every person would be able to do their God-given part with efficiency and joy, for they would not be cumbered with what they were not called to do. This template for every ministry should be followed so that the church can run like a smooth running, well-tuned engine.

But for us to take on too much on our plate as far as ministry is concerned would cause us to be running here and there continuously without any time for us to be re-energized by The Holy Spirit, and before you know it we may be doing things in our own strength and following where God did not lead. Overwork is no virtue, for it can cut short our usefulness in the kingdom of God.

Therefore, in the church, God’s ways of doing things must be followed if we are to work in harmony with the Holy Spirit. In heaven, there are specific angels who do specific things. There are those that excel in strength, there are those who are charged with the monitoring of the four corners of the earth. Those who specialize in plagues, those who are watchmen for God’s people and those who specialize in praise.

Furthermore, there are angels whose sole work is to double-check every angel that passes in and out of the gates of heaven, so that no “undercover agents” would not enter. Then there are supervising angels, given the task of overseeing the various companies of angels who are to report their work to him. But there isn’t a single angel in heaven who tries to do everything, no not one. 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.

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.

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

2 And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.

[C.E.T pp 97] There is perfect order and harmony in the holy city. All the angels that are commissioned to visit the earth hold a golden card, which they present to the angels at the gates of the city as they pass in and out.

Therefore, God’s church on earth should know and follow His ways, for just as perfect order is followed in heaven, human agents are to operate in the same way. This manner of doing things was stipulated by Christ, and the distribution of gifts in the church by The Holy Ghost was to facilitate the smooth, orderly operation of all ministries.

No one is to think of themselves as being everything to everyone, and collaboration is to be encouraged, for the church is not to be comprised of disorderly, independent elements, working at odds with each other. On the contrary, the church should be known as an indivisible whole, consisting of many members who are working together in unison for the building up of God’s kingdom.

Every contribution is important, and none is to be despised, because from the least to the greatest, everyone should be viewed as contributing to the great commission given us, and as a result of the various ministries, souls would be won for Christ’s kingdom.

Those who are blessed with talents and gifts are to use them to the best of their God-given ability, and they are to constantly seek God for wisdom to make their service more efficient. Those who can sing, let them sing, and those who can pray, let them pray, those who can preach let them preach, and those who have a knack for identifying needs and helping others, let them do so in the fear of God. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

Thus, it is important for persons to identify their gifts, so that they can be used in cooperation with Christ. God scarcely ever gives someone a gift for doing that which they do not like to do. If this were the case, then church members would always have to be propped up by praises, encouragements, and verbal support of others.

But when God gives persons gifts, it is often what the human agent enjoys doing naturally, and thus He sanctifies, and empowers them for use in His kingdom. Their motivation would not depend on the approbation of men, for their energy and gifts come from the same source.

Peter loved to talk, and it was observed that he said things when nothing needed to be said. Even when Peter had nothing to say, he would still speak, for it was his undiscovered gift being manifested. Yet, it could have been misunderstood by some as Peter being too talkative. Let’s read:

Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

Yet on the day of Pentecost, after Peter’s gift was realized, sanctified, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, it was the same talkative person who first opened his mouth to preach. It’s very often the case that what some may view as odd, or out of place in others, may actually be a gift from The Holy Ghost, just lying dormant for the time being. Let’s read:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words.

We should understand also that there is a God-given purpose for each gift or talent distributed. These abilities and endowments were not given for personal advancement, personal enrichment or personal aggrandizement, as is currently the case with too many preachers today. Gifts and talents are given for the edification of the body of Christ.

In other words, if one discovered that he got the gift of preaching, and then begins planning to do church from a profit-making perspective, that gift would be perverted to suit selfish purposes, and as such it will become a curse rather than a blessing to others and would ultimately lead that gifted person to preach smooth words, and cute doctrines, designed for itching ears.

Again, there are many current singers on the charts, and billboards, who had their beginnings in church, but after they realized that their gift could be used for making money, it was perverted to suit selfish or evil purposes. If any talent, or gift is not being used for “gathering” it will be used for “scattering”.

But wherever God-given gifts and talents are being used as God designed, positive results will be seen. People would be edified, and encouraged to obey God, souls would be converted to Christ, and there will be a general upward trajectory from the use of the gift. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is also important for gifts and talents to be used efficiently, in a manner that will produce the most amount of positive results and for the longest time possible. As such, persons will have to have a plan, praying to God for guidance, and committing to His service on a continuum. Do not bite off more than you can chew properly.

Slipshod actions are to be strictly avoided, and that which has been committed to God should be held as sacred. There will be times when discouragement will set in; in other instances, persons may say and do things to annoy or frustrate. Let us never forget who has called us to serve, and who has blessed us with these talents in the first place, for if we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will keep us from burnout.

Let us then seek to discover, everyone his or her gift and talents, and let them be used for the up-building of Christ’s kingdom, in harmony with all the working principles outlined previously, and Christ’s blessing will attend every effort made in the right direction. We end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to service. Let’s read:

Matthew 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

God Bless!

The ways Of God. Part [2] Strategic Placement. 09/07/2019

The United states of America currently has about thirty-eight military bases around the world which are strategically stationed, so that if disturbances or conflicts arise, personnel would be readily available. The military personnel did not just happen to be in these strategic places, they were placed there after deliberate planning, based on intelligence.

These bases, scattered throughout the middle-east, Europe, and other places also serve the purpose of keeping in check renegade elements who otherwise might be prone to give trouble. Thus, a stabilizing effect is often achieved in the respective regions where these facilities are to be found.

In the spiritual warfare God has also positioned His people in strategic places upon the earth, so that a stabilizing effect can be achieved. Thus, if conflicts and disturbances in the spiritual realm, or in nature should arise His people would already be in position to carry out His will where needed.

If indeed we are being led by The Spirit of God, then the places where we work, and the neighborhoods where we live, and the businesses that we own did not just happen by accident, because it was based upon intelligence, and deliberate planning why the providence of God placed us where we are living and working currently. Let’s read:

Psalms 139:1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Thus, it is of critical importance that we know why we were placed in such and such a place, and even more important, that we fulfill the primary mission for which God placed us there, for this also is a part of understanding the ways of God. Daniel did not just happen to be in the lion’s den, and the three Hebrew boys didn’t end up in a furnace in Babylon by chance.

Again, Joseph did not choose to go down in Egypt, neither did the hatred of his brothers force him to go there. It was all a part of God’s greater strategic planning and placement, so that His good purposes might be fulfilled in due season. Therefore, we owe it to ourselves to find out why we are where we are.

The answers to these questions can be found in the scriptures, for our primary mission in this world is not to make money even though we must work. The main reason God has placed us where we currently are is to spread the gospel, the good news of His salvation, and thus, every other temporal concern lies downstream of that great commission.

This should not be viewed as a mere suggestion or a good idea, it is the command of God to all would-be followers of Christ, for we were not saved by God’s grace to enjoy the great benefits of salvation all by ourselves; we were saved to serve and to call others to God’s kingdom. That is God’s primary purpose in placing us strategically wherever we may be. Let’s read:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, 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. Amen.

Christ’s promise to be with us till the end of the age was given in the context of our fulfilling that great commission, and wherever it is not being fulfilled, His presence with us is not promised or guaranteed. Some Christians may not have understood this, and as a direct result, their focus was on making a living, and on retirement.

Furthermore, in scattering His people strategically throughout the earth, it is God’s will that we be as salt which seasons food, so that the effects of His grace and His righteousness could be sprinkled near and far, even permeating neighborhoods, cultures, our educational curriculum, and every other aspect of living, wherever we are placed. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

So, let us recap briefly what was stated in the first segment of “The ways of God”. Knowing God, and knowing about God are two completely different things for when one comes to know Him personally, he, or she will inevitably practice whatsoever they have seen or heard of Christ, for wherever Christ is known to dwell in one’s heart by faith, good works are bound to follow. It cannot be otherwise.

Knowing about God however has to do with a mere superficial, or theoretical knowledge of Him, which never produces any influence, or fruit of real worth.

In such instances, a bare-bones sort of Christianity, which produces only robotic works of righteousness is the result, in so much that there might be much talk about God, much reasoning, much argument on religious topics, but the motive power of The Holy Ghost is conspicuously absent.

Thus, it is critical for us to understand the ways of God through strategic placement. When God called Abraham to leave his friends and family in UR of the Chaldees to go to a strategic place, it wasn’t so that he could find better pasture for his flocks. That by-product would follow, because the blessings of God are upon the spiritual and temporal aspects of life, but material benefit was not God’s main purpose.

God’s will in relocating Abraham in Canaan was so that he could win as many souls for God’s kingdom as possible. And Abraham stepped up to the plate by fulfilling his appointed station in life. Therefore, wherever God has strategically placed us, let us all never forget this primary purpose. Let’s read:

Genesis 12: Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou

shalt be a blessing.

3 And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 13:3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

[Conflict and Courage pp 49] The life of Abraham, the friend of God, was signalized by a strict regard for the word of the Lord. He cultivated home religion. The fear of God pervaded his household. He was the priest of his home. He looked upon his family as a sacred trust. His household numbered more than a thousand souls, and he directed them all, parents and children, to the divine Sovereign.

But in our day, it seems as if the cares of this world, and the desire to procure wealth, has replaced the God-given purpose for which we were saved. Many are now consumed with investments, and money-making, to the point where the great commission has become secondary, or something we engage in when we have nothing else to do.

With many professed followers of Christ, making a living, and making money takes precedence, which consumes our best energies. This very sad reversal of priorities was predicted by Christ, so that we may avoid the snare of being commercially minded. Let’s read:

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

However, God would have us understand that His strategic placement of His people in the earth often involves more than just spreading the gospel. Salt is not only used for seasoning food, it is also used as a preservative, and therefore, in placing us where we are, it is God’s purpose to also preserve life, in the most literal sense.

The ways of God, what He does and why He does it should be understood by all, as much as is possible. There have been times when God would not permit destruction in certain places for the sole reason that some righteous persons were living in the area.

Were it not for this strategic placement, certain cities and provinces that have passed the boundaries of their probation would be subject to terrible destruction. Especially in our day, when the forces of nature are scheduled to become more renegade it is of great importance, that as the “Salt of the earth” we do not lose our savor.

Whenever there are un-resolvable problems on the job, or in the neighborhood, some Christians might tend to point fingers at sins and evils that are taking place in others. But while this may be true in some instances, the problem might also be with the “salt” which has lost its preservative quality.

Jonah had temporarily lost this preservative characteristic when he chose to disobey God. It’s worthy of note that on that ship, he was not the only person indulging sin, for the other passengers were not without faults either. But Jonah, who had been strategically commissioned to Nineveh, based on intelligence, was not fulfilling his appointed role, and therefore, he inadvertently caused harm and loss to other people. Let’s read:

Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them.

7 And they said everyone to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So, they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

15 So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

But in another instance where one righteous man was in the neighborhood, the lives of many persons would have been spared, if they had followed on to repentance. The ways of God are to be found in His merciful dealings with multitudes, for He takes no delight in destruction. But He often uses his people as strategic channels of blessing to those who may not know any better.

When God said to Abraham “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” He was referring to Christ who would come of Abraham’s seed. But for his part, Abraham must choose to be a channel of the blessings God was to give. Abraham was to be the salt in his neighborhood, looking out for both the spiritual and temporal good of the citizens of the area. 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?

26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

Abraham comes all the way down to ten righteous persons, and he asks again, if there are to be found only ten, will mercy be dispensed. Then the answer is given, if only ten righteous people are located in Sodom, the entire city will be let off the hook. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:32 And he said let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

In our day many of us have become obsessed with the cares, and temporal concerns of life. The very purpose for which God had called us has been too often sidelined by material pursuits, and bit by bit, almost imperceptibly, we have lost our first love, and have traded the great commission for monetary commission.

As a result, many persons who do not know God are inadvertently exposed to harm and danger, both in the spiritual and temporal realm, and thus, it will be found in the day of final accounts, that some of the tragedies and losses incurred in some areas can be traced back to lukewarm Christians who have lost their savor. Let’s read:

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

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

[The desire of ages pp 306] Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God's blessing flows. Were those who serve God removed from the earth, and His Spirit withdrawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation and destruction, the fruit of Satan's dominion.

Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence, in the world, of God's people whom they despise and oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are worse than unbelievers.

Let us then as followers of Jesus hit the reset button in our thinking; let us re-prioritize that which Christ has given us to do primarily, and let us all allow the grace, mercies, and blessings of God to flow freely through us to others in our neighborhood, and on the job, and everything else that pertains to this life will fall into its rightful place. We’ll end with verses of scripture which state exactly this. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

God Bless!

The Ways Of God. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 08/31/2019

Many people become bewildered or frustrated with God, if they have prayed for help and guidance in a matter but things did not turn out the way they had expected. In many instances these disappointments could be traced back to our lack of understanding of the ways of God, which often causes folks to harbor unrealistic expectations of Him.

Others erroneously believe that He is unpredictable, and thus, when some of us pray, it’s with a question mark hanging over our heads, about whether God is going to answer or not. Thus, many persons live the Christian life with uncertainty, as if the ways of God cannot be known.

But while God is omniscient and knows everything, and while His ways are infinitely higher than ours, yet it is possible for us mortals to know Him. If this were not the case, then our relationship with God would be a vain experience, riddled with doubts, and unanswerable questions.

God desires us to have an intelligent understanding of His character which in turn will cause us to run the Christian race with a steady, and even tread. At the same time, our confidence in God will build with an increasing knowledge of His ways so that we may view Him as being dependable, and consistent, One who can be relied upon in good times and bad.

Now, there are certain passages of scripture, which on the surface may seem to suggest otherwise, but these must be understood in context, for when the various verses are studied line upon line, there will appear a golden thread of consistency, so that all who would, may come to know Him.

Indeed, a relational, hands on knowledge of God is at the heart of Christianity, being the essence and stability which so many are in need of. Therefore, in getting to know Him, we must study His ways, what He does, how He does it, when He does it, and why He does it, wherever such information is revealed in scripture, and also in His providential workings.

Wherever possible, persons who endeavor to seek to know God and His ways should study the truths written in Bible, for several passages teach us that God can be known, and they also give assurance that He will be found of them who search for Him diligently. Let’s read:

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord.

However, at least in some instances a different take on the same matter of knowing God is raised in the scriptures. But before jumping to any erroneous conclusions, we should seek to understand the very context in which those words were uttered, for in one instance they were spoken by one who had an indistinct view of the ways God, and for which he was later rebuked. Let’s read:

Job 11:1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

In another passage we read that the ways of God are past finding out. Such passages should not ever be understood to mean that as Christians we are to live in limbo, thinking that God is capricious in His ways. The misunderstandings of God referred to in the Bible primarily pertain to those who have not known God personally, for when taken together the Bible passages explain themselves perfectly. Let’s read:

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.

18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

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

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Therefore, we who are living in the 21st century, are cautioned not to repeat the same errors of the past, by which many persons claimed to know God, but in reality, only had a superficial knowledge of Him. In the book of Hebrews, we read that after forty years of experience, the majority of God’s people still did not know Him. Let’s read:

Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they

have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

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.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

Thus, there are some fundamentals about God that we should understand. In this segment we will seek to address a few basics, then we’ll move on to some practical illustrations which would help us to better understand what God does or permits, and why it is that certain experiences occur.

[1] God is a God of order.

Everything that God does, pertaining to heaven and earth is done in an orderly manner. Nothing is left to chance or mere feeling, for feelings will fluctuate, whereas principle is eternal. Thus, for starters, the ways of God are characterized by consistency, and perfect order. Confusion, disorder, and untidiness are all products and derivatives of evil angels. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

John 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

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

Deuteronomy 23:12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad.

13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee.

14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore, shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

Acts 10: There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius.

3 He saw in a vision evidently an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him;

5 Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.

6 He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Some may have wondered why in both instances in Acts, The Lord, and the angel from heaven sent to Cornelius wouldn’t divulge the information needed, but instead, put the persons in question in contact with an ordained messenger of God.

That is because order and protocol is being followed because wherever a prophet, or messenger of God, or an ordained person has been established among His people, God speaks His will through that person primarily. Hence the reason why our references are to be taken from the Bible primarily, for it’s written, holy men of God spoke as they were moved by The Holy Ghost.

This brings us to the experiences of Moses and the Hebrews, for God had specified that Moses was to be the human channel through which His will for the people would be made known. Information and instructions would be disseminated from The Lord through Moses, and from Moses to the people, just as it was with Jesus, Saul, and Ananias, the angel Peter and Cornelius. Let’s read:

Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus, shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee forever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.

Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.

4 And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation.

5 And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam.

6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Therefore, Moses being God’s chosen vessel, their murmurings against him would be an affront to God who sent him in the first place, and as the Hebrews continue to falsely accuse Moses they would trigger experiences which demonstrate the ways of God in His dealing with similar situations.

There will be both negatives and positives that will accrue as a direct result, and the way in which the difficulties are resolved will teach us some valuable lessons in the ways of God, if, and when problems arise in our own experience. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?

3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

8 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

This attack by Amalek was a direct result of the murmuring of the Hebrews. Continual complaining for no valid reason will often cause our defense to depart from us for murmuring effectively opens the door to great temptations. On the other hand, the attitude of praise and thanksgiving will often dispel darkness and forces the enemy into retreat. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.

This particular instance occurred at a time when the Hebrews were surrounded and vastly outnumbered by their enemies, who were hell bent on wiping the entire nation off the face of the earth. Did the Jews have reasonable cause for grave concern? Yes, they did; but instead of dwelling on the ominous clouds before them, and instead of indulging the “why me” syndrome, they took a different route of praise, and thanksgiving, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

Here it is again. The Lord is teaching us how to fight to win, how to surmount difficulties, instead of the tendency to grovel in our misfortunes. God never proposes to us that the road will be easy, but He provides a never-failing Refuge in Christ, if we will be humble and willing enough to access Him when difficulties arise. Let’s read:

Acts 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

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.

Whenever we are in difficulty, or whenever we face seemingly insurmountable problems, an attitude of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving to God will trigger a multitude of blessings and deliverances, if like Paul, Silas, and the Hebrews in Jehoshaphat’s day we do not dwell on the negatives. Let’s read:

[Messages To Young People. Pp 53] Satan cannot endure to have his powerful rival appealed to, for he fears and trembles before Christ's strength and majesty. At the sound of fervent prayer, Satan's whole host trembles and when angels, all-powerful, clothed with the armory of heaven, come to the help of the fainting, pursued soul, Satan and his host fall back, well knowing that their battle is lost.

Exodus 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek.

11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

In this instance, some of the Hebrews were actually lost to the Amalekites whenever Moses’ hands were let down. Real people died as a result, which is one of the sobering truths we need to understand about the ways of God. Let none be deceived into thinking that their problems, and enemies will be defeated without prayer.

As Moses lifted his hands to the sky, just so we too must lift our hands to God in prayer whenever the enemy comes in like a flood, for this is when God will lift up a standard against him. But the human tendency is to try to go it alone, without God, and the sure result is that “Amalek” will prevail if we do not pray for help. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a delusion to think that we can beat back the forces of the enemy without help from God. In one particular instance the angel Gabriel had to call for reinforcements from heaven as he battled satan for 21 days without success. Then, we who are mortals, who were made lower than the angels should never even think of fighting battles on our own because failure will be the result. Let’s read:

Daniel 10:2 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

20 Then said he, now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia.

Let us then not fail to know, and understand the ways of God, for the things that are written in the Bible are there for our admonition and instruction, especially as we will have to fend off numerous and determined attacks against our souls in these last days. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will enable us to live victoriously each and every day. Let’s read:

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.

God Bless!

Tit For Tat Laws. Sabbath Afternoon 08/24/2019

The strict administration of justice often appeals to man’s carnal nature, whereas the dispensation of mercy to one’s enemies goes against our natural grain. And it is easier hold grudges than to let go and let God. It’s not that there is anything inherently wrong with our sense of justice, but the Bible shows us a better way of dealing with our fellow men, instead of pursuing justice to the letter.

There is a strictly fair way of dealing with others and then there is a royal way of interacting with others. The reason why God instructs us to choose the royal way is because this is what He delights in, because it is an integral part of His character. However, mercy does not cause God to be insensible to strict justice, for the two characteristics are perfectly blended in His Person, into one indivisible whole.

And we must always remember that when God sent Jesus to die for us, God did not deal with us fairly, He dealt mercifully, and therefore, having saved us from the consequences of our own sins, He asks us to do the same in our dealings with individuals who may have wronged us. These instructions in no way make us blind to justice; instead, it allows mercy to be one of the preeminent traits of character, just as it is with God. Let’s read:

Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

Psalms 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psalms 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

If God was to deal with us only from a strict sense of justice, we would all be dead men, for the wages of

sin is death, and nothing but human life can atone for sin. But, by sending Jesus to die on the cross, He was able to blend mercy with strict justice, so that the requirements of the broken law could be met, while at the same time He could save us from the consequences of our actions.

Thus, the ruling trait of character which motivates God is love, from which springs His mercy, kindness long-suffering, and a delight in seeing the repentant sinner go free. To take pleasure in knowing that a wrongdoer is pardoned, is essentially another level of Christianity, to which too many are foreigners. It is one thing to breathe a sigh of relief when justice is being served but it is another matter to rejoice when mercy is granted.

Therefore, as we study the Tit for Tat laws written in the Bible, it should be from a perspective of being merciful, even in situations where showing mercy may seem wrong. Indeed, when mercy is granted to the undeserving, the one who was wronged must of necessity absorb at least some, or all of the cost, and there are times when we’ll discover that mercy can be quite expensive.

It is not natural for the unconverted heart to show mercy, and therefore, as we study, we should keep in mind that we must allow God to dwell within us, so that grace, mercy, and long-suffering may come from our hearts, and not merely the ritualistic, rigid form that savors more of regret or resentment. Let us remember that God not only shows us mercy, He takes pleasure in doing so.

The tit for tat laws were given to the Hebrews after they were freed from Egyptian bondage, and even though it wasn’t God’s ideal, yet it represented, at least in kindergarten form, the beginnings of some sort of justice, whereby fair judgments could be administered in governing the people. Laws of strict justice must be written, because mercy, even when it is enjoined upon persons, is optional.

Some may choose to show mercy, while others may not, but justice between fellow citizens, neighbors, and friends must be written down as a road-map for judges to follow. In most cases, the Hebrew judges were not left to dispense mercy at their discretion, because there would be great temptation to show favoritism. This is one reason why it was necessary to write the laws of justice in stone, as it were. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 16: 18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Numbers 35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

This last passage is important for it delineates in no uncertain terms, that when innocent life is taken by a person, he must pay with his own life, or else the land would suffer as a direct result. But, in dealing with His people God demonstrated that there is a royal and merciful way to deal with the very same situation. Mercy could be granted by God, because Jesus Christ would absorb the natural backlash on the cross.

This administration of mercy has perplexed some to the point where they are tempted accuse to God of injustice, or favoritism in some instances. But this is absolutely not the case, because there was some provision for mercy included in the instructions that were given to Israel. The provisions always included the sacrifice of innocent life pointing us to the great fact that Christ would pay for all the injustices done. Let’s read:

Leviticus 4:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:

13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;

14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.

15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord.

20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.

22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;

23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.

26 And the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

There are times when God’s mercy was granted to an individual, and it may seem to some that such a person got off free. But there is no such thing as free mercy, because every sin and injustice would be reconciled in Christ. Thus, the legal basis for the administration of mercy is Christ. At times, persons may have borne some of the cost, but at the end of the day, it’s Jesus who bears the brunt of our sins.

In the case of David, when he sinned by ordering the death of Uriah, the cost was partially deflected to the child of the adulterous relationship, yet, he himself avoided death because he complied with the provision upon which mercy is granted. In the 51st Psalm we read of his confession, and his plea for grace, and because his repentance was genuine, he was accepted by God. Let’s read:

Psalms 51: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

9 Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities.

But even with the death of his newly born child, we must not conclude that absolute justice was served, for the letter of the law specifically states that David and not the child should suffer. Thus, the remaining penalties that were due, were transferred to Christ on the tree, and thus, David, together with all of us could be saved in God’s kingdom if we repent and turn.

These are the reasons why we read certain passages of the Bible which demonstrate the strict justice of God. At times some people may wonder if it is the same God of mercy who delights in love that caused His wrath to fall so heavily upon His own Son.

Bolts of lightning seemed to be hurled against Christ on the cross, and the weight of our sins upon Him resulted in tremendous mental anguish, that caused Him to die of a broken heart, long before the other two thieves passed.

Let us then beware, lest we fall short of His grace, and the same recompenses become our lot, for if we neglect so great salvation and mercy, there will be nothing else He could do to save us from the full consequences of our sins. God’s grace and mercy is free to all, but very expensive to Christ. Let’s read:

Zechariah 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

Isaiah 53:4 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.

Therefore, seeing that mercy was provided at such a cost, with Jesus suffering the recompense for our deeds, let us turn to the royal law, the royal way of dealing with those who may have done us wrong. A man owes a king a certain sum, the king, like all of us, tries to collect on his debt, but the man doesn’t have the wherewithal to pay, so, he asks for mercy and mercy is granted, full and free. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will

pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.

29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.

There are several important issues to be observed from this parable.

[1] The unmerciful debtor had good intentions, for he planned to repay the debt. The only problem is that he couldn’t. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Thus, he went out, and in a desperate effort to collect all that was owed him, he tried to make up the sum that he owed to the king. He either forgot, or didn’t really believe that mercy had been freely granted him. This attitude often stems from a heart of distrust, because if we truly believe that God has forgiven all our debts, there will be no need for us to try to repay God.

[2] Nothing was wrong with him trying to recover that which was owed, because the king in the parable had also made attempts to collect on his debts. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

The problem is the way in which the unmerciful debtor tried to shake down his fellow man. If one is owed a debt, there is nothing wrong with trying to collect, but there are certain things we must not do, in our efforts at recovery, certain lines we shouldn’t cross, as Christians who represent Christ.

We are a spectacle unto the world, unto angels and to men, and thus, if we adopt un-Christlike methods or practices, we thereby cause folks to view God in the same light. In the parable, Christ says that the unmerciful man took the other by his “throat”.

God would have us understand there are many, and different ways, we too may try to take our debtors by the throat. Some may launch a flurry of harassing phone calls late at night, with verbal assaults, when debtors need to sleep. Some resort to threatening legal action; and others may even stalk the one who owes, at home, at work, and even at church.

And there are some others who may even resort to violence. All of these actions constitute taking one by the throat, for the unforgiving spirit which drives the various deeds is what God is against. There isn’t anything wrong per se in the pursuit of strict justice; all God is saying is that if we choose that route, He will have to deal with us in the same currency, for justice begets justice, and mercy begets mercy.

[3] When mercy is to be granted to one, a conscious decision must be made to absorb some, or all loss. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

When it was determined that there was no other way for us to pay our debts to God, Jesus made a deliberate, conscious decision to absorb the entire debt, and thus, the king in the parable made that decision too.

There are times when Christians would be severely tempted to adopt tit for tat methods in dealing with perceived, or real injustices. No one should expect that showing mercy will always come naturally, for Christ must be formed within us, in order for such decisions to come from the heart.

Therefore, Christ’s emphasis to us is not so much on the doing, as on the being. Yes, it will call for stern self-denial in some instances, and yes, it may hurt, or may cause some to be financially compromised, for mercy carries a cost, yet, to show mercy is God’s royal way, and we too should be willing to follow in His footsteps. This method of dealing with injustices is enjoined in several passages of scripture. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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.

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

1st Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you.

In what some refer to as The Lord’s prayer, we ask God to forgive us “As we forgive our debtors” which means that we ourselves state the terms by which we expect to be treated. But many do not know the extent or importance of this prayer, and that’s why many who claim to believe in Jesus may still be in an unforgiven state.

If we put a limit on our forgiveness of others, God will also put a limit on His forgiveness to us. If we allow forgiveness to be open-ended, mercy will be open-ended towards us. And if we draw a red line in the sand which others should never cross, a similar red line will be drawn in our sand which we should never cross.

That is exactly what the phrase “As we forgive our debtors” means. Therefore, we are encouraged to take the high road, to live according to the royal law, and to always keep in mind, the sacrifice that was made by Jesus to set us free, because, in the contemplation of his great act of mercy that we can never repay, our own dealings with our fellowmen will reflect our gratitude for the cancellation of our debt.

We therefore close with a gentle reminder that God says what He means, and His words to us on these matters will be fulfilled exactly as they are written. Let’s read:

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

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

God bless!

The Centurion. Sabbath Afternoon 08/17/2019

One of the issues we will need to be reconciled to, as it pertains to the ways of God, is that He says what He means, and means what He says. In other words, when He gives us commands or instructions, He expects them to obeyed in entirety, for partial obedience is not accepted in His sight. Moses had found that out on the way back to Egypt, when he was stopped by a holy angel, for not circumcising his son, according to God’s instructions.

The children of Israel found that out too when they went out to gather the manna God had provided. At that time, it was instructed that they should gather one omer for one man, but because some of them were probably dieting, while some others may have thought it should be buffet style, some gathered more, and some gathered less. But their final tally sheds light on the importance of exact obedience. Let’s read:

Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.

17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.

Good intentions are no excuse for not following the instructions of God either, for if good intentions are not followed up with obedience, they are useless. When king Saul spared Agag and brought back the best of the sheep and the cattle, contrary to God’s express command, he offered what some describe as an excuse with good intentions, for he stated that his plan was to offer sacrifices to The Lord.

But as we read further in that narrative, we discover that God couldn’t accept him because any deviation from God’s express will is not acceptable to Him. He says what He means and we should do all within our power to comply with His instructions, because this is where faith and works converge. Indeed, partial obedience is one of the great flaws in contemporary Christianity. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 15:10 Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,

11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.

13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.

14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek.

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

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

The same issue of exact obedience surfaced when Paul met certain disciples who had been baptized unto John’s baptism. In this particular instance, they had actually obeyed to the best of their knowledge, because John was as kosher as you could get, but they were ignorant of Christ, and the Holy Ghost in the processes of conversion and salvation.

What happens next is an object lesson to us in how we too should comply with God’s instructions to us in any and all matters. After Paul explained to them clearly the requirements of God, they obeyed, and the rest is history, for they then received the gift of the Holy Ghost, not before. Let’s read:

Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them.

This leads us to our case study involving a man by the name of Cornelius, who according to God’s own testimony was doing everything right, as far as he knew. He was benevolent on a consistent basis, he was always praying, and he was devout, meaning that he was living according to righteous principles and laws, to the best of his ability. In addition, he used to invite his friends, neighbors, and family to listen to God’s word. Let’s read:

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

24 And Cornelius had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

But there was something Cornelius needed to do in addition to all these good things, and God saw it fit to send an angel from heaven to make him aware of that one missing link. God had approved of what he had been doing so far, for it was being done from the heart, in sincerity, but even sincerity does not make void God’s instructions. Therefore, he is to be informed as to the missing link. Let’s read:

Acts 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming into him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

This is a very high rating given to Cornelius, by the estimation of God, for if one’s prayers and deeds are memorialized before God, then it means that not only is he accepted in God’s sight, but that he has gone over and beyond the call of duty. There is one important issue however, which Cornelius does not know about, and if he would be saved in God’s kingdom, he will need to obey everything that God has required.

God who is rich in mercy, and who winks in times of genuine ignorance, would not leave a single stone un-turned with Cornelius, of which he is not aware. In other words, there is only one more piece to the puzzle that must be put in place, so that Cornelius would be in perfect compliance with instructions in given by God, pertaining to salvation.

Was he doing the right thing previously, and was he accepted by God? The answer is yes, for the Bible says so. However, doing the right thing, and being accepted by God does not release any person from complete obedience. Therefore, Cornelius would be directed to Peter, who will inform him of what he must do. Let’s read:

Acts 10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.

6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou ought to do.

7 And when the angel which spoke unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

We notice in verses seven and eight that Cornelius hurried to obey the angel’s instructions, because no sooner had the angel left, than he commissioned a retinue to depart for Joppa. When God speaks to us, or instructs us in a certain course of action, it is of the utmost importance that we hasten to obey, for delay and hesitation can lead to questioning, and questions can lead to doubt, and doubt can lead to noncompliance.

One of the most successful snares of the devil is to tempt us to put off for tomorrow that which should be done today. He tempts us with procrastination on a host of issues, ranging from diet, and exercise, to paying of debt. Very many people who put off an exercise regimen for the 1st of January, when New year’s resolutions are made, stumble and retreat only after a few months.

In many cases, this phenomenon occurs because what should have been done today was put off for a future date. Hence the reason why the Holy Ghost says, “Today” if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, because when it comes to our salvation, today is always the right time.

God has set everything in motion to accommodate obedience on the part of Cornelius. Peter is warned not to call what God hath cleansed unclean, so, on the following day Peter himself hastens to obey, for delay can derail God’s plan for Cornelius. Let’s read:

Acts 10:23 And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did, whom they slew and hanged on a tree.

42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

43 That through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

God had sent Peter for two main reasons: [1] To let Cornelius know of Jesus Christ the Savior. And [2] To baptize Cornelius, for he was already accepted by God, and was doing the works of righteousness. The missing link in the golden chain of obedience was baptism, for even though Cornelius was born of the Spirit previously, he needed to be born of water, in accordance with the teachings and instructions of Jesus. Let’s read:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Now, it is true that there are many persons who will be saved who had never had the opportunity to be baptized, and many others will be in God’s kingdom who only got sprinkled, for that is all they knew. The times of ignorance and lack of opportunity God will wink at, but all those who have the opportunity to be baptized should do so without delay, for even though the baptism of Jesus stands for all who did not have a chance to do so, yet it’s necessary for us to follow in His footsteps. Let’s read:

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

The tenor of the Bible pertaining to our salvation is to seize the moment whilst the door of opportunity is still open. In all of God’s gracious overtures, and calls to service, immediate action is to be observed. This pattern can be seen in too many instances for us to reach any other conclusion. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Matthew 4: 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him.

Acts 10:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Acts 16: 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.

The jailor, and his household were baptized after only one Bible study, for they saw the need to seize the golden opportunity without delay. Therefore, if anyone has believed in God, and may have heard the word; if any like Cornelius has been praying to God always and has been doing genuine works of righteousness from the heart;

If, like Cornelius, some may have been inviting one’s friends and neighbors to hear God’s word, but have not been baptized yet, let them not hesitate, for it is the will of God that His Holy Spirit be poured out in copious measure upon all who would believe, and be baptized. We thus close with an exhortation coming from God, to whomever it may apply. 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.

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.

God bless!

Believe His Prophets. Sabbath Afternoon 08/10/2019

After the fall of Adam and Eve, God no longer spoke face to face with human beings, for if He was to do so, instantaneous death would be the only natural result. Therefore, He communicated with man in a variety of ways, sometimes using angels, His Spirit, or prophets. Anytime and every time we may come across in the scriptures where God spoke to man, it was never face to face, even if the Bible says so.

This fact must be made abundantly clear up front so we may understand the study in context. There are at times supposedly conflicting statements made in the scriptures, but when studied line upon line, they are always in perfect harmony. So, let us reiterate this fact again: Since the fall of man, God has never once spoken face to face with anyone. Let’s read:

Exodus 33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

12 And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

17 And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.

12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air.

Thus, after man sinned, the primary means of God communicating with us was through His prophets. These servants were not without faults themselves, but they were conduits through which God’s will was to be revealed. And therefore, their word come to us as it were the voice of God. Indeed, the entire canon of scripture was written by chosen servants of God, with the only exception being the law of ten commandments. Let’s read:

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

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

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

Thus, it is imperative that we understand certain things about the prophets sent to us by God. Let the Bible speak for itself on this matter, for it is of grave importance especially as we have entered a new era in the history of the world, in which the 2nd coming of Christ looms large, and the prophecies pertaining to His return will become all the more urgent.

[1] Up until the time of Moses there wasn’t Bible or scripture written anywhere for reference purposes. God spoke through His prophets, and it rested with those who heard to believe or not to believe, for at its core, believing is a choice every person must make. Let’s read:

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

This was not a public announcement whereby God summoned the inhabitants of the earth and spoke directly to them. He spoke through one who was known among the people to be a God-fearing man, and it rested with the people to believe him or not. Indeed, the entire plan of salvation is structured in such a way that only believers could be saved. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:6 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.

Consider very carefully what is being said; for one hundred and twenty years there was no way for the antediluvians to corroborate or verify that God had indeed spoken to Noah. Contemporary science back then could not support his prediction, for there was no historical precedent to base such an apparently wild conclusion upon. And there was no scripture for them to double-check his prophecy. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

6 But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.

It was only during the final week of their existence that God gave to the antediluvians some evidence that seemed to support what Noah said, but even then, it was not any angel, nor God who spoke anything directly to people to certify the prophecy of Noah.

God gave to Noah the exact time of its fulfillment, which Noah then disseminated to the people, and some public evidence was also given to the masses, designed to appeal to their intelligence, and then, the choice to believe was left with each person. Let’s read:

Genesis 7:1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

5 And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.

The reason why we are spending so much time on this first point of belief, is because now that we may have the scriptures at our fingertips, the same issue arises, for we would have to believe the Bible for it to have any meaning in our lives. The issue of belief is not so much about the source of one’s facts and the corroborating research done to set the truth in stone.

It has more to do with a disposition to believe, for there are some people living on this planet who will never believe, regardless of how much irrefutable evidence might be presented. Indeed, a plethora of undeniable facts do not cause people to believe. In the case of pharaoh, incontrovertible evidence was piled one upon the next until he buried his firstborn and yet for all this, he refused to believe. Let’s read:

Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

Exodus 10:7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Nothing that God did, or said through Moses, and one million plagues would not make pharaoh into a believer, for belief must first pass through the gate of choice, and if one chooses not to believe there is nothing God can do for such a person.

Pharaoh, and Nebuchadnezzar were two peas in a pod as far as pride, and defiance of The Lord were concerned. But beyond that they diverged, and parted ways, for Nebuchadnezzar surrendered to God when undeniable evidence was presented. But pharaoh chose to believe alternate facts. This leads us to our second observation pertaining to God’s prophets:

[2] God reveals His secrets through His prophets. They may speak or they may write, yet because God sent them their words carry equal weight.

Neither Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Joseph ever wrote a single word in the scriptures, yet their word carried weight, for it was God who spoke through them. In all of the information, and predictions of the coming plagues on Egypt, not once did God speak personally to pharaoh. In other words, by believing Moses, he would be believing God. Let’s read:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

2nd Chronicles 36:15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place.

16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

“No remedy” means that there is nothing else God can, or will do, if persons choose not to believe His prophets. Miracles, angels, friends, and family, and even a personal visit from The Holy Ghost wouldn’t make a person believe. After Lazarus was raised to life in the presence of the unbelieving Jews, they still chose not to believe. Hence the reason why the next passage is so important. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

[3] Previous information, and instructions given by God can be superseded by later prophets at God’s discretion.

Exodus 21:23 Thou shalt give life for life,

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

This information, and instruction was given under inspiration to Moses, and he thus delivered it to the people. But even though it came from God, it was not His ideal, but was justice in kindergarten form, not being blended with mercy. And therefore, as His people matured spiritually over the years, He sent other prophets with information to supersede those previous instructions. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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.

Thus, the role of God’s prophets, and the weight of their words are clearly seen in both the old and new testaments, which leads us to our case study. Paul has been ordained a prophet of God, on the road to Damascus, he has preached the gospel fearlessly to Jew and Gentile.

And because of this he has gotten into trouble with the authorities, and is currently a prisoner, bound in chains with other prisoners and he is scheduled to appear before Caesar. The group would need to sail many days before reaching their destination, and on their way, they would have an important encounter with God, through His prophet. Let’s read:

Acts 26:1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.

2 And entering into a ship of we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia.

3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

This courtesy was granted to Paul, because Julius, the centurion had some inkling that he was at least a godly man, this being established during Paul’s previous appearance in the courts of king Agrippa. Thus, when a potentially life-threatening situation arose, Paul spoke under the inspiration of God, and it would be left up to Julius, and the other mariners to believe or not. Let’s read:

Acts 26:7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, Paul admonished them,

10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

After giving this prediction, what follows constitutes the most common reasons why people choose not to believe God’s prophets. It is worthy of note that Paul in this instance did not say “The Lord told me”. All he said was “I perceive” yet his word was as the voice of God speaking to those sailors. But, as was stated before, three common factors often tend to foster unbelief in the human mind.

[1] The experts. Let’s read:

Acts 27:11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

It is often the case that the experts will be in direct contradiction to the prophets of God, since worldly wisdom or science as we know it, does not take into account the supernatural.

Whatever cannot be explained from scientific points of views is generally rejected as being irrational, and thus it was that experienced sailors, and weather forecasters were preferred above the voice of one who was on his way to face trial. Science and Noah could not be reconciled, and historical precedents failed to support his prediction of a flood, therefore he was regarded as a fanatic, and folks believed the experts instead.

[2] Popular majority opinion.

Acts 27:12 The “more part advised” to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice.

This means that the majority of sailors, and jailors agreed that Paul’s warning was not to be believed. In Noah’s day, it was not the majority who believed,

but rather a remnant out of a remnant. As a general rule of thumb, the ways of God are often found in the opposite direction of the popular majority.

[3] An inconvenient truth.

Acts 27:12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in.

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

The prophets of God aren’t usually sent to prophesy any smooth things, for obedience and belief often incur some level of inconvenience. Staying put will be uncomfortable for the travelers, and so they preferred to risk it all for the sake of convenience.

In Noah’s day, it was an inconvenient truth that was spoken, because it would mean uprooting from the norms of everyday living, relinquishing property, and sharing room and board with wild animals; an inconvenient truth indeed. However, just as it was with Noah, it also happened with Paul. Let’s read:

ATS 27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

17 And, fearing lest they should fall into the quick-sands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

Another dangerous storm is brewing on the horizon even as we speak, and true to His character, God is sending us prophets to warn us of things to come. These warnings are to be found in the Bible, and in the writings of Ellen G. White, and just like it was in Noah’s and Paul’s experience, it’s up to us whether to believe or not.

The evidences of this coming storm are all around us, for God permits evidences which appeal to our intelligence, but He does not force any person to believe. The general unsettled state of our nation, and the world at large, speak volumes to the truths written in the Bible and through His prophet, sent to our generation. Let’s read:

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

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

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

4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

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

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

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.

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.

[The Great Controversy pp 622] It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, “as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”

While many are promising better days, with less violence, hate and bloodshed, while some may be promising to reduce the federal debt, and while others may be hoping for healing, tolerance, and unity across the nation, God through His prophets, cautions us not to bury our heads in the sand, for the prophecies pertaining to the last days will be fulfilled to the letter, whether we believe or not.

We therefore end with a passage that encourages us to believe, and to take commensurate actions, and make wise choices as we look forward to the 2nd coming of Jesus. Let’s read:

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

God Bless!

Does God Take Too Long. Sabbath Afternoon 08/03/2019

One of the major stumbling blocks to exercising a living faith in God is that we often believe that He takes too long to fulfill His promises to us. We read of promises of health, of good gifts, and of rewards for obedience, but sometimes we find ourselves in a period of waiting, and watching, and waiting. Then, before you know it, the strength of belief begins to get chipped away.

When appropriating the promises of God and their fulfillment, there are several important factors for us to bear in mind. God always sees the end from the beginning, and therefore He is able to plan and execute His plans with pinpoint accuracy. His plans know no haste or delay, for in the fullness of time His promises will be realized.

Again, there are other issues to consider about His promises, because it is not always the case that the fulfillment may do us good at such and such a time. For instance, if Joseph was brought down to Egypt and placed on the throne, without doing some jail-time, where he learned critically important lessons in justice, and where the spoil-child attitudes were consumed in the furnace of trial, he may not have ruled with wisdom and discretion.

Therefore, even though it was God, who by dreams showed him his future work, and the preeminence he would be given over his brethren, yet, in wisdom God saw fit to first prepare him for the fulfillment of the promise, for there are times when God is ready and able to bless us, but it is not always safe to do so prematurely, lest we misuse the blessings or turn our backs on Him. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;

9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.

11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

There are some questions that we must address if we are to live confidently, with a settled frame of mind, trusting in God without getting frustrated and not murmuring about His timing, and also avoiding the tendency to worry ourselves out of His hands.

Question [1]: Is our obedience to God’s commands based on promised reward? And if so, will there be a change in our obedience if there is a delay in the fulfillment of His promises.

Question [2] What would we consider a reasonable time-frame for the fulfillment of His promises, after all the prerequisites have been met?

Question [3] If the promises made to us do not get fulfilled in our lifetime, is God then a liar? Take for example:

Psalms 34: 17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Question [4] Are there other factors that can affect the fulfillment of His promises, such as the speed of our obedience, the attitudes we harbor, or external forces that are rigged against our souls?

Question [5] Why are some promises fulfilled as in a moment while others seem to be long delayed?

Question [6] Does God ever take too long?

Let’s just say here, that there are some promises which always get fulfilled instantly, because God is mostly concerned about our salvation. This is the reason why He sent His Son, and thus, whenever we repent and confess our sins in sincerity, the promise of forgiveness is fulfilled instantly, no exceptions. Let’s read:

1st John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

However, in other instances, the promises in the scriptures are given to us without any specific time frame for their fulfillment, and they are designed that way for particular reasons [1] So that we may exercise faith in God. [2] That we may allow Him to exercise His discretion in the administration of ways and means. [3] So that God may fulfill them to us in the fullness of time, which is always the right time. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

The Lord does not say exactly when the windows of heaven would be opened, but He does say that they will be opened. What then should we consider a reasonable timeframe for the windows of heaven to be opened after the prerequisites have been met? Right after returning tithes? Two days later? Or one month? Or one year?

In addition, should our motivation for obedience to this command be based on the reward or should we do it because it is right? Would we continue to obey and believe, even when the promises seem to fail or when human logic, science, and historical precedent may whisper serious doubts to the contrary. Let’s read:

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

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

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

3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

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

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

Again, no specifics are given for the fulfillment of the promise, and therefore, the question is asked again: What should be a reasonable time frame for the fulfillment of the promise? One year, two years, ten years or twenty. How long should Abraham and His wife Sarah realistically continue to believe obey and wait, especially since her biological clock pertaining to pregnancy has stopped ticking many years ago?

Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Once more, no time frame is given for the filling of our barns, but they will certainly be filled, for God cannot lie. The problem some folks have is with the timing of the fulfillment, for many Christians believe God takes too long. Therefore, the waiting period in the interim seems difficult to bear, and the more we are impatient, the more vulnerable we become to plan “B”.

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.

What causes many of us to stumble is God’s timing and discretion, because there are times when the promises of God seem to be fulfilled in an instant, and at other times we may not see sun nor stars for many days. The real issue is whether the motivation behind our obedience is reasonable expectation, or if we will continue to believe and obey when, and if nothing seems to be happening.

So, let’s dig deeper into these issues of reasonable expectation, timing, and discretion as it pertains to God. Nebuchadnezzar has arrayed himself against the God of heaven, and he endeavors to force God’s servants to bow down to his graven image, against their will. They are in an emergency, for the fires of persecution have already been kindled, only waiting for fresh victims.

But the three faithful Hebrews are standing tall, for they are confident that their course of action meets God’s approval. First of all, they have the promises which clearly state that those who dare to interfere with God’s people will meet with retribution. The mega promises were given with pre-conditions, and as far as they know, all those conditions have been met. Let’s begin with the preconditions. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

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

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

Zechariah 2:8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior.

The three faithful Hebrews also have precedent to stand on, because they remember clearly, the time in the scriptures when God’s servant was facing the wrath of a certain king, and the God of heaven was not slack, to repay the king to his face. In fact, there were scores of dead bodies scattered abroad when everything was said and done. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 1:3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

4 Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?

6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?

8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.

14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

15 And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

Thus, armed with obedience based on their love of God, historical precedent, and the promises of God, the three Hebrews could face the danger before them with confidence; and their expectation of deliverance would be reasonable, for they obeyed the commands of God to the letter and it was their obedience that had triggered the rage of the king Nebuchadnezzar. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews.

9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever.

10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar;

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

Based upon the promises given in the scriptures, it was reasonable for the Hebrews to look forward to deliverance because God has specifically stated that obedience to His commands will result in blessings of protection especially when the lives of His people are in danger. The question some struggle with is: When will the deliverance come? Before they are thrown in the fire, or after they are thrown?

But as we read further, we discover that the three Hebrews were managing their expectations in ways that allow God to exercise His own discretion in the matter. In other words, here they have the promise at their back, they have a clear conscience because of obedience, and they have historical precedents, but they leave some wiggle room, just in case God may see it fit to act differently in this particular situation.

The timing for the fulfillment of the promise is also left up to God, because the deliverance could come either before or after the fact, or it may not come at all in their lifetime. The tendency to try to hold God to His throat in the fulfillment of promises He has made, is not good, for it usurps the discretionary prerogative of God in this or that situation. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The three Hebrews were delivered instantly, and we rejoice with them, but has anyone ever read Fox’s book of martyrs? In the fullness of time, and as God sees fit, are indispensable elements to the exercise of living faith, or else, the obedience that is based solely on expectation will shudder, and collapse on the brink, if or when expectation isn’t realized.

Nothing is wrong with reasonable expectation that is based upon the promises made in the Bible. But we should allow God the room to have discretion in the fulfillment of any promise, or else, if we try to hold Him to an ultimatum we will discover that very severe temptations will be spawned as a result, and these in turn could shake or destroy our faith.

John trembled on the brink in prison, because his expectation wasn’t realized. Thus, it’s important for us to serve and obey God, not merely because of reward or promise, but because we love Him, and it is the right thing to do.

When we do this from the heart, we will find that many promises would be fulfilled in our lives, for God desires the service of love only. Therefore, we end with a brief history of those faithful who have gone before, so that we may be encouraged in our own personal experience. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

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:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

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

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

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

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

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

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

God Bless!