2020

May 16, 2020

One definition for the blues is that it is a melancholy or depressed feeling, which in real life, often occurs after a high point in one’s experience. For instance, the Monday morning blues may occur after one has enjoyed a great weekend, then comes the old hum drum of working again. Similarly, the sugar high of trillions of bailout dollars now being handed out to individuals and businesses will be followed by a day of reckoning, for after the Covid 19 dust has settled, the magnitude of what is now being done will be realized in very staggering, and disturbing figures.

Therefore, this Bible study is designed to help us to prepare for and avoid the bailout blues. Wherever there is more outflow than inflow for an extended period, a problem of supply and demand would be created, and at some point, the disparity will have to be addressed in order to avoid a total economic collapse. There is no such thing as a free lunch and therefore, after the Covid dust has settled a rude awakening is going to grip those nations which were forced into spending what they did not really have. To put it bluntly, monies that are now being spent will have to be repaid one way or the next.

To conquer the ancient city of Babylon Darius, the Mede, diverted the river Euphrates from its natural course and not long after the riverbed became dry, thus allowing the Medes and Persians to gain access to the coveted city, which was then brought into a total subjection to the invaders. Similarly, if monies are diverted from their natural courses of supply, the financial waters will run dry sooner or later, and like the ancient city of Babylon, those persons and nations will have exposed their vulnerabilities to adversaries of all sorts.

Most business models run on the assumption that things will continue as they were or get even better, and even though a few blips in the markets may be baked into their financial outlooks, most companies assume that a regular flow of customers would be there forever. While it is always good to take an optimistic view of things the fact is that no one knows what the future holds, and therefore, we are cautioned in the Bible to make allowances for times when the unforeseen occurs without warning, wherever allowances can be made possible.

There are cases where, try as one might, they may not be able to make ends meet every month, but in other circumstances where there is some surplus an individual is cautioned to save from principle, rather than from fear. That way there will always be some sort of cushion to sustain persons, if, and when the going gets rough. Such counsels are to be found both in the old and new testaments, and wherever and whenever they are adopted on an ongoing basis from principle, the likelihood of financial ruin will go down significantly. God requires that His servants exercise prudence and discretion in all matters, big or small, in good times and bad times.

The five foolish virgins did not provide any extra oil in their lamps; they did not anticipate any delay or emergency; thus, when the bridegroom had tarried for an unspecified period of time they were caught off guard. The wise in contrast, had made provision for if things did not go as expected, so any delay did not faze them. Many of the Egyptians in Joseph’s day did not take the dreams of future famines seriously, and like so many do today, they believed that all things would continue as there were. Thus, when it came crunch time and the brutal realities set in, they were forced to sell their homes, their livestock, and finally their own bodies to pharaoh. Let’s read:

Genesis 47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money fails. 16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands. 19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

At this point in our study, it is befitting that we read a few passages of scripture, for whatsoever will take place on this earth has already taken place, in most instances, and therefore the rhythm of life consists of cycles and experiences, which are often found to repeat themselves. Coupled together with this fact are the scriptures which refer to the looming beast system, where a cryptic word is used to describe its implementation.

Now, while it is true that The Lord will protect and provide for His people in times of emergencies, yet He requires that we do all we possibly can to avert the dangers that lie ahead. God is much more practical, and down to earth in His instructions than many Christians realize, and thus, He often sends us warnings before the rest of the general public are alerted to coming dangers or calamity. So, let us read, and study with a humble and teachable spirit, the things which belong to our peace. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 16 And he causes 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.

There is much knowledge and understanding to be found in studying the ways of God; what He does, when He does it, why He does it and how He does it. One of His “Ways” is that supernatural power is never to be summoned to do that which we can do for ourselves. To put it plainly, God does not work unnecessary miracles, for His miracle working power is to be a last resort when the human agent has maxed out. This is a fundamental teaching of the scriptures and ought to be incorporated into our understanding of God. We’ll explain as we go. Let’s read:

Joshua 5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. John 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

In preparation for those days ahead, that we have been warned of, it would be necessary to do all we possibly can, by the grace and guidance of God, to mitigate circumstances, until such time that God’s supernatural power would take over entirely. Therefore, to avoid the bailout blues, we should work in harmony with those principles, laws and instructions God has given in His word, wherever and whenever possible. In other words, the snares that are now being laid for the feet of the unwary should not be found entangling the faithful.

In addition, the Bible teaches us to live contentedly, and therefore, if we are humble and willing enough, God will show us those unnecessary expenditures that can and should be diverted to preparing for the rainy day. The following are just a few passages that encourage us to live prudently. Let’s read:

Proverbs 22:3 A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself, but the simple pass on, and are punished. 4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.

Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provides her meat in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.

Deuteronomy 15:5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. 6 For the Lord thy God blesses thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

It has been documented that Americans are saving now, more than ever, as Covid puts a stranglehold on persons and economies. But in reality, the Bible teaches us the necessity of saving from principle, so that when those rainy days come, as they certainly would, the saints would not be caught flatfooted. The teaching of scripture can go a very long way in avoiding the bailout blues, if certain principles are adopted on a continuum. It is true that most people will begin to apply brakes, if they can see economic trouble brewing on the horizon.

But the Bible highly recommends and prefers the “prevention is better than cure” approach, where godly principles are incorporated into our everyday experience, in the good times as well, as the bad. The Biblical principles pertaining to our outflow and inflow are to be practiced in the good times, so that if, and when calamity strikes, there would be some level of cushioning to absorb unforeseen shock, at least to some extent. This applies to individuals and nations alike.

But, in many nations of the earth, these instructions have not been followed, and as a direct result many have become entangled in one of satan’s favorite snares, debt. As it stands currently, most nations of the earth are trapped in a cycle of debt. When governments indulge the habit of borrowing for any and every reason, those citizens under their jurisdiction often suffer the trickle-down effects and slowly but surely, the syndrome known as irrational exuberance, as it pertains to unwarranted spending sets in, and we often become detached from reality, until some grave emergency arises.

So, for some historical context, the internal revenue service was instituted as a means to pay for the war which had inflicted financial damage on the nation. It is worthy of note that the institution was not a one-time deal, but rather became permanently fixed in the financial system up to this day. Similarly, after the Covid dust has settled, nations the world over will be facing a grim reality, and as is always the case, the financial burden will be placed on the backs of everyday workers and businesses.

Deep and permanent changes to life as we know it will be instituted, and therefore, in lieu of what will certainly occur, God advises us to position ourselves as best we can, to avoid as much as is possible, the financial carnage that will certainly come to pass. Trusting in God includes taking all those necessary proactive steps to facilitate His work. The trumpet is now giving a certain sound, so that all who so desire may prepare. The following therefore are scriptural instructions on how to avoid the bailout blues.

[1] Do not borrow if you don’t have to. Let’s read:

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Many businesses which did not need a bailout, were found borrowing for no valid reason, just because of sheer greed, and some were publicly shamed into returning millions that were really needed by others who were hurting. Borrowing should be something of a last resort, not a way of doing business, if it can be avoided.

[A.H pp 392>393] When one becomes involved in debt, he is in one of Satan's nets, which he sets for souls. Abstracting and using money for any purpose, before it is earned, is a snare.

This is exactly what is taking place now, because nations and individuals are spending that which has not yet been earned, and, lest the faithful become caught up in the snare, God is now putting us on notice, so that we exercise prudence and wisdom moving forward.

[2] Taxes and financial burdens will be increased one way or the next, so be prepared wherever possible.

Nehemiah 5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore, we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. 5 And, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants and some are brought into bondage already; neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Here’s a bit of history for anyone who would listen. [P.K pp 55>56] So gradual was Solomon's apostasy that before he was aware of it, he had wandered far from God. An ambition to excel all other nations in power and grandeur led him to pervert for selfish purposes the heavenly gifts hitherto employed for the glory of God. Engrossed in an overmastering desire to surpass other nations in outward display, the king overlooked the need of acquiring beauty and perfection of character. In seeking to glorify himself before the world, he sold his honor and integrity.

The enormous revenues acquired through commerce with many lands were supplemented by heavy taxes. From the wisest and most merciful of rulers, he degenerated into a tyrant. Tax after tax was levied upon the people. The people began to complain. The respect and admiration they had once cherished for their king was changed into disaffection and abhorrence.

[3] Live humbly and contentedly. Way too much pride was being indulged on several fronts, and Covid has essentially brought many of the popular gods to their knees. Whatever we may accomplish in this life, whether in the temporal or the spiritual realm, the glory, or the credit for such achievements belong to God. The human agent is just an instrument in His hands, and thus, we should ever keep before our faces that in Him we live and move and have our being. Thus, the mantra for us now, and in the future is for us to live soberly, to do righteously, and to walk humbly with God. Let’s read:

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20 He that handles a matter wisely shall find good and whoso trusts in the Lord, happy is he.

Proverbs 30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me. 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Hebrews 13: 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. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

[4] Pray, before making any financial or other important decision.

Now more than ever, we must seek God in earnest prayer before going out on a limb and making any decisions without counsel. A thousand different snares of which some are not familiar will be laid for the feet of the unwary therefore, we must reiterate again, take everything to God in prayer. God is able to see way ahead, what is coming down the pipe, and He will be able to guide the humble in such a manner as to avoid unknown pitfalls, before they arrive.

We are now on the last leg of the long- running marathon of salvation, and just as Christ has said over and over again, His coming will be sudden and unexpected. Therefore, it is of the most critical importance for us to lay every important decision before Jesus, so that He may guide us into wise paths. We will end with a favorite passage of scripture that will help us to do just that. Let’s read:

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.

God Bless!

The Stranger Within Thy Gates. Sabbath Afternoon 05/09/2020

May 09, 2020

There are certain facts pertaining to God’s people that are to be clearly understood by all those who enter into a covenant relationship with The Lord Jesus. This bond between ourselves, and the God-Head through Christ must not be taken lightly, for it involves very much more than some may know. The knowledge of God through Christ must mean something tangible, that can be seen and observed by even the casual onlooker, which in turn would lead them to enquire about how they too can join the fold, since Christ died for all.

When Christ refers to His people as witnesses, that does not mean someone who has merely seen the love of God; instead it refers to all those who are actively engaged in an on-going relationship with The Lord Jesus, and who, as a direct result, have a peculiar set of characteristics and identifying factors that are not to be found in the general public. If a solid relationship with Christ does not result in a marked difference across the entire spectrum of our life experience then something is missing that needs to be urgently addressed.

The scripture makes very plain some of these differences and special features so that any observer will know. The religion of Christ was meant to attract as many as are willing to know and obey Christ, and be saved eternally, and therefore, if it only results in a run of the mill experience that does not make a difference, there won’t be any attraction for those who do not know God to say “I’ll like to do that too”. In other words, the “Herd” mentality never applies to God’s people.

Thus, these attractive differences in the scriptures should be understood by all, for our relationship with Christ must have meaning and credibility, if we are to be effective witnesses, who have not only seen, but have heard, and handled that which is to be found in Christ. Let’s read:

Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no savior. 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore, ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.

Numbers 23:5 And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 7 And he took up his parable, and said; 8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? 9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.

1st Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 10 Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

For purposes of this Bible study, the word “Peculiar” begs a detailed explanation. Let’s Google it and see what comes up. Peculiar: strange, unusual, particular, distinctive, special, curious, odd, weird. The only words one could say after reading such a meaning from Google, is “have mercy”. God has not called us to be popular, but to be peculiar, so that a marked attractive difference would appeal to those who observe.

Thus, if after observing us keenly, one comes away with the impression that there isn’t any difference between Christians and non-believers, then there is a missing link in the chain that needs to be found. Abraham understood this difference and peculiarity when He asked God concerning the wicked and the righteous living in Sodom. At that time, righteous Lot was residing in the midst of the city’s citizens, and thus, before judgements were to be meted out, Abram became quite puzzled, as observed by those questions he then asked. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

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. 32 And he said, Oh 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.

Exodus 11:6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it anymore. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

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. 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.

But, let’s go back to Google for a moment, because the meanings given for the word peculiar are pretty disturbing to say the least. Let’s read: Peculiar: strange, unusual, particular, distinctive, special, curious, odd, weird. One of the most prominent “Odd” features about God’s peculiar people is that they keep the seventh day Holy. Now, there are other people across the globe who recognize the Sabbath as God’s sacred day, who may not have a relationship with Christ, but nevertheless, they also are viewed as being odd.

As the Friday evening sun sets in the western sky, those who honor God are seen closing up shop, and putting aside their daily duties, refraining from work and hastening to enter into God’s haven of rest, and for an entire day and night cycle the ordinary duties of life take a back-seat to eternal interests. Pretty odd, as far as the rest of the world is concerned. The pursuit of gain is held subservient to God’s law, and temporal pursuits are laid aside so that worship to God and fellowship with like-minded believers can take precedence.

But this does not cause them to be oblivious to the needs of suffering humanity. However, their focus is not on the temporal, but on the spiritual. Thus, this singular characteristic of proper Sabbath keeping is what God refers to as the main sign of differentiation between the general public, and His peculiar people, and wherever it is cherished, and obeyed in sincerity, God’s special favor would be certainly found. Let’s read:

Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

The phrase “The children of Israel” has been highlighted for a special reason, because many in Christendom have taken that to mean that the 7th day Sabbath was only for the Jewish people. That interpretation will be permanently put to rest now, by the following scriptures. Let’s read:

Isaiah 56:1 Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

4 For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; 5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

However, over the centuries, the sabbath has been severely obscured by the teaching of evolution, for it removes The Creator from His created works, and thus a serious breach has been made in the keeping of the Sabbath, in so much, that most Christians nowadays have come to accept the first day of the week, as being God’s sacred day. In addition, there have been numerous distortions, and misinterpretations that have insidiously crept in over the years that have blurred the lines between what is done over the sacred hours, and what God originally intended.

For instance, when Christ was on earth, He explicitly stated that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath, but that rendering has been stretched to its limits in many instances, and now incorporates many secular occupations, and business which thrive off of those exemptions ordained by God. Where it so desired, the term essential services can actually be stretched to the limit to include almost every job that is done during the six working days.

It used to be the case that those who were working in the medical field would be able to do so, giving that they are engaged in humanitarian work. But now in our day, several other professions are tethered to such humanitarian work, and they run the entire gamut, from accountants to cooks, from cleaners, to billing. The array of “essential” services have now come to include mechanics who service ambulances and other medical vehicles, plumbers, air-conditioning technicians, and so-forth.

The issue has also been further exacerbated by the fact that the authorities have now stepped into the fray to designate what is an essential service, due to the corona virus, and who knows where the words of Christ will be brought to a stop. The following is a list of goods and services now being deemed as “Essential” in the sunshine state:

Healthcare providers: Including, but not limited to, hospitals, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, urgent care centers, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapists, mental health professionals, therapists, and pharmacies. Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning and personal care products).

The authorization includes stores that sell groceries and also sell other non-grocery products, and products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operations of residences. The sale of alcoholic beverages is included. Food cultivation: Including farming, livestock, and fishing. Businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals.

Media: Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services. Gas stations; new and used automobile dealerships; auto-supply, auto-repair, and related facilities. Banks and related financial institutions. Hardware stores, Contractors and other tradesmen: Including appliance repair personnel. Exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences and other structures.

Mailing and shipping: Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes. Private colleges, trade schools, and technical colleges, but only as needed to facilitate online or distance learning. Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers. Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but subject to the limitations and requirements of the order.

Basically, that includes a very wide swath of goods and services now being designated as “Essential” and as we have seen, individuals who work in those industries could be ordered to work under the defense production act. But the designations did not stop there, for lo and behold, on the 14th of April, another so-called “essential” service was added to the mix. Let’s read:

v The New York Times Published 04/14/2020

By Mihir Zaveri

The WWE Is Now Considered an ‘Essential Service’ in Florida. In Florida, World Wrestling Entertainment has found itself among the services considered essential according to Mayor Jerry L. Demings of Orange County, where the sports entertainment business has a sizable training facility and has held recent events.

Basically speaking, all roads are currently leading to Revelation 13, sooner than later. All technological roads, all financial roads, all commercial roads, all food chain roads and all information highway roads. The question is, what did Jesus mean when He said it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day? Is it what the authorities say is lawful, or is it what God says is lawful?

Therefore, God’s “Peculiar” people have a distinct and particular mission, to repair the breach, but in doing so they themselves must be certain, that in their own households a breach is not being made. Wherever this is the case, and wherever it may be countenanced, for any reason, the “Peculiar” status will become non-existent. Let’s read:

Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Therefore, as the repairers of the breach examine their peculiar status, it will be discovered that some members of our households may not be abiding by God’s explicit instructions, and for one reason or another, some have permitted those within their gates to violate the sanctity of the Sabbath.

Great changes must therefore be made, and even though sound wisdom and discretion would need to be exercised in repairing our own breaches, at the end of the day, God’s will must be fulfilled in our homes, if the blessing of His presence is to abide with us. Thus, we will enter with solemn tread into the Bible study for today, which would address the sensitive issue of “The Stranger Within Thy Gates”. Some of the words will be highlighted so as to make lain their importance, and we’ll explain as we go. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

Question: What if family members or friends refuse to comply? What if, after using kind entreaties, and reasoning, and after clearly explaining to them the requirements of God, the stranger within thy gates refuses to comply? What should the next move be? To answer this question, we must turn first to the scriptures, so that clarity on the matter might be given. Our individual relationship with Christ was purchased at infinite price, and therefore it is to be always valued and esteemed high above any other relationship.

Family and friends we may have but if they interfere with our relationship with God, the matter has to be addressed. Every repairer of the breach will reach a tipping point, where individuals will have to choose between serving God according to His revealed will, or allowing friends, and family ties to rule the day. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 305] “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Jehovah, the eternal, self- existent, uncreated One, Himself the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due Him, of that do we make a god.

The owner, or the head of the household will have to take proactive and remedial steps to bring his or her domain into compliance with the requirements of God, even though at times this may cause some level of friction between family members. Firmness and kindness are not necessarily mutually exclusive characteristics of love, because, in Christ we behold the two elements blended harmoniously. Thus, if after speaking kindly to the one at fault, no remedial action is taken, then, by the guidance of God, the matter will have to be taken to the next level.

Eventually, an ultimatum may have to be issued, for the law of God must be held supreme, even if other members of one’s household might not hold similar views. Furthermore, God would have us understand that any stand for the right will in most cases cause the obedient to be subject to misunderstanding. Whatever the situation or the ramifications may be, the bottom line is this, if persons continue to permit violations of the fourth commandment within their habitations, they will eventually lose their peculiar status with the attendant blessings and protections which come with it.

This is the reason why in many cases the blessing of God seems to be missing in some homes, because the stranger within thy gates is often held in higher esteem than the commandments of God. In other words, love is often misconstrued into allowing that which God has prohibited. This was the great error committed by Eli, who had permitted family ties to take precedence over the commands of God. Instead of taking those remedial actions necessary to correct the evils, he allowed his sons to do as they pleased because he abhorred the confrontation that would certainly arise if and when the issues in question were to be brought up for a resolution.

Therefore, he lost his peculiar status with God, and as a direct result, all of the attendant blessings and protections were permanently removed, and Eli’s family was left to reap the fruits of their own doing, which is exclusion from the new earth when Christ comes the second time. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus, saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honorest thy sons above me? 30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 32 And there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.

God does not bless disobedience, and therefore, as we move into unchartered territory, now and in the future, it would become even more urgent for every repairer of the breach to be found in compliance. It was observed that there was only one missing link in the chain of obedience with Moses, but it would be sufficient to endanger his life as he went to do battle against pharaoh.

Similarly, as the pressure mounts and as the heat of the furnace will be increased as it pertains to proper sabbath-keeping in a hostile world, it will become a matter of grave and urgent importance for repairers of the breach to be walking in obedience to all of God’s commandments for when He sees obedience, He will pass over. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 255>256] On the way from Midian, Moses received a startling and terrible warning of the Lord's displeasure. No explanation was given; but Moses remembered that he had disregarded one of God's requirements. Yielding to the persuasion of his wife, he had neglected to perform the rite of circumcision upon their youngest son. He had failed to comply with the condition by which his child could be entitled to the blessings of God's covenant with Israel.

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

Very great changes are coming our way, and even greater changes would have to be made in our understanding, and implementation of what God has commanded in His word. It will not be easy to do so in some cases, but we must be faithful in that which is least, as well as that which is much. We therefore end with a passage that will help us to understand the serious import of the study today, and by God’s grace to make the necessary changes and adjustments, wherever they may be warranted. Let’s read:

Revelation 22: 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

God Bless!

Man's Voice Versus God's Voice. Sabbath Afternoon 05/02/2020

May 02, 2020

God’s voice is to be heard and found primarily in His word, through His Holy Spirit, and in the utterances of every God-ordained prophet. Then, there is the voice of God, coming through preachers, teachers, and lay persons who have been ordained by God for the purpose of rightly dividing the word of truth. In a few rare instances, other methods, and means have been used by God in specific circumstances, but these are not to be sought after for guidance, except in such cases where God so chooses.

Some of these uniquely rare instances include the donkey which spoke to the obstinate Balaam. The Midianite soldier who spoke while Gideon was listening, and the false prophet who informed the disobedient prophet of his doom. God’s voice is also to be discerned through His providences, but since some people may have a problem in reading these evidences accurately, it is safest to stick with those means which were mentioned first.

Man’s voice is to be found primarily in political, and secular leaders. It is also to be found in the experts in various fields of study and research, and also in the popular majority opinions of the day. The voice of man is also to be found with apostate religions of the day, which cater to the masses of people. Those who have trained their minds to look to God, and to listen for His voice in all circumstances, will be led by the Spirit of God.

God does not lead those who are bent on having their own way; He will have mercy on such, but as a general rule if thumb, they will listen to those voices which they have become accustomed to. Thus, the voice of God will be heard by anyone who wants to listen and obey what He says. The various channels and agencies mentioned previously would be put in motion in different ways, and are already available to all who have heard, and have acted on their belief. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Proverbs 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keeps the paths of judgment and preserves the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

10 When wisdom enters into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaks froward things.

The voice of man is often motivated by self-serving, political ambitions, public polling, majority opinions, and whatever the masses of people may clamor for; and because of this the voice of man has often been wrong, unreliable and in some instances, downright dangerous for persons to follow. The voice of God is under-girded with truth and facts and always has the general well-being, and good of all humanity as its main focus, and thus, it is often the case that God will tell us what we need to hear, and not merely what we want to hear.

The voice of man can be often fraught with political correctness, for many in such circles would say only those things that may rile up excitement, whilst the voice of God speaks truths that may not be always palatable. Thus, as a general rule, the voice of God leads in an opposite direction to the voice of man. Those who put their trust solely, and wholly in the voice of man will at times be subject to very great disappointment, for when men might speak peace and safety, the voice of God might be speaking the exact opposite.

Thus, throughout the history of our world, the voice of God and the voice of man have been at odds for the most part. In fact, there is a very great difference between the ones who place their faith and trust in man’s voice, compared with those who trust in the voice of God. The ways of God’s voice are always safe and secure, but the voice of man has often been proven time, and time again to lead into false or even dangerous paths. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

In the days just before the flood, man’s voice was calling for peace and safety, and because things had continued like normal for centuries the voice of God through Noah seemed ludicrous. Those so-called experts of Noah’s day pointed to the seasons that had come and gone in their unvarying round every year. They pointed to the fact that there had never been any precedents for what Noah was predicting, and for all intents and purposes, there was no scientific data, no research, nor any logical reason to believe that God’s voice was indeed coming through Noah. In their minds, if Noah was correct the experts and scientists would certainly know. Let’s Read:

Luke 17: 26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 97] As time passed on, with no apparent change in nature, men whose hearts had at times trembled with fear, began to be reassured. They reasoned, as many reason now, that nature is above the God of nature, and that her laws are so firmly established that God Himself could not change them. They ate and drank, planted and built, laying their plans in reference to advantages they hoped to gain in the future.

They asserted that if there were any truth in what Noah had said, the men of renown, the wise, the prudent, and the great men would understand the matter. The voice of God was again at odds with the voice of man when a decision needed to be made in the matter of conquering the city of Ai. At that time, soldiers were sent to spy out the land, and, without seeking God’s voice and advice, they came back with the recommendation that only three thousand men should go up to the battle.

After suffering defeat, they turned to the voice of God, and His counsel in this instance was that all the people should go. They then followed the voice of God, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.

4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

Joshua 8:1 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land. 3 So Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night.

In another instance of God’s voice versus the voice of man, we have David offering to fight and defeat Goliath, because God had spoken through Him. But Saul, who dealt strictly on a seeing is believing basis, remonstrated by saying unequivocally to David that he could not fight the giant. God’s voice is found in the realm of faith, and that’s why the scriptures teach us that without faith it is impossible to please God.

Man’s voice is found in the sphere of unbelief, doubt and finite limitations, and thus, the calculations, assessments, predictions, and evaluations of man often collide with the voice of God. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:32 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. David finally convinces Saul, after relating to him the humanly, impossible things God had wrought through him, but yet, the voice of man surfaces again in Saul’s recommendations.

He insists that David should go prepared for battle according to conventional methods; the voice of God says in this instance, that no spear or body armor is needed. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:38 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

Again, we have the experience of Peter, who had fished all night and had caught nothing. Being an experienced fisherman, the command of Christ to cast down his net in the middle of the day seemed illogical, yet he humbly followed the voice of God, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Luke 5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.

And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net broke.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

The voice of God is also at odds with the voice of man as it pertains to the age of this earth, for those experts who don’t incorporate the scripture in their research, declare that the world must be millions and billions of years old. The conclusions of experts are now taught in institutions of higher and lower learning and are considered the gold standard for educational basics in most cases.

The voice of God through His word, says something entirely different, for there’s no way when the math is done from a scriptural perspective, that you come even close to a million years. In fact, God has stated that it is very much less than what the voice of man teaches. There is a type of expert who fears God, and another who does not. Be very careful! Let’s read:

Exodus 20: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

Therefore, the question for each of us is “Which voice are we going to listen to, God’s voice man’s voice. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swore unto them.

Currently across the entire world, there is eagerness and haste to open back up the world economy, for many large and small businesses have been taking a severe beating, and millions of individuals the world over have not paid their rents and mortgages, and car notes and other bills are piling up to the sky. Parents are stuck with their kids at home, folks are not flying as they used to, restaurants are empty, and car lots are full to the brim, while the demand for oil has plummeted precipitously.

And thus, most public officials are worried, and even scared about the long-lasting impacts from the current pandemic. Farmers have been putting their livestock down under because there’s a lack of demand from those restaurants which were just recently their primary clients, and the ripple effects of these things are now being felt far and near.

Governments are being forced to hand out money by the billions, and trillions, which will eventually have to be paid back someway or somehow; yet, because of the pandemic, they seem to be left no choice, except at the risk of total economic collapse. And the carnage continues! Those ginormous sums of cash now being given out and lent to persons and businesses, will come at a price, because after the Covid-19 dust has settled, the stage could be set for something ominous which most folks are not anticipating, nor expecting.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, thus, if the outflow of governments and individuals becomes greater than their inflow, at some point, something will ultimately give way. We cannot borrow our way out of this current problem, neither can we print our way out of it. The mark of the beast is not Covid-19, as some have been suggesting, but rather, a general consolidation of religious and economic forces to coerce persons into a form of worship which is entirely contrary to the scriptures.

Therefore, the voice of God through His word, and His prophets, bids us to observe the regrouping and the consolidation that is now rapidly changing the economic landscape in unprecedented ways. Folks are warned that final movements will be rapid ones, and there are precursors that will set in motion the very things written in Revelation. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:16 And he causes 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.

Yet, those who listen for God’s voice must not lose sight of the fact that the just shall live by faith, and therefore, even during this down-time we are now experiencing, we should be seeking Jesus through earnest prayer, so that He may direct and guide us with wisdom and discretion. In our eagerness to get the economy rolling again, and in our zeal to resume work, even though a cure has not yet been found, let us make certain that we are listening to the voice of God in every situation, because one ill-advised move on our part can prove fatal to those who place implicit trust in the voice of man.

In every emergency, God will rise to the occasion to do what He has always done, in providing a way of escape to those who are willing to trust in Him. But we must be willing to listen to His voice via all of the various agencies He has put in place, primarily the Bible, and then His prophets and ordained servants. There is nothing that takes place in our world that catches God off-guard and therefore He has already made ample provision for all who have been, or, are willing to listen for His voice.

God’s prophets have written an abundance of very valuable information which directly pertains to the very times we’re now living in but it will be incumbent upon us to believe. Thus, to better understand the ways of God via His voice, it is necessary to observe how He has moved in times past, which will prepare our hearts to hear His voice in our day, whenever He speaks. God did not appear to every person living in Noah’s day, to warn them of the coming flood.

Instead, His voice was heard through His prophet, because where there is no vision, the people perish. But it would be left up to the people to believe or not. Physical and literal evidences were then given to the masses which portended the coming of some great calamity, yet the voice of man prevailed with the majority. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 97>98] The period of their probation was about to expire. Noah had faithfully followed the instructions which he had received from God. With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most-gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark.

A noise as of a rushing wind was heard, and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, their numbers darkening the heavens, and in perfect order they passed to the ark. Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient. Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom. But men had become so hardened by their persistent rejection of light that even this scene produced but a momentary impression.

Again, God did not speak personally to every Jew in Moses’ day, yet he sent His servant as a mouthpiece and it would be left up to the people whether they would believe him or not. But God did give signs and evidences that were to convince the people of the divine origin of the message. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 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; 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.

Exodus 4:2 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. 4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand. 5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

As the citizens of earth adjust to the new normal, and as great and permanent changes begin to take root across the nation and the world at large, let us never forget that God has spoken by His prophets, declaring that there will come a time when there will be universal consolidation of world economies. And as world leaders predict a robust recovery, and that against all odds, let all those who are willing to listen to the voice of God, look beyond that which is seen to that which is eternal, for we look for a city whose builder and maker is God.

We therefore end with a promise of God’s continual guidance and protection during these times of great uncertainty and adversity, but again, He appeals to us to listen for His voice, for the voice of man often leads astray into forbidden paths. Let’s read:

Isaiah 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. 21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

God Bless!

Avoiding The Unpardonable Sin. Sabbath Afternoon 04/25/2020

April 25, 2020

The love of God towards us cannot be measured in human terms, for it far surpasses any emotional or real concerns we may have for each other. Love is measured by what one does, not what one says and the extent to which Christ went to save us from sin reveals the depth of God’s love toward the human family.

On a horizontal level, love towards one another can reach its zenith if a man is willing to die for his friends. But the depth of God’s love is manifested in His willingness to die for His enemies, as was made certain on calvary. In other words, when we did not care about Christ’s sacrifice He went ahead and paid the price for our freedom. Let’s read:

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Therefore, God does not take the unpardonable sin lightly, and He will try everything possible to save those who are heading in that direction, or who are not aware of their danger. Before The Holy Spirit is removed from persons, many well directed efforts on numerous occasions are made to keep such an one from going over the cliff.

But when everything has failed, when the repeated efforts of the Holy Ghost are rebuffed and despised, then God is left no choice but to suspend recovery efforts, and then it is that the voice of God in one’s conscience goes permanently dead. These efforts made at reconciliation by The Holy Ghost continue, much longer after human beings would do, for it’s often the case that some persons may adopt the three strikes and you’re out method of recovery.

But God’s efforts to save persons often continue for very many years, long after other men would have given up hope. Thus, the commission of the unpardonable sin is in most cases, not a one time action on the part of the human agent, but rather, the culmination of a series of rebuffs and resistances to the voice of God in our consciences, pleading with us to turn from sin. Then if we continue in a sinful course of action, it becomes futile for those ongoing efforts at reconciliation to continue.

Whilst God’s gracious overtures to save individuals continue, a whole lot of undeniable evidences are often presented to the conscience of the person in question, and it is our response to those evidences that determine our eternal destiny.

If, when presented with facts by The Holy Spirit, we deliberately close our eyes or try to justify ourselves in sin, then the next time God makes another effort, the voice of conscience gets more blunted, and if it continues over an extended period of time, the time will come when God may be speaking, but we won’t be hearing or listening.

When Christ warned against the unpardonable sin, it was done in the context of undeniable evidences of His power that was being deliberately attributed to devils, and thus, if one considers the work of The Holy Ghost to be of satanic origin, then conversely, that person will inevitably assess satan’s work as being of godly origin. 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 spoke 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 speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Thus, it was the deliberate effort on the part of the human agents, in refusing the evidences presented by The Holy Spirit, that caused Jesus to utter such a warning, for whenever and wherever persons try to put darkness for light, or willfully represent good for evil, the hardening of their hearts against The Holy Ghost takes place.

This scenario has been demonstrated in the Bible time and time again, with the hope that we who are living in the final days of earth’s history would not repeat the same errors. As we study the history of three kings, we can learn from their experiences and choices, how to avoid the unpardonable sin. Thus, our focus will be centered mainly on the many undeniable evidences God gave to these persons in their consciences, and their reaction to the facts, as they would go on to alter their destiny.

Speaking a word against The Holy Spirit is basically the refuting of undeniable facts about wrongdoing, when those facts are presented to our consciences. We begin with pharaoh, king of Egypt, who was to be given numerous opportunities to acknowledge that he was in the wrong, but who, at every turn, had made the decision to close his eyes to the facts. Even when he was forced to confess that he himself was wicked, he never reached the point of humbly submitting to God.

Instead, he continued to harden his own heart, and God, who gave to all the freedom of choice, let the king choose whether to submit, or continue in sin. The same sunlight that hardens concrete, will melt butter, and therefore, Pharaoh’s response to those undeniable evidences is what drove him to commit the unpardonable sin. Let’s read:

Exodus 8:17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice but they could not. 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.

The next set of undeniable evidences granted to the conscience of pharaoh was scheduled to take place in the natural world. A deadly infectious disease in cattle was on its way, but a strange distinction was to be made that just could not be reasoned away on any logical grounds, other than the hand of God was in it. If there are several ranchers in one area, but only one set of farmers are seeing their cattle die from mad cow disease, an immediate investigation would be launched by the FDA to determine what could be causing the difference.

And if for some reason it is discovered that the only real difference is the religion of the ranchers, then it is almost a foregone conclusion that a supernatural phenomenon is underway, which would transcend science, or logic as we know it. In pharaoh’s case, several differentiating factors are to be given so that to any reasonable person, all the facts would lead to a special interference from God. A specific time is set for the disease to begin, which in and of itself is unheard of. In addition, only those livestock belonging to pharaoh and other Egyptians would perish. Let’s read:

Exodus 9:3 Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 4 And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.

5 And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land. 6 And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

Even when pharaoh is forced to acknowledge the facts and evidences granted him, he stubbornly refuses to repent. Instead, he feels remorse for the results of his action, but he does not feel sorry for the cause of his action. Many people today are feeling very sorry because of the resulting corona virus, but not many persons are feeling sorry for the cause, which is the eating of forbidden foods. And like pharaoh, if a cure was to be found, many who have temporarily stopped eating wild meat, would return to doing so. Let’s read:

Exodus 9: 22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. 27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

28 Entreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail. 33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

Undeniable evidences were stacked one upon the next, pharaoh’s own magicians plead with him to submit to the God of heaven, he verifies the great difference placed between himself and God’s own people in the plagues, yet he continues to resist the voice of God through His providential working. This continues, until The Holy Spirit gets frustrated with Pharaoh, and when the obstinate king would not listen to either God or man, and presumes to threaten Moses with death, then The Holy Spirit is left no choice but to depart from him.

And as Moses walks out through those palace doors for the last time, pharaoh’s day of grace comes to a permanent close. He committed the unpardonable sin, and by so doing, cut himself off from the grace and mercies of God, through Christ. Let’s read:

Exodus 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. 29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

King Saul, like pharaoh became delusional, because of his stubborn rebuttal of facts presented by God’s Spirit. When the demon of jealousy came upon him, he sent several soldiers to take David by force, after he discovered that David was hiding out by Samuel. The first set of soldiers set out on their journey, but as they approach Samuel’s home, The Holy Spirit accosts them and brings them under His direct sway in so much that they begin to prophesy among the other prophets which were present with Samuel.

The news of the strange occurrence reaches Saul’s ears, but instead of acknowledging the facts in the case, he sends another battalion of soldiers, as if to verify what he heard; but they also come under the direct power of God, and prophesy as heretofore. Whenever any person, or ruler of any nation has a problem with facts and truth and will continuously choose not to believe reliable information given by trusted and reliable sources, it is almost certain that the person in question is demon possessed.

The messengers who brought the news to Saul were not David’s servants, but Saul’s own officers, whom he had selected for that purpose. But regardless of the fact that they were reliable and verifiable, Saul persisted in kicking against the pricks of conscience and he sent a third embassage of soldiers. These also fail in their mission, because of the sheer power of The Holy Spirit, who is appealing to their consciences.

But Saul, who has become totally blind and delusional, refuses to believe the truths on the ground and finally just like pharaoh, he himself goes to see if peradventure he might fight against God. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 19:20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise.

And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night.

Our last cast of characters is Nebuchadnezzar, who, even though he suffered from pride, was altogether different from Saul and pharaoh, for whenever he was confronted with undeniable evidences coming from God, he would consider, he would change his course, and he would acknowledge that the God of heaven was, and still is right.

It’s not that Nebuchadnezzar did not have his own problems like everyone else, but what he did with the facts on the ground made all the difference, and because of that specific disposition to acknowledge truth, God could, and did work with him. In other words, when The Holy Ghost pointed out his errors, he did not make excuses, he didn’t blame others, or try to reason away the evidences of God’s power. Instead, he would acquiesce, and admit that he was in the wrong.

Thus, any person who cultivates the disposition not to rebel against reproof or correction from God, has great potential to be saved eternally, for God could work with them. It is never the grievousness of our sins that causes anyone to be lost, it is the stubborn rejection of facts, evidences, and those truths, given by The Holy Ghost, beckoning us to change course.

Therefore, when Jesus warns us about speaking a word against the Holy Spirit, He is always primarily referring to what individuals choose to do, to quiet an awakened conscience, by stifling truth and facts. This course of action inevitably leads to a syndrome known as self-deception where persons deliberately choose an alternate set of facts to believe.

Lying is the signature characteristic of satan, and if persons deliberately choose to believe lies instead of undeniable truths, then their minds become too blunted for The Holy Spirit to impress them, which then leads to the unpardonable sin. Let’s read:

Matthew 13: 10 And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

As was stated before, king Nebuchadnezzar was an altogether different breed, for whenever he was due for correction by God, he would take it in the right spirit, and therefore the stage was set for his conversion, and we believe he will be saved when Jesus returns to receive his own. When Christ stopped him dead in his tracks, as he tried to burn the three Hebrews for refusing to bow, he reconsidered his evil doings, and he immediately changed course midstream, because the evidences God gave him were of such that they would appeal to any reasonable person. Let’s read:

Daniel 3: 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them; 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king,

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. 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. 19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

What a world of difference attitude makes, for if an individual is humble enough to receive correction, it becomes very difficult for that person to be lost, for God will not leave one stone un-turned, until such a person is brought to a knowledge of the truth. What the world is currently experiencing, is a wake- up call permitted by God to awaken the consciences of people everywhere to consider the truths in the Bible which have been too long neglected, some of which point us to Christ’s soon return.

And in lieu of those truths, all should now avail themselves of His grace, while probation still lingers. God is now appealing to the consciences of all, by showing us that the eating of forbidden foods will harm us, just as he has stated in His word, over and over again. Several recent viruses, and a plethora of cancers and diseases are the direct result of persons ingesting that which has not been designed for human consumption.

Pork producing plants are shutting down all over the country so that repentance can be made easy for those who desire to obey. It’s just as if God is pleading with the inhabitants of earth, through every available means, to turn and live. In other words, God is saying to earth’s inhabitants, if you continue to eat forbidden foods, they will kill you. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:3 Whatsoever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 7 And the swine, though he divides the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he chews not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh. 24 Whosoever touches the carcass of them shall be unclean until the even. 32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.

35 And everything whereupon any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you. 46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps upon the earth.

47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

But if, instead of confessing our sins, and humbly accepting God’s correction, we succumb to various conspiracy theories, in an effort to quiet awakened consciences, and if we look for other reasons and causes other than what God has plainly stated, that will be the equivalent of burying our heads in the sand, and God’s voice in our minds will become less recognizable. While mercy still lingers, the loving voice of God’s entreaty beckons to us to turn from doing evil to righteousness.

We can, like Nebuchadnezzar, take a humble approach, confess our sins and be saved, or like pharaoh, we may choose to ignore truth, and thereby become encased in alternate facts, which ultimately lead to never-land. The choice is ours, and if we were to reconsider our ways in the light of Biblical truth, Christ who died to save us from ourselves will be willing to forgive and restore. Thus, we will close with a passage from the Bible which encourages us not to harden our hearts, and thereby cut ourselves off from God’s grace. 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!

A Brief History Of King Saul. Sabbath Afternoon 04/18/2020

April 18, 2020

Israel’s first king was called to the throne after the nation had demanded a king, contrary to God’s will. It was the tendency to trust in man, coupled with a desire to be like the other nations, that drove their demand for a king. And by so doing, their distrust of God was exposed. But God, who has given us the freedom of choice to choose either good or evil, with consequences, had permitted them to have their own way even though a very graphic warning of the results of their choice was given by the prophet Samuel.

Yet they insisted that they would have a king. When Saul was first called to the throne to serve, he had very miniscule ideas of himself, for he regarded himself as least among his father’s house. And God, who always gives men the best opportunities to do right, anointed Saul with His Holy Spirit, so that he would have clear concepts of truth and duty, and he would thus be enabled to serve well in his office.

In harmony with His good purposes, Saul was taken under Samuel’s wings so that he could be instructed in the ways and purposes of God for the nation. And it even became a proverb in all Israel, that Saul was among the prophets. No one can serve God on their own, even if they desire to do so, and that is why a change of heart and mind was granted to the new king. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 10:1 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. 7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him before-time saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

But after the dawning of a new day in his life, pride of opinion, and a stubborn resistance to God’s will, caused things to quickly unravel, for it was made manifest by his actions that he could not be trusted in emergencies. Whenever Saul’s back was against a wall, he would lose sight of God, and then, his will, and not God’s would be done. Our characters are revealed not so much in those good times, when everything is running smooth, but in those difficult circumstances which will test the mettle of our faith in God.

The tensile strength of our faith is tested mainly in the fires of our affliction and adversity. Now that our backs are against a wall, with millions of persons losing their jobs, and with evictions and foreclosures looming on the horizon, it will be made manifest whether we will trust God, just as in those sunny days of our life experience. Our tithes, as well as our offerings should be returned on the stimulus check received from uncle Sam, for it is an increase.

One of the most important lessons God will have us learn from this current pandemic, is to be humble, because, way too much pride and love of praise was being indulged in high and low places, just as it was with king Saul. After the first signal victory God had given to Saul, his head began to swell with pride, and, as is too often the case, his will began to take precedence over God’s will. When God commanded through Samuel, that Saul was to defeat the Amalekites, he decided that he would bring back Agag alive as a national trophy, to boost his already inflated ego.

In other words, Saul desired his signature on the victory God had given, in addition to which he spared the flocks and herds which were supposed to be devoted to destruction. He did not fully agree with God that the command should be carried out to the letter, for he thought a mistake in judgement, and discretion was made by God. Thus, he thought of himself as wiser and more intelligent than God as too many in our day do. God has not called us primarily agree with Him, but to obey Him.

In the process of obeying God, it is true that we may come to agree with His commands, but at the onset we are often at odds with what God instructs us to do, and therefore, it becomes a matter of whether we will let God’s will be done, or whether our will is going to take precedence. Saul’s will was allowed to overrule God’s explicit commands, and even though God continued to give him great victories and continued to plead with him through His Holy Spirit, the time came when things would take a turn for the worse, and the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from him, because of his persistent resistance to God’s voice. 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 troubles thee.

It is critically important for us not to misinterpret that passage which says, “An evil spirit from God troubled Saul”. This current condition of Saul is the default setting, whenever The Holy Spirit leaves any person, and thus the question is asked: “How did Saul get from there to here? How did Saul go from being anointed by the Holy Ghost, to being demon possessed? The answer is given in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:32 And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. 43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he finds 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.

Whenever this has taken place in a person, satanic traits of character, and all cultivated evils are often brought to maturity, where there’s opportunity to do so, in those who have rejected the only agency by which we can be saved. The Bible teaches that persons are taken captive at the will of evil spirits, whenever God is not sitting on the throne of the heart. And in Saul’s case evidences began to spring up that made it manifest God’s Spirit was missing in his life, and these evidences should be studied closely in the context of the times in which we now live for there is nothing new under the sun, and history would be, and is now being repeated, even as we speak. These evidences are outlined as follows:

[1] Wherever, and whenever there is an insatiable desire for commendation, applause, or praise, and approbation of men, there we may be certain that satan has, or is taking up residence. In certain cases, persons may not have passed the boundaries of God’s grace, but in other cases, the problem can be incurable. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 18:6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

A desire for praise is what caused lucifer to become satan, and ever since his fatal fall, he has sought to imbue human beings with his own attributes. Thus, whenever and wherever persons are observed to be thriving on praise, and the commendations of men, there we may be certain that demons have, or are actively taking up residence. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14: 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most-High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

[2] Wherever and whenever there is an irrepressible desire to harm or get rid of those with whom one may disagree, there we may be certain that satan has, or is in the process of taking up residence. The habit of indulging revenge upon one’s enemies does not come from the Holy Ghost, and should never be practiced by any person. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. 11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.

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

[3] Whenever, and wherever there is a continuous disposition to blame others for one’s misdeeds and sins, there we may be certain that satan has, or is taking up residence. One of the sure signs of godly repentance occurs when a person willingly accepts responsibilities for his or her actions. But the tendency to blame others for one’s faults or shortcomings is a manifestation of the presence of evil spirits, and if that practice is cultivated, it will eventually mummify the person in a stoical form of self-righteousness, which, not even The Holy Ghost can penetrate. Thus, it was with King Saul. Let’s read:

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

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 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.

When we contrast Saul’s attitude with David’s we see that the difference between them is like night and day. Not that David was faultless by any means, but whenever The Holy Spirit pointed out his wrong, he was quick to blame himself and not others. And it would be well if some persons would imitate his example under such circumstances. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. 16 And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

And there are other evidences that we should be cognizant of, because whenever The Holy Ghost has left a person, they often experience very wild mood swings. They can go from laughing and smiling, to a state of resentment, self-pity and revenge. Happiness may suddenly turn into violent outbursts, and complimentary words can turn into cursing, as in a moment. This was unmistakable evidence that Saul was becoming unhinged, not able to rule his own spirit anymore but being moved upon by devils increasingly. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 20:25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty. 27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor today? 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem.

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 650] Saul opened his heart to the spirit of jealousy by which his soul was poisoned. Saul had not learned, while ruling the kingdom of Israel, that he should rule his own spirit. He allowed his impulses to control his judgment, until he was plunged into a fury of passion. He had paroxysms of rage, when he was ready to take the life of anyone who dared oppose his will. From this frenzy he would pass into a state of despondency and self-contempt, and remorse would take possession of his soul.

Years went by, but Saul did not improve, for any sort of improvement in one’s character can only take place by the power of God, working in our hearts to subdue evil tendencies, replacing them with upright motives and habits. But without the power of God to enable us, all who reject God’s Spirit will end up at Endor, just as king Saul did, for whenever God stops speaking, and we stop listening, then the only other remaining option on the table is to come under the direct power of devils. Thus, it was with Judas, and thus it was with Saul. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this unto him.

If anyone listening today is struggling with any of these traits of character, or any of the latent evil tendencies mentioned, there is still hope for such, because the very fact that there is a struggle going on in one’s mind, tells us that The Holy Spirit is still at work. Whenever The Holy Ghost leaves a person, there is no struggle with evil anymore, and therefore, if we find ourselves battling these evils it is usually a good sign that a breakthrough can still occur.

But persons should be willing to listen to the voice of God when He speaks through His word and in our consciences. Whenever the voice of God points out our sins and failures, it is not to embarrass us, nor to condemn; it is with the sole purpose of restoration, so that the dross in our characters may be removed. And if like David, we acknowledge our sins, the same God who pointed them out will be the first to forgive us and heal.

Therefore, let none despair because of their sins, but rather, let us turn to God, to The only One who can help us out of our predicaments, because God delights in showing mercy unto all who will see their need, and call upon Him when whenever we fall. We therefore end with two passages of scripture which encourage us to seek for help whenever we need it, for God stands always ready to deliver us from ourselves, as long as we do not harden our hearts. Let’s read:

Proverbs 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction. 12 For whom the Lord loveth he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights. 13 Happy is the man that finds wisdom and the man that gets understanding.

Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

God Bless!

One Nation Under God. Sabbath Afternoon 04/11/2020

April 11, 2020

Just a few years prior to the time when the Roman pontiff Pope Pius V1 was about to be taken prisoner by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798, the young budding nation of America had just come upon the stage of action in July 4 of 1776. And as the Pilgrim fathers relished the moment of their new-found freedom, a new day was about to dawn upon the world which would usher in a flood of new inventions, technologies, and above all, the promise of civil and religious freedoms, which were to form the backbone of America’s genius.

But as time went by, the nation became embroiled in wars, and as communism began to threaten the very fabric of American culture, the author of our pledge of allegiance was moved to pen those now famous words. The author was a Baptist minister, by the name of Francis Bellamy, and for some historical content we should know that the original pledge of allegiance did not include the two words “Under God”. Those two words were added later, because of the threat of communism which existed in the 1950’s.

In 1954, in response to those perils posed by secular communism from the Nazis, President Eisenhower then encouraged Congress to add the words "Under God," which then resulted in the 31 word pledge we have currently. Thus, the phrase “Under God” was an afterthought, and was never originally intended. It is worthy of note that the addition of the words “Under God” was made when the nation felt it was being threatened, as is so often the case when folks are prone to make commitments to God when they face existential threats.

God much more prefers if we commit ourselves to Him in good times, because of His goodness and not merely as a last resort, when our backs are against a wall. However, when the words “Under God” were added a very serious omission occurred, because at that time congress did not stipulate which God was being referred to. And to this day it has never been written in stone, who is the God in our pledge.

Some assumed that it should be the Judeo-Christian God of the Bible, but that immediately causes apprehension in the minds of many, because America is indeed a melting pot of many different creeds, cultures, and religions, including atheism. When Moses was called by God to go into Egypt to lead out His people, and ultimately to incorporate them as one nation under God, Moses had at that time asked a valid question, for he stated that the Hebrews would ask him, what is God’s name, so that they could believe Him. In response, God said to tell them Yahweh, the great I Am, had sent him. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:13 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.

Therefore, as we face uncertain times, when many existential threats exist, the same question is being asked of the God in our pledge of allegiance: What is His name? Can it be the God of the Bible or is it the god of the Quran or is it a Hindu god? To further add to the mystery, the phrase, “In God we trust” is printed on the back of our dollar bills, flanked on either side by a pyramid and an eagle. So again, the question is asked: “Which god is it that is being referred to in our pledge?

Could it be a composite god, of all of the previously mentioned gods, condensed into one generic god, who is relegated to humbly acquiescing to any, and every dictate of the human agent? Thus, because it has never been made abundantly clear, and also for purposes of this Bible study, we’ll humbly assume that it is the God of the Bible that is being referred to.

Now, if that is the case, there are a few things about the God of the Bible that must be made abundantly clear, because, to include that phrase: One nation under God is not a trifling matter by any means for pledges made to God are to be held sacred. In fact, when the nation of Israel was proposed by God to enter into a covenant relationship with Him, thus bringing the them under His direct jurisdiction, the invitation was based upon what God had done for them by delivering them from cruel, Egyptian bondage.

This signal deliverance was cited by God as one of the main reasons for the proposal, for it clearly demonstrated that God was well able to protect and provide for His people. In addition, it is worthy of note that it was God who had initiated it, and not man, and therefore, the terms and conditions of the covenant were originated and instituted by God. But whenever a nation takes the initiative of making a covenant with God, they will almost always do so on their own terms, as is the case currently, hence the reason why God is held in a subservient position to the human agent in the minds of many.

In other words, to many minds, God does not reign as Sovereign here in the United states but rather as a sort of tag-along, in which the human agent calls all the shots and God is expected to humbly sign off on our dictates, or to follow along where man leads the way. In fact, when we take a closer look at the pledge of allegiance, it becomes quite obvious that God is not even to play second fiddle, but third fiddle, because the commitment is made first and foremost to the flag, and then to the Republic for which it stands. Then in last place, we have “Under God. Let’s read:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

This structure inevitably places the human agent at the helm, and God is expected to accept whatever we may designate as being right, and therefore, in too many instances, we have designated wrong as being right, and right as being wrong, at the same time we’re expecting God’s blessing and approval to whatsoever our standards of morality dictate.

But this will present very serious problems, because whenever there is a form of government, made by the people and for the people, the majority opinion will ultimately be dictating morality, which will then open the floodgates of popular, majority sentiment, as the driving force behind our moral compass. As a direct result, the conscience of the nation will devolve into one where there is no absolute truth anymore, and the standard of right and wrong will become something that is fluid, changing from state to state, and from person to person, as the laws of the land permit.

What this does is to create an umbrella to allow for a culture which countenances self-expression in any form, without any accountability, once the rights of others to do the same are respected. Religious and civil liberty are the two overarching principles which make this nation great, if and when those principles are respected. But lately there has been a tectonic shift under our feet, where those who may disagree with one form of morality, are prone to persecute those who beg to differ, and thus, without the moral compass of absolute truth many are left to drift upon a morasse of divergent views, personal preferences and widely different concepts of right and wrong.

Thus, cursing by public figures and cursing in movies is protected as free speech, marriage is now defined as being between two consenting adults, regardless of gender, and lying is accepted, and often expected in high and low places. In addition, there are other spin-offs of the concept of self-expression, because gender is being defined in many instances, not by birth anymore, but by the person in question, with freedom to be identified as a he or she, a queer, a trans, non-binary, or in some extreme instances as “They”.

A few days ago, a person identifying themselves as “They” was on the news, and for a while I became confused, for even the English language does not make accommodation for one, single person to be referred to as they. Therefore, the only way such a reference can be made is by using bad English. This is what occurs when the moral compass of any nation is left up to individuals who are driven by the popular majority opinions of the day, and whereas it may be for the benefit of those who might desire freedom to do any and everything, inevitably, those who choose to follow godly, Biblical principles will be persecuted, and boycotted for doing so.

It would have been nice if Cain were to allow Abel to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, but Cain would have none of it, because he soon Boy-Cutted Abel. Therefore, even if the provision is made for free expression of a person’s religion, threats of persecution, isolation, and Boy-cuts have become the order of the day.

But when we read the scriptures, a very different picture of what one nation under God looks like emerges, for God is The One who determines what morality is, accountability is baked into the fabric of social justice, and the law of God is the only moral compass, guiding the practices and decisions of its citizens. A very far cry from what occurs currently. In other words, the phrase “One nation under God” that is currently sacredly enshrined in our pledge of allegiance, ought to have meaning, because it is an integral part of our pledge, and all pledges made to God, and man should be held sacred and binding.

Therefore, if the God in our pledge of allegiance is indeed the God of the Bible, it behooves us to see for ourselves what “One nation under God” would look like and for this we must turn to the scriptures. 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; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. 7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

Exodus 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.

Obedience, and a willingness to obey all that God stipulated formed an integral part of the covenant made by the nation of Israel, and even though they apostatized many times, yet God recognized them as His people, until Christ was formally rejected. In addition, the covenant relationship included the temporal aspects of life, such as health, wealth, and protection from sickness and diseases, if the nation would follow God’s wise instructions. God isn’t only interested in the spiritual aspects of our lives, but also the temporal for they are a direct reflection of what obedience produces. Let’s read:

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

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.

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.

9 The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. 10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. 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.

Deuteronomy 7:15 And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee.

The principles and laws, statutes, and instructions were given for the spiritual and temporal good of the nation. And even though the covenant was only made with Israel, any other nation who desired to come under God’s jurisdiction would be more than welcome by God to do so, once the same terms and conditions laid out by Him were adopted. God desired that not only the nation of Israel, but that all peoples and nations would choose to be governed and instructed by Him, for He sent His Son Jesus to die for all and therefore, Israel was a sort of specimen in embryo form, of what any nation which desired to be “Under God” would look like. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

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. 13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.

But as is the case currently Israel had departed from the covenant which they entered into with God, and the sure results followed. In the days of Elijah they were teaching their children in schools that it’s Baal, and not God who was their sole provider. Idolatry had overspread the land like a thick dark cloud, and strange forms of worship, together with warped concepts of God had been introduced, and almost imperceptibly the people had departed from truths and principles which had guided them in former years.

Thus, they refused to be one nation under God any- more, and with their fearful departures from right, their vulnerabilities became exposed, and famine, disease and death spread across the land. But God, who’s rich in mercy didn’t leave the nation to perish in its sins. Instead, He sent the prophet Elijah to show them the root cause of their distress, and how they could once more come into the divine favor. And thus, when the time had come for national reckoning, the prophet of God, traced the root cause of their trials. It was, and still is in our day, a departure from the great principles of righteousness. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

In our day, God is asking us same question, both on a personal and national level: How long halt ye between two opinions? The teaching of evolution has done much to destroy the knowledge of God across the land, because it removes God from His creation and thus, if kids are taught that there was no intelligent planning in the making of our world then it follows that we are all here by chance.

In addition, the marriage institution ordained by an intelligent God, and which forms the nucleus of all society, has become greatly distorted, and violence is being done to that which was ordained to be as a cohesive, binding agent across all nations. When kids are taught gender neutrality pertaining to the use of bathrooms, or that having two moms or two dads is acceptable, then it is just a matter of time before the entire foundation of society comes crashing down, and how one feels from day to day will be made to determine their gender.

Therefore, The God of heaven is asking again: How long halt ye between two opinions? If we desire to be one nation under the God of the Bible, then we will need to return to Biblical teaching and laws. But if we insist on a composite god, then, like ancient Israel, our vulnerabilities will be exposed, and there will be none to deliver. God is now calling on us to choose.

There are great changes to be made across the land if we would be one nation under God, and the call to repentance must take place on a national and personal level, if we desire The God of the Bible to guide us with His wisdom and discretion. In harmony with this plea we will end with passages of scripture which lay before us the terms God has given to one and all, if we desire a change of heart, and a change of fortunes. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

God Bless!

God Calls A Prophet. Sabbath Afternoon 04/04/2020

April 04, 2020

Prophets who are called of God are widely different from false prophets who are not ordained. There is a type of prophet whom God ordains to preach, and prophesy, and there is another type of prophet who does not receive any calling from God, but whom is permitted to preach. The latter type are always in the majority, and they manifest signature characteristics that can easily be identified by the word of God, and His Holy Spirit.

A true prophet of God deals in the currency of heaven by speaking the truth, whether it is pleasing to hear, or whether it is displeasing to the ear. Such true prophets are always to be found in the minority, for their ministry is not based on popular majority opinions. Instead, they are commissioned to speak only the word of The Lord, given under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost only deals in truth, and nothing else. Let’s read:

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. Thus, as a general rule of thumb, the prophets of God are never in abundance, when compared with false prophets. This singular fact can often be used as a starting point, when determining the true from the false, because the word of The Lord is generally in the opposite direction of where popular opinions converge. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubles Israel? 18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

1st Kings 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord today. 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him? 8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.

Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand. 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. 7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers.

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. 10 Now the queen spoke and said, O king, live forever. 11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods.

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel. Now let Daniel be called and he will shew the interpretation. 13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king.

Before we proceed, it is necessary for us to seek out the definition of the word “Soothe” because several soothe-sayers were among those who were called to give their interpretation. And for the meanings of the word, we turn to none other than the renowned Google. Let’s read:

SOOTHE

[1] To bring comfort, solace, or reassurance to. [2] To gently calm (a person or their feelings). [3] To tranquilize or calm a person or the feelings; relieve, comfort, or refresh. [4] To exert a soothing influence; bring tranquility, calm, ease, or comfort.

This is a signature characteristic of false prophets, for they specialize in speaking peace, when God has not spoken peace. They also specialize in lulling the unwary to sleep, on the brink of disaster, and as the multitudes are about to go over the cliff, they often speak words of encouragement. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 13:3 Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. 5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. 6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

10 Because, they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; 16 To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.

Thus, whenever God ordains a prophet to stand in the gap, we can be assured that what He tells that person to speak, will not always be what the people would want to hear. God’s servants will often give encouragement and exhortations to do right, but they must never compromise the truth to soothe itching ears. Never! Noah’s message was not pleasing to the multitudes, even though it was given with a caveat, as to how men might escape.

Lot’s message to his family was not well received, even though it too was given with instructions on how to avoid the coming calamity. When Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be invaded on account of the sins that were being practiced, he too was given instructions by God as to how the judgments could be averted. But as it often is, the message and the messenger were not well received, and a multitude of soothe saying prophets predicted otherwise. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 26:2 Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. 3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die. 9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant?

And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. 11 Then spoke the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

Thus, throughout the history of this earth, prophets of God are often entrusted with carrying very heavy burdens of bringing unwelcome news, with caveats, to those they love and they will be often tempted to tone down and alter the message of God, to make it as palatable to those who may be in grave danger of going over the cliff. This leads us to the core of the Bible study today, in which a young prophet is being called by God to do a work of reformation in ancient Israel.

Samuel has begun serving in the temple at a pretty young age, under the tutelage of Eli, and before he is grown up, He is called by God to the prophetic office. Eli and His sons have disregarded numerous calls for them to repent, many years have elapsed as mercy still lingers, the conduct of the priests cause people to stop coming to church and according to the Bible, men have now come to hate the very mention of church, all because of the evil doings of Eli’s sons.

Let’s read: 1st Samuel 2:3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.

At this time Samuel was probably wide awake and sitting up in his bed, wondering at the phenomena that seemed to defy logic. He is hearing voices, Eli is emphatically stating that he did not call, there isn’t anybody else in the building, and yet a distinct call has been made. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows of; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.

It’s obvious that Samuel could not go back to sleep after that revelation from God for it must have been a terrible rush of feelings and emotions that swept over his young soul. Eli had been like a father figure to Samuel, for he only saw his biological parents once a year. A tide of memories floods his mind, he is severely stressed as he contemplates the ramifications and the import of the message, and it is quite possible that he is moved to tears, for the message is not a pretty one.

In most of the former examples given today, God had given warnings through His prophets, but He also instructed the people on how they may escape. But this message is of an entirely different nature, for Samuel is told that it does not even make sense for Eli to pray, because his probation, as well as his sons’ has been permanently closed with no type of recourse whatsoever. In other words, it is very bad news, the worst kind of news anyone can get about their future.

How is Samuel going to relate this information to someone whom he loves so dearly? Is he going to deliver the message faithfully if and when he is asked? Will he allow his feelings to get in the way of the message? Will he tone it down, adjust, or alter it with smooth encouraging words, even though God has explicitly shown him that Eli and his sons have gone over the cliff? Samuel tosses and turns, he tosses and turns, and he awaits with dread, the coming of the new day, when he is certain to be questioned about the revelations thus given. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:15 And Samuel lay until the morning and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

Finally, the morning comes, he takes up his usual duties, but with a heavy heart. He tries to avoid Eli at all costs, for he fears the dreaded question. He probably seeks to do all of the outside chores first. He carries out the garbage, he makes new garbage, and he mows the entire lawn around the sanctuary. He does not presume to take the initiative in telling Eli what God had shown him, because God did not instruct him to do so.

Similarly, all true prophets of God are never to take it upon themselves to divulge information God showed them in private, except He bids them to make it known. But finally, the dreaded moment comes, when he must either prove himself a true prophet or become a sooth-sayer. Eli corners him and demands of him, under a solemn threat, to divulge all the details of the revelations that were given. And, Samuel delivers the goods. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17 And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto thee. 18 And Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.

There is another message soon to be delivered to the world at large and God is now actively preparing persons to deliver. The message constitutes the last call of mercy to a dying world, it is solemn in import and, because God is merciful, He is now searching for persons who will be faithful in delivery, just as was Samuel.

This world is coming to a climax, in which the forces of evil, and the forces of good will be locked in the deadliest cosmic battle of the ages, and those who have been sitting on the fence too long will have to make hard choices, that will determine their eternal destiny. Some of you who are listening today may like young Samuel, be called to preach, and if so, the tendency of succumbing to smooth words so as to palliate the consciences of the unwary must be done away with.

When God gives a message of warning to the world, it cannot be smoothed down, except at the eternal peril of those who are bidden to speak. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. The message is one of urgent repentance, with the instruction to flee the terrors that are predicted in Revelation 13 & 14.

In a nutshell, all who have been sitting on the sidelines and all who have been in the valley of decision, all those who have had Jesus as playing second fiddle, need to repent. If we have been allowing sports, bad movies, porn, and adultery to absorb our interests, we will need to repent. If we have been playing church, or living a double life, we will need to repent.

If lying, fraud, vanity, the love of approbation, and the love of this world has been causing us to neglect eternal our interests, we will need to repent. Again, if we have been harboring a spirit of unbelief, and if we have ignorantly subscribed to any false system of worship which the Bible does not endorse we will need to repent, because the stark reality is that God is only going to cover those who are found in Christ, after probation closes.

In other words, it is not what you know, but who you know, that will make all the difference, when the mark of the beast overspreads the land. Thus, while we still have opportunity, let’s turn our hearts over to God that He may save us from ourselves, for the message coming from God to the inhabitants of earth is pretty blunt. Let’s read:

Revelation 18:1 And I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Love to God, and a deep, abiding relationship with Him does not spring up overnight, therefore it is of critical importance, that we make the most of the golden opportunity provided to us in Christ, before there is a rush for the door. Like young Samuel, when he delivered his inaugural message from God to Eli’s household, those whom God would call to deliver the last message of mercy, must not allow their feelings, or emotions, or family connections to interfere with, or water-down those cutting truths for this time.

Even though the message of God is to be delivered in love, it should never be altered, lest those who should have been warned of their imminent danger, inadvertently go over the cliff. Such is the very grim nature of the message to be delivered just before the final conflict commences. Let’s read:

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 8 They shall walk everyone in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. 9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows.

11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executes his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repents him of the evil. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. 16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children.

23 Be glad and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.

Thus, in harmony with the urgency of the moment, and because our day of grace will come to a close when least expected, we exhort everyone who has already accepted Christ to make your calling and election sure, and those who have not done so as yet, to make haste to repent for the time is at hand. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to do just that and we hope and pray that it will resonate in our minds, and cause change for the better to take place from the inside out. Let’s read:

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

God Bless!

The Symbiosis Between Spiritual And Temporal. Sabbath Afternoon 03/28/2020

March 28, 2020

A very close sympathy exists between the spiritual and temporal aspects of daily life, which too many are prone to disregard, or otherwise are ignorant of. The moral law of God has jurisdiction over every other law, and it will deliver blessings or adversity in tandem with obedience or disobedience. Currently we are living in a mostly secular world, in which the spiritual aspects of life are disconnected, or divorced from the temporal, and as a result many erroneously believe that the one cannot affect the other.

In the minds of millions there’s no correlation whatsoever between what we do, and what takes place on wall street, or with weather related events. That’s why when you hear of financial analysts and experts speaking about those fundamentals of our economy, nothing is mentioned of spiritual factors, for the moral aspects of life are not brought into the equation, and as a direct result, their calculations or expectations are often dashed in pieces when their expectations do not pan out.

We will read in the news of those “fundamentals” such as supply and demand, job growth, housing starts, the energy sector, consumer confidence, liquidity, and unemployment rates. But you will never hear of lying, fraud, injustice, cruelty, and disobedience as being factors that can adversely affect businesses. Therefore, the system of analyzing all the temporal aspects of life, without incorporating the spiritual is a fundamentally flawed system, for wherever, and whenever it is adopted, it will subject its adherents at times, to sudden and severe disruptions without any logical explanation based on existing data.

The Bible greatly differs with the secular world in the way it calculates, predicts, and anticipates the outcomes and results we see in the temporal realm, because, as far as God is concerned, all the spiritual aspects of living actually take the preeminence in delivering blessings, or adverse circumstances to millions. Let’s read:

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood. 3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Verse 3 of the last passage is particularly disturbing, for it tells of collateral damage to innocent animals which have nothing to do with the errors, and sins thus mentioned. It is estimated that the recent fires in Australia wiped out about one billion animals and from time to time we will see millions of dead fish washing up on our shores.

At other times thousands of birds will just fall out of the sky, dead, and whales, and dolphins leave their habitations for unknown reasons, and head to the shore to expire. Yet only scientific reasons are being sought for, while the much more important spiritual factors mentioned in the Bible are left on the back- burner. Let’s read again:

Isaiah 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

The same close symbiosis can be found in the book of Deuteronomy, and indeed, throughout the entire Bible, which states unequivocally that righteousness is inextricably linked to health, prosperity, and our general well-being, while evil-doing is directly tied to adversity in so many instances.

Now, even though there are exceptions to this rule, yet the general tendency with many individuals and nations is to reap according to that which is sown. If one sows corn, it would be unreasonable to expect a crop of oranges, and vice-versa. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so!

Balaam understood the correlation between the spiritual, and the temporal, that’s why after trying some voodoo on the Hebrews, and meeting with failure, he then sought to get them to sin, knowing full well that their course of action would severely compromise their security and prosperity in the temporal realm.

Even satan recognized this fundamental principle, for he observed Job’s wealth and prosperity as the direct result of righteousness. Even though he tried to put his own spin on the facts, as he always does, yet, the Bible clearly states up front, that Job was a perfect man. Then it goes on to list those blessings which attend such a course of action. 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.

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.

Thus, as we study the close symbiosis that exists between the spiritual and temporal aspects of life, we must always remember that God will do His best to mitigate the fallout of our errors through Christ, but as a general rule of thumb, He permits the laws of sowing and reaping to run their natural course. 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.

Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. 22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

When Nebuchadnezzar became terrified of a dream he had one night, he called for Daniel to give him the explanations, after his own ‘yes-men’ had failed to deliver. Then Daniel, after faithfully relating what was to befall the king did not give a pep talk, nor did he offer smooth words to palliate the king’s fears.

Instead, like all true prophets of God must do in the same or similar situations, Daniel faithfully laid out what was the root cause of the dire predictions, and then he articulated to Nebuchadnezzar what action needed to be taken preemptively to try to avert the fulfillment of the dreaded dream. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king. 25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

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

What was to befall Nebuchadnezzar was not to be attributed to any scientific causes, or any unknown condition or disease that was not yet discovered in some laboratory. The root cause was sin, and thus, if he desired a reversal of the predictions given, the king must adopt righteous principles in the running of his government.

On the flipside, when nations and persons choose to do right, it generally results in the extending of their tranquility, especially so, when the head of the nation takes the lead in following Daniel’s counsel. In other words, whenever righteousness is sown the inevitable results will generally follow. Let’s read:

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.

This leads us to the core of our study, in which one nation in particular had become ravaged by famine, disease, and death. Ahab and Jezebel sinned greatly on several fronts, leading the nation of Israel into believing that Baal was their sole provider of all the temporal benefits they had thus far enjoyed. In addition, they had conspired to take the farm of one of their citizens by force, just because the king had coveted it, and in the process, they killed the man and got other government officials involved in the clandestine plot.

Thus far they had succeeded, and they now sit back to enjoy the benefits of their wrong-doing. But just as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, a day of reckoning was coming, and just as it is today, there will be severe disruptions to the economy, citizens will suffer tremendously, and as it is with all such departures from righteousness, a lot of collateral damage will occur. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18:2 And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

The God of heaven takes no delight in the distress of nations and individuals, but there are times when He must give us a wake-up call, lest, like Jezebel and Ahab, we erroneously come to believe that we are more important than Him, and worst yet, that the wages of sin results in great temporal benefits. Whenever there is widespread calamity, war, or any sudden and severe disruptions, and disturbances, it is fitting that the affected nations and individuals do serious soul-searching to see if like Ahab, Jezebel or Nebuchadnezzar, the root cause may be at our own doorstep.

It was God’s good purpose that the nation of Israel be brought to repentance, and in harmony with this purpose, the people were not left without hope, for Elijah was sent to the head of the nation, to try and show the root cause of the calamity, and the way in which a reversal of fortune would be granted.

At such a time as this the multitudes may clamor for smooth words, and encouragement, because of the widespread suffering, but the true servants of God must, like Daniel and Elijah, show the people what is the root cause, and how it can be mitigated. Great care must be exercised in offering solace on terms which God has not ordained, for it may have the effect of temporarily easing the pain, whilst the underlying root causes remain unaddressed, only to resurface again at some opportune moment.

Earth’s teeming multitudes often turn to God when they are faced with existential threats, and even if this may not be the preferred method, it’s often the only option remaining on the table so to cause us to come to grips with reality. The tragedy of 9/11 was one such instance, when out of the blue, calamity struck without warning.

In the days following, it was discovered that churches, synagogues, and mosques across the land were full of attendees, as multitudes searched for answers. But since that time, the desire to seek God has all but evaporated in the minds of many, and here we are, back to business as usual. But, The Lord has not changed since the days of Elijah and He is now more than willing that nations, and individuals will come to repentance.

This is what Elijah was sent to do, and in calling the nation together for a day of soul-searching, it was of critical importance that the leaders of the nation be present. The secular and the religious leaders must of necessity show up, because as a general rule of thumb, a nation would follow in the footsteps of its leaders. Let’s read:

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name. 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 45 And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.

In our pledge of allegiance there exists this phrase: “One nation under God”, and we being a majority Christian nation, we claim to adhere to scriptural principles. But just as in the days of Elijah, there has been a gradual falling away from righteousness on several fronts. Evolution has usurped creation in our curriculum, the marriage institution, which is the foundation of all society has been dragged in the dust and lying is countenanced in high and low places, whilst the stranger among us is often treated with contempt.

If as a nation we desire a reversal of fortunes, we will have to do as ancient Israel did, when they got caught between a rock and a hard place. Just as in the days of Elijah, God stands ready and able to do what He delights in, by showing mercy and bringing deliverance where it’s most needed. But such an outcome will only be accomplished on Biblical terms, just as it was with ancient Israel, for when the people back then were brought to see the root causes for their misfortunes they repented and instituted the necessary changes, to accommodate God’s miraculous intervention.

Therefore, as the multitudes of earth reel from the fallout of the Corona-virus and as anxiety and worry grips the world, and as many are expiring daily, with many more on the horizon, let us remember that God is calling the nations of earth to repentance, and it we respond in the positive, there can be great reversal of fortunes. In harmony with this call to repentance we will close with a passage of scripture, which clearly outlines the course of action to be taken at this time. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7: 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

God Bless!

Crunch Time Prophecies. Part [2] Sabbath Afternoon 03/21/2020

March 21, 2020

There are promises made in the Bible that point us to God’s miraculous care, provisions, and protection during the crunch times ahead. And these promises should be believed, embraced and expected for God can always be trusted to fulfill His word. In particular, the following passages in Isaiah would be pertinent to that time when all earthly supports will be cut off from the remnant people of God. The mark of the beast will have engulfed the earth, and the faithful who remain after the dust has settled, would be living by faith alone. 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.

But before we delve into our study there are a few things we must understand about God, and the way He works in behalf of His people. God’s miraculous power must never to be requested to do that which we can do for ourselves. God does not work unnecessary miracles, for what ever He does, there must be a good valid reason for doing so. God provides food for the sparrows, but those birds better get themselves out of their nests, and search diligently for the food He has provided or else, themselves and their young ones will starve.

God provides food and grain for man, but he better not sit down at home during the day, playing video games and surfing the internet, expecting Amazon to ring his doorbell with Jeff Bezos’ groceries. Like the sparrow, man must work for his daily bread by the sweat of his brow, just like everyone else. When it came time to feed the five thousand, the lunch of a little boy was summoned and the blessing of Christ made it multiply. Jesus, who is the Creator of everything, could have called millions of peanut butter sandwiches out of thin air, but He does not do this when there are resources readily available.

The current practice of some contemporary pastors and televangelists, of offering unconditional healing to persons who make no effort to help themselves, or turn from soul destroying habits, is a diabolically opposite method to the way in which God operates, for throughout the Bible, cooperation between God and man in all things is to be clearly seen. The crippled man, who was carried by his friends to Christ first ended up on the roof of the house where Christ was teaching.

Then he encouraged his friends as they removed the tiles, and dismantled the roof, digging a big gaping hole in the home-owner’s roof, so that he could be let down. The woman with the issue of blood had become very weak, on account of the amount of blood she had lost over the years, and beyond the shadow of a doubt, the reserves of iron in her body had been severely depleted. Yet she struggled on through that throng of people, being pushed this way and that until she was barely able to touch the hem of Christ’s garment.

Then, in response to her faith and earnest efforts, Jesus did what she could never do for herself, and the rest is history. Faith without works is dead, and therefore, it would be futile for us to study the Interim Period, without first understanding some fundamentals about the way in which God manifests Himself to help us. In the seven years of plenty, God expected Joseph, and all the Egyptians to make well-directed efforts to try to provide for the crunch time that was on its way.

God provided the sunshine, and rain, and food in abundance, but the human agent would have to harvest and store the temporal blessings supplied. Thus, Joseph built numerous cities, and warehouses to store food for 14 years until the Bible says he had to stop counting. Extreme efforts on the part of the human agent are required, and then we are to trust God to take up the slack, all the while, praying, and hoping, and working, and believing all things.

Now, without the luxuries of refrigeration, and air conditioning, it must have been a serious challenge to preserve those vast supplies of food and grain for such a long period of time, without them spoiling, and thus he trusted to the miraculous power of God to take up the slack, after he had done his very best. The promises of God are sure to those who believe and who act upon their belief. But for us to sit down on our lees, claiming Christ’s promises, and looking for miracles without any effort on our part will lead to very great disappointment.

In everything that pertains to the sustenance, and well-being of man, both in spiritual and in temporal matters, cooperation with God is an absolute must. Any doctrine or teaching to the contrary constitutes a very serious delusion. Overcoming sin will require a desperate struggle on our part, if we would be victorious. That is why the Bible tells us to fight the good fight of faith and Paul exhorts us to mortify the deeds of the body through the power of the Holy Spirit, and James tells us to resist the devil, because there will be no “fleeing” without resisting.

That which we have no power to do, like providing sunshine and rain, and power to overcome God will supply, but anything, and everything else we could do for ourselves must be done to the maximum. We should never ever forget this. God fought for Gideon and his men, but they had to fight long, and hard, as if the victory depended on them alone. In fact, they came close to fainting with hunger, yet they pressed on, trusting in Christ, and cooperating with Him. Let’s read:

Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely, I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Judges 8:4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

[LT pp 117] The Lord wants us to do our work that He has given us to do with energy and perseverance as if success depended wholly on our efforts, and to look to God, and trust in Him, as the One who could make the work a success by His power working with our efforts.

principle will lead folks to exhaust all available supplies, and resources, before expecting Christ’s miraculous intervention. The current practice some have of claiming promises when there are resources and opportunities available at our fingertips is quite contrary to the way in which God works. Therefore, let us with a humble mind and teachable spirit trace the movements of God, as He provided for His people as they headed to the earthly Canaan for those experiences are to be carefully studied as we prepare for the heavenly Canaan. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month; 2 And there was no water for the congregation, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chided with Moses, and spoke saying; 5 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 pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

Water is an absolute necessity, especially so, in the desert where one’s need of fluid is expected to go up exponentially. God knows this more than we do, for He made us and therefore, the question is: Why would the miraculous stream that had supplied the Hebrews previously, suddenly cease to flow? The water ceased to flow, because there was other water that could have been accessed and therefore, the miraculous water God had always supplied, now became unnecessary. Wherever there are available resources, and opportunities, God’s supernatural power is not to be solicited or expected. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 2: 2 And the Lord spoke unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. 4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore. 6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. 7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

Again, when the Hebrews were just about to enter Canaan, the manner ceased to fall, and the stream of miraculous water ceased to flow, because they were entering the land of milk and honey, where there would be food and drink in abundance, and therefore, unnecessary miracles ought not to be expected. Let’s read:

Joshua 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. 11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Now that we have understood this important fact of exhausting available resources, so that unnecessary miracles are not expected, we will now turn to our study of the interim period, that time which elapses between the institution of the mark of the beast, and when all earthly support will finally be cut off from God’s remnant people. Of that cut-off time, the Bible specifically states that food and water will be provided for the faithful, so that there will be no need to worry. In other words, when the faithful can no longer buy or sell, God will step in to take up the slack. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:16 And he causes 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.

Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. 17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

But, before such miracles take place, the remnant would have learned by experience that God would only step in to take up the slack when it’s absolutely necessary to do so, and therefore He has sent to us instructions on how we ought to prepare for that interim period. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 99>100] The physical surroundings in the cities are often a peril to health. The constant liability to contact with disease, the prevalence of foul air, impure water, impure food, the crowded, dark, unhealthful dwellings, are some of the many evils to be met.

Raise Your Own Provisions

The Lord desires His people to move into the country, where they can settle on the land, and raise their own fruit and vegetables, and where their children can be brought in direct contact with the works of God in nature. Again and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions, for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one.

We should now begin to heed the instruction given to us over and over again. Get out of the cities into rural districts, where the houses are not crowded closely together, and where you will be free from the interference of enemies.

Now, there are other statements written by the pen of inspiration, which may seem, on the surface to contradict the statements we just read. But when studied closely, they would appear to be in perfect harmony because they were written under the inspiration of The Holy Ghost, Who never makes a mistake. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 56] The Lord has shown me repeatedly that it is contrary to the Bible to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble. I saw that if the saints had food laid up by them or in the field in the time of trouble, when sword, famine, and pestilence are in the land, it would be taken from them by violent hands and strangers would reap their fields. Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God, and He will sustain us. I saw that our bread and water will be sure at that time, and that we shall not lack or suffer hunger; for God is able to spread a table for us in the wilderness.

So, let’s understand the two statements, instructing us as to what course of action to pursue, when the time comes. The mark of the beast which will deny all commercial activity to those who refuse the false form of worship, will not begin at its most stringent level, for this is not how satan works. There are different stages to temptations, and thus, in the implementation of the national Sunday law, the use of force will be the last resort, after bribes entreaties, promises of promotion, offers to wipe out personal debt, and peer pressure have failed. Let’s read:

[G.C. pp 607] Some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith.

When Balak wanted Balaam to bow to his demands, he first used briberies of silver and gold, promotions to great honor, and social pressure by sending more high-ranking government officials. When these had failed, then he threatened Balaam’s own life; that’s because satan never employs force upfront when bringing temptations. He much more prefers that individuals and nations bow by their own choice, but if they choose not to, then he has no problem whatsoever of employing the use of force.

That’s why in times past during the dark ages, Christians were first asked to recant their faith and if they refused, then the burning stake was employed. The three Hebrew worthies were not at first cast into the burning fiery furnace. They were first given more than one opportunity to bow, but after they steadfastly refused, then the use of force was the next and last step. Again, we reiterate this fact, that the devil hardly ever uses force at the outset. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

Numbers 24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.

Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke 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? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

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. 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.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

When Joseph was being tempted by Potiphar’s wife satan did not move upon her, up-front, to grab him in a choke-hold. The devil first employed entreaties, enticements, nagging and solicitations to wear poor Joseph down. But when these failed to deliver the desired result, the use of force was at last resorted to, and the wife of Potiphar used “kung fu” to force Joseph’s hands. Let’s read:

Genesis 39: 7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

10 And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Therefore, that interim period we keep referring to is very similar to the period of time which elapsed between the solicitations by Potiphar’s wife and the time she resorted to use force. The implementation of the mark of the beast will begin quite mildly and will be touted as being absolutely necessary for the greater good of humanity. This will take place for a while, while the screws are being gradually tightened down, and then stringent measures against all dissenters would be gradually increased, until it ripens into the use of brute force, which is referred to in Revelation. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

During this time, between its initial implementation and the use of force, the faithful will have to live off of the produce they have grown in obedience to the instructions given. Then as the heat of the furnace is turned up several notches, resulting in the use of force, God will step in to provide miraculously for His people. Currently, there are long lines at various stores, and once filled grocery shelves have become quite bare. Then there are some essential products that have become quite scarce, and others are not so readily available.

While it is not necessary to horde, yet if we see that there are problems looming on the horizon, and if we see the wolf coming, it will be contrary to faith and good common sense, for us to sit back on our lees, claiming God’s promises, while not making any effort to mitigate the situation. Remember that cooperation with God in all things is a scriptural teaching, and thus, wherever we could make an effort to provide for ourselves, we should do so.

The widowed woman of Elijah’s day was out and about, gathering sticks so she could make bread for herself and her household as the famine put the nation of Israel in an iron grip. Claiming God’s promises is good, and always to be encouraged, and praying without ceasing is highly recommended. But, without well-directed effort on the part of those who claim to believe, we would be exchanging reality for fantasy because faith without works is dead.

In preparing for the interim period, let us always remember that practice makes perfect, meaning that our cooperation with God in both spiritual and temporal matters is a must. We therefore close with a passage of scripture which encourages us to act with wisdom and discretion. Let’s read:

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.

God Bless!

Crunch-Time Prophecies. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 03/14/2020

March 14, 2020

For many years God has been giving us practical and down to earth instructions pertaining to godly living and how we may live in readiness for Christ’s return to this earth. He has sent us His prophets to warn us of things to come and to instruct us on how we may exercise wisdom and prudence based on knowledge of future events.

The wealth of information given to us throughout the Bible, and also through God’s end-time prophet will come in very handy, and useful as we enter the un-chartered waters referred to by Daniel, and the other prophets. When God sees fit to disseminate information to His believing children, He expects us to take note and act accordingly.

The phrase “Crunch Time” refers to those adverse situations that are permitted to cause individuals and nations to do serious soul-searching on account of violations indulged, such as took place in the days of Joshua when Achan’s actions brought the nation of Israel to its knees literally. At that time, it was discovered that one man and his family were responsible for the terrible losses which were incurred, and the collateral damage which was done to the morale of the people.

Thus, as we study part 1 of Crunch Time Prophecies, it is important for us to believe God’s word, and to act accordingly. Faith without works is dead and because of this, the information given out this afternoon is intended to make us aware that there are root causes, and also corresponding effects for things that are happening, and that are predicted to happen across the world.

The Bible teaches us that the curse causeless shall not come, and thus, before we fall into the snare of questioning God’s love for the human family, let us review some of the prophecies that are given in the Bible, and some of the reasons behind those cryptic predictions. We will highlight, and them explain as we go along.

[1] Before all is said and done and before the current dust settles, some persons will have to eat a whole lot of grass, just like Nebuchadnezzar, because, as the Bible teaches us, pride goes before a fall, and a haughty spirit before comes destruction.

For purposes of this Bible study “Grass” will refer to those humbling experiences God brings at times, on the human agent when we deliberately lose sight of our dependence on Him. Throughout human history, the general tendency when God exalts a person to a high position, is that we become puffed up, and we come to think that we do not need God’s advice, nor His instructions and counsels anymore.

Thus, it was with Solomon, thus it was with David, with Saul, and with so many other Bible characters whose egos and pride became inflated to the point where they forgot that God rules in the kingdom of men. David and Solomon were humbled tremendously in the eyes of their subjects, after their pride led them to disregard God’s laws, instructions, and warnings. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case a strict regimen of grass, and herbs was instituted, so that he would never forget that God rules as sole Sovereign. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. Belteshazzar answered and said; 20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation.

22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; 24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most-High,

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

Nebuchadnezzar had a serious “I” problem, for he came to think that he alone was the most important person in the world, because Babylon was the world leader of all nations back then, being represented as the golden kingdom of the image in Daniel 2. But whenever, and wherever pride is fostered and indulged, when God sends us warnings, reminding us to be humble, and whenever the human agent loses sight of his dependence on God, he would be made to eat grass, a whole lot of grass!

This crunch time prophecy, given and fulfilled to the king of Babylon was well-intended to be a beacon of warning to every world leader that is brought upon the stage of action through the providence of God, whether they be secular or spiritual. One does not have to be a Christian, in order to come under the direct jurisdiction of God.

Kings and princes, prime ministers and presidents, queens, judges, senators and lords of all stripes are to understand that they serve at God’s discretion, and as such, a humble dependence on Him is the best and safest course to pursue, for according to the apostle James, they will run into stiff resistance from God when they become puffed up. Let’s read:

James 4:6 Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 1st Peter 5: 5 Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

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?

Poor Nebuchadnezzar lost sight of the fact that it is God who sets up kings and leaders in the temporal realm, and therefore, God had to humble him into remembering that he reigned by God’s discretion alone. Whatever we do or accomplish in this life is done by the mercy and power of God, a fact that secular and religious leaders alike must never lose sight of, and which ought to be sacredly enshrined in the hearts of all those who are called to serve.

God, as His custom is, gave the king of Babylon time to repent, time to reform and change course, but as usual, God’s mercy was taken for granted, and was misinterpreted as weakness, just as it is today. Thus, after one year of grace the “crunch-time” prophecy was fulfilled, just as Nebuchadnezzar the king was in the midst of his boasting. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

The same sin of pride is what the Bible pinpoints as the foremost reason for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, because wherever pride is indulged, it will result in the downfall of persons and nations. The letter “i” stands at the center of the word pride and it’s at the center of the name lucifer for pride is a derivative of lucifer, whose indulgence of pride caused him to be expelled from heaven. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14: 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most-High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore, I took them away as I saw good.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

[2] The reason why everything in the world seems to be peaking and bursting at the seams is because the earth is approaching its climax, which will usher in the reign of The Lord Jesus Christ.

The earth is not millions of years old, as is currently taught in secular schools of learning, for according to scripture, and the information given to us by God through His servant, it is approaching the 6000-year threshold. Hence the reason why things seem to be spinning out of control on multiple fronts.

Throughout the Bible, repeated over and over again is the principle of 6+1, beginning with creation, week and on through those instructions given in the Pentateuch. Follow closely the information below, for the interpretation is correct, and isn’t private by any means. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

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

Exodus 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

Exodus 23:10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still.

Exodus 20: 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

Leviticus 25:3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; 4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. 5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

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.

20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia. 21 To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate, she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Leviticus 26:34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. 35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. 27 For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

Those last words of the previous verse are critically important, for they specifically say that a full end of the world would not be made during the time of the sabbatical rest which Jeremiah was shown in vision. This needs further explanation and for that we must turn to the scriptures. Let’s read:

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

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

[The Great Controversy pp 659>660] For six thousand years, Satan's work of rebellion has “made the earth to tremble.” He has “made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof.” For six thousand years his prison-house has received God's people, and he would have held them captive forever, but Christ has broken his bonds, and set the prisoners free.

Even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of Satan; and alone with his evil angels he remains to realize the effect of the curse which sin has brought. For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth, to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense.

Since his fall, his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection; but he is now deprived of his power, and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of Heaven; And to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future, when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done, and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.

[3] Occurrences in the natural world, weather related events, and the distress of nations, with no resolve in sight, all portend the soon return of Christ. These events were particularly outlined in those crunch-time prophecies which point to that period of time, just prior to Christ’s return. They are being fulfilled even as we speak, and will continue to be fulfilled even if persons refuse to believe. Let’s read:

Luke 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

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

[4] The current Corona virus which has single-handedly shaken up the sporting industry, stalled production lines, and which has rattled the stock market, is just the tip of the iceberg.

According to the scriptures, there are new diseases, viruses, pestilences, and plagues which will soon be coming upon the face of the earth, with increasing intensity, severity, and frequency, just as the birth pangs of pregnancy increase in severity, those labor pains which herald a woman’s delivery.

Some of the “pestilences” referred to in Matthew, and Luke are diseases, viruses, and deadly bacteria that are being experimented with in those secret laboratories of nature; not only by human beings, as some conspiracy theories might suggest, but more directly by fallen angels. These are then introduced to the human family via disobedience to God’s laws. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 590] 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.

[5] The promises given to us in Psalms ninety one were specifically intended for the last days, when these pestilences are scheduled to proliferate. Thus, it is extremely important for those who know better, to be walking in obedience to all God’s laws and instructions on health, and all other matters, for the promises are made to the obedient. 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.

This one, and other prophecies which foretell God’s protection over His people during these troublous times, were written with the understanding that it is imperative for us to live up to all the knowledge, and truth shed upon our pathway. God has given to us gold diamonds and pearls in the form of the health message, and it’s now up to us to make adjustments and reforms where necessary for as we have been stated many times before, God is much more practical and down to earth in all of His instructions to us, than many Christians realize.

Let us take for example the following prophecy that is written for the remnant people of God, who will be living upon the earth when the promises of His protection would be fully materialized. Observe the word “Protect” in the context of what is being said. Let’s read:

[Councils on Health pp 434] When the third angel's message is received in its fullness health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body. Currently, it is advised that we wash our hands with soap and water often, that we do social distancing, and there are restrictions on large gatherings, which will ultimately include religious meetings.

All of this is well and good and represents cooperation on our part to try to mitigate the spread of the virus. But we have to let you know, that with all of our good efforts, it is ultimately the mercy of God that will cover and protect us in these last days, for the promises were given to assure us of His presence when things begin to go downhill.

Therefore, as we close off this first installment of crunch time prophecies, it is fitting that we end with some of the passages which foretell of God’s care, and protection during perilous times. Obedience to all of His revealed will is necessary because He does not bless or sanction willful disobedience.

It’s not all bad news, but it is very important for all who are willing, to have a meaningful relationship with Christ, so that when the angels see the blood on our doorposts, they will be pleased to pass over, just as in the days when God’s people were soon to be delivered from pharaoh. The rest of Psalms 91 should be carefully studied and contemplated, for it represents, in a nutshell, the adverse events that are to be unfolded, and the counter measures God will put in place, over and about every sincere believer. Let’s read:

Psalms 91:2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most-High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

God bless!

How To Raise Godly Children. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 03/07/2020

March 07, 2020

Raising godly children in 2020 presents far greater challenges than in former years, because although the instructions in the Bible have not changed, yet, in our day, children have more ready access to evil, which is literally at their fingertips, and parents now have to be doubly vigilant and proactive in an effort to raise them according to Biblical standards.

Also, there are certain laws of the land which have hamstrung the sincere efforts of parents, and when juxtaposed with the teachings of evolution, and the alternative lifestyles which have become mandatory in some school districts, we have a toxic mix on our hands which often counteracts the sacred teachings and principles of the Bible on these matters.

Thus, those who try to raise their children in this day and age, will have very severe challenges, and conflicts to deal with, and they will have to spend a whole lot of time on their knees, not only praying to God for guidance and direction, but also, that the forces of evil that have been put in motion, will not confuse the tender consciences of the young and restless.

Nothing is worse than growing up without a sense of right and wrong, and the current tendency to put evil for good and light for darkness is taking a toll on the moral compass of our children, so that what we understood as being wrong and inappropriate in the years gone by, has now become fashionable.

Not long ago it was unthinkable that an openly gay person could run for president of the United states, but it is now evident that this mode of thought, and feeling is being viewed as ludicrous in many circles, to the point where economic boycott together with accusations of hate will be hurled at those who dare to stand up for truth.

Therefore, it’s against these potent forces that have been put in motion, it is against these headwinds of change, that parents in our day are tasked with the challenge of raising godly children to be useful men and women of society, candidates for heaven, and moral lights in our world. It will not be an easy task for parents by any stretch of the imagination, but the grace of God is given to every parent who sees their need and asks for help.

Great care and planning must take place in deciding to have children in this day and age and even before they are born the work of raising them begins. The habits, and diet of the mother will affect the unborn child either for better or worse, so it would be much more preferable to get a head start even before and during pregnancy.

We are what we eat, and therefore, whatsoever the mother puts into her stomach would ultimately be transferred to the unborn child. The umbilical cord is mainly a means of transfer, not merely a filtering system, so that if booze, coffee, drugs and feverish foods are ingested by the mother, the baby will be adversely affected.

On the contrary if the mother monitors closely what she eats and drinks during pregnancy, making sure to eat only wholesome foods wherever possible, it will go a long way in making good blood in the baby. This fact is not only scientific in nature, it is a biblical teaching. Let’s read:

Judges 13: 2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

Manoah and his wife were apparently faithful in the discharge of duty as it pertains to diet and food and from the Biblical record, they seemed to have given Samson godly instruction that would serve to help him later on in life, when he would get into trouble.

But the friends Samson was permitted to associate with early on in life, exerted a telling influence, later on in his experience, and this affiliation molded his choices, preferences and tastes. In other words, the efforts made by godly parents will be counteracted by the influence of ungodly friends, in most cases.

The natural tendency of our fallen nature is to track in a downward trajectory and thus, it seems harder to swim upstream with god-fearing friends, who will encourage right-doing, than downstream where the popular majority converge, and where anything and everything goes.

We are all social beings, and influence has a ripple effect, especially on the minds of children who are generally inexperienced in discerning between right and wrong. Evil habits and vices are often suggested and shared amongst peers, and with some children the effects can be long lasting and devastating.

Many a problem, or bad habit, that is manifested in some adults can be traced right back to the friends they were permitted to have when young. At times, some may recover, but in other instances the habits thus derived and indulged can become very difficult to shake.

Parents are thus under the most sacred obligation, to closely monitor the associations of their children. It is too often the case that the young, and restless are left to make their own choices, but this should never be the case. Until the children reach the age of personal accountability, the onus rests squarely on the shoulders of parents.

Thus, there are many pitfalls, and errors in training that are to be avoided at all costs, if parents want to raise godly children for Christ’s kingdom. And it will be well worth the time and effort, if parents would carefully consider the following instructions, given in God’s word and also gleaned through experience.

[1] Pray without ceasing.

Parents who know better, should never attempt to raise their children without seeking God for Divine help, guidance, and direction from the Bible, and through the ongoing efforts of The Holy Ghost, for wherever this is attempted without Christ, serious errors will be made, one way or the next.

The Bible teaches us that children are an heritage of The Lord, and since they are His, both by creation and redemption, it is only fitting that parents pray without ceasing for their children, so that the forces of evil that are already arrayed against their young souls could be neutralized, at least to some degree.

This is what the faithful in times past did, and the results are before our faces so that we may follow where God led them in days of yore. Job prayed, and Abraham prayed, and the parents of the three Hebrew boys prayed, so that their children would do the right thing, even in difficult circumstances. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

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.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Mark 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

[2] Beware of temper tantrums.

When children throw a temper tantrum, to try to force the hands of parents on some wrong desire they may have, the parents should never ever give in, to the demands thus made. Love must always be balanced with firmness for this is where many make serious mistakes in the training of children.

We reiterate again, kindness must be balanced with firmness on the part of both parents. Children must not be led to regard one parent as a savior, and the other as the devil. Both parents ought to present a united front, so that whatsoever good the mother says concerning training, the father will say too.

Jesus Christ is presented in the Bible not only as The Savior, but also as a Judge, meaning that He is kind, and very merciful but He also carries a big stick. The tendency to succumb to every demand or desire of the children without reference to their eternal well- being is described as hate, and not love in the Bible. Let’s read:

Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

Proverbs 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction.

12 For whom the Lord loveth he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Worst yet, at such times when a child may throw a temper tantrum, one parent should never appear to sympathize with the child, while the other remains firm, because children are quick to discern cracks in the united front all godly parents should maintain. And when those cracks begin to appear the children will most likely press their cases, all the more, until their clamors are granted.

In other words, parents should never be bullied into subservience through a multitude of tears or screaming. Let the child know that such demonstrations will be entirely fruitless in producing results.

If there is a disagreement between parents on how any problem pertaining to training is to be handled, such disagreements should never surface in front of the children for this will inevitably weaken the force of instructions when given. In other words, parents may disagree all they like in private but never in the presence of their children.

[3] Beware of comfort foods.

Be very careful in handing out comfort foods, where in order to stop children from crying, they are given sweets, candies, and other articles of food, for they would grow up with the habit of resorting to eating whenever they are depressed, or, are being faced with difficulties and challenges.

Sweets often produce sugar highs, and sugary highs produce peevishness, and therefore, in many cases the crying will only be exacerbated after the high is gone. When children cry, they are almost always asking for attention for some issue they are having, and therefore pacifiers and comfort foods will treat only the symptoms, not the cause.

Foods and drinks will play a critical role in whether the child will be strong or weak, whether they will have a good constitution, or whether they will be subject to every disease and virus that comes their way. Thus, food should never be offered as a means of pacifying the child.

[4] Love must be manifested in word and deed.

The saying, monkey see monkey do is true, because whatever characteristics the children view as being actively manifested in their parents, would in most cases be reproduced in their own lives. Love begets love, and it is of critical importance, that whether in times of celebration or discipline, the children know that they are loved by their parents.

This one characteristic will make all the difference and would make it much easier for the children to open up to parents about difficulties and problems they are dealing with. Training of children isn’t only about don’ts, it also about do’s, and therefore love must be reinforced as a pillar in training.

Kindly words, and deeds in friendly tones, physical interaction with children, and compliments where warranted, go a long way in encouraging them to do right. Rigid discipline without love often offsets the good that can be done otherwise and therefore, the springboard of all our actions, as parents, should be love.

Especially should the children see genuine love and concern being manifested in both parents towards each other, for this will increase a sense of security, and would most likely be reproduced in their own experiences, later on in life.

[5] Beware of social media.

This last one is huge, because very many children nowadays, know how to google before they can even say their abc’s. The internet can be used for much good, but just like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, bad things are often interwoven with the good.

The five senses are the avenues to the soul, and all parents should be aware that deep and permanent impressions will be made on the minds of children when they spend hours and hours surfing without any supervision.

By so doing, seeds of pornography and other vices are driven home to the mind and would ultimately spring up and bear fruit accordingly. And since by beholding we become changed, parents are to be cognizant of what their children may be seeing and hearing and doing on social media.

Personal information should never be given out, if it is not warranted, and the practice of sexting should be strictly forbidden, because there are now virtual stalkers who are constantly on the lookout for the weak and vulnerable. Parents should also be aware that there are also virtual bullies, who often try to shame or pressure the child into submission.

Therefore, we say again, in the most solemn and grave manner possible, “Beware of social media”.

Even though the child may clamor for access, even though their peers may be allowed to surf without restraint by parents who may not know better, and even if tremendous pressure is brought against the parents to yield to the child’s demands, let godly wisdom and discretion rule the day.

It’s better to save than to surf, and if parents know that the horses will be let out of the barn when the unrestrained use of the internet is permitted, then let them be firm and kind in putting any necessary backstops or restrictions in place, because parent’s accountability to God is not changed by google.

In closing off this segment, we will like to encourage all would-be, and current parents of children to be resolute, to have a plan, and to be consistent and firm in the training of your children, for they are the leaders of tomorrow and if we do our part faithfully, trusting in the mercies of God, He will cooperate with our efforts to produce the desired results.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that we would do well to keep in mind, as we face the enormous challenges of raising godly children. Let’s read:

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

God Bless!

Diseases, Causes, and Cures. Sabbath Afternoon 02/29/2020

February 29, 2020

One day it will be discovered that every instruction, and law God has given to the human family is given with our best good in mind, for God lays no burden, or prohibition on us that is not well-intended. When we read of diseases, their causes, and their cures in the Bible, and in secular history, it reminds us of our sacred duty to find out what the scriptures have to say on the matter.

Some have erroneously concluded that dietary laws, as well as the ten commandments given in the Bible are a restriction on our liberties, when in fact, they were given to protect our liberty, longevity, and our health. Thus, our freedom of choice is not a license to depart from God’s laws, because, being a free moral agent comes with great responsibilities, and serious choices with consequences.

There are laws of cause and effect, laws of sowing and reaping which in many cases are allowed to run their natural course. God’s grace and mercies to the human family are not given to reverse the effects of a willful disregard of either physical or spiritual law, for if He were to constantly deliver us from a wrong course of action His instructions would be rendered useless.

Therefore, in times of grave national crisis, in times of personal danger from diseases, viruses and every other form affliction, God desires that we take time to reason soberly from cause to effect to find out if there are any contributing factors on our part and if there are any, repentance, and a permanent change of course will be required.

As a general rule of thumb, diseases are the result of violations of God’s instructions, and then there are spin-offs or ripple effects that often impact the innocent, and future generations. True cures, on the other hand, will involve a return to godly principles where applicable, with God’s mercies being applied at His discretion. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. 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.

Another cause of diseases occurs in the invisible world, where fallen angels are actively engaged in experimenting with the secrets of nature, and then, the human family is engaged through disobedience. The Corona virus is directly linked to a violation of dietary law, as is the Ebola virus, which has not yet been eradicated entirely.

Therefore, even though our current understanding of science may not acknowledge these facts, yet we will one day have cause to consider what the Bible states on this matter, because the frequency, and intensity of the occurrence of diseases, and viruses will finally cause scientific cures to fail, and if folks were to continue disregarding God’s instructions on these matters, dire consequences will be inevitable.

The Bible explicitly states that when satan was given permission he brought disease upon Job, thus giving us unmistakable evidence that devils have ability to wreak havoc through disease when permitted. This fact is often disputed by science, but God’s word is the truth. Let’s read:

Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. 8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

But throughout the history of the world, the mercy of God has shielded the human family from the dire consequences of our choices and actions, to a large extent. This fact is not generally acknowledged by the secular world, and therefore, God is calling our attention to things in His word that have been too long despised. Thus, as we get closer to Christ’s second coming the word of God states that the protecting angels which stand on the four corners of the earth will cease the work of continual protection, this in response to the stubborn resistance of man. 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.

[The Great Controversy. pp 589>590] Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. He will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. 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.

The Biblical instruction on addressing the problem is not merely to find vaccines or drugs, but a change in our actions that will facilitate God’s intervention, if He so chooses. In many instances, our health-care systems work on the periphery, dealing mainly with symptoms, and not addressing the root cause. God’s way of dealing with diseases and viruses is to go to the source because prevention will always be better than cure.

It is quite preferable not to have the Corona virus, than to be cured from it. That is why, God has given specific instructions in His word, so that His miraculous power would not have to be engaged unnecessarily, because of presumption on our part. The following therefore are some of the dietary laws given in the scriptures, to help us avoid most of the afflictions we now suffer from, which almost run the entire gamut, with few exceptions, ranging from cancers, diabetes, sudden cardiac arrest, and blood disorders, compromised immune systems, viruses, and a host of other diseases and afflictions.

In particular, God has instructed the human family not to eat blood, in any way shape or form, for it is a known fact that doing so compromises health to a great extent. Then there are forbidden foods which must never be ingested, for if we do so, the laws of cause and effect will produce diseases that will take out millions of people.

Therefore, as we study from His word, the laws and instructions pertaining to healthful living, let us try to cultivate a humble and teachable spirit, so that His mercies may shield us in times of peril. In some instances changes will have to be made on our part, but if that be the case, it will be for our best good. Let’s read:

Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Wet markets are places where the blood of animals often comes in direct contact with human beings, for when a person purchases a live animal for his or her consumption, it is often slaughtered on site, in the presence of the purchaser. At such markets one can purchase almost anything, including rats, frogs, snakes, snails, civets, and a host of other forbidden creatures which should never be ingested. The Corona virus jumped from animals to humans at one such market, and the dire results are what we are seeing today.

Most people would never have imagined that the eating of forbidden foods could be the cause a stock market collapse or the shutting down of major businesses and schools worldwide. Disney theme parks have been deserted, highways are virtually empty, car parts are becoming scarce, face masks are scarcely to be found, lay-offs are coming, and the world now stands on the brink of a pandemic as well as a possible recession all because of eating forbidden foods.

In fact, Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross as a result of eating forbidden foods. Think about it! That’s why we have said again and again on this forum, that it began with food and it will end with food. The fall of man began by eating of forbidden foods, and earth’s final crisis will also involve food. Those who obey God will be fed by God, and those who obey man will be fed by man. Its that simple!

However, there are other dietary laws that must be brought to light, so that all would have opportunity to make changes where necessary. God is practical, and very down to earth in His instructions, and if we be willing and obedient, He will cooperate with our efforts to do the right thing. Let’s read:

Leviticus 3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

Leviticus 7:24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. (Under no circumstances) 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Many have mistakenly taken the phrase, “Cut off from his people” to mean something that God does to such individuals. But it has been discovered that the words “Cut off” refer primarily to the laws of cause and effect, whereby a disregard of God’s instructions is permitted to run its natural course. If folks were to drink a deadly poison they would die and if persons were to jump off of a cliff they should expect to have a lot of broken bones, or even death.

God does not have to “do” anything in particular for such a person to reap the consequences of their actions. That’s why the laws given to us in the Bible, are not arbitrary prohibitions or counsels, but were given so that we would not be subjected to unnecessary trial and tribulation. Certain animals and insects, certain birds and fish, together with shrimp, oysters, crabs, lobsters, and every other crustacean, should never be ingested, for they will do their dirty work in the human body.

And what is worse than eating them is eating them raw, for the dirty work is increased a hundredfold. Uncooked meat in any form, rare steaks, and sushi, which are considered delicacies, will in fact take us further than we are willing to go, and would cost us more than we are willing to pay. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.

We now turn to an example of disease, cause, and cure as demonstrated live in the scriptures. A man has been disabled for a number of years, and he has tried to procure healing on many occasions, only to meet with utter failure and disappointment. Then one day, the great Physician, even The Lord Jesus Christ meets him and makes him an offer of a lifetime. He asks the man if he wants to be healed, the man then relates his plight, and Jesus grants to him a new lease on life. Let’s read:

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

That is all well and good, because the Bible teaches that God delights in mercy. However, there is work for the man to do, and there are radical changes to be made in his life, in his habits and in his choices, for his affliction was a result of his sin that had run its natural course. And now, with the new lease on life given to him by Jesus alone, he would need to do some serious soul searching, to see where he had done wrong, and he must make the necessary changes, if he really wants God’s healing to last.

Otherwise, like many of those metastatic cancers in our day, he will fall back into retrogression, instead of remission and this time it wouldn’t be stage four, but stage five, six and seven. Let’s read:

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus finds him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

In other words, if it was some forbidden things he had been eating, if his cholesterol had peaked at a dangerous level of 540 on account of eating oysters, or if he had an amputated leg because of gangrene caused by extremely high blood sugar, then he will have to take the necessary steps to change both his habits and his lifestyle. If he does the right thing, his sickness will go into permanent remission, and he will relish the healing Christ gave him.

But if he does not take all proactive steps to change his ways the disease will come back with a vengeance and this time he won’t be able to pray and reasonably expect God to heal him. The well-being of the human body, together with the preservation and fostering of good health is linked inextricably in most cases to what we eat, how we eat, and when we eat.

Eating late at night, before going to bed will trigger a plethora of dire, adverse consequences which will often result in heartburn, indigestion, and insomnia, with nightmares! Instead of reaching for those antacids at Walgreens and CVS, God is teaching us to go to the root cause, and if like the disabled man in Christ’s day, we make the needed changes in habits and lifestyle, God can be trusted to cooperate with our efforts, uniting our weakness with His omnipotence, to produce desired results.

Very many diseases are preventable, and godly cures are still possible, but we must be willing to follow wherever God leads the way. We therefore close with three passages of scripture which should bring some balance to the equation and would help and encourage us to live the best life possible for as long as possible. Let’s read:

Psalms 103: Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Health and diseases are inextricably linked to what we eat in most instances) 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.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

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

God Bless!

The Problem With Problems. Sabbath afternoon 02/22/2020

February 22, 2020

One of the deceptions that have been urged upon the human family is that serving Jesus brings more problems in one’s life than folks would otherwise have. Nothing can be further from the truth, for if one does not believe in Jesus he/she will have their own problems and if one is a Christian they also will have their share of problems too. Any which way, whether we serve Christ or not, we are going to have some type of problem.

In fact, let us here say unequivocally that when one is serving God, they generally tend to have less problems than if they were not. In fact, the essence and purpose of Jesus inviting us into a covenant relationship, is so that we can have much less problems. In very many cases, when some Christians complain of problems, the root cause has often been proven to be disobedience to God’s will, and in some other instances the problem may have been self-induced. There is something called unnecessary temptations, where, by carelessness or callous disregard of God’s instructions we might bring trouble upon ourselves. Let’s read:

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.

Christians will have problems just like anyone else, but the difference is that we have a sure Refuge in Jesus we can always turn to anytime of day or night. On the contrary, if persons are not in Christ, they’re at the mercy of circumstances, which could pile up and overload us pretty quickly. In times of danger, in times of difficulty and in times of sickness, when doctors have thrown in the towel, and given us up to die, we can still turn to the Great Physician who has a proven track record of enabling His believers to beat the odds in so many instances. After the woman with the issue of blood had been wasted by disease, it was Christ who restored her.

We should never succumb to the deception that it is vain to serve God. It is not; therefore, it’s with great solemnity and certainty that we declare to you, that it is always better to serve Christ, for the abundant life He came to give stands in stark contrast to a life without hope and without a future. Think about it for a moment; if we only had this life to live for, with all the diseases and problems which plague us from time to time, then some may verily conclude that it’s not worth it.

But, with Christ, the abundance of eternal life begins even while we are still on earth. In obedience to God’s wise instructions, we receive a whole lot of additional physical, and spiritual rest and we are given the best instructions on diets and foods and instead of insurance, we have assurance. Folks without God plan to die, but those who are in Christ plan to live, and to top it all off Jesus gives to us His own righteousness, and the hope eternal life.

The notion that serving God puts individuals at a disadvantage on any level or causes satan to tempt them unnecessarily is simply not true. Persons will be tempted, regardless of whether they serve God or not. In fact, it is very often the case that after one has chosen the service of satan, he snuffs out their life prematurely, and many “stars” die young. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

On the contrary, it is a blessing to serve God, for a covenant relationship with Him always results in a life where the negatives are overshadowed by the positives. Several passages in the Bible state this truth, and we would do well to make adjustments to our thinking on these matters where necessary. Let’s read:

Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Proverbs 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. 24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Persons who view the Christian life as a heavy yoke, in comparison with unbelievers, do not know what they are doing, because, when put side by side it is like night and day in contrast. But sadly, very many have fallen for the distortions suggested by satan, and as a result, the blessings God intended bestow become elusive. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:13 Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord. Yet ye say, what have we spoken so much against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? 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. 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

The problem with problems is that they do not go away by worrying over them, but by dwelling on our difficulties, whether real or imaginary we will often cause them to loom a lot larger than they really are, and by doing so, we risk losing sight of the blessings sitting at our front door. It is quite possible that Job could have gotten out of his predicament earlier than is recorded, if his focus would have been removed from his present plight. In fact, whenever we may encounter problems, we should seek to help someone, instead of brooding over our dilemma, for according to the Bible, this mode of action is what triggered the turning point in Job’s experience. Let’s read:

Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Again, after Joseph was incarcerated for refusing an advance by Potiphar’s wife, he could have indulged in complaining against God, for not delivering him for doing the right thing. But Joseph did not do this. Instead he busied himself with ministering in the jail where he was, and his service to others became a stepping-stone for his ultimate release. Let’s read:

Genesis 40: And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. 3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. 6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. 7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly today? 8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Therefore, instead of dwelling on our problems, let us seek to find out the root cause in many instances and we will seek for scriptural solutions, so that we do not worry unnecessarily, because worry changes nothing. Which leads us to our study for today.

The Problem with Problems.

Question: In most cases, what is the problem with many problems which causes us to have additional problems?

[1] Coveting what other people have. After careful examination, we discover that one of the primary causes of problems is covetousness, the sin which lies at the foundation of all other sins. It was this trait of character that caused the downfall of many angels, and it has had detrimental effects on the human family, ever since the fall of our first parents. Eve fell on covetousness, and Cain slew Abel by the same trait. Polygamy has its roots in covetousness, and Joseph ended up in jail because someone was not content with her spouse.

Saddam Hussein went to war with Kuwait because of covetousness, and some politicians often mangle each other, in their desire to have the highest place. And in the lives of everyday people, covetousness has become a mainstay of society, where it is even considered to be legal and necessary. The housing crisis which led to the great recession of 2008 had its roots in covetousness, and the very concept of credit and lending by most financial institutions is based on the same principle.

When people run up their credit with the hope of filing for bankruptcy, and when giant companies go under, because they artificially inflated their stock prices, such as Enron did, the root cause is always covetousness. Bernie Madoff made off with billions because of covetousness. Slavery is a result of covetousness, as is the trade in blood diamonds. False advertisements, which often exaggerate benefits of products, while hiding the negatives in small unreadable letters are the result of that underlying problem.

Families are torn apart, and churches are divided because of covetousness. The sin of adultery has its roots in covetousness and even the current opioid epidemic across America, by which painkillers, and other drugs have been marketed to the unwary, and by which millions of people have now perished, is a result of the habit of coveting. The rich often covet the labors of the poor and the poor often covet the wealth of the rich and because of this, covetousness is now permanently woven in to the fabric of the entire human experience.

Thus, in most cases, the underlying problem with problems is the sin of covetousness, and if it is not ratted out, and overcome in our experience, it will cause many to fall and stumble. It must therefore be identified for what it is, and resolutely overcome by the grace and power of Christ. Let’s read:

Psalms 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For, all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

The constant chastening Asaph was experiencing was most likely self-induced, because the more he coveted the rich and famous, the more he lost sight of God’s many blessings. On the contrary, if he had been contented and happy serving God, counting his blessings and naming them one by one he would not have time to dwell on what his neighbors have, or didn’t have. God is A Spirit, and the attitudes we cherish toward Him make all the difference in the world. When we complain and murmur because of discontent clouds will arise on the horizon out of thin air.

But when a spirit of praise and thanksgiving for what we have is cultivated, God often fills our cup to overflowing for there are always a million and one blessings to be thankful for. Covetousness, and a spirit of discontent effectively stymies praise, and is largely responsible for very many problems, both Christians and non-Christians suffer from. Credit card debt that is spiraling out of control is largely due to what is referred to as legal covetousness.

Then comes the debt collectors with the proverbial baseball bat, and those harassing phone calls with threating letters that interfere with our sanity. Even the Lotto is based on covetousness, but if we learn to be content, and to wait upon God’s blessing, our peace would have been like a river. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

[2] The spirit of Competition.

Covetousness often leads persons to indulge in the spirit of competition, where the highest place, and the biggest prize becomes the motive desire of the ones who seek to be first. As Christians, we should do our very best in everything, not merely to be in first place, but rather to honor Christ, to whom all glory is due. You can be best, without being first. Let’s read:

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

(Major Embarrassment) This means that after saying “we command you in the name of Jesus to come out of him” the devils mocked the disciples, by tossing the lad onto the ground, and this, being done in the public square was certain to cast serious doubt on the power of Christ, and the validity of His kingdom. The pharisees had already accused Jesus of being a usurper, by working miracles under the auspices of Beelzebub, and now, here they have the apparent proof they were looking for.

The Bible does not say whether the disciples had tried more than once, in order to save face, but one could only imagine how their countenances must have reflected their shame and humiliation. Later on, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him a valid question, as to what could’ve been the cause of their failure, since they had been given power by Christ Himself to cast out devils. The problem was not a lack of God’s power, it was something deeper that had short-circuited the divine power through them. It was the spirit of competition. Let’s read:

Mark 9:28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? 34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Gaining the victory over covetousness, and all of the other attendant sins it often spawns, begins with an acknowledgement of the problem in our lives, and this, coupled with confession and prayer for divine help, prepares the way for God to show us where it occurs in our lives, and how it can be avoided, and ultimately conquered. We should pray that God will grant us a contented spirit that is willing to wait on Him for His blessings to be realized in our lives, for in the fullness of time whatsoever blessing is to come our way will come our way.

All we have to do by God’s grace is to wait upon Him, and we will find that many of the issues and problems incurred by many are unnecessary. In closing, let us try to cultivate a humble spirit, one that is not fascinated by the glitter of this world, but rather takes hold of unseen realities, through the mighty promises of God, and we will soon discover that many of our problems will vanish. We close with two passages of scripture which encourage us to wait upon God. 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.

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

God Bless!

Religion And Politics. Sabbath Afternoon 02/15/2020

February 15, 2020

God has repeatedly emphasized in His word that a union of church and state will be disastrous to those who seek to mix the toxic brew. The reasons for this is clear, because the principles, and the methods of worldly kingdoms are diametrically, and diabolically opposed to God’s kingdom and therefore, because two can’t walk together unless they be agreed, one will succumb to the next, sooner or later.

This is the reason why early on in the establishment of the Jewish nation, The Lord declared that Israel is not to be reckoned amongst the nations; meaning that they were to be governed under different laws, and a different Ruler, than the surrounding nations. This in turn would present a marked contrast, in so much that the heathen nations would come asking about the wisdom of the God of Israel. Let’s read:

Numbers 23: 9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Deuteronomy 4: 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely, this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

But in our day, there are efforts underway to try to force a union between church-craft, and state-craft, and thus, according to the Bible, such a union would ultimately culminate in the mark of the beast, by which a particular form of false worship will first be urged, and then forced upon the masses of people. Throughout the ages, all the kingdoms of this world have come upon the stage of action through the use of force, bribery, fraud, and wheeling and dealing, a fact that is manifested in sacred and secular history, and is described in the Bible as the boisterous winds which have strife as their main component.

Poisoning was often employed by would-be rulers, hence the reason why cup-bearers were so crucial to the very existence of kings. That’s why pharaoh had to hang his chief baker in the days of Joseph, and in other instances kings would be assassinated by their own family and friends. All of these occurrences and methods have been recorded in the scriptures. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 32:1 After these things, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. 17 He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So, he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

2nd Kings 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 32 And he lifted up his face to the window and said, Who is on my side? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So, they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

Thus, in most instances, the principles and methods of the kingdoms of this world are at great odds with God’s kingdom. God employs truth, while men use lies. God offers forgiveness, the rulers of this world employ revenge. God uses love, while rulers employ hatred. Rulers indulge greed, while God encourages contentedness, Kings foster pride, contrary to that humility which God enjoins. Then there is the use of force, versus gentleness, and self-centeredness versus otherhood.

That’s why Jesus stated unequivocally that His kingdom is not of this world, else would His servants fight. In fact, there’s a trend that is now snowballing in very many countries across the world, where rulers have, by their principles and methods, bankrupted countries. Venezuela has one of the world’s largest reserves of oil, and yet the economy has been brought to ruins by the ruling classes.

Doctor Eric Williams, who once ruled the oil-rich countries of Trinidad, and Tobago once boasted that he could give to every citizen a million dollars cash and still have plenty of reserves. But alas, even Trinidad is now straddled with debt, in the amount of 10.15 billion U.S dollars as of 2018. Hence the reason why God cautions against trying to mingle religion with politics, for persons would often be brought into difficult situations that would seem to make compromising godly principles, the only option on the table.

If a person does not have sterling character that is rooted in Christ, he or she will be forced to compromise, sooner or later, for tremendous pressure will be brought to bear on any who refuse to bow. When satan offered to Christ the kingdoms of this world, he did so on the condition that Christ would “bow”, meaning that in some way, fashion or form, Jesus will have to compromise righteous principles, to procure fame, fortune and glory. And that’s why the following passages of scripture are all the more important, as we’re now heading into un-chartered waters, according to Revelation. Let’s read:

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (The answer is no)

2nd Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Thus, the Bible vividly portrays some of the pitfalls that would certainly occur, whenever religion, and politics are mingled. There will be great pressure to depart from the great principles of righteousness, and if one refuses, then revenge and back-stabbing will be the result. Standing for right can cost a man his position; but yielding to pressure to do wrong is often rewarded with promotion.

This is what Balak, the king of the Moabites tried to do through Balaam, who was once a true prophet of God. Satan, through Balak offered to Balaam some of the kingdoms of this world, on condition that he bow to political pressure to curse God’s people. He then proposed promotions, great financial rewards, and honor as the inducements for Balaam to depart from the strict path of integrity. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me. 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

Those same political pressures were also brought to bear on another prophet but with a totally different outcome. The king of Israel had surrounded himself with yes-men who would approve anything the king desired, regardless of whether it was good or evil. Their main motivations for doing anything the king would ask, was money, position and power. Not one of them would say anything contrary to what the king desired, and thus they became mere puppets instead of honest advisors.

Even when the nation was at grave risk, and the king’s existence was in danger, they would say yes, and therefore, by choosing policy over principle, the king himself was brought to an untimely demise. As we review the case study in question, very grave and important lessons would be highlighted, so that we may understand our responsibility to stand for the right under all circumstances. When a professed Christian is called by God to serve in political arenas let them understand clearly the responsibilities that go along with such a calling, because their faith will be severely shaken and tried. Let’s read:

[1] The Problem Of Yes-Men.

1st kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

These prophets were the king’s so-called advisors, who, being on his payroll, were expected to always agree with the king’s wishes. But being a yes-man is a dangerous thing, because one’s scruples and one’s better judgement will inevitably be sacrificed on the altar of fame, fortune, and power. True Christians are commanded by God to stand for righteousness, even if there are dire consequences in store.

In other words, choosing to do right should not be based on any guarantee of protection, favor or reward. We must do right simply because it is the right thing to do. The results are to be left in God’s hands, but one’s stand for righteous principles must be unwavering under all circumstances, regardless of the fallout.

[2] We should not hate truth because we may not agree with it.

1st Kings 22:7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him? 8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.

Against the numerous timeservers in Ahab’s service only one prophet was true to truth, and duty. Thus, we must not expect those who stand for right to be in the majority; they will always be the minority, for it is easier to go with the flow downstream, where vacillating timeservers often converge, than to swim upstream where sterling character and backbone is needed. Throughout sacred and secular history, it is those who live by principle who are in the minority, and thus it will ever be.

The truth may not always be agreeable to us, and in certain instances, it may even cause us some level of discomfort. However, it is the truth, and the way we our react to it is what makes all the difference. One should not be opposed to fact or truth, for our only safety is in reacting positively to it. After the resurrection of Lazarus was streamed live in the days of Christ, those who had conditioned their minds to hate truth became bewildered by the facts, and instead of humbling their hearts before God, they sought to stone both Christ and Lazarus. It is therefore a dangerous thing to hate truth, or to hate the messenger of truth. Let’s read:

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Isaiah 30:9 This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord. 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

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.

[3] Political pressure to do wrong must always be resolutely resisted.

1st Kings 22: 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah. 13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them and speak that which is good. 14 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.

Political pressure to do wrong is what drove Pilate to deliver Jesus to be crucified, because he saw that his position and power would be endangered, if he were to follow the voice of conscience. Even after his own wife warned him to the contrary, because of a dream she presently received, the prospect of losing his status as governor caused him to buckle, and thus he sold his soul for position. Let’s read:

Matthew 27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

John 19: 12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

In the case of Micaiah versus the other 400 yes-men we see that a true Christian makes a deliberate, and firm decision to speak and deal truthfully. Popular, majority opinions are often found to be contrary to the wisdom of God, and even though all of Ahab’s advisors supported him in what he desired, yet the Bible commands us not to follow in their footsteps, for God has not called us to be popular but rather to be peculiar. Let’s read:

Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.

[4] There is the possibility of revenge, for doing right.

1st Kings 22:15 And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? 17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. 26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city. 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction.

We are living in an age where it is becoming more and more dangerous to stand for the truth, and for righteousness. Lifestyles, and marriages which are forbidden, and practices which the Bible proscribes cannot be spoken against today, without possibility of retribution, revenge, and monetary boycott. When John told Herod that it was unlawful to have his brother’s wife because that was an “alternative” lifestyle, both were deeply offended, and Herodias then and there sought to revenge herself for those truths spoken by John.

Potiphar’s wife sought to put young Joseph in jail, as revenge for him not bowing to the romantic rendezvous she had proposed. Jezebel sought revenge on Elijah, after he signally dismantled the false forms of worship that had led Israel astray, and Nebuchadnezzar sought revenge on the three Hebrew worthies, by throwing them into the fire, because they would not succumb to political pressure to bow down to a graven image.

Thus, contrary to the easy-going type of Christianity that’s popular today, the Bible teaches us that there will be revenge, sought upon those who take a firm stand for right. That cross-less type of Christianity, which chooses the easy way out will go up in flames when political and religious pressure, with revenge, is instituted in the final conflict. According to the Bible, tremendous pressure will be brought to bear on all, to adopt principles and laws that are diabolically opposed to Christ.

Therefore, it is during this fearful struggle between good and evil that the truly righteous will shine forth as the sun, for they will not bowing for any reason. As we end, it is of critical importance that we should understand the grave import of what is now passing before our very eyes. The clouds of disturbance and tumult are already on the horizon and everyone will be forced to choose between right and wrong, good and evil.

Let’s start now, by doing that which is right in any and every situation because, by the grace of God, practice will make perfect. We therefore end with a quote, coming from the pen of inspiration that is relevant and pertinent to that which is currently transpiring in high and low places across the land. Let’s read:

[Education pp 38>39] “The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.”

God Bless!

Resolving Difficulties Between Brethren. Sabbath Afternoon 02/01/2020

February 01, 2020

From time to time, difficulties and disagreements arise among church members, and very often those situations are not handled in a Christ-like manner, which then leads to alienation, and ongoing feuds that can hamper our prayers. Families can be torn apart, brethren end up hating other brethren, and in some cases, there is cold formalism, and a settled uneasiness manifested against those who may have done wrong. In the days of Christ there arose a division among His disciples, and were it not for the intervention of Christ, the peace that He came to give would have been prematurely shattered.

Misunderstandings, and suspicions gave rise to backbiting and wounded pride sought revenge for perceived hurts that were done. God’s will is that all of us who have entered into a covenant relationship with Jesus, should be in one accord, and even though we are still living in an evil world, yet it is still possible for us to have peace and brotherly love in our hearts.

The unity that exists in the courts above is the very essence of Christianity, and should be earnestly sought for, even at great cost to ourselves. Therefore, the turmoil and unrest that is percolating in the political realm should not produce a trickle-down effect in the followers of Christ because, as it is written in the scriptures, Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, else would His servants fight. In other words, we should esteem the unity of brotherhood as being of far more value, than the violations that may occur among ourselves from time to time.

Charity, kindness, and a forbearing, forgiving spirit should characterize our actions, our intents and our purposes, because the very atmosphere with which we are surrounded often produces ripple effects far beyond our immediate sphere of influence. Thus, several passages of scripture clearly delineate God’s will as it pertains to fostering and maintaining the peace of God among brethren and we should all earnestly seek for it, for, if as brethren we can’t get along down here, we certainly would not get along up there. Let’s read:

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Every person who has given their life to Christ is a member of the Royal family, and as such, is in a very special sense attached to God. Therefore, when one is hurting Jesus feels it directly, and where there are unresolved difficulties between brethren efforts are to be made so as to produce a friendly resolution as quickly as possible.

The following therefore is the sacred history of one volatile situation that could have blown up amongst the Hebrews, but the reactions implemented served to diffuse the misunderstanding. Therefore, several valuable lessons can be learned and implemented where difficulties among us may exist. We will read the narrative first, and then we will extract some of the important points to consider. Let’s read:

Joshua 22: 10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. 11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan.

12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. 13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.

15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, and they spake with them, saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have built an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord? 18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel against The Lord , that tomorrow, he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God. 21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,

22 The Lord God of gods, he knows, and Israel shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it. 26 Therefore we said, Let us now build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:

27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord. 30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them.

31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord. 33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God and did not go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

Several common mistakes are made by some of us in the handling of difficulties, misunderstandings or problems, and they will be outlined and highlighted from the various passages, with the intent that all of us should consider carefully, how to resolve issues. We will start with the most common errors that are made, and then we will move on to the resolutions. [1] Rushing to premature conclusions without knowing the facts in the case. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord? 18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel today against the Lord, that tomorrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

Those words that were used up front demonstrate a very common problem we may have in dealing with difficulties. Instead of thoroughly researching all the facts in a case some tend to draw hasty conclusions about the intentions and motives of others. But it is always better to give them the benefit of the doubt; it is always better to err on the side of caution, rather than rush to judgment on matters we may not know or understand with certainty.

There are thousands of persons now sitting in some prisons who have been incarcerated wrongfully and there are about 167 who have been cleared from the death row, according to the innocence project. In cases where wrongdoing has been suspected by someone, let there be an unbiased, and thorough investigation of all available facts, before persons are proscribed.

The love of God dwelling the heart will move us to always place the most favorable construction upon the motives and actions of others, until more might be known in the case; then, even if we are proven right in our conclusions, the default setting should be mercy. Love can be costly at times, for it is this same element of character which caused Christ to die for us on the tree. Let’s read:

Romans 5:6 For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

[2] Incorrect reading of one’s intentions, which in many cases God alone knows. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. 11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

It is true that the building of another altar would’ve raise some eyebrows, but before making judgment about their intentions, it would have been right for them to be given a chance to explain their motives. A questionable action can sometimes be justified, if the motive is upright. Many years ago, someone was knocking on his own front door late at night, seeking to be let in by one on the inside. But the person on the inside had put on the safety latch and was fast asleep. So the man on the outside climbed on top of the roof to get to the window where the other was fast asleep.

But a neighbor downstairs had been awakened by the constant knocking, who then drew a long shot-gun, and pointed at his neighbor to shoot him, for he could not recognize him in the dark. In his haste he almost did the unthinkable, and he assumed that it must be an intruder, for who else would be on a rooftop so late at night? Similarly, questionable actions can be justified in certain instances, where the intention is upright.

Under normal circumstances, the plucking of corn on the Sabbath day in the fields would have dire consequences, but if it was being done because of sheer hunger, as the disciples were on a missionary journey to save souls, then the motive makes the questionable action acceptable. In some instances, only God can read one’s motives and therefore, we should reserve judgment on the intentions of others, when we don’t know for sure.

[3] Acting hastily in the heat of the moment without the facts, especially when it’s hearsay. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

Great caution must be exercised on hearsay, for a rumor can take on a life of its own as it is passed from person to person. We are at a crossroad as a nation, where there is a deficit of truth, and thus, we must beware of rumors and hearsay. Many such rumors about the current Corona virus, are being spread over the internet, and there are now some websites that peddle in conspiracy theories alone.

Therefore, before taking action against one another as brethren let all the truth in the matter be known, because, if the Hebrews had gone to war against their own brethren, many innocent lives would have been lost. The Bible therefore cautions us against impromptu actions without a clear knowledge of the facts. Let’s read:

Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Proverbs 18:13 He that answers a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

John 7: 44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. 45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 53 And every man went unto his own house.

On the contrary, the prudent handling of a difficult matter amongst brethren could smooth the way for a peaceful, and friendly resolve. God is well pleased, and satan is signally defeated when those problems that spring up among church members are diffused in a Christ-like manner. In the case of the building of the altar, we observe that the accused listened patiently, while ulterior motives were attached to their actions.

They did not blow up at once, against their brethren because they were being wrongfully accused. Instead, they listened to the accusations and waited their turn to explain their actions, and even in their reply, we observe that they were careful to strike a conciliatory tone, rather than use harsh words that would act as gasoline upon the flames.

How often have there been rifts, schisms, and hurt feelings that have resulted from a rude answer. It is important for us as Christians, to maintain our cool, to keep our composure, even when false accusation is flying left and right. Rueben and Gad referred the matter to God for Him to judge rightfully, and we also, should be humble and willing enough to let God exonerate us in those situations where false accusations may have been leveled against us. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of Israel, 22 The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knows, and Israel shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it.

26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him, and that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord. 29 God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.

It is a fact that love and kindness, begets love and kindness, and the oratory currency in which we deal will go a long way in determining outcomes. Truth must never be spoken in harshness, for this manner of speaking often tends to negate those very truths spoken. When the accused responded respectfully, the accusers also followed suit, and responded in like manner. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.

When difficulties may arise in board meetings, and church councils, when intentions and motives are impugned, let us all follow the example of Christ in diffusing volatile situations, by the use of courteous words and tones. Even though we may have fallen on this point in times past, yet the grace of God will be given to us, that we may live victoriously, if we are willing to try. We therefore end with a few passages of scripture which will help us to keep peaceful resolutions to difficulties in view. It will not always be easy for us to implement, but practice makes perfect, and God will help us in every emergency, if we walk by faith. Let’s read:

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

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Psalms 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

God Bless!

How To Stop Lying. Sabbath Afternoon 01/25/2020

January 25, 2020

Lying lips have now gone viral, and it has become so widespread in our culture, that it is now regarded as being the norm by millions of people. Because there are prominent persons in high and low places, who do not shrink from unleashing a barrage of lies on a daily basis, those who are under their jurisdiction are now more inclined than ever to follow in their footsteps.

Lying has now become fashionable and acceptable in political circles, it has taken deep root with many defense attorneys, it has permeated the advertising industry, and with the average John Doe, lying, in many cases is now viewed as being legal, right, and necessary. Therefore, many have fallen from grace individually, nationally, and even politically, when it comes to lying lips. The dictionary describes lying as the telling of false statements or untruthfulness.

But this definition is not capable of capturing the full extent of the issue, for according to the scriptures, lying runs the entire gamut, from habitual lying, to alternate facts, acting out lies, to facial expressions that convey misleading sentiments, to those who just tell lies for no reason, even when there may be no benefit to themselves, or to others. Therefore, in order to understand the magnitude of the problem we must address it as God does, for He is a Spirit and any and every type of lying will not be acceptable in His sight.

He is a God of righteousness and truth, and He desires us to deal in His currency. On the contrary, all lies have their root in satan, for he is the author of falsehood in any form even when it may seem to be adopted for good purposes. In other words, there is no such thing as a good lie, even though people of faith in times past have used this currency on some occasions.

God used Rahab, Abraham, and Peter, to accomplish much good, but not once did He move them to tell any lies, because several passages in the scriptures address this issue so as to make God’s purposes, as it pertains to lying, as clear as crystal. Let’s read:

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Deuteronomy 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 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.

Psalms 15: 1Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. 4 He that swears to his own hurt, and changes not.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

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

The servant of the Lord gives us a broader view of the subject matter, so as to make it practicable and applicable to all circumstances, in which falsehoods are being told. The intentions of the heart are also brought into the equation, for lying does not refer only to the words and actions, but also to the intent of one’s heart. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 309] False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood.

The previous, highlighted statement is so weighted that it demands a further explanation, because, by extension, it implies that a person could be guilty of lying, even if the opportunity to carry out the lie did not actually materialize.

Several years ago, a would-be bandit planned to rob a certain bank on a particular day, so he went about laying his plans. He did thorough surveillance of the premises in question, and he observed that early in the morning before the bank’s doors would be open for business, was the best time to strike. So, he got his ransom note ready, which stated that $20,000 from the till should be handed over. He also purchased a black face mask and on the day in question, he made his way to the location only to discover that a police vehicle was parked near the premises, because an officer had stopped briefly to make an early morning deposit.

On seeing the trooper, the bandit decided not to move forward with his plans but would instead wait for another day when the situations would be more conducive to robbery. Question: As far as The Lord is concerned, did the bandit rob the bank? Answer: Absolutely! And in the books of record in heaven a specific robbery for $20,000.00 is recorded against his name.

Even if he did not go so far as to purchase the face mask and the other gear needed for the robbery, if he had made a firm decision to rob the bank, crime would have been recorded against his name in the books of heaven. That’s because sin occurs not only at the action stage, but previously in our minds, if a determination to sin has been deliberately made. The sinful action is therefore a byproduct of what has already been decided upon, only awaiting the opportune moment to materialize.

This sacred truth about the weight our intentions carry, can explain previously unexplained passages of scripture, when other folks got hurt as a result of wrongdoing by others, in some instances. Case in point is when David presumed to number the people, against God’s will, and against Joab who remonstrated at the very thought of numbering. In this instance, David had instigated the sinful act, but others participated in his sin by their consent, and support, and therefore 70,000 of Israel perished by the plague even though, they did not actually give the directives. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

16 And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

In verse 17, David refers to those who died in the plague as being sheep, but in actuality, not a single sheep perished with the 70,000. David was a sheep and he did not perish, for he manifested the most prominent characteristic of sheep. At the onset of their Christian experience, love isn’t the most important characteristic of sheep, for love is always a by-product of the indwelling Christ, and ultimately it will be developed and manifested in all who are real sheep. John was not always loving and kind, for himself and James went privately to Christ to ask for the first place in the kingdom.

But when Christ called them to His ministry before they were converted, they “Listened”. The most prominent characteristic of sheep is that they “Listen” when The Master speaks, and they follow where The Master leads. In fact, a real sheep may not always agree with the Master in everything He does, but at the end of the day, they Listen. On the other hand, there are those who may do a lot of charitable works, but they do not listen to the Master’s voice when He speaks.

Many will say in the day of final accounts that they had done many good loving deeds; and in response, Jesus does not really dispute their claim, but He never got to know them, because they would not listen.

Let’s read: John 10: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Thus, when The Master spoke clearly to David in his conscience, showing him the great wrong that was done, he “Listened” and he followed where The Master always leads …. to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

But those who perished in the plague had chosen to retain their original purposes and intentions; thus, when the same Holy Ghost who pricked David in his conscience, came to them they refused His gracious overtures and would not listen. Thus, even though they were not the original instigators, and did not give out the directives, they were judged by their intentions, by clinging to, and participating in the same spirit of national pride.

That’s why the servant of The Lord states that it is an intention to lie which constitutes falsehood. The action does not need to be carried out for it to be registered in the books above as sin, and this fact is clearly stated in the Bible.

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

Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man.

The servant of God continues: “By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, and every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor's reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others is a violation of the ninth commandment.

Then there are other branches or variations of lying that are often swept under the rug, such as acting a lie, primary and secondary reasons for lying and lies that stem from genuine fear. Then there are what is referred to as alternate facts or half-truths, such as when Abraham said that Sarah was his sister. Sarah was indeed his half-sister, but she was primarily his wife. Thus, a half-truth is really a full lie in God’s eyes.

Again, lying can occur by evading direct questions, pertaining to truth, and answering other questions that were not asked to escape telling the truth, and telling lies through accolades, applause, or censure. Satan deals in both applause and heckling as a form of lying, so buyers beware. The unadulterated truth alone, and nothing else is only what is acceptable in God’s sight.

Recently, a solemn and very sacred oath to God was taken by some public servants, with their hands on the Holy Bible, to deal truthfully in the current trial. But it’s yet to be seen if truth will prevail or whether prevarication and lies will rule the day. At this point we all should be reminded, that it is a very solemn thing, and it could be even dangerous for anyone to swear an oath before God and then renege on it for invalid reasons. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore, let thy words be few. 4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

This brings us to our main study for today, because a series of premeditated lies were related to Joshua by the Gibeonites, who were driven by fear to utter falsehoods and to act out lies with the hope of them preserving their lives. The reason why we would use this encounter is because it demonstrates what is commonly practiced in various forms by persons. The city of Jericho had just been taken by Israel, and the city of Ai had fallen too, from whence came the giants and thus, the Gibeonites calculated that their turn would be next.

So, driven by genuine fear, they then concocted a toxic mix of lies, including words, actions, and apparent exculpatory evidence which was strategically designed to confirm what they had been saying. Let’s read:

Joshua 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work cunningly and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up. 5 And old shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. 8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

Two direct questions were asked by Joshua: [1] Who are you? And [2] From whence come ye? But the Gibeonites refer back to their default setting, and render what is a deliberately vague answer so as to mask the truth. The true answer would have been to say “We are Gibeonites, and we live next door”. But having set out on a lying course of action at the first they now felt it necessary to continue their line of reasoning, lest their lies be disclosed, and Joshua take vengeance on them for uttering such brazen falsehoods.

This often takes place when persons embark on a course of lying, because, when probed with deeper questions, they feel boxed in, and believe that they have no choice but to continue their lies. Let’s read:

Joshua 9:9 And they said unto him, “From a very far country” thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan. 11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.

12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Brethren, it is always better to speak the truth, for lies, by nature, present unsubstantiated variables through which many holes can often be poked. For instance, the ambassadors claimed that they came from a “Very far country” and as evidence they pointed to their shoes and garments that had grown old by reason of the very great journey they claimed to have made.

But if their shoes were made of genuine leather, as they most likely were, then it would have taken many months, if not years, for those shoes to wear out, and if so, then there would be no reason for them to be afraid of Joshua, because they would be located so far away that his conquests could not be an issue. But they succeeded in pulling this one off on Joshua, and for obvious reasons. Let’s read:

Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. 15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore unto them. 18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. 21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live.

For us to overcome lying in all of its various forms, we will need to start with an acknowledgement of our sins, where warranted, because confession and permanent change will not take place if we do not admit to God that we have a problem. This is what David did as he humbly reviewed his own course of action in his sin with Bathsheba. Let’s read:

Psalms 120:1 In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. 2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

Psalms 51:1 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. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Next, we will have to make a deliberate choice, and decision to be truthful. God does not override our freedom to choose, for this is something we must do for ourselves. Yet, His grace is promised to all, to empower us to put our decision into practice by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. The choice is ours, but the power to do comes from God alone. Let’s read:

Philippians 2:12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

1st John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

The next steps in obtaining the victory over lying will consist of continual practice, because practicing the truth makes perfect. Through the grace and the providences of God, we would at times, be brought into situations of varying intensity that will afford us opportunity to practice. Then we may even be brought into those difficult circumstances, where speaking the truth may cost us dearly, but we must endure the trial of our faith by God’s grace.

God’s grace and power will rise with every emergency, and by faithfully choosing truth over falsehood, the time will come when truth will become first and second nature to us, whilst lying would become extremely offensive. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to shoot for the stars, when it comes to being truthful, and God will bless our choices and efforts by His grace in the right direction. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:21 If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus. 22 That you put off the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor.

God Bless!

Praying For Healing. Sabbath Afternoon 01/18/2020

January 18, 2020

It is the revealed will of God that all people should prosper and be in health, with the prosperity of the soul being commensurate with the temporal aspect of life. Longevity and good quality of life for as long as possible is well within the realm of possibility in the majority of cases and God has seen fit to give us laws and instructions on how we may lead lives that are free from disease to a large extent.

But it is true, that try as we might, we may still get sick, and thus, praying for healing becomes an issue, especially when there might be contributing factors beyond our control. It’s always good to turn to God, for Jesus is described in the scriptures as the mighty Healer, The great Physician, and the One, who alone can heal all diseases of the body, mind and spirit. But before we delve into prayer for healing, there are certain things we must come to grips with, so that we can pray intelligently and expectantly.

Our freedom to chose plays a huge role in health, and especially in developed countries, where resources are much more available, our choices could make a big difference in our health, and in our prayers for healing, when sickness does occur. As a general rule of thumb, any doctor will tell you that prevention is better than cure, and the same is true when it comes to praying for healing. In other words, God prefers not to exercise His miraculous power directly, if He doesn’t have to, and therefore He encourages one and all to choose wisely, when it comes to the preservation of life.

Eating, and drinking certain things will get you sick, and will compromise health unnecessarily; and even though God may have mercy on us in such instances He much prefers that we exercise good wisdom and discretion based upon available knowledge that can be found both in the scriptures and in the prophetic writings of His servants. Also, the various journals of medicine can provide rich resources on how to care for the human body, in ways that will honor and glorify God. Knowledge on healthful living is virtually at our fingertips today, so that for the most part, we are without excuse.

Back in the days, when Jesus walked this earth, He went about healing all the diseases of the people in a wholesale manner, where anyone, and everyone would come for miraculous healing, whether they had obeyed, or disobeyed the then-known laws of health. And the scriptural record says, “He healed them all. Let’s read:

Luke 6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him and healed them all.

But those days are for all intents and purposes over, for since that time, God has caused a flood of light, and information to be shed upon the world, in the areas of medicine, diets and foods, so that His direct miraculous healing, as a general rule of thumb, isn’t to be expected anymore as in the days of Christ. He still performs direct miracles, but generally not on a large-scale basis as it was heretofore.

In fact, there is such a thing as unnecessary miracles where the supernatural, miracle-working power of God should not be solicited for things we can do or things we can avoid. Many years ago, a good friend of mine was in a predicament, and needed urgent help. A gentleman had brought in his new truck for work, but afterwards, for some unknown reason it refused to start. Hours went by until it was quite late, and therefore I was called to see if there was something I could do to start the engine.

It was now about 10 pm and the gentleman was not in a gentle mood, for none could figure out the problem. On arriving at his business, I opened the hood and there in front of me was the brand, new Ford engine, supercharged and squeaky clean. I shook my head, and started to pray for a miracle, for as far as I was concerned there was nothing for me to do. The situation was then put to the Lord in prayer, asking for a miracle, and The Lord heard and answered immediately, for after saying amen I went over to the vehicle, turned the ignition key, and the engine roared to life.

The owner of the vehicle literally flew out of the office where he was waiting and I was eagerly asked what had I done. The reply given was that the God of heaven alone had started the engine in response to prayer, for in this instance, where all that could be done had been done, God saw fit to exercise His supernatural power, and the rest is history.

However, if for some reason, my friend called me to put some air in his tires, which is the simplest of all automotive work, God would be pretty taken aback if I was to ask for a miracle, for here is something I am well able to do and therefore, supernatural help cannot be reasonably expected to do, that which I could easily do for myself. Similarly, there are unnecessary miracles, where in some circumstances it is well within our purview to take proactive, and preemptive measures to stave off disease.

God therefore expects us to do our very best, and then, if persons were to hit a roadblock in the process, God can be confidently petitioned for His miraculous intervention. But for us to call upon God to grant miracles for any and every cause is contrary to the way He works, for everything good that is to be accomplished, is done in cooperation with God, wherever possible. Thus, we are under a sacred obligation to do the best we can by His grace, and if for some reason beyond our control we may run into difficulty, then God can be petitioned to take up the slack.

Now, we have doctors, nurses, and physicians and dieticians who are often used as instruments in His hands to accomplish His good purposes in healing the human family. Advances in science, and a much better knowledge of the human frame has resulted in a wealth of information that is readily available, so that our choices can be well-informed.

Thus, whenever it comes to healing in our day, we are now required, wherever possible to reason from cause to effect those actions which breed reactions, and also, whatever precautionary measures may be taken by ourselves to foster good health, longevity, and thereby avoid the many sicknesses and cancers that are taking an unnecessary toll on persons. When God predicted through the prophet Daniel, that knowledge would be increased, He was thus referring to all types of knowledge, in the spiritual and temporal realm even though our understanding of the scriptures would take precedence.

Therefore, to whomever much is given, much will be required, and as such, direct miracles from God, are no longer the default setting, but rather, when current knowledge has failed in delivering results. In other words, the knowledge He has been pleased to give us is to be used preemptively in ways that will enable us to avoid disease, wherever and whenever possible. But there are certain practices that must be avoided when they go contrary to His counsels and there are certain medicines employed today which might not square with His instructions.

We should remember here that the symbol for healing is the serpent on a staff, and therefore, we should expect to find that intermingled with godly knowledge, another kind of alternative knowledge will be available, of which God does not approve.

This leads us to the core of our study this evening, in which we will examine two examples of healing sought by two kings in the Bible, one after the godly sought, and one after the devilish sort. We will also examine the driving factors behind the choices of each king, and we would seek to learn all of those pertinent lessons and instructions, God will have us be cognizant of, especially as it pertains to praying for healing. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 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.

2nd Kings 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

4 And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. 7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

Here we have two kings facing death on account of medical conditions that had deteriorated seriously. Both are in dire straits, but one turns to the god of Ekron, while the other turns to the God of heaven. Critically important lessons concerning prayers for healing, and pertaining to how we should go about seeking help are thus outlined below. In cases where we are in dire straits medically, our first move should be to turn to God in prayer. Even if He does not employ a direct miracle, He can guide the hands and minds of human agencies to bring about healing according to His will.

2nd Kings 20:2 Then he (Hezekiah) turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord.

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.

But Ahaziah chose to go a different route, for he preferred the god of Ekron over The God of Israel, which shows where his confidence was centered. Where we go, and who we go to for healing could affect our prayers, for there are currently certain practices, with which God will have nothing to do. And if anyone who knows better, presumed to take such a route, any prayers for healing will be short-circuited.

The god of ekron has its modern-day equivalent in those practices such as hypnotism, clairvoyancy, so-called faith healers, and remedies which include the permanent altering of one’s mind. Professed faith healers, in particular, have become very popular in our day but many persons do not know that in most cases, God has nothing to do with it. That’s because in many instances God is petitioned for unnecessary miracles.

In our day, whenever and wherever God’s revealed instructions on prevention and cure are not disseminated to the people, where miraculous healing is offered en-masse, regardless of the habits indulged by persons, there we may be certain that it is the god of ekron at work. Earnest prayer for miraculous healing will involve a level of soul-searching to see if we have deliberately or inadvertently contributed to the cause. Then, if we are at fault, confession of sin, and determination to change one’s course of action must be decided.

In other words, if a person came down with cancer from eating forbidden foods, prayer to God will only be answered according to His will, if that individual purposes to change. But where miraculous healing is prayed for, to fix problems we have no intention of addressing, the answers would be coming from Ekron, not from God. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

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

Again, prayer for healing must be accompanied with proactive steps in the right direction, because God often works in collaboration with our efforts. There are times when a change in diet may be necessary, and there are times when natural remedies are to be used, as was the case with Hezekiah, but in most cases, the human agent will need to act upon his or her prayers. Let’s read:

John 5: 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Thus, what Jesus essentially said to the man is that he should carefully consider his ways, reason from cause to effect and take all necessary steps to avoid any relapse, such as happens when former cancers can come back with a vengeance. In our day currently there are two prominent kinds of cancers which often affect many individuals living in the western world. Breast cancers, and prostate cancer are the two leading culprits that afflict many persons, and therefore, this evening we will petition God to intervene according to His good will with the understanding that a permanent change in lifestyle, and habits should be the end goal.

Hereditary risk factors may be beyond our control, in certain instances, for if there is a family history of a particular kind of cancer, genetics can play a role. But those things we can do to help the situation, to stave it off if possible, are what we should focus on. Remember, it is cooperation with God through our intelligent choices and action, that can make the big difference.

Last June, when I contracted food poisoning from a restaurant, the doctor sat me down, and explained that in the healing process, I would have to follow a particular dietary regimen to facilitate those efforts made by his team. I would have to adopt the BRAT diet, and I would need to avoid direct sunlight for some time. But his dietary instructions were given to me in the middle of mango season, when our trees were now laden with fruit.

But if I desired to be healed I would need to cooperate with his instructions, so that the recovery could take place. Thus, as I looked out of my window at those juicy fellows, and saw the squirrels feasting, I needed to exercise self-control in not departing from those dietary instructions given me. Similarly, when we pray for healing, any pertinent instructions that are to facilitate recovery and maintain healing will need to be followed faithfully for that is how cooperation with God, in praying for healing usually takes place.

On October 26-2015, the World Health Organization declared processed meat to be some of the main causes of cancers, and classified it as a carcinogen. In addition it mentioned other red meats such as pork, beef, lamb, and goat as culprits to watch out for. More than twenty experts from ten countries had reviewed more than 800 studies to come to their conclusions. They found that eating approximately one hot dog of processed meat every day increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

For red meat, there was evidence of increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. They then went on to state, and reiterate that a diet high in vegetables, whole grains, and fruit, together with regular exercise each day and avoiding tobacco products can help people lower their risk of getting many types of cancer.

Avoiding the use of alcoholic beverages in any form, and avoiding excesses in salts, fermentations, and refined sugars will go a long way in helping us in our battles against cancers and diseases of all sorts. Thus, when we pray for healing, God desires that we pray with the understanding, in that all of the relevant instructions, and choices we could put in place should be implemented, so that whenever He chooses to couple His supernatural power with our efforts, a restoration to health and longevity will be the sure result.

We therefore end with three passages of scripture which demonstrate God’s good purposes toward us, if we wish to cooperate with Him in fending off the diseases that are largely preventable and also in the restoration of those who are currently in need of healing. Let’s read:

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

Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

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.

In this last verse, we see beyond the shadow of any doubt that God’s renewal of our youth and health is inextricably tied to diet and foods. Therefore, let all those who have ears to hear, be wise, and make the necessary changes where warranted.

God Bless!

Praying For Protection. Sabbath Afternoon 01/11/2020

January 11, 2020

The Bible is full of promises of God’s protection that are granted to the human family. There is a generic form of protection which blankets all of humanity, in which God takes personal interest in every living person, and every beast of the field. But with this form of protection some people will fall through the cracks, either inadvertently, or by their deliberate violation of natural or spiritual law.

Because of our freedom of choice God will not force persons to obey Him, and therefore, by our choices we can cut our own lives short, or in other instances we may extend our lives to the fullest according to the allotted time God has pre-ordained for us to live upon the planet. Three passages of scripture teach us these important truths. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Then again, there is a special form of protection by which God grants to His believing children angels of heaven, which encamp around those who fear Him 24/7. Were it not for God’s special protection over His people, the righteous would have been entirely eradicated from the earth long ago, and thus, even though we do not praise, and thank God enough for His mercies which are new every morning, angels never cease their watchful care over His people, day and night.

This truth is also sacredly enshrined in many verses of scripture, with the intent that we should always be mindful and thankful for God’s never-failing care. The very fact that we are currently doing Bible study in a peaceful environment, is due the protection of God alone, and nothing else. Let’s read:

Psalms 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Genesis 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

2nd Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

And there are several other promises, and passages which tell us of God’s care for His people, and even those who do not serve Him. It is solely because of the mercies of God why we are not consumed, and therefore, the following scriptures are being given to reinforce in our minds, the sacred truth that God cares and protects the human family, some more, some less. Let’s read:

Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Proverbs 21:3 There’s no wisdom or understanding nor counsel against the Lord. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle. but safety is of the Lord.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

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.

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord 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. 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.

And we can go on and on and on… “But”we must be aware that there are certain things, certain activities and certain choices, and actions that can, and do often short-circuit God’s protection, and it is one of these short-circuits which we will study this evening, for we are facing very volatile situations at home and abroad which have the potential to spiral out of control very quickly.

Therefore, when it pertains to God’s special care and protection over His people, strict obedience to all that we know is right is absolutely important, for God does not bless disobedience. We should never mistake God’s mercies as an endorsement of sin in any way shape or form, for even though He may show mercy, deliberately choosing a wrong course of action can expose our vulnerabilities. This sacred truth is also written in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Numbers 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor. 19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

On the contrary, when God’s people begin to walk contrary to what they know is right, and when this is done deliberately, the protection of God can be short-circuited, and then it is that satanic agencies can run riot, up to the point where God says thus far and no further. This is a critically important truth for all to understand. 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. 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 723] Heretofore God's providence had preserved David against all the plottings of his enemies, and had been directly exercised to restrain Saul. But David's transgression had changed his relation to God. The Lord could not in any wise sanction iniquity.

He could not exercise His power to protect David from the results of his sin as He had protected him from the enmity of Saul. His claim to respect and obedience from his sons was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent, it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house. His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interpose to prevent the result. He would permit things to take their natural course, and thus David was severely chastised.

This leads us to our study for this afternoon, on the issue of God’s protection. The Hebrews were flush with the victory God had given them over Jericho, and specific instructions pertaining to the spoils had been given several times, so that God’s purposes in the matter would be clearly understood. They were commanded not to appropriate anything for themselves, for the city of Jericho was accursed.

Everything within the city was to be burnt with fire, except that which God had stipulated to be used for the sanctuary. But one lone individual disobeyed and thus short-circuited the protection of God over all those who did not pray. As we study the sad history of this one incident, we will highlight certain important points, of which we should be cognizant. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:1 “But” the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing.

The word “But” is a conjunction that is used to introduce a phrase or a clause that contrasts with what has already been mentioned. For instance, a man won the lottery, “But” he lost everything, or he lived like a king “But” died like a pauper. So, because the word “but” is used to mark a stark contrast with what was mentioned previously, we must of necessity read the last verse of the previous chapter, for this will shed great light on something that often occurs in the Christian’s life. Let’s read:

Joshua 6:27 So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

Great failures often follow great victories. After our mountain-top experience, many devils are often to be found waiting in the valley. Especially should we be vigilant and humble after God has done us some great favor, for it is then that we are most likely to become self-confident, boastful, proud, arrogant, or presumptuous. It’s then satan would often tempt us to go out on a limb without God.

It was after Peter walked on water that he began to sink, for he took his eyes off of Christ who alone had empowered him to do the impossible and he looked back with pride upon his fellows. Again, it was after the miracle of feeding the five thousand that severe storms rolled through almost engulfing the disciples upon the water. Therefore, we reiterate, “Great failures often follow great victories, for it is after your mountain-top experience that many devils are found waiting in the valley”

Joshua 7:1 But Achan, the son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.

We must pose two direct questions to ourselves: What is the accursed thing? and in our day are there any accursed things currently in our homes or on our persons? The answer to these two questions could affect our prayers for protection, either for good, or for evil according to the next 3 passages. Let’s read:

Joshua 6:18 And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. 26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

Acts 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Again, the question is asked: “Are there any accursed things in our homes, or on our persons? Pornographic literature, videos, movies and any and all types of sexting. Literature on horoscopes, palm reading material, talismans, specific rings, bracelets and amulets that are believed to possess magical powers, all magic books, and information on casting spells. Good luck charms, all genies, and anything that is marked in the Bible as being accursed. Any or all of these are accursed and should not be found on our persons, or in our possession, or in our homes, and here’s the reason why. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 And Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

There is a common human tendency to blame God whenever things go wrong, instead of searching our own souls to see if we have contributed in any way to the adverse circumstances that have gathered on our doorstep. Whenever signal failures attend our way, it’s then a good time to do some serious soul-searching to see if maybe, just maybe, we have not followed all of God’s instructions in the matter. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

It is of critical importance that all of the proverbial ducks that we know of, be in a row, so that nothing on our part will hinder God’s protecting hand from covering us. If there is anything out of place in our lives, or if we know of deliberate, cherished sins, let us clear the way by confession, while we still have opportunity to do so, for in earth’s final conflict that is heading our way, The Lord will only be covering the obedient.

For many years, the mercies of God have attended the righteous, and to a large extent, those who do not serve Him; but a day is coming, when there will be a tectonic shift under our feet, when the forces of evil that are now restrained, will be let loose, and all who are not in a covenant relationship with God will be unsheltered. Let’s read:

Revelation 7: 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.

Mark 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains. 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

Question: Why did the devils specifically ask to go into the swine? Answer: They asked to go where an atmosphere of deliberate disobedience to God’s express command was being fostered and therefore the vulnerabilities of the people who owned the herd was exposed. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. 8 The swine, because it divides the hoof, yet chews not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass.

Devils do not eat swine, they thrive on atmospheric conditions that are conducive to evil, and therefore, wherever known sin is being practiced or cherished, there the presence and power of evil spirits will be felt. In fact, it was only because of the mercies of Christ why the owners were not cast over the cliff with the swine. One day it will be discovered that the overwhelming majority of cancers, tumors, and ailments that the human family suffers from can be traced right back to the those forbidden foods, outlined in the Bible. Together with the practice of eating blood in any form, they constitute the lion share of all known illnesses.

Therefore, The Lord solemnly declares, to all who would listen, that any known sin that is cherished, and any forbidden indulgence that is consciously being practiced will adversely affect our prayers for His protection. When Moses was on his way to do battle against pharaoh and his magicians, an angel of God blocked him with a sword drawn in his hand in a threatening manner. That is because Moses had only one duck that was not in a row, but that one duck would be sufficient to short circuit God’s protecting care. Let us read:

Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go.

Let no one listening this evening be deceived by any smooth-talking preachers, who custom design their sermons to soothe itching ears. Obedience to all of God’s commandments, all His instructions, and all that He has been pleased to reveal as truth or duty is the only course of action that will suffice to cover us in the day of trouble. We close with a solemn revelation coming from the pen of inspiration. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 270>271] I saw angels of God hasten to the assistance of all who were struggling with all their power to resist the evil angels and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”

But all of our ducks must be in a row.

God Bless!

Let Us Pray. Sabbath Afternoon 01/04/2020

January 04, 2020

Now more than ever, those who name the name of Christ should be engaging in regular, earnest prayer, because it is obvious, even to the casual onlooker, that we have entered a very dark place in history. Truth is being exchanged for lies on a daily basis in high and low places, and the god of this world has blinded the minds of men and women who were once regarded of as having some sort of character.

The present condition of our world has been aptly described by several of the Bible prophets, who in vision, beheld the very things we’re seeing with our own eyes, and hearing with our ears. These must be the times which God warned us of, in the final days before Christ would return, and thus, Christians the world over would need to pray like never before. Let’s read:

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11 We look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Thus, because these things are now occurring in the present tense, and are only scheduled to get worse with the passage of time, a solemn duty rests upon all to pray, not only for personal victories, but also for the gospel, that it be carried to the ends of the earth, and for souls who are going down into Christ-less graves every day.

Prayer is like the breath of the, soul without which we cannot survive the mortal conflict against every internal, and external foe which seek to uproot us from God’s kingdom. Just as we cannot live without breathing, we cannot exist as Christians without a vibrant and consistent prayer life. Thus, whenever we permit our prayer life to fall into disrepair, it will be just a matter of time before we are overthrown.

It is virtually impossible for anyone of us to maintain victorious Christian living without prayer, for we are battling foes that are stronger than ourselves, and the only way to live like a conqueror is for us to be connected to the only Conqueror, even The Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, those who do not pray regularly, in sincerity, are just a spiritual accident waiting to happen. Even Christ, who never knew sin, saw the necessity of a continual connection with The Father, for the victory in behalf of humanity could only be won by depending on God.

Thus, He set us the example to pray consistently, so that we may be able to put the knowledge of the Bible into practice, by intelligent choice coupled together with Divine power through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Nothing else will do, and no other method that we may employ will suffice, even if we might be versed in a theoretical knowledge of the truth, because the victory in Jesus is not so much knowledge based as it is relationship based. In other words, knowing the scriptures without knowing Christ personally, is like taking the husk without the kernel.

Whenever the citadel of the soul is left vacant for a while, devils will seek re-entry, and there would be no inherent power in ourselves to resist them. Our knowledge of the truth is not sufficient to save from sin, because truth must be coupled together with its Author for it to have any efficacy. Jesus made this cornerstone truth of the gospel abundantly clear so that none of us need to stumble, or walk darkness. Let’s read:

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

John 15: 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

But too often prayer is regarded too lightly, and it is approached in an irreverent or careless manner and no thought or preparation is done, either externally or internally before entering into a season of prayer as if it were just another item on our to-do list. Care must be taken to pray regularly, at times and places that are set aside for that specific purpose. The following therefore are scriptural pointers and examples that would grant us clearer insights into how we should pray, and if we seek to adopt the instructions given, God will be pleased to honor us with His abiding presence at all times.

[1] The time of secret prayer, a specific time. Cooperate prayer as a body of believers is good and not to be neglected, but it will never take the place of personal, private time with God. There are things that only God should hear privately, and therefore, it is necessary for us to pray regularly, at appointed times, specifically and deliberately set aside for that sole purpose. Let’s read:

Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Psalms 5:1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up.

Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsts for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land.

The word “Early” occurring in the previous passages as it pertains to specific times set aside for personal prayer, is primarily referring to prime time, or the very best of our time. This would differ from person to person since there are persons who may work at night. Regular personal prayer should not be left for times when we know we would be exhausted, and would not be able to focus on God, or what we are saying.

Jumbled words and half uttered sentences that are incoherent do not generally honor God, except in such cases like Hannah, who became so distraught that words could not be found to express her inner-most feelings. When, on account of habitual inadequate rest, our minds go in and out of concentration, and we find ourselves forgetting, and then remembering what we came to pray about, then we know for sure that we are not giving God “Prime-time”.

The habit of falling asleep while praying does not do honor to The God of heaven, for if we were to do so in the presence of an earthly monarch, we would be escorted out. Thus, the word “Early”, as it pertains to regular personal prayer, should be understood in the context of giving God the very best of our time, when our energies have been replenished, and we can think and commune clearly. Let’s read:

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.

Malachi 1:11 From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it; 13 And ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 14 For I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Again, as it pertains to our regular seasons of prayer that are set aside, it is best to do so when there are not a multitude of noises and other distractions that are taking place in the house. When the children are crying, and pots and pans are clanging in the house, or when the smell of cooking food wafts on the air, or the television, or music is blaring, then we know that such times are not the best for prayer.

Therefore, we should choose such times for prayer when there is the least possibility of interruption or distraction, when God alone would be the focus of our attention. God must be approached and treated in a manner that is commensurate with His Great Person and high office.

[2] The place of secret prayer, a specific place. A special place should be set aside or designated for regular personal prayer, wherever it is possible, for God is a God of order. Moving from room to room, from the bedroom to the bathroom, or from the living room to the patio is not the best plan, if and where it can be avoided.

In speaking about personal prayer, Christ instructed us to resort to our “Closet”, a specific place that is designated for that purpose. When Abraham called on the name of the Lord, he often did so at specific places, where his sheep would not be bleating in his ears, nor his dog barking to distract him, but rather, at the special place, where God and God alone was to be his focus. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Genesis 12:7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there he built an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and there he built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.

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 made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Jacob also followed in the footsteps of Abraham by setting aside specific places dedicated to prayer and worship. This is because the human mind naturally regurgitates memories and recalls specific incidents that are associated with specific places. That’s why, whenever one returns to their native land, a flood of memories of their past experiences immediately come to mind. Let’s read:

Genesis 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

The same practice of meeting regularly with God at a specific place was mandated when Moses was to meet with God on a regular basis. It’s not that God is restricted to anyone place, it’s because the mood, the experiences, and the memories, associated with a specific place are conducive to putting our minds into a frame of prayer.

When dating, couples often go to specific places to share their love, and those places, together with the words there spoken, and the experiences enjoyed together are forever etched into their memory. And later on in life, if for any reason, they were to return to that special place, a flood of memories will then sweep over them. Similarly, our regular place of communing with God should be special. Let’s read:

Exodus 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Exodus 29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. 43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

[3] The type of prayer: Repeating specific prearranged, prepared prayers, or mantras are not the way secret prayer should be done. Neither is it necessary to repeat God’s name over and over again. In the model prayer given by Christ, He addresses The Father only once, not that we are restricted to that number, but it is not necessary to address God numerous times in private prayer. In other words, the instruction of Christ is encapsulated briefly in the following passage. Let’s read:

Exodus 33:11 And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend.

When a person speaks to his or her friend, it would be considered quite unusual for one to mention the person’s name over and over again in the very same conversation, and therefore, it is not necessary to address God multiple times, for Holy and reverend is his name. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knows what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

[4] What to pray for: Every sincere prayer receives an answer. There is no such thing as The Lord not hearing or answering the earnest prayer of His people. This one is huge, because many prayers that are offered are actually misguided, according to the Bible. There are certain things we should know and understand about communing with God, and they are clearly outlined in the following passages. Let’s read very carefully:

2nd Chronicles 7:12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

1st John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

John 16: 23 Verily, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

As a general rule of thumb, the way must be cleared for our prayers to ascend to God’s throne, meaning, that if there are any known sins, or errors that have been, or are being committed, these must first be repented of, confessed, and forsaken in our minds before any other request can be made. This is of critical importance, for there are some who make petitions without first searching their own souls. Let’s read:

Psalms 66: 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Again, when prayer is offered, it should not always focus primarily on ourselves, and what we desire, but rather on God’s will for our lives, and for others. The interests of God’s kingdom, and the souls for whom Christ died should be of utmost importance. But for every prayer to focus on our own personal troubles, grievances, or concerns, is misguided, for then we become the center of attention, and not God and others.

When Job was sick, he at first tended to dwell a lot on his misfortunes, and for a time he became pretty absorbed in thinking why me. However, it was when his focus was removed from himself, and he began to pray of his friends that the deliverance he sought was granted. Therefore, we too are not to focus too much on our own plight but instead, we should be willing to pray earnestly for the benefit of others. Let’s read:

Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

As we face unprecedented times in the history of this earth, and as clouds of conflict are gathering on the horizon, we will need to pray much more, and earnestly, for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, so that man’s history of tumults, wars, and troubles may come to an end. We therefore end with this short statement of fact which should remind us of the importance of prayer.

More prayer, more power. Less prayer, less power.

God Bless!

Lessons In Obeying God. Sabbath Afternoon 12/28/2019

December 28, 2019

The essence of the entire gospel can be condensed in a nutshell, in that the work of regeneration, that is accomplished through Christ, centers primarily on The Holy Ghost being given to those who believe, so that we may be empowered to obey God. Our love to God is manifested, not merely by empty words or praise, but by obeying Him because of an intelligent understanding and appreciation of His character. Fair words and flattery do not impress God, nor is He pleased with obedience that is partial, rational, or subject to humanistic modes of reasoning.

When God instructs us in His ways and His law, He expects that His every word will be carried out to the letter, in a cheerful, understanding spirit. Thus, whenever praise is coupled with obedience, it is accepted, for if He had to choose between praise and obedience God would choose obedience any day. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

John 14: 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

1st John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

However, in our day, a very disturbing trend has obtained in Christianity, where there is much talk about faith, without the corresponding works of obedience. Again, there is partial obedience, or a sort of compliance that is based on convenience alone, and for these reasons, it has now become necessary for those of us living in this generation to understand clearly the issue of obeying God.

In the unfortunate history of Uzzah, we may read clearly the important issues pertaining to obedience which must be understood by all, and especially the last generation of believers who will face the final conflict against the dragon and his agents. Nothing but exact obedience to God’s word will do. Let us repeat, nothing but exact obedience to God’s word will do. God had given the Hebrews explicit instructions for the transportation of the sacred ark, which housed the laws of God and the Shekinah glory.

Whenever it was to be moved from its place, certain ordained persons were to carry it on their shoulders and they were forbidden to even look on it, on pain of death. This is because the immediate presence of destroys sin, in those who know right from wrong, and thus, the instructions given for the transportation of the sacred chest was given to the children of Israel in a most solemn manner, so that the consequences of any deliberate violation thereof, would be clearly understood by all. Let’s read:

Numbers 4:1 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: 5 And when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them everyone to his service and to his burden. 20 But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

However, after the ark was returned from Philistia, it was placed in the house of Abinadab, and there it remained for twenty years, until David decided that it was time for it to return to its rightful place. Thus, with great joy and expectation, David, together with thirty thousand of his men went to fetch the ark. It is worthy of note that David took thirty thousand of Israel to go, for thirty thousand were slain when the ark was taken by the Philistines.

All goes well, and with great joy and rejoicing, they make their way home, when suddenly, the ark was shaken by the oxen, as if it was about to fall, and in what some people might consider a natural, reflex reaction, Uzzah stretched forth his hand to prevent it from falling. What happens next is where we will begin our study on obeying God.

Several important pointers will be highlighted, and several phrases will be focused on, so that whatever may be our current understanding of obedience, we will be instructed in the ways of God as it pertains to this very essential, and indispensable aspect of Christianity. Let the Bible speak for itself. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6:1 David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baal of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8 And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? 10 So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household. 12 And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

As was stated before, several important points will be highlighted, so that all who are listening should have clearer insights into the issue of obeying God, and how it does affect our relationship with Him.

[1] It was a joyous occasion, for according to the Bible, “David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments.”

It is always good to be joyful at the presence of God and it is good to celebrate whenever God has done great things for us. Just remember this, joyfulness does not make disobedience acceptable in any way, shape, or form. This coming week millions the world over will be celebrating another new year, and with grateful hearts we will reminisce on those blessings God has bestowed all year through.

Just remember this, that in the heat of the moment and in the joy of celebration, obedience to all that we know is right, is still required. There is a right, and acceptable way to celebrate, and then there is a wrong and forbidden way to celebrate. Whatever we do, let us make sure that our celebrations meet with God’s approval in all things.

[2] “Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, for the oxen shook it”

Here it would seem to many individuals that there was a good reason to disobey, because Uzzah was apparently trying to save the ark from falling. This is one of the more common temptations to sin, where reason, rationalization and so-called common sense may seem to warrant a departure from the explicit commands of God. But, in such a case as this where God has repeatedly stated that the ark should not be touched, the right thing to do will be to let it fall and break into pieces, if God would permit that to happen.

The tendency to disobey on rational grounds is what has led many to trample on God’s holy day, because a multitude of “Good” excuses and reasons for non-compliance are now being offered. But sooner or later the curtain will be lifted, and it will be seen that God means exactly what He says, and nothing else. When Christ was on this earth, He taught us by precept and example that it is lawful to do “Well” on the Sabbath day.

However, in our day, that word “Well” is being stretched to the limit and currently encompasses almost any and every work that can be construed or misconstrued into being something good. Thus, any and every type of work, from gas station attendants to cooks, from garbage collectors to the banking sector, from insurance companies to the electrical grid, and a multitudinous variety of goods and services are now all huddled together under the umbrella called “Well”.

But just to be clear, the scriptures declare that God changes not, and the sanctity of the Sabbath has in no way been depreciated, revoked, altered, or even annulled to adapt to the changing circumstances of life. What was commanded us on mount Sinai is still valid today, and applies equally across the board to every living person. In other words, times may have changed, but God has not. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work. 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.

[3] “God smote him there for his error”

There are some who may be inclined to endorse sin on certain grounds as being excusable, but The Lord labeled uzzah’s sin an error. The wages of sin is still death even though the gift of God is eternal life, for the offer of eternal life does not guaranty that the transgressor will be let off the hook. Judgment may be delayed for some time, because of God’s great mercy, but sooner or later, those who continue in sin will reap whatsoever has been sown. Let’s read:

Exodus 34: 5 And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

[4] “David was displeased”

The reason why David was displeased is because in this instance he thought God had acted unfairly, for after all, as David thought, Uzzah was only trying to prevent the ark from falling, and therefore he didn’t agree with how God responded. This is a critically important point for all would-be Christians to be cognizant of, for it is not everything that God does we may agree with, even thought it’s good if we do.

Obeying God should not be predicated on agreeing with Him, on the contrary, it should be based on our acknowledgement of His Sovereignty, and when this is clearly understood and practiced it then opens up the way for us to understand God’s ways, what He does, and why He does it. But for persons to base their obedience solely on agreement with God will run many into serious difficulty sooner or later.

Those who defer obedience until they agree with all God does will never obey, for there are numerous examples in the Bible where God’s commands, and His way of doing things often conflicted with man’s ways of reasoning. This truth is clearly stated, and is exemplified in the scriptures, so that we may not be snared by the agreement-based type of obedience. Let’s read:

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

For example, one day, after fishing all night, Jesus instructed Peter to let down his net into the sea for a catch. That particular time of day was actually the worst time to go fishing, and to Peter, who was a seasoned fisherman the command seemed to be an illogical one. In fact, by his response, Peter demonstrated that he did not really agree with Jesus, as to the rationality of the command, however, Peter acknowledged the sovereignty of Christ, and based upon that alone he obeyed, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Again, the centurion in Christ’s day understood the concept of obedience based on Jesus’ sovereignty, and that is why he petitioned Christ to only speak the word, and his servant would be healed. In this instance Jesus marveled at the man’s understanding of faith and obedience, which then stood in marked contrast to others, who had trained their minds to obey, only when they agreed with God. Let’s read:

Matthew 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Thus, after David rolled the whole experience over and over again in his mind with a humble, teachable spirit, he correctly came to the conclusion that God was right in what He did, for an express command was disobeyed. In addition, it was observed that the household of Obed-Edom, to whom had been committed the ark, was blessed tremendously, for blessings, both in the temporal and spiritual realm will always accompany obedience to God’s word. Let’s read:

[5] “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah” We left this one for last, for it has to do with one’s knowledge, understanding, an awareness of right and wrong, and the responsibilities that go along with such knowledge. The two following passages need to be carefully considered, for they bring to light the sacred truth, that an intelligent Being was residing in the ark, none other than the great God of heaven. Let’s read:

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. 11 And the ark of God was taken. 1st Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

2nd Samuel 6: 1 David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David went with all the people that were with him to bring up from thence the ark of God. 6 And Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

The Philistines, who had not known of any of God’s requirements in the transportation of the ark, took it up with uncircumcised hands and transported it for several miles, touching, and handling it with no visible sign of God’s displeasure. But Uzzah who had known better, is described as committing an error, and accordingly, he perished because of it. When the knowledge of God’s requirements shines radiantly in our consciences, our duty to obey that which we know is increased an hundredfold, for to whom more is given, more will be required.

But if persons erroneously believe that the knowledge of God’s will renders obedience optional, then we will find out too late that this is absolutely not the case. Even though we are free moral agents to choose either right or wrong, God often has mercy on those who do not presently know better. But when folks commit sin against the knowledge of His will, they place themselves in an attitude of presumption, or rebellion, and adverse consequences are sure to follow. Let’s read:

Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

One of the reasons why God called Adam first, after both he and Eve had eaten of the forbidden tree, is because Adam was more guilty than his wife, for he sinned in the full knowledge of what he was doing, with a clear understanding of all the consequences. But Eve was less guilty, because she was under the deception of the serpent. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2:14 Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Those who minister in the word cannot do certain things, and cannot go to places where others may go without any compunctions of conscience, for the study of God’s word causes the truth of His laws to shine radiantly in their consciences, and because of this, what will be sin to them, might not be held as sin against those who do not know better. Therefore, as Seventh Day Adventists, we are under much greater scrutiny, and responsibility for those sacred truths we espouse, than are other nominal Christians who might not know better.

While they may be judged on the law of conscience, we will be held to a much higher standard, for to whom much is given, much will be required. Therefore, in closing, let us always remember that we are approaching an era in earth’s history where strict, and exact obedience to God’s word will be our only safety, because probationary time is being granted to us to prepare us for graduation to it is spoken. But first we must major in it is written. We close with a passage of scripture that will explain what is being referred to. Let’s read:

11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

God Bless!

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Crunch-Time Prophecies. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 03/14/2020

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The Problem With Problems. Sabbath afternoon 02/22/2020

Religion And Politics. Sabbath Afternoon 02/15/2020

Resolving Difficulties Between Brethren. Sabbath Afternoon 02/01/2020

How To Stop Lying. Sabbath Afternoon 01/25/2020

Praying For Healing. Sabbath Afternoon 01/18/2020

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Let Us Pray. Sabbath Afternoon 01/04/2020

Lessons In Obeying God. Sabbath Afternoon 12/28/2019

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