Because Of Your Unbelief. Sabbath afternoon 06/25/2022

Matthew 17: 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

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

Of all of the hurdles the Christian has to encounter, and of all the challenges that are detrimental to the soul, the spirit of unbelief poses the most serious and formidable threat to spiritual growth. Unbelief can crystalize one’s faith, it can prevent persons from being healed, it can stop blessings in mid-air, and prevent prayer requests from being heard.

 In addition to these effects, unbelief often causes some persons to question God’s intelligence, and as a result, many have turned away from sacred truths that are essential to salvation that would have kept them from soul destroying errors. For instance, the theory of evolution is a direct product of unbelief as is the false doctrine of natural immortality.

 Furthermore, there were, and have been instances where God was waiting to do great things for His people, and because of unbelief, He was prevented from doing so. When The Lord was ready to lead all the Hebrews into the promised land, it was unbelief that prevented Him from doing so, and as a result, a journey which should have taken a few days, ended up taking forty years.

Unbelief can stifle achievement, and it can cause persons to set a very low bar for themselves in life, as well as preventing some from reaching their full potential. It can cause persons in many instances to suffer from low self-esteem, it creates, and fosters doubt, and it can anticipate, and actually produce phantom troubles, that are entirely imaginary.

 But worst of all, it can produce doubt about God’s ability to do as He has promised, and it could often cause persons to limit God to mere finite modes of thought and action, essentially bringing Him down to the level of mortals, when it comes to what He can do. And because of this, one of the by-products of limiting God is that our expectations of Him are greatly reduced. Let’s read:

Psalms 78: 40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

According to the scriptures, unbelief does not only affect unbelievers, for the syndrome can be found in the lives of many righteous persons, who had a stellar record otherwise, but faltered at some point in their experience through indulging unbelief. Faith believes all things and hopes all things, but unbelief casts a dark shadow of doubt wherever it goes.

For instance, of all persons, one would expect that Moses would not have manifested unbelief, after he was privileged to hold direct communion with God, and after wielding the rod by which God worked so many miracles time and time again. After crossing the Red Sea by the power of God, and then walking through on dry land, one would think that unbelief would not raise its head again.

 But lo and behold, later on in His experience Moses stumbled on the issue of not believing God, and as a result, he could not enter the promised land, after forty years of wandering. In fact, according to the sacred record, only two of the original number, who had left Egypt during the Exodus made it to Canaan, for all the others perished because of unbelief. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:12 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

 Hebrews 3: 18 And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Numbers 26:64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

65 For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

And then a stark warning comes down to Christians in our day, for we are not immune to indulging the spirit of unbelief, as can be observed by the various and numerous discordant views within the remnant church. In fact, as we stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, the spirit of unbelief is scheduled to wreak havoc on those who have not been rooted and grounded in the truth.

Hence the reason why the following scripture is so important, to save us from repeating the errors of the past. We will discover that a tsunami of errors will spring into life, especially when some persons realize that the train has left the station, and they are devoid of the Holy Ghost, for some would try to supply the lack, with a counterfeit, according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 25: 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your  oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

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.

The spirit of unbelief was manifested prominently in some of Christ’s disciples for Phillip was very slow of heart to believe, and Jesus deliberately gave him an opportunity to exercise faith. But where unbelief is cherished, it produces spiritual myopia, by which a person could see thus far, and no further. In other words, possibilities become cramped and our mode of thought becomes weighted with negatives, and doubts.

 When Christ asked Phillip whence we will buy bread to feed the multitude, Jesus was encouraging him to exercise faith, but his mind reached no further than Publix, where shopping is a pleasure. The grocery store around the corner, and the few dollars they had was all that Phillip’s mind could envision, and Christ was grieved at the short-sightedness which his unbelief produced. Let’s read:

John 6: 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

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?

But as far as unbelief goes, Thomas takes the cake, for not only did he foster unbelief, he went a step further by deliberately refusing to accept the facts as spoken by the other disciples, concerning what they saw and heard of The risen Christ. Thomas’ case should therefore be studied closely, and the lessons thus learned should move us to chart a very different course, in how we believe. Let’s read:

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

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

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

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

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

These stipulations given by Thomas in order for him to believe, pose very serious questions, and risks to the Christian, because Thomas was predicating his decisions to believe, on what he saw and felt. Thus, his faith, would be based upon evidences of his five senses, something that a Christian must never ever do.

The Scriptures teach us that we are to walk by faith, and not by sight, for wherever we depend alone on our five senses, in order to confirm or verify truths, we will run into serious temptations and difficulties with the adversary of souls, who often specializes in appealing to our five senses.

 In fact, when the scriptures are studied closely, we discover that satan launched an all-out assault out on our five senses in the garden of Eden, and as one by one they fell, and came under his dominion, our spiritual perception, and our abilities to discern the differences between good and evil, were severely incapacitated to a great extent. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

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

Thus, anyone who follows in Thomas’ shoes will set themselves up for failure by delusion, for everything that appeals to the senses will be let loose when the miracle-working power of demons will be allowed to ravage the land. Persons will hear, see, touch and smell things that cannot be denied or controverted, except by the scriptures alone.

 In our day there are persons who base their belief on how, and what they feel, and that is why some church services are so emotionally charged, with a heavy emphasis on sights and sounds; everything being made to appeal to the five senses, and not to sacred truth. Thus, multitudes are led to take the husk of emotionalism without the kernels of truth.

This mode of believing ultimately prepares persons for the grand display of supernatural power that is scheduled to precede the second coming of Christ, for there will be appearances and evidences by the adversary of souls, appealing to the five senses that cannot be denied or dismissed, except by the Bible. Let’s read:

2nd Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.  

4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

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

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

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

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

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

[The Great Controversy pp 624] As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come.

 In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.]

 The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air., “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth.

 His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered. He heals the diseases of the people, and then in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.

 This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.”

 Thus, lest Thomas’ stipulations on believing become a precedent for Christians to follow, Jesus saw fit to address him directly, for it was important for Jesus to urgently correct the error. Therefore, at His very next appearance to His disciples, Jesus speaks first to Thomas, to set the record straight. Let’s read:

John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

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

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

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

There is nowhere in the scriptures where anyone is advised to base their belief in Jesus on what they may see, hear, or feel. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned, and we are counseled to live by the word of God alone. There are times in our walk with God, when obedience may not feel right.

 Abraham didn’t feel good about obeying God when he was commanded to offer Isaac, and Jesus did not feel good in the garden of Gethsemane. Thus, for us to base our decision to believe on how we feel, will in most cases lead us into errors that are dangerous to the soul.

 Again, forbidden foods often taste very good and it is often the case that the word of God, pertaining to diets and foods would pit us against our taste buds. The sights and sounds of evil would often appeal to the senses, and therefore, believing God, the Bible, and His prophets, ought to take preeminence over the evidences of our five senses.

 In other words, what we may see, hear, feel, taste or smell must be made subordinate to it is written if we are live by every word that proceeds from out of the mouth of God. Let us therefore walk by faith, and not by sight, for it is the will of God that our belief in Him would transcend the evidences of our senses.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should steer us clear of the Thomas mode of belief, for if we are to survive the deceptions of these last days, it would be by faith and faith alone. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

                                  God Bless!

What Satan Can And Cannot Do. Sabbath afternoon 06/18/2022

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

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

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

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

There is no sense in trying to stand against the wiles of the devil if we are not familiar with his strategies, and capabilities, for wherever persons are ignorant of his devices, they become vulnerable to his varied assaults. Even though we know that Christ already gained the victory, yet we are still in this world, and are subject to temptations from time to time.

 Having a deep relationship with Jesus does not ever prevent one from being tempted, because even The Lord was tempted in the wilderness. Therefore, if we delude ourselves into thinking that because of Christ’s victory, we do not have to make concerted efforts to become acquainted with satan’s devices, we will run the risk of falling into one or more of his snares, inadvertently.

 There is something called unnecessary temptation, and that’s why Christ cautioned us not to enter into temptation, but avoid it as much as possible. It will take a diligent study of God’s word coupled with the power of the Holy Ghost to fend off multiple efforts to overthrow our souls.

 One of the aspects of spiritual warfare is that many persons are not able to tell the difference between what God is doing and what satan is capable of, and for this reason, hurricanes and tornadoes are often referred to as Acts of God in insurance terminology.

 The reason for this is generally twofold: [1] Persons deny the existence of satan. [2] If they do believe that he exists, they usually relegate him to being an inferior who is not worth the time and effort for any person to investigate.

 But the Bible sings an entirely different tune, for not only does it tell us that satan was once the highest angel in heaven; his intelligence, wisdom and power is greatly superior to that of mankind, and as such it will do us well to be fully aware of what satan can, and cannot do. Let’s read:

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

Ezekiel 28:3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee.

6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

The purpose of the Bible study is to enlighten our minds about what is currently taking place behind the scenes in our world, and also to prepare us to be able to tell the difference between the sacred and the satanic, as the last days converge, since too many persons are prone to confuse the two.

 Thus, the following are just a few of the capabilities satan has at his disposal. Some are employed when granted permission by God, while there are others that are implemented via our freedom of choice, by which we give him lee way to work great harm if we agree with, or bow to his principles and suggestions.

 The capabilities would be divided up into two main categories, beginning with the bad things satan can do, and ending with the good things he often does, and everything will be backed up or certified by the word of God. For the record, satan can do both bad and good things, as the Bible clearly shows.

 [1] Satan absolutely has the power to bring upon the face of the earth many tornadoes, hurricanes, and other unnatural disasters. Every occurrence of this sort might not be attributable to him, but he does have the power to implement them.

 When all Job’s children were having their birthday bash, it was a tornado, triggered by satan that came from the wilderness, and smote their house at the four corners, thus destroying life and property. It is worthy of note that very closely associated with any tornado are rain, wind, and hail, and thus these are to be included in his capabilities.

 There is a real and valid reason why God chose to draw back the curtain, in the experiences of Job, to reveal to persons what often takes place behind the scenes, so that we would not be misinformed when we speak, for according to the word of God, many of the disasters occurring on earth are of satanic origin. Let’s read:

Job1: 13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house

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

Psalms 78: 48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

[The Great Controversy pp 589] In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power.

 He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.

[2] He can bring certain diseases on persons If, and when he is permitted to do so.

 What often takes place is that persons are tempted to violate the Biblical teachings on diets and foods, by partaking of forbidden things, and then natural consequences do follow. However, in addition to this, satan is also able to afflict persons directly with diseases. 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.

Luke 13: 15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

[3] If given the chance, he will temporarily take possession of a righteous person’s mind and thus cause him/her to say and do things that are entirely contrary to God’s revealed will. Let’s read:

For us to think that simply because a person might be a Christian, he or she is immune to being moved upon by satan, is an absolute misnomer. A person who is a genuine Christian can succumb to several suggestions and infusions of contrary thoughts, by the enemy of souls, if he/she is not girded with the presence and power of The Holy Ghost, moment by moment. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Matthew 16: 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

[4] He can take possession of the minds of men who are under his control and he can move upon such persons to commit violent acts against innocent people. Let’s read:

Job 1:14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them.

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

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

 [5] Satan can cause lightening, and fire to come down from the skies, and do literal damage to certain persons. Let’s read:

Job 1:16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Revelation 13: 13 He does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.

[The Great Controversy pp 553] No mere impostures are here foretold. Men are deceived by the miracles which Satan's agents have power to do, not which they pretend to do.

[6] Satan can, and often does cause persons under his control to commit suicide.

God never drives a person to take his or her own life, because life is sacred, created, and then bought again by the precious blood of Christ. Therefore, all suicidal thoughts, including assisted suicide and any thoughts of killing oneself, which are the result of a use of certain drugs do not originate with God. 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.

1st Samuel 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, draw thy sword, and thrust me through; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

Luke 22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

[7] He can take possession of individuals, as well as certain animals which fall under his domain. Persons may know that people can be possessed, but some might not have known that animals, and lower life forms can be demon possessed too. Let’s read:

Matthew 8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

[8] Satan has power to bring before persons the forms of their dead relatives and friends and these appearances are picture perfect, in replication. Mannerisms, hand gestures, perfumes, smiles, one’s manner of speech, complete with slangs, dialect, vocabulary, language and lingo are all reproduced with 100% distinctness. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:1 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.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice saying why have you deceived me? for thou art Saul.

14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore, I have called you, that you may make known unto me, what I shall do.

[The Great Controversy pp 552] He has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance that their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of Heaven; and without suspicion of danger, they give ear to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

Now, let us turn our attention to the good things satan has the power to do, for some persons have been completely deceived on this point. To chalk up everything that is good to God, and everything that is evil to satan is a gross misunderstanding of the way things work in the spiritual realm.

In fact, there are several things that are good in and of themselves that devils have the power to do, and which are often erroneously credited to God. Thus, if folks believe that it is God doing those good things then they would have no problem with worshipping and praising, who they believe must be God.

 [9] Satan can cause religious ministers to preach good things from the Bible, and he can, and often causes persons to join the church.

 Here is where we get into deep waters, for some have erroneously concluded that if a preacher has the word of God in his hand, then it must be Jesus, and God’s truth that is being preached. This error has led many to perdition, and indeed has proven to be one of the most successful, and soul-destroying devices of the adversary of souls. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11: 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Acts 16: 16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

[10] Satan can give great wealth, riches and honor to folks, in return for them obeying, and/or worshiping him. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

[11] Satan can literally heal certain diseases.

This last capability will lead us into our Bible study, for whenever it comes to the healing of diseases, it touches a sensitive nerve in people. No one loves to be sick or bedridden, and thus, some folks would be willing to do any, and everything just to be healed.

 Chronic pain, cancers, and diabetes are diseases or conditions that cause persons to be on a regimen of drugs, and therefore, if it is known that a reputable healer is in town, many would not hesitate to go get healed.

 This fact can be certified by the mega congregations numbering in the many thousands, who often go to the “faith healers” of the day, even though for some unknown reason, those same healers were missing in action when Covid was ravaging the country.

 Simon magus had built up a stellar reputation in the city in which he resided and he had won the respect and confidence of all, because when people would go to him for healing, he would deliver the goods on a regular basis. In other words, Simon Magus could be depended on, when folks ran into health issues. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before-time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

The problem is that the people were crediting God erroneously for something, which to their minds, that was apparently good. The same is true in our day where so-called faith healers claim that it is the power of God operating in and through them. Thus, many are inadvertently led to put darkness for light and bitter for sweet, and evil for good.

 But the Bible issues a stern warning to us pertaining to deception on this very point, for if we believe it is God who is working, when He is not, the praise and thanksgiving for the works of healing will ultimately flow through the so-called healer to satan, who, in the minds of the people, must be God.

 Thus, many persons have inadvertently been taken in this snare, and with some, it has become quite difficult to reverse course, for what can you say to the contrary, if an individual who has actually been healed by one of these false prophets believes that it is God who performed the good work? Let’s read:

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

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

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

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

[The Great Controversy pp 623] Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing, and will profess to have revelations from Heaven, contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures.

Thus, as we find ourselves hedged in with more and more difficulties, for which man does not have the answers, the outworking of satanic forces would be seen and felt more decidedly, across the globe in real time. But if we do not take the time to become familiar with the truths of God’s word, we will run the risk of being deceived, with buyer’s remorse.

 Furthermore, on a personal level, the Bible does not teach that there is any such thing as middle ground, for there are only two masters operating currently in this world. There are only sheep and goats, with no hybrid in between, and we can only serve either the God of heaven, or the God of this world. Let’s read:

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

Let us therefore use wisely, the remaining moments of probationary time, to become knowledgeable in the truths of God’s word, and thus be prepared for the deceptions that would be taking the world by storm.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should enable us to correctly appropriate and evaluate God’s instructions to us, for according to the Bible, they are intended for the godless as well as the remnant people of God. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

                            God Bless!

If I Shut Up heaven. Sabbath afternoon 06/11/2022

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’s made in this place.

Water is one of the most precious resources on this planet, and without it, starvation, hunger, thirst and a multitude of other adverse conditions will become more numerous. Water is used in agriculture, in the oil industry for fracking, for baking, for irrigation, for the production of almost everything that is made by man. It almost always goes back to water.

 Believe it or not, with all of our advances in sciences and with all of the increase in knowledge and know-how that was predicted in Daniel chapter 12, all of us and every nation on the earth are still dependent on the God of heaven for all the basic necessities of life. At times, persons might not acknowledge the fact, but is nonetheless true.

 The sunlight, which produces energy, and causes a seed to germinate and grow, the rain which we are in need of for virtually everything, the air which we breathe, and the snow which replenishes the many reservoirs across the globe, as well providing the resources for hydro-electricity, all come from God.

 Thus, an acknowledgement of our total dependence on God for everything that pertains to life and well- being, form the basis for many passages in the Bible which treat on the issues. Even though some have traded Christ for Darwin, yet, when the basics are taken into consideration, we’ll discover that people still need The Lord.

 The tendency to leave God out of the picture, as if we are self-sufficient and autonomous, is a theory, and philosophy that is Darwinian in concept, and now, because of the extreme drought conditions we are facing in the western states, the time has fully come for us to consider very carefully, where our safety, security, and assurance is to be centered.

 The situation in the western United States is dire indeed, for, not only has rain been diminished to a great extent, the annual snow-packs which supply the reservoirs and dams, are nowhere close to the levels needed for agriculture, and residential use, and as a result, we would discover that a diversion of water resources is already underway, to make up for the shortfall.

 Several farms in California have been forced to shut down permanently, and the rationing of water for residents and businesses, is taking a fearful toll, of which the ripple effects are already being felt across the nation in the form of increased food prices. This is on top of the inflationary pressures produced by the war in Ukraine.

 In fact, many individuals and families are now facing the very real prospect of turning on their taps, and having no running water. Not only has the rain and snow been reduced significantly, the underground water from wells and aquifers is also being reduced to scary levels, in so much that some residents have to get water to bathe and cook from other towns.

 As a result of the lack of water to replenish the likes of Lake mead and Lake Powell, hydro-electric plants have been forced to curtail production, with more pain to come, if much rain water, and snow do not come in short order. Lake Mead in particular, is now at its lowest point since it was filled in the 1930’s, and Lake Powell is at only 34% of its capacity.

 There is no doubt that a water fight is brewing on the horizon as water resources are being severely depleted, with very little, or no replenishing of the reservoirs, dams and lakes that have served millions of people for decades. As a result, the diversion of water resources can already be observed in grocery stores, and it could accelerate greatly if the needed rain and snow isn’t supplied.

 Not one of us can live without water, from the man on the street, to the president to Elon Musk and the famous Warren Buffet, all of us are dependent on God for water. Therefore, our first passage brings into focus what can happen, “If The Lord Shuts Up heaven”. 

 Thus, we need to first establish from the scriptures the fact that even though many fail to acknowledge it, we are dependent on God for everything that pertains to life and sustenance in every way and in everything that we do, because it seems as if we are in need of a wakeup call, lest we forget. Let’s read:

Matthew 5: 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Psalms 104: 10 He sends the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

13 He waters the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth

 food out of the earth.

27 These wait all upon thee; that thou may give them their food in due season.

28 What You give them they gather: You open thine hand, they are filled with good.

29 You hide Your face, they are troubled….

These passages clearly reveal the sacred truth in the matter, that with all of our so-called independence, every person, without exception is a beneficiary of God’s mercies, wisdom and providence and without which society would unravel and come to nothing in short order.

 Hence the reason why the study for this evening will be pertinent to our deepening, and ongoing needs.

                 “If I Shut Up Heaven”

In the days of king Ahab and queen Jezebel, there was a fearful departure from truth to idolatry of the darkest hue, by which the children of Israel were being taught erroneous views and teachings as it pertains to the necessary blessings of life.

 Baal was looked up to, and worshipped as the sole provider of rain, and the people were led by Jezebel to reject God as both Creator, and sustainer of life on earth, and as a direct result, Baal got the credit and praise for what God was actually doing.

 Thus, after repeated attempts over many years, to get them to turn from their errors, God had to give them a reality check, so as to save them from going completely over the cliff. The famine which ensued, with all of its adverse consequences, was actually tempered with mercy, but as with all such instances the collateral damage would take a toll on Israel. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

The servant of The Lord, in her exposition on this matter gives us a glimpse of what was taking place across the land at this time, and it would be well if we could put ourselves in their shoes, because the similarities are a stark reminder of what is currently taking place in our day.

 Now it is true that many adversities suffered by the multitudes are really inflicted by the enemy of souls but there are instances when God has had to take matters into His own hands, so as to save many of us from ruin. Like ourselves, Israel would not listen to God’s oft entreaties, and therefore, He is moved to do what He much prefers not to do.

 Thus, as we read, let us consider what is now taking place in western states, for there are parallels and similarities that should move us as a country to now consider our ways. Darwin cannot save us, neither can his philosophies deliver the much-needed rain and the snow-packs that have dwindled in the west. Let’s read:

[Prophets & Kings pp 124] A year passes, and yet there is no rain. The earth is parched as if with fire. The scorching heat of the sun destroys what little vegetation has survived. Streams dry up, and lowing herds and bleating flocks wander hither and thither in distress.

 Once-flourishing fields have become like burning desert sands, a desolate waste. The groves dedicated to idol worship are leafless; the forest trees, gaunt skeletons of nature, afford no shade.

 The air is dry and suffocating; dust storms blind the eyes and nearly stop the breath. Once-prosperous cities and villages have become places of mourning. Hunger and thirst are telling upon man and beast with fearful mortality. Famine, with all its horror, comes closer and still closer.

1st Kings 18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

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.

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.

23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleeps, and must be awakened.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

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.

6 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.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

45 And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain….

Now, it is true that in our day, we have contributed to global warming and the dire results before us are to a great extent the natural law of cause and effect of sowing and reaping that are now coming due.

 However, that does not stop God from sending rain, so, can it be that there may be other factors at play, why the extremes in temperature, and the resulting drought continues to worsen and deepen across the globe with the passage of time?

 So, at this point before we proceed, there is a Bible verse that we must take a look at, because there is nothing new under the sun, and what has taken place in times past often repeats itself. Let’s read:

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

What is even more disturbing, and should sound an alarm bell in many minds, is the passage that comes just before. It could not be a coincidence, since the severe drought and a lack of rain in Elijah’s day, was directly tied to the issue of persons disregarding the commandments of God. Let’s read:

Malachi 4: 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

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 Baal.

Isaiah 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades 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.

Now, we are not saying that our fellow citizens who live in western states are any different than those in eastern states, nor are we stating that the extremes of drought across the globe are the result of sins in persons who live in those areas.

 What we are now to consider is whether or not the problem is global warming, or global sinning, which might be producing collateral damage, in different parts of the earth. In the days of Elijah, the famine was a call to repentance, and thus, we must, at the very least, consider whether a call to repentance in our day has come due.

 What we do know for certain, that whatever might be the underlying causes, we can never go wrong with following the counsel given in our first passage because it calls on individuals and nations to seek The Lord, in the face of national or international adversity.

 Earnest prayer is to be made nationally, not only for deliverance, but for deep soul-searching, to see if by any means we have forgotten the God of heaven, or followed Baal. If and when the laws of God are not obeyed, the natural consequences are not reversed if there isn’t an acknowledgement that wrongs were committed.

 In the days of Elijah, the people were brought to the point where they saw their error clearly, and they responded in the positive by confessing the sin that had done them in. In our day, it would be well if we will do the same, wherever such confession may be warranted because the prophet Isaiah does say that the continued transgression of God’s law is the root of the problems we are now facing. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

The time has now fully come for prayer to be lifted up on a personal and a national level, because the drought situation can get pretty bad, if there is not an intervention from heaven, and everyone will feel the dire effects, one way or another.

 The current patchwork of electric vehicles, coupled with renewable energies is never going to save the planet, and if urgent prayer is not made, unforeseen problems will continue to pile up, one on top of the other, with no viable resolution in sight.

 Just a few years ago, oil seemed to be on its way out, as the prospect of a green new deal seemed to be a viable option. But no one catered for Putin in Ukraine, by which there is now a mad rush for oil once more, as global demand tightens the squeeze on already strained nations.

 Thus, an urgent call for prayer is now in order, with confession of sins, and an acknowledgement of the only true God, if haply, there might be a reversal of fortunes, before it is too late. We will end with our first passage, and it is our hope that those who have ears to hear, will listen, and act accordingly. 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 will listen unto the prayer that is made in this place.

                                    God Bless!

Get Rich Or Die Trying. Sabbath afternoon 05/28/2022

Mathew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

One of the side effects of the Covid virus is that it spawned several millionaires and billionaires, who profited greatly from investments in pharmaceutical companies, as millions of vaccines became readily available. Others made tremendous profits by their investments in social media companies, which had become more essential because of the lockdowns.

 Still other folk made their wealth by investing in the commodities, streaming services, and food delivery since people were hedged in with difficulty because of the need to stay put. Cars, and housing became decidedly more expensive as manufacturing plants were forced to shutter their doors, yet it was later discovered that the sales of automobiles shot way up between 2020 and 2022.

 And supply chain problems were greatly increased, as container shipments slowed to a crawl, and the biggest ports were forced to suspend operations as the death toll from the virus mounted. At the same time, crypto-currencies experienced a phenomenal rise as persons betted that this would be the future of business transactions, and as a result many folk became crypto rich.

 So, it is true that one of the unexpected side effects of the virus is that it produced a plethora of newly minted rich folk, who saw their wealth skyrocket in  the past few years, but some are now learning the hard way that the stock market is not immune to the laws of gravity.

 Now that inflation is taking its toll, now that the war in Ukraine has upended the relative peace, stability, and globalization that had characterized the former years and now that the price of energy is eating into discretionary spending in real time, the sentiments have changed quite dramatically, and the irrational exuberance of recent years is shifting to doom and gloom.

 Now there is nothing wrong with being rich, making sound investments, or financial decisions, if there is a balance between the spiritual and the temporal. It is a fact that changes do occur very often in persons as their wealth is increased, yet, if God isn’t left out of the picture, and if one’s priorities do not become mixed up, riches can be a blessing, and not a curse.

 However, in the mad rush to get rich, some persons have adopted the mantra, which is the title of our Bible study: Get Rich or Die Trying. This philosophy is not only to be found in the secular realm for it has now infiltrated the minds of many Christians, being fueled in many cases by the health wealth gospel of the day.

 As mega church pastors and televangelists flaunted their wealth, their congregants followed on in their footsteps, triggering a mad gold rush for money and material things, which in turn, have caused many to stumble and fall into one of the most successful and soul-destroying devices of devils.

 The Bible study today will seek to correct the errors and misconceptions about riches that have crept in, and to rein in the inappropriate behaviors that have resulted in the falling away of some Christians. First on the list of issues that would be addressed is the fact that whatsoever we may do, if God is not in it, it will fail, sooner or later.

 Our first passage brings this truth to the forefront of our minds by raising the prospect that a person may become rich and successful by the world’s standard but if his/her priorities get mixed up along the way, such a person could lose their soul for eternity, and thus, the question posed by our first passage should cause persons to question introspectively: Is it really worth it?

 Is it worth it to gain the world and lose one’s soul in the process, or is it better and wiser to live one’s life waiting on God to provide according as He sees best yet never causing the material concerns of this life to eat away at our spirituality, to the point where the kingdom of God and His righteousness become an afterthought?

 To answer this and many other questions pertaining to the topic, we must revisit those passages in the Bible which deal on the subject matter. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and thus, if we are draw the correct conclusions, and if we are to make straight paths for our feet, the word of God must be as a lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path.

 The following therefore, are some of the passages in the scriptures that shed great light on the issue of riches, how wealth should be gotten, and managed, and what is the correct perspective that Christians are to adopt if God so chooses to bless persons with riches.

We will let the Bible speak for itself, and where the verses may not be clear or apparent to the reader, we’ll try to explain using the line upon line method as per Isaiah. Also, we should pay close attention to the highlighted words in the various passages, so as not to make important truths slip. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

To bless God for the material blessings of life does not mean that anyone can actually bless God, for as one scripture says, the lesser is always blessed by the greater. What the passage means is that we are to acknowledge God as the Giver of all good gifts for this will mitigate the tendency to erroneously think that we own anything, in and of ourselves.

Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day.

This passage is huge, and must be understood in the fullest sense of the words. According to Cambridge English dictionary, the word “Beware” means [1] To warn someone to be very careful about something, or someone. [2] It is used on signs to warn people of something dangerous.

 In the passage in Deuteronomy, we are cautioned to “Beware” of forgetting God. The word “forget” as used in the context does not merely mean to not remember God; it specifies what forget means, for the word refers directly to the keeping of His laws, commandments, statutes and judgements.

 In other words, God is warning us of the dangerous tendency to disregard His words, instructions, and laws, after He has blessed us. The reason why we’re to “Beware” is because according to sacred history, it is a documented fact that human beings tend to forget God, after He has blessed some with riches.

 Case in point was Solomon, whom God blessed with riches who started out his life journey being humble but who later apostatized being lifted up in pride as he reveled in the material blessings of God.

 Little by little, Solomon came to view his riches as the direct result of his own wisdom and genius, and no sooner had he embraced this fatal philosophy, he went on to “forget” about God by not keeping His commandment. The before and after history of Solomon, as written in the scriptures, speak truth to why God said “Beware” in Deuteronomy.  Let’s read:

Before: 2nd Chronicles 6:3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation

 of Israel….

4 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spoke with his mouth to my father David….

12 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands,

14 And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; Who keeps covenant, and shews mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts.

2nd Chronicles 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.

3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.

Before we get to Solomon’s after-history, it will be necessary for us to observe the instructions given in the scripture concerning what a king of Israel should and should not do. These instructions were given in wisdom so that the future kings of Israel could avoid becoming self-sufficient, and independent of God. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;

15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee.

16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses.

1st Kings 4: 26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Deuteronomy 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away.

1st Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites.

2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said

unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely, they will turn away your heart after their gods.

3 And….his wives turned away his heart. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Deuteronomy 17:18 And it shall be, when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites.

19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.

20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

We observe in the above passages that the study of God’s word was not to be neglected as one’s riches and power increased, for whenever this takes place, it would be just a matter of time before the laws of God, and the principles of His kingdom are replaced by secular ideologies and philosophies that pervade and guide the minds of worldly investors.

 As a direct result, persons gradually begin to look to Warren Buffet and Elon Musk and the worldly wise for financial advice or guidance, whilst the word of God, with its wisdom and instructions are frowned upon as being archaic and irrelevant.

 Not that those guys are not smart or intelligent, but what they do not have is foreknowledge, to know what will take place in the future. For instance, if Elon Musk had known that twitter stock would drop as it has done recently, he most likely wouldn’t have offered to buy the company for $54.00 a share.

 Now, it is true that as Christians we too do not have foreknowledge, but we do serve the God Who has omniscience, and as such, if we were to ask Him, He could direct us in making the right move, whether it be Twitter, Crypto, or otherwise. This is just one of the reasons why The Lord said “Beware”.

 Again, if in one’s haste to get rich, persons begin to neglect the study of God’s word, and if the services of the church do not seem to be all that important anymore, and if the Sabbath is now used as a day to catch up on one’s ZZZs that were lost during the six working days, because of the multitude of business, then we may know for sure that such a person has begun to “Forget” God. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God…..

17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

20 …Because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.

Again, the ways and means adopted to get rich will determine to a great extent whether we would sink with the markets or whether like the fabled tortoise we would walk with a steady and even tread.

 As a general rule, “easy comes easy goes” so that if an individual is in a hurry to get rich quickly, the likelihood of a catastrophic loss goes up all the more, as haste lends itself to rash decisions and the lack of well thought out analysis, for money that is earned by hard labor is more likely to be spent in a frugal manner. It’s all there in the word of God. Let’s read:

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labor shall increase.

Proverbs 23:4 Labor not to be rich. cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 28:22 He that hastens to be rich hath an evil eye and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.

 Proverbs 15: 27 He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts shall live.

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.

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.

This leads us to our study: “Get Rich or Die Trying” The Lord spoke a parable which addressed the topic we are currently studying. In His opening statement to the parable Christ employs the same word which we read of in Deuteronomy, namely “Beware”. One of the reasons for this is that the craving to be rich continues to haunt persons, inside and outside the church.

 It may manifest itself in different ways, but the end result is almost always the same: Persons get too attached to their wealth, the kingdom of God and His righteousness gradually loses its appeal, and in many instances, persons go on to sell their soul for the love of money and material things.

 This is what caused Lot’s wife to be lost eternally, in that it was too hard for her to give up their former life of luxury and riches, in exchange for living in the country where the glitter and bling often lose their sting. We must not deceive ourselves into thinking that becoming attached to wealth is something that can be dropped in a moment, without a protest from the adversary.

 A person would have to be walking very close with God for such a disconnect not to take place when a sudden decision on the matter has to be made, for this was made clear when the rich young ruler was faced with the stark choice. He quickly summed up the ramifications of a choice that would materially change the trajectory of his life, and then he made his decision. He would serve mammon instead of God.

 It's the same problem the rich man in the following parable encountered, grappled with, and eventually lost, because the gravitational pull of desiring to be rich, often proves too great a temptation to resist. This is why the Bible does not say money is the root of all evil. What it does say is that the love of money is the root of all evil. Let’s read:

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.

16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

17 And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

In the parable, we observe that the same issues that plagued Solomon, and so many more throughout history, also affected this man. He forgot about God in not keeping His commandments, since one of the laws given by God stipulates that a regular provision for the poor, and less fortunate are to be staples in our giving, whenever we get paid. Let’s read:

Leviticus 19: 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, (In other words, when you get paid) you shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.

The rich man in the parable also allowed his wealth to lead him to pride and self-sufficiency by which he forgot to acknowledge God as his Benefactor. This can be observed by the amount of times the words I and my occur in the parable; ten times in all.

 Gradually, he came to trust in his riches as a sort of bulwark against any adverse situation that would arise and the more he accumulated, the less he saw his need of God. The Bible also addresses this issue as being one of the snares, attendant to being rich, if one is not very, very careful. Let’s read:

Proverbs 18: 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe. 11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit.

Again, he signally failed to strike the right balance between earthly wealth and eternal riches, and in the process, he finally lost his own soul. Whenever one’s riches and the procurement thereof cause a man to value the temporal more than the spiritual, one’s priorities and the true purposes for living will become inverted. The servant of The Lord puts it this way. Let’s read:

[Ministry of Healing pp 211] The cup most difficult to carry is not the cup that is empty, but the cup that is full to the brim. It is this that needs to be most carefully balanced. Affliction and adversity bring disappointment and sorrow; but it is prosperity that is most dangerous to spiritual life.

The good news is that there are examples of the righteous in days of yore, who, by following God’s instructions on wealth, were able to strike the right balance, being rich toward God, whilst being rich in the material things of earth. Daniel was rich, but he did not allow riches to interfere with his prayer time or with his relationship with God.

The same is true of Abraham, Job, and Isaac, all of whom were very rich, yet they were able by God’s grace to strike the correct balance between their temporal wealth and the things of eternal value, for whenever this is done wealth can be a blessing, and persons would not be in a frenzy to get rich, and die trying. Let’s read:

Genesis 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel;

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.

Genesis 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan…..

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 141] Abraham's house- hold comprised more than a thousand souls. Those who were led by his teachings to worship the one God, found a home in his encampment; and here, as in a school, they received such instruction as would prepare them to be representatives of the true faith.

 Thus, a great responsibility rested upon him. He was training heads of families, and his methods of government would be carried out in the households over which they should preside.

Job 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.

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.

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.

The word of The Lord comes down to us expressly in our day, where there seems to be a deep, longing desire to get rich, or die trying. Persons seem willing to do whatever it takes to accumulate wealth, even if the commandments, and instructions of God are trodden underfoot in the process.

 Again, there are thousands dying daily in Ukraine, without food, clothing, or shelter, and there are a multitude of single parent families suffering under the weight of inflationary pressures. Yet, in the mad rush to get rich, God and man are often forgotten, in so much that some fail to realize that the second coming of Christ is near, even at the doors.

 It is true that we must work for our daily bread, and the blessing of God will attend well-directed efforts in monetary as well as other matters, but we should always keep God’s honor, and glory in the forefront of our minds, lest, like the man in the parable, our priorities become mixed up and inverted. Let’s read:

 This is the reason why Christ issued the following caution to us who are living in the last days, so that we would avoid being caught up in the frenzy of the moment, of trying to get rich, and die trying.

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Let us therefore walk soberly, with a steady and even tread, knowing that God will provide all that we need and then some, for it is not His will that we should become consumed with trying to be rich, to the neglect of our souls, and to the neglect of the interests of His kingdom.

We will end with a few passages of scripture which should help us to maintain the right perspective on temporal matters, and let us always remember, that at the end of life’s journey it will be our relationship with Christ, and what we have done, in the building up of His kingdom, that will matter the most in life. Let’s read:

Matthew 6: 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

                                      God Bless!

Don't Stop Coming To Church. Sabbath afternoon 05/21/2022

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more as you see the day approaching.

The above passage gives us pertinent instruction for the time in which we live, for there is no doubt that we are seeing the time of Christ’s second coming approaching, and if we are to follow the guidance we are given, we should be attending church more now, not less.

 It is true that the virus has taken a toll on church attendance, for even Sunday mega churches have seen their congregations severely dwindled, and it seems as if some people have become disillusioned with in-person church attendance.

 Now, although zoom and other streaming platforms have played an important role in making our online services available for a while, yet it’s not God’s ideal will that we should make such an arrangement our permanent mainstay. That is because nothing can ever replace the one on one fellowship that coming together in person brings.

 Persons can smile and sing and talk online, but we cannot hug or shake hands virtually. We can have communion service virtually, but we cannot wash one another’s feet online. And then you have the in person discussions of the lessons, where members could voice their comments and concerns.

 The virtual platforms simply do not have the same organic feel as studying in person, and while it is true that we will have to mitigate the risks that do exist, yet, at some point in time, our first opening passage would have to be revisited, because it does specify the assembling of ourselves together.

 However, before we get into our topic, it would be necessary to see the before and after effects of the pandemic and how it has affected and still does, the way in which we live our lives, the adjustments that were made, and the ongoing metamorphosis in the spiritual and physical realms.

 With the onset of Covid in the latter part of 2019, several changes to life as we know it took place and continue to evolve. Back then we had studied that it would take the lives of millions of people across the world, and that it would spawn several brethren, or variants, which would continue to put severe strain on our healthcare systems.

 The final death toll would be found astronomically  higher than what is being reported since third world countries, and places like India, North Korea and the other areas across the globe may not have access to the resources and know-how that we have, in order to tally the numbers correctly.

 For instance, during the height of the pandemic, it is a well-documented fact that thousands of people were dumped in the Ganges River, and there were mass graves dug across multiple countries as heads of governments, and citizens alike, had struggled to mitigate the adverse fallout from the virus.

 The bad news is that we are not out of the woods yet, for there are yet other variants on the horizon, waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and it may be that persons would be facing the prospect of having to take multiple boosters every four to six months, in order to shore up compromised immune systems.

Therefore, persons will of necessity have to adopt new strategies, or modify existing ones, if we are to have some semblance of normalcy. The following therefore are just some of the changes that we will have to endure for the foreseeable future, as Covid and his brethren continue to wreak havoc across the globe.

 [1] Mass migration as well as internal and international displacement of peoples.

As work from home became a real and viable option many prominent companies found it to be practical for workers to work from where they lived, because not only does it save gas and valuable time, it would avoid the stress of driving in traffic jams while at the same time it will curb in-office spread of the virus.

 In fact, in many cases it has been discovered that a worker’s productivity goes up noticeably when he or she is allowed to work from home. In addition,

companies have discovered that the cost of having offices, and all that it entails is not worth the effort in some cases, and therefore, some have decided to make the work at home arrangement permanent.

 As a direct result, persons who had previously lived in high-priced cities, have got new-found freedom, in that they could now move to cheaper places with more land, more living space and a much lower cost of living, than where they had previously resided.

 But this facility has become a self-fulfilling prophecy in that the many individuals, and families that move from the larger cities are driving up the prices of the homes in more rural areas, and as a result many of the residents of those suburbs are facing increased rents and skyrocketing home prices.

 This trend will not only affect the secular folk, for it will continue to also affect the remnant. As a result, there is a very real prospect of a dwindling church membership, as more and more families and many persons would be priced out of their local markets, hence the reason why we stated that there will be a continuing displacement of peoples, both internally and internationally.

 [2] One other adverse side effect of the pandemic is that there will be persistent supply-chain issues as different countries grapple with ways and means to stop, or at least to lessen the viral spread of the disease.

New home buyers would love for current prices of homes to go down, and builders would love to build as fast as they possibly can. But with the logjam of delayed deliveries, and with sea-bound containers having to wait for weeks to be unloaded, building materials cannot come fast enough, and thus, what we are seeing in delays and backlogs will continue for a long while.

 [3] Another side effect of the current pandemic is that during its height, when we were forced into a lockdown some church members became disoriented, and this has triggered a regrouping and a reassessment of sorts.

 One of the reasons for this adverse disorientation is that prior to the pandemic the relationship with the God of heaven was in some cases being propped up by a multitude of activities which really had nothing much to do with our personal time spent with Him.

 There were concerts, potlucks, camping, socials, game-nights, and a host of other activities, which are really not bad in and of themselves, but in some cases, they were made to usurp the nuts and bolts of a quality relationship with God.

 Thus, when these additions were suddenly removed and we found ourselves hedged in with bare bones, our relationship with God in many instances, lost its luster and with some folks, a feeling of emptiness, and a lack of belonging crept in and many have thus become quite despondent.

 Therefore, sad as it may sound, we’re indeed facing the prospect that some persons might decide never to return to in person church services. But, because there is nothing new under the sun, we could take courage from one family that never stopped going to church, even at a time when things were looking pretty grim.

In the days of Eli and his sons, the children of Israel had become quite disoriented and discouraged, for they were facing, not a pandemic from a pathogen, but a virus of wickedness which had eaten out the fabric of church life, and people back then loathed to even go near the sanctuary.

 The virus found its origins in the high priest’s family and it spread virulently across the land in so much that individuals and families began patterning their lives after what they beheld in their spiritual leader.

 People usually do not rise higher than their spiritual leaders, and thus, what Eli permitted in his sons was duplicated in thousands of households. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2: 13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

14 And he struck it into the pan, kettle, caldron or

pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desires; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

1st Samuel 2: 22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 578>579] Eli did not manage his household according to God's rules for family government. He followed his own judgment. The fond father overlooked the faults and sins of his sons in their childhood, flattering himself that after a time they would outgrow their evil tendencies. Many are now making a similar mistake.

 They think they know a better way of training their children than that which God has given in His word. They foster wrong tendencies in them, urging as an excuse, “They are too young to be punished. Wait till they become older, and can be reasoned with.” Thus, wrong habits are left to strengthen until they become second nature.

 The children grow up without restraint, with traits of character that are a lifelong curse to them and are liable to be reproduced in others. There is no greater curse upon households than to allow the youth to have their own way.

 When parents regard every wish of their children and indulge them in what they know is not for their good, the children soon lose all respect for their parents, all regard for the authority of God or man, and are led captive at the will of Satan.

 Because of Eli's position, his influence was more extended than if he had been an ordinary man. His family life was imitated throughout Israel. The baleful results of his negligent, ease-loving ways were seen in thousands of homes that were molded by his example.

 Thus, the inevitable ripple effect was that most of the people gradually stopped going to church, with the exception of this one man and his family, who decided to not forsake the assembly of God.

 Even if the virus of wickedness by Eli’s sons, caused the majority to abandon the sanctuary services, yet, Elkanah and his household would still go. The pews would be empty, but they would still go, because God says to go.

 Not forsaking the assembly of the saints isn’t merely a good suggestion coming from the word of God, it is an imperative designed to foster strength, faith, fortitude, courage, and unity, just as iron sharpens iron.

 It is worthy of note, that it was at this time, when morale was very low and folks had virtually stopped attending church, that God did something great for those who still attended. Elkanah’s wife was barren at this time, but it was as she attended the church services that God opened up her womb.

We may never know what God will do for persons who, against all odds, continue to faithfully follow His instructions. In fact, blessings and deliverances are very often left on the table, when we stay away from the assembly of the saints, for there are things God only does in response to us obeying His word, against all odds.  Let’s read:

1st Samuel 1: Now there was a certain man of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah.

3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions.

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore, she wept, and did not eat.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

In our day, there are a multitude of reasons why persons stop going to church, and to some folk such reasons might seem valid. There are those who may not like the music, there are others who, because of the virus, may view church attendance as being too great a risk, even though some of those persons can be found at Publix, where shopping is a pleasure.

 A person is not put at any greater risk by coming to church, than by going to work in an office where the common use of fax machines, computers, toilets or printers in an enclosed environment, for prolonged periods of time, renders the spread of germs and viruses more likely.

 And there are others, who because of the high gas prices may prefer or opt to do church online. We’re not here to judge anyone’s motive or decisions, but this we do know, that as the time of Christ’s second coming begins to loom large on the horizon, the oft rubbing of shoulders, and the regular in-person assembly of the saints would become even more important.

 This is what took actually place when the early rain was poured out on the day of Pentecost, and since history often repeats itself, the same manifestation of unity and fellowship would again be seen among the ranks of the remnant people of God, for we will need the same strength of brotherhood, as in days of yore. Let’s read:

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

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

Let us therefore zip up our boots and return as soon as possible to the assembly of the saints, because as everyone can plainly see the dawning of eternal day is not too distant, and therefore we would need the strength of the brotherhood to help stave off those incursions that would be coming from without, and within.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to return to church in person, and we sincerely hope and pray that the assembling of ourselves together will finally cause zoom to play second fiddle. Let’s read:

Acts 2: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

                                     God Bless!

The Habit Of Forgiving Trespasses. Sabbath afternoon 05/14/2022

Ephesians 4: 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

The above passage says it all, for it calls on us not merely to forgive trespasses occasionally, when it is convenient or easier to do so, but to form the habit of forgiving, on a continuing basis. Habits form the character, whereas occasional practice would not usually tend to cement forgiveness as a way of life.

Thus, if we are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us, we will actually need a few repeat offenders in our lives so as to from the habit of forgiving trespasses. This is not what most individuals would like to hear, for with many of us, the last thing we think we need in our lives right now is a repeat trespasser.

 However, as Christians we need to remember that this earth, in its current state is not our home, and the only thing we would take from this world to the next is character, and thus, it should be a forgone conclusion that character building is a cornerstone of the Christian’s everyday experience.

 In order for forgiving trespasses to become a habit there are certain things that must be put into place for persons to facilitate it. To begin with, forgiving trespasses and sins is something that persons must decide upon in advance, for if we were to wait for the spur of the moment for it to happen, in most instances we will bungle the golden opportunity.

With the Christian, everything has to do with our decision, and forgiveness is no different. Therefore, in our personal time with God, when we surrender our souls to Him daily, the decision to forgive others should be a part of our petitions for help, so that if and when, the old devil would throw a curve ball at us unexpectedly, we would have already decided, and been strengthened to do the right thing.

 Character building is not something that would ever happen by chance, since it takes deliberate decision and well thought out purposes, together with the presence and power of the indwelling Christ in us, for forgiveness to become the staple that it should be. In other words, God wants it to be so engrained in us that persons can expect to be forgiven.

When Christ explained the issue of habitual, repeat forgiveness, He made reference to persons who had concluded that they could expect forgiveness from such and such a person, hence the reason why they kept coming back for more. It’s a troubling thought to know that a repeat offender can expect mercy. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

But the very thought of a repeat offender expecting forgiveness will cause some person’s blood to boil, for the first thing that will usually arise in our minds is that we are being deliberately taken advantage of us, and as such, we will quite often usually preempt forgiveness by deciding up front not to pardon such a person.

At such times, the decision not to forgive could be palpable, since out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and like Cain, our countenances may fall, and reveal the hard-heartedness within. To forgive a repeat trespasser, who is expecting to be forgiven multiple times is a very tall order, and it can try our faith and patience to the core at times.

 Yet, this is how our heavenly Father forgives us, as day by day, and week after week, and years upon years, we keep coming back to Christ, asking Him to forgive us, in some instances, of the same sin over and over again. So, if God doesn’t get weary neither should we get weary because, just as the habit of forgiving is a part of His character, similarly it can, and should be with us.

 Another stumbling block we would encounter when cultivating the habit of forgiving trespasses is that in some instances, we might put a sort of threshold on what we would be willing to forgive. With some folk there are certain red lines, drawn in the sand which must never be crossed, or else!

 However, the tendency to set some predetermined limit, or threshold on what we are willing to forgive will effectually prevent us from making forgiveness a habit, for if we have decided to go thus far, and no further, our spiritual growth in that area would be limited to what we have stipulated.

 This is not the Bible’s gold standard of forgiveness, for if God does not generally put a threshold neither should we. Now, it is true that a person can commit the unpardonable sin, according to the scriptures, but this is always after repeat offences and repeat forgiveness have been utterly exhausted.

 The “Three strikes and you’re out” type of forgiving trespasses is not how God deals with us, and since He is our Great exemplar in all things, we should be willing by His grace, to follow in His footsteps. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13: 4 Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.

5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seek not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.

6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all  things, endures all things.

8 Charity never fails.

Matthew 12:31 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.

Another issue that must be taken into consideration when forming the habit of forgiving trespasses, is that it’s always preferable to give the benefit of the doubt. This can be quite difficult to do, without the help of The Holy Spirit for one might think that after several infractions against a particular person, the repeat offender would have gotten the message.

 The fact is that in reality, a person might actually be struggling with some issue and they could be having difficulty in correcting their course of action. This is especially true when persons are trying to kick the drug habit, or trying to overcome other addictions.

 Kleptomania is one’s inability to resist the urges to steal items which he or she might not actually need, or that may have very little value.

 There are several prominent celebrities who suffer from this problem, and even though they are filthy rich, some have been caught stealing petty items as low as seven dollars in value, and, as a result of repeat offences, some of them have been banned from Walmart.

 It may be that they are struggling with depression, or some other mental illness which they might be trying to overcome, but whatsoever might be the problem, the habit of forgiving trespasses will give them the benefit of the doubt, even as they might ask for pardon on numerous occasions.

 Some persons do fall on numerous occasions on the issue of sexual cravings, and even though they may be genuinely trying to kick the habit, yet for some reason they do stumble over and over again. Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast out seven demons had this problem, as did some of the other righteous in days of yore.

 We are not to judge a person’s sincerity if they ask for pardon on numerous occasions, for in our own life experience, we too, most likely have asked God to forgive us several times, and indeed our sincerity might have actually been questionable, yet God did freely forgive.

 Forming the habit of forgiving trespasses will take care of repeat offenders, insincerity, and deliberate violations against our persons, once we follow on in Christ’s footsteps, and if we have decided to adopt the Biblical teaching on this matter. Let’s read:

Luke 17: 3 Take heed to yourselves: If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

4 And if he trespasses against you seven times in one day, and seven times in one day turns again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him.

This leads us to our study for today, in which one of God’s prophets was to be given many lessons in the process of forming the habit of forgiving trespasses. Hosea was instructed by God in this instance to marry a woman who was a whore. Her very life was bound up in pay to play, and therefore adultery was a common occurrence with her.

 Lest anyone should take this command by God to the prophet out of context, the Bible specifically says that the instruction was issued so that Hosea would have a firsthand view and experience of the love of God towards backsliding Israel. And, in the process, Hosea would be put into a position where forgiving such a spouse could be quite difficult.

 In a person’s own experience of forming the habit of forgiveness, we would discover that there are some trespasses which are much easier to forgive than others. Adultery is one of them, let alone the prospect of multiple infractions by one’s spouse.

Hosea had to face this reality, not only up front, but also on a continuing basis, as he struggled to form the habit of forgiving his wife. Not only did Gomer have multiple relationships outside of her marriage to Hosea, she also had children by her secret lovers, so Hosea was faced with the prospect of having to care for children that were not his.

 He vents his frustration at times, and he is tempted to abandon the habit of forgiving trespasses, to the point where he becomes separated from his wife for a time.

 But then, the word of The Lord comes to him once more, to take up the mantle of forgiveness, and this time he not only has to forgive his wife, but doing so would actually cost him personally, as he finds himself having to purchase her from sexual slavery into which she had sold herself. A grim prospect indeed. Let’s read:

Hosea 1:2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.

3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah.

8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Hosea 2:1 Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.

2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries….

5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

Hosea 3:1 Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

Most persons would have thrown in the towel after the first bout of infidelity, especially since in this case, Hosea had given his wife a brand, new start in life. She obviously blew the golden opportunity on several occasions, yet, Hosea was to practice loving and forgiving her over and over again.

 Then it reached a climax when he had to purchase   her back to himself, with all of the baggage, bruises, and wounds she had incurred. This represents what Jesus did for us on Calvary, for like Gomer, we had multiple transgressions against us, and Christ finally had to pay with His own blood, to purchase us back to Himself.

 Therefore, in our own sphere, where we too would be put into positions where we may need to forgive someone multiple times, God encourages us not to be weary of well-doing, for He does not get weary of forgiving us over and over again.

 Instead of saying why me, let us step up to the plate and do as Jesus does with us. No one says it will be easy, but like Hosea, we would be strengthened by God to follow in His footsteps.

 Only those who have formed the habit of forgiving trespasses will be able to endure the time of trouble such as never was.

 The prospect of losing life and property to persons who are bent on doing deliberate harm, would call for characters that do not dwell in revenge or strict justice. But, if we refuse to be trained by God in this matter we will implode under a weight of revenge, for wrongs that will be done to the remnant.

 Let us therefore continue to cultivate the habit of forgiving trespasses. We can start with those whom we know have wronged us or we may start with the friends and families with whom we may have had a beef for many years. It is high time for us to move on from those grievances, for if we cling to them, they would only eat us from the inside out.

 Instead, let the love of God pervade our hearts, and as we go about our daily duties, and as we interact with persons who may not treat us right from time to time, let us forgive and forget, because doing so will enable us to form the habit of forgiveness, and as we all know, practice makes perfect.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to follow in Christ’s footsteps, for it is the will of God that Christians reflect the radiance of His character, by dealing only in the currency of heaven. Let’s read:

Matthew 6: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

                                      God Bless!

A Scripture For Everything. Sabbath afternoon 05/07/2022

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

The prophet Isaiah was doing quite well in verses 9 and 10 of our first passage until he reached verse 13 in which he introduces with the word “But” to start.

But meaning: a conjunction, used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned.

 In verse 9 Isaiah states that The Lord would increase knowledge to those who may be willing to move on from the elementary things that are written in the scriptures, which he refers to as milk, or baby food.

 Then in verse 10 he stipulates how the scripture is to be studied to achieve such knowledge, by going line upon line and precept upon precept. However, by the time Isaiah gets to verse 13 his tone changes significantly, for he is now stating that some people who study would fall backwards, be broken and will be taken in a snare.

 We were just wondering what could have gone so wrong between verses 9 and 13, so as to cause the prophet to utter those ominous, cryptic words. Just wondering!

 There are scriptures for everything that folks might encounter on this planet and for any given situation the word of God contains passages and verses that can be applied, in letter and in principle.

 There are verses in the scriptures which deal with depression, osteoporosis, sickness, death, conflicts, recessions, fear, pain, remedies, prayer, salvation, riches, savings, work ethics and more.

 There are passages which deal with smoking, diets and foods, hygiene, emotional well-being, lending, borrowing, laziness, bravery, banking, slavery, the use of drugs, complaining, positive attitudes, laws, prophecies, snitching, and every other aspect of our lives, and that’s why The Lord stated that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that is communicated from the voice of God.

 Now, even though the scriptures were intended for the benefit and well-being of the human family, it is a fact that if persons so choose, they can find many passages that might seem on the surface to justify a wrong course.

 And that is just one of the reasons why in our first passage, after stating that line must be upon line, Isaiah goes on to say that many would stumble and fall after reading the scriptures.

 However, before we get into the meat of the study, it is necessary for us to understand that the Bible is often used by men and demons for good as well as for evil.

 Passages of scripture are quite often wrested from their true meaning to justify alternative life- styles, vices, polygamy, and a host of other activities which God never endorsed or commanded.

 During the dark ages, when millions upon millions of Christians were being martyred, it’s the Bible that was being referenced and misused to try to justify those atrocities and actions which caused humanity to shudder.

 That passage which speaks about Peter having the keys of heaven was used to install the vicar of Christ on earth, and since that time, various Biblical verses and a plethora of scriptural statements have been twisted, modified, distorted, and misinterpreted, to mean whatsoever persons desire them to mean.

 In our day the scriptures are used to defend many spurious works of healing. Fake healers often quote verses from the Bible to show what the term slain in The Spirit means. And we have all seen congregants collapsed on the floor around some televangelist, as they are touched on the forehead, or blown upon.

 Again, those passages in the Bible which deal with speaking in tongues are often used to justify various kinds of gibberish, whereas, if the scriptures were studied line upon line, precept upon precept, folks would clearly see that tongues are languages, not a multitude of disconnected, fuzzy utterances that do make persons seem illogical.

 Thus, the very same scripture that was ordained to life, and inspired by the Holy Ghost, is often used in nefarious ways to try to justify a wrong course of action, because anything good can be used to do evil, a fact we must all be aware of. The freedom of speech is used for preaching as well as cursing.

 Therefore, it is nothing strange if the scriptures are used by some persons who are bent on doing evil to try to shore up support for a contradictory course of action, directly opposed to what the Bible intends.

 Thus, if we are to cherish and hold the truth in clear steady lines, we would have to become acquainted with the word of God so as to discern the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, truth and error. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration  of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,  for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

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

Ephesians 4: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

What we’re referring to, as it pertains to deliberate misuse of the scriptures was manifested in real time when the tempter came to Christ in the wilderness as an angel of light. At that time, he resorted to the use of the scriptures, to try to legitimize a contrary course of action.

 His forays into the word, and the resulting errors which followed are to be studied closely by those who are preparing for the final conflict between good and evil, for the same strategies used back then would be employed in our day.

 The Bible warns us specifically that false Christs and false prophets would arise, and deceive many, a phenomenon that is already underway, and thus, the soldiers of the cross must be on full alert so as not to be carried away by the multitude of errors.

 At this juncture, there is something that we must be mindful of, for we are instructed in the Bible not to be ignorant of satan’s devices. A deep and thorough study of the word of God forms an integral part of the daily regimen of devils.

 It is indispensable to them being armed with the needed distortions and private interpretations so as to ensnare persons who might have not a clue as to what the correct interpretation is. Let’s read:

[Spirit Of Prophecy Vol. 2 pp 87] Satan is a diligent student of the Bible, and much better acquainted with the prophecies than many religious teachers. He has ever kept well-informed concerning the revealed purposes of God, that he might defeat the plans of the Infinite.

 Thus, as the scene in the wilderness temptation of Christ opens up, the tempter appears as an angel of light, but because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, the first word out of His mouth gives him away. The word “if” suggests that Christ is possibly not The Son of God, and therefore, if he were an angel from heaven, such doubt would be contraindicated.  Let’s read:

Matthew 4: 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Once the devil realizes that Jesus knows scripture, he abruptly changes his strategies to meet the urgency of the moment. From here on out he would counter Christ with scriptures, which have been strategically selected and modified to suit his own diabolical purposes.

 First, he would quote the verses partially, and out of context, to accommodate what he desires, and then he would misinterpret those doctored verses, so as to have them mean what God never intended.

 These two strategies are quite often used when a Christian is the target of some temptation, for when unbelievers are to be tempted, there is no need for him to quote scripture, since they are in most cases not familiar with what the word of God says.

 Thus, the very next temptation will include scripture that has been strategically doctored, and his spin on it would be made to mean what God strictly forbids anyone to do, because no one is advised to jump off a skyscraper, and reasonably expect God to deliver or save in such a situation. Yet, the words he uses have been lifted from the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Persons are never to put themselves, unbidden by God, in harm’s way and then expect God to work a miracle to save, for it generally does not work that way. Even though God is merciful, His mercies are never to be abused by the human agent, for as was stated before, He often let’s the laws of sowing and reaping run their natural course.

 The thief, who accepted Christ on the cross, at the very last moment, had spent his entire life stealing things from many persons, and as he saw eternity looming before him, he had a change of heart. But the results of his actions were not removed, and he died the first death like any other bandit.

 Repentance, in the overwhelming majority of cases, does not automatically include a reversal of fortune, especially if persons knew what was right, but then disregarded the light God shed on their pathway.

 It is left with God alone to decide if He would heal or deliver in such and such circumstance, but for us to expect or demand deliverance as part and parcel of repentance is an absolute misnomer.

If Jesus, in this instance were to jump off from the pinnacle of the temple, persons in our day would then follow His example, and we would see teens on TikTok and YouTube attempting the same feat, and dying in the process.

 Thus, the suggestion, or inference that satan made to Christ was not born of faith, but of presumption, for he deliberately left out the qualifying factors for deliverance after the godly sort. Here is what the scripture actually says. Let’s read:

Psalms 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

The word “thy” is rendered with a lowercase T, and therefore to someone who does not study line upon line, “thy” could be interpreted to mean either you, the human being, or God. If the human agent is the “thy” being referred to, then the scripture will mean that God has promised to protect us, regardless of any reckless choices and actions we may take.

But if the “thy” is referring to God, then the promise would obviously be applying to all the ways of God’s choosing. Thus, in His reply, Jesus used the Biblical line upon line method, to correct those erroneous views that were being put forward by the enemy of souls. Let’s read:

Matthew 4: 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Thus, the strategies employed, the methods used, and the private interpretations put forward by the enemy, form the bedrock of temptations that are tailormade to appeal to Christians especially, and these strategies are often duplicated and adopted by persons who desire to justify a wrong course of action, or, who may try to quiet their consciences.

The following passages are examples of what we are speaking of, for if persons are dead set in their minds to disregard truth, they, like our mortal foe, will most likely find a scripture somewhere, to show the Biblical basis for what they desire to do.

 For instance, if folks want to eat any and everything without restraint, or interference from God, there are several passages in the Bible that may seem to give them the leeway to do so. Let’s be very careful as we read, lest verse 13 of Isaiah 28 cause some to stumble or fall backwards. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 12: 15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusts after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

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

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

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

However, these are not the only scriptures which treat upon the matter of diets and foods, because, according to our first passage, line must be upon line and precept upon precept. Therefore, before we run away with those texts we just read, let us examine other passages which deal with the issue. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins, and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.

11 You shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcass in abomination.

Sharks, oysters, stone crabs, shrimp, mussels, and a multitude of other crustaceans obviously do not fit this stipulation, and thus, when Paul says that The Lord revealed to him that there is nothing unclean of itself, persons should not run with that passage alone, to quiet their consciences.

Again, if persons desire to consume alcohol such as your Johnny Walker black, or a Bud light, or any of those rare French wines that are sold, without any compunctions of conscience, there are scriptures that could be lifted from the Bible, to try and show support for that indulgence too. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusts after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desires: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.

2nd Samuel 6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to everyone a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So, all the people departed everyone to his house.

John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine.

6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bore it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was

(but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

Notice that the scripture does not say exactly what type of wine it was that Jesus made, whether it was the pure juice of the grape, or whether it was wine fermented with alcohol. It leaves the conclusion up in the air, so that if persons desire to interpret it as booze in this instance, he/she is free to do so.

 But to a reasonable thinking mind such a conclusion would obviously raise some serious questions, given that the very same Jesus inspired prophets to write sternly against the use of fermented beverages. So, it is unlikely that He will in one breath sanction the use of booze, and then in another instance, utterly rail against it.

Again, what we have just read about Jesus turning water into wine, is not all the Bible has to say about the issue for as we have stated before the scripture can be used in many circumstances to justify a right or a wrong course of action.

 We were just wondering again, why Isaiah says in our first passage, that some will fall backward after reading the scriptures, just wondering!

 It all depends on the readers in question whether or not they are genuinely in search of God’s ideal will, or whether they are looking for scriptures to justify a course of action that is antithetical to the truth in the matter. Let’s read:

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

Isaiah 5: 11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.

Proverbs 23: 29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright.

32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of  a mast.

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not:

when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

[The Desire of Ages. Pp 143] The wine which Christ provided for the feast, and that which He gave to the disciples as a symbol of His own blood, was the pure juice of the grape. To this the prophet Isaiah refers when he speaks of the new wine “in the cluster,” and says, “Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.” Isaiah 65:8.

1st Corinthians 6: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Again, depending on the purposes of the reader, a person might seem to be able to justify polygamy, since many God-fearing men in times past had a duplicity of wives. In fact, the twelve tribes of Israel descended from polygamy, and if one so desires, the scripture can be referenced in an attempt to sanction the practice.

 Solomon was Bathsheba’s son, David had at least eleven wives, and Solomon, who is called the wise man steals the show with over one thousand. These men wrote many chapters in the Bible, and to folks who are looking for an extramarital affair, some of the passages in scripture might seem to provide the necessary support he or she needs. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 12: 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus, saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

 8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

Genesis 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he

loved also Rachel more than Leah …

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took

Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

But these instances stand in marked contrast to other passages written in both the Old and New testaments, and therefore, if the reader desires a rendezvous in the Appalachian trail, or a mistress outside of the marriage, there you go.

 But if he or she is a sincere seeker for truth they will not stop at these passages alone since God has very plainly revealed His will on the matter in question. Just wondering again why Isaiah says that many will fall backward and stumble, after reading the word of God. Just wondering! Let’s read:

Genesis 2: 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones,  and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

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

4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

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

7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

The words “Because of the hardness of your hearts” go much further than a lack of compassion. Those words hearken back to our freedom of choice to do good or evil, which God respects, and permits if we insist on a contrary course of action.

 In all of the deviations written about what righteous persons did or did not do, one fundamental fact has to always be considered, that God often runs into push-back from the human agent, after telling us plainly what His ideal will is.

 Then, after repeated efforts to guide us in the right path have failed, He would at times relent, allowing us do what we desire to do, because God will never coerce any person to do right, for if he were to do so we would become the human version of Alexa.

 God could have taken the fruit out of the hands of Adam and Eve by force, He could have stopped the murderous Cain from shedding innocent blood. He could have prevented Noah from having that first drink of alcohol after the flood, and He could have caused Jacob to fumble the lies he and his mom had concocted.

 God does not prevent false prophets from using the  Bible to present false doctrines, neither has He ever banned satan from studying His word. Everyone is left free to search for and choose the right, if we are thus disposed, or conversely, if we are searching for justification in false paths, then there is a scripture for everything.

Again, God could have stopped Putin from doing the unthinkable, and He could force you and me to yield unquestioning obedience. But if He were to do so, our freedom of choice would evaporate, and our intelligence would be rendered worthless.

 Thus, when we read the Bible we must keep in mind that there is a scripture for everything and there is a scripture for everyone. God reveals His ideal will for the human family, but He also causes to be written, the various alternatives persons chose, or insisted on.

 Therefore, the reader is left free to pick and choose their own private interpretation, if folks so desire, although God issues a warning against doing so. A person’s private interpretation would never alter in in anyway God’s revealed, ideal will, and at the end of the day, those who desire to serve, love and obey God, will know of the doctrine.

 Therefore, we’ll end with that first cryptic passage from Isaiah, which speaks eloquently about how the scriptures are to be studied and interpreted. But we will also include the caution issued, so that we may avoid the snares of unscriptural doctrines which are based on convenient manipulations of God’s word. Let’s read:

Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

                                     God Bless!

Pros And Cons Of foreknowledge. Sabbath afternoon 04/30/2022

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

In our world, there are people who will do anything just to know what the future holds because some of them believe that they would be able to make good error proof choices, and sound decisions if they had foreknowledge of what is to come. In the business world we have what is called “Stock futures” which are supposed to give us guidance as to how markets would open on a given day.

The problem is that even though guidance might be given up front the fact is that no one knows for sure how the markets would fare during the day because just last week, the Dow industrials started off pretty well on Friday, but closed down 900 plus points. The same can be said of what may or may not happen in Russia, as the grim war grinds on.

 Persons speculate and some may try to predict, but again, no one knows with certainty how and when it will all end and what the final human cost would be. No one knows if nukes will be used, or whether the conflicts would be restricted to only conventional weapons. The fact is that none of us know for sure.

 Then, there are other aspects foreknowledge to be considered, for even though we may have it, that is no guarantee that persons would make sound, and wise decisions commensurate with such knowledge. The antediluvians were made privy to the fact that a flood was coming upon the earth, and according to the scriptures, only eight persons found their way into the ark.

 So there are pros and cons to having foreknowledge as a clear view of the future would naturally require decisions to be made. Apart from what is revealed in the scriptures, or through various God-ordained prophets, the future is God’s domain because God’s singular ability of Omniscience gives Him fine details of all that will take place.

 Not only does God’s omniscience read future events accurately, He is also able to read all historical facts from everlasting to everlasting, so that He is able to use that knowledge to plan and to execute His plans with unerring accuracy. This is one of many factors which go a mighty long way in cementing our faith in God, for we can trust His predictions with utmost confidence.

 But, some folk struggle with the fact that God often does things that may seem to question His ability to read the future, and for this reason some folks have erroneously come to the conclusion that God might at times be caught off-guard, or blindsided by a turn of events that He probably did not cater for.

 Nothing can be further from the truth, because for everything that takes place, or has taken place, God knows, and knew it all long before it ever occurred. That is what our first passage states unequivocally, for when it says that His counsel will stand, it means that His foreknowledge of events is perfect, and can be depended upon by all concerned.

 When the people of Nineveh repented, The God of heaven was not surprised, nor did He have to make any last-minute adjustments to His plans, for in His foreknowledge, He saw their repentance, and that’s the reason why God sent Jonah in the first place, to facilitate what He saw in advance, the people would do. Let’s read:

Jonah 1:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore, I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night

11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Again, when the storm arose on the lake with the twelve disciples, it was not something that God did not cater for, because it was seen from long ago in His foreknowledge, how the whole ordeal would’ve played out. Not one of those disciples would perish and the boat would never sink, for God had already catered for what we often call sudden occurrences. Let’s read:

Matthew 14: 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

5 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

[The Desire Of Ages pp 380>381] Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves.

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

Thus, when it comes to studying the foreknowledge of God there are certain foundational facts that are to be taken into consideration:

[1] Given His accurate knowledge of future events, God never makes a mistake; God never has and He never will.

[2] A clear knowledge of the future moves God to make good, responsible decisions, which He always does.

[3] Knowing the future, as it pertained to the creation of intelligent beings, did not mean that the future would be all good, because foreknowledge has pros and cons.

[4] At the end of the day, everything God does will be shown to make perfect sense.

So, let us take a trip to heaven and ask of The Lord some of the nagging questions in the minds of some folks who erroneously believe that God has made a few mistakes. When God decided to bring angels in to existence, God knew that somewhere down the line one of them would rebel, and cause trouble for the universe.

 Therefore, just as it is with us, the knowledge of the future would move God to make good, responsible, and sensible decisions, as to whether or not He will create them.

 And thus, one of the nagging questions in the minds of some people is: Why did God choose to go ahead and create Lucifer, if in His foreknowledge God saw that this particular angel would give Him trouble.

 Before we move forward, it is important for us to observe the various levels of God’s creation, as we know it. There are inanimate creations like rocks, precious stones, and metals. Then, there are lower level creations of living things like trees, flowers,  grass and vegetables, just to name a few.

 Then, moving up the ladder, there are other types of living creatures that are made with instinct, such as those in the animal kingdom like dogs, and cats, and some of our other furry friends. Some of these can be taught respond in certain ways, because they are restricted to fixed patterns of behavior.

 In·stinct: Noun: An innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli.

 Then you have the higher level of creations like you and me and the angels, who have been created with intelligence, and the freedom of choice. Believe it or not it’s us, the last category that gives God the most trouble, yet the freedom of choice and intelligence are good things, when used intelligently.

When God sent Noah to preach to the Antediluvian world, he did so for 120 years, and most of the folk who had intelligence and freedom of choice refused to go into the ark. But when God spoke to the lower life forms of animals, they did the right thing, as can be seen in the ratio of human beings to animals in the ark. Animals obeyed God’s voice while persons with intelligence refused.

 Thus, in His foreknowledge, God was going to make a decision whether to move forward with creating beings who could turn on Him, and if He were to do so the question to be answered was, would it be the good, responsible thing to do. In other words would it have made sense to create them after all was said and done?

 The very same issue of the pros and cons of having foreknowledge arose when it came time to decide whether or not to make man. Knowing perfectly the future of our race and the terrible decisions, choices and actions some will take, would it be the sensible and responsible thing to do, to go ahead and create us anyway?

 In other words, should God’s knowledge of the fact that some of the angels, and of the human family would turn against Him, prevent Him from creating intelligent beings with freedom to choose, or should He limit His creation to inanimate objects and lower lifeforms that operate strictly by instinct.

 These are just a few of the haunting questions that boggle the minds of mortals from time to time. The fact is that every angel, and both our fore-parents, Adam and Eve were created perfect, a fact that is to always be brought into the equation. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 28: 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set thee so: you were upon the holy mountain of God; thou have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 You were perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

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.

[Amazing Grace pp 344] There were no corrupt principles in the first Adam, no corrupt propensities or tendencies to evil. Adam was as faultless as the angels before God's throne.

Another fact that must be given due consideration  as God made a decision to create intelligent beings is that in His accurate foreknowledge, He saw that the majority of angels would remain loyal, and even with the human family, very many would choose to obey God, which is the wise and intelligent thing to do.

 Thus, even though there would be pros and cons in creating us, the fact is that at the end of the day, when the dust has settled, it would be seen that it was a good, wise, intelligent and responsible thing that God did in creating men and angels. Let’s read:

Revelation 12: 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.

Revelation 7: 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

[Amazing Grace pp 344] It was God's purpose to repopulate heaven with the human family, if they would show themselves obedient to His every word. God made Adam after His own character, pure and upright.

How do you guarantee that intelligent beings with the freedom of choice won’t ever rise up again in rebellion? How can this be accomplished without the use of force, or instinct? The key rests with the intelligence and freedom to choose God made us with., two of the best gifts gave to us.

 Nuclear energy can be used for good, if it is used in an intelligent way. It can be used to power cities or nations, but it can also be used to destroy human life. It all depends on the choices made. The same can be said of knives, for we use them to do many things in the kitchen, but they can also be used for diabolical purposes.

 The same is true for almost everything that man has invented, from social media platforms, to airplanes, from medicines to automobiles; they all can be used for good or evil by the choices that are made.

 Therefore, the questions is: Should the knowledge of the possibility of misuse by some, stop us from inventing these things? If we were to go that route then foreknowledge of the possibility of evil would become the controlling factor in our decision-making and the good that can be accomplished will be tabled as a result.

 The same is true of God, for if the foreknowledge of the fall of some men and some angels, caused Him to put creation on hold indefinitely, the very much good that would also result would never come into fruition, and thus, God would become subservient to the knowledge of evil, something that isn’t good at all by any means.

 This mode of decision making would consequently put the progress of the universe into reverse gear, and the fear of potential evils would become the controlling factor in every good thing God wanted to do.

 Therefore, in order to solve the problem once and for all, God decided to go ahead and create angels and men with intelligence and freedom to choose, so that all who so desired could decide once and for all, if they would choose to willingly obey or rebel.

 In this way, when every angel and every person has fully made up their minds, the universe would be made forever secure, because by our own choice, we decided to love and serve God, without being coerced to do so.

 And it’s because of this why iniquity will not arise a second time, not because God will forever remove intelligence and choice from us. Let’s read:

[Desire Of Ages pp 759] God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this.

 Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order.

 His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power.

 It was God's purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security. And in the councils of heaven, it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government.

This brings us to the most sobering thought of what you and I would use our intelligence and freedom of choice to do? Would we use it to rebel against God, like so many are doing, or would we deliberately choose to love and obey God, because of His mercy and goodness, manifested towards us daily, and in the Person of Jesus Christ who died to set us free?

 The choice is ours, and during our probationary time on earth, we are given ample opportunity to choose life or death, good or evil. If we make the intelligent choice to obey God, by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, that decision will be sealed for eternity in our foreheads where decisions are made.

 Conversely, if we choose to throw in our lot with the rebels, God will honor the choice we make, and the consequences that will follow. Therefore, we beseech you to be reconciled to God. Consider His great love, His kindness, His mercies, His goodness, and His Creatorship, and then choose life, for this is the most intelligent thing anyone can choose to do.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which places before all the inhabitants of earth, the stark choices in the matter, and it is our sincere hope and prayer that our decisions in this life will lead to life eternal with Christ. Let’s read:

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

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

                                     God Bless!

Because Of His Mercies. Sabbath afternoon 04/23/2022

Lamentations 3: 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore, I have hope.

22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Everything God does, and everything He commands us to do should be viewed from the perspective of His love and mercy, for they form the cornerstones of all of His interactions with the human family.

 It is a fact that mercy is not needed, where there is no transgression, such as with the angels who never sinned, and thus, it is because humanity is fallen by nature why God’s mercy towards the human family takes precedence.

 Adam and Eve did not need mercy before they fell, because the very definition of mercy, from the Bible perspective, assumes that some violation has taken place, and thus, mercy, which is God’s unmerited grace towards us is offered, instead of strict justice that came due.

 Some persons erroneously conflate kindness with mercy, because persons often administer kindness, benevolence, and good will, without being merciful. The willingness to treat others the way they do not deserve to be treated, after wrongs have been done to us is what constitutes the type of mercy, of which the scriptures speak.

 Thus, in our first passage God’s mercy is mentioned in the context of us not receiving what we are really due, hence the reason why the passage states that we are not consumed. In other words, were it not for the manifestation of God’s mercies towards us, we would all be naturally “consumed”.

 Therefore, from the perspective of us being sinners, everything God does, and everything God tells us to do should always be viewed in the context of mercy for some have erroneously concluded that The God of the Old Testament was severe while The God of the New Testament is love.

 The fact is that it is The same God yesterday, today and forever, and He bids us to study with a humble heart and a teachable spirit, His providences in both the old and new Testaments, for we will discover a common thread of mercy running throughout the entire Bible.

  The mercy seat in the ancient sanctuary system put the emphasis on mercy, because God directed that it be located strategically above the law, contained in the ark.

 Not only was its location and its position strategic, it was definitely meant to send an ongoing message to all concerned, that The God of heaven deals, and communicates with us all in the language of mercy.

 He sends His sunshine and rain on the just, and also on the unjust, and the “Just” are never to consider themselves as more deserving of mercy, because, guess what, it is God’s mercy that made them just in the first place.

 God dealt with David from the perspective of mercy and He dealt with king Saul the very same way. God dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah mercifully for if He had let them continue to exist, the world would be led astray into false paths, the same as we are now witnessing in our day, as it pertains to the plethora of divergent views and practices, on marriage and gender.

 In addition to this, If God did not stop them in their tracks, they would continue to live and pile up sins upon sins, which they would eventually have to pay for when crunch time comes around.

 Thus, rather than let them live, and continue over -filling their account in the books of record He brings an end to their existence, thus mercifully shortening the time they would have to spend in the fires of hell down the road. It is always from a perspective of mercy.

 Again, it was from the viewpoint of mercy, why God did not bring the last plague on Egypt first, for if He were to do this, then pharaoh would have gotten the message loud and clear. But God gives the king time to consider and rethink his position, if haply there might be a change of course.

 Thus, in reading, and studying the scriptures, God’s mercy is a given, that must be juxtaposed with any and everything He does even at times when He may not give historical context, explanations, or reasons. 

 There are times, when like with Manasseh, the Bible reveals to us that God pleaded with that stubborn king, year after year, even sending His servants, and prophets to warn him of his course of action.

 Then when all else failed, God mercifully permitted Manasseh to be incarcerated by his enemies and he finally came to himself as he suffered in the prison. Then, rather than rejoice over his much-deserved ill fortunes, God heard the king’s prayer, He forgives  him, and then reinstates him to his office.

 Thus, in His dealings, and in His communications to us, God does what He does from the position of the Mercy seat being above the strict justice of the law, and even if the scriptures might noy directly say so in every instance, the element of mercy could, and should be included for it is always there, sometimes apparent, and sometimes to be assumed.

 Case in point is the fatal judgement which fell upon Uzzah, for him trying to prevent the ark from falling. To some persons, it would seem as if God’s action in that particular situation was rash and arbitrary, and even David was moved to voice his grave concern over the incident.

 The reason for this is that in this instance, the Bible does not give any historical context, leading up to the incident, so that persons could reason logically and conclude that yes, Uzzah received his due. But the scripture is not to be understood through logic, it is to be understood through faith, and thus, what God did in this instance was naturally right, and long overdue.

 Even though nothing is said of his prior offences, it is a given that God granted him mercy and grace on many, many occasions, before it finally culminated in his death.

 The Bible does not have to always give us the fine print and details; all we have to do is to see God in His position upon the Mercy seat located above law, and all inserts, or omissions in scripture will become as clear as day in the context of His great mercy. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6: 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, 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.

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day…

The same is true of the Amalekites, the people of Jericho, Eli’s sons, Achan, Judas, Nebuchadnezzar, and all those who even hated God. He has always dealt with us from that perspective, of the mercy seat being located above the law.

 Therefore, from the very beginning when Adam and Eve fell God’s interaction with the human family has always been from the perspective of His mercy even when His judgments had to be administered.

 It was always in the context of Him being merciful, for as we have stated previously, if God did not in mercy destroy certain nations, we would’ve ceased to exist long ago as we can all see what the brutality of man towards his fellow man produces in the likes of Ukraine. 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.

 Another critically important point for us to consider is that shewing mercy does not come free, for it has to be justified. God will not just forgive a person just for forgiving sake, because shewing mercy requires a legal basis by which it can be shown that such and such a person can be dealt mercifully with.

 If president Putin, like Manasseh were to repent of his deeds and God were to forgive him, then folks would be in an uproar, if God does not show a legal basis for doing so. Persons who have lost their lives prematurely, and the relatives of the deceased will be hard pressed for the justification of mercy in this instance.

 Manasseh was no different than what is currently on display; he just did not have modern weapons at his disposal, to carry out his atrocities, but when the historical context is reviewed, we would see that he committed grave crimes against humanity and thus, there must be a legal basis for mercy towards him to be granted. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

2nd Chronicles 33: 10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not listen.

11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.

Question: What about all of those innocent people who were slaughtered by Manasseh? What about the family members, the single parent families that were the result of him taking the life of fathers and mothers prematurely? How is God going to justify mercy towards such a soul as Manasseh?

 And we can go on and on, because the question can also be asked of David. How could God legally show mercy to David when all of Uriah’s family have been bereft of their brother, uncle, or nephew? There has to be some way that such mercy towards us can be justified. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 12: 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Exodus 21: 23 And thou shalt give life for life.

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Leviticus 16: 14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins.

Very often, when we read in the scripture that God cursed this one or that one, we might erroneously conclude that the mercy seat was not present in the circumstance. The curses written in the Bible are in most cases, not something that God will do unto an individual or nation.

 Instead, it is God just stating the natural outworking of a wrong cause of action, following those laws of cause and effect, of sowing and reaping, that are in Galatians chapter 6. If one jumps off a skyscraper in New York city, they will most likely die, not because God did something to that person, but because the natural laws of sowing and reaping takes effect.

 Case in point was the curse stated against Cain after he had taken the innocent life of Abel his brother in cold blood. What God then said to him wasn’t some evil thing that God was going to do unto Cain. It was the natural out working of sin which would produce the stated results.

 Thus, when you hear people asking where is God in such and such adverse situation, or blaming God for doing things to them, in very many cases it is merely the natural laws of cause and effect occurring, with no interference from God whatsoever.

 In fact, God often mitigates to a very large extent, the results of the errors folks commit, as we would clearly see as we seek to understand the nature of the exchange with Cain. Let’s read:

Genesis 4: 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood cries unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother's blood from thy hand;

12 When thou till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that finds me shall slay me.

Very critically important questions need to be asked and answered, as it pertains to this exchange which took place between God and Cain. Our views of God and His character would depend heavily upon the conclusions drawn, because some may see A God of strict justice, or conversely, some may see A God on the mercy seat, positioned above the law.

 And the reason why it is important to harbor only the correct view, is because in our day, and in our own experience, our understanding of the exchange between God and Cain would color our interaction with God, and ultimately, the views about Him that we will project to others. So, let’s begin with the first issue:

 Did God actually put a curse on Cain, or was God just stating facts as they were, as it pertains to the natural results that would follow such a course of action as Cain took?

 The first part of the curse stated that the ground would not produce as it should, when Cain would plant it. Is that a statement of fact, or could it be something that God was going to do unto Cain?

 Is it true that when a person sheds innocent blood that such an act adversely affects the ability of the earth to produce? For instance, will those who shed innocent blood in Ukraine, cause the earth that they farm on, to be negatively impacted? These are just a few of the grave questions to be answered.

 Answer: It was a statement of fact that God uttered, and not something that God would directly do unto Cain. Sin, in all of its forms will adversely affect the production capabilities of the earth, wherever such sins are being committed. Hence the reason why we have stated on several occasions, that the problem we face is not global warming, it’s global sinning. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24: 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades 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.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 61] In humility and unutterable sadness they {Adam and Eve} bade farewell to their beautiful home and went forth to dwell upon the earth, where rested the curse of sin. The atmosphere, once so mild and uniform in temperature, was now subject to marked changes, and the Lord mercifully provided them with a garment of skins as protection from the extremes of heat and cold.

As they witnessed in drooping flower and falling leaf the first signs of decay, Adam and his companion mourned more deeply than men now mourn over their dead. The death of the frail, delicate flowers was indeed a cause of sorrow; but when the goodly trees cast off their leaves, the scene brought vividly to mind the stern fact that death is the portion of every living thing.

Therefore, several false charges are made by Cain in the above passages taken from Genesis 4, and these statements and conclusions are too often harbored and repeated in our day.  

Cain states: [1] That he was being punished. [2] That he is being driven out from the earth, and from the 

Presence of God. [3] That God has made him into a fugitive. [4] That God has made him a vagabond.

Let’s start with the first charge, that he was being punished. If as Cain claims, he was being punished, then the mercy seat was located above the law, as far as so-called punishment goes, because the law of God states that if any person deliberately sheds innocent blood, he or she would have to pay with their own life, in order for justice to be served.

Pun·ish·ment: Noun: The infliction or imposition of a penalty as retribution for an offense.

Question: Did God “Inflict” or “Impose penalties” as retribution for Cain’s crime? Or, could it be that God was simply stating the natural consequences that will accrue, as a direct result of the laws of sowing and reaping? Let’s read:

Numbers 35: 30 Whosoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death, by the  mouth of witnesses.

31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

 Genesis 9:6 Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

The second charge Cain brings against God is that God is driving him out from the face of the earth, and from the presence of God. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the two following verses clearly state. Let’s read:

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

 Genesis 6:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

The third false charge Cain makes is that God has consigned him to being a fugitive.

Fugitive meaning:  A person, such as a suspect, who is involved in a criminal case, who tries to elude law enforcement especially by fleeing the jurisdiction.

 Did God deliberately turn Cain into a fugitive, as he insinuates, or is this just the natural outworking of the laws of cause and effect, without interference of any kind from God? It’s a very weighted question which deserves a correct answer. Let’s read:

            U.S Sun News: By Danielle Cinone.  

The case surrounding Brian Laundrie's death has captivated people across the U.S, however, seven questions remain after the fugitive's bones and notebook were found in a swamp. The remains of Brian Laundrie were found in October of 2021, after a lengthy search, following the death of Gabby Petito.

 On the 15th of September, Laundrie was officially named a person of interest in the case of Gabby Petito, who was still missing at the time. The search for Laundrie continued for over a month. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation. And on September 27, Dog the Bounty Hunter announced he will lend a hand and help search for Laundrie.

 God did not punish Cain, neither did He drive him out of his presence, neither did God make him into a fugitive and a vagabond. All that God did was to allow the laws of cause and effect run their natural course. And, unless we come to grips with this view of God, we will continue to draw wrong conclusions about His character, and His dealings with us.

 The perspective of the mercy seat being above the law was extended to Adam after He had sinned, for when the scriptures are read carefully, we discover that God never cursed Adam. God simply stated the facts in the case, because the curse is located in the sinful act in most cases, not something that God will do to persons.

Furthermore, the Bible states that instead of giving strict justice to Adam, God did His best to mitigate the adverse effects of Adam’s sin, and the toil, labor and sweat that would be required to till the soil was a blessing, not a curse, because one of the greatest curses that can come upon us is to be idle, and have nothing to do. Let’s read:

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

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

What God did for Cain is what He does for you and me, and for every person who has walked contrary to His laws; God does not treat us as we deserve, but rather looks for ways and means through Christ, to lessen the adverse results of our wayward course of action. This is what God has always done even when He knows persons like Cain will never repent. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore, whosoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

[Youth Instructor 1906 par 9] God does not stand toward the sinner as an executor of the sentence against transgression; but he leaves the rejecters of his mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown.  

(That is, after God has done everything possible to save persons to the uttermost.)

Therefore, those of us who have been tasked with the preaching of the everlasting gospel ought to be very careful to project to the masses of people, the right perspective of God, for if incorrect views of His character are harbored, there will be triggered the animosities and hatred we see in many instances.

Diseases, hurricanes, global warming, violence, war, cancers, bird flu, and covid, are in very many cases the natural results of a violation of either spiritual or physical law, for there is a very close symbioses between both, where one will directly, or indirectly affect the other.

 Take for instance when the Bible predicts that in the last days there will be wars and rumors of wars with perplexities, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places; these adverse conditions should never be viewed or interpreted as God doing something evil unto earth’s inhabitants.

 Instead, the laws of cause and effect, together with the violation of spiritual and physical law, where it occurs, with the collateral damage that often takes place are to be touted where warranted as the main causes for our self-inflicted wounds, and thus God is to be seen, and presented as The One who is trying His very best to save us from ourselves.

If this isn’t done, persons would be hard-pressed to accept A God who is presented as dealing in strict justice with sinners, and as a result, every adverse consequence of one’s wrong course of action would be viewed as God taking revenge, or “punishing” us for what we have done, while satan and his demons sit in the shadows and get off scotch free.

 It's funny, that hurricanes and tornadoes are now listed as acts of God, while the one who brought the tornado upon Job’s children, while they were having a birthday party, and destroyed their home, is never even considered as the real culprit.

 Thus, Job’s wife in response says curse God and die. Thus, adverse circumstances that come our way are blamed on God and a personal responsibility for our actions is effectively removed. Thus, questions such as “Where is God” and “Why me” are asked by folks and often answered with the erroneous conclusion, that God is somehow doing these evils unto us.

 God’s character is to be fully vindicated as we draw closer to earth’s final crisis, and even though we are to warn others that His judgment will be meted out at some point after the close of probation, the evils, calamities and perplexities which are upon the land are to be understood to a great extent, as being the results of man’s own doing.

 Let us therefore always remember that it is because of His mercies why we are not consumed and as the everlasting gospel may threaten wrath to the finally impenitent, it also opens the gates to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ advocates on behalf of all who would believe.  

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to harbor correct views of God, and in so doing the sunshine of His love, His mercy, and grace would radiate in and through us, in all of our interactions with our fellowmen. Let’s read:

Psalms 103: 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

3 Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases;

4 Who redeems thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

                                     God Bless!

How And Why Pharaoh's Heart Was Hardened. Sabbath afternoon 04/16/2022

Romans 9: 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

Some persons become perplexed about the passage above, in which it might seem to show that freedom of one’s choice is manipulated by God to serve His own purposes. A misunderstanding of the passage has led some persons to conclude “What’s the point in trying, if God will override our choices anyway?”

 And because of this incorrect conclusion, some have thrown in the towel before they have even started, and others have adopted the attitude: “Whatever will be, will be”

 Thus, instead of studying line upon line and precept upon precept, to know the truth in the matter some individuals have given up on God, and the salvation Christ purchased, in exchange for the attitude often harbored, “Why bother?”

 Now, while it is true that in His capacity as Creator, God retains the right, and the prerogative to force persons into a certain course of action against their will, this is not the case in most instances. We are free moral agents with the freedom to choose given us by God Himself, and as such we are the arbiters of our own destiny.

 A thorough understanding of this issue will not only clear up major theological sticking points as pertains to the issue with pharaoh, but it will shed great light on the ways, means, and methods God employs in the salvation of souls for if we would receive it, God was actually trying to save pharaoh, just as much as He was trying to save Judas.

 However, before we proceed, we should lay a solid foundation for our study, by observing a few facts about God. God’s omniscience, which is His singular ability to read, and understand future events with pinpoint accuracy, does not lead Him to manipulate our hearts and minds, in order to get His will done, in the overwhelming majority of cases.

 God plans, and executes His plans based upon what He has foreseen persons will choose to do anyway, of their own volition. But in most cases, persons will do what God says they would do, not because God would manipulate their decision-making process for His predictions to come through, but because His foreknowledge of events and persons is accurate.

 In fact, in some circumstances, God actually gave to some persons, an opportunity to prove otherwise in His predictions, but in most instances, the human agent, followed the script without being prodded or goaded on by God. That’s because His omniscience is meticulously precise, and because of this it can be depended upon, by all who will believe.

 Case in point was Peter, to whom Christ once made the prediction that before the cock crows twice, he would deny Jesus thrice. Instead of Peter humbling himself and receiving the prediction as coming from One who does not make a mistake, Peter then took offence at the statement, and the rest is history.

 The prediction did not only include Peter, but it also included the chicken, that would fulfill Christ’s word to the letter. God was not in the background with a conductor’s baton, orchestrating the entire ordeal, He was just up in heaven, watching the scene play out, just as He had seen it many centuries before.

 Peter denied Christ and the cock crew in accordance with the predictions, even though the human agent had ample opportunity to do otherwise. In fact, God would have loved it if in response to His predictions, Peter would watch and pray, to avoid making such a terrible mistake.

 And, if Peter had chosen to believe, and act upon Christ’s warning, God would have had no problem whatsoever, with Christ’s word not coming true, because at the end of the day, Christ died to save people, not prophecy. Let’s read:

Mark 14: 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

31 But he spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.

The word “Vehemently” in the above verse, tells us that Peter became upset at Christ’s prediction, and as the story goes Peter then went on to fulfill it with unerring accuracy. No force was used, no coercion on either Peter or the chicken in question, but all fulfilled God’s word to the letter.

 The same was true of Judas, for in His omniscience,  God had foreseen that Judas would betray Jesus on  that fateful night. When Jesus made the revelation to Judas, He was simply repeating what David had written of Judas, several centuries before. God did not force Judas to do what He did, instead God gave him opportunity to do differently if he would repent and relinquish his diabolical plans.

 God did not actually need Judas to play the part he predicted Judas would play. When it was time for Christ to lay down His life, God would have laid the sins of the world upon Him, and the weight of our transgressions would have killed Jesus anyway.

But, if in His foreknowledge God saw that Judas will insist on doing what he decided to do, then Judas’ future actions would be incorporated into the word of God as a prophecy of what would take place, not as something that God would force him, or anyone else to do. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

23 And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

And many centuries before: Psalms 41: 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

10 But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

Thus, before we proceed, it will be imperative that we observe what the scriptures teach us about this singular ability of God to read the future, because it will shed great light upon our understanding of the saga of pharaoh, who for all intents and purposes, may have seemed to be bound in an iron destiny, to stubbornly disregard God’s gracious overtures. Let’s read:

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

Even though God accurately declares the end from the beginning, God would have us understand that there are also conditional prophecies pertaining to nations and individuals, in which the human agent, by their own choice, can change the outcomes, for conditional prophecies often leave the ball in the human court.

 Case in point was Nineveh, that great city, whose sins and iniquities had reached unto heaven, in so much that their probation would soon be closed.

 God sends Jonah with a prophecy that clearly states that their city would be destroyed in 40 days. But if they so choose, they could cause the prophecy not to come true, and by their own choices, they could change the word of God through Jonah into a “No”. The ball is entirely in their court, just as it was with pharaoh, Judas, Peter, and you and me.

 In other words, the outcome and fulfillment of the prophecy rested solely with the people of Nineveh, and God would have no problem whatsoever, if His declaration isn’t carried out, for as we stated before God was seeking to save Nineveh not destroy them, just as He would have saved pharaoh if the king had repented. Let’s read:

Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water.

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Therefore, in the study of “How and why pharaoh’s heart was hardened”, we should keep in mind that  God is A God of love, who was more than willing to let His prediction fail if the ill-fated king would do as the Ninevites did.

 In the narrative, we would read in several passages where God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and then we would read where pharaoh hardened his own heart, and therefore, we may safely conclude that the king was hardened in two ways, by himself, and by God, according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Exodus 4: 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When you go to return into Egypt see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

Exodus 7:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go.

21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.

Exodus 8: 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

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.

32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

Exodus 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.

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.

Exodus 10:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.

Question: Was Pharaoh always a knuckle-head, long before there were plagues upon Egypt or did God deliberately make him a knuckle-head?

 Answer: Long before any plague had fallen in Egypt, pharaoh had decided to reject the truth, the facts and evidence that God had given to the nation.

 The history of what Joseph had done, in saving the Egyptians by the power of God, surely must have been registered in the national archives, as well as in the minds of the people, but this particular king chose not to see, or recognize the great things God did for the nation.

 Pharaoh deliberately blinded his own heart to the sacred history of God’s goodness towards Egypt and by so doing, he set himself in mode of action to try and resist any and everything God would do. Thus, God used the king’s natural stubbornness as a sort of vehicle, whereby His power would be manifested in the earth.

 When the scriptures declare that pharaoh knew not Joseph, we are now looking at a king who has made a conscious decision to reject undeniable truth, long before any plague had fallen upon the Egyptians. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.

Thus, there are several questions to be answered as we study the issue of the hardening of one’s heart:

 If pharaoh had decided to obey that first command to let Israel go, would God then have deliberately prevented him from doing so?

 Was Pharaoh’s freedom of choice removed from him at this time, so that he was bound in an iron destiny, where he had no choice but to be stubborn?

What were the hardening agents that were used in making the ill-fated pharaoh bone -headed?

 But one of the most important questions is the one found in the following passage, which ought to be viewed in the context of God’s foreknowledge of future events. Let’s read:

 Exodus 5:22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, why is it that thou hast sent me?

And finally, what will be the ramifications of the answers to these questions, for those of us who are tasked with the preaching of the everlasting gospel?

 Believe it or not, it was facts and the truth that God used which resulted in hardening pharaoh’s heart. God only deals in truth, so, it is our response to truth which determines whether or not a person’s heart would be hardened.

 If we were to place mortar in direct sunlight it would naturally harden, but if we were to put butter in the same sunlight, it will melt, and therefore, the materials in question are what ultimately determine the end results of either softening or hardening.

 As it pertains to the presentation of truth in all ages, God often sends His servants on missions that will meet with much stubborn resistance from those He is trying to save, and the reason He will send them anyway is because there are many instances where the results have been favorable.

 Although, as a general rule of thumb, the truth will run into stiff opposition from the popular majority, yet there are times when the sunshine of God’s love and mercy will soften hearts, and produce fruit for His kingdom. The results are not left up to us, for it is God alone who knows who would, or would not be hardened. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 2: 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

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

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

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

Ezekiel 3: 4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.

7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.

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

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou give him not warning, nor speak 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.

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 7: 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

[The Great Controversy pp 609] Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it?  He commands his servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls. Christ's ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty, and leave results with God.

Thus, as we prepare for a final push into territories once held by man’s mortal foe, and as we get ready to give the trumpet a “certain sound”, through the preaching of the everlasting gospel, via the three angel’s messages, we must understand that some softening and some hardening would take place.

There are those who like pharaoh will never believe no matter how much evidence, and many miracles are given. But there are also some, who like those magicians of Egypt, will confess: “This is the finger of God, and some will indeed turn and repent.

 The majority of earth’s inhabitants are predicted to reject the final warning given in Revelation 14, but the true soldiers of the cross, like Moses, are not to be daunted nor discouraged, just because reception of the truth may encounter stiff opposition.

 At the end of the day, we must remember that a great number of Egyptians left Egypt together with the Hebrews, and thus, similarly, very many persons who now, may seem to be unconvinced, will throw in their lot with the remnant people of God, when crunch time comes around. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 182] There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to learn what is truth.

 Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.

 Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.

 Be ye therefore encouraged; preach the pure word, the unadulterated word, whether persons hear, or whether they forbear, for one plants, the other one waters, but it is God who would ultimately give the increase. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which would remind us to focus on those aspects of the everlasting gospel that are pertinent to our day. Let’s read:

 Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

                                    God Bless!

Major Retribution Coming. Sabbath afternoon 04/09/2022

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

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation.

8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

Throughout the history of our world the justice and benevolence of God has always been questioned for there are some people who do not accept the Bible teachings on God’s love when viewed in the context of His judgements. Others reject the Old Testament and only embrace the new, because they view God as being too harsh, when He issued corrections.

 At the foundation of everything that God does is the principle of love, even when a necessary judgement becomes due. When some nations were blotted out of existence in days of old, it was a loving thing that God did, and it was the best and the only right thing for Him to do at the time.

 Some folks take cover under the pretext that He is God, and as such, He will do whatsoever He chooses to do. Now, while this is true, that view falls short of the much better understanding God would have us embrace, that is, whatsoever He does isn’t arbitrary at all, but is well thought out as being the very best action that must be taken in a given circumstance.

 This understanding of God should be embraced by  His people, if we are to avoid the snare of blaming God wrongfully, for in the Old Testament we would read of the Antediluvians in Noah’s day being destroyed by the flood, and we would oftentimes read of God sending the nation of Israel to utterly destroy certain nations.

 Thus, some persons have come to question, both the goodness and justice of God, for some believe erroneously that He is supposed to be one-sided in His administration, only using love without justice.

 But the Scriptural view of God is that He is both A loving God and a God of justice, because love is not love at all if justice is not recognized and employed where warranted. Our first passage enumerates the goodness and mercies of God, but it also states that He will in now wise clear the guilty.

 In the ancient sanctuary system, the mercy seat was located above the law, because God takes delight in mercy. But the law was located below to catch what mercy failed to accomplish, and thus, the Hebrews knew, and witnessed the goodness and the severity of God, so that in their minds, the right balance was struck, which balance some seem to be unaware of in our day.

 Several passages of scripture, both in the Old and in the New Testaments firmly establish, and project this balanced view, so that the inhabitants of earth today would not be deceived into believing that we would get off scotch free with any and every type of wickedness that is practiced. Let’s read:

Joshua 24: 20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

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

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

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses.

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye,  shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

John 13: 4 He arose from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Matthew 26:24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Romans 11: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off.

Deuteronomy 7: 9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

10 And repays them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hates him, he will repay him to his face.

Revelation 21: 7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, murderers and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

In the days of the Antediluvians, God in His mercy sent Noah to preach the people for 120 years and during that time He supplied the entire world with all that was needed for life and well-being. The Lord provided food in abundance, and the people back then always had more than enough, and to spare.

 God continued to take care of earth’s inhabitants right up until the very day of the flood, for He gave them breakfast even on that fateful morning. Thus, a great change took place after they had passed the limits of God’s forbearance, thus forever closing the probation of that long-lived race.

 Then, The same God who had for so long mercifully taken care of those people for so many years sent a whole lot of rain, and flooded the entire planet to the tune of several miles high, thus bringing to an abrupt halt, the wickedness of that era.

 Retribution for unrepented sins had seemed so long delayed, but the time came when the tables turned, and the justice side of God was made manifest. The forces of nature were unleashed, and every person who had spurned their day of grace, perished in the waters of the flood. Let’s read:

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 99>100] Upon the eighth day dark clouds overspread the heavens. Soon large drops of rain began to fall. Darker and darker grew the heavens, and faster came the falling rain.

 The beasts were roaming about in the wildest terror and their discordant cries seemed to moan out their own destiny and the fate of man. Then “the fountains of the great deep” were “broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”

 Rivers broke away from their boundaries, and overflowed the valleys. Jets of water burst from the earth with indescribable force, throwing massive rocks hundreds of feet into the air.

 The altars on which human sacrifices had been offered were torn down, and the worshipers were made to tremble at the power of the living God, and to know that it was their corruption and idolatry which had called down their destruction.

 As the violence of the storm increased, trees, buildings, rocks, and earth were hurled in every direction. The terror of man and beast was beyond description. Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence.

 Love, no less than justice, demanded that God's judgments should put a check on sin. The avenging waters swept over the last retreat and the despisers of God perished in the black depths.

After the earth was repopulated, major retribution also had to be meted out to nations which had gone so deep in sin and rebellion that God was moved to blot them out from the face of the earth. The very same atrocities we are witnessing live today, were then taking place, just using different methods and different weapons.

 The heart of man is desperately wicked, and if God did not intervene on several occasions, we would have self-destructed a long time ago. But persons have been ignorant of the reasons why God had to do what He did, so now, He is letting us witness for ourselves, why His judgements, in days of old had come due.

 Thus, when He begins to carry out His strange act in our day every mouth may be stopped, for we would have seen and heard for ourselves how the brutality of man against his fellowman will drive the planet to extinction if God does not bring major retribution at some point.

 Kings and nations like Agag, the Philistines, Jericho, the Amalekites, amongst others, had to be visited with severe justice, because the crimes committed would have caused folk in our day to shudder. Then there were wicked Roman emperors like Nero, who took satanic delight in burning martyrs.

 Thus, what we are witnessing currently in Europe is nothing new, because persons are just following the playbook that was written by devils, and acted upon by evil men several eons ago. Every person who will deliberately take the life of another for no reason is a murderer, walking in the footsteps of our mortal and invisible enemy. Let’s read:

John 8: 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. 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.

But a major retribution is coming, and it is stated in the scriptures that God Himself would arise to take care of situations, when men fail to do so. God will permit things to go on for so long, but the time will come when the invisible line between God’s mercy and justice will be crossed, and then the inhabitants of earth will see the other side of God. Let’s read:

Isaiah 13: 5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt.

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them.

9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

[The Great Controversy pp 627] The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which he bears long, and which he will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.

Isaiah 20:21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

22 Now therefore be ye not mockers …. for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Now, it is true that most persons prefer not to dwell on the negative side of the inhumanity we’re seeing but sooner or later the entire world will be engulfed in irretrievable ruin the likes of which no person has ever seen. Therefore, if folks continue to bury their heads in the sand, we will be unprepared for what the scriptures declare will certainly come to pass.

 Thus, as we observe in the context of God’s mercy and justice, that which is now transpiring in Europe, we must turn to the scriptures to better understand why God dealt with certain wicked nations, the way He did so that we too may be instructed on what He will do, when He delivers major retribution to those who now indulge in the grossest atrocities.

 At one time the Hebrew people were forced to deal with a situation that had come upon them suddenly because the Ammonites and the Moabites, invaded the land and threatened to exterminate the Hebrew nation, without being provoked. This attack was in no way warranted, especially because those nations were spared, when the people of God could have destroyed them.

 Thus, when king Jehoshaphat got wind of what was about to take place, he put the matter to the Lord in prayer and gathered the entire nation even the little children and women, for all would be vulnerable, if the impending invasion were to take place.

 There are times when everyone would need to pray for deliverance, even the little ones who may not be able to comprehend what is going on. In particular, the king of Israel made mention of the fact that this war was unprovoked, and thus, he appealed to God for His intervention, something we all should do in the current situation. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,

6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

Even though the Hebrews were then God’s chosen people, we should all keep in mind that Jesus’ death on the cross entirely changed the paradigm for all of humanity, for we all are now His, both by creation and redemption.

 Thus, the major retribution that was going to be meted out to those invaders, will be meted out at some point to nations and individuals who commit atrocities against humanity. The value of the human soul is now based upon the price that was paid for it, even the precious blood of The Son of God.

 And therefore, when innocents are mowed down in cold blood for no reason, and when brutalities are committed against the human family, it touches a nerve in the heart of Christ who died to save every person on the planet. And when it reaches a boiling point, severe retribution will be coming due, just as it was with the Hebrews and Jehoshaphat. We read:

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

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endures forever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, there were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

We are not to think that such atrocities as we are now seeing will never come to our shores, because the Bible clearly states that there would be “a time of trouble such as never since there was a nation, in the entire history of earth. Let’s read:

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands 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.

 We may not now be at that level of brutality we are witnessing, but we should never forget that at the time of the flood it was the violence and corruption which triggered God’s strange act. And beyond the shadow of a doubt, the corruption of the marriage institution is approaching Antediluvian levels.

 When persons seek to lynch members of congress, with whom they disagree, and when some political rivals make ads with machine guns cocked, then we may know for certain that the seeds of violence and brutality have already been sown in the West, only awaiting the right set of circumstances to converge. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

It's now high time for the leaders in both the secular and spiritual arenas to consider, that what God has predicted in His word is not future but is in the here and now. The problems of earth are not isolated to just one geographical area; it is the entire earth that is embroiled in some level of perplexity, just as the Bible has predicted.

 If it is not Covid, and the plethora of variants it has spawned, it is sky high inflation, and if it is not those historical lows to which several lakes have sunk, it is culture wars that have torn societies apart, and if it is none of the above it’s the ongoing issue of global warming that’s melting glaciers and causing great concern for coastal communities, including our own backyard in Florida. Let’s read

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth ….

Therefore, in our neck of the woods it would be well if efforts to preach and teach the everlasting gospel, as given in the Revelation, would be accelerated to a great extent. One of the greatest tragedies on full display is the fact that thousands of people are now going down into Christless graves, because of all the ongoing conflicts.

 Thus, it should be on the front burner of our minds to finish up the work of the gospel, as God has, and will direct, because current situations cannot go on for too much longer. The 2nd coming of Christ is not only imminent, it is becoming even more necessary, by the hour, lest left to ourselves, we destroy one another on this planet.

 Let well-directed efforts now be made to reach and save the lost. Many tools are at our disposal, so if we cannot go door to door, we can use drones to drop leaflets in neighborhoods and cities. Then we have the web and internet that can be used to plant seeds of truth in otherwise inhospitable environs.

 Then again, instead of spending our time surfing for things which do not satisfy, nor do contribute to the up-building of God’s kingdom, we can use “Text” messages, pun intended, to let someone know that there is still a Savior who loves them, and who will grant eternal life to as many as believe.

 The time is now and the place is here, for us to put into high gear, our resources, efforts and, energies, to do what we can to save as many as possible. It is not merely our hope and prayer, it is the mandate given us by God Himself, who once stated that “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.”

 Let us then rise to the occasion, not only by helping in temporal matters, but like Jesus who healed the physical and spiritually sick, let us do whatsoever we can to rescue humanity, for we are living on the brink of eternity, and major retribution will become due, much sooner than we think.

 We will end with a passage of scripture which will remind us that things will not go on this way forever and that true Christians the world over, have a part to play as the final scenes of earth’s history unfold. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

                                   God Bless!

Good Disobedience. Sabbath afternoon 04/02/2022

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for  wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

When reading the Bible, care must be taken not to misinterpret what God is saying to us. Those rulers referred to in the above passage include the secular as well as those who are spiritual, and all who have been ordained by God to lead His people upon the earth.

 As Christians we are to follow the Bible’s instruction on good deportment, good mannerisms and respect for those authorities that have been either ordained by God, or have been permitted by God to rule over the nations. Christianity, as a general rule of thumb does not make a person a brawler or a law breaker.

 Instead, the love of God in the heart often tends to subdue those impulses that produce riots, protests, and upheavals against authorities of God’s choosing even if those rulers may not be entirely in line with God’s will. This statement might irk some folks, but it is what the scriptures teach.

 Christians are to pay their taxes even when their tax burden is unreasonably high, and due respect is to be shown for those in authority, even if we did not vote for them, or may be at political odds with their philosophies, methods, and principles.

 In other words, God is not telling us that we have to like those in authority; He is saying that we ought to respect their offices, as being ordained or permitted by God, and as such, any disagreements folks might have with their ideologies and political views should be voiced respectfully, if at all, as the situation may warrant.

 Christians who identify as Democrats or Republicans should be able to live on the same street, showing a mutual respect for each other’s views, even if such views are at odds with one’s core beliefs. Thus, the overall perspective given in the scriptures, of those who obey God, is that they will generally be peace- loving and law-abiding citizens.

 Several passages given in the scriptures deal with a Christian’s conduct in the public and private square and those undergirding principles are to govern our behaviors and deportments as we intermingle with our fellow citizens, and with the government, even if we may not share their views on certain matters. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

To recompense to no man evil for evil will go a long way in bridging the partisan divide in politics, which has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Christians should never threaten those with whom they do not agree politically, and if one takes out an ad in the New York times, defaming another, a true Christian is not to respond in like currency.

 Again, the passage we just read states that persons should provide things that are honest in the sight of all men. The tendency to dig up dirt on your political rival, especially when such dirt is being manipulated and exaggerated to bring out the worst in another is not something that any Christian should do.

 We are to be very careful lest we be drawn into the ranks of devils by using the currency that they use, for the Scriptures teach us that Christians are not to respond in like manner, when ill-treated, maligned or lied about. Love bears all things, even when dirt is deliberately splattered all over one’s good name. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffers long and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;

6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp 169] Love “rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.” He whose heart is imbued with love is filled with sorrow at the errors and weakness of others. But when truth triumphs, when the cloud that darkened the fair fame of another is removed, or when sins are confessed and wrongs corrected, he rejoices.

 Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience such forbearance makes necessary. This love “never fails.” It is the attribute of heaven. As a precious treasure it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

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

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

One of the sticking points many individuals struggle with is the fact that there are times when God will set up a ruler that causes much havoc and suffering to people. There have been times when an entirely stupid ruler has been permitted by God to reign and persons became perplexed as to why such and such a person was granted authority in the first place.

 At such times as these, we should remember that God is not a man, He is not finite, but infinite, and because of His singular ability to read future events accurately, God is able to plan and execute quite strategically, and when His providence is reviewed in retrospect, we will discover that God did what He did flawlessly. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55: 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Case in point is that, to the Hebrews, sitting in that state of bondage to the Egyptians, it might have seemed as if their deliverance was prolonged, and many of them may have become very perplexed as to why God was permitting that particular pharaoh to do what he was doing to God’s people.

 But in setting up kings, and permitting them to do things that make no sense to us, God’s plans know no haste and no delay, and in the fullness of time, at the right time, His perfect will would be known. Let’s read:

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

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

 Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

Therefore, as it pertains to rulers who are given an opportunity to rule, we must be reconciled to the fact that we may not necessarily like those persons, yet for the sake of obeying God’s instructions to us on the structural integrity of society, we should be willing to obey up to a point as we will explain later.

 Two instances in the Bible clearly demonstrate what is being said, and we would do well to study with a humble heart and teachable spirit, the providences of God which may seem to make no sense to finite minds. And we should remember that God has not called us primarily to agree with Him, but rather to obey Him. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

21 And he changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.

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

However, there is a line that rulers who are set up by God are never to cross. When any earthly ruler who has been given power by God, tries to force or require persons under their jurisdiction to explicitly transgress the laws of God, then we have a sacred duty to disobey such rulers.

 Rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s is not an open-ended commitment to do everything Caesar requires, regardless of what the scriptures teach. We are to render only so much obedience as is in accordance with those instructions given in the Bible, but beyond that, we have no moral obligation to Caesar.

 This is a most critically important point for there are times when persons had their allegiances mixed up, and in rendering obedience to what an earthly ruler required they trampled upon the law of God, and by so doing, individuals relegated God to a subordinate position, and elevated the human above the Divine, something that must never ever be done.

 For instance, we have read previously where it was God who had permitted that particular pharaoh to be on the throne when the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt. But when he required of the Hebrew mid-wives that they slay all the male children by casting them into the river, he crossed a red line, and they were obligated to absolutely disobey his diabolical orders. Let’s read:

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

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

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

The law of God explicitly states: “Thou shall not kill” and therefore, to require the wanton murder of the Hebrew infants, contrary to God’s laws, would have made God subservient to a mortal man, if the mid-wives had complied. They didn’t, and here we have one of several instances where God actually blessed disobedience.

Exodus 1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Again, we have the instance where David required of Joab, an act of murder in order to cover his deeds with Bathsheba. As his top general, Joab was not to obey blindly any and everything the God appointed leader would require.

David’s commands to Joab should have first been made to pass the smell test of the scriptures, and if they would violate God’s law Joab was to absolutely refuse, even if his job might be in jeopardy.

 For top military generals in any government to kill innocent persons indiscriminately, especially when unprovoked, as was the case with Uriah, because they have been commanded to do so by a superior, is a moral failure, and a grave dereliction of duty to God and man.

 Military personnel in our day are never to implicitly obey unwarranted orders to mow down innocents, just because some arbitrary ruler might command them to do so, for such generals will be culpable for their deeds, and would bear the full brunt of God’s judgement when crunch time comes around. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 11: 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Having once entered upon a path of blind loyalty to David, Joab’s conscience became seared, as with a hot iron, and thus, when future compliance to any request made by David would be required, Joab’s weakened conscience would buckle time and time again under pressure, even if his own conscience disturbed him greatly. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21: 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.

5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David.

As a result of his disposition to yield obedience to mortals, instead of God, Joab died an ignominious death, and he most likely will be on the other side of the fence on resurrection morning. All generals, soldiers, lay people, and subordinates who follow a similar course, will meet with retribution sooner or later, if needed changes are not made. Let’s read:

1st Kings 2:28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, said Joab

and thus he answered me.

31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

32 And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head….

[Patriarchs And prophets pp 719] David's power had been given him by God, but to be exercised only in harmony with the divine law. When he commanded that which was contrary to God's law, it became sin to obey. “The powers that be are ordained of God”, but we are not to obey them contrary to God's law.

 This brings us to the core of the Bible study, for in our day we too would have to choose whether we will obey God rather than Caesar, if Caesar gives us commands which are directly contrary to what God has instructed us.

 After the newly formed Christian church was up and running, they soon began to run into turbulence and resistance from the earthly authorities because they went about preaching the Gospel, in harmony with the mandate given to all believers by Christ Himself.

 The apostles and believers preached the good news of Christ our Savior, but they ran into stiff resistance from the authorities in Jerusalem, and it wasn’t long before they would be accosted, jailed, beaten, and reprimanded for obeying God’s voice. Let’s read:

Acts 4:1 And as they spoke unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

Apparently, this was not a mere one-time incident, for they continued to be harassed, and threatened by those in authority, on account of the truths that were being presented.

 The preaching of present truth, in any era, is not to be dependent on whether or not the authorities in question agree, or approve of it. The commission to preach and sow beside all waters was given by God, and as such, it is to take precedence over any man-made restriction to the contrary. Let’s read:

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest  asked them,

28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

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

Judging from what transpired at such a time as this, it becomes apparent that The Holy Ghost approved of the apostles’ disobedience to the authorities, by preaching the word, for they soon got confirmation from God that they were pursuing the right course, in the face of threats and intimidations. Let’s read:

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

At this juncture it is imperative that we read, with a humble heart and teachable spirit a cautionary note written for us in our day, who would be preaching, not only the three angel’s messages, but also other inconvenient truths that may not jive with majority opinion in high and low places. Let’s read:

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

  When Christ gave the commission to preach, teach, and baptize it was never intended to be subservient to those circumstances that would or would not be favorable.

 The truth of the matter is that wheresoever truth is being preached in the public square, resistance is to be expected, especially when hot button issues are to be addressed, in light of what the scriptures may teach on the matter in question.

 This gospel commission also applies in our day, even in situations and circumstances where preaching of the truth may rile up those who have been granted authority to rule by God, or where popular majority opinion is in stark contrast to God’s revealed will.

 Indeed, it has already become quite difficult for the preachers of present truth in our day, to speak on the many departures from God’s word, that abound in modern society. Some truths such as those which pertain to God-ordained marriage, the Sabbath, and gender, are now hidden under a bushel, as it were, for fear of incurring the ire of the masses.

 But, as it was in the days of old, so it is now, and so it would always be, for we will discover that earthly authorities, in many instances would try in different ways to pressure Christians into either remaining silent on controversial issues, or otherwise, present smooth words to palliate itching ears.

 Those timeless words of Peter will also apply to us in our day, for “We ought to obey God rather than men”, for the time is coming, indeed is now, when “Good disobedience” may become necessary.

 Let it never be said of persons who are tasked with presenting the everlasting gospel, that we received hush-money, incentives, and disincentives to come into line with that which may be popular, pleasing, or even forbidden by Caesar.

 Truth must never be watered down, misinterpreted, manipulated, adjusted, deleted, or misappropriated in order to obey mortals, when they conflict with “It is written.” The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is the mandate given by God. Let God deal with the fallout, but let the soldiers of the cross be found faithful to truth and duty.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that would remind us of our God-given mandate, and it’s high time that we step up to the plate, and present the truth at all costs, whether persons will hear, or whether they will forbear. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 4: I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

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.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

                                    God Bless!

The Good Samaritan. Sabbath afternoon 03/26/2022

The war in Ukraine is taking a very heavy toll on the citizens of that country, and together with the fear and destruction that is occurring, persons are now forced to flee and relocate to other accommodating countries, many of which have nobly stepped up to the plate, to lend a helping hand in the face of the ongoing carnage.

 Individuals and nations from all around the world, including the United States, are now helping, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on their ability, their capacity, and their willingness to help, in spite of the existential threats and risks which do exist, and for this, they must be commended, for we are indeed our brother’s keeper.

 And whenever or wherever a crisis arises upon the face of the earth, those who can, should help where it is possible, for we are all a part of the great family of humanity and what affects one country adversely will ultimately produce ripple effects in some other places, for none are to think of themselves as being the untouchables.

 There would be continued pain at the pump and the price of wheat, corn and other staples will skyrocket as a result of supply shortages. Thus, we give kudos to every nation, and every individual who steps up to the plate to fulfill our duty to humanity at such a time as this, for we have a moral obligation to help others who are in grave danger.

 What we are witnessing is not a mere aberration, it is the fulfillment of Bible prophecies, which point to a time in earth’s history when trouble after trouble, and perplexities of nations will be coming upon the planet, with increasing frequency, and severity, as precursors to the second advent of Christ, who will usher in His everlasting kingdom once and for all.

 But in the interim period, we should study the true story of the “Good Samaritan”, for it contains very valuable lessons for us who are tasked with helping wounded humanity, not only in Ukraine, but all over the entire world, for this is the essence of the great commission given to every believer in Christ. Let’s read:

Luke 10: 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, do you think, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

In the story three different attitudes are displayed, and they are of great interest now, especially as our fellowmen in Ukraine are under fire. The priest who was supposed to be the most spiritual of the three, did not even stop to take a look, and by his inaction he manifested that he had no interest whatsoever in the misfortune or welfare of his fellowmen.

 If one’s religion produces stoical unconcern for the wellbeing of others, it most likely does not originate with God, for we’ll read in the scriptures where true Christianity would always move us to spend, and be spent for the eternal good of others.

 True Christianity is not only about studying all the great laws, principles, and doctrines of the Bible; it includes actually putting them into practice in our interaction with our fellowmen, or else religion will become a hands-off, theological farce that would be ultimately centered on rites and ceremonies.

 Thus, as the priest in the narrative passed by on the other side, his religious beliefs didn’t interface with the needs of suffering humanity, and as such, it had become vain and empty, lacking the nuts and bolts of what God has stipulated as being true godliness.

 To be a stickler for form and ceremony, while at the same time turning a blind eye to the dire needs of  others, is to take the husks of religion, without the kernel of love. Indeed, the very essence of Christian life is service, and wherever the lives of those whom Jesus came to save are being taken wantonly, well- directed efforts to help should be made.

 After the priest left the scene, the Levite showed up and he, at least, manifested some curiosity, yet his interest did not lead to concrete actions. It may be that his feelings were stirred, and that conscience was awakened, to the inhumane attack on the man in question, yet he did not go any further than his interest being peaked.

 It is not good enough for persons to show interest in the plight of others. Interest, without concrete action is the equivalent of faith without works, for God does not evaluate persons on the mere interest that is shown; it’s the follow-up actions, that comes from the heart which gives one’s interest meaning.

 It could be that the Levite was considering the risks associated with helping the wounded man, because if robbers could do this to the stranger, what then might be his fate, if he stopped to help? And thus, he decided to go on his way, without following the promptings of his conscience.

 The third person, who is the focus of the story is the Samaritan, who may not have known the scriptures as the priest and Levite did, yet, by his actions, he demonstrated that the love of God was in his heart. He did not allow risks to deter him from moral duty, and he went a step further by arranging for the man to be taken care of until he was fully recovered.

However, there is one important question that must have occurred in the minds of the three characters in the narrative, which will always loom large in our day whenever our fellowmen are in grave danger or may be suffering adversely; and this question now haunts the minds of many leaders of the nations, as well as individuals who may be disposed to help.

 With the real threat of a nuclear retaliation, many nations are now grappling with this question, which must have surfaced in the narrative of the wounded man and the good Samaritan.

 And we are not to believe that it is a question which pertains only to our fellowmen in Ukraine, and to the good Samaritan in the story, because even God had to struggle with the same question, when it was time to decide on rescuing humanity from the sinful wounded state that man would fall into, at the hand of an invisible tyrant. Here’s the question:

Should people who are in grave danger, be rescued only if there is no risk to us personally? 

 We will be focusing on this question for the rest of the Bible study, for the answer has great implication for the good Samaritans in our day, who would be encountering not only the physically wounded, but also the spiritually wounded. So, here is the same question again:

 Should people who are in grave danger, be rescued only if there is no risk to us personally? 

 When the Ebola virus reared its head in one country doctors, without borders had to consider the same question. When Delta, and Omicron variants were ravaging the United States, and all other countries across the world, nurses, and healthcare workers all had to grapple with the very same question.

 When hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf coasts and many people became stranded on their rooftops, as well as the many who were drowning in the floods, and the hundreds who were wounded physically or emotionally, the very same question that must have arisen in the minds of the priest, the Levite, and the good Samaritan, arose again.

 When the tsunami tore up Indonesia, and hundreds of thousands of its citizens became displaced, and many more went missing, the same question would have needed to be answered, because any person, nation, or humanitarian organization that decided to be a part of the rescue mission, would encounter some level of risk. So, we ask again:

Should people who are in grave danger, be rescued only if there is no risk to us personally? 

 Firefighters have had to face the same question and anywhere there is a potential threat to one’s person the same question will need to be addressed. Do we rescue wounded, suffering humanity, only if there’s no risk to us personally?

 The reason why this question must be addressed and answered by each of us individually, is because the wounded man in the parable also represents all who have been spiritually wounded, and may have been left for dead, on the highways and byways of life.

 In the preaching of the everlasting gospel, there are risks to those who go rescue the perishing, for some are ostracized, criticized and others suffer economic boycotts as a result. Whenever the truth comes into conflict with social norms, or philosophical ideology that is contrary to scripture, there is an elevated risk to any who would preach the unadulterated truth.

 Therefore, in order to fully address the issue of risk, as it pertains to rescuing the physically or spiritually wounded, we would do well to observe what Christ had to go through to save us, when we were in dire need, for the scriptures teach us that our salvation cost Jesus very dearly indeed, as he came to save us from eternal ruin.

 As the mortal adversary of man leveled his artillery against generations of people, we would have been helpless, like the wounded man in the story, unless Someone stepped up to the plate to rescue us, but in doing so Jesus exposed His own soul to the fiery darts of the wicked one, and in the process, Jesus finally lost His life.

 And as the good Samaritan did in the narrative, God not only took the risk, but He went on to provide all that we would need in order to be fully restored. In many cases, rescuing persons who may be in grave danger would involve some level of risk. Therefore, as The God of heaven pondered our salvation, the prospect of inherent risk loomed large. Let’s read:

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 63] The plan of salvation had been laid before the creation of the earth; for Christ is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” yet it was a struggle, even with the King of the universe, to yield up His Son to die for the guilty race.

The angels could not rejoice as Christ opened before them the plan of redemption, for they saw that man's salvation must cost their loved Commander unutterable woe.

 In grief and wonder they listened to His words as He told them how He must descend from heaven's purity and peace, its joy and glory and immortal life, and come in contact with the degradation of earth, to endure its sorrow, shame, and death.

 Yet, Jesus made a deliberate decision to run the risk to save us, and it is because He did, why we are now given the opportunity to live eternally. Thus, issues of risk, pertaining to the rescue of fallen humanity are to be given due consideration, in the light of what Christ went through to save us.

 The apostles of old soon found out that in order to rescue fallen humanity, they would run the risk of irking earthly authorities, and in doing so, many of them would follow in Christ’s footsteps, by suffering at the hands of those who would oppose the truth.

 Often, after a great many people were rescued from the spiritual chains, with which the devil had bound them the apostles would have a “valley” experience in which an outright assault on their persons would be launched.

 Thus, in addressing the issue of risk, as it pertains to saving the physically, and the spiritually wounded, those who follow where Jesus leads the way, must be reconciled to the fact that doing so will in some cases involve real danger. Let’s read:

Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 12: Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him.

The remnant people of God in our day are called to be good Samaritans, not only to heal the wounded and the sick through the health messages, and our medical missionary work but also to attend to those who have become spiritually wounded.

And just like the good Samaritan in the Bible story, and the apostles of old God will have us understand that rescuing persons from the grasp of devils will involve some level of risk, because, whenever, and wherever the truth is spoken, devils will be astir to prevent the wounded from being rescued.

 In the story of the good Samaritan, it was robbers who had stolen from the stranger, and left him for dead at the side of the road. But, there are now robbers to be found in the form of philosophical ideologies which have invaded the hearts and minds of many people, and as a result, many persons have been left on the roadside, spiritually wounded.

 Others have been wounded by the false doctrines which teach folks that obedience to God’s law is no longer binding upon men, and by this teaching, the floodgates have been opened for persons to indulge in unbridled iniquities, with all of the accompanying adverse consequences.

Some persons have been mortally wounded on the issue of marriage, for the many current variations of the sacred institution God had given to us originally in Eden, together with a plethora of philosophical or divergent views on the issue, are now eating out the very fabric of social structure, and separations have left many persons permanently wounded.

 And thus, the original family unit as described in the Bible has, for all intents and purposes, been tossed out the window and in its place, any, and every type of union that can be imagined is, or has become the norm. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 583] In rejecting truth, men reject its Author. In trampling upon the law of God, they deny the authority of the Lawgiver. It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone.

With many, a philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah; while the living God, as He is revealed in His Word, in Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshiped by but few.

                  Philosophy:

The study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved.

[G.C pp 583] The god of many professedly wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists, -the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological institutions, is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia.

Thus, it is against this backdrop of most frightening departures from the word of God, that we are now called to be the good Samaritans in our day, for we are to preach and teach the unadulterated truth in our efforts to save the lost, and the wounded.

 And as we consider the issue of risks, we, like Jesus, would have to make some deliberate decisions as to whether we would preach the truth at all costs, to save individuals who are in grave danger of eternal loss, or whether we will take the route of uttering smooth words, in order not to ruffle feathers. What we are referring to is as real as today is the 26th. Let’s read:

Acts 5: 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

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

Unlike the priest and the Levite in the story of the good Samaritan, the remnant people of God are not to present pleasing fables to appease itching ears in order to avoid the risk of backlash that might result. Let the chips fall where they may, because the good Samaritan decided to help the wounded, no matter the cost. Let’s read:

[The Great controversy pp 595] God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines, and the basis of all reforms.

 The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority, not one or all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain “Thus saith the Lord” in its support.

As we consider both the import, and the impact of the three angels’ messages, we too would have to answer for ourselves the question we posed earlier: Should we rescue persons who are in grave danger, only if there will be no risk to us personally?

 We are not to deceive ourselves into believing that the invisible robbers would hand over the spiritually wounded without a desperate struggle. Every inch of advance for the truth will be contested, and the entire arsenal of devils will be leveled against those who will preach the truth only, and nothing but the truth.

 So, yes, it would involve risk; but as Christ left us an example for us to follow, we should determine even now, that come what may, regardless of the risk, we will be faithful to truth and duty, just like the good Samaritan, who once rescued that wounded person who fell among thieves.

 Thus, we’ll end with a sobering passage of scripture to be given due consideration, as the outpouring of the promised latter rain is scheduled to bring all the inhabitants of earth to the valley of decision spoken of by the prophet Joel. Let’s read:

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

                                     God Bless!

When You Are Converted. Sabbath afternoon 03/19/2022

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

32 But I have prayed for thee, that your faith fails not: and when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren.

It’s of critical importance for us to observe that the above assessment was made by Christ, Who never makes a mistake in His evaluation of persons. When Christ says to Peter directly those words “When you are converted” Jesus is implying by default that the one to whom He is speaking is not converted at this present time, and therefore, conversion would take place at some later period.

Some persons have been alarmed at this statement from Christ, for Peter, as well as the other disciples had been so close to Christ for most of His ministry, and because of this, many would take it for granted that Peter should have been converted by then.

 This should immediately ring alarm bells in our souls for it is a documented fact that being close to Christ does not always mean that a person is converted. In fact, when we study Peter’s experiences, before and after conversion we often would see the man in the mirror, in our own experiences, for there are those who may be currently close to Christ and yet, some are not converted.

 At this juncture it’s important for us to be reminded that the plan of salvation was not founded on shaky ground, it was founded on The Rock, even the man Christ Jesus, who ever lives to make intercession for those who are, and aren’t converted just yet.

Thus, in order for us to better understand what The Lord meant by His statement to Peter, we only have to observe Peter’s behavioral patterns, before and after his conversion, and when we do this, we will be better able to know where we stand currently, as it pertains to our own conversion.

 Very many years ago before migrating to the United States we had to convert all our Trinidadian money into U.S currency and thus, when we took our funds to the bank in Trinidad for exchange, they took our cash and converted it into greenbacks, and thus, in the process we entirely gave up the old for the new.

 As we left the bank in Trinidad, headed for the U.S. we retained nothing of the former currency on our persons, for the process of conversion had already taken place and therefore, nothing of the old would be present, to raise eyebrows as we passed through customs. It is called currency conversion.

 The same was true of Peter, for after his conversion, there should not be found anything of the old man, mingled with the new. This sacred truth should be studied closely by all of us, who are members of the Laodicean church, for in some cases, there are still remnants of the old currency in our persons.

 Thus, there are several points for us to take note of as we drill down into Peter’s experiences, because his before and after behavioral patterns will appear in stark contrast like night and day. To put it bluntly, there are certain things a truly converted individual does not do.

 It cannot be otherwise, because every scriptural description of true conversion leaves us no doubt whatsoever, as to what this great change called conversion entails. Let’s read:

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

This must become the case with everyone who may currently be in a pre-conversion state, for the very same Jesus who once made Peter’s assessment has also made a similar evaluation of Christians living in our day, and beyond the shadow of any doubt, this includes us, the remnant people of God. Let’s read:

Revelation 3: 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The following therefore are behavioral patterns, as well as actions, deeds, and words, delineated in the pre-conversion state of Peter. They will include the good, the bad, and the ugly for we must keep in our minds that he has not been yet converted, although he is close to Christ.

 [1] Peter was at this time baptized, and he had also been baptizing other people. Question: Is it possible for some preachers to be baptizing folk, while they themselves are unconverted? It is a very sobering question indeed. Let’s read:

John 3: 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

It is very unlikely that Jesus would have His disciples baptizing other people, if they themselves were not baptized, for that would have set up a contradiction which the scriptures do not endorse.

[2] Peter was a preacher at this time. Preaching the everlasting gospel, and actually winning persons to Christ, does not necessarily prove that the preacher in question is converted. This fact must cause every preacher, and teacher, including myself, to put our own selves in Peter’s shoes, to see if maybe, we are in a pre-conversion state and know it not. We read:

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

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

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

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

[3] Peter was studying the word of God. One who is studying the word of God regularly could still be in an unconverted state for a knowledge of the Bible does not necessarily guarantee that the person in question is converted. Let’s read:

Matthew 17: And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart.

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

13 Then the disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist.

[4] Peter, in his unconverted state, had been given the power to heal diseases. This should be of grave concern to persons in our day, for there are many faith, and fake healers nowadays who may seem to be close to Christ, who claim to heal the diseases of people who go to them for healing.

Now, even though most of them were nowhere to be found during the pandemic, when the citizens of this country could have used their services, the fact that Peter had been given power to heal, raises the prospect that certain faith healers can, like Peter be unconverted. Thus, the ability to actually heal is no guarantee that the healer in question is converted. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.  

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

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

Then there were the other behavioral patterns that were made manifest in Peter from time to time that demonstrated distinctly that he was not converted at the specific time when Jesus made the disturbing assessment. There was to be found in Peter, the use of expletives, revenge, self-preservation, lying, pride and boasting.

 These elements of the “Old man” would surface from time to time whenever the right circumstances converged. We are not railing on Peter at all, for we are to see ourselves through Peter, so that a serious assessment of our true condition may ensue.

 On Peter’s boasting and cursing, the Biblical record leaves no doubt. When Christ declared that Peter would deny Him, the disciple then became deeply offended, for in his mind, Jesus was questioning his loyalty. And in response, Peter uttered words that a truly converted person should never ever utter. Let’s read:

Matthew 26: 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

33 Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.

We do not know for certain what we will or will not do in certain situations, for what we plan to say and do in a given circumstance is quite often derailed by devils who present their temptations tailormade for our weakest points. Thus, a truly converted person will walk humbly with God, not boasting about his or her spiritual strength, even if they are sincere.

However, it’s not all bad news, for the good news is that Peter was finally converted and when that took place, an entirely different person emerged, which mirrored the “New Creature” referenced in God’s word. A very great, and marked change came over Peter, and we must highlight those changes as they contrast with the behavioral patterns of the former man.

 For clarity and distinctness, we will have some of the contrasting verses juxtaposed together, so that we may be certain about what Christ was stating, when He spoke of Peter’s conversion. Let’s read:

Previously, on the issue of boasting: Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

 After conversion: John 21: 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, You know all things; you know that I love thee.

Previously, on the issues of anger, cursing, and retaliation: John 18: 3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear.

 After conversion: Acts 5: 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

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

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

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

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

It’s becoming more obvious to us that some drastic change must have taken place in Peter, for it seems as if the behavioral pattern of impulsive retaliation when his rights were violated is somehow, nowhere to be found. When folks become truly converted, a marked and decided change is made by God, which puts the former person into stark contrast.

 There is no more use of expletives, for conversion also directly affects one’s speech. If you read the Bible from cover to cover, you would never find one single instance where Peter cursed after conversion for there are certain things a person does not do if they are converted.

 And there is no more denial of Christ in the public or private square, for his conversion includes holy boldness for Christ, to the point where others took knowledge of him, that he must have been with Jesus.

 Therefore, unless we become reconciled to the fact that true conversion, creates a radical, 180 degree change in the person, we will continue to buy into a distorted version of what Christ is endeavoring to accomplish in us, and as a direct result, persons will remain in a lukewarm state, if the necessary change in our perspective does not take place.

 It is not the will of God, that after studying the life of Peter, that we should try to adjust, or modify our behaviors, for God is not looking for behaviors, He is seeking our total conversion, because, for too long, our walk with Christ, in many cases, have centered on behaviors.

 In other words, if our understanding of conversion is strictly a behavioral change, then any guru, could give instructions on how that is to be accomplished externally. The problem with their version is that it does not come from, or reach the heart, and thus, persons can end up with a well-behaved preacher or priest externally, who is a pedophile internally.

 The fact is that when persons are truly converted by God, the appropriate behaviors would surely follow, for if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. In other words, we are not to behave well, in order to be converted; we must be converted in order for us to behave well, even under trying circumstances.

 When this type of conversion is accomplished in us, our faith would not fail when subjected to ferocious temptations from the devil. There would not be any responding chord on the inside, for satan’s darts to latch onto, so as to trigger an ungodly response, like the old man was accustomed to do.

 Persons can then be shaken upside down and inside out, and yet temptations, trials and challenges will only make us stronger. To put it more plainly, it can then be said of such persons that “the prince of this world cometh, and finds nothing in me.” Let’s read:

[Great Controversy pp 622] Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” [John 14:30.]

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

 Therefore, the following is of critical importance, and must be understood by all: It isn’t necessary for persons to have a “Peter moment” like what took place in the court of Caiaphas for true conversion to take place.

 Conversion does not need to be gory, and full of embarrassment in the public square, for when this occurs, as was the case with Peter, the kingdom of God is brought into reproach, and the skeptics and infidels, are given fodder to continue their mockery of Christianity.

 God much prefers that conversion take place in the quietness, and privacy of the audience chamber of The Most-High, just as it did with Daniel, and Isaiah, for we do not read anywhere in the scripture where these two men had a Peter moment in public.

 Instead, they were in the audience chamber of The Most High God, privately, when the grisly revelation and assessment was made and because they agreed with the assessment, there was no occasion for the devil to shame them in public on their weak points. Let’s read:

Isaiah 1: In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the Seraphim. Each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Daniel 10: 2 In those days I Daniel was fasting three full weeks.

3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

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

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

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

7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

Thus, it can and should be with us living in Laodicea, if we will only accept God’s assessments of us, and like Isaiah and Daniel, confess our utter sinfulness, then, the conversion processes would be a private matter, not a public shaming like what took place with Peter, when he fell a prey to the devices of devils.

 This is what he failed to do, which then ultimately resulted in him spilling the beans in public, and thus making his profession of being Christian a mockery. If he had accepted the evaluation given by Jesus, he would have been saved from that earth shattering experience, which almost did him in.

Therefore, as we seek thorough conversion where warranted, we must return to the story of migrating to the United States when we surrendered all of our former currency to the bank in question. We did not do the converting, it was the bank that did it, for all we did was to surrender the old for the new.

 Similarly, true conversion is not something that the human agent is capable of accomplishing. It must be done for us and in us, and it’s the work of God alone upon the human heart, without any human input or suggestions and additions.

 Yes, we must cooperate with God by surrendering ourselves to be changed, but beyond that, it is an entirely creative work that never originates with man.  It must be accomplished by a power outside of and beyond ourselves for it is the power of God working within us which brings us to that elevated state of spiritual maturity.

 Thus, there is hope for us, living with the Laodicean frame of mind; if we would accept the evaluation of the true witness, we too may walk in the footsteps of those who underwent that radical transformation and change, the Bible speaks of.

 So in closing, we are reminded and encouraged that God is still in the business of converting old Humpty Dumpty, for this work must be accomplished in all who would face earth’s final conflict. Let’s read with a humble spirit.

 [D.A. pp 294] God takes men as they are, with the human elements in their character, and trains them for His service, if they will be disciplined and learn of Him.

 They are not chosen because they are perfect, but notwithstanding their imperfections, that through the knowledge and practice of the truth, through the grace of Christ, they may become transformed into His image.

[The Desire of Ages. Pp 295] All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them to His service. Even John, who came into closest association with the meek and lowly One, was not himself naturally meek and yielding.

 He and his brother were called “the sons of thunder.” While they were with Jesus, any slight shown to Him aroused their indignation and combativeness. Evil temper, revenge, the spirit of criticism, were all in the beloved disciple.

 He was proud, and ambitious to be first in the kingdom of God. But day by day, in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience.

 He opened his heart to the divine influence, and became not only a hearer but a doer of the Savior's words. Self was hid in Christ. He learned to wear the yoke of Christ and to bear His burden.

 The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. There were the publican, Levi-Matthew, and the fiery zealot Simon, the uncompromising hater of the authority of Rome; the generous, impulsive Peter, and the mean-spirited Judas.

Thomas, truehearted, yet timid and fearful, Philip, slow of heart, and inclined to doubt, and the ambitious, outspoken sons of Zebedee, with their brethren. These were brought together, with their different faults, all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil. But in and through Christ they were to dwell in the family of God, learning to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit.

The time of trouble spoken of by Daniel the prophet will be at our doorsteps much sooner than we now expect, and therefore, it is high time that we awake from slumber, and surrender ourselves fully to God so that when the shaking intensifies, as it surely would, we will be found rooted, and grounded in Christ.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should help us to do that which needs to be done, and we pray God that all who are so disposed, may be converted as soon as possible. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

                                   God Bless!

Spouses On The Same Page Spiritually. Sabbath afternoon 03/12/2022

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

The short answer to the above question is no. As it pertains to marriage, if the husband and the wife are not on the same page spiritually, and if there is a disconnect between one spouse and God, if both husband, and wife are not reading from the same script, and if they do not see eye to eye in spiritual things, then the answer to the question is no: Two can’t walk together except they be agreed.

 If different concepts other than what is written are embraced by one and not the other, then there will be a marked difference in the way situations will be evaluated, and resolved, because the decisions and actions would be based on information, conclusions and ideologies, drawn from different sources.

 If one spouse is prone to follow the secular experts, when God’s word differs on some particular subject, then there will be pulling and tugging when it’s time for decisions to be made. Again, if one spouse is led by God’s Spirit, and the other is not, then there will be a very noticeable disconnect in perspectives and views. These are just some of the reasons why it is important for spouses to be on the same page.

 In other words, even though husbands, and wives might be in different stages of spiritual growth, the mere fact that both are being led by The Holy Spirit would make life a whole lot easier even when many problems arise, because the common denominator of The Holy Spirit will make resolution and mutual agreement easier to accomplish.

 For reference purposes, spouses being on the same page spiritually involves much more than the verbal agreements that they come to. It goes much deeper than that for it includes the foundational element of God being enthroned in each other’s heart, and as a result, God’s word is held supreme, when it comes time for decisions and actions.

 It is not the will of God that marriages should hang by a thread where spouses are barely holding on for dear life. God desires robust relationships with good understanding between each other so that when an issue arises that needs to be dealt with urgently, the husband and his wife would already be on the same page spiritually, so as to make resolution as speedy and simple as is possible.

 Especially should this be the case, as we move into unchartered territory in the history of this world for there are serious decisions, and actions to be made, which would call for full agreement by both the wife and husband. Relocating to a new place of abode is one of those decisions, being referred to.

 If one spouse is ready to move, for strictly financial reasons, and the other spouse considers spiritual factors as of greater concern, such as the influences that would obtain in the new environment, and the effect they will have on the family, then resolving of such an issue can potentially be a stretch.

 As Abraham informed Sarah of God’s revealed will, she encouraged him by first agreeing with the God-given command and then she facilitated obedience by helping to pack up all their belongings. Thus, as both of them said goodbye to friends and family in their hometown it wasn’t with hesitation, grumbling or questioning.

 Instead, with the living faith in God, shared by both spouses, their journey was made with anticipation, and expectancy, not with foreboding. This was not the case with Mr. and Mrs. Lot who were not on the same page spiritually, and who were reading from entirely different scripts when it was time for them to relocate.

 At that time, one spouse became hesitant and upset at God’s command, and the differences began to be noticeable as one fell behind on their journey to the country, for unlike Sarah, some spouses are not too comfortable with country living. Thus, it was with Lot and his wife, one followed on with murmuring and complaining, whilst the other forged ahead in obeying God’s instructions.

 In Abraham’s case, if Sarah had doubted, and if they were not on the same page spiritually the command from God would have seemed arbitrary to her and if she wasn’t reading from the same script, as was her husband Abraham, she could have made his life and his obedience very miserable.

The same is true of Abraham, for if he’d encouraged doubt, he might have infected his own wife with the same spirit of unbelief and he in turn could’ve made Sarah’s eagerness miserable. It’s critically important for God’s commands and instructions to be viewed through the same spiritual lens, for hesitance and unbelief in one spouse could adversely affect the other. Let’s read:

[P&P pp 161] If Lot himself had manifested no hesitancy to obey the angels’ warning, but had earnestly fled toward the mountains, without one word of pleading or remonstrance, his wife also would have made her escape.

 The influence of his example would have saved her from the sin that sealed her doom. But his hesitancy and delay caused her to lightly regard the divine warning.

 It was an entirely different scenario with Abraham and Sarah because they two were on the same page spiritually, therefore God’s command was received in faith and they made their journey with singleness of heart. Let’s read:

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

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

When both spouses exercise faith in God, it usually makes overcoming hurdles a thousand-fold easier, for their general perspective on life is that nothing is impossible with God, and that common mindset, between them, paves the way for many problems, and difficulties to be resolved amicably.

 This was not the case with Nabal and Abigail who in their marriage were not on the same page. The wife was obviously being led by The Spirit, but the other spouse was reading from an entirely different script spiritually, and thus, there would always be marked undercurrents of differing opinions and views when decisions needed to be made. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25: 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

Because of the spiritual disconnect between them, one would make life difficult for the other, whereas if they were walking together in agreement, as our first passage states, the request of David for food in his time of need, would most likely have triggered the same godly response from both.

 But because they were not on the same page, that request of David caused a splintered response, with her husband refusing to help, but with Abigail going the extra mile to make sure that David’s reasonable request was granted.

 It is worthy of note that in this situation, she had to actually hide what she had purposed to do from her husband, because as was later revealed, knowledge of her warranted kindness would cause division that ended with a heart attack, suffered by the one who dissented. It all has to do with the issue of spouses being on the same page spiritually. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.

6 And so shall ye say to him who lives in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favor in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants and to thy son David.

9 And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

An entirely different response comes from the wife, who views the same request in a different light, and she rises to the occasion to do that which was right. These are the times when the spiritual disconnect between spouses becomes markedly evident, and if the issue of walking in agreement is not addressed, an irreversible splinter could arise in the marriage, as it became evident in this narrative. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25: 14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields.

16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them.

37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

Therefore, in addressing the issue of spouses being on the same page spiritually, our case study would center around the circumstances surrounding the birth of our Savior, Who came into this world under unprecedented circumstances, that would have left any rational thinking man, scratching his head.

 Joseph was engaged to Mary, and they were soon to tie the knot in holy marriage when lo and behold, Mary becomes pregnant. This situation, in and of itself would be cause for great concern by any man, but Mary’s explanation of the situation caused her fiancée, Joseph to think twice.

To become pregnant with a child from a different father, whilst engaged to a man is grief enough, but to say that the father of the child is A Spirit can send a man completely off his rockers, and if it were not for the fact that both Mary and Joseph were on the same page, having that common denominator of God enthroned in their hearts, the narrative could have taken a very different turn. 

 The explanations, the dreams and the visions given would only make sense to spouses who are spiritual because the natural man does not receive things of The Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. To try to explain to a person who is not spiritual, that one became pregnant by A Spirit would cause most folks in the secular realm to recoil with scorn.

 Even Joseph was not buying the explanation initially given by Mary, because the Bible says that he was thinking to put her away, to call off the marriage, albeit in the most-kind manner possible.

Me personally, I would have a hard time swallowing that explanation, and we believe that is the reason why God had to intervene in a dream to Joseph, to allay his fears and concerns. Situations which present grave perplexities would become extremely difficult to resolve if spouses are not on the same page spiritually, with the common dominator of God being present in the relationship.

 Even for Joseph to accept that explanation from God would require a leap of faith, yet it was the same faith that was required for his wife to believe that it was the Holy Ghost who impregnated her. They were on the same page spiritually, and this facilitated explanations, conclusions and decisions that would otherwise have caused a permanent rupture. Let’s read:

Matthew 1: 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.

Can two walk together except they be agreed? The answer to this question would become all the more relevant as husbands and wives in our day seek to be on the same page spiritually. We are living at a time in earth’s history where final movements will be rapid ones, and because of this, serious decisions may have to be made quite suddenly.

 Some spouses, with their families had to make their move suddenly in Ukraine, as the prospect of war overshadowed normal daily life, and many families were forced to make quick decisions, whether they would stay, leave, or split up their families so as to procure the best outcome.

 And we too here in the West are not to think that everything will be smooth sailing forever, for the Bible has stated unequivocally that perilous times will come. It may be, that like Lot and his wife, split second decisions would have to be made, under the direction of God, and if spouses are not on the same page spiritually, cracks in their relationship would certainly appear.

 Therefore, it is of great importance that as nations are increasingly becoming embroiled in real turmoil, that spouses seek to be aligned spiritually. This will call for soul-searching and often deliberations with the understanding, seeking to address whatsoever differences in spouses’ faith, and perspectives may exist.

 Praying together, staying together, going to church together, studying God’s word together and talking together often, would go a long way in cementing the bond between husband and wife, so that their marriage could be bullet proof, if, and when tested severely by trials.

 It is the will of God that as husbands and wives head into unchartered territory, that the same spiritual union which existed between Abraham and Sarah, be our own experience. One spouse walking by faith whilst the other spouse walks by sight is a recipe for disaster, because it is the faith factor that will loom large and necessary as earth’s final conflict unfolds.

 Therefore, wherever palpable differences may exist spiritually, let husbands and wives seek to close the gap as soon and as much as possible, for we would need to be on the same page spiritually, now more than ever. We end with a passage of scripture that should help us to achieve this by God’s grace. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4: I therefore, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.       

God Bless!

Salvation To The Gutter-most. Sabbath afternoon 03/05/2022

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

The purpose of God’s plan of salvation is to save as many people as possible, by renewing God’s image in man; and in the process, everyone who is born is given an opportunity at eternal life. What persons do with that opportunity depends on their freedom of choice, but it is granted to all.

 As the latter rain looms on the horizon our concepts of God’s salvation, would need to be revisited, and understood. This will include a knowledge of various ways and means He employs, and the persons who will be targeted, especially at the time of the latter rain.

 From our finite perspective, everyone has a chance, no matter how low or far they may have fallen, and as such, we are to see in every person, the potential for them to be heirs of God’s kingdom. Persons are not to be prevented for any reason, such as religion, race, social standing, education, riches, poverty, or even addictions.

 The gospel call is to go forth, untrammeled to every part of the inhabitable globe, traversing all borders, penetrating all ethnicities, and creeds, and offering life and freedom to all, just like Christ did when He was upon the earth. Heaven will be a place of many surprises, and some of the seemingly most unlikely people will be there, while some who are expected to make it will be absent.

There are some politicians, some sports stars, some news anchors, some priests, some pastors of other Sunday churches, who, when the final call goes out, will hear God’s voice speaking directly to their souls and they will respond in the positive, just like it was on the day Pentecost.

 Thus, we are never to erect any man-made barriers or hurdles to prevent anyone from entering. Let all who will, be given ample opportunity, even if they may seem to be unlikely candidates, and The Holy Ghost, who is in charge of operations, would handle the winnowing process.

 This sacred truth must be understood by everyone to whom the three angel’s messages is entrusted to disseminate to the people. In other words, our view should be to make it as easy for a person to accept Christ, not to make it as difficult, for God is the only One who can accurately read the hearts and minds of persons. Let’s read:

Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind.

“Every kind” means every kind. It means that there were some clean fishes with fins and scales, but the net also pulled in some sharks, octopus and shrimp. In other words, the gospel will take in different folk who might be attracted to the church for different reasons. Some may be attracted by the prospect of health and wealth.

 Others may be attracted by the prospect of power, while others may even be attracted by the prospect of finding a spouse. The personal reasons why they would come, should not be as a deterrent, or as an approval to those who are giving the gospel call. It is left up to God to make the correct determination. Let’s read:

Matthew 13:48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just.

Acts 10: 9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance.

11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth.

12 Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spoke unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,

18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

As the early rain fell upon the disciples, a mixture of people were drawn to church, which included many of the very priests who were at one time adamantly against Jesus, and there were also some who were deceived previously; some who had had the seeds of truth sown in their own hearts earlier, which now sprung up and bore fruit to the glory of God.

 Also included were many who were sitting on the fence, in the valley of decision, some who had been prevented from making their choice by some family members, some who had persecuted the church, and yes, there were even some witch doctors and their adherents who were given a shot at eternal life.

 This then tells us that as the latter rain begins to fall upon the earth, millions of people will be coming in, and as such, the remnant church must be prepared to receive all who will be brought in at that time. No barriers, prejudices, and formalisms are to interfere with the rapid work that God will be doing, for it is a short work that will be done at that time.

 Often, when The Spirit of God is about to convict a person of the truth, the individual may put up some forms of resistance to their awakened conscience, and this initial resistance could be misconstrued by those giving the message, as infertile ground to sow upon.

 In fact, some resistance is often evidence that God is working behind the scenes, and as such, we are to be encouraged in our efforts when resistance arises.  The natural response of the human heart, when the truth is presented, is to resist it, and because of this resistance is to be expected, as something normal. Let’s read:

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

Acts 18: 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

9 Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace.

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

The same will be true at the time of the latter rain, for we are not to expect smooth sailing as it would pertain to eleventh hour conversions. Like as it was with Paul, we would run into stiff opposition from some persons, before they surrender to Christ, and therefore, stubborn resistance from some may not necessarily mean that God has counted them out, neither should we. Let’s read:

Joel 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.

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

Thus, for our case study we will observe both the work of The Holy Spirit, and the movements of the early Christians as they preached the good news of the gospel, under His guidance and direction. It will be of critical importance as we study to make a note of what God allowed, and what He did not prevent, or intervene to stop, even though He always knows all things.

 Phillip goes down to Samaria to preach, and like as Christ stated in the parable, he casts the gospel net into the sea of humanity living there, and behold, a multitude of different “fish” are reeled in.

 Phillip is not to decide who is reeled in, and he is not to cast the net with any prejudice or preference, for all must be granted equal opportunity to be saved, even those whom God knows in advance, will be lost. This is one of the most important facts for us to keep in mind as the latter rain is poured out. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before-time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

A few questions would obviously arise in the hearts of some, about why this particular experience has been recorded in the scriptures. The obeah man has obviously not been converted, as was later revealed in the scriptures, he has ulterior motives, and yet he comes in for baptism, because he believes. Let’s read:

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power that on whoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that you’re in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

What is worthy of note is that The Holy Spirit, given His thorough understanding of all things, does not prevent Simon from being baptized into the new body of believers. God sees his utter insincerity and He knows more than finite man does, what the end product will be, yet He allows it to go through. Why would God allow this witch doctor to be baptized? Why would not The Holy Ghost give Phillip a heads-up, as He had done with Peter, when Ananias and his wife, Saphira, proved to be insincere?

 Since the witch doctor was obviously not changed in his heart, why would God allow him to join the body of new believers? Remember, that the servants of God were baptizing in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost, and therefore, some of us would expect that this fraud would have been duly exposed up front, to prevent him from joining.

 But that isn’t how God works; and especially during the time of the latter rain, the motives, intentions, and purposes of individuals are to be left solely in God’s hands. God does not view the witch doctor as a risk to the true believer, neither did He view Judas as a risk to the other disciples. This fact was clearly sated by Christ as He treated on the topic. Let’s read:

John6: 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore, said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

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

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

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

 Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are one.

So, let’s reiterate again, under the outpouring of the early rain, The Holy Ghost does not view the witch doctor as an existential threat to the true believer. God didn’t use His foreknowledge to try to preempt Simon from having a shot at eternal life because the good news of the gospel is for anyone who believes.

 For the record, here are the words from the witch doctor’s own mouth, in response to Peter’s rebuke; words that many individuals may have missed, who read the story:

Acts 8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

 Therefore, if Simon fulfills the stated prerequisites, and if he wants to join the church, he should not be prevented from doing so, for if Phillip were to try and prevent Simon, he may inadvertently prevent other witch doctors from joining, some of whom may actually be sincere in their motives. Let’s read:

Acts 19: 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

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.

20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Equal opportunity means equal opportunity, and for anyone who believes and is baptized, the possibility of being converted and saved is there for the taking. This is one of the reasons why we stated up front, that our ways, means, methods and understandings would need to be revisited, as the last-ditch effort to save the lost ramps up. Let’s read:

Matthew 13: 24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field.

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

The natural response of the human agent would be to root out the tares, but Christ issued a warning against this desire, for man looks on the outward appearance, whereas God looks on the heart. If God allows us to pull up the tares it’s inevitable that very grave mistakes would be thus made, for there are persons who look like wheat, but in their heart of hearts, they may be tares, only God alone knows.

 If anyone of us had heard Peter carrying on, and speaking the way he did, at the judgment hall, we most likely would’ve labeled him a tare, and would have uprooted him from the church, and we would have had scripture to “apparently” back us up. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 26: 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

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

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

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

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

This is the reason why Christ cautioned any person against uprooting what we may believe to be tares, for Peter went on to be thoroughly converted, he wrote in the Bible, he preached, he laid down his life for Jesus, and his name will be engraved on one of the foundations of the new Jerusalem. That’s one of the reasons why The Holy Ghost did not prevent the witch doctor from being baptized, for if He were to leave salvation up to the human agent, we would certainly err in judgement. Let’s read:

Matthew 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

During the time of the latter rain, specific groups of individuals would be targeted by The Holy Spirit and some of them would seem to be unlikely candidates for heaven. Many folks will be coming from Sunday churches, and some who have heard of the Three angel’s messages for the first time would respond positively.

 And many of our children who have gone astray in forbidden paths, will be granted the opportunity to repent and turn to Jesus in sincerity and truth.

 And there are many persons from different religious creeds who will be brought in at the eleventh hour, when the conscience is awakened to the realities of the message for God has people in every nation and in every religion under the sun. Let’s read:

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39 For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

And there are some persons in the church who are currently in a lukewarm state, yet The Lord has not written them off, for after issuing a stern rebuke in Revelation chapter 3, Jesus goes on to encourage us to repent, which means that there is still hope and room for change and thorough conversion, for if it were not so, He would have ended with the rebuke.

 It is true that none of us should put off our salvation for another day, for The Spirit of God speaks to all expressly: “Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts”.

 Yet, persons are not to lose courage, just because they may not be where they ought to be spiritually. Instead of groveling in our weakness, let’s take the counsel of Christ to heart, and make the necessary changes by God’s grace. Let’s read:

Revelation 3: 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness does not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Salvation to the gutter-most means exactly what it says, for God will leave no stone unturned until we are given ample opportunities to both understand, and accept the truth. This perspective must now be adopted by all who would partake of the latter rain, for we must never forget that the main purpose of the gospel is to restore Gods’ image in man, and to save as many people as possible. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 271] I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power. It had effect. Many had been bound; some wives by their husbands, and some children by their parents.

 The honest who had been prevented from hearing the truth now eagerly laid hold upon it. All fear of their relatives was gone, and the truth alone was exalted to them. They had been hungering and thirsting for truth; it was dearer and more precious than life. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”

Therefore, in our interaction with our fellowmen, let us see in every person we meet, the potential to become a son or daughter of God, and let’s be very careful not to write off anyone, based on prejudice or bias, for salvation to the gutter-most is an equal opportunity perspective that hopes against hope, and allows Jesus to save as many as He will.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that would remind us of this perspective, and may God grant us the grace to live it out, as we’ll come into contact with persons. Let’s read:

John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

                                    God Bless!

Latter Rain Obedience. Sabbath afternoon 02/26/2022

Joel 2: 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?

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.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

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

Some of us are yet to learn what true obedience to God’s word really entails, for some have cultivated strange, weird, fuzzy, and distorted variants of what God requires when He speaks to us. That type of obedience currently done by many Christians would not even come near to cutting it, at the time of the latter rain, which is to fall just prior to the close of human probation.

 Currently, some persons question God before they obey, some require logical answers before moving upon His word, others require a detailed outline of future events, others have to agree first before they obey, while some even presume to argue with God, about the right or more rational course of action to pursue, before obeying His word.

 There are others, who must obtain permission first from family members and friends before they obey, for in their minds the approval of loved ones is most essential to obedience. Jesus took care of this last view on obedience, when He called His disciples, so that some of them who responded by saying they had this or that to do first before they obeyed, were corrected in love, on the matter.

 Some whom Jesus called claimed that they had a few necessary duties to fulfill before they obeyed, and indeed, when we study the calls then made and some of the reasons, and excuses given, they might seem to be important. But as it pertains to obeying God, those reasons ae not that important.

 In fact, in the life of Christ on earth we are informed in the scriptures that He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, which means that even if obedience to God might involve losing one’s life in the process, it is the first and most important thing, to obey implicitly, what God commands. Let’s read:

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Luke 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which

are at home at my house.

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

 In a nutshell, nothing is of more importance than obedience, for if God has to choose between praise and obedience, He would take obedience any day, hands-down. This is the critically important lesson Saul failed to learn, and many persons in our day are yet to learn. 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.

Again, nothing is of more importance, when the call to obedience is given directly by God, and this is especially the case when it comes to the fulfilling of the gospel commission. The many, various reasons and excuses some folks currently put forth, for not obeying God’s revealed will, would fall flat when the books of record are examined.

 As it pertains to Latter Rain Obedience, we are now looking at a completely different animal, as pertains to our attitudes towards obeying God’s voice. It is absolutely not essential to first get details upfront. before we obey God. The Bible teaches us that.

 In fact, when it comes to folks obeying God, the fine details are often filled in, or revealed along the way as persons proceed to obey. But to wait for, or even to a demand fine print before acting upon His word would be an absolute non-starter when it comes to latter rain obedience.

 We have such an example of obedience in Abraham   the father of the faithful, who, when he was called by God to go out into a foreign land, obeyed and he went forth, without waiting for details or maps. At that time God did not even tell him which direction to go in; all God said was go, and I will direct you as you go.

 In response, Abraham went to the nearest U-Haul, and rented a one-way truck to nowhere, packed up all his belongings, took his wife (Mercy!), and with others who were willing to make the journey, they set out in obedience to the voice of God. Let’s read:

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

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

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

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

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

Hebrews 11: 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

In our opening passage, we observe that God refers to those who would be called to preach during the time of the latter rain, as being soldiers in His army. These are not your average soldiers, for they would have already learned by experience not to question, argue, or even agree with God, for it’s not necessary for us to agree with God before obeying Him.

 Ananias, the disciple, had a few serious questions about the command God gave him, to go and anoint Saul, who was recently hunting down the Christians of the early church like wild beasts. He raised these valid concerns when the call came to him but he did not allow his logical reasoning, nor his premonitions to get in the way of swift obedience, for logic would often be found to be the diabolical enemy of faith.

 Often, what God commands us to do does not make any sense up front, but as persons obey, they can see clearly why God directed us in such and such a path. It is the disposition to obey God in spite of our human logic, forebodings, and valid concerns, that God is now looking for, as he prepares His army of soldiers for the outpouring of the latter rain. Let’s read:

Acts 9: And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays,

12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he  might receive his sight.

13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem.

14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as you came, hath sent me, that you might receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Thus, it is of critical importance for us to train our minds to a ready obedience, in spite of what some may or may not think about God’s direct command. A ready and obedient mind is of far more value to God, in the finishing work of the gospel, than one that is prone to question and hesitate on so called intellectual, or philosophical grounds. 

 At the time of the former rain, the Holy Ghost was on the ground to do a major work of reformation and transformation in the minds of those who had previously been deceived or hesitant to accept the sacred truth about Christ being our Savior.

 Therefore, when, as promised the early rain fell, the hearts of those who were called to preach would’ve previously been trained to obey implicitly, the word and directives coming from God. This is very clearly outlined in our case study, and it should serve as a sort of template for those who are expecting, and who will receive the latter rain.

 The purpose of the latter rain is to accomplish two main objectives: [1] To prepare The Lord’s chosen people to stand during earth’s final conflict. [2] To deliver the everlasting gospel in unmistakable ways to those who may still be sitting in darkness.

 Some persons have had the seeds of truth already sown in their hearts, but the latter rain would bring them to maturity where they would make a decided choice in favor of God, and all His commandments. Others have been sitting on the fence, in the valley of decision, but were prevented by circumstances from boldly taking their stand for Jesus.

 But now, as The Holy Spirit will be convicting hearts and minds, the sacred truth about the three angel’s messages will be brought home to the mind in clear steady rays, and the deep, convincing power of God will “Prick” persons in their consciences to make their move.

Therefore, at such a time of grave national peril and worldwide emergency, God would not have time to explain every move and action He will require from His soldiers. The days for lengthy explanations will be over, and now is time for raw obedience to His voice; obedience that is freed from the shackles of human logic, questionings, hesitations and personal forebodings. Let’s read:

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

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

3 A fire devours before them; and behind them a flame burns, yea, and nothing shall escape them.

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

5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

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

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

8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk 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 like a thief.

10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

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?

This is what transpired after the day of Pentecost in the days of yore, when God’s Holy Spirit was giving directives to those who had been called to preach in the time of the early rain. The time for asking many questions was over, and now, the foot soldiers are doing their appointed work, without requiring any explanations and detailed fine print upfront.

 The Holy Spirit doesn’t have time for explanations at this juncture, for He was dead focused on getting as many persons into God’s kingdom as possible, in the shortest amount of time possible, before men and demons would think to thwart the sacred work. He speaks the word authoritatively, and He expects the soldiers of the cross to yield an unquestioning obedience. Let’s read:

Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27 And he arose and went.

The early rain soldier, Phillip, does not ask why he is being sent towards the south; he does not ask how long it will take to get there, nor does he ask about food, raiment and shelter. “Go towards Gaza means go towards Gaza, and thus, implied in the command from God, is everything that Phillip would need, as he goes.

Acts 8:27 And, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

It shouldn’t be necessary for The Holy Ghost to give Phillip a reason for joining himself to the Ethiopian’s chariot, for it should have been understood by all of the early rain soldiers, that their sole focus was the great commission, and as such, the preaching, and disseminating of the gospel should be understood as being a given.

 In our day, when God calls on His soldiers to go join themselves to “this chariot” or any other chariot for that matter, it’s not to talk about the big games, or the latest release in the theatres, or on Netflix. The soldiers of the cross must have understood by now that their sole focus is the mission, and as such, any opportunity granted us by God must be to preach, as Phillip did.

 In our daily interaction with our fellowmen, there are many chariots, with Ethiopians sitting in them, waiting and hoping that someone would explain the scriptures to them. These are not primarily business opportunities, as some have erroneously believed; they are in most cases an opportunity that The Holy Spirit is giving, and He expects us to step up to the plate. Let’s read:

Acts 8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaks the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Stop right there! The soldiers of the cross in our day should be able to start at any scripture, and preach Jesus unto persons. This would call for our thorough understanding of the meaning and the import of the three angels’ messages including the very important aspect of obeying all of God’s commandments.

But too often, when brought into contact with our fellowmen, our conversations savor of the temporal and carnal, rather than the spiritual, and issues that pertain to the building up of God’s kingdom. Thus, it may be necessary in most cases, for our minds to be rewired or reprogrammed to focus on ministry, not as an afterthought but as the focal point of our very existence. Let’s read:

Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If you believe with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away

Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

After completing the crux of the mission, Phillip is not left to socialize as we often do. During the time of latter rain obedience, some of the norms we’ve become accustomed to would become relics of the past, as The Holy Ghost would strip away all of the nonessentials to a bare-bones, all hands on deck, approach, to save the lost at all cost.

 Phillip was sent to preach and baptize, and thus, if it’s mission accomplished, The Holy Spirit moves on to the next opportunity and Phillip, whose mind has been trained to yield an unquestioning obedience to anything God says, is ready to be transported via unconventional methods we know nothing of, the same as would take place when the latter rain falls. Let’s read:

Joel 2: 7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march everyone on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks.

8 Neither shall one thrust another; 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 like a thief.

With latter rain obedience already in place, these soldiers of God are not going to be dependent on such modes of transportation such as we have been accustomed to, such as Uber, Lyft, and any public transportation. God will make it evident that He is not dependent on self-important mortals to get His work done.

 And thus, all who are called to latter rain obedience must be prepared for whatsoever methods, or ways and means, The Holy Ghost will employ, as He sees fit. Current modes of transportation will most likely be thrown out the window by God, for those who would use Lyft and Uber at that time must first have succumbed to the mark mentioned in Revelation 13 and 14.

 [Maranatha pp 63] It is discipline of spirit, cleanness of heart and thought that is needed. This is of more value than brilliant talent, tact, or knowledge. An ordinary mind, trained to obey a “Thus saith the Lord,” is better qualified for God's work than are those who have capabilities, but do not employ them rightly.

As new challenges will arise worldwide, and as the drumbeat of war and new viruses and variants get louder, isn’t it high time that we regroup as pertains to our understanding of what obeying God’s voice really means?

 Those attitudes and dispositions that have been indulged for to long will have to change, where necessary, and instead, the following mantra will have to be adopted: God says it, I believe it, and that settles it for me, period.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reflects the urgency of the moment, and wherever any adjustments and changes in our perspectives on latter rain obedience is needed, let’s ask God to give us the heart and mind to submit fully to Him so that a ready, willing, and obedient disposition will be our own personal experience. Let’s read:

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

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

                                     God Bless!

Diseases, Causes, And Cures. Sabbath afternoon 02/19/2022

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

During the last two years, as the covid pandemic in America and elsewhere took the lives of millions, and sent millions more to the hospital, it was found that certain groups of people were more adversely affected than others, and the reasons for this must be addressed, understood, and where necessary, a change in outlook and practice should ensue.

 Among those who were deeply affected by the virus were the immunocompromised, the elderly and the segment of the population who had any preexisting conditions. As it pertains to the elderly, there is only so much one can do to stave off disease, for as folks grow older the conventional wisdom states that the body’s ability to fight off infectious disease is greatly diminished.

 That wisdom, though true in most cases, has to be taken with a pinch of salt, because there are things that one can do to live a quality life well into one’s golden years. In fact, a study done in Europe, which followed the health and wellbeing of older athletes, found that aging cyclists who rode regularly, in their seventies and eighties, had the same ability to fend off infections, as those in their twenties and thirties.

 Testosterone levels in older men who exercise, are also found to be significantly higher than those who lead a strictly, sedentary lifestyle void of meaningful physical activity. This truth is borne out in the Bible where we will observe that many physically, active individuals such as Caleb, and Abraham were still “Busy” well into, what folks describe as retirement age. Let’s read:

Genesis 21: 5 And Abraham was one hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

 Genesis 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

Sarah was actually 91 years of age when Isaac was born, and since Abraham was 100 years old at that time, then the simple math would tell us that there were 36 years which elapsed, between Isaac’s birth and Sarah’s death. That would then put Abraham squarely on the other side of the hill as it pertains to the evening of his days.

 At this age we would be expecting him to be frail or weak, and at the very least his days of busyness had long been over. According to the X-Perts, he would be crunching numbers as it pertains to his will, with only an occasional bout of golf.

 But not according to the wisdom of God, for we discover that he was still fired up and ready to go, at 136 years of age, and he wasn’t infertile as some would be prone to believe. In fact, according to the scriptures, Abraham continued to have children for several years after Sarah died. Let’s read:

Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

That is six children after the age of 136, and that is why we caution persons who read and quote from the X-Perts, who often leave God out of the picture. Caleb was not slack, as some men count slackness either, for he too conflicted with the conventional wisdom on aging. Let’s read:

Joshua 14: 6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, you know the thing that the Lord said unto Moses concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea.

7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in my heart.

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

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

10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as

he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spoke this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

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

Again, we have the historical facts on Gideon, who was a full-grown man when the angel of The Lord, said unto him: “Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”

 But lo and behold, we discover that Gideon went on to have a multitude of children, well into his golden years, hence the reason why we stated earlier, that the conventional wisdom on the elderly and aging must be taken with a pinch of salt. Let’s read:

Judges 8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten.

32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

 Thus, in addressing the issue of Diseases, Causes, and Cures, we must distinguish clearly between the causes which trigger diseases in the first place, and the cures that are endorsed by God. The causes will be divided up into two main categories:

 [1] Physical or natural causes, which deal with the laws of cause and effect in the physical realm.

 [2] Spiritual causes, which will deal with diseases and sickness which are caused by strictly spiritual factors, which have nothing to do with viruses or infections.

 Let’s begin with those diseases which are caused by physical or natural factors. There is such a thing as cause and effect, or, as described in the scriptures as sowing and reaping. There are things which folks do that will produce adverse effects on their person if such things are in violation of natural law.

 God does not generally interfere with the laws of sowing and reaping, for if He were to do this, He would essentially make His own laws of none effect. Therefore, what many persons think God is doing to them is in fact what they have done to themselves, without any interference or input from God. 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.

As the Wet Markets in Wuhan China sold various exotic meats, and so-called delicacies, the laws of God pertaining to diets and foods were disregarded. In many instances, that word “Exotic” really means forbidden, as it pertains to foods. Civets, Mice, Pork, Snakes, Crabs, Oysters, Monkeys, Shrimp, and yes, man’s best friend, “brother Dog”, were all to be found on the menu.

 And it is not China alone that regularly indulges in these violations, they have become a worldwide phenomenon, crossing all borders and all countries where forbidden foods are consumed. And thus, we have the seeds of death already sown in the bodies of billions of people, so that when viruses like covid and his brethren arise, we are already at a serious disadvantage, as far as fighting them is concerned.

 These forbidden foods were never intended for the human family to consume; they were black-listed by God, Who created them, and Who best knows their consistency, and the adverse effects they will have on any person who consumes them.

 The seeds of death would absolutely be sown in the bodies of those who consume forbidden foods, and even if one works out regularly, and seems to be fit externally, the dirty work of breaking down systems vital organs, and a person’s immunity will continue uninterrupted, while the violations continue. This is a statement of fact that individuals can take to the bank, and cash.

 In the New Testament, where we see Christ letting demons go into the herd of swine which was being raised for human consumption, Jesus was not then merely attempting to deprive those farmers of their livestock.  He was doing them a great favor in the eventual destruction of the swine, for it was one of the causes of leprosy and other fatal diseases that had plagued folks in that era. 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 chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

5 And the coney, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

6 And the hare, 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.

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcasses in abomination.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey,

14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;

15 Every raven after his kind;

16 And the owl, and the night hawk and the cuckoo,

and the hawk after his kind,

17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,

18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,

19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,

30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.

31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.

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 it’s not only diets and foods that are forbidden which contribute to diseases that are proliferating, for the culture of drug dependence, which has now become the norm in so many countries, adds to the toxic mix. When we speak of drugs we aren’t merely referring to heroin, cocaine, and weed.

We are primarily referring to the taking of drugs for any and every reason, without due consideration of counting the cost that would be leveled against the body. There are certain drugs taken which cause the body’s immune system to be compromised, so that when infections occur, the body is already in such a state that would make it difficult to defend itself.

 Organ transplant recipients in particular, are given certain types of drugs, so that the body would not reject the organ that was transplanted. The reason for this is that the body views transplanted organs as foreign entities, and begins to attack them as such. Thus, in order to prevent this, certain drugs are prescribed.

 But one of the adverse side effects of such drugs is that the body’s immune system is weakened in the process, so that such persons become particularly susceptible to infections of all sorts. In addition to organ transplant recipients, persons who are given drugs to treat psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, will have the same effect of a weakened immune system.

 We are not here advising any person to stop taking their medications; we are just stating the bare facts as they are, so that we may be aware of root cause and effect as it pertains to an immunocompromised condition, as a direct result of taking certain drugs.

 Wherever possible, the use of any drugs should be avoided, for just like trees in the natural world, God made our bodies with the wherewithal to heal, and regenerate in most cases, together with those God-ordained remedies and treatments as necessary.

 If a person’s current medication includes the names of any of the drugs listed below then you can know for certain that adverse effects of a compromised immune system are already at play. Here is a list of the names those drugs, which we will not presume to pronounce:

Corticosteroids: prednisone (Deltasone,

Orasone), budesonide, (Entocort EC) prednisolone (Millipred), Janus kinase inhibitors, tofacitinib (Xeljanz)

Calcineurin inhibitors: cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, SangCya), tacrolimus (Astagraf XL, Envarsus XR, Prograf),

mTOR inhibitors: sirolimus (Rapamune)

everolimus (Afinitor, Zortress)

IMDH inhibitors: azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), leflunomide (Arava), mycophenolate (CellCept, Myfortic)

Biologics: abatacept (Orencia), adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret), certolizumab (Cimzia)

etanercept (Enbrel), golimumab (Simponi)

infliximab (Remicade), ixekizumab (Taltz),

natalizumab (Tysabri), rituximab (Rituxan), secukinumab (Cosentyx)

tocilizumab (Actemra), ustekinumab (Stelara)

vedolizumab (Entyvio),

 Monoclonal antibodies: basiliximab (Simulect), daclizumab (Zinbryta)

Now we will move to the spiritual causes, for there are other issues that can affect the immune system, which are not in the physical realm, and yet, could cause persons to be prone to succumb to diseases. Selfishness and a unforgiving spirit, greed, unbelief, depression, remorse, grief, loneliness, lust, laziness, and other adverse conditions of the mind, just to name a few.

 Several examples of the spiritual causes for various diseases are given in the scriptures. For instance, a man by the name of Nabal suffered a heart attack, and died as a direct result of selfishness. Gehazi was Elisha’s servant, but he was diagnosed with leprosy because of unbridled greed.

 David suffered from osteoporosis, because of deep remorse and regret for his sin with Bathsheba. And Daniel fainted and became sick “certain days” after erroneously believing that the Jewish exile would last very much longer than the 70 years prophesied. Michal, Saul’s daughter became barren for the sole reason of trying to shut down David’s praise.

 Miriam came down with leprosy after she coveted Moses’ position, and because of her racial profiling of Moses’ wife. And the list goes on and on, for in the New Testament we have several examples of diseases cause by spiritual factors, which persons suffered from and, in some instances, died.

 Ananias and Sapphira succumbed to sudden death syndrome for withholding tithes and offerings. One man became crippled because of sin, whom Jesus healed, and later warned him against retrogressing into the same error, and old Judas became severely depressed, and committed suicide, because of his inordinate love of money.

 Some persons died and others became sick because they partook of the holy communion, without the prerequisite preparation. All of these are spiritual causes, issues of the mind, which if left unaddressed often cause very serious illness, disease, and death and in many cases, the body’s ability to heal itself is severely compromised. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 11: 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30 For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

But one of the causes of diseases, which hardly gets any attention is disease that is caused by a person’s imagination, where folks became sick after believing they were sick, when they actually weren’t. A spirit of unbelief can weaken our immune systems to the point where negative, foreboding thoughts sap our vital forces, and our health becomes compromised.

 As a general rule of thumb, if one dwells in the light of God’s promises, the promises tend to be fulfilled. And the converse is true, for when persons adopt a spirit of fear, and unbelief, the after- effects in the physical world often savors of those negatives they were dwelling on. This is one of the reasons given in the scriptures, why Job’s ordeal materialized. Let’s read:

Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. 26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

 In fact, God was watching over Job night and day for so many years and His providence protected him for all of his life, together with all that Job owned, and thus, the belief, and the statement that he was not in safety was unfounded, and it savored of unbelief. And guess what, so said, so done. Let’s read:

Job 1: 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nothing?

10 Hast not thou made a 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.

During the course of the pandemic, the constant barrage of bad news, together with covid numbers and daily deaths, caused many persons to go into depression, and as a result, in some cases the bad news actually became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 As some persons crunched the numbers daily, and as some chose to dwell upon the darker side of the crisis, the prospect of coming down with the virus, and the accompanying adverse side effects, scared the living daylights out of some people, and fear in turn, weakened their body’s ability to fight off the dreaded infection.

 It is quite possible that some who may just have had a regular cough, or flu, were prone to believe that it must be the virus, and the resulting worry and fear may have driven them to get tested, and retested until they actually came down with it.

 Now while it is true that folks simply believing may not prevent disease, harboring a positive outlook of belief in God will often go a long way in setting the stage for resisting disease. And we will discover that our immune systems will be much better prepared to deal with diseases as they arise, for again, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

 As we confront a new variant, (Stealth Omicron) it is of critical importance for persons to believe God’s promises, even if He may not deliver in your own, particular circumstance, for believing paves the way for health, wellness and recovery, whereas unbelief casts a dark shadow over the body’s efforts to heal and recover. Let’s read:

Matthew 9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

There is a valid reason why persons are encouraged in the scriptures to cultivate a believing mind, for although this aspect of the human experience may not get the attention it deserves, it could and often affects outcomes.

Therefore, we must pay very close attention to the following statements coming from the servant of The Lord, for they reveal what persons may need to take into consideration, as we consider the prospect of many other diseases, viruses and variants arising as we get closer to Christ’s 2nd coming. Let’s read:

 [Ministry Of healing pp 241] The relation that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is affected, the other sympathizes. The condition of the mind affects the health to a far greater degree than many realize. Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression.

 Grief, anxiety discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and tend to invite decay and death. Disease is sometimes produced, and is often greatly aggravated, by imagination. Many are lifelong invalids who might be well if they only thought so.

 Many imagine that every slight exposure will cause illness, and the evil effect is produced because it is expected. Many die from disease, the cause of which is wholly imaginary. Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love, promote health and prolong life. A contented mind, a cheerful spirit, is health to the body and strength to the soul. “A merry [rejoicing] heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22.

 In addressing diseases, causes, and cures our efforts should run the entire gamut from diets and foods to regular exercise, faith in God, and a believing mind, because when these factors are juxtaposed one to another, positive outcomes would become far more frequent, than if we were to take the other beaten path of drugs, inactivity, poor diet, and unbelief.

 The health message that God has granted to all who would believe and practice, will become more and more relevant, as new diseases, and variants arise. This knowledge is not to be held only theoretically, it is to be applied across the board, in our everyday experiences, wherever possible, because it’s not the hearers, but the doers of the word who will be most benefitted thereby.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which would encourage us to cooperate with God in living healthy lives and fending off disease where possible for it is the will of God, that His people be blessed with long quality of life, to serve to the best of our ability, for as long as possible. Let’s read:

Psalms 103: 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

3 Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases;

4 Who redeems thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

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

                                   God Bless!

Overcoming Phantom Temptations. Sabbath afternoon 02/12/2022

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 human family is tempted in two main ways: [1] Via our five senses, through which we communicate with the outside world. [2] Through temptations or cravings that are cultivated internally, in the mind.

 And while temptation in and of itself is not a sin, the much more dangerous of the two previous methods mentioned, is the temptation which often occurs internally, without any provocation from devils, for while it is true that they continue to do their dirty work relentlessly, the fact is that if left alone, folks can run on automatic, without any external input.

 This issue must be addressed head-on, for far too long folks have blamed devils wrongfully, when in very many instances, devils did not interfere nor did they trigger the evil thoughts that set into motion the temptation with which one was tempted in his or her mind.

 Individuals do not necessarily need to be tempted externally in order for sinful thought to be triggered or for any sinful suggestions to reach maturity into actions. The human mind will run involuntarily in a downward trajectory so that without Christ, no one has to be tempted, provoked or encouraged to sin.

 Thus, because of our fallen nature, and all the latent tendencies it comes with, persons naturally follow the lead of carnal cravings and desires, unless they are constrained by the presence and power of God continually.

 In other words, if God were to destroy devils in the morning, and if God were to put them permanently out of commission, or consign them to never-land, phantom temptations would continue to exist, and would continue to morph into evil words and deeds, just the same as if the devil was alive and well.

 This means that the problem with temptation is not so much external as it is internal as the first passage makes plain. Jesus pointed poignantly to this issue of the human experience, as the cause of the sinful action in most instances, and then He further makes mention of the fact that persons often sin in their minds, without any follow-up overt actions.

 This fact above all else should cause each one of us to engage in deep and thorough soul-searching, to determine and know whether the temptations we are afflicted with are being engineered externally, or if perchance, they are being churned out in our own private factory.

 In the case of Christ’s temptations, we would read in the scriptures that “the devil came to him”. But in our situation, the devil does not necessarily have to come to us; he can leave us all by ourselves, and if we are not rooted in Christ, the sinful outcome will become inevitable. Two deeply troubling passages on this point are worthy of our consideration. Let’s read:

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.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man.

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Both of these passages point to internal temptation as the main driver, and producer of most external evils and, James states unequivocally that there is also a gestation period of sorts where evil thoughts, temptations, and decisions do converge, before the entire process ruptures into open sin.

 It almost never occurs in a vacuum as many persons claim as a cop-out that “the devil made me do it”. Thus, before we proceed, we must understand the meaning of the word “Phantom”: Something that is not real and exists only in a person's mind.

This definition, as given by the dictionary, does not capture the full scope or the severity of the problem because, although temptations in the mind may not produce tangible effects, they are indeed palpable, and they are as real as if they literally existed in the physical world.

 Both men and women do suffer from this syndrome  and the honest in heart will be first to admit that it is real, for it was the reason why God had to bring a flood upon the antediluvian world. In that episode, the internal problem of the mind loomed large, and it prompted God to make the following declaration. Let’s read:

Genesis 6: 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

David recognized the seriousness of the problem, after he fell on the issue of fatal attraction, and as we stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, internal and external foes will endeavor to get our minds bent in a downward trajectory, by indulging or cultivating phantom temptations.

 As David considered the extent, and the depths to which he fell, he penned words that all who would live victoriously in these last days, would do well to consider, and appropriate to ourselves, wherever the situation may warrant such consideration. Let’s read:  

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts. and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

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

It’s very worthy of note, that throughout the entire chapter of Palms 51 not a single mention is made of the devil. That is because, like Christ later stated, it isn’t really a “devil” problem as such, it is a latent, internal problem of the mind, phantom temptations if you will, and unless it’s addressed and understood as such, our mitigation efforts would certainly lead to failure and ruin.

 However, Jesus does not teach us to grovel in our human weakness, because dwelling on our failures and errors does not strengthen us to face problems within the mind. In fact, the opposite is true, for if we dwell on our weaknesses, they would loom even larger, and before you know it, our fears would then crystalize our faith, which is an outlook on life which God never endorses. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

This leads us to our study for this evening:       “Overcoming Phantom Temptations”

 There are certain facts in the spiritual realm that are to be clearly understood by all, especially those who are a part of the remnant people of God, for these facts will greatly strengthen our resolve to keep on fighting the good fight of faith and would ultimately empower us to live victoriously from day to day.

 [1] A mind that is constantly stayed on God is kept by His power from dwelling on, and cultivating external or internal temptations which occur, for they could, and should be signally dismissed by the word of God, and by the power of His Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

 The gospel of Jesus Christ is never a make-believe gospel; it is a living, breathing power which enables all who so desire to live victoriously on an ongoing basis. Some persons become frustrated, and others become disappointed with themselves because the desired outcome, after accepting the gospel might seem to have not been materialized.

 On this point, we must state unequivocally that God does not work and plan as we do. He brings His own omnipotent and creative power to the table, so that all who are found in Christ will become partakers of His victory. This point is clearly stated in the Bible. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.

The real problem is never with the true gospel; it is always with the human agent because every person who truly believes in Jesus, who would follow all the rules of engagement by God’s grace, as written in the Bible, will be victorious on all levels. Christ did not die to grant us a spurious victory as a figment of our imagination; He died so that we could live like conquerors. Let’s read:

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

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.

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

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

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

30 I and my Father are one.

[2] Phantom temptations would be signally dismissed and overcome through a constant connection to the power of Christ, who will work in collaboration with our freedom of choice to rat out every real, or imaginary temptation.

 No need to worry or grovel in our weaknesses, for if we look to Jesus throughout the day, it will become very difficult, if not nearly impossible for individuals to be overthrown by either external or internal foes. This fact about Christ’s salvation needs to be given due consideration, for some people dwell too much upon what devils can do, and not upon what Christ has done, and will continue to do. Let’s read:

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

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

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

Jude 1: 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.

[Desire Of Ages pp 324] When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.

 The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.

Impregnable: (Cambridge English dictionary) A building or place that is impregnable is so strongly built and defended that it cannot be entered by force. Powerful and impossible to beat.

The previous statement of fact begs the question: why then had David fallen so low, when he had had so many mountaintop experiences. David fell and all others will fall, whenever persons allow themselves to become unhinged from the source of power.

 Just two weeks ago, we were forced to cancel our broadcast because we were disconnected from the cable company, through no fault of our own, and as a result we lost the power to perform. A few weeks ago, we had a power outage in our neighborhood, and it temporarily took all of our computers out of commission.

 Then, when power was restored, we had to reboot our equipment, so that they could function again at full capacity. But while they were down, because of a lack of vital power, we could do no surfing or work because being disconnected from the power source rendered them incapable of doing what they would normally be able to do.

 The same is true for any light bulb, or floodlight or any electrical equipment, including this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine; if it gets disconnected from the source of its power it will inevitably lose its ability to function, and thereby resist the incursions coming from without and within.

 This is exactly what took place with David, when he temporarily got disconnected from God. He lost the power to resist the phantom temptations that were lurking in his mind, which were only waiting for the opportune moment to become unhinged, and thus, to converge into actions that caused his downfall.

 The next obvious and logical question is: What then causes God fearing persons to become temporarily disconnected from the source of their power? This question and the two answers that would be given must be clearly understood by all.

 Answer: [1] Anything or anyone that is allowed the first place in our affections, will ultimately engage our utmost attentions and energies, and if it is not Christ or the interests of His kingdom, we may know for certain that separation has already begun. Let’s read:

John 14:4 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 who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of man's carnal nature.

The word “arouse” must be given due consideration at this time, because something cannot be aroused except it be present and/or dormant. For example: “The pit-bull was “aroused” when it heard the mail-man at the front door”. The pit-bull in question would first have to be present, in order for it to be “aroused”

 As it pertains to phantom temptations, every sinful tendency and craving that is cherished, which then remains in a latent state within our minds, can and will absolutely be aroused into action whenever the right set of circumstances converge.

 And that’s why the Bible study today is so critically important for us to grasp, for some of us might be walking around, thinking that we’re ok when we’re not, just because there may not be any overt sinful action.

 [Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] The work of the enemy is not abrupt; it is not, at the outset, sudden and startling; it is a secret undermining of the strongholds of principle. It begins in apparently small things—the neglect to be true to God and to rely upon Him wholly, the disposition to follow the customs and practices of the world.

 This temporary separation is often accomplished by devils using what we refer to as good temptations. For clarity, a “Good temptation” is one that is not inherently bad, in and of itself, but at the end of the day, it ultimately serves the purpose of drawing us away from Christ, sometimes almost imperceptibly.

 Case in point is the situation which obtained when Jesus became very hungry, and went to the home of Mary and Martha to do lunch. At this time Martha became quite busy with preparing the meal because there was an important need to be addressed, for The Creator of the universe was very hungry, and was and was sitting in her living room.

 But although her cooking was important, it was not that important in the bigger picture, because, as the Lord soon pointed out if one has to choose between cooking a meal for The Creator, and listening to the words of life coming from His lips, cooking becomes less of a priority, even though it is something good. Let’s read:

Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she helps me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.

Another example of a good temptation, occurred just as Christ was delivering a sermon to the people. He was in the middle of speaking important truths when His family showed up, and instead of joining the throng to listen in, they waited on the outside, and sent messengers to ask Jesus to come to them.

 But doing so would have cut short His sermon, and even though, seeing His mother, and His brethren was important, again, it wasn’t that important, for whenever the work of the gospel is interrupted for reasons, other than those ordained by God, there we will have a good temptation sitting at our door. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

It is worthy of note that the timing of this particular interruption occurred just as Jesus was making such a revelation about the work of devils on the human heart, that would warrant from them an immediate response to try if possible, to divert the attention of the multitudes from truths that would be critically important to their understanding of the invisible world.

 So, let’s observe in context and timing, what’s really taking place, when out of the blue, the request to stop speaking, and attend to some family matters took place. If we’ll receive it, it’s just another good temptation coming from the enemy of souls. Let’s read:

Matthew 12: 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 takes 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.

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

Disturbances and temptations such as these often take place at a critical moment when the pastor or an elder may be delivering some sacred truths that would make a difference in some person’s life. It is most often a good temptation that’s occurring even though some may be none the wiser.

[2] The soul can also be separated from God by what we choose to feed upon mentally.

 If persons desire to live victoriously over phantom temptations, we must be very careful about what we choose to see or hear, because the five senses are the avenues to the soul, and because of this, the information and images coming into the mind could exert a deleterious effect on those who are careless upon this aspect of spiritual warfare.

 To put it bluntly, if phantom temptations are to be held at bay and uprooted, there are certain things one cannot do. For example, deliberately looking at pornography in any form will effectually render the work of the Holy Spirit null and void, for situations such as this sets up an antagonistic atmosphere in the mind that pits the carnal against the spiritual.

 And wherever this takes place, the soul will become separated from God; temporarily at first, and then, permanently if the practice is never surrendered. It must be stated here that porn is a cancer that’s now eating out the soul of millions of persons, including members of the clergy. Thus, it creates a tug of war between good and bad impulses within one’s soul. Let’s read:

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would.

As knowledge and inventions increase over time, evil will become more readily available, even at our fingertips, and thus, the Christian living in today’s world will have to follow God’s instructions on how to avoid the many pitfalls and snares that are being laid for the feet of the unwary.

 Phantom temptations in particular will need to be addressed, and overcome, by the grace of God, in preparation for the latter rain. We are told in the Bible that “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” which means that the thoughts and imaginations would need to be cleansed from the stains of sin, whether real or phantom. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 622] Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Savior be brought to yield to the power of temptation.

 Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me.” [John 14:30.]

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

The path to victory, as it pertains to overcoming phantom temptations, is by the word, and through the indwelling Spirit of God. Those who do not see the necessity of prayer will find out sooner or later that cherished, latent tendencies would eventually place the mind in an iron grip, from which it will be very difficult to escape.

 But God has made available to every believer, the power to overcome on a daily basis, if persons will only watch and pray. Having one’s mind stayed on God throughout the day is the equivalent of living in the Spirit, and all who will submit themselves to the instructions given on this point, would not be made the sport of temptations, whether they be internal or external.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that calls on us to throw in our two cents, together with God’s 100 %, for it is by cooperating, and laying the framework for an atmosphere that will be favorable to spiritual growth, that we would live victoriously over phantom temptations. Let’s read:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

                                    God Bless!

Living With Covid, And Christ. Sabbath afternoon 02/05/2022

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.

36 For we have need of patience, that, after we have done the will of God, we might receive the promise.

37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

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

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

What many persons are discovering is that there is something such as long covid, whereby some of the after effects of the virus continue long after persons have tested negative, and were supposed to have been recovered. Lingering symptoms such as brain fog, headache, fatigue, and issues with taste and smell, can last in some cases for up to 22 months.

 In addition, we find ourselves having to deal with the collateral damage, such as supply chain issues, worker shortages, fatigue of many in the medical community, and the fact that many nurses are now ditching their profession, because of the constant stress of work overload that they are facing day in and day out.

 The after-effects have also taken a toll on the food chain, for in some places, processing plants have as much as 50 percent of their workforce out, because of the virus, and as a result, some food companies do not have the labor resources to process chickens into wings, legs and thighs, so they are selling them whole, and Mc-Donald’s has had to ration its French fries in some areas.

 In addition to these disruptions, some businesses and churches have been forced to close temporarily because of the virulence of the omicron variant. The constant washing of hands, the disinfecting of many surfaces and the wearing of masks are adding to the inconveniences that are affecting persons, so that in one way or another, we all have had to make some adjustments on some level, to living with covid.

 Therefore, for the foreseeable future, we will have to deal with covid over the long haul, but as we’ve stated before, and will continue to emphasize, it is critically important for us not leave God out of the picture, for throughout all of the vicissitudes of life, whether in good times or in bad, Christ must be the center, and the One stabilizing force to preserve our souls and our sanity.

This is not the last pandemic, and omicron is not the last variant, and thus, our mitigation efforts would have to go over, and beyond what the experts are advising. The new abnormal will have to include The God of heaven who has told us that these things are going to be taking place more frequently, and with greater intensity, because this is what the phrase “As a woman travails with child” really means.

 Therefore, while the nations are trying their best to weather the storm Christians are to incorporate the God factor in all of our planning, because the just shall live by faith. Conversely, fear crystalizes trust in God and if we were to follow all of the guidelines, restrictions, and precautions being handed down, we’ll find ourselves in very unfortunate situations.

 The Bible study for this evening will therefore focus on bringing Christ into the experiences we are now faced with. Whatever the Christian does, it must of necessity include faith in God, because we fight and win our battles using different strategies than what the world uses.

 In other words, in addition to the many mitigation efforts that are being advised, in the secular realm, faith in Jesus, and a childlike trust in Him, will help us to deal with any collateral damage brought about as a result of covid. The Bible teaches us of the ways and means whereby we may address the current dilemma. Let’s read:

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

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith,

wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

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

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

 Whenever seemingly insurmountable difficulties arise, whether in the temporal, social, marital or spiritual realm, the Christian is to incorporate the foundational element of faith in God, if victory is to be achieved. This is where the secular and spiritual would often part ways, for one is antithetical to the other.

In other words, by using strictly carnal methods and strategies, our problems will often loom larger than they really are, and it is very often the case, that by dwelling on the daunting issues in life, the God of heaven is left out.

 The Bible does not teach us that we would not have difficulties; it teaches us several ways and means to navigate such difficulties. However, in every single instance, without exception, faith and trust in God must of necessity be included, for faith is the door through which new opportunities, strategies, and mitigation efforts are to be accessed. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians trying to do were drowned.

 As was stated before, there are only so many ways that the secular mind will find to cross the red sea. Without faith, finite limitations would restrict man-made efforts to only sailing, flying or swimming. But faith in Jesus introduces new possibilities, which, in many instances would scare the living daylights out of those who only use “Carnal weapons”.

 Faith in God announces that folks can walk across the Red sea. The Egyptians tried to follow the Jews, through the waters; they saw them walking on dry land in the middle of the ocean, and they believed that they could do the same. The only problem is that the Hebrews were walking by faith whereas the Egyptians were walking strictly by sight.

 Wherever individuals make decisions and actions based strictly upon what they see or hear, without incorporating the God factor into the equation, it becomes inevitable that defeat, failure, and much perplexity would be the result.

Therefore, wherever this is the case, where God is left out of the picture, the waves that persons face, whether they be waves of despair or waves of some new virus, using carnal, man-made strategies alone would never be sufficient. Some new variant of the problem will arise to frustrate, annoy, or, as was the case with the Egyptians, “Drown”. Let’s read:

 Exodus 14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

 And we can go on and on, and we can give several examples of trials, difficulties, problems and hurdles being confronted and surmounted by the faithful in ages past, and we will discover that they all had one thing in common; they did not leave God out of the picture, but rather exercised a living faith in Christ, who has promised. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

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

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

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

It is worthy of note that in the passages given above, every difficulty, every hurdle, and every perplexity, was handled by the faithful, using that one common denominator of faith. Yes, it is true that at times the weapons employed included the temporal, such as swords, stones and the other items commonly used by those who didn’t know God.

 However, with the Christian, our faith in God has to run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our everyday experiences, for without it, we will be using what the Bible describes as being carnal weapons. David used five smooth stones and a sling, but the main ingredient interwoven throughout his close encounter with Goliath was faith.

 Gideon used trumpets and torches, but the main element in bringing him success was his faith in the living God. Similarly, the Hebrews used horns and they marched around Jericho for several days, but here again, the fundamental element that brought them victory was their faith in God.

 The same is true of covid, for some persons might choose to use vaccines, while others may opt to try natural remedies, such as garlic, ginger and other bitter herbs, but at the end of the day, it is our faith in the living God that will sustain us over the “covid long haul”, a fact that we must never lose sight of. Let’s read:

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

 Romans 14: 23 “For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

This leads us to the case study for this evening, for the apostle Paul had to live with a thorn in the flesh for many years. Even though the Bible does not say exactly what the thorn was, it obviously presented an ongoing challenge to the apostle, and he found out that he would have to live with it, just like many are discovering that we will have to live with covid.

 Yet, Paul did not leave God out of the picture, for he like so many who had walked that road before, saw the necessity, and the value of living with the thorn, and Christ at the same time, and by his attitude and example, he left on the record, the ways and means whereby all who should encounter ongoing physical or spiritual difficulties, are to live victoriously. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 12: 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

 As we face daunting challenges, and as we sail into unchartered territory, Christians will be tempted to use and employ only man-made strategies, without that fundament element of the God-factor. This is what is sorely lacking in the public square, as the X-Perts are now discovering that covid would become endemic, and there is a new variant that has just emerged.

 As a direct response, big pharma is now working on variant specific vaccines to stave off what is now on the front burner, namely omicron. The problem is that several shots and many boosters have not been able to prevent the viral spread across nations and individuals, and so the question is: Will we look for only man-made strategies, or will we like Paul, seek to include Christ in all of our mitigation efforts?

The Bible does not leave us without answers, for it is an imperative that we walk by faith, if we are to live like conquerors. When decisions and actions are taken in times of difficulty and emergency, without a living faith in Christ, we would certainly err in our conclusions, for whatsoever is not of faith, will lead us into undesirable paths.

 [Testimonies vol. 4 pp 26] The Hebrews were weary and terrified; yet if they had held back when Moses bade them advance, if they had refused to move nearer to the Red Sea, God would never have opened the path for them.

 In marching down to the very water, they showed that they had faith in the word of God as spoken by Moses. They did all that it was in their power to do, and then the Mighty One of Israel performed His part, and divided the waters to make a path for their feet.

 The clouds that gather about our way will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Unbelief says: “We can never surmount these obstructions; let us wait until they are removed, and we can see our way clearly.” But faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things. Obedience to God is sure to bring the victory. It is only through faith that we can reach heaven.

 Let us therefore be reconciled to the prospect of having to live with covid and Christ, for the work of the gospel was never intended to be impeded by a plethora of daunting challenges. The preaching of the word and the ultimate fulfillment of the gospel commission would always involve risk at some level, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood.

 Let us therefore buckle up our shoes, and gird on the full armor of God, that we may be able to live, and still do God’s work, at a time when many are running for cover. God will grant us grace to deal with, and navigate the arising emergencies, but we also must step up to the plate, and learn to endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross.

We will end with three passages of scripture which would encourage us to keep the gospel commission at the fore-front of our minds, and God will grant us grace to do exploits for Him at a time when morale is low. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 2: 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

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

 Matthew 16: 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

                                God Bless!