The Beast System Part [2] Worship And Enforcement. Sabbath afternoon 03/25/2023

Revelation 13: 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

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

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

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

Last week we studied, and demonstrated how some of the five tentacles of the beast system mentioned above have already been put into place and are now growing at an alarming rate. Geolocation, tracking, and surveillance, have become mainstays of society as a whole.

And folks have become so deeply immersed in such technologies that it now seems quite difficult to live without them. For instance, it is estimated that in the city of London alone, there are approximately 500,000 surveillance cameras, watching every move you make, and every claim you stake, around the clock.

Last week we also dealt with the issue of buying and selling, as is mentioned in our first passage, and we showed from the Bible how those who are found in Christ, and who refuse to bow to the image of the beast will essentially be locked out of all commercial activity, including travel, healthcare, financials, and educational pursuits.

The laws of the land will also be invoked by the then judiciary to give the system teeth, so that everyone who cannot be tracked, traced, or geolocated would have their economic privileges entirely, permanently and irreversibly revoked; that is unless such persons should buckle under the tremendous pressure that would be brought to bear against them.

The times being spoken of by the prophet John, in the book of Revelation, would be extremely severe indeed, hence the reason why we beseech you, by God’s grace, to be fully reconciled and submitted to Jesus, before there is a rush for the door, and before the systems being referred to become encoded into law. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 30: 5 For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of  peace.

6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

However, this week we are going to address the two remaining tentacles of the system, namely: Worship, and Enforcement. In the days of Elijah, the issue to be settled on Mt. Carmel centered around worship, for Jezebel had institutionalized the worship of Baal, and her husband as king of Israel allowed her to rule the day, with no remonstrance whatever. Let’s read:

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

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

There is a phrase in the above passage that we must pay attention to: “Whom Jezebel his wife stirred up” This phrase tells us unmistakably, that Jezebel was the chief instigator of all that was taking place with the idolatrous, false worship that overspread the land.

Now, even though we are living in an age of political correctness, we’ll have to give the trumpet a certain sound, for the Word says that it was a woman who was pushing king Ahab to do what he had done.

The institution of idolatry, and the worship of Baal were emanating from her to the point where the Bible specifically says that there were 850 priests who ate from Jezebel’s table, not Ahab’s table. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18: 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

This means that a woman, Jezebel by name, was the chief architect and the engineer of the false worship that had now spread across the land like the plague. Similarly, in our day, it is a woman that has written the script, that the Lamblike beast of Revelation 13 will follow.

 And the script is simple; try to urge a false form of worship upon the masses of people, and if they do not comply, then force, and eventually death is the last resort. Without a doubt, this is not the first time in earth’s history that we have seen this script, but it will intensify, and climax into the final conflict of the ages.

In prophecy a woman represents a church and thus, in our day, it is a woman or church, that would have written both the script and the playbook, which the lamblike beast of Revelation thirteen adopts and the unthinkable would become reality in the institution of the mark of the beast, with all of its consequent enforcement.

What is worthy of note is that throughout the entire episode from 1st Kings chapters 17>19, it is Jezebel who takes the lead, and the initiative in persecuting the true prophets of God including Elijah, therefore, beyond all doubt, she was also behind that death decree which was hanging over Elijah’s head. This is important, because history will be repeated. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

1st Kings 19: 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

Thus, just as it was in the days of Jezebel, so shall it be when the beast system of worship is unveiled and would have taken deep root globally. It will be a “Woman” or church, that will be working behind the scenes to install and enforce that spurious form of worship for the patent rights to the script belongs to her.

Thus it was that the Baal system of worship, culture, education and commerce had taken so deep root to the point where only 7000 faithful people remained, out of the many millions who had comprised the ten northern tribes at that time. Therefore, things were looking pretty grim as far as the worship of the true God was concerned just as it is in our day Let’s read:

1st Kings 19: 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

The worship of Baal had infiltrated the educational systems in Elijah’s day, it had affected commerce as well as culture, and its tentacles were also invading the food systems, because meat offerings offered to Baal were considered prime bounty for persons who could afford to buy.

Similarly, in the book of Revelation John warns us of a coming total infiltration by the beast system upon the food supply, in so much, that when the mark of the beast is finally instituted it will no longer be safe for the saints to eat from the system, which is one of the reasons why God promises to feed His people during that perilous time.

Worship in its various forms has always affected the food chain. Always!

In the worship of the true God, we read of meat and drink offerings that were offered to Him under the sanctuary system. Later on, the sacrificial system was perverted by the priests, Hophni and Phineas under Eli and later on in Christ’s day where it had devolved into a booming business, prompting Jesus to chase out those vendors from the temple.

Again, in the days of Paul, the worship of idols was a dominant factor in the food that was being sold, for the items that were first offered to false gods, were eagerly and diligently sought out by the people back then, in so much that Paul had to address the issue in several passages of scripture.

Therefore, in Revelation 13, this will not be the first time in earth’s history when a false form of worship would have affected the food supply. In the days of Moses, the frog was worshiped as a god, going by the name of Heqa. Thus, when the plague of frogs came upon the land, the food supply in Egypt was then perverted.

Similarly, just about that time spoken of by John the prophet, when three unclean spirits like frogs would take control of heads of states and the multitudes of people who turn their backs on God, the food chain would be adversely affected, just as it was in ancient Egypt, for there is nothing new under the sun. Let’s read:

Exodus 8: 3 And the river shall bring forth frogs  abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs.

Revelation 16: 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

The difference in Revelation chapter 13 is that any access to food will be dependent on subscription to the false worship that would be set up by the lamb-like beast, thus making subscription mandatory, to the point where the refusal to comply will be visited with increasingly stiffer penalties, until all the stops will be pulled out and the death decree for violators will be issued.

 In the days of Jezebel and Ahab, the worship of the false god Baal had taken such deep root, that their systems had now become the gold standard in the minds of the folks back then, so that the few who refused to bow were looked upon as odd, renegade, and out of step with those contemporary modes of thought and action that had filtered down through Jezebel.

In our day the worship of false gods as promulgated by the woman spoken of in Revelation 18, has also infiltrated our educational systems and it is tainting culture to the point where the vile is being looked upon as right.

To be more specific, in the days of Jezebel, most of the universities, schools, and institutions of higher learning of the day, were teaching the students that it was Baal who provided sunshine and rain and that it was he who caused vegetation and fruit to grow. Let’s read:

[Prophets and Kings pp 120] Inasmuch as the worshipers of Baal claimed that the treasures of heaven, the dew and the rain, came not from Jehovah, but from the ruling forces of nature, and that it was through the creative energy of the sun that the earth was enriched and made to bring forth abundantly, the curse of God was to rest heavily upon the polluted land.

 Determined to keep the people in deception, the priests of Baal continue to offer sacrifices to their gods and to call upon them night and day to refresh the earth. With costly offerings the priests attempt to appease the anger of their gods; with a zeal and a perseverance worthy of a better cause they linger round their pagan altars and pray earnestly for rain.

 In our day, students are being taught in the public schools that evolutionary processes are responsible for our survival, and as a result, documentaries and studies about nature are done, without one single mention of nature’s God.

El Nino and El Nina are the ones credited with the ebb and flow of certain atmospheric currents, and Darwin is worshipped as a god in most of the higher and lower institutions of learning.

In fact, as we had stated in a previous study, Darwin just happened to be alive during the time of 1844, and ever since that time, the theory of evolution, as taught in public schools, has done much to destroy the worship of the true God.

That’s because the theory of evolution does not recognize a Creator, and for this reason, the Sabbath day, which commemorates God’s creative work, is rendered void in the minds of the people.

Years ago, a person was asked the question: “Which day is the seventh day of the week?” The reply was: It depends on where you start, meaning, that if you were to start on Saturday as your beginning point, Friday will become your holy day, and if you were to start on Monday then your holy day is Sunday.

In the minds of most people, Monday is the first day of the work week, but in the Bible the first work day of the week is Sunday. Thus, persons who follow the Biblical model would inevitably arrive at Saturday as the seventh day of the week, and conversely, those who understand Monday to be the first work day of the week will inevitably arrive at Sunday, as being the day to worship on.

But The God of heaven has not left the inhabitants of earth in darkness upon this all-important point, because He has made it conspicuously clear, and the cryptic utterances, written in Revelation chapter 13 would absolutely converge around this point. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Genesis 2:1 Thus, the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Exodus 20: 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

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

It is worthy of note, that the fourth commandment pertaining to the worship of The true God, is the most detailed of all ten, comprising 94 words. The second most detailed commandment is the one that deals with false worship, containing 91 words. All of the others pale in comparison to these two, as far as the number of words goes.

Thus, in Revelation 13, we’ll have a convergence of these two commandments, where false worship is to be pitted against true worship, and the decisions of persons will come down to this basic question: “Who will be worshipped?” The God of heaven, or the beast of Revelation 13? Let’s read:

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

16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

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

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

Thus, after the issue of false worship has inundated all of earth’s systems, religious, educational and the food supply, it will come time for decision-making, where every living person will have to take a stand, either for Jesus Christ, or for the beast, for there is not going to be any middle ground where persons can sit on the fence.

This worldwide emergency brings us to the very last tentacle of the five-pronged approach we referred to in our title, namely: Enforcement.

To understand the use of force at the times spoken of in Revelation chapters 13>14, we would have to revisit the three Hebrew boys in the land of ancient Babylon, where a false form of worship was being urged upon the people.

 We will be giving commentary as we go along on the specific verses of interest which pertain to our study. Pay close attention to the highlighted words, for they tell their own story and should appeal to an intelligent mind. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

In our day, the people mentioned in the above verse would be represented as follows: Governors: all fifty governors of the fifty states across the United States including our very own Ron DeSantis. Captains: the various captains in the U.S army and navy, led on by general Lloyd Austin.

Judges: members of the judiciary, including all nine members of the supreme court led by John Roberts. Treasurers: Jerome Powell and Janet Yellen.

Counsellors: the advisers to president Joe Biden, whose “Counsellors” would be the members of his cabinet who advise him on specific issues. Sheriffs: the leaders of the various police departments across the land, led by Sheriff Greg Champagne.

All the rulers of the provinces: the heads of various counties, mayors etc, including our very own mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Question: Why would Nebuchadnezzar gather such an immense group of most powerful people to the dedication of his image, and then command them, not ask them, to bow down and worship? Why did Nebuchadnezzar leave the general public out of the invitation?

It has to do with that last tentacle of the beast that we spoke of earlier: Enforcement! If the leaders of these various departments of government are on board with the kings brand of false worship, then it will be that the general public, who fall under their jurisdiction will also be commanded to worship, and thus enforcement will inevitably rule the day. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.

6 And whosoever refuses to fall down and worship, shall the same hour be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

9 They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever;

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Here comes the death decree of Revelation chapter 13, for all who will not bow will first be deprived of all their commercial privileges, but if like the three Hebrew boys, they continue to refuse to bow, then it is one and only one option left on the table and that is to issue a death decree against them. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore, he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most, mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. {Daniel 12:1, Next week’s Bible study}

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

At this juncture we’ll strongly advise you to put on your seatbelts, because the next verse could cause great turbulence. What Nebuchadnezzar did in the preceding verses is to be expected, but what he did in the next verse should be of greater concern. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

We are not going to dwell too much on the rest of the chapter, we will focus our attention squarely on verse 29, for there is where we are brought to our day and the issue of using force for things that are good or bad.

We observe in both instances, that Nebuchadnezzar in his governance of persons under his jurisdiction, used enforcement as his tool of choice to push his agenda through, for he employed it when trying to coerce the Hebrews into false worship, and then he threatens to use it again in enforcing true worship.

At the center of both the good and the evil efforts on his part stands the use of force, and we will soon discover that in our day we too are drifting closer to the same two extremes. Currently, persons who are tasked with governing the people, will sometimes use their power to try to force us to do that which is wrong, or what may violates one’s conscience.

Currently, there are six states which require schools to teach a history and social science curriculum inclusive of LGBTQ+ people and identities. They are California, Nevada, New Jersey, Colorado, Oregon, and Illinois. The word “Require” means that it has been mandated by law. That’s force!

Conversely, there are several states including Florida that have moved to ban such teachings from their schools so as to protect the young and restless from indoctrinations on the topics in question. Thus, you have the ghost of Nebuchadnezzar floating around nowadays, where the force of law is being used to mandate both good and evil.

Therefore, America is being gradually divided into two extremes, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle stake out their positions, and use the force of law to mandate that which they believe is right. This will then lead us to a place and time where, come election day, we might be facing a choice between two extremes.

When it comes to the issue of worship on a national level, the same tools that Nebuchadnezzar used in bygone days will again be employed, because that is what God is warning us of in the book of Revelation. The overwhelming majority will erroneously believe that the worship of the image of the beast would be something that is good for the country.

But that raises another question: Does God approve the use of force in matters of conscience, pertaining to worship, even if it is true worship that is being enforced?

As a general rule, the answer is a resounding “NO” because the genius of Christianity, is that in matters of worship, persons are granted religious liberty by God to worship in harmony with what they might be convicted of in their consciences, even if they might be dead wrong in their convictions. Such choices do carry natural consequences, but the freedom to choose is to be left untrammeled.

There are instances where God sent prophets, like Nehemiah to do a specific work of reformation in His people, but they were God’s chosen people who had once entered into a covenant relationship with Him, not a universal mandate given to every person living on the planet, as is the case in Revelation 13. Let’s read:

Joshua 24: 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

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

Therefore, the worship of the beast and his image, as referenced in Revelation 13 is a travesty of the most basic rights God has given to the human family and as such, it is scheduled to bring earth’s peoples to the final conflict of the ages, in which all will have to decide either for or against Christ, just as it was in the days of Elijah.

We humbly advise and encourage everyone to take their stand for the true worship of God, even as we inch ever closer to that great day. There are persons who may not have previously known of the issues at stake, but God is now revealing to us the urgency of the moment, and therefore, we must beseech you in Christ’s stead to be reconciled to God.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that is to help us in our decision-making processes, as they pertain to worship, because after the dust has been settled, Christ and all who give their lives to Him will come forth victorious in the end. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

                                    God Bless!

The Beast System. Geolocation, Tracking, Commerce, Worship, Force. 03/18/2023

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

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

The above passages point unmistakably to a time in earth’s history when all the forces of darkness under  the auspices of our arch-nemesis would converge in unison, to implement a false form of worship that is to bring every person living on planet earth, to the brink of decision-making. No person who is alive at that perilous time will be exempt.

No one will be free from the tentacles of the system which is scheduled to spread across the entire globe like wildfire, and at that time, every person will have to make a decision either for, or against that system which will be put into place and which will consist of the five appendages mentioned in our topic namely: Geolocation, Tracking, Commerce, Worship, Force.

The bad news is that folks are hurtling towards that time at an alarming rate, and some persons seem to be asleep, not knowing, or oblivious to the fact that these cornerstones of the beast system are almost entirely in place, and it’s just a matter of time, more sooner than later, that it would be implemented on a largescale across the land.

With God’s law on marriage tossed out the window by the judiciary, there is only one more shoe to drop because the Sabbath and marriage are the only two institutions God gave to the human family in Eden. Therefore, with God-ordained marriage made null and void, the next big move by our adversary will be to take down the Sabbath.

Diligent efforts are now being made to accomplish this purpose and of these efforts we must be aware, not to panic anyone, but so that our faith would be fully anchored in The Rock Christ Jesus, because the rains will come, and the winds would blow, but only persons who have built upon The Rock, will survive the deluge, in the most literal sense.

Because of the constraints of time, we will have to do the study in segments, because God desires that the information given out would be clear as crystal, so that persons could make informed decisions for Christ as we get closer to earth’s final conflict.

 As we have stated before, there are certain chapters of the Bible that should be studied in earnest, so as to get a clearer understanding of the issues at stake.

Here they are: 1st Kings chapters 17>19, Joel chapters 2>3, Esther chapters 3>8, Daniel chapters 3, 6, and 12, and Revelation chapters 13>16.

 We will begin with 1st Kings Chapter 17>19, because the experiences of Elijah are a sort of template that ought to be thoroughly understood. As the devil, in hindsight observed intensely, how the episode with Elijah had unfolded, he realized that he would have to make a few adjustments to his strategies, so as to close some loopholes which surfaced back then.

The first issue had to do with geolocation, for after the prophet had delivered that startling message that roiled the nation, he virtually disappeared and was nowhere to be found, even though a diligent search was instituted to discover his whereabouts.

In today’s vernacular we would say Elijah fell off the radar, or off the grid, as some may put it. Ahab then set out to find the prophet, in every place, in every country, but try as he might, Elijah was nowhere to be found. Thus, in hindsight, satan understood that geolocation is one of the main issues that has to be addressed, in order to make the beast system as efficient as possible.

Now, it is true that some persons who are found in Christ at that time, and who refuse to bow, will be located by the beast system. Let’s repeat: It is true that some persons who are found in Christ at that time, and who refuse to bow, will be located by the beast system.

But there will be others who, at God’s discretion, would disappear without a trace, just as God had led Elijah back then. Hence the reason why satan has his sights dead set on geolocation capabilities. 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 lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

1st Kings 18: 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

9 And he said, What have I sinned, that you would deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10 As the Lord thy God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

[Prophets And Kings pp 121 > 126] The king made diligent inquiry, but the prophet was not to be found. Urged on by the queen, Ahab instituted a most diligent search for the hiding place of the prophet. To the surrounding nations, far and near, he sent messengers to seek for the man whom he hated, yet feared.

 And in his anxiety to make the search as thorough as possible, he required of these kingdoms and nations an oath that they knew nothing of the whereabouts of the prophet. But the search was in vain.

When God commanded Elijah to go and hide by the brook Cherith, the prophet left right away with just the clothes on his back, for he did not return home to take any of his belongings, not even a container of Oreos.

We have no choice but to deliver the goods in our contemporary language, so that the full force, and grave implication of what is being said will resonate in our minds. The prophet left his cellphone, he left his Smart Watch, his Fit-Bit, his I-pad, his GPS, Alexa, his wallet, with all of his credit and debit cards, and since he sometimes worked from home, he also left his laptop.

In other words, he left without a trace, leaving no hint as to his whereabouts, thereby making tracking and geolocation virtually impossible especially now that he is abiding under the shadow of The Almighty in a solitary place.

 Therefore, in hindsight, the adversary of souls must now seek to address the issue of geolocation, if the beast system is to have legs. In other words, when a universal form of worship has to be enforced, there must be some mechanism in place, by which people living on the planet could be tracked and/or located, or else, enforcement becomes implausible.

 Question: Is it true that such systems are already in place to a large extent?

 Geolocation: The process or technique of identifying the geographical location of a person, or device by means of digital information processed via the internet. Technology that shows the place where you are when using the internet or a mobile phone.

Technologies involving facial recognition, biometric technologies, and all apps, products, and all devices that embrace tracking and locating capabilities are just pieces of a larger jigsaw puzzle which inevitably culminates in the implementation and enforcement of the mark of the beast.

This is not to say that we are not to use technology with these capabilities, we can use them, but we are not be tethered to them to the point we believe we can’t live without them, for at the specific time that is mentioned in Revelation chapters 13 & 14, these technologies, and gizmos would’ve become entirely redundant for those saints who will not bow.

If every person, living during the time of the beast system is to come under its jurisdiction, then it is a must that individuals would have to be tracked, and located with ease, so as to make enforcement of its dogmas possible and beyond the shadow of a doubt we are currently living under the system of constant surveillance.

Every Sabbath morning, as persons get ready to go to church Google maps can give an ETA approximate time of arrival to their destination. Now, if a person were to deliberately type in the address of a church where he/she plans to attend, then we could grasp why Google will respond with the appropriate ETA, and directions.

 But for Google maps to know where you are going, and then give directions and time of arrival, without being prompted, or asked to do so, then we know for sure that geolocation and tracking have become deeply entrenched in society, and will be one of the cornerstone pieces used in implementing the beast system.

Now, it is true that the engineers who are doing this work might not have a clue as to the implications of their work, and indeed, just like it was with the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, there is much good that results from their efforts. The question is: Could these facilities be used for enforcement as the book of Revelation declares they will be? Let’s read:

CNN by Peter Valdes: “Ford has some interesting ideas on what self-driving cars might soon be able to do. Besides freeing us from the tedium of commuting, the company envisions cars that could repossess themselves.

According to a document recently published on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website, Ford said it is considering a system that would allow a car to, on its own, leave you if you stop making your monthly auto payments.

Before getting to the point where the car would simply drive itself away, delinquent payers would be subject to a litany of annoyances. First, badgering messages on owners’ smartphones and even on the screens inside the car. These messages would demand at least an acknowledgment or, better yet, on-the-spot payment.

If the owner persists in ignoring these messages, the vehicle would, in the words of Ford’s patent application, “initiate execution of a multi-step repossession procedure.”

Step one involves making the owner pay in other ways. Features like the air conditioning, cruise control, or the radio might stop working. If that doesn’t work, the vehicle could become proactively irritating.

The stereo might be programmed to “emit an incessant and unpleasant sound every time the owner is present in the vehicle,” according to the patent. There would be just one way to turn off the noise, which would of course involve “…. making contact with the lending institution to address the payment delinquency.”

Failing that, the car would make itself unusable by, refusing to unlock its doors. This is where things get really complicated. A borrower might need to drive to work in order to earn the money to pay back the loan.

The car could be restricted to allow itself only to be taken to work and, maybe, to buy groceries or drop the kids off at school. That’s it. And all the while, the driver will be unable to listen to the stereo, might not have air conditioning and could be subjected to that irritating, unstoppable noise.

Then there is the issue of what to do if there’s a medical emergency. In a situation like this, according to Ford’s application, the car could be enabled to drive itself to the nearest emergency room or even to coordinate with emergency medical personnel to rendezvous at a location.

The car would then go back to locking out its owner. Only in the most extreme non-payment scenario would the car receive an over-the-air command to quit its owner. In that case, if the car isn’t capable of fully self-driving in traffic, it might just move itself to a place where it would be easy for a tow truck to retrieve it, like the edge of a street.”

 For those who desire to check the veracity of what is being said, here is the diagram from Ford’s patent application, as lodged with the United States patent office, with the relevant numbers pertaining to the patent in question:

               Patent Number:

U.S. 2023/0055958 A1

Thus, with the ability to track and locate persons by the use of emerging technologies, already in place, the issue of commerce looms large as far as satan is concerned, for according to Revelation Chapter 13, persons who decide not to bow, will be locked out of the banking and commerce systems, effectively bringing their ability to buy and sell to a halt. Let’s read:

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

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

With the prophet Elijah, his ability to buy or sell was literally cut off for he could not be tracked nor could he be located and thus, because of the grave nature of the threat coming from both Ahab and Jezebel he could not be found at any store, flea market or even Publix, where shopping is a pleasure.

In other words, with the issue of worship front and center, Elijah will have to get his food from another source other than the conventional ways and means that regular commerce affords. Therefore, persons who at that time, by God’s direction can’t be tracked or geolocated, would be estranged from any type of commerce, just as it was with the prophet of old.

At that time, God supplied all that Elijah needed, in that various ways and means were employed, other than dependence on conventional commerce. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17: 4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

1st Kings 17:8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongs to  Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded  a widow woman there to sustain thee.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

1st Kings 19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and behold there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

Similarly, during those perilous days when the beast system would have been put in place, The Lord has given us the assurance that He will supply our needs just as he did with the prophet Elijah, for He is the same God, yesterday, today, and forever. Let’s read:

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

But we will have to learn the all-important lesson of trusting God entirely. There are several suggestions and proposals floating around, as it pertains to our survival at such a time, none of which will work, for it is trust in God alone, and nothing else, that would enable persons to stand unmoved during that time.

Doomsday bunkers, and folks stocking up with non- perishables from My Patriot Supply would not cut it, for the great adversary will ensure that all who are not found in Christ, but who then try to resist his incursions, will be starved into bowing.

And even if nonbelievers try to defy the powers that be, remember this one thing, that you cannot stock up on healthcare, for those who refuse to bow will also be locked out from all healthcare systems, in so much that no access to any hospital, or emergency room will be granted, unless one receives the mark.

The reason why the study is being presented in such a graphic manner, is to bring to the forefront of our minds the fact that it is critically important to have, and develop a deep, abiding relationship with Christ for it will be very difficult for persons to get up one morning, and shed all their dependence on systems that they’ve become accustomed to, without their faith being rooted and grounded in Christ.

When God directed Elijah to shed his dependence on all manmade systems, he was already rooted and grounded in God so that the transition did not cause him worry or concern. Just so, those who choose to live by faith can live within manmade systems, until such time, like as it was with Elijah, God will instruct them to desist.

Every new day, with its slate of opportunities, and experiences, is to be viewed as a stepping stone in drawing closer to God, and living by faith in Him. In fact, adverse circumstances are to be understood as preparation for the big one, which will undoubtedly shake earth’s inhabitants to their core. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 622] The “time of trouble such as never was,” is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess, and which many are too indolent to obtain.

It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God.

Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, “as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”

Let us then seek to draw near unto God, by seeking Him diligently each day. Time spent on things which really do not matter, would be much better spent in the audience chamber of The Most-High, studying His will, and His word, with a willingness to conform to that which is written.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which Is to alert us to the urgency of the moment, and we hope and pray that no one listening today would be sucked into the beast system to a point of no return. 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!

How To Understand God's Providences. Sabbath afternoon 03/11/2023

Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

God’s providences usually consist of three things: [1] The instructions which He has provided to us in His written word.

[2] His still small voice spoken to us through His Holy Spirit in our consciences.

[3] The situational evidences which are to help in guiding our decision-making processes.

All three of these providences are to be given due consideration whenever we have major decisions to make, especially those choices that can have a long- lasting impact on our lives. The Bible cautions us to acknowledge God in all our ways, and therefore, any and everything we do should be consulted first by His written word.

Not everyone has the ability, or has developed their spiritual discernment powers to the extent where they can accurately hear God’s still, small voice, and not all are able to correctly read and understand His providences. Yet, He has given us the assurance that someway, somehow, He will get through to us, if we are willing to be led by Him in all things.

When young Samuel was being called by God to the prophetic ministry he was not at that level where he could distinguish God’s voice from the other voices in the world, hence the reason why he kept going to his mentor, Eli, every time God would try to reach him.

 The reason for this is that in many instances, it takes time for the mind to learn to identify, recognize and understand the still small voice of God. Satan often tries to take advantage of our inexperience in these matters, and will try to muddy the waters as far as God’s voice is concerned.

 But none of us need to fear, because greater is He Who is in us, than he that is in the world. However, in our first passage we are instructed not to be ever so stubborn like the mule or the horse, so that God is not able to reach us through His providences.

In other words, an attitude of humility on our part, and a willingness to be led by God are indispensable factors when trying to understand God’s providence for if persons are proud and stiff-necked, they would run the risk of being misled by discordant voices in their minds, which they might erroneously conclude is the voice of God.

Samuel was willing to be led, for he manifested true humility after Eli instructed him do such and such, if and when he should hear the voice again. This is of critical importance, for if persons are not willing to listen to God’s ordained prophets, they most likely will experience great difficulty in understanding and discerning the voice of God in their minds.

The reason for this is that God speaks to us through His ordained prophets, but if we reject His voice on one level, it becomes all the more difficult for us to proceed to the next level, of hearing from God in a direct manner, for the rejection of His voice at lower levels, paves the way for the rejection of His voice at higher levels. Let’s read:

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

[Last Day Events pp 178] It is Satan's plan to weaken the faith of God's people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition.

When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.

An example of stubbornness after God has given the clearest providences, is the situation which occurred with Balaam, when he supposedly asked God for His guidance on the matter of cursing God’s people. The disposition to pray and ask God for His guidance on matters that we already know what is the right thing to do, is a form of presumption.

For instance, Christians who know about tithing are not to ask God whether they should return tithes, for He has already stated so in His word. Therefore, to inquire of Him about that which He has already made plain, is to set up oneself for defeat, because God is not to be trifled with.

Believe it or not, there is something such as a stupid question, for if the enemy of God comes with such a request as to curse God’s own people in return for a lumpsum of cash, there isn’t a justifiable reason to take such a matter to God in prayer, for the answer is obvious.

Again, if a Christian who has read, and understood God’s will on marriage, were to ask God’s guidance on a matter pertaining to uniting with an unbeliever, it would set the stage for a confusion in the mind of the person who is making the request.

That’s because God has already stated clearly in His word that we should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, and therefore, for us to ask of Him the question when we already know the answer is to ask for trouble.

In the episode between Balak and Balaam, if anyone is to be cursed it would be Balak and his messengers for they were trying to do harm to God’s people. Yet God, who is merciful and longsuffering condescends to answer Balaam directly, even though the prophet knew up-front what was the right thing to do. Let’s read:

Numbers 22: 7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spoke unto him the words of Balak.

8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the Lord shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.

9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which cover the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

That’s as plain as you can get, for here we have God speaking with His own voice directly to Balaam even though the prophet already knows what ought to be done, yet, to make His will as clear as crystal He says explicitly “Do not go”.

Such a direct and plain answer should be sufficient to preclude any more prayers on the same matter, but Balaam is one who has to be held with bit and bridle like the mule and the horse spoken of in our first passage.

In other words, he is not willing to be led by God in this matter, and for this reason, his relationship with The Most-High will turn sour if he persists. When a person complains of not being able to discern God’s voice after praying for guidance the problem is sometimes the disposition to have one’s own way regardless of any answer God might give.

If persons know in their hearts that they will force through their own agenda, regardless of what God may say, then it becomes futile to ask God to guide. God isn’t to be viewed as One who will rubberstamp every wish and fancy that we may ask of Him, for He only does what is best for His people. Let’s read:

Psalms 84:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in thee.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 440] There are thousands at the present day who … would have no difficulty in understanding their duty if it were in harmony with their inclinations. It is plainly set before them in the Bible or is clearly indicated by circumstances and reason.

 But because these evidences are contrary to their desires and inclinations they frequently set them aside and presume to go to God to learn their duty. With great apparent conscientiousness they pray long and earnestly for light. But God will not be trifled with.

He often permits such persons to follow their own desires and to suffer the result. When one clearly sees a duty, let him not presume to go to God with the prayer that he may be excused from performing it. He should rather, with a humble, submissive spirit, ask for divine strength and wisdom to meet its claims.

An example of what is being referred to took place with Ahab, who had hired a posse of yes-men who were paid to tell him only what he wanted to hear. That’s why when it came time to decide whether to go to war against Syria, his 400 prophets were first informed of his desires, and then they prophesied along those lines.

If we know, and if we have previously determined in our hearts that we will only accept one answer from God, which is in harmony with what we want, then God can do very little for us, because God respects the freedom of choice He has given to all.

With king Ahab, he had already determined that he was going to war, and thus his request for guidance was just a charade of formality, and a thinly veiled attempt to ask The Lord to sign at the bottom of the page, for all of the above. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22: 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Thus, when the king sent for the prophet of God in response to Jehoshaphat’s request, his perfidy was exposed. In fact, Ahab could have sent for Micaiah up front, but he strategically avoided doing so, for he knew that God’s prophet would not candy coat the truth in the matter. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat there is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

Therefore, because Ahab has already determined to do what he wanted to do, when he asks of Micaiah the very same question the prophet responds in the positive, and tells him to go, because that’s what he wanted to hear. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth- Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Thus, there are times when God would say yes, and there are times when He will say no, and there are times when He would say wait. The person who is truly humble will understand any of these answers as being in his/her best interest, and thus would be willing to follow wherever God leads the way.

Not so much with Balaam, who was determined to go with Balak’s request. And thus, he presumes to go to God in prayer for a second time, concerning the matter that God has already made plain. Thus, because of this, the second time around God would grant him leave, for he insists on forcing through his agenda. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me.

17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.

20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

There are times in our experiences when we might feel very strongly about a particular course of action that we have prayed to God for. At times, God might reveal His will plainly to us, but it may be difficult to swallow, especially if it goes against our grain.

There are times in our experience when we might feel very strongly about a particular course of action that we have prayed to God for. At times, God might reveal His will plainly to us, but it may be difficult to swallow, especially if it goes against our grain.

At such times, we should humbly defer to God’s will even though it may be contrary to our own desires. To persist in banging on the gates of heaven to have our own way is neither advised nor is it encouraged anywhere in the scriptures.

When Jesus encourages us to knock, and it shall be opened, it means to continue knocking until we get the answer from God, that is according to His will. But after He has been pleased to answer, there is no need to continue knocking because God has already made His will plain. This humble attitude would set the stage in many instances for persons to correctly understand God’s providences. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 12: 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

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.

Again, Moses petitioned God on a particular matter on more than one occasion. On account of the fits of anger manifested when he struck the rock twice, God had told him that he would not be permitted to go over to Canaan. This request came after Moses had led the Hebrews for forty years, and therefore, in his finite mind, he thought that God should change course this once.

But in this instance, it wasn’t the will of God for him to go over into Canaan, for God was preparing one of the most devastating assaults on satan’s kingdom and Moses was to be an integral part of the plan. In His wisdom therefore, the request of Moses would not be granted, and Moses was instructed not to continue seeking his preference in the matter. Let’s read:

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

25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

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

Not so with Balaam who continued to force his way through, and therefore, his attitude of stubbornness effectively prevented him from understanding God’s providences. Understanding God’s providences has more to do with a humble attitude, than the ability to read God’s moves correctly.

Several abnormal occurrences were then sent his way but in every instance the prophet was blinded and he seemed to be bereft of reason, even as the providences of God were escalating to the level of the supernatural. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

23 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

24 But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

26 And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

27 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever accustomed to doing so unto thee? and he said, No.

There are times when after persons have prayed for a particular answer, that a multitude of foreboding circumstances ensue, and in such instances, we may be prone to blame the devil wrongfully, when it may actually be God, standing in the way, to prevent us from making some fatal mistake.

We have to be very, very careful of making satan the default setting for blame, when things to not go the way we expected or desired. The fact of the matter is that if God’s answer to us is a “Yes” on a particular matter, there is really very little satan could do to prevent the answer from coming true.

When David was first anointed king, and Saul got wind of it he went after David and hunted him down like a wild beast, but at every turn the efforts of Saul only deepened the confirmation of the blessing, and it reached a climax where Saul himself was moved to confess that there is nothing he could do to stop the blessing. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 26:17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So, David went on his way and Saul returned to his place.

Again, when Joseph’s brothers got wind of the huge blessing God was going to bestow upon him, both men and demons tried desperately to prevent what God intended, but lo and behold all of their efforts backfired for their own good and the good of Egypt. Let’s read:

Genesis 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

The devil cannot stop a blessing coming from God to His people for in many instances the blessing comes in commandment form, meaning, that not all of the powers of earth or hell can stop it in its tracks. This is important for us to know so that we may have the confidence we need whenever we pray, and that we may better understand God’s providence. Let’s read:

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

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

What satan often does in such situations, as a last, desperate resort, is to tempt us to walk contrary to some instruction God has given, for he knows that if he can succeed in causing us to disobey, that is the only way that the blessing of God promised could be forfeited.

Therefore, satan goes to work in a frenzy to try and take down Joseph through the sin of adultery. Poor Mrs. Potiphar probably never knew, and probably could never explain why it is she has such a crush on Joseph. All she knew is that whenever Joseph would pass by, she would start feeling the feelings, just like Shadow, the Calypsonian. Let’s read:

Genesis 39:10 And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph, day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Thus, after staying the course with God, and being faithful to truth and duty, Joseph is being prepared to accurately read and understand God’s providence in matters big and small. Thus, it will be with all of us if we were to tow the line of faithfulness to God with a humble spirit that is willing to be led by Him.

So now, we turn to the crux of our study for today: “How To Understand God’s providences”. Our case studies will involve two providences that occurred after the day of Pentecost, when the Early Rain of The Holy Ghost was poured out upon the believers who were then entrusted with taking the gospel to the then known world.

Peter is incarcerated for preaching the gospel, and prayer is made for him by the church. That same night in answer to those prayers, an angel is sent to him in the cell where he was held, he being bound between two soldiers. The angel opens the gates, passes the guarding soldiers and delivers Peter from the shackles wherewith he was bound.

Thus, for all intents and purposes, it seems as if, in response to Peter’s arrest, God’s providence shows that when His people are incarcerated for preaching the gospel, He will respond appropriately, by freeing them from their enemies, as took place with Peter. Let’s read:

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

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

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

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

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

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

However, in a similar scenario Paul and Silas are also jailed for preaching the gospel, and they also pray to God and sing praises. And like clockwork God shows up. The gates of the prison are flung wide open, and the shackles miraculously fall from off of the hands of every prisoner.

Thus, it seems as if God’s providence in this instance is similar to what took place with Peter, for there are similarities that can’t be ignored. In both instances, God’s people are arrested for preaching the gospel, and in both situations, prayer ascends to God, and He responds by removing their shackles and opens the doors of the prison.

Yet for some strange reason, Paul and Silas do not jump at the opportunity to escape, for they stay put with the shackles off of their hands and feet and the doors of the prison flung wide open.

It may seem, for all intents and purposes that God had made the way of escape clear for them, so the question is: Why wouldn’t Paul and Silas just grab the opportunity, and do the seemingly obvious? Let’s read:

Acts 16: 23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely.

24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Question: If we were in their shoes, how would we have read and understood that providence coming from God? Would we have understood it to mean a way of escape? Or would we have interpreted it to mean a golden opportunity for witnessing. It all has to do with “Understanding God’s Providences”.

The providences of God are not monolithic in nature by which we mean that just because one situation is similar to another, the purpose, and outcome might not necessarily be the same. It could be on a case by case basis, and as such, we would have to rehearse, and understand the three main ways His providence usually comes down to us. Here they are again:

[1] The instructions which He has provided to us in His written word.

[2] His still small voice spoken to us through His Holy Spirit in our consciences.

[3] The situational evidences which are to help in guiding our decision-making processes.

When we read in the scripture that God did such and such for one person, with the accompanying outcome, it doesn’t necessarily mean that in every such situation, God’s will for us would be uniform, because His providences and outcomes are often different from person to person, even if there might be stark situational similarities.

In the situation with Peter, the angel gave to him a direct command to follow where he would lead the way, and so said so done. But, in the situation with Paul and Silas, no such command came from God to them, even though the instances were similar, and because of this, they were to stay put until any such order may or may not come from God.

In our own experiences, incorporating that which is written, and that which is spoken, together with the situational evidences would go a long way in helping us to correctly read or understand God’s providence in various situations.

Apart from that which is written to guide our feet in right paths, the experiences of one saint might not mean an exact duplicate for another saint, and thus, we are to wait and listen for God’s direction in every situation. This will be of critical importance for us to understand as folks move forward into unchartered territory, in the history of our world.

For instance, even though we have been instructed over and over again, to move out into the country we would still need to study God’s providences on an individual basis, lest because of some situational similarities, persons make a move that may not have been ordained by God. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 99] Again, and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions; for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one.

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

Indeed, if we were to consider the matter carefully, it could not be God’s will for every saint to move out into the country at this time, because if this were to be the case all of the ongoing ministries in your local neighborhoods would collapse, and church as we’ve known it will come to a screeching halt prematurely.

As our faces differ so do our needs and in God’s own time and way, God will let us know what is the right time and place to make our move.

In order for us to understand God’s providences we will have to study His written word, we will need to observe all of the situational evidences He provides, and most of all, we would need to listen, hear, and obey when the still small voice of God speaks to us in our consciences.

Quality time will have to be spent in the audience chamber of The Most-High on a regular basis, for just as it is with human relationships, quality time spent with someone greatly increases a familiarity with that person’s voice.

 The Holy Spirit only leads persons who are willing to be led and therefore, a humble and teachable spirit, coupled together with the three ways mentioned earlier, in which God’s providences come down to us, would greatly help us in reading what God does more accurately.

And it will make our spiritual discernment so much clearer, that we would not keep on going back to Eli, when God is trying to reach us. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which promises us God’s continual guidance, when the stated prerequisites are fulfilled. Let’s read:

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

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

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

                                  God Bless!

Absolute Truth Or Relativism. Sabbath afternoon 03/04/2023

Judges 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

The passage above refers to a time in the history of Israel when persons resorted to using their personal judgement to make determinations, as to what was  right or wrong, good or evil and to draw conclusions as to what was truth or error.

At that time, each person had their own set of rules and, personal preferences, and biases were used to determine what was acceptable and what was not. In the context of our first passage, we read of a man who had stolen money from his mother, and when he disclosed the evil deed to her she pronounced on him a blessing. Let’s read:

Judges 17:2 And he said unto his mother the eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which you cursed, and spoke of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.

Even though parents and individuals are to show to their children mercy, sin has to be called by its right name lest persons grow up with a severely distorted moral compass that is bereft of the ability to discern between sin and righteousness. In fact, the very first step in the processes of forgiveness is an admittance that something wrong has been committed.

What the man’s mother did next, in this episode is just as appalling, for she used the returned funds to do what she thought was right in her sight, because she paid for the construction of a graven image by a smelter, who specialized in this particular trade, and then stored the graven image in the house of Micah, who was a collector or curator of such productions. Let’s read:

Judges 17:4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

This action taken by the man’s mother was in direct contravention of the law of God, for it clearly states that graven images should never be worshipped, or even made. In fact, the very first injunction given in the law is against having them in one’s possession and then against making them.

But, because the spirit of relativism had pervaded or invaded the land and because right and wrong were  in a constant state of flux, his mother did what she thought was right, even though her actions directly opposed God’s moral law. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Thus, when there is no absolute truth, then morality becomes relative, meaning, that the standards of right and wrong would differ from person to person, from state to state, and from nation to nation, thus setting the stage for a cataclysmic moral collapse of society as a whole.

 Hence the reason why persons can get abortions in some states while in other states one can get life in prison for doing so. That’s why there is now gender-affirming care in some states, while it is banned in others.

 That is why in some places, prostitution is permitted while it is strictly prohibited in others. That is why studies, philosophies and instructions on gender are added to the curriculum in some states, and taught to students at a very young age, even as their minds are still tender and pliable, while in other states it is strictly banned.

That's why in some states students in schools could opt to be called by pronouns such as they, them or it, while in other states, the students would have to be referred to by their original, biological gender.

What is taking place is that satan is actively tearing society apart through relativism, and fluid morality, hence the reason why his work inevitably results in extreme left or extreme right positions. These deep divides will not continue peacefully for much longer, hence the reason why talk of secession is now being floated by some in congress.   

It all has to do with, and it stems from relativism, by which God’s universal standards of right and wrong, given to us in His moral law, are abandoned in favor of a fluid form of morality, that caters to the clamors of the natural man, and thus, inevitably prefers the contemporary and the popular above the just and the right.

Even though God has granted to all the freedom of choice, we are never at liberty to set our personal parameters to determine what is good or evil, and furthermore God has issued a stern warning to us mortals, not to make the fatal mistake of tampering with His Holy Word, because this cannot be done with impunity.

The urge to tamper, interfere, modify, misinterpret, or remove any portion of scripture that might not fit our current social norms, must be resisted, on pain of the severest consequences to those who insist or persist in doing so.

The word of God is a sharp two-edged sword and at times it might come across as being defensive, or at other times offensive, because it is designed to cut both ways, to wound and to heal, to breakdown and build up, but whatsoever it does, persons must let it alone, so that it can do its intended work. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain comes 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 which 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.

Revelation 22: 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Persons are left free to choose good or evil with the accompanying consequences, but to remove, or to interfere with the measuring mechanism God has set in place, is to destroy society’s moral compass, and when this is done, our keen sense of right and wrong is demolished and the inevitable result is that each person would do that which is right in his/her sight.

In today’s vernacular it is referred to as relativism by which right and wrong becomes fluid, depending on popular majority opinions, and political, ideological, and philosophical pressures, imposed or adopted to suit the preferences and fancies of all persons, from the straight to the crooked, and from the normal to the queer.

A cursory look and an analysis of the concept would make it manifest that it’s a doctrine of devils cooked up and stewed in the depths of hell, in the cauldron of erroneous modes of thought, and disseminated by minds that are averse to God and righteousness.

But God would have us understand, that whenever right and wrong becomes fluid, society as a whole will also become fluid with morality, and standards of right and wrong being constantly modified to suit personal preferences. Relativism is what is plaguing society and what we are seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg.

For instance, since the genie of gender issues was let out of the bottle the concept of letting a person’s feelings dictate what one believes he is, she is, or it is has taken on a life of its own. That’s why a certain man has recently sued to change his age since, as he believes, he “Feels” a lot younger.

His argument was that if persons can change their gender designations on a whim, because they feel to, then his feelings should be no different and must also be given the same accommodations because of how he feels. Therefore, the following definition will encapsulate what relativism is.

Relativism meaning: The doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute.

Conversely, absolute morality is when universal standards of right or wrong apply to all people at all times irrespective of their culture or beliefs. Relative morality is based on the theory that truth and right are different for different people or cultures.

But God makes it clear in His word, that as far as His moral law is concerned, it is absolutely absolute. For instance, adultery is wrong across the globe, period. It is wrong in the Middle East, it is wrong in Africa, it is wrong in the United States and it is wrong in such cultures where multiple wives could legally be taken by any one man.

When Abraham succumbed to logical reasoning and cultural norms, by taking Hagar to wife, he violated the absolute moral law and he was reprimanded for his actions by The One Who is no respecter of any person, even if such persons are His own people. Let’s read:

Genesis 16:16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

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

Absolute truth transcends culture, and social norms, it stands aloof of popular majority opinions, and in certain instances it can call on supreme courts, and legislative bodies to repent. Absolute truth is never afraid of what society may think of it, and therefore it cannot, and will not be tethered to what is trendy, fashionable or contemporary.

The teaching and philosophies embraced by many in Christian circles must now be made manifest. There is a teaching which says that God’s law given on Mt. Sinai was for the Jews only, and therefore, it doesn’t apply to Christians in the modern era.

 Even though this misunderstanding is now generally accepted in Christendom and even though passages of scripture may be given in its support, it is actually relativism clothed in sacerdotal garments because it embraces the same concept of moral fluidity, where there’s one standard for some people, and different standards for others.

The Sabbath of the fourth commandment is never to be understood as something that is cultural, only pertaining to those of Abrahamic descent according to the flesh. Adam was not a Jew, neither was Abel, Methuselah or even Noah, and therefore, when God declared that Noah was righteous, He was declaring that His standard of righteousness pertains to every person regardless of creed, race or cultural heritage.

Again, God demonstrated that His sacred law is the universal standard of righteousness for all men even those who might not have previously, or consciously given themselves to God. When a certain king took Sarah ignorantly, God visited him with a disturbing warning of impending doom if he did not change his course immediately.

That’s because, according to God’s absolute moral law, adultery is a universal wrong, whether it be in Abraham, or in any other king for that matter. What is worthy of consideration in this episode is that the king in question had done this wrong ignorantly, by following the customs and culture of the day.

But contemporary culture does not make a wrong right, as the king in question was soon to discover. Let’s read:

Genesis 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore, suffered I thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.

The same concept of relativism was made to prevail in the days of Jeroboam when on account of his fear that the ten tribes would revert back to his rival, he instituted a form of worship that wasn’t ordained by God. In doing so, he led the northern kingdom into deep apostasy, because relativism always leads to idolatry. Always! Let’s read:

1st Kings 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David;

27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

Three substitutions, introduced by Jeroboam should jump out at us, for the same three are replicated in our day, in support of forms of worship that are not in harmony with absolute truth.

 [1] Jeroboam introduced two substitute objects of worship, thus violating the absolute truth found in the first commandment. In other words, Jeroboam made the two golden calves to take the place of The Lord God, something that should never be done. Let’s read:

1st Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

Exodus 20: 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.

[2] Jeroboam also introduced substitute priests to serve in place of the Levites who were ordained by God for the work of the sanctuary. Thus, relativism drove him to do what was right in his own eyes. Let’s read:

1st Kings 12: 31 And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

Numbers 1: 50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

[3] Jeroboam also introduced a substitute day of worship, to compete with the one ordained by God, which the southern kingdom embraced in harmony with God’s instructions. Let’s read:

1st Kings 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, (The feast in Judah was held one month earlier) and he offered upon the altar.….

33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

Believe it or not, the doctrine of relativism has now driven some to introduce replicas of what Jeroboam did, for we are now saddled with substitute objects of worship, substitute priests, and a substitute day of rest.

In order for folks to escape the snare of relativism in our day we would have to cling to the unadulterated word of God, untrammeled by the contemporary, the trendy, the philosophical, the traditional and the socially acceptable.

When searching for truth on any of the hot button issues, from genderism, relativism, popularism, and any other type or ism or schism, let the word of God do its intended work. If it has to cut, let it cut, if it has to heal let it heal, if it has to rebuke let it rebuke and if it has to exhort, let it exhort.

But never should we allow cultural norms to upend what God has given us for the stability and the well-being of society, for if we go fluid, we will get fluid. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 592] 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. Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God.

He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders, he can influence the multitudes according to his will.

 Let us therefore be tethered to the absolute truths of God’s word, instead of to relativism, for building upon The Rock Christ Jesus doesn’t only involve believing in The Person of Christ, it also includes believing in every word coming from Christ.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that’ll help and encourage us to stay the course with God’s word, and if we do, by His grace, we will be enabled to navigate the multitude of mine fields set up by relativism and its offshoots. Let’s read:

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

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

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

                                   God Bless!

The Feud Between Fools And Wise Men. Sabbath afternoon 02/25/2023

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.

Before we begin to delve into our study, let us just take a moment to read and digest the following, in the context of our topic.

 It’s referring not only to the preaching of the gospel, but also to the two systems that have been put into place by the two great invisible powers of earth that are vying for our minds, decisions, and choices, and these systems are often the triggering mechanism for a feud between fools and wise men. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 1: 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

As the soldiers of the Cross are preparing to push into unchartered territory, there are certain things we must understand. One is that the grace of God which brings salvation has, and would appear to all men, and we are to see in every person, a potential candidate for the kingdom of heaven.

 In the dissemination of truth we are to sow beside all waters, for one sows, the other waters, but it is God who gives the increase at the end of the day. It is not our purview to predetermine who will, or will not accept Christ, for the results are in God’s hands alone.

 As the latter rain, spoken of by Joel and Zechariah begins to gather momentum, persons from all walks of life would be joining the ranks of God’s people at the eleventh hour, and thus, we are to cultivate an open mind, that is willing to be led and guided by God in all things. The servant of God in referring to that time writes the following. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 182] 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.

Yet, for all intents and purposes, we must be aware that there will be resistance to the preaching of the gospel, and this resistance would be coming for the most part from the worldly wise, or as the Bible put it in our first passage, the natural man.

The reason for this is that the two great powers in the world which are contending for the mastery of our minds, have put two distinct systems into place, and these two systems are often irreconcilably at odds with each other.

 The times spoken of in Revelation chapters 13 and 14 refer to the period in earth’s history when every person living on the planet would have to be fully subscribed to one system or the other. That is what the prophet Joel is referring to when he penned the following cryptic words. Let’s read:

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

Therefore, a close examination of these two systems reveals the inevitably stark differences which would be outlined below in detail.

 [1] One system is based upon faith in God, while the other system is based upon strictly logical modes of thought.

 Logic: Reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity.

Synonyms: Reason, Rationality, Analysis.

Antonyms: Illogical, Incoherent, Irrational, Insane, Absurd, Senseless.

 Nothing is wrong with logical reasoning, in and of itself, but whenever and wherever it collides with faith, the Christian should surrender logic in favor of the latter. With the advent of the age of reason, the French set up a goddess of reason, whereby faith in God and the Bible was surrendered in favor of logic.

What followed next was the inevitable result, for Bibles were burned in public by the thousands and very many persons were consigned to the rack and to the flames. That is because wheresoever strictly logical modes of thought are made to rule the day, the demise of the Bible follows soon thereafter.

 And it is a sad admission that we must make, in that most of the promises, and blessings God has left to us remain on the table untouched because of the use of strictly, logical modes of thought and action. In fact, history has shown that devils have devoured the lunches of many Christians through the use of logical reasoning. Very sad, but true! Let’s read:

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 ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

John 16: 23 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father, in my name, he will give it you.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

[2] One system is based upon infinite possibilities while the other system is straddled with limitations.

 As a general rule, persons would often petition God in harmony with what their perception of His ability is. If their perspective is that God could only do so much and no more, then, their prayers would be in sync with that perspective.

However, if their perspective is that God could do anything, including the seemingly impossible, then their prayers and petitions would reflect what they believe and will most likely be open-ended, with the person not considering any restrictions on the part of God. This sacred truth is reflected in the following verses. Let’s read:

Matthew 9: 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.

[3] One system is based upon scientific discoveries, and is limited to man’s research and development, while the other system relegates finite science to a subordinate position, so that wherever there might be a feud between the two, finite science is made to defer.

 For instance, when Evolution and Creation collide in the world of science, the person who is anchored in God’s system will make man’s analysis, and theories subordinate to what God says in His word, even if a ton of evidence to the contrary is produced.

For example, if the process of carbon dating were to discover and verify that our world is billions of years old, the person who is anchored in God’s system will determine that there has to be some major flaws in the process, since the scripture does not even reach close to a million, let alone billions of years.

Just for your information: Carbon dating is a form of radiometric dating which analyzes the chemical composition of organic materials to determine their age.

Charles Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology.

He was Born on February 12, 1809, and died April 19, 1882, which means that for some strange reason he was alive during 1844, just when God was about to shine the spotlight on His Creatorship. 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’s Creatorship is also found to be enshrined in the fourth commandment. Yet, for some strange reason, Darwin just happened to be on the scene in 1844!

 [4] One system is predicated on believing God at His word, while the other requires proof for everything, before one believes.

Persons who crave and demand proof for everything before they believe will most likely never believe for they are operating on the finite scientific system and man-made science does not believe, it proves. But, in the same breath, the same mindset embraces the theory of evolution, which has never been proven.

On the contrary, persons who are grounded in the Godly system, takes Jesus at His word, long before there is proof and thus, these two opposing systems often set up a feud between fools and wisemen.

In other words, with the believer the proof is in the pudding, with the pudding being God’s word, which is understood as the final authority on all matters. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

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.

[5] One system prepares persons to live, while the other system prepares persons to die. One system grooms people for the here and now only, while the other system grooms people for the great hereafter.

The mindset that is only consumed with retiring and goes about life fretting and worrying over whether or not one will have enough in their 401k to handle whatever the golden years may throw at them, is a mindset that is centered in the here and now, and the here and now inevitably leads to the grave.

Conversely, the mindset that is immersed in God’s system focuses more on the eternal realities of life, thus, making temporal concerns subordinate to the higher interests written in the Bible. As a result, that mindset inevitably passes through the grave, on its way to eternity.

If deacons are forced to practice stop and frisk with congregations in order to squeeze a few green backs out of unwilling pockets, then the underlying issue is one of systems being adopted by persons, which is exemplified in the following passages. Let’s read:

Luke 12: 16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

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.

[6] When these two systems are stripped right down to bare bones in real life, one succeeds, where the other stumbles, and this is often manifested in the results which accrue when the systems are severely tested.

 For this reason the Bible states that the natural man does not generally receive the things of The Spirit of God because to him they are foolishness. In fact, the scriptures are filled with paradoxes, which are, for the most part foreign, and downright offensive to a mindset that is not disposed to believing.

 For instance, we live by dying, we receive by giving, we win by losing, we survive by surrendering, we resist by submitting, we become fools, so that we may become wise, and we become poor so that we may become rich.

These philosophies and perspectives found in God’s system do not jive with the natural man, because in contrast, the systems of the worldly wise, generally are antagonistic to Scriptural systems, and therefore the ways and means adopted by those who employ either one of the two systems would mostly be at odds.

To a mind that has been trained strictly on logical or scientific modes of thought, to pray with one’s eyes closed, to an unseen God, is pretty absurd. And for a person who subjects everything to reason, believing and hoping for things which cannot be seen, heard or proven, is like wishing upon a star.

Hence the reason why devils have honed their skills to specialize in logical modes of thought, for they’ve discovered by experience that logic appeals to the finite mind, and for that reason, many individuals inadvertently fall a prey to their devices.

 Eve was taken down using logical modes of thought, because if God said that if she were to touch or eat of the forbidden fruit she would surely die, and she did so and nothing seemed to happen, then logic is the way to go, as far as Eve was concerned. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 55] The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve. Then he reminded her of her own words, that God had forbidden them to touch it, lest they die. She would receive no more harm from eating the fruit, he declared, than from touching it.

From that eventful day up until now, logic has often been proven to be the diabolical enemy of faith in God, and as folks approach the final conflict of the ages, they would be hard-pressed to adopt strictly logical lines of thought and action, in contravention of the system of faith.

Again, the rich young ruler in Christ’s day was taken down by logical modes of thought, because when he was instructed by Jesus to go sell all that he had and give to the poor, so that he could have treasure in heaven, he became deeply offended. It was that same paradox we referred to earlier, of becoming poor to become rich, that the young man just could not swallow.

To exchange his hard-earned cash, to hand over his Bitcoin holdings for some pie in the sky by and by, which has never been proven scientifically, was too much of a stretch for him, and because of this, his decision came down on the side of logic, as is too often the case.

The reason for this is that the strategies for getting more riches to the logical thinking mind, is to invest, work, trade, and play the Lotto; not to give away everything you have to some poor folk. Thus, the two systems set up by the two great powers in the world, often trigger a feud between fools and wise men. Let’s read:

Matthew 19: 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and  come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

[The Desire of Ages pp 520] To give up his earthly treasure, that was seen, for the heavenly treasure, that was unseen, was too great a risk. He refused the offer of eternal life, and went away, and ever after the world was to receive his worship.

Again, satan succeeded in breaking down Abraham and Sarah with logic, because as they rolled over in their minds God’s promise of a child to them in their old age, they realized that their biological clock was ticking.

In addition, every Women’s Health Clinic Sarah had gone to, the experts there invariably told her that her expectations were unreasonable, unrealistic and absurd, because such an expectation had never ever been documented by science.

Thus, as time went by, and as Sarah had long passed the time of child-bearing, the reasoning of the many experts took on a life of its own, for it seemed that according to current science, and just the raw facts on the ground, that the logical experts in that field were correct.

All the while satan was pushing that logical mode of thought upon Sarah until finally it wore her down to the point where she suggested the unthinkable to Abraham, and he himself also buckled under the tremendous weight of logical reasoning.

The devil also sought to give them legal cover so as to quiet their consciences, because at that time it was the law of the land, that if a wife could not bear children, she could give her maidens to her husband and the children would legally be hers. Sounds good right!

Hear the word of The Lord, in God’s system, it’s not everything that is legal is right, and the Christian in our day would be pressed upon legal predications to do that which is strictly forbidden in God’s word.

Then it will be that logic, science, and legal premise will converge in the valley of decision, to take down as many persons as possible, and yes, everything that can be shaken will be severely shaken.

It will be discovered sooner or later, that all of the heroes of faith, mentioned in the Bible, without any exception had one thing in common throughout the highlights of their experiences, which is, they defied logic.

To pass through the time of trouble unscathed will require faith in God alone without any logic. Every and anything God would be doing for His people at that time will be coming in a faith package, and thus the time of preparation is granted to all, to switch systems, from a strictly logical mode of thought and action, to the system of faith, if in certain instances the two may conflict. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 621] The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger, a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.

Therefore, having laid the foundation by explaining how the two systems work, let us now turn to the Bible study The Feud Between Fools And Wise Men.

The Hebrews are just on the cusp of a major victory in their conquest of Canaan, but before they do so a group of spies is sent out, to assess the land, to see what are its natural advantages; who are its peoples and they are instructed to bring back samples of the products of the land.

As they go, it will be discovered that ten of them are using the system most often adopted by wise men, to make their assessments and to draw conclusions, while two of them are using the other system often used by fools in making evaluations and decisions.

Thus, since the two systems are often irreconcilable, a feud erupts between the fools and wise men, and the spies now find themselves in a bitter and heated disagreement as to how they are to move forward. The problem is not one of dispositions, nor is it one of bad feelings because they had no argument when they were first going on their way.

The problem is to be found in the difference of the systems used because one system employs a strictly logical mode of thought, while the other embraces the system that is based upon believing God and for this reason try as they might to arrive at consensus, they fail miserably in their efforts to do so.

Most of the arguments to be found between the members of the Christian church, and most of the differences of opinion to be found amongst wives and husbands, between in-laws and outlaws who might be affiliated with Jesus, could be traced right back to the use of one, or the other of those two systems set up by the invisible powers of earth that are striving for the mastery of our minds.

What is pretty disturbing in this episode is that most of the Hebrew congregation actually sided with the wise men, for the two fools became isolated in their evaluations and conclusions, while the assessments and advice of the ten wise men were embraced on strictly logical grounds.

The same situation obtained when Goliath stared down the Israelites in disdain, because Saul and the entire army reasoned along logical lines of thought, while David embraced the system of faith, and the rest is history.

In fact, when we consider the narrative between the giant and David, we’ll discover that there must have been be something that that David did which really ticked off Goliath, for him have to cursed out David the way he did.

What David did was to show up with a slingshot in his hand, and this deeply offended the giant, for in a strictly logical mode of thought, David coming up to battle in this overly simplistic manner was a grave insult to Goliath’s intelligence, and consequently, his feelings were hurt.

When the giant had first railed on the Hebrews, he had asked for them to give him a real man to fight against or in today’s vernacular, to man-up. So when David showed up with a slingshot Goliath was saying to David: if we have to fight, let us duke it out like real men, but please don’t insult my intelligence by coming with a slingshot, like if I am a fool.

What is amazing is that Saul, as the head of God’s people was thinking exactly like Goliath, because his modes of thought were along strictly logical lines. That is why when David made the offer to go fight the giant, Saul stated emphatically that David is not able to do so. Let’s follow his line of reasoning. Let’s read:

 1st Samuel 17: 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

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

Thus, when Saul finally agrees to let David go fight Goliath, Saul does the best that a logical mind will do, for he loaded David up with his own armor, and spear, and shield.

 The very same scenario is sometimes true of board meetings, where for some unknown reason, there might be very stark differences of opinion, with no resolution in sight. It almost always is the result of using the two different systems, and in many cases, it boils down to, or it can result in a feud between fools and wise men. Let’s read:

Numbers 13: 17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:

18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many;

19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strongholds.

20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be you of good courage and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes.

21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither you sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and more over we saw the children of Anak there.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eats up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

[Patriarchs & Prophets] Revolt and open mutiny quickly followed; for Satan had full sway, and the people seemed bereft of reason. They cursed Moses and Aaron, forgetting that God hearkened to their wicked speeches, and that, enshrouded in the cloudy pillar, the Angel of His presence was witnessing their terrible outburst of wrath.

 Then their feelings rose against God: “Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? The unfaithful spies were loud in denunciation of Caleb and Joshua, and the cry was raised to stone them.

 The insane mob seized missiles with which to slay those faithful men. They rushed forward with yells of madness, when suddenly the stones dropped from their hands, a hush fell upon them, and they shook with fear. God had interposed to check their murderous design.

When the times of great disturbance shall arrive at our front door and when the prophecies pointing to the great tribulation would have materialized, there will be two, and only two systems that will come to the surface, as family and friends, church members, and the multitude of earth’s inhabitants will now be brought up to the valley of decision.

Then it will be made manifest which system was the one embraced by persons, the one of logic, or the other of faith. Probationary time is given us if haply we might need to switch over to the Godly system, the one, and the only one that will see us through earth’s final conflict.

Day by day, as opportunity affords, let us now learn the all-important lesson of trusting in God, in good times and bad, for our faith must be built as solid as The Rock, upon whom we are to build.

Adverse circumstances which come our way are to be used as stepping-stones to climb Jacob’s ladder, one rung at a time, because every rung would bring us higher, until we ascend the full length of it, for it reaches into heaven itself.

We will have to learn to cling to the hand of Christ in each and every situation and wheresoever logic and faith may collide, we would need to ask God for His strength to assess and decide along the lines of faith for this is how the Christian is to live victoriously in our day.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will help us to switch systems where warranted, and may God strengthen our faith in Him, so that none may be moved when earth’s final conflict ensues. 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.

God Bless!

The Bible, In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence. Sabbath afternoon 02/18/2023

2nd Peter 1: 19 We have also a more, sure word of prophecy whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star arises in your hearts.

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

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

Great changes are coming our way, and they will be coming so fast, and so furiously, that if persons are not grounded in the truths of God’s word, there will be a great risk of being swept off of one’s feet. The principle of gradualism is employed by the kingdom of darkness, to bring the proverbial frog through a slow boil process, and thus cook him to death in his comfort zone.

 For every good thing God has given to us devils have come up with a substitute, and one of the strategies employed with marvelous success is to overload the information highway by flooding the earth with too many variations of anything and everything, so that the honest seeker for truth could become confused, frustrated or bewildered in doing so.

 In the 1990’s supermarkets carried an average of 7000 items that persons could choose from. But as if that isn’t daunting enough that number has grown to between 40,000 and 50,000 items for the regular supermarkets, with Walmart and Costco carrying up to 142,000 articles for sale.

  And so, if you’re not really focused you can become confused and bewildered, and often in that state of mind, persons can make purchases they never ever intended, especially if certain items were on sale. It has to do with the strategy of flooding such stores with an overload of products, so that persons could become dizzy in the buying experience.

 Back in the day when Henry Ford was coming on the scene, there were very few options for customers to purchase. But since that time, over 6300 different models have been made and with the advent of Evs, the stunning array of models available is scheduled to explode even further. And thus, overloading your options can get persons confused.

 The same is true of Bible versions, denominations, and various ministries. Currently there are over 100 versions of the Bible, including the Queen James version.

There are over 45,000 denominations globally and on any given day you can browse through hundreds of thousands of different ministries, and sermons to suit every fancy and yes, one can become confused because of the sheer multitude of interpretations, options and variations found on the information highway.

 The prophets of old therefore pointed forward to a time when the unadulterated word of God would be an increasingly scarce asset, to the point where folks would be running to and fro in search of the word, and would often come up emptyhanded. Let’s read:

Amos 8: 11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

This is not to say that there will not be any Biblical information to be found; the problem is that there would be too much Biblical information to be found, so that it could become very difficult to know if, and when you have come across the truth.

 It is an indisputable fact, that with the proliferation of interpretations you’ll also have a proliferation of confusion. In our day, the phenomenon of artificial intelligence is being added to the fray, and if you’re not very careful, a person can miss the mark, as far as finding the truth is concerned.

 With the advent of various chat bots, and with our near total dependence on Google and other search engines, it cannot be ascertained to what extent the truth of God’s word is being modified, and by whom it is being tampered or tinkered with. All we know is that it is gradually being tilted in favor of error, for the most part.

 When in need of information persons now turn to Alexa, Google, Bing, Firefox, and Chatgpt, just to name a few, but the question is: who is supplying the information to these various search engines?

 And could those sources be trusted to deliver truth when asked, or will the information given be tainted with current cultural biases, and preferences which have become all too common in our day?

 As was stated before, these entities are never to be condemned, for they make available both good and evil, and thus, those of us who are on the receiving end will have to sift through the maze of info, so as to decipher truth from error.

 Intelligence is defined as the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. Artificial intelligence on the other hand is defined as a branch of computer science, dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers.

 However, God will have us understand that behind every artificial intelligence there is real intelligence, and therefore, in the pursuit of truth, one must be mindful of the fact that we are engaged in a battle for our souls and great care must be exercised when seeking for truth.

 This caution will become even more pertinent with the heavy reliance on artificial intelligence to do the research, and draw conclusions, and therefore, the trumpet must be given a certain sound in our day to alert us to present and future dangers, as is clearly referenced in the following passage. Let’s read:

1st Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

As a general rule devils do not care how, and when individuals are devoured, once they are devoured. If they can devour some on the internet they will, and if a more direct approach that appeals to a person’s intelligence will do the trick, then they will go that route, for the end game is to devour, and that at all costs. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 583] With many, a philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah…. Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the Christian world today as verily as it existed among ancient Israel in the days of Elijah.

 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.

However, there are certain things we would need to understand about the Bible in the context of current artificial intelligence. The study of the word of God cannot be approached using the same methods and strategies as persons would employ in the study and investigation of secular material.

 With the study of the Bible persons would need real intelligence, coming from a real person, in the form of The Holy Ghost.

 In the secular realm, persons studying physics can seek out a university or school; they could do their research; they can study authors, and philosophers such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Stephen Hawking who specialize in that area of learning, and if such a person is diligent, he/she could graduate as a physicist.

 But when it comes to the study of the Bible, entirely different approaches have to be employed, or else, persons would be studying, and studying and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

 To study, and understand truth, persons will have to pray, and ask God to guide them with His Holy Spirit, so as to arrive at correct conclusions, and persons will have to be willing to obey whatever was studied in the Bible, and understood.

 The Ethiopian eunuch under Candace, was reading his Bible, but he was having difficulty understanding what he was reading. So, The Holy Ghost came upon the scene through the agency of Phillip, to grant the sincere seeker for truth the correct interpretation.

 The rest is history, because after his understanding was opened through study, he immediately sought to obey that which he was studying. That attitude is a key component of the prerequisites needed when approaching a study of the Bible. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias and said understandest thou what you are reading?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

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.

In addition, the student of the scripture would have to be willing to surrender any preconceived ideas to the contrary, because the word of God should never be tailormade to suit one’s fancy, even if the truth may rub a person the wrong way.

 This will call for humility, with the seeker for truth being willing to be led by God in his or her research. God is a Spirit, and thus, the ways and means which are employed in secular study will never work when it comes to the study of the Bible.

 There were experts of the scriptures in Christ’s day, who would ask of Him questions, and Jesus would be amazed at their ignorance and their utter lack of understanding, even though several certificates and doctoral achievements could be found, hanging in their offices.

 That is because, in many instances they only sought for a theoretical knowledge of the truth, without an intention to obey, and thus, they became pregnant with information but barren with interpretation and that is why Jesus was moved on one such occasion, to answer them, the way that He did. Let’s read:

Matthew 22: 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David.

43 He saith unto them Why then does David in spirit call him Lord, saying,

44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

45 If David then calls him Lord, how is he his son?

46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither did any man from that day forth ask him any  more questions.

The following are important excerpts, and pointers coming from the servant of The Lord, as we prepare to delve into our topic today. Persons would need to exercise great caution with artificial intelligence and various chatbots in their search and investigation of the truth. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol.3 pp 703>704] When we come to the Bible, reason must acknowledge an authority superior to itself, and heart and intellect must bow to the great I AM. We shall advance in true spiritual knowledge only as we realize our own littleness and our entire dependence upon God.

 There are many things apparently difficult or obscure which God will make plain and simple to those who thus seek an understanding of them. It is sometimes the case that men of intellectual ability, improved by education and culture, fail to comprehend certain passages of Scripture;

 While others who are uneducated, whose understanding seems weak and whose minds are undisciplined, will grasp the meaning, finding strength and comfort in that which the former declare to be mysterious or pass by as unimportant. Why is this?

 There are mines of truth yet to be discovered by the earnest seeker. But our success in finding it does not depend so much on our intellectual ability as on our humility of heart and the faith which will lay hold upon divine aid.

 Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we shall be continually liable to wrest the Scriptures or to misinterpret them. There is much reading of the Bible that is without profit and in many cases is a positive injury.

 When the word of God is opened without reverence and without prayer; when thoughts and affections are not fixed upon God or in harmony with His will, the mind is clouded with doubt; and in the very study of the Bible, skepticism strengthens.

 The enemy takes control of the thoughts, and he suggests interpretations that are not correct.  Whenever men are not seeking, in word and deed, to be in harmony with God, then, however learned they may be, they are liable to err in their understanding of Scripture, and it is not safe to trust to their explanations.

 Therefore, there are some questions we must ask as it pertains to Artificial intelligence and the multitude of search engines, to demonstrate just a few of the grave concerns and risks to truth that are posed by their use.

 The answers to the questions will be given without bias, so as to ascertain what risks there might be to persons trusting these sources in the verification or pursuit of truth.

Question [1] Is it true that behind all artificial intelligence there is real intelligence?

 Answer: Yes! Artificial intelligence did not come about on its own, it is the product of intelligent minds.

 Question [2] When information, data, algorithms, history, and scriptural information are gathered, and input, who is vetting the sources for correctness and accuracy, or are we leaving the proverbial “fox” to guard the chicken coop?

For instance, when a very straightforward Biblical question is asked of your search engine, could it be trusted to deliver the unadulterated truth on the matter in question, or will it randomly pull all kinds of information treating on the subject?

 Furthermore, will the search results be without bias, unaffected by popular majority opinions? And will priority be given to scriptural truth at the top of the search results, or would the search engine naturally defer to error? To find out, Let’s ask Yahoo:

Question [1] Which day is the Sabbath Day? (Yahoo)

At the top of the search you would find references to Sunday as being the day that Christians worship on as the Sabbath. Then, as you scroll down, you’ll find references to the seventh day of the week as being the Biblical or Jewish Sabbath, but go down further, and you will find this: Got Questions “Your  Questions, Biblical Answers”  

This search result is quite interesting, for it purports to give persons only true, scriptural answers to their questions. So, let’s see what they have to say on our first question: Which day is the Sabbath?

 “It is often claimed that “God instituted the Sabbath in Eden” because of the connection between the Sabbath and creation in Exodus 20:11”

 “Although God’s rest on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) did foreshadow a future Sabbath law, there is no biblical record of the Sabbath before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt”

 “Nowhere in Scripture is there any hint that Sabbath keeping was practiced from Adam to Moses. God’s intent for giving the Sabbath to Israel was not that they would remember creation but that they would remember their Egyptian slavery and the Lord’s deliverance”

 Now let’s go to the scriptures to verify whether the above statements are true:

“There is no biblical record of the Sabbath before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt”

Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Question: Which commandments and laws could The Lord be referring to?

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master knows not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Exodus 5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

Question: What is this “Rest” pharaoh is referring to? If it is, rest as in sleeping, then pharaoh will have to be an absolute lunatic to expect the workers to work non-stop. Therefore, he must be referring to the Sabbath rest, in his protest to Moses. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 258] In their bondage the Israelites had to some extent lost the knowledge of God's law, and they had departed from its precepts. The Sabbath had been generally disregarded, and the exactions of their taskmasters made its observance apparently impossible.

 But Moses had shown his people that obedience to God was the first condition of deliverance; and the efforts made to restore the observance of the Sabbath had come to the notice of their oppressors.

 Question: What happens when we die?

There we go again with the search engines, for the information coming from the search results would be found to be heavily tilted in favor of error.  You would have to go digging for real, in order to come up with the truth that is written in the Bible on this topic.

 The same is found to be true concerning topics such as Creation and Evolution. Even though a vast array of information is gathered, and dispensed by Chat- Gpt and others, it would be discovered that in the majority of cases those conclusions that are drawn, and the information dispensed on sacred topics are tainted with error, or otherwise favor deductions that are unscriptural.

 Great care has to be taken if persons use the search engines, and artificial intelligence in the preparation of God’s word, especially if it has to be delivered to His people. The preparer must be intimately familiar with the scriptures, so as to detect any diversions to  the contrary.

 Ultimately, real intelligence, coming from the Holy Ghost is a must, because He will never be fettered, or defined by artificial intelligence, or any search engine, for His work in the salvation of souls is a personal intelligent work, never to be defined by apps.

 These resources may be used prudently to let folks know of The Savior, but in doing so, the soldiers of the cross must be careful not to digitize The Spirit of God, especially by allowing the search engines, and artificial intelligence to do the thinking for them. Be very, very careful not to surrender your personal intelligence in favor of some app or Ai.

 If such resources are used, the conclusions drawn and the information dispensed has to be carefully vetted for errors and sentiments that may not be in line with the scriptures, for if this is not done, one would be putting their trust in man, against which the Bible warns us in several passages.

 We are living in momentous and tumultuous times, and final movements will be rapid ones. The things which are happening upon earth, and developments that are taking place would make the Bible prophets turn in their graves, yet the Christian is to be always vigilant, keeping Christ ever before our faces.

 Let us be wary of surrendering the use of our own minds to artificial intelligence, for the kingdom of darkness would love nothing better than to have others, think, conclude, and decide for ourselves. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will enable us to live victoriously in an age of many browsers, search engines and Ai. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 2: 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

                                 God Bless

The Battle For Our Minds. Part [2] Sabbath afternoon 02/11/2023

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.

4 Trust in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

In order for the Christian in our day to stave off the multiple and sustained assaults of both internal and external foes, we will have to keep Jesus ever before our faces.

 The battle for our minds as pertains to the invisible forces of good and evil, could be summed up in one short sentence: Get persons to choose the good or the evil. It always comes down to choice so we must be aware of the various agencies that are involved in altering or swaying our decision making, and the ways and means that are employed in doing so.

On the good side of the fence, methods such as the presentation of truth, God’s love for us, persuasions, and promises are used to encourage us to choose to do right.

 God is a God of truth, and therefore He will use only those ways and means that are in harmony with His perfection. Thus, God tries to persuade persons to choose the right through the presentation of the Gospel. Let’s read:

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, you almost persuade me to be a Christian.

2nd Corinthians 5: 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we  pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

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 did not send his Son into the world, to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

However, on the dark side of the fence the following techniques, ways and means are employed to get us to choose evil. Deception, disguise, applause, force, censure, intimidation, heckling, persuasion, certain drugs, fear, enticement, certain movies, popularity, and indoctrination through philosophical idols that speak things contrary to the word of God.

 After persuasion did not work with Joseph, our arch nemesis resorted to the use of force to try and get the young man to buckle. Day by day, as Joseph went to work, he had to endure sustained assaults, until in sheer desperation, devils moved upon Mrs. Potiphar to pull out all the stops, and try to force young Joseph into submission.

 Revelation chapter 13, refers to efforts that will be made to try and starve persons into submission, if they, like Joseph, and the three Hebrew boys, refuse to buckle under pressure. But Jesus Christ who has trod this way before us, has already proven that the severe pangs of hunger will not force one saint into doing the unthinkable.

However, for the time being there are several other ways and means that are employed to sway choices, and all these must now be fully unmasked for what they really are. Since the day our first parents ate of the forbidden tree, everything that pertains to the human experience has been tainted with good and evil. That’s an undeniable fact.

 We should understand, that in the overwhelming majority of instances, evil is advertised as having some type of benefit. When in the garden of Eden, the cunning serpent sought to enlist Eve in his ranks, he touted those supposed benefits that will accrue to her and Adam if they would turn aside from the instructions given them by God.

 And thus, it has ever been throughout the history of mankind. A lot of new illnesses have been plaguing humanity of late, and science seems to be at a loss for the ways and means to effectively keep up with the emerging crisis.

 Those mitigation efforts put in place to stave off the use of dangerous drugs in our day, have been met with stiff resistance from our invisible foes. And very often, such efforts deal with the symptoms, and not the main underlying cause of the problems.

Persons get depressed for various reasons, including bereavement, divorce, financial loss, guilt, the loss of one’s job, and inflationary pressures. But in too many instances, the mitigation efforts are made to address symptoms, and not the real cause.

 Issues pertaining to one’s weight could cause some persons to become depressed, but in some cases, a quick fad diet, or temporary fix is sought after while the lifestyle change, with the formation of healthy habits is left off the table.

 Persistent loneliness can also trigger depression, yet in many instances, drugs are employed, to address the depressed state of mind, and not the underlying issue. If one is lonely what they may need is a friend or a spouse, not necessarily a drug to improve the mood.

 There are times, when for some unknown reason a person might suffer from low self-esteem, or mood, and in other cases, some persons may not be able to find joy or pleasure in activities that once perked their interest.

 Now, it is to be understood that science as we know it might do its best to mitigate adverse conditions of the mind, such as depression, but we must also bear in mind that such efforts, through the use of certain drugs, may have adverse, and long-lasting effects on the choices persons may make.

 This is especially true of mind-altering drugs which have the ability to produce suicidal thoughts. As it is with the knowledge of good and evil, some benefits may be realized, but the harmful side effects could steer a person to do things that they otherwise may never choose to do.

 We are not going to recommend this or that for this is not our area of expertise; we’re just going to deal with the ways and means employed that can affect decision making, because that’s where the battle for the mind comes into play.

 Because of the constraints of time, we are going to address two main areas that can directly affect our decision making, as it pertains to the battle for our minds: [1] The use of harmful drugs. [2] What we see.

Let’s begin with [1] The use of harmful drugs.

The opioid epidemic is far from over, because thus far it has taken the lives of about 932,000 people in America, with one death being recorded every five minutes across the land. Many persons do struggle with chronic pain, and to get relief, some turn to the use of opioids in different forms.

It is indeed difficult to live with chronic pain, and by all means the cause of such adverse conditions must be ascertained by professionals in the field. But we should know that certain drugs which are dispensed can play an adverse role in the battle for our minds, especially those drugs which are able to modify and interfere with mood, thoughts, and desires.

These agents often open the floodgates of addiction which can become increasingly difficult to close with each and every additional use. Whatever might be a person’s one’s situation, drugs which trigger suicidal thoughts and those which tend to influence persons to erratic or violent behaviors must be handled with great care.

 We must remember that in the battle for our minds, the goal of evil agencies is to procure the adverse outcome through the choices folks make, and thus, any drug that will compromise the rational thinking processes of a person, must be handled prudently.

One of the problems with drug abuse, as it pertains to the battle for our minds, is that something that might actually produce some level of benefit where warranted is used for recreational purposes in some instances, and once the problem of addiction kicks in, you would have a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy on your hands.

 Persons never plan to get addicted to drugs; they do in many instances, become overly dependent on the use thereof, and with each additional use, it can be very hard to break the cycle. Thus, because chronic pain is one of the main drivers of opioid and weed abuse, we would address this issue squarely.

 Question: Should persons seek for relief from pain at all costs, even if doing so would compromise the decision-making processes of the mind? Or, should there be a threshold point beyond which it is not safe to go?

 When Marijuana was being introduced to the nation it was touted as a blessing for persons suffering with long term pain and certain mental illnesses, and yes, just like in the garden of Eden its benefits were then advertised as valid reasons for the use thereof.

But God would have us understand that satan is not a fool for he has been in business much longer than we have been alive, and he’s learned by experience that, in order to have evil entrenched, it will have to first be introduced with some good benefits.

 And thus, armed with stratagem and many years of experience, he succeeded in getting Ganja to move from an illegal substance, to being medicinal and on to being recreational, and from there, it can now be found in candies, ice creams, drinks, chewables, and basically in any form one can dream or think of.

 How did it make such a quick transition from having medicinal benefit, to being distributed in candies or milk shakes? The answer is to be found in strategies employed by the forces of darkness in the battle for our minds.

 Amongst devils, it is a well-documented and proven fact, that if something has good and evil intertwined in it, the human agent will inevitably, and eventually gravitate more toward the evil, rather than the good and hence the reason why, in order to get his foot in the door the good is most often trumpeted up front.

 This particular strategy is clearly outlined in the holy scriptures, so that none be deceived concerning the multitude of benefits that are advertised in the use of harmful drugs, especially those that produce the adverse effects on the mind, we referred to earlier.

 And persons who become hooked on harmful mind- altering drugs, in different forms will suffer adverse effects sooner or later, because in many instances, the bad effects are not realized immediately. In fact, one of the main problems associated with addiction is that human minds become trained to recognize certain drugs as bringing relief or pleasure.

Thus, the body and mind are trained to recognize or interpret such substances as being something good, not bad, and after a while, the cravings can become so strong that it reaches a tipping point, where it is  extremely difficult to live without them.

And in some unfortunate cases, by the time correct intervention is sought, it is already too late. So, let’s now address squarely, the pros and cons of using marijuana and harmful opioids as pain killers.

As was with the tree of knowledge of good and evil, ganga may have some level of tangible benefit, but it also produces some harmful side effects that can play a definitive role in the battle for our minds, as far as decision-making goes.

One of the adverse side effects of weed is psychosis, which is a severe mental disorder in which persons’ thoughts and emotions could become so impaired, that they can lose touch with reality. So, we ask the question again:

 Should persons seek for relief from pain at all costs, even if it might compromise one’s decision-making process? Or is there a threshold point beyond which it is not safe to go?

 When Jesus was hung upon the cross, He was given a pain-killer, a concentrated mixture of vinegar and gall to deaden the severe pain He was experiencing. He tasted it, but soon recognized that it potentially could compromise clear His thought, and decision- making processes, and thus, to protect His mind, He determined that He would bear the pain instead. Let’s read:

Matthew 27: 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

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

The belief that there are certain problems that only mortals can handle is not grounded in the scriptures for God can handle every problem that plagues the human family. It is true that God often uses human agencies in doing so, but God can handle every, and any problem, all by Himself.

In the scripture we find His proven track record, and even though great advances have been made in the use of various medicines, we must declare the truth that God is able to fix whatsoever goes wrong with the human family. Would He? is another question, but He absolutely can.

 There were persons who dealt with chronic pain for many years, who came to Jesus and found healing through faith in Him. There were others who had a mental disorder, who were healed.

And there were others, who on account of a wrong course of action had brought adverse consequences upon themselves, yet Christ was able to remedy the situations all by Himself. Let’s read:

Matthew 4: 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with different diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

This is not to say that folks should utterly dispense with the advances made in medicine. We shouldn’t. But if in the treatment of chronic pain, persons find themselves crossing that threshold point where the mind is being affected too adversely, then it may be time to go have a talk with God.

The way in which God usually works with those who trust in Him, is that He requires that wherever it is possible, all God-ordained products, way and means at our disposal be exhausted first, and then, if we hit a brick wall, we ask for Divine intervention as per His will.

But this requires that we not limit Him to only finite ideas and concepts, because God has a thousand different ways at His disposal to solve the very same problem.

The results that accompany prayer are often tied to our capacity to believe and receive and thus, a good perspective is to cultivate a no-limit, or open-ended approach when it comes to believing in what God can do. 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.

Mark 9: 23 Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Matthew 21: 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And now we turn to the second factor pertaining to the battle for our minds: [2] What we see.

When Eve found herself at the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden, her five senses were engaged in the following order: Sight, Sound, Touch, Smell, and Taste. The avenues to the soul are our five senses by which we communicate with the outside world, and therefore, what we see can affect the choices folks make.

At Bed, Bath and Beyond as well as at Target, Costco and Walmart, items are arranged and displayed in a strategic manner so as to have the maximum effect in fueling purchases. In fact, the strategy is so time- proven and effective, that in many instances, folks leave the store with things they never intended to buy.

The same is true in the spiritual realm, because the things that we see are arranged, and presented in such a way as to have the maximum magnetic pull on our decision-making processes. It is the purpose of both good and evil angels to have their products so readily available, that they are now literally at our fingertips.

 This is not a new concept, for there is nothing new under the sun. It is just the development of an age old principle that has proven track records. It began in the garden of Eden, and has morphed into one of the most successful strategies that can be employed in swaying minds, this way or that. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp 55] The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve.

In other words satan made it readily available at her fingertips, even though she was initially hesitant. It is a strategy that must be studied closely, for it has been replicated a million times and with remarkable success.

There was a time when persons would have to go to the movies, in order to see their favorite shows. But with the advent of a plethora of streaming services, such as Netflix, Direct TV, Sling and Disney channels the movies are literally at our fingertips for they are just one click away.

 Question: So how does that strategy of readily available content play into the battle for our minds?

 Remember, as was stated before, the single purpose of each and every strategy employed, is to affect our decision-making processes. This fact is emphasized in the scripture, especially in the context of the final conflict which will engage the issue of choice to the maximum. Let’s read:

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

15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

We will take one example to illustrate how what we see, coupled together with readily available content can and does affect the mind to produce the desired outcome in one’s decision-making.

In the movies, whether it be in theaters or on Netflix one theme is most often portrayed, and it is done so often, and with such surgical precision that we can conclude that ingesting the concept is equivalent to going to school to be taught by invisible tutors.

Here it is: The good guy hunts down the bad guy and brings him to justice. From Avatar, to Spiderman to Lion King, to Clint Eastwood, to Bruce Lee and the renowned Silver Fox, Starwars, Black Panther, Harry Potter, The last duel, Ghost Busters, The Harder they fall, Lord of the rings, and even Finding Nemo. One theme keeps resurfacing over and over again: The good guy goes after the bad guy and brings him to justice, or wreaks vengeance on him.

And it does not stop at the movies, for as we stated before, the strategy is to make the products readily available at your fingertips, and therefore, it is now to be found in our living rooms and online, just one click away, in the likes of Judge Judy, Judge Alex, You be the judge, Divorce court, Judge Joe Brown, Judge Faith, Judge Hatchet, and the list goes on and on.

It never has and would never be God’s will for family and friends to go into the public square to tear each other apart. Exposing the misdeeds of another for the sake of personal retribution, and compensation, retaliation, and justification, is a strategy that is not endorsed, nor instructed in Christ’s kingdom.

 Somehow, we seem to be obsessed with a sense of strict justice and as persons go to school in the form of movies, theaters, and online streaming, we come away pregnant with justice, and the enemy of souls waits, invisibly in the wings for the inevitable results of his teaching to be made manifest.

 After being thus indoctrinated with justice, it could become quite difficult to appreciate, or implement the concept of mercy, because by imbibing so much justice, mercy seems like a foreign principle to folks, and then inevitably the natural default setting in the mind is one of justice, whenever someone does us wrong.

Thus, strict justice becomes second nature, while a disposition to show mercy is relegated to being an afterthought. But in God’s kingdom, the default setting is mercy, and as such He desires that we think and act along that specific mode of thought.

In the ancient sanctuary system the Mercy seat was strategically and intentionally positioned above the justice that the law calls for, and were it not for this perspective, none of us judges would be alive today.

But when we go to school in the university of the movies, to be infiltrated with such concepts that are foreign to God’s kingdom, it could become very difficult to forgive, because the reflex action when wrong is done to us is to get even. And thus, the decisions along those lines often follow as clockwork. But this mode of thought is contrary to the kingdom of Christ. Let’s read:

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

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

Matthew 5: 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there you remember that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

Romans 12: 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The principles and instructions we mentioned above are not exactly what you would find on Netflix, or in the movies, for they are, for the most part foreign to the kingdom of darkness.

In the battle for our minds The Lord seeks to have us think and act like Himself, whereas devils seek to imbue us with the thoughts and sentiments that are entirely contrary to the kingdom of light. When God instructs us to forgive, He is not merely referring to several instances in our life experience where it may become warranted.

He is referring to us adopting forgiveness as a way of life, not something we have to grind our teeth to think about and then hand it over reluctantly. When Christ was on Calvary, He offered to forgive not only those who had trespassed against Him, but those also who did not ask for forgiveness.

 But it is a mortal conflict that we are engaged in, the results of which would tell for time and for eternity, depending on the choices and decisions we make. Therefore, we beseech everyone, by the mercies of God that, we all choose life.

 Let us then submit our minds to Jesus so that right principles, right concepts, ways, and means may be indelibly etched into our consciences, for when this is done by the grace of God, choosing good and the right would become second nature, not merely an afterthought.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages to think and act along godly lines, being careful at all times to guard the avenues to our souls so that in the battle for the mind, we may emerge as conquerors by God’s grace. 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!

The Battle For Our Minds. Sabbath afternoon 02/04/2023

Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

The story of this battle between the angel Gabriel and satan, for the mind of the king of Persia is really a microcosm of the greater conflict that takes place daily for our hearts and minds. Every major decision and choice we make, from day to day, cumulatively, will contribute to determining our eternal destiny.

And every decision and choice we make, that comes down on the side of righteousness, will further cement the fact that our sins will one day, be transferred to the head of the scape goat, which to him is very bad news.

 We are the arbiters of our own destiny, and when we choose to do right it would matter in the greater scheme of things; not as having any intrinsic, salvific value, but as a determining factor in whom we will ultimately choose to serve and obey.

 Obeying God does not in any way save a person, in and of itself, for we are all saved by grace through faith. What obedience does is, it makes clear where our allegiance lies, and our allegiance to either one of the two great powers in the universe, ultimately determines our eternal destiny.

 Thus, satan goes to work in protracted, ingenious, and systematic ways, to tilt our minds to choosing evil, or doing anything that is contrary to God’s will. The very grave nature of this battle is revealed in our first passages, and should be understood by all who are desirous of living victoriously.

 There are also certain parameters set, as it pertains to the battle for our minds, which persons must be aware of, for God, who has done all that can ever be done to save us, sets the rules of engagement which can be deduced from the episode with Cyrus, king of Persia, and from other scriptures, treating upon the same issue.

 [1] The first rule of engagement in the processes of our decision-making is that the use of any force is forbidden, especially when it comes to issues which pertain to one’s eternal destiny. Both good and evil angels are forbidden to use force to coerce anyone into choosing either this way or that way.

 We are free moral agents, and thus, God guarantees that our freedom to choose is left untrammeled at all times, except in such cases where one gives his/ her will over to devils. Then, at such times satan can take full control of a person’s mind, and force them to do his bidding. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 2: 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

[The Desire of Ages pp 125] While Satan can solicit, he cannot compel to sin. The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power upon us.

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.

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

So now that we have established from the Bible that the use of force by angels is off the table as pertains to decision-making, we must investigate what other tools or avenues angels have at their disposal to try and get us to think and decide along a preferred line of thought.

 In the battle that had unfolded between the angel Gabriel and satan, they had to use other means and methods, to try and sway the mind of the King Cyrus either this way or that way, so, we ask the question: What ways and means do angels use to procure the preferred outcome? This leads us to the second rule of engagement:

 [2] As a general rule, both good and evil angels are barred for the most part from appearing to persons in their true form, as this could cause individuals to make decisions out of fear, and/or intimidation.

 There are rare exceptions to this rule that are found in the scriptures, such as when an angel was given the command by God to appear directly to stubborn Balaam, who had to be forced into saying the things that he would not have otherwise chosen to declare because his actions could have adversely affected God’s people.

Thus, in very rare instances such as this, God would have us mortals to understand that He retains the prerogative at all times to be God, in the fullest and highest sense.

 Yet, for all intents and purposes, on a day-to-day basis, angels are not permitted to appear in their true forms, for if, in the process of decision making, God permitted angels to reveal their true selves, we would be greatly intimidated by their presence, and as such, such manifestations could materially affect our freedom to choose in an untrammeled manner.

 For the time being angels are permitted to influence persons in different ways, especially, through the medium of other persons like ourselves. The good angels move upon the righteous to preach the good news of salvation to other persons, and evil angels move upon folks to offer resistance to any such preaching.

 However, this second rule of engagement would not remain the case for too much longer, since the Bible specifically tells us that as the final conflict between good and evil ramps up to a crescendo, all the stops would be pulled out and folks can expect increasing, direct interventions, from both the good, and evil angels.

 This is of critical importance for us to understand, whilst we can, for if folks were to come up to those days without thorough preparation, persons would be swept off their feet, when the miracle-working power of demons takes center stage, and becomes mainstream across the earth. Let’s read:

Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame.

In every prior instance recorded in the scriptures, it is never stated that devils revealed their real selves to mortal eyes. Not with Eve, not with Job, not with David when he numbered the children of Israel, not with Peter, when he was moved upon by the devil to try and discourage Jesus from going to Calvary.

Again, the devil remained hidden from view as he entered into Judas and took full control of his mind, because through a series of repetitive decisions, the battle for his mind had culminated in Judas handing himself over entirely to the control of demons.

 Just so it will be with every person who persistently forestalls Christ’s gracious overtures until the day of probation comes to a permanent end. However, in, and throughout the entire episode with Judas, satan was never permitted to reveal himself in his true colors.

 The singular, and only recorded instance was when Jesus was being tempted in the deserts, and even then, satan appeared as an angel of light. But as the final conflict gathers steam, things will be changing.

 The enemy of souls will reveal himself as a dazzling, supernatural being, to forever seal the decisions of those who have rejected Christ and His truth. But, for the time being, he is restricted to remaining hidden from view for the most part.

This leads us to the third rule of engagement as it pertains to the battle for our minds. Some way, and somehow, angels need to get their suggestions into our minds. With the angel Gabriel, who was locked  in combat with satan, both of them needed to get their persuasions into the king’s mind, and so, the  next logical question is: How do they do this?

 The answer to this question has two parts, because of sheer necessity. Angels do not necessarily need a human being to infuse the mind of another person with their suggestions and persuasions. They have the ability to do so directly on their own.

 There was not a single other person involved when satan had spoken through Peter. No one influenced Judas to do evil at Christ’s communion table and the Bible does not specifically state that other folks had encouraged David to number Israel.

 We will be dealing with this aspect of direct angelic infusions later on. However, in many instances other human beings are used as vehicles to transfer ideas, thoughts and suggestions to the person in question, and this would constitute part one of the third rule of engagement:

 [3] Human agents are very often used as vehicles to transfer ideas, perspectives, interpretations, views and suggestions from angels to other persons.

 For instance, when satan stood up to tempt Job, he stated to God that if Job was afflicted in his body, he would turn around and curse God and die. So, after getting God’s permission to touch Job, the devil had to find someone, who would repeat to Job, the very same sentiment he uttered to God.

 To accomplish this, he would have to go looking for someone who will share his views on the matter in question, in order for that person who would be the middleman, to convey his sentiments through their utterances. In other words, the human agent to be used as the vehicle of infusion must see eye to eye with satan on the issue in question.

 This should be of grave concern to every soberly-thinking person, for none of us will like to know that we are being used to convey any satanic sentiments views or ideas. Yet it is too often the case that this is actually true in real life. Let’s read:

Job 2: 4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Here it is again, so no one would conclude that this only happens with women, for it also happens the same with men. We are just observing the method of infusion as it occurs with the human agent. Peter was not a woman, and David was fully male yet they too were used as the vehicles of infusion on certain occasions. 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 ye 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.

1st Kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

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

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

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 55] Without a fear she [Eve] plucked and ate. And now, having herself transgressed, she became the agent of Satan in working the ruin of her husband.  In a state of strange, unnatural excitement, with her hands filled with the forbidden fruit, she sought his presence, and related all that had occurred.

 The way to avoid the middleman role is for us to be fully aligned and surrendered to God’s revealed will. For instance, when God teaches us to forgive others, if we accept His instructions with a willing mind, the likelihood of any satanic views on this matter, being in sync with ours goes way down, and as a result, he knows that he must look for a different candidate.

 Also, a good practice for us is to first pass every idea and suggestion, brought to us, through the word of God before we speak. In that way the scriptures can become a sort of check valve, to siphon out every sentiment that does not pass the gold standard. This is not merely a good suggestion; it is an instruction coming from The God of heaven. Let’s read:

James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

20 For the wrath of man works not righteousness of God.

When Christ was refused passage through a city of the Samaritans, two of His disciples, who still clung to the principle of revenge, gave voice to views that came from the prince of darkness. At that very time it was revealed to them by Christ that they were in sync with a foreign spirit, and thus gave utterance to the sentiments of that evil spirit. Let’s read:

Luke 9:52 And He sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

However, if we cherished sin in any form or fashion, and if persons harbor unscriptural views, and ideas on any point, they become like sitting ducks for the middle man role, and it will be just a matter of time before we are used as a vehicle of infusion.

[The Desire of Ages pp 125] Every sinful desire we    cherish affords him a foothold. Every point in which we fail of meeting the divine standard is an open door by which he can enter to tempt and destroy us.

 In the battle for our minds, we have to be mindful of the fact that close relatives, and friends can be used as the vehicle of infusion, either for good or evil. In very many instances, human agents are used to say words that are a savor of life unto life, and indeed, it is through human instrumentalities that the bulk of the gospel is disseminated.

 Again, some persons with the best of intentions may suggest good, and others with the best of intentions may suggest evil. The correct way to decipher all of the incoming ideas, and infusions is by applying the sword of The Spirit, which is the word of God, and in addition to prayer for guidance, the Christian will in most cases be able to navigate safely between good and evil.

 God just wants us to be aware of the fact that such agents could be used on either side of the fence, a fact that must be brought into the equation when studying the battle for our minds.

 Now we must turn to the second part of the third method employed in the battle for our minds. This particular one hasn’t yet received its due attention, because of the limitations of science as we know it. Yet, it must be investigated and must be thoroughly understood now, in the context of the battle for our minds.

 It's the method of direct infusion, where the human agent as a vehicle is bypassed, and angels can infuse the mind of any person directly, with their thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.

 In order to understand this one, we must first try to observe how our highways, and our transportation systems work in the temporal realm. Highways such as the I-95 were designed for the transportation of goods, and persons, and other articles.

 They are used to transport food to thousands of our groceries across the land, including Publix, where shopping is a pleasure. They are used to transport roofing materials, hardware, school children, people and almost anything you can think of.

 However, our highways are also used by drug lords in the transportation of Cocaine, fentanyl and other harmful substances. The highways of themselves do not, and cannot prevent the wrongful use thereof, for they are just highways.

 The same is true of the internet, which was made as a superhighway to convey information. And, like the I-95, both, good and evil are transported 24/7, for you can find preaching and Christian music, while at the same time you can find porn. Thus, the internet is just a superhighway that is used to transport the various types of information globally.

 In the spiritual realm there are highways that are for general purpose use, meaning that they can be used in transporting either good or evil. Therefore, as it pertains to the battle for our minds and the method of direct infusion a general-purpose highway is used by good and evil angels.

 It is a highway, which makes accessibility to every person on the planet possible, without exception. It has to do with our atmosphere that we breathe, for like our own super highways, it can be used to carry oxygen, but could also be used in the transportation and transfer of thoughts, suggestions, and concepts from angels to mortals.

 Both The Hebrew word Ruach, and the Greek word Pneuma, point to the air or atmosphere as the only superhighway with direct access to all mortals.

 Hence the reason why in so many instances, angels do not necessarily need the human agent as their middleman; they can get their ideas directly into a person’s mind via the superhighway of atmosphere. Let’s read:

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

In every instance recorded in the Bible, where evil spirits were cast out of any human being, air was involved, without any exception. When Christ cast out the legion of devils from the demoniac man, He used His voice, which obviously involves air to carry His command.

 At that time, as well as in several other instances, Jesus commanded the evil spirits to come out of the person in question. Thus, a fundamental question to this issue has to be asked, and settled once, and for all: If Jesus cast them out, how did they enter in into the person in the first place?

 Air is the superhighway that makes accessibility to every human being possible, a fact that could be observed in the following scriptures, as we study line upon line. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Job 33:4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Job 27: 3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils.

John 3:8 The wind blows where it lists, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

John 20: 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.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

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

Mark 9:20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Matthew 8: 28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Mark 5: 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him.

8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

[The Story of Redemption BK. 3 pp 87] The words of Jesus penetrated the darkened minds of the men enough for them to dimly realize that One was near who could save them from the demons that tormented them.

They fell at the feet of Jesus, worshiping him. But when they opened their mouths to entreat his mercy, the demon spoke through them and cried vehemently, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most-High God, I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not!

Mark 5:12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into  them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

John 13: 27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this unto him.

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 339] Every soul is surrounded by an atmosphere of its own; it may be, charged with the life-giving power of faith, courage, and hope, and sweet with the fragrance of love.

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

There are times when in His capacity as God He may see fit to block the superhighway of atmosphere to a particular person for emergency reasons. Not too long ago I was in West Palm Beach, and was looking for Advanced Auto Parts, and my GPS directed me to drive to a specific street to get there.

 So I went, but as I was approaching it, I saw that there were several police cars, an ambulance and a fire truck, and the road was completely blocked off, so that I could not enter. That is because there was an emergency, and for that reason all access was to be restricted to the relevant authorities only.

There are times when the universal highway has to be blocked by God so that access cannot be granted to anyone else, but Himself. There are times when a prophet is in vision, and God blocks all access to the person so that they cannot breathe in or out, thus, precluding any effort by others to make an infusion. Let’s read:

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

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

15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.

17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

Some persons may now be wondering why this third point pertaining to atmosphere, is important, as it pertains to the battle for our minds. The reason is, that there are places on this planet where there are higher concentrations of evil spirits, than at other places.

 And if we were to visit those places, without a just cause, the likelihood of direct angelic infusions, go up exponentially. When Saul had visited the witch of Endor, he went to a place where there was a very high concentration of evil spirits in the atmosphere, and he suffered a very severe, and direct infusion, from which he was never able to recover.

 Conversely, when David went to hide out with the prophet Samuel, there was a high concentration of holy angels and God’s presence in the atmosphere, and therefore, when Saul tried to break through the invisible shield, he could not. The reason is that in this instance Saul experienced a direct infusion, in so much that he started to sing praises and prophesy even though he had come for a different, ulterior purpose. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 19: 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 653>654] Saul then decided that he himself would go, for his fierce enmity had become uncontrollable. He was determined to wait for no further chance to kill David; as soon as he should come within reach of him, he intended with his own hand to slay him, whatever might be the consequences. But an angel of God met him on the way and controlled him. The Spirit of God held him in Its power, and he went forward uttering prayers to God, interspersed with predictions and sacred melodies.

In the battle for our minds, there are certain things we should be cognizant of. We are the sole arbiters of our own destiny through the choices we make. It does not matter if intimidation, applause, heckling, or persuasion are used, because at the end of the day, the choice is ours.

 Again, we must, by the grace of God, surrender our will to His in entirety because if we harbor divergent views that are not supported by the scriptures, we’ll be used as vehicles or agents to spread perspectives and suggestions from devils to other persons.

 Thirdly, we must ask God to imbue us with His Holy Spirit, so that an invisible shield could encompass us round about, thereby guiding and guarding our way in the paths of righteousness and peace.

If we were to cherish any sin like how Saul cherished revenge, it will control us after a while, if confession and repentance is not made, and thus, we can lose the battle for our minds through just one weak link.

 God is able to keep us from falling, but we must first desire and then choose to be kept, for at every step of advance towards God’s eternal kingdom, we will be challenged by humanity’s arch-nemesis.

Therefore, gird up the loins, buckle up the belts, and zip up the shoes, lest we be faint and weary in well- doing for God is well able to make the weakest saint be victorious, in the battle for our minds. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which certifies this sacred truth. Let’s read:

Philippians 2: 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

                                    God Bless!

Byproducts Of Faith And Fear. Sabbath afternoon 01/28/2023

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursues but the righteous are bold as a lion.

There are several characteristics that Christ is trying to develop in His people, as we prepare to launch out into the deep, referring to the final conflict of the ages. On of those qualities that we would need is bravery, for it will require, a deep abiding trust in God to deliver the third angels message, under what would be the most foreboding circumstances.

 Thus, the history of Elijah must be carefully studied and thoroughly understood, so as to get a glimpse of the pitfalls, risks and threats that would multiply against those who are sent to preach the very last message of mercy, and how they are to successfully navigate the minefields that would be set for their feet by the forces of darkness.

 In speaking of that time, both the Scriptures and the servant of The Lord describe it as being beyond our wildest imagination, for according to Daniel, there is no other period of this earth’s history that it can be compared to, making it a one-of-a-kind, and indeed, very severe and dangerous, for folks who would live through that trying time.

 Now, as we stated before in one Bible study, we are not to be overwhelmed by the threats, for we are to keep Christ ever before our faces, yet there cannot be any sugar-coating of this said time, because even God describes it as being a time of deep trouble.

 In words that do not flatter, the prophets describe it as a man travailing with child, and groaning as it is customary for a woman to do when in labor pain. In another instance, the Bible says that satan will then be permitted to pull out all the stops, and will level his entire arsenal against those who refuse to bow. So, yes, that time will require a ton of bravery. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 30: 5 For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who 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.

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 24: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

[The Great Controversy pp 622] It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God.

Therefore, we must reiterate, that one of the very important characteristics that would be needed at that time is bravery. The bravery that we’re speaking of is not of the man-made kind, where dare-devils or wannabe heroes presume to do the unthinkable.

 It is not the kind that you would find in Hollywood, where Clint Eastwood, chewing on his cigar, smokes out a rival cowboy with his rifle.

This bravery will be rooted and grounded in Christ alone, and will be fortified by the literal experiences of the remnant, which they can then fall back on for renewed courage as they move forward. Thus it was with the prophet Elijah, as he was commissioned by God to go, on what would have otherwise been a fatal mission.

 In days of old, and even currently, no one was allowed to barge into any palace without prior authorization, let alone bring a message of doom to the monarch. The security guards would have swiftly disposed of such a person who presumed to do so. Yet Elijah was sent by God, and thus, his bravery and confidence came from the fact that he was running God’s errand.

 In our day, persons are never to presume to deliver the third angel’s message without being directed by God to do so, because it could trigger a tsunami of persecution, prematurely, and it could potentially open the flood gates of hell before the appointed time.

Let those who are called to preach the third angel’s message be directed by God to do so, just as Elijah was directed by God, to go to king Ahab. 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 lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

[Prophets and Kings pp 120>121] The prophet set out at once, and traveled night and day until he reached Samaria. At the palace he solicited no admission nor waited to be formally announced.

 Clad in the coarse garments usually worn by the prophets of that time, he passed the guards, apparently unnoticed, and stood for a moment before the astonished king.

 Elijah made no apology for his abrupt appearance. A Greater than the ruler of Israel had commissioned him to speak; and, lifting his hand toward heaven, he solemnly affirmed by the living God that the judgments of the Most-High were about to fall upon Israel.

 It was only by the exercise of strong faith in the unfailing power of God's word that Elijah delivered his message. Had he not possessed implicit confidence in the One whom he served, he would never have appeared before Ahab.

 Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, the message of impending judgment fell upon the ears of the wicked king; but before Ahab could recover from his astonishment, or frame a reply, Elijah disappeared as abruptly as he had come, without waiting to witness the effect of his message.

Thus, from this experience it becomes quite obvious to all, that one of the byproducts of faith in God is bravery. That is why our first passage states that the righteous are as bold as a lion.

 Another byproduct of faith in God is confidence, for those who trust in God live by the blessed assurance that God would be with them through thick and thin and in every situation where trials may come in as a flood, or where such persons may be called upon to pass through the fire.

A clear conscience, void of offense before God and man is a critically important and indispensable asset to having confidence during turbulent times. A guilty conscience has the tendency to weaken faith, since the person in particular is aware of wrong-doing.

 If this is currently the case with anyone listening to the study, such a person should make haste to seek God’s face in confession and repentance, thereby clearing the way and the conscience so that one’s confidence may be well founded.

 This specific point is to be understood fully by those who are preparing for prime time, because there is a counterfeit confidence, cooked up by devils which savors of presumption. For instance, if a person is knowingly, and deliberately indulging in sin without regret or remorse, that person should not presume to have confidence in God.

 God stands ready to forgive and forget, if we would turn from our sins and seek His face, but until such time, confidence in God for deliverance while one is willfully sinning is an absolute non-starter.

 In other words, wherever there is a deliberate and cherished sin, the appropriate first prayer must be  for repentance and forgiveness, as this would clear the way for renewal of one’s relationship with God, and would reset the stage for such a person to have renewed confidence.

When one is sinning willfully, God may at such times extend mercy in protecting that person, because it is His prerogative to show mercy where He sees fit but this is not to be understood as a format that anyone should reasonably expect to be entitled to. It simply does not work that way. Let’s read:

Psalms 66: 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

 [The Great Controversy pp 202] Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud, God could not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life.

So, in the time of trouble, if the people of God had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish, they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God for deliverance.

There were instances in David’s experience when he exhibited both bravery and confidence. For instance when he went up against Goliath he manifested that type of confidence that is a natural byproduct of faith in God, that is coupled together with a clear conscience. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine…..

That’s confidence and bravery in real time, born of a childlike trust in God, backed up with experiences in the physical realm, and cemented and confirmed by a clear conscience, void of offense before God, and man.

 But if he were to tackle Goliath, just after sleeping with Bathsheba, he most likely would have entered into a presumptuous mode of thought, because he could not then, reasonably expect to vanquish the giant, with blood on his hands, and with unforgiven sins at his doorstep. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 723] Heretofore God's providence had preserved David against all the plotting of his enemies, and had been directly exercised to restrain Saul.

But David's transgression had changed his relation to God. The Lord could not in any wise sanction iniquity. He could not exercise His power to protect David from the results of his sin as He had protected him from the enmity of Saul.

 However, even when in his innocence, David, like so many of us do at times, allowed fear to overwhelm him, on account of a series of serious threats made by king Saul against his person. And as he became consumed with fear for his life, he was found to be doing some very strange things.

 One of the byproducts of fear is lying, especially in dangerous situations, where one loses sight of God. David had barely escaped with his life from Saul, and in his own words, he concluded that it was just a matter of time before misfortune would catch up with him. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 20: 3 And David swore moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knows that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the Lord lives, and as thy soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.

Thus, with this conclusion that David has drawn, the door is swung wide open as he decides that he must do whatsoever it takes to avoid being slain by Saul. When it comes to the preservation of life, persons can at times do and say things which they might not do and say under more favorable circumstances.

Lying under any circumstance is not encouraged or endorsed by God even though He takes into account the specific situation that may have obtained.

 When Christians who would live through the time of trouble will be shaken inside out, and upside down, only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth will come out, because the truth would have become dearer than life itself. But in the interim, a fear for one’s life, often produces the byproduct of lying. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why are you alone, and no man with thee?

2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

Whenever one has decided to go the route of lying, because of fear, various strains can emerge which to some persons may not seem as a big deal. But God desires that we deal in the currency of heaven at all times, hence the reason why He makes plain His will on the matter, so that persons could cultivate clear concepts of truth and duty. Let’s read:

Psalms 120:1 In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.

2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?

4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

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

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

 By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words.  All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood.

However, as was stated before, lying is one of the by products of fear and poor David, having left God out of picture, finds himself resorting to stratagem, and cunning, tools that are often to be found in arsenals of God’s enemies.

One of the very grave mistakes that David made, on account of his fear of Saul, is that he turned to God’s enemies for help, something that folks should never, ever do, because that will greatly compromise one’s ability to exercise living faith in God, in addition to which, dealing, and speaking truthfully could also become much more difficult, as David soon found out. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 21:10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

What the servants of Achish are declaring must be understood in the proper context, because they are directly referring to the slaying of Goliath by David, and the consequent routing of the Philistines, over whom Achish ruled as king. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 18: 6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, {Goliath} that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.

7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

Thus, what David is hearing from the philistines as they speak to their king, is not only bad news, it is very bad news, the gravity of which drove David to do the unthinkable, that which he would never ever have thought of doing and that’s because resorting to falsehood is one of the major byproducts of fear. In fact, there is not another instance in the Scripture where any prophet of God, pretended to be a mad man; no, not one. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

Here it is again as Abraham fears for his life. He too resorts to lying as a way to mitigate the potentially volatile situations he may encounter and as he limits the power of God in his behalf the only other logical option on the table is to lie his way out.

God is not showing us these things just to highlight the weaknesses of His servants; He is revealing to us our dire need of cleansing as Laodiceans so that the byproducts of fear could be permanently removed from our characters, while there is still opportunity to do so, for we cannot come up to the testing times ahead, whilst still being driven by the byproducts of fear. Let’s read:

Genesis 12: 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Another byproduct of fear is the tendency to make excuses. Some persons are afraid of exercise since it carries some level of risk. Others are afraid to get a diagnosis, for fear that some cancer or tumor may be revealed, and still others are afraid to make any investment, for fear of loss, especially with the likes of Sam Bankman and Bernie Madoff on the rise.

In fact, in the parable of the stewards, the man who did not invest His Lord’s goods did not mince words, for he came out and specifically stated that he was afraid of loss, and therefore, his actions and excuses were the byproduct of fear. Let’s read:

Matthew 25: 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord I knew thee, that You are an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed.

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

Again, when Moses was called by God to go down to Egypt for the deliverance of the Hebrews, it was fear for his life that drove him to make the excuses that he kept coming up with. As we review his own episode it’s indeed amazing the amount and varying excuses that we are capable of coming up with. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

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

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

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

13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. (In other words, send anybody but me, please)

After his numerous excuses, God addressed Moses’ unspoken fears, for he dreaded going back to Egypt to face the music, after having slain an Egyptian task master. In the heat of the moment, Moses’ anger had gotten the better of him, and he then resorted to a strategy that was not God-ordained. Let’s read:

Exodus 2: 11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore, do you smite thy fellow?

14 And he said, Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely, this thing is known.

15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

If God had given Moses the assurance up front, we most likely would never have heard of any excuses on his part, for he was being driven by fear, which produces a natural byproduct of making excuses. In fact, after God allayed his fears, his excuses come to an abrupt end. Let’s read:

Exodus 4:19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

Persons who will be tasked with delivering the third angel’s message would need to be as “bold as a lion” because the import of the message states in no uncertain terms, that life as we know on planet earth will to come to an end permanently, and that against everything which science and philosophy are saying.

Persons will need a ton of bravery and a confidence born of God to stomach the fallout from preaching the third angels’ message, for it essentially predicts that the judgement in heaven is soon to be closed, and as such, it will bring civilization, as we know it to an end.

Not many heads of state in their right minds would be happy to hear this, because this news could only be received in the positive, if it is accompanied by a change of heart, and a radical turn-about to join the ranks of God’s commandment-keeping people.

So yes, it would call for the convergence of all the byproducts of faith in God, including bravery, and confidence on the part of those who will be tasked with delivering the final message.   

The message also states that God will do His act, His strange act, by doing that which the prophets of the day have hardly ever portrayed, or even mentioned to the people as being one of God’s characteristics.

For the most part, God has always been portrayed as a God of love, and He absolutely is. But His love moves Him to administer justice when it becomes overdue. However, for all intents and purposes, God has, in most instances been presented as feeble, or weak when it comes to the administration of justice. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Lamentations 3:22 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.

However, harboring a one-sided view of God would cause the 3rd angels message to received with great consternation, and alarm, because it would seem so far removed from the God of man’s own making.

Yet, those who will be giving the last message would not be left to depend upon themselves, for they are to immerse themselves in the promises which God has given for this very time. Christ has promised to be with us till the end of the age, and as it’s drawing closer, He would take steps commensurate with the rising emergency. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 270] I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet.

They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through.

 Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude and holy, sacred joy.

The things that are occurring upon the earth daily tell us that it won’t be long before the third angels’ message would become due. The continuing mass murders, the endless wars, and the relentless, and ever evolving strains of different viruses, signal to us that the prophecies pertaining to the last days are now converging on our doorstep.

 Let us then ask God to develop the byproducts of faith in us, so that we may be readied to meet the coming challenges. As our relationship with Christ deepens, so will our love, confidence and bravery, to the point where we will not panic if and when the carpet is pulled out from under our feet.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which certifies this truth, and it’s our hope and prayer that the soldiers of the cross will be built upon the Rock, for this is what will make all the difference when the winds of strife begin to blow. Let’s read:

1st John 4: 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

                                   God Bless!

Unlawful, But Right. Sabbath afternoon 01/21/2023

Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat.

2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him;

4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

One of the reasons why we took so long to declare some of our personal testimonies is because if some persons are strictly into the letter of the law, some might have had occasion to stumble, and therefore, the truth about the letter, and the spirit of the law must now be made plain.

All of the instructions, commands and laws God has given us are to be carefully kept and observed, with some leeway being given for instances where God may choose to do things differently. Obeying God is not only a strict adherence to the letter of the law, it also includes us being willing to be led by His Spirit, in instances where He may depart from the script.

When God gave His law on Mount Sinai, He spoke it first, before writing it on tables of stone. That order of speaking first and writing later is important for us to understand because His voice could override that which is written, if He so chooses.

 This is the reason why in many instances we would read in the scriptures where Christ would say: You have heard that it had been said by them of old, but I say unto you. In other words, there would be times when a understanding of what true obedience entails, must be made plain.

Very little is heard about this aspect of obedience, yet it must be clearly understood by all who would be preparing and looking forward to the latter rain. There are times when God may give an instruction for a specific circumstance, which may not fully be in line with the letter, as far as finite minds go.

 Yet, if it is ascertained that it is God who is speaking, we must be ready and willing to obey. Under normal circumstances, a Christian is to abide by the laws of the land in which he or she dwells, for it is God who allows rulers to reign, and His people are to render to all their dues. That is what the “letter” of the law says. Let’s read:

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.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

6 For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

However, that is not the end of the issue, for God is able to override Caesar if He so chooses, in order to get His will accomplished. Persons are never to take it upon themselves to deviate from His instructions, but if God commands a deviation, folks should obey wherever He so leads.

 A very strict interpretation of the letter of the law has the potential to place persons into an iron-clad straight jacket, in which it can become very difficult for even God to work with. Even though we must at all times reverence and practice the principles in the law, we must be careful to leave some wiggle room so that God could do His thing, whenever He has to.

In our first passage, some of the religious leaders of the Jews, openly complained to Christ, that some of His disciples were doing that which was not lawful to be done on the Sabbath day, and if we were to judge from a strictly legal perspective, they might’ve been right.

In the Old Testament when the Hebrew people were sojourning through the desert, they were instructed not to go out and gather Manna on the Sabbath day. Some apparently went out, and their actions drew a swift rebuke from God, for they were commanded to rest from all such activities over the sacred hours. Let’s read:

Exodus 16: 25 And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field.

26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day to gather, and they  found none.

28 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?

29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

But this confrontation between Christ, and persons who were strictly into the letter of the law, was not the first, nor was it the last. In fact, throughout His entire sojourn on earth, Jesus had to deal with this issue of the letter versus the spirit, and at times the explanations He gave left individuals furious. Let’s read:

Luke 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

Matthew 15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Mark 2: 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

And the list of supposed infractions goes on and on and on. Now it is true that in our day, the pendulum has now swung in a completely opposite direction, because the laws of God have been thrown out in large part by persons who erroneously believe that they were nailed to the cross.

Even though this belief has caused some persons to inadvertently or deliberately violate the letter, and the Remnant people of God are called to correct it, yet in the presentation of the gospel, persons must be careful to leave some wiggle room for The Spirit of God to do His work, for God does not always follow the script, as we know it.

 For instance, after the great disappointment where many persons were preaching, and expecting Jesus to come in the 1800s, William Miller was afterward presented with present truth, pertaining to Sabbath keeping, and the validity of all the commandments of God.

His mind was then adversely affected by his fellow ministers, and brethren who had encouraged him to reject this truth. This went on for a while until Miller himself lifted his voice against Sabbath keeping. Yet, Miller will be saved in God’s kingdom, even though his rejection of sacred truth is off script, as far as the finite mind goes. Let’s read:

[E.W. pp 303] At the time of the disappointment on October 22, 1844, Miller was worn and ill. He had depended largely on his younger associates who stood with him in proclaiming the Advent message. They led him to reject the Sabbath truth as it came to his attention soon after the Disappointment.

 [E.W. pp 258] I saw that William Miller erred as he was soon to enter the heavenly Canaan, in suffering his influence to go against the truth. Others led him to this; others must account for it. But angels watch the precious dust of this servant of God, and he will come forth at the sound of the last trump.

It was the letter of the law that some of the scribes were apparently referring to when they asked Peter whether Christ paid the temple tax. The truth of the matter is that the priests were exempt from such a requirement, but the religious leaders being blinded by zealousness for the letter, overlooked the fact that Christ was indeed greater than any earthly priest who had ever lived.

 Again, it was the letter of the law that was appealed to, when the woman was caught in adultery, in the very act, as they stated, and the matter was brought to Jesus for redress. How on earth folks could catch only one person in adultery is a mystery beyond our fathoming since it would take at least two persons, in order to commit adultery. However, they pointed to the letter of the law which required such to be stoned.

Therefore, in order to lay a proper foundation for the study, we must first seek to understand Christ’s relation to the law. God is the great Law-giver, He is The one who makes not only spiritual law, but also physical law, and therefore, God is not restricted to law as created beings are, but instead, is above all law.

Hence the reason why in certain circumstances, He could instruct His people to do things, which might otherwise be unlawful according to the letter. When the Hebrews were about to leave Egyptian bondage, God told them to “Borrow” jewels of gold and silver from their neighbors.

When God instructed Joshua and his men to march around Jericho for seven days, they doing so would of necessity include a Sabbath day, whichever day of the week one may have started on.

The Hebrews were all commanded to celebrate the Passover, as a memorial of God’s great deliverance from Egyptian bondage, yet when God commanded Elijah to hide at the brook Cherith, there’s no record that the prophet was required to, or did so, for at least three years.

When Saul was commanded to take out Amalek, he did what might seem to some as the humane thing, in sparing that which he felt was good, and getting rid of all that was refuse. The only problem is that it was not what God told him to do in this instance.

 Again, in another instance, a certain prophet by the name of Hosea is commanded by God to go marry a prostitute something that none of us as men should ever presume to do. Yet, when the command came from God Hosea was obligated to render obedience.

 David and his men were given the Shew-bread to eat, something which under normal circumstances could have resulted in very severe consequences. In that instance God overrode that which is written in order for His purposes to be fulfilled.

 Again, David was granted multiple wives by God, in violation of the seventh commandment, as far as we mortals go. Thus, folks are always to render a willing obedience to God’s written word, but if in some rare instances He chooses to override it, then, in His own capacity as God He can absolutely do so. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 12: 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.

Again, the letter of the law states that prophets and priests ordained by God are to be greatly respected. In fact, it was the violation of this instruction which resulted in Miriam contracting leprosy, because of her complaining and murmuring against Moses. Let’s read:

Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he married an Ethiopian woman.

4 And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.

Yet, in another specific instance, The Spirit of God commands a certain individual to slap one of God’s prophets in the face, an act that could potentially be fatal for anyone who presumed to do so on their own.

 But in this instance, God is the One who had given that command, thereby overriding any previous instruction on this matter in this particular instance. What is worthy of note is that the man in question did not choose to obey that strange command, for it most likely went against his grain, and thus, by him following the strict letter of the law he was found to be disobedient. In this specific instance, doing that which would be otherwise unlawful would actually be the right thing to do, in obedience to the command of God. Let’s read:

1st Kings 20:35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

Therefore, even though as Christians we are under a God-given mandate to keep all His laws, commands, and instructions, there might be specific instances where The Spirit might see it fit to deviate from the script. We are not to be annoyed by this fact, for as many as are led by The Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.

Especially will this be the case when the outpouring of the latter rain begins to pick up steam. There may be deviations from known scripts that we have now become accustomed to, which the Spirit of God may see fit to scrap very much the same way in which He scrapped the rite of circumcision, after the day of Pentecost. Let’s read:

[Test Vol. 4 pp 123] The Son of God came voluntarily to accomplish the work of atonement. There was no obligatory yoke upon Him, for He was independent and above all law.

Thus, in addressing the issue of Sabbath breaking, as per the complaint of those religious leaders regarding Jesus’ disciples plucking ears of corn over the sacred hours, the time had come for Jesus to clarify the bigger issue that is, if He had no problem with what they were doing, then it was right, whatever might be written in the letter of the law.

[The Desire of Ages pp 285] The disciples, in doing the work of Christ, were engaged in God's service, and that which was necessary for the accomplishment of this work it was right to do on the Sabbath day. Christ would teach His disciples and His enemies that the service of God is first of all.

The object of God's work in this world is the redemption of man; therefore, that which is necessary to be done on the Sabbath in the accomplishment of this work is in accord with the Sabbath law. Jesus then crowned His argument by declaring Himself “Lord of the Sabbath”—One above all question and above all law.

Here we go again, as it pertains to what is included in obeying God in entirety. Both the law of God and the law of Caesar forbade the taking of any innocent life, and Abraham, as a follower of God must, under normal circumstances, acquiesce.

But if the God of heaven commands him differently Abraham is to obey God first, instead of Caesar, and that which might be written in the letter of the law. Let’s read:

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

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

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

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

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

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 148] Satan was at hand to suggest that he must be deceived, for the divine law commands, “Thou shalt not kill,” and God would not require what He had once forbidden.

The rest is history, because God Himself, in speaking of the obedience rendered by Abraham, declared in no uncertain terms that Abraham kept His statutes and laws, as well as obeyed His voice, which in that particular instance, overrode the letter. As we read the following, let us pay very close attention to the order of priority. Let’s read:

Genesis 26: 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Question: Why is it of critical importance for us to understand this aspect of obedience, where God may instruct something that may not seem to line up squarely with what is written?

 Answer: Because the outpouring of the latter rain will produce many instances that may go off script, and if at that time we are found rigidly tethered to that which is written, some may stumble at God’s instructions, when He utters His voice. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 197] God has jewels in all the churches, and it is not for us to make sweeping denunciation of the professed religious world. These persons have not had the special testing truths for these last days presented to them under circumstances that brought conviction to heart and mind; therefore, they have not, by rejecting light, severed their connection with God.

Among the Catholics there are many who are most conscientious Christians and who walk in all the light that shines upon them, and God will work in their behalf.

[Last Day Events pp 206] The Spirit is poured out upon all who will yield to its promptings and, casting off all man's machinery, his binding rules and cautious methods, they will declare the truth with the might of the Spirit's power.

Deuteronomy 4: 29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice.

Joel 2: 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.

4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.

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.

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.

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?

1st Kings 17:2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

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.

Under normal circumstances this command would be the equivalent of Elijah committing suicide, yet it is God who is speaking, and His servants must be in listening mode, being ready to run and obey where ever God might lead the way.

In all of our interactions with our fellowmen, as it pertains to the carrying out of the great commission given us by Christ, let Christians be careful to follow the written script, but not so rigidly that God cannot speak to us, for when He begins to roll through the earth, He may, like after the day of Pentecost ask His soldiers to do some very unorthodox things.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will enable us to tow the line evenly, between that which is written, and that which may be spoken. Let’s read:

 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?

                                 God Bless!

Thinking And Living Like A Conqueror. Sabbath afternoon 01/14/2023

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

In order to live like a conqueror, a person will have to think like a conqueror, for as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Our thought processes, and specific perspectives we cultivate have a lot to do with our success or failure. Thus, a bright, positive outlook on life is critically important to achieving all that God desires us to become.

A morose, skeptical or even cynical outlook will bear fruit of its own kind, because our thoughts and our attitudes generally tend to affect the outcomes for either good or for evil. This is not to say that we are to make light of the challenges and temptations that may come our way.

We are to take them very seriously, yet we shouldn’t be overwhelmed by them, for if we have built upon The Rock, winds may blow and the floods may come and, yes, the waves of despair may beat upon that house, but according to Christ, it will not fall, for it was built upon a Rock.

Challenges, hurdles, difficulties and adversities must be acknowledged as the raw facts on the ground; however, we are not to stop there and grovel, but we are to place our complete faith and confidence in God’s Omnipotence, and this would make all the difference in the way that adverse situations would generally turn out.

This is what Christ knew, which the twelve disciples apparently did not know, when the storm on the sea of Galilee came sweeping down upon them, out of nowhere, and threatening to sink the ship, in which both they and Christ were sailing.

Experiences like these may seem to occur out of the blue, with the capricious forces of nature at work in an arbitrary manner. But this is not necessarily the case in every situation, because, if we were to step into satan’s shoes for a moment, we may see things differently from his perspective.

Here you have the Messiah, who has come to earth to obliterate your kingdom, and he is rescuing folks by the hundreds and thousands from captivity. And now you have Him, and His disciples all in one boat, at night on the lake all by themselves.

That boat would obviously be a prime target, to try and finish them off in one stroke, or as they say, to kill two birds with one stone. But throughout that ordeal Christ continues to sleep undisturbedly, even as the ship rocks violently back and forth, and waves overflow the vessel.

Christ was sleeping like a conqueror, for whatsoever might eventuate, His life, as well as all of those who trust in God, are under God’s direct jurisdiction and supervision, and because of this, whatsoever devils may throw at Christ, will be seen as an opportunity for another victory. Let’s read:

Mark 4: 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

In other words, whatever we do must be mixed with faith in order to live and think like a conqueror. This was the main problem with the Hebrews; it was not the devil, for in many of their various experiences, a recurring theme of a lack of faith surfaces from time to time.

The Psalmist, David as well as Paul, refer to this as being the real problem why defeat and failure often overtook them. Even though the devil will do what he has to do, he is not really the problem, for Christ has conquered him in our behalf already, and thus, the ball is squarely in our court, to either believe and be victorious, or to doubt and be vanquished.

Persons may often quote that oft repeated phrase: “The devil made me do it” but with the Christian, a saying like that isn’t nearly true. In fact, the phrase itself was actually inspired by satan, for he loves to have persons believe that he is all powerful and that they have no choice in the matter.

If as Christians, the devil could force us to do certain things or bring arbitrary adversities upon us without first getting permission from God, or if he can force us to make decisions against our own will then, we would be defenseless, and would be mere pawns in a game of chicken.

When the legion of devils which had haunted the demoniac man for years, were commanded to leave the man by Christ, they had to ask His permission to go into the herd of swine. If they could have done so without Christ’s permission, they would have done so, but the experience, shows us without any doubt, that God is always in control.

The devil can tempt and annoy, he could solicit, and heckle, he can when permitted, bring adversity of all kinds, but in all and throughout it all, the Christian’s freedom to choose always remains free, clear, and intact at all times.

In addition to this fact is the assurance that God is closely monitoring your situation, to make certain that devils do not overstep their bounds. It all has to do with thinking and living like a conqueror.

If the devil can “Make us do it” then it will be that we have no choice but to sin, and if this be the case, then the whole plan of salvation was a failure, since the Bible specifically says that Christ came to save His people from their sins, and also to rescue folks from satanic tyranny.

The fact of the matter is that with the Christian, God has set boundaries which cannot be crossed, either by men or devils, and whenever a study of this issue is done from a scriptural perspective a very sobering truth will be discovered, that the Bible doesn’t point to satan as the real problem.

This may have been the case in bygone years when persons were not surrendered to God, but now that Christ has died on the cross, and has paid the entire penalty for all of our sins, the devil is no longer the problem.

He can cause problems, but the real problem is with the particular individual in question, and the use of his/ her freedom of choice to do either good or evil, or to believe or doubt as that case might be. That is, and has always been the real problem.

Thus, as far as the human agent is concerned, our faith in God or a lack thereof becomes the ultimate determining factor in whether we would live like a conqueror, or whether we will buckle under a heavy load. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Psalms 78: 22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.

11 And forgot his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

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.

[The Desire of Ages pp 125] While Satan can solicit, he cannot compel to sin. He said to Jesus, “Cast Thyself down,” knowing that he could not cast Him down; for God would interpose to deliver Him. Nor could Satan force Jesus to cast Himself down.

Unless Christ should consent to temptation, He could not be overcome. Not all the power of earth or hell could force Him in the slightest degree to depart from the will of His Father.

The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power upon us. But every sinful desire we cherish affords him a foothold.

There are certain established facts, written in the scripture about the way in which God deals with us, which should be indelibly etched into the Christian’s conscience.

 We refer to these facts as the fundamentals of faith in God which are to form the very bedrock of all our experiences, because they would produce fortitude, bravery, resilience, discipline, strength and tenacity, all of which are vital characteristics of a conqueror.

We should never allow the temptations that come our way to bulldoze us into a dark corner, for with Christ in the heart by faith we can stand tall and sing songs of triumph even as darkness may be looming on the horizon. Always remember that the evening and the morning were the first day, and therefore, if it is evening now in our experiences, the morning would be coming in like clockwork, because it is a cycle, set in stone by The God of heaven.

Thus, the following are some of the fundamentals of Faith that the Christian must grasp, understand, and never ever forget.

[1] God does not send persons into battle without first guaranteeing victory. The rules of engagement are to be followed, as instructed by God, and if they are, the person or nation in question will come out as a conqueror. This is absolutely the case, without any room for error, exception, failure, ifs, ands, buts, maybes, or any other outcome. Let’s read:

Numbers 33: 52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:

53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.

Deuteronomy 2: 24 Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

Joshua 8:1 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

Joshua 6:2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor.

Here come the rules of engagement which we spoke of earlier. If these are followed exactly as God says, there is absolutely no other outcome that can take place other than total victory. The Hebrews would be conquerors, whatever devils may, or may not do. Hence the reason why we must reiterate, that the devil is hardly ever the real problem.

 If as instructed, the Hebrews would march around the city of Jericho each day for six days, and on the seventh day they were to march seven times as God commanded them to, there isn’t any other possible outcome, but to conquer, period. Let’s read:

Joshua 6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus, you shall do six days.

4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

So, to set the record straight once and for all, let us rehearse the first fact: [1] God does not send persons into battle without first guaranteeing victory. The rules of engagement must be followed, as instructed by God, and if they are, the person or nation in question will come out as the victor. This is absolutely the case without any room for error on God’s part.

[2] God does not give a Christian more than he/ she can bear. This fact also is a guarantee and therefore, is to be incorporated into our understanding of how stuff works, in the spiritual realm.

 If you’re currently going through the wringer, where the heat of the furnace has been turned up several notches, you can absolutely bear it because God has set boundaries for temptations, and He commands, to evil men and demons, thus far, and no further. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

That way of escape does not only apply to spiritual things; it is a principle that is embedded throughout nature, for every animal living on planet earth, has been given a way of escape by God.

Some use speed, others use camouflage, some use force, while others find strength in their numbers, but every creature, without an exception, has been given a way of escape by God.

 For instance, there’s a certain desert dwelling spider that is frequently attacked by a particular wasp, and, because of this known threat to itself, the spider has to live under the desert sands, only venturing out to find its food.

Its nemesis the wasp, knows this and patiently waits for it to surface, and then it pounces on the spider, thereby setting of a deadly battle for survival on the part of the spider. But, that wasp is known to have much better reflexes than the spider, and therefore, when the going gets tough, the spider gets going.

It does this by curling its body up into a wheel, and begins an epic, and frantic journey across the sand dunes cart-wheeling at forty revolutions per second, much to the chagrin of the wasp, and so, the spider is able to use the way of escape God has provided for it.

With the Christian our only way of escape is through Christ for we cannot like the spider, cart wheel away from our arch nemesis. All we can do is to flee into our Refuge, where we are safe from spiritual wasps that may seek to do us in.

To live and think like a conqueror therefore means that we must understand that in all things, Christ is our Refuge, and our only way of escape. Therefore, the following excerpts constitute mandatory reading for all who would live and think like a conqueror. Let’s read:

[Messages To Young People pp 53] If Satan sees he is in danger of losing one soul, he will exert himself to the utmost to keep that one.

 And when the individual is aroused to his danger, and, with distress and fervor, looks to Jesus for strength, Satan fears he shall lose a captive, and he calls a re-enforcement of his angels to hedge in the poor soul, and form a wall of darkness around him, that heaven's light may not reach him.

But, if the one in danger perseveres, and in helplessness and weakness casts himself upon the merits of the blood of Christ, Jesus listens to the earnest prayer of faith, and sends a reinforcement of those angels which excel in strength to deliver him.

Satan cannot endure to have his powerful rival appealed to, for he fears and trembles before Christ's strength and majesty. At the sound of fervent prayer, Satan's whole host trembles.... And when angels, all-powerful, clothed with the armory of heaven, come to the help of the fainting, pursued soul, Satan and his host fall back, well knowing that their battle is lost.

Thus, we must reiterate the second sobering fact: [2] God does not give a Christian more than he/ she can bear. This fact also is a guarantee and therefore, it has to be incorporated into our understanding of how stuff works, in the spiritual realm.

[3] The person who desires to live and think like a conqueror must always be forward looking, because everything on this planet with all of life’s vicissitudes must be interpreted, and understood in the context of the great hereafter.

 This third point of constantly looking forward puts in a correct perspective, any and everything devils may throw at persons. This outlook on life can prevent a host of unnecessary problems and worry, including depression, suicidal thoughts, revenge, arguments, family feuds over real estate, and living a life that is being controlled and dictated by mean green.

Abraham was a forward looking person, because in all that transpired in his life experiences, the fact of the great hereafter figured very prominently into his thinking, and thus, he was able to surmount many of the challenges, temptations, and trials he faced,  and he was able to live aloof of many issues some of us lose sleep over.

For instance, when an issue arose between himself and Lot, over real estate, Abraham quickly diffused the situation by “looking forward”. He understood that whatsoever persons have, or don’t have would eventually burn, and therefore such things are not worth fighting over, and thus he deferred to Lot in the matter and the rest is history. Let’s read:

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.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

The three Hebrew boys in ancient Babylon were also forward looking persons, for everything that happened to them, whether it was good, evil, or in between was interpreted in the context of the great hereafter. Thus, when Nebuchadnezzar threatened to burn the house down, they were not fazed in the least, for their understanding and perspective on life was that they are conquerors, whether they lived or died.

This is what drove them to utter those now famous words, that have echoed and reechoed throughout the ages. It was that forward looking perspective on life which kept Daniel from fussing, and cussing and fighting, when he was being thrown into the den of lions.

In other words, if those lions ate him, it really would not matter, and if God delivered him, it would not really change the dynamic, because, any which way, he understood that he was safe in the arms Jesus, whether he lived or died. Let’s read:

Daniel 3: 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Job also was a person who lived and thought like a conqueror, for even though the rains descended, or the floods came and the winds blew with relentless fury upon Job, he did not cave, just as Christ stated. Jesus states unequivocally, that Christians who will remain anchored in Him will not buckle even when severely tested. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Job also cultivated that forward looking mentality, and it is that specific perspective that kept him in the midst of very deep trouble. As he lay on his bed licking his wounds he remembers that in the bigger picture, it will have a good end.

And thus, instead of wallowing in the mire of the here and now, his faith reaches forward, it pierces the future, and he is now strengthened to keep on pressing on. Let’s read:

Job 19: 25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

This leads us to the crux of our study, in which we must observe certain issues pertaining to thinking and living like a conqueror, in the episode between Saul, David, and Goliath. At that time, Goliath posed a significant threat to the children of Israel, and Saul was lost for answers on how to address the problem because he left God out of the picture as he often did.

David however, faced the same threat, but he did so from the perspective of a conqueror, for he did not assess the situation without the God factor being “Mixed” into the equation. In fact, both David and Saul uttered words at this time, which warrant our attention. We will begin with Saul’s assessments. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17: 33 And Saul said to David, you are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

On its face that is actually a true statement, because the odds would be stacked against David for obvious reasons. The mindset of a conqueror does not lead him/ her to dismiss any obvious risks or threats, as if they are not worth consideration.

We are warned in the scripture that the devil has come down to the inhabitants of this earth, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time. God did not inspire the prophet John to write those words so that persons would make a mockery of the threat, just because we believe in Jesus.

On the contrary, Christians are to take those threats very seriously, and its because of the gravity of the situation why the God factor presently becomes indispensable. However, one who thinks and lives like a conqueror will not be overwhelmed by the threat, because Christ is bigger and greater than any risk that may obtain.

Faith and presumption are often confused, because on the one hand, it may seem as if faith would drive one to do and dare, things that might seem illogical and unreasonable. On the other hand strictly logical modes of thought are often found to be diabolical enemies of faith, for they restrict the God factor to only that which is scientifically or humanly possible.

 Thus, even though what Saul says to David is true, in and of itself, if David were to think like Saul, Goliath would have them all for lunch. A true conqueror will acknowledge his/ her limitations, while at the same time, leaving the window of opportunity wide open for God to do the seemingly impossible, as He went on to do with David. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

In all of their wanderings, trials, and temptations, in the wilderness and beyond, the Bible states that too often, the assessments done by the Hebrews were not mixed with faith. Therefore, we who are living on the very threshold of eternity should learn from their mistakes, while we still can.

Whenever waves of despair sweep over our souls, and whenever temptations and trials, and difficulty pose significant and imminent threats, let us do like David, and take them seriously, but let us never ever allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by them, to the point where the God factor is excluded.

Leaving God out of the picture poses the utmost danger to the Christian, for it is not the devil that is the problem, it is the disposition to view his threats as being too difficult for God to intervene, in a way that would bring victory to the tempted soul.

Let us therefore dwell more on the power of God, and the mega promises He has given us, rather than on the risks and threats served up by devils, for if we do so, we will soon discover that whenever God is included into our reckoning, victory will not be a farfetched theory, held in merely philosophical lines, it will be a living reality in all of our life experiences.

We therefore end with two passages of scripture which should forever cement this sacred truth into our consciences, that we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us. 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.

 1st John 3: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

                                  God bless!

The Scriptural Way To Lose Fat Permanently. Sabbath afternoon 01/07/2023

3rd John1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.

Before we do this particular Bible study, we have to issue a disclaimer, so that no one would be led into paths that are contrary to what their doctor or their dietician recommends in specific circumstances. All can, and should consult with their doctors, or other medical professionals, before adopting the habits or practices referred to later on in this study.

 We do understand that there are persons who may not be able to follow the script, as laid out later on, because of ongoing medical, or physical conditions.

However, as a general rule, those who can make the necessary changes will be benefitted greatly, when their efforts are coupled together with faith in God. 

 The Bible is filled with instructions which pertain to every facet of life. In some cases, such knowledge may be apparent, while in other cases it might have to be dug up or excavated in order to find the many jewels hidden beneath the surface.

 In all of the Christian’s efforts to gain knowledge, we should be careful not to leave God out of the picture, for He is the source of all true wisdom and His ways and means have always proven to be the very best for the human family.

 This is also the case when it comes to burning, and losing excess fat in the human body, a problem that has dogged us for millennia, and with the solutions being elusive in so many instances. But the word of God does have multiple instructions, and a wealth of knowledge on this issue, so that we may tackle it and subdue it successfully and permanently.

 There are certain problems that are associated with strictly man-made efforts on this issue. For instance, many of the fad diets are simply not sustainable and because of this, persons might have started to lose the pounds, but then later they became frustrated; and understandably so, since the suggestions given in some diet plans cannot be practically carried out for any length of time.

 Other diets, are just too plain and bland, and thus, for a person to eat their meals is almost like doing penance. Eating food is supposed to be one of the more enjoyable aspects man’s existence, and thus we are to look forward with eager anticipation to having our meals, instead of dreading them as if it were medicine.

 Some years ago, our little family went out to eat at a Vegetarian restaurant, and we ordered what was supposed to be a healthy sandwich. It turned out to be healthy indeed, but there was so much greens in the sandwich, that I had to exclaim in dismay, why was there so much bush on the plate, as if it was a cow that was being fed!

 God desires that our meals not only be healthy, but tasty too, because eating one’s food is supposed to be an enjoyable experience. Then again, some diets are anathema, as far as the Bible is concerned.

 The Atkins, the South-beach, the Keto, and others like unto them are questionable at best, for in some of them are to be found guidelines and instructions which conflict with what is written in the Bible.

Some of these diets and methods could mess up our metabolism, and throw the body’s delicate systems out of whack and the end result is often worse than when persons had first begun.

 Of special concern is the practice of eating six small meals throughout the day. There is nowhere to be found in the scripture, where God either advises, or encourages any person to eat six meals per day.

 Two or three meals at the most is what is necessary in most cases, except persons may be dealing with a specific medical or dietary condition that requires a different intervention. That being said, the scripture gives us the wisdom that comes from God, so that if folks desire to lose fat permanently, it can be done. Let’s read:

Exodus 16:8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.

11 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At evening ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

[Healthful Living pp 84] It is quite a common custom with the people of the world to eat three times a day, besides eating at irregular intervals between meals; and the last meal is generally the most-hearty, and is often taken just before retiring.  

 This is reversing the natural order; a hearty meal should never be taken so late in the day. Should these persons change their practice, and eat but two meals a day, and nothing between meals, not even an apple, a nut, or any kind of fruit, the result would be seen in a good appetite and greatly improved health.

 In order to discover the scriptural knowledge, and wisdom on the issue of losing fat permanently, we would have to study the ancient sanctuary system of the Hebrews, where is to be discovered, a good understanding of the issue we are addressing. Let’s read:

Psalms 77: 12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

In the sanctuary system, the priests were given the food that remained from certain sacrifices, and this would be eaten after they had finished doing their due diligence, as per the offering of such sacrifices to God.

 So, to begin with, we must find out from the Bible, when the morning and evening sacrifice took place, and then we would have some guidance as to the approximate time that the priests had their first and second meals.

 To discover this information, we will need to go to the sanctuary, and then to Calvary, because Jesus was typified by the morning and evening sacrifice; and then we will better understand how those two situations are synchronized.

Exodus 29:38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. 39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at evening.

This instruction, given to the Hebrews, was better known as the morning and evening sacrifice. Jesus Christ was hung upon the cross around 9:00 am, or as the writer, Mark put it, the third hour of the day, and therefore, we could conclude that the morning sacrifice would typically take place around the same time of the morning. Let’s read:

Mark 15:1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, The King Of The Jews.

Question: What hour is the third hour of the day in Hebrew time reckoning?

 Answer: The Jewish daylight time began at 6:00 am and it ended at 6:00 pm for the purpose of counting hours. The first hour is therefore 7:00 am; the second hour is 8:00 am; the third hour is 9:00am, the sixth hour is noon or 12:00 pm; etc.

 The next obvious question would be: When did Jesus actually lay down His life for us, as in Him finally dying?  

Answer: Christ was hung upon the cross at around 9:00 am, He remained there for about six hours, and then He yielded up the ghost at about 3:00 pm the same day.  Let’s read:

Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

Thus, we have it from the scriptural record, that the third and ninth hours of the Jewish day represented the times when the morning and evening sacrifices were administered by the priests and therefore, the elapsed time between those two sacrifices would be approximately six hours.

 As we will show from the scriptures later on, the priests would have their meals at around the time of the morning and evening sacrifices, putting their breakfast in the ballpark of approximately 9:00 am to 10:00 am, give or take varying periods of time, because of their administrative duties. And their second meal would follow suit at approximately 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

 Therefore, the following statement coming from the servant of The Lord cannot be coincidence, because The very same Holy Ghost who inspired all the Bible writers also inspired her too. Let’s read:

[Ministry of healing pp 304] At least five or six hours should intervene between the meals, and most persons who give the plan a trial will find that two meals a day are better than three.

It isn’t a coincidence either that the prophet Elijah was fed only twice a day by the holy angels of God, because he too was being guided by the same script which had guided the priests, as they administered the sanctuary services.

 On a more serious note, for those who would live to pass through the final phases of this earth’s history, the two-meal plan continued after the death decree was issued by Jezebel, and in prophecy, the woman represents a church.

This is a dark utterance, but the wise in heart would understand because those who will be translated to heaven without seeing death, must study intently, the history of Elijah, as detailed in 1st kings, chapters 17> 19. 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 lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

1st Kings 18:26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, (from about the 3rd hour to the sixth hour, sounds familiar?) saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

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 awaked.

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.

41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. (That’s around the ninth hour, after Elijah had offered the evening sacrifice)

1st Kings 19: 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. (Revelation 13:15)

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life and came to Beersheba which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked and behold there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

Leviticus 6:24 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy.

26 The priest that offers it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 7:35 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord in the priest's office;

37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings. (Explain the whole burnt offering).

Now that we have established from the scriptures, that the morning and evening sacrifices, with the accompanying meal times took place between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm approximately, let us calculate the elapsed time from the second meal to  the first, on the following day.

 From 3:00 pm on one day, to 9:00 am the following morning will give us an approximate elapsed time of 17 hours. The human body generally enters its fat-burning mode after about 12>14 hours of fasting, a fact that can be verified from various studies done by prominent universities such as Harvard and some others. This would put us squarely in the fat burning zone.

 Thus, with 17 hours of down time for the stomach, as far as eating goes, persons who adopt this wise strategy would be well within the fat-burning range, and because the wisdom originated with God, there would absolutely be positive and permanent results for the better.

 The problem is that we have challenges and hurdles to surmount, in getting to that desired place. One of the habits we will have to cut out is that of snacking between meals, because it interrupts that delicate balance between eating, and rest for the digestive system.

 Of grave concern for us is the practice of late-night snacking, or eating in the middle of the night. Those who engage in such practices will ultimately have a very hard time losing the pounds, because the body will become confused, as to the cycles of ingestion and rest.

 Even yours truly had to pull up my boots on this matter, for there were times when, because of the extended hours required to prepare Bible studies, I would get hungry in the wee hours of the morning. So, I began eating a little healthy snack, just to keep chugging along and excused myself with the reason that it was because of the Lord’s work.

 But like with any indulgence, it starts off small and gradually morphs into a habit that becomes firmly entrenched in one’s psyche, and thus, those little healthy snacks became bigger and bigger, until one morning my wife got up early, and found my hands filled with the forbidden fruit.

 Therefore, we are preaching to the choir, as well as to the congregation, for most of us have our list of dos and don’ts that we will need to address. To put it plainly, persons would have to fast between their last meal and breakfast for at least 12 hours for the efficient fat-burning to begin to take place.

One’s glycogen level will play a role in this process, for it has to be burned off first before the body will begin to burn fat; but as a general rule, we should be shooting for the sanctuary timeframes of eating and rest, so as to experience the best of health, and there are other factors which contribute positively to our endeavors.

Closely associated with the issue of snacking, is the fact that many of us go to bed too late at night, and this raises the possibility that we might get hungry before we sleep. If the down time for fasting were to occur while we are sleeping, it would make it so much easier to implement, but if we are awake, the temptation to snack goes up significantly.

 If persons were to feel those hunger pangs coming on at those graveyard hours, drinking cold water is the best way to squish those feelings, without folks having to ingest any food. The implementation of the plan will call for stern discipline, and some will find it necessary to put away their cell-phones, in order to have restful sleep.

 The blue light emanating from these gizmos often do a whole lot of damage and interference, and it is true that in some cases, persons may have become addicted to their phones. Good restful sleep does not come naturally for some persons, therefore a deliberate and well -directed effort will have to be made to achieve one’s goals.

 Another issue persons will have to address at some level is that of having regular exercise, whether it be walking, running, cycling, weight lifting, or any other form of aerobic, physical activity. Physical exercise was instituted in Eden, and throughout history, God has always instructed us to incorporate it as a main- stay on our agenda.

 Especially would this be the case for individuals who do sedentary work. Sitting down behind a computer all day long, staring at a screen, will call for definite efforts in the area of regular exercise, because the plan to lose fat permanently has to be holistic in its nature, for it to work.

When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, God immediately set about addressing two main areas of the lives, so as to achieve good health. Diet and exercise were addressed, and they walked a whole lot, as they traversed the deserts. In our day, once the ball gets rolling, it can become a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, because when good habits begin to be formed, they have the tendency of encouraging other good habits, especially when the desired results begin to come true.

 Great benefit will accrue to those who could adopt the information given and with God’s grace, the sky is the limit. Avoiding processed foods as much as is possible will also help, and adequate hydration each day, will go a long way in sealing the deal. Initially, our bodies might rebel against the changes that are being made but if we were to stick with the plan for a few months, it can become entrenched as a lifestyle habit.

Bowel movements will become regular, the body’s metabolism will become much more efficient, the workload on the digestive organs will diminish, folks would sleep better and deeper, the burning and the losing of fat would continue uninterrupted and with prayer, nothing shall be impossible.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us, wherever we can, to do that which is instructed by God, for He desires the best for all of His children. 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;

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

                                    God Bless!

For By Grace Are We saved. Sabbath afternoon 12/24/2022

Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Even though it might be difficult at times for us to remember all the 27 doctrines of our church, there are a few fundamental pillars of truth which should be forever lodged in our consciences so as to render us immovable and unshakeable in our relationship with Christ.

These pillars of truth should often be dwelt upon or rehearsed in our minds, so that they would not slip away with the passage of time, for whenever, and wherever they have sunken deep into our minds, it will become extremely difficult to uproot those who are thereby exercised.

One of the very core foundational truths for us all to grasp is that we are saved by grace through faith. It is what Christ has done for us, that gives the newly born babes in Christ, as well as the battle-hardened Pauls, Jobs, and Daniels an abundant entrance into God’s kingdom of glory.

We should and we must cooperate with God in the work of salvation in our hearts, and day by day we should be ascending the steps on Jacob’s ladder as we seek the renewal of God’s image in us. But in all of our doings and achievements and victories, we’re to never lose sight of this one fact, that we’re saved by God’s grace alone.

Building on this very core foundation are additional truths, that are closely associated by extension, one of them being that it is Christ’s death, just as much as His life that has guaranteed our salvation. We are more than conquerors over the grave, because of His death, but Jesus’s life of righteousness is just as important, for both accomplishments factor in to make our salvation certain and permanent.

If Christ had slipped up just once in His incarnation, His death would have been rendered useless in the restoration of man to the first dominion, and thus, it is His own righteousness that is bequeathed to us as a spotless garment, that makes us fit to be called the sons and daughters of God.

Whenever these aforementioned pillars of truth are understood, believed and appropriated to ourselves it becomes very difficult to shake our relationship in Christ. The floods may come and many winds may blow, and in the heat of the moment we may not be able to remember all of the twenty-seven doctrines of the church, but if we never lose sight of Christ, it is near impossible to shake our foundation.

It was in the context of these foundational truths of our relationship with Christ, that Jesus, on different occasions would speak as if it’s a done deal with any person who believes in Him, and who grasps these very important truths.

When conversing with the woman at the well, Jesus did not dwell very much on the matters of the law; instead, we see Him driving home that all important point, that if a person is grounded in Him, that person becomes a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.

And it is because of these core tenets of truth which we observed earlier, why at times, Jesus and Paul in their sayings, might appear to make our salvation so simple and guaranteed. It has to do with folks never losing sight of Christ, whatever else one may or may not do.

Here are some examples of what is being referred to as it pertains to the simplicity and the assurance of the gospel, as it is in Christ. Let’s read:

Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

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

Acts 16: 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

It is worthy of note that their answer to the jailor’s question did not include matters pertaining to the law, even though those matters are important. First and foremost is one’s belief that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to salvation; and then obedience, love and willing service would follow as the natural outflow of that very fact.

However, there were times when the answer to such a question, as was asked by the jailor, would require a mentioning of the law, depending on the person who is asking the question. That’s because the appropriate answer is not monolithic.

 For instance, when Jesus was asked the same basic question by the rich young ruler, Jesus replied to him “Keep the commandments”. That’s because a very different response might be needed to address the needs of different persons.

But as a general rule, if a person were to ask us that important question: “What must I do to be saved?” the answer should be short, concise, and simple, so as to make the pertinent issues plain and leaving no doubt in the person’s mind as to what is required as may be observed in the following verses. Let’s read:

John 11: 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26 And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, do you understand what you are reading?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If you believe with all of 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.

What Philip did, and what the Eunuch requested as per baptism is very important for us to note; but it is also interesting to observe what The Holy Ghost did to Philip, after he was done preaching that one sermon. Let’s read:

Acts 8:39 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.

At this point we must say that there is now a great concern, that the simplicity of the gospel may have become caught up in a maze of doctrinal morass, so that inquiring persons may experience difficulty in understanding Christ as their only hope of salvation.

Here it is again, with Christ speaking of those who are rooted and grounded in Him, not merely from a doctrinal perspective, but from a relational position. Jesus speaks in the affirmative, as if there is scarcely any possibility of a different outcome. Let’s read:

John 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

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.

Now, it is true that in our day, Christianity has for the most part accepted Jesus, but has left His laws behind, and it is for this reason, that the everlasting gospel in Revelation chapter 14, focuses so heavily on the keeping of God’s commandments. While this is important, we must also never lose sight of Jesus, as the hope of salvation, for it is The Person of Christ, not the law that is to grant redemption and salvation.

Therefore, before we begin our study today, there is a statement coming from the servant of The Lord, which we implore you to not only observe carefully, but if you can, put it to memory, for it will serve as a stabilizer to all our efforts in cooperating with God. Let’s read:

[Selected Messages BK. 2 pp 382] When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service. “And He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit”

Question: What are these deficiencies she is speaking of? And what does it mean when she says that God accepts the disposition and effort to serve Him, as being man’s best effort?

To answer these questions, we will have to observe the assessments of God, regarding persons who are disposed to serving and obeying Him, and their efforts at doing so, even if at times those efforts may reveal “Deficiencies” Let’s read:

Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

In an age of political correctness, and where persons are walking on pins and needles as it were, we must issue a disclaimer up front, to assure you that the commentary which would be given on Abraham’s efforts, are strictly for the purposes of making plain, the statements of the servant of The Lord as it pertains to deficiencies, and as a result, our very dire need for Christ to make up all such deficiencies with His own Divine merits.  Let’s read:

Genesis 12: 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

13 Say, I pray thee, you are my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Even though God can never approve, or countenance falsehood of any kind, yet, in our frail humanity, we can understand why Abraham and Sarah went that route. They were now entering a foreign country, Sarah was very good looking, and as a stranger, Abraham might become a victim of the malice of the Egyptians.  

This reasoning is along strictly logical modes of thought and premonition, which often squishes faith into playing second fiddle.

Yet, Abraham may be given a pass in this circumstance, because of anticipated or associated risk. However, if it was a one-time occurrence only, some may blink, but if this pattern of behavior emerges over and over again, it cannot be reckoned as an aberration; it will have to be considered as collusion with intent, as observed in the following verses. Let’s read:

Genesis 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.

4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?

5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

The reason Abraham gives to Abimelech does not in any way justify his course of action, but when confronted by the king, instead of bowing out, he digs in his heels even deeper, and continues to affirm that Sarah is his sister, which, by the way, is partly true, but a half truth is a full-blown lie in God’s sight. Let’s read:

Genesis 20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

And the dissembling goes on and on and on. However, in the greater scheme of things, Abraham and Sarah have a disposition to obey God, and in many other instances, it is to be observed that they do make genuine efforts to do so. Yet, their obedience is riddled with deficiencies, which must be addressed with the perfection of Christ, for God cannot accept any wrinkles as it will pertain to righteousness.

Here is where the life of Christ comes in. Abraham and Sarah will come forth from their graves because Christ has conquered the grave, but the perfect righteousness of Christ is what they need in the here and now, to cover their oft mistakes, whether inadvertent or intentional, as we have previously observed.

The perfection of Christ covers the imperfections of His servants, and it is by virtue of this gift of Christ and His righteousness, given to Abraham and Sarah, why God can state that Abraham kept His laws, His commandments and His statues. Thus, for purposes of riveting this point in the hearts and minds of the hearers, let’s read again, so that we will be forever certain of what we believe:

Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Selected Messages BK. 2 pp 382] When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service. “And He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit”

Every member of the human family, without exception, has had their share of deficiencies which Christ has had to make up with His own Divine merit. With Noah, it was the use of alcohol, with Abraham and Sarah it was lying, with David and Solomon it was porn and adultery, with Isaiah it was unclean lips, with all that it entails.

With James and John, it was a violent temper, and the list goes on and on. Not a single person has ever been born without deficiencies of some sort. Hence the reason why God sent not His Son into the world to condemn us, but that we might be saved through His life and death. The servant of The Lord, in addressing our inevitable failures puts it this way. Let’s read:

[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.

Now, we’re not stating these things for us to take shelter in the shadow their failures, we are just highlighting the raw facts in the matter, showing the reasons why Paul is saying that we are saved by God’s grace. Now, it is true that the last generation of Christians are required by God to perfect characters in preparation for translation.

But here again, it is the grace of God which enables them to do so, and even when they have reached the summit of righteousness, they still would not be able to enter the pearly gates without the perfect righteousness of Christ, and His death for us on Calvary. That’s because each of us have had a sinful history in our past lives which would preclude us from ever being accepted by God, in and of ourselves.

In other words, as far as righteousness is concerned, God can only accept perfection, and that perfection is to be found in Christ alone for any other form of righteousness comes tainted, one way or another.

Paul encountered the problem of persons trying in vain to work themselves into God’s favor. Heavy emphasis was being put on the works of the law, while persons were losing sight of Christ as God’s perfect gift to us, and he was moved to address the issue in most note-worthy fashion. Let’s read:

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

That word: “Bewitched” is pretty strong for it is only used in two other instances in the Bible. And even though the Greek renditions of the words may vary somewhat, the fact remains that persons had been bewitched. 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.

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

Bewitch in English: 1. To place under one's power by magic; to cast a spell over.

2. To captivate completely; fascinate.

And the apostle Paul continues:

Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye  the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Paul was here trying to refocus the attention of the folks in Galatia, on the Gift God has given to us. Yes, it is true that obedience is a must, but obedience is a natural by-product of abiding in Christ, and therefore, the emphasis for the Galatians and ourselves too, is to never lose sight of Christ, as the ways and means of salvation.

In our day, very great emphasis is placed on the Gift of God to us in Christ, whereas the obedience factor of the relationship is conspicuously absent. This has created an imbalance of faith without accompanying works, and it is this problem that John the revelator addresses in those three angel’s messages where the pendulum swings back to obedience of God’s law.

Yet, it is important that we never lose sight of Christ, for at the end of the day, when the dust has settled in the judgement, it will be those who have accepted the Gift of God in Christ, who would then have their sins blotted out forever. Let us therefore be found rooted and grounded in Christ, for He alone is our hope of eternal salvation.

We will end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of this all-important truth, and we hope that it will never ever fade from the forefront of our consciences. Let’s read:

1st John 5: 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

                                         God Bless!

Jesus, The Reason For The Season. Sabbath afternoon 12/17/2022

Matthew 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Even though humanity makes much of the birth of Christ, very little is revealed in the Bible about His early years, for after recounting the historical facts surrounding His birth, the Bible gives us just a few brief statements about His earlier years.

 Apart from Him being subject unto His parents, and the incident that occurred when He remained in the temple, questioning with the theologians, not much is said of the in between years, from 1 to 30.

 This silence is not without purpose, it is not because of any inadvertent omission, for it was deliberately structured like this, because God desires us to focus most of our attention on Christ’s ministry, and His death for us on Calvary, for it is this that makes the most positive difference in the human experience.

In fact, much of what we have come to understand about Christ’s earlier years, comes from the pen of inspiration, for the following verses, together with a brief explanation, constitute most of what is written in the Bible about Christ, from His earliest years to the age of about 30.

[1] He was filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon Him.

Luke 2: 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

[2] He attended church regularly.

Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

Luke 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

[3] He was subject, or obedient unto His parents.

Luke 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

[4] He always gave priority to the spiritual aspects of life.

Luke 2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spoke unto them.

[5] Jesus kept His vertical and horizontal relationships with God and man intact.

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

However, as Christ approached the age of thirty the Bible significantly ramps up its documentation of His activities, because His earthly ministry begins around the age of thirty. From that time forward the work of salvation takes off in earnest and what Jesus does during the next 3 and 1/2 years is what makes all the difference for humanity. Let’s read:

Luke 3: 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph…

Thus, in precis form we will feature the highlights of His work in our behalf, so that folks may not only be filled with gratitude and love for Christ, but that our love would translate into willing, loving service with the understanding that everything pertaining to our salvation was done with our very best interests in mind.

First of all, Jesus came to give us more abundant life for the world was careening toward self-destruction very much the same way that we are currently. Men were living on the edge of existence, hope had been all but lost, and the future seemed very bleak and foreboding, because of the proliferation of sin and its consequences. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 32] As the Jews had departed from God, faith had grown dim, and hope had well-nigh ceased to illuminate the future. To the masses of the people, death was a dread mystery; beyond was uncertainty and gloom.

 In “the region and shadow of death,” men sat unsolaced. With longing eyes they looked for the coming of the Deliverer, when the darkness should be dispelled, and the mystery of the future should be made plain.

 The forms of religion were being followed as vain and empty exercises, which did very little for the adherents, and the priests and people had become sticklers for pomp and ceremony, while the very kernels of religious life were conspicuously absent.

 On this point we must declare that there will be an ongoing temptation to focus our attention on the celebration, rather than on the relational aspect of the season. Any celebration of Christ must include the relational aspect for without this, festivities are just a mere husk.

Thus, as His earthly ministry began, Jesus invariably sought to restore humanity’s relationship with God, in ways that would make a difference for the better. He addresses the three dimensions of our being, the spiritual, the physical, and material, because, when Jesus declares that He came to give us abundant life all three dimensions are included. Let’s read:

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.

Thus, we would observe that Jesus often preached, He instructed, He explained, He counseled, and He healed the diseases of the people. All that satan and sin had done to the human family, Jesus sought to undo, and He systematically destroyed the works of the devil on several different levels showing to us all that life with God is well worth the living.

One of the reasons why Jesus addressed the three main aspects of our existence is because one affects the other, especially when there is an imbalance between the three. A Christian who has a noble and generous character, but who is cancer ridden, might most likely go through bouts of discouragement and fear, and this can put severe strain on one’s outlook in life.

 Conversely, a healthy person who is devoid of the spiritual dimension, will live his or her life without a hope, and thus, the efforts and energies would be centered in the here and now, with very little, or no thought about the great hereafter.

 And thus, the question: “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul” would apply in great measure to those who are only earthly-minded.

 Then again, there may be one who is healthy, and spiritual, but who may be embroiled in poverty, and this too could create an imbalance that could be detrimental to a person’s overall wellbeing. Thus, in Christ’s earthly ministry He endeavored to repair all the various imbalances that humanity was saddled with, wherever those imbalances occurred. Let’s read:

Luke 4: 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

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

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

1st John 3:8 He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Matthew 4: 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with different diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Another aspect of Christ’s ministry addressed the issue of the sin offering, which had been instituted by Himself in days of old. The blood of lambs, goats, and other animals often pointed to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and therefore, because of His sacrifice on Calvary, persons can now approach the throne of grace, boldly.

 Paul describes the former law of sacrifices as being awkward but necessary, and it could not remove the sins of the people permanently. Therefore, the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary did what could not be done formerly, and brought to a permanent end the sacrificial system.

In the New Testament, this is what is alluded to by Paul when he correctly declares that the law was nailed to the cross. It was the law of sacrifices that was nailed, not the moral law, which stands as the foundation of God’s government forever. Let’s read:

Colossians 2: 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

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

This sacred truth must be thoroughly understood by those who celebrate Christ. The free gift of eternal life was made possible by the death of Christ for us on Calvary, and as such, it will always remain a free gift. Our response to the gift is what will matter in the end, but the gift itself in Christ remains entirely free.

 That’s why the pressure to work our way into God’s eternal kingdom has forever been removed, for it is what God has given us in Christ that makes eternal salvation possible. The words from the song: Santa Claws is coming to town, suggest that one’s good behavior is what makes one worthy of Christmas gifts.

 Hence the reason for the insert: “He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness’ sake. Not so with Christ, for He knows that we’ve all been bad, very bad; but His goodness, given as a free gift, as He poured out His life for us on Calvary, is now offered to all, whether we’ve been bad or good.

 Thus, the following passage of scripture, treating on the topic of Christ’s gift to the human family should be thoroughly understood, embraced, and it should never ever be forgotten. Let’s read:

Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

However, if Jesus were to deal only with the repair of our imbalances, and died for our sins, He would not have solved the age-old problem of the grave. This “grave” reality, no pun intended, has haunted the rich and famous as well as your everyday John Doe, from the least to the greatest and everyone in between.

 The whole end purpose of the plan of salvation is to restore that which was lost through sin, and even though forgiveness and righteousness are excellent things to be sought after, if at the end of the day we would still be dead and buried forever, what sense would it make?

 God will not put a plan of action together, that will involve the slaying of His Son, if it would not make sense after all is said and done. Therefore, when we celebrate Christ, we should always do so with the understanding, that His free gift to us will result in eternal life, as the end product, if we so choose. Paul reasons it this way. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

The appropriate response to God’s Gift to us is to accept Him with open arms so that we may become partakers with Christ of the end product, which is eternal life. If there is any message that we should dwell upon during this Holiday season is that Christ made eternal life possible, by His death for us.

 However, while the earth continues, we’ll have to face some grim realities, because the very same conditions that existed at Christ’s first coming, are being manifested just before His second coming. The forms of religion are devolving into mere husks, and morality is scheduled to tank, even more than it is currently.

Just as how personal feelings drove the masses of people to do the unthinkable in Christ’s day, just so personal feelings are driving legislation on a host of current issues, and feelings would soon be allowed to legislate almost anything, for whenever certain doors are opened, and the horses are let out of the barn, they can become very difficult to rein back in.

 Just recently, a man in Europe sued to have his age changed, because he felt younger, and his argument is that if the courts make allowances for other kinds of “feelings” he too, should be permitted to change his real age into one that is younger. That’s because he “Feels” younger.

 In the days of Christ, there was political upheaval on every side also, for the Pharisees and the Sadducees were at loggerheads on most issues. One sect often railed against the other, and both parties hated the Romans with the most bitter hatred.

Similarly, in our day, on the political front, there is turmoil brewing on the horizon too, because both of our political parties, namely the “Pharisees and Sadducees” can’t seem to get along anymore and as it was in the days of Christ, they’re in disagreement on almost every issue.

 Kevin McCarthy is now facing a trifecta of rebellion, even before he has touched the gavel and while the Democrats were celebrating their huge win in the Georgia senate runoff, Kyrsten Sinema pooped on their party. Thus, we cannot look to mortal man for any meaningful solutions to this earth’s problems.

The earth and its peoples are in a constant state of flux, with the inhabitants thereof not knowing what one day to another may bring. Trade unions would trigger upheavals, both at home and abroad, as is currently the case, and as the servant of the Lord has accurately predicted.

 When nurses go on strike in Great Britain, and when workers from mega corporations, such as Amazon, Starbucks, and Chipotle, turn to unions in order to secure benefits, and better wages, and when our own railroad system is threatened with shutdowns at the most inopportune times, then we know for sure that man does not have the answers or the solutions to this earth’s problems. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 116] Trades unions will be one of the agencies that will bring upon this earth a time of trouble such as has not been since the world began. A few men will combine to grasp all the means to be obtained in certain lines of business. The time is fast coming when the controlling power of the labor unions will be very oppressive.

Therefore, as we reminisce on what Christ has done for the human family, and as folks fellowship with friends and family over the holiday season, let us be mindful of this one thing, that Jesus is the reason for the season, for it is Christ alone who has made a better way and a better day available to all who so desire.

Let us then give our lives entirely to Him, so that He may do unto us the good He has promised, for it is only those who respond in the positive to God’s gift in Christ, that the abundant life will ever become a reality. We’ll end with a passage of scripture which sums up the matter so that all may understand. Let’s read:

1st John 5: 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

                                    God Bless!

The Snare Of Credit. Sabbath afternoon 12/10/2022

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

Every nation on our planet, is now mired in spiraling debt, with the exception of one. When one is mired in debt, there are several offshoots to the problem that can affect a person adversely. Debt often leads to worry, and much worry could lead to depression, and depression can lead to osteoporosis, by which a person’s bones can become brittle.

When David was continually worrying about the sin he committed with Bathsheba, he went into a bout of depression, which then affected his bones, and this no doubt, contributed to his early death, for he died before his time.

Unbridled debt can also lead to arguments between spouses, friends and family members, as one seeks to blame the other for the unfortunate situation. It is a fact that fellow church members and once upon a time good friends have become alienated because of debt, and in such situations, it can become very difficult to heal the wounds that were made.

Credit is the ability of a person or business to obtain goods and services before payment is made, based upon the trust that payment would be made in the future. It has become a sort of necessary evil in our day, since the exorbitant prices of homes and other big-ticket items, prevent some persons from paying immediately for what they may need or want.

But ideally, one should pay immediately for goods and services if one can afford to. Very much is made of a high credit score, and indeed, it has become a badge of honor in our day, where those who have excellent credit are rewarded, and favored more than those who don’t.

But the scriptural perspective on credit is to avoid it wherever possible, for if persons are not very, very careful, they can become trapped in one of satan’s most successful and favorite snares, which he lays for the feet of the unwary, including governments.

For instance, the debt ceiling right here in the U.S, was originally set at 11.5 billion in 1917, which then limited the government’s ability to burrow, to the set figure. But in 1939 it was increased to forty-five billion, in order to cover the growing expenses of the government.

The fed would have hoped that spending would be constrained and that monies thus burrowed would be paid back as soon as possible, so as to extricate itself from a debt spiral in the wrong direction. That has always been the upfront intention with persons and governments, but in reality, intention does not always synchronize with practice when it comes to the issue of credit.

 In fact, the road to destruction is often paved with good intentions and some have discovered the hard way that merely having good intentions might not prevent an adverse outcome. With inflation doing a number on us, persons who have become used to the snare of credit are finding themselves digging in deeper, just to make ends meet.

 Thus, we have observed over the years that once a person or government becomes ensnared with any one of satan’s traps, it often becomes very difficult to escape, and since that time when the nation first set its feet into the snare of credit, the debt ceiling has been raised about 78 times.

And as a result, we’re firmly in the grips of a never- ending cycle of borrowing, thus having to pay back enormous interest to the tune of 479 billion dollars each year, and counting. And folks can rest assured that the diabolical cycle would continue, until, like the proverbial albatross around our necks, we are forced into a day of grim reckoning.

When the Hebrews were about to pass through the lands that God had given to Esau, as an inheritance, they were specifically instructed to pay promptly for any goods and services that they would need along the way. They were not to distress the inhabitants of the land in any manner, and this was abundantly clear, given the way in which it was worded. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 2: 2 And the Lord spoke unto me, saying,

4 Command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:

5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.

7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand.

In the history of the ancient Hebrews, there were times when persons who for one reason or another, had fallen into the unfortunate situation of needing credit, and thus, they were forced to use it as a last resort. However, even though the practice of borrowing was not to be encouraged, God made provision in the year of release, so that a person would not have revolving debt, hanging over their heads all of their lives.

Whatever our interpretation of scripture might be, one thing is certain: God’s ideal will for folks in this matter is to avoid the use of credit where possible. But if folks choose to go that route, strict discipline should be brought to bear on the use of credit, lest persons gradually get trapped in the snare that has been the downfall of so many.

The use of credit cards on a personal level will often come with a host of enticements and inducements for us to use plastic; enticements such as sky miles, or cash back or discounts at various restaurants and stores, and other perks as encouragement to spend.

While the perks, in and of themselves may be good, one thing persons should always remember is that snares have always come with perks. Always! Eve was offered perks in the Garden of Eden, as was Adam and ever since that time temptations have always come with different incentives and perks, in the overwhelming majority of cases.

Thus, we have to be extremely careful and diligent, lest the inducement to spend, without having to pay back the full balance each month, draws us into the snare that our nation is now embroiled in. There are not majorities who step into the snare of credit who then escape unscathed.

But in our day, credit has become a mainstay of our communities and governments and the practice has now devolved into a sort of death spiral, from which individuals, families, local and federal governments, vainly seek to rid themselves. That is because credit is one of the most important tools in satan’s arsenal which he uses in nefarious ways to take us down.

Contrary to secular understanding of spiritual things the devil is not a fool, for he was once the covering cherub, standing in the direct presence of God, and before he fell, he was the supervisor of the angelic host. He retains much of that giant intellect, and he is more capable and intelligent than mortals would like to admit.

The Bible gives us several examples of how he goes to work, in the destruction of souls, and nations and warnings are given in scripture, against his devices lest persons or nations be deceived concerning his malignity. He invents numerous “good temptations” to keep us from studying the word of God, which strips him naked, and reveals to us all his snares.

The following are just a few examples of his work in the minds of men, and it is truly amazing to see how he inserts himself into our thought processes, with no one being aware of what is taking place, in the overwhelming majority of cases. Let us observe, and then we will return to the topic of credit as a snare. Let’s read:

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

If we were to ask David personally if he believed the devil was the author of that thought, David would most likely reply no, for he would almost certainly chalk it up to his own personal ambition, wisdom, military acumen or his own ideas.

 What The Lord is saying to us in no uncertain terms, is that the idea didn’t originate with David, for he was not the author of the thought. He was only the human agent through whom satan worked to bring to pass his purposes in the matter.

 Thus, he remains hidden from view, and the poor human agent takes the credit for the ideas and the genius, all the while not having a clue that they are indeed, doing the bidding of devils. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:2 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.

Ezekiel 28:1 The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

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

4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:

5 By thy great wisdom and by thy traffic hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches.

 At this point it is necessary for us to make a pit stop by the servant of The Lord as she elaborates further on the intelligence that is brought to bear against all mortals as devils seek to bring persons to ruin. It’ll require a humble heart and a teachable spirit for us to understand what is said, and how knowledge can be applied in escaping his snares. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 516>517] There is nothing that the great deceiver fears so much as that we shall become acquainted with his devices.

 The better to disguise his real character and purposes, he has caused himself to be so represented as to excite no stronger emotion than ridicule or contempt. He is well pleased to be painted as a ludicrous or loathsome object, misshapen, half animal and half human. He is pleased to hear his name used in sport and mockery by those who think themselves intelligent and well-informed.

 It is because he has masked himself with consummate skill that the question is so widely asked, “Does such a being really exist?” It is evidence of his success, that theories giving the lie to the plainest testimony of Scripture are so generally received in the religious world.

And it is because Satan can most readily control the minds of those who are unconscious of his influence that the Word of God gives us so many examples of his malignant work, unveiling before us his secret forces, and thus placing us on our guard against his assaults.

That skill, intelligence, and understanding, is always employed when presenting to persons the snare of credit and as a general rule the benefits of going the credit route are always touted. His temptations only consist of three categories, namely: [1] The lust of the flesh, [2] the lust of the eyes, and [3] The pride of life.

 These categories are often recycled and presented in various ways that would appeal to different folk, but at their core, they are the same three that were used in the wilderness with Christ. So here are some examples of how satan brings the snare of credit to persons, according to the scriptures. Let us read:

Proverbs 6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

In instances such as mentioned in the above verses, a person might be approached to co-sign on a loan application, or the person may be asked to stand as a guarantor, in case there is a default on some line of credit. And in other instances, a person’s good credit might be requested to be used in beefing up an otherwise shaky, questionable loan application.

 While it is true that the Christian should always be disposed to lend a helping hand, there are practical issues that would need due consideration, before a person goes out on a limb to sign in such situations. Good relationships are too often ruined by a default on the part of one who was trusted, and thus, good judgment and prudence are needed before signing on.

Whether such a situation, as standing security for another works out favorably or not, the Bible says it is a snare, and as such, it would not hurt to take the matter to God in prayer before moving forward. It is a fact that some birds do escape from the snare of the fowler, on occasion, but the good outcomes do not change the fact that it was a snare.

 Whenever such a favor is requested by another, the one who is inclined to help should understand that there is the possibility of default, and as such, if the helping one can afford to lose the amount of money in question, then, a deliberate choice in the matter can be made.

In addition to the possibility of default, the one who shows the other person the favor must be prepared to forgive and forget, if it comes to that, should the transaction not work out the way they expected.

It cannot be stressed enough so we must emphasize again: the one who puts his/her name and credit on the line for another, should be prepared to absorb the entire debt if needs be and should also be ready to forgive and forget, if things do not work out as planned.

Especially within the family of God, the possibility of taking a fellow believer or a family member to court for restitution should be taken off the table up front so as not to cause any embarrassment to the cause of God, nor to the one who defaulted. Let’s read:

Leviticus 25: 35 And if thy brother be waxed poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.

36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.

37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.

Matthew 6: 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.

Another way in which the snare of credit comes to us, is by indulging the habit to spend money before it is actually earned. By getting accustomed to the habit of borrowing against one’s future earnings, the stage is set for the inordinate use of credit, and after a while, persons can get too comfortable in the snare.

A good and faithful steward of God’s blessings will carefully monitor his/her inflows and outflows, so as to preempt any imbalances that would put one in a situation where such a person had no choice but to resort to dependence on credit.

In certain situations, this may be unavoidable, but wherever a person can do better, we should try to avoid the snare of becoming credit dependent. We are at that time of year when the inducements to splurge without careful thought, are all around us.

The “spirit of the season” often leads persons to a form of recklessness that produces remorse in the first month of the new year. Therefore, the prudent and the wise will bring to bear on all transactions, the wisdom and principles found in the scriptures, so as to avoid being sucked into a vacuum of debt.

While it is good to give gifts to friends and families, be careful lest you give what you really didn’t have. In other words, if one has to borrow from Peter to purchase gifts for Paul, the gift is really coming from Peter, and as such, the one who is passing on the gift is just a middleman for the time being, and will be holding the bag. Let’s read:

Romans 13: 8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

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

Generosity and charity are noble characteristics, yet they must be exercised with prudence and wisdom, lest adverse, unnecessary outcomes become the end result. Many advertisements include the words hurry, call now, or within the next five minutes, or offer ends soon.

What is being done is that they are appealing to the irrational, impromptu, spontaneous side, and quite often, the way the advertisement is worded, could cause persons to believe that if the purchase is not made immediately the world might come to an end.

The prudent, level-headed Christian will weigh the matter carefully and objectively, avoiding the often clutter of hasty words at the end of advertisements that are rattled off at the speed of lightening.

In most cases, if one cannot clearly understand the words being spoken at the end of an advertisement, it means that a snare is most likely being set for our feet, because an honest advertiser would like you to hear and clearly understand that which is being said and advertised.

 As we close, whenever an individual or a nation has become embroiled in the snares of credit, diligent and well directed effort are to be made, in order to reverse the gravitational pull downwards.

 There are times when even valid needs may have to wait so as not to upset delicate balances between inflow and outflow. Yes, folks may actually need it, but do you need it at this very moment, or could it wait until a more convenient financial season, if we are to avoid taking on more debt?

Again, paying the bare minimum on an outstanding balance is to be avoided wherever possible because these are the kinds of folks, credit card companies and financial institutions love the most. If we look to God for wisdom in managing the temporal affairs of life He will be more than pleased to lead us in the right direction.

The wisdom of this world is often foolishness with God, and the Christian in our day has unnumbered and varying snares being laid for our feet every day. Let us therefore consult with The Living Word, and the written word, for advice, intelligence and good understanding, so that like the character in Pilgrim’s Progress, we may avoid the slough of despond.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that would encourage us to seek the wisdom that comes from God, for it is His ways and His principles that always make the most sense in life. Let’s read:

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

                                    God Bless!

When Science And Scripture Collide. Sabbath afternoon 12/03/2022

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

The above passage of scripture would present an immediate confrontation with the fundamental premises of science as we know it, for the verse is saying unequivocally that God could create matter without using any preexisting materials. In other words, God could call things into existence from nothing.

The Big Bang theory and Evolutionary concepts beg to differ in their conclusions, for they both require something, such as atoms to exist first before any life or material objects can appear. Thus, these two concepts are diametrically opposed to each other, and do set up an ongoing feud between science as we know it and the sacred utterances of scripture.

Now, it is an indisputable fact that God often uses preexistent matter in His work of creation, as was studied from the Bible recently. But this is not the only way God can create, for our first passage says that He is not limited to creating things from things that do exist.

God can begin with a mere thought, and then speak that thought into literal existence, as He has done on numerous occasions. Let us think about that for a moment, because there is a valid reason why God alone is to be worshipped, and the Scripture most often cites His creative power as the main reason why. Let’s read:

Revelation 4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that lives for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 You art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created.

Isaiah 40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

19 The workman melts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one fails.

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

Psalms 104:24 O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created: and You renew the face of the earth.

33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.

His singular ability to speak His thoughts into virtual reality sets God apart, in an entirely different class by Himself, for there is no one else in the universe that can even come close to achieving this. This also means that creating from scratch, with God, would also include starting with absolutely nothing.

Science finds this particular pill extremely difficult to swallow, and indeed it is a stretch, because finite minds cannot come to grips with such capabilities on their own, hence the reason why the Bible says that he who comes to God “Must Believe”.

Science is baffled and oft dumbfounded by what the Bible says about God’s singular ability to create. As was stated previously, it is true that God often uses preexisting materials to do the work of creating but these very materials had to come from somewhere originally.

 The Bible gives us the answer that has boggled the minds of experts, and indeed has driven some folks to reject the authenticity of scripture, because its sacred utterances do not conform to, nor do they fit the mold that science as we know it specifies.

In everything that pertains to scientific discoveries and inventions, human agents must have something to start with, whether it be the automobile, peanut butter or Bitcoin, they all have one thing in common in that preexisting raw material is a must.

But here comes the Scriptures, saying beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this is not necessarily the case with God’s creative power, for He can, and He has pulled matter into existence by just speaking it into existence.

Thus, there are usually only two main responses to this fact, in that some believe it, while science as we know it utterly rejects it. The fact that God can call solid matter into existence by just speaking it, is a mystery that finite minds will never comprehend, so the only thing one can do is to believe it or reject it. Let’s read:

Psalms 33:6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

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

9 For he spoke and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Hence the reason why Paul says in Hebrews, that if anyone desires to come to God, they must believe. It is not an authoritarian statement; it’s basically the only route that persons can take in coming to God, because man’s science cannot explain, nor account for God’s creative power. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Therefore, whenever man’s science and scripture collide, we will find ourselves facing a stark choice of whether to believe God’s word, or whether to go with the deductions, discoveries, or precedents of science.

 Thus, from the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, and continuing throughout, persons are faced with this daunting question of whether to believe, or not, and that against all odds. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

This first statement of fact given in Genesis must be  thoroughly understood by all those who would pass through the final conflict of earth’s history, as the question of God’s creative power looms large.

Question: Did God in this first instance call the earth into existence on the first day of Creation, or was it in a disorganized, preexistent form, from which He then brought order out of chaos? In other words, was the earth in existence before creation week, as many Christians erroneously believe, or did it have its first beginning in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1?

 It is worthy of note that Catholicism embraces the hybrid of Creation and Evolution, synthesizing both into one. And there are others who believe that it is true that God created the earth, but that He took a long period of time to do so, and that our planet, in its chaotic form existed prior to creation week.

It is indeed very important for us to investigate this question thoroughly, especially in light of what is written about the creation of the new earth, which would take place at the end of the 1000 sabbatical years mentioned in Revelation chapter 20, and also in passages of scripture. Let’s read:

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

 Isaiah 66: 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

 2nd Peter 3: 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Malachi 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

[The Great Controversy pp 673] While the earth was wrapped in the fire of destruction, the righteous abode safely in the holy city. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” [Revelation 21:1.] The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth.

It becomes obvious, that in creating a new heaven, and a new earth God employs the use of preexisting materials which are then run through the process of metamorphosis via intense heat, to produce a new world. Question: Did God follow this same script when He had originally created the world in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 1?  

Answer: No, He did not. In the original creation of the earth God employed the raw power of His word and spoke solid matter into existence. Let’s read:

Psalms 33: 6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

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

9 For he spoke and it was done; he commanded and it stood fast.

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

Thus, we will discover an ongoing feud between the science of the Bible, and that which is derived from the likes of Darwin and other philosophers who do not believe the word of God. In the days of Noah, science and scripture collided, for there was nothing that one could have pointed to in the natural world, to support or verify what Noah was preaching.

Rain had never fallen upon the earth but was rather watered by a mist that arose during the night. Thus, no then-known science, or precedent could be used in ascertaining the truth of Noah’s prophecy. Folks would have to either believe, or utterly reject what the prophet was saying. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 97] The world before the Flood reasoned that for centuries the laws of nature had been fixed. The recurring seasons had come in their order. Heretofore rain had never fallen; the earth had been watered by a mist or dew. e rivers had never yet passed their boundaries, but had borne their waters safely to the sea. Fixed decrees had kept the waters from overflowing their banks.

They reasoned, as many reason now, that nature is above the God of nature, and that her laws are so firmly established that God Himself could not change them. Reasoning that if the message of Noah were correct, nature would be turned out of her course, they made that message, in the minds of the world, a delusion—a grand deception.

They asserted that if there were any truth in what Noah had said, the men of renown, the wise, the prudent, the great men would understand the matter.

 Again, science as we know it also collides with the scriptures in the experiences of Abraham and Sarah, for after a woman passes menopause any possibility of having children is written off according to science and thus, any such expectation on the part of any woman would relegate her to the insane asylum.

Again, science as we know it would recoil from the command to cross the Red Sea on foot. We could all relate to crossing it in a Carnival cruise ship, like the Princess of the seas, but to walk across would make those who believed the word of God seem insane in the minds of finite man.

Strictly logical modes of thought, based upon our conventional knowledge of science, often puts the Christian at odds with what the secular world may deem reasonable or even possible hence the reason why the foundation upon which everything squarely sits, as it pertains to God, is none other than belief.

And as a result, at every step of advance towards the eternal kingdom, we would be confronted with many logical arguments to the contrary, causing us to have to make a deliberate choice, of whether to believe or not.

Here we go again with the sacred utterances of the scriptures, as it pertains to Moses. The Bible says specifically that Moses did not experience most of the natural aging processes that we have become accustomed to.

Moses’ hair became gray, according to the servant of The Lord, but other than that, Moses did not lose strength as he aged, nor was his sight affected with the passage of time.

According to science, as we know it, one’s vision usually deteriorates with the passage of time, thus, requiring glasses, or contact lenses as the case may be. Age related macular degeneration is the gradual loss of central vision. Objects may seem blurry, and shapes may seem distorted, and most persons lose their ability to see up close.

Also, the conventional wisdom on the natural aging processes is inclusive of cognitive decline, shrinking of muscle tissues, and the gradual waning of one’s life forces in general, together with feebleness, and an innate fear of heights, according to the Bible.

But apparently, most of these changes did not apply to Moses, for he was able to climb Mt Nebo, all by himself at 120 years of age, a feat that many folks in their prime may be hard-pressed to accomplish in our day.  Mt. Nebo rises over 2000 ft, so, for a 120 year old man to climb it all by himself, without assistance might seem to be a stretch for science as we know it, to swallow. Let’s read:

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

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

Deuteronomy 34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan.

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

There is nothing in science as we know it, and there isn’t any research done by those in the medical field to even remotely suggest, that the above scriptural statement is possible. In other words, like Abraham and Sarah, and like so many other instances in the Bible, there is no scientific evidence to support such a statement.

 Thus, the only thing we can do is to believe it. But if we are prone to only believe the Bible when science can prove or verify its sacred utterances, we will run into problems sooner or later for as our topic states, there are numerous occasions, where science as we know it, and Scripture do collide.

In fact, most of the heroes of faith mentioned in the book of Hebrews have attached to their record, one or more instances, or experiences which contradict our knowledge of science currently.

With David, for instance, it is humanly, and virtually impossible for anyone to use a slingshot to kill any giant, let alone, causing the stone to sink deep into the giant’s forehead. The bullet from a .222 caliber Remington, which can smash a skull, travels at over 2100 miles per hour, thus, from a strictly scientific perspective, the record of David and Goliath enters the realm of the impossible. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17: 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

 Therefore, as the countdown to midnight gathers steam on our planet, God instructs the inhabitants of earth to not only believe Him and worship Him as Redeemer and Savior, but more so, to worship Him in His capacity as The Creator, because it is His sole omnipotent power to do the impossible, that causes many scientists and other persons to stumble.

 Believing that Jesus died for our sins is not a stretch, and us being promised eternal life, virtually has no down sides; but for persons to believe that The God of heaven could bring matter into existence without any raw materials, is much more difficult for science to swallow.

 The Biblical Sabbath stands as the memorial of the great facts of creation as they took place when God created the heaven and the earth. And the Sabbath continues, and will continue throughout eternity, to commemorate the Creative power of God, and it is this fact that the Bible puts forth as the main reason why God is to be worshipped. Let’s read:

Exodus 20: 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

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

In fact, if this truth is not understood, or is rejected, deliberately in our day it then becomes very difficult if not impossible, to worship God in His capacity as Redeemer, for the plan of salvation hinges squarely on God’s ability to create a new person. If this is not the case then our hope is vain. 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.

 Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Some are baffled by the fact that a calypsonian like the might Sparrow, can give his life to God, and he then comes up out of the watery grave as a brand, new creature. That work of redemption in Sparrow hinges on the basic fact of God’s creative power.

 Thus, in anything, and everything which pertains to creation and redemption, the singular, and creative power of God runs as a golden thread, throughout the various experiences, promises, and fulfillments that the Christian becomes accustomed to.

 Again, with the Christmas holiday season looming on the horizon, many individuals would endeavor to worship Christ in His capacity as Redeemer. That is all well and good, but the worship God is looking for in our day, mainly has to do with His Creatorship.

In closing, science may question the sacred scripts, and in many cases our finite research and discovery would not be able to come up with logical answers, or any reasonable, rational, or scientific proof, so as to verify the statements in scripture.

 Yet we are instructed and encouraged to believe, for it is only those persons who choose to believe, against all odds, that would be able to participate in God’s creative and redemptive power both now and in the great hereafter.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that encourages us to believe, and to worship Christ, in harmony with that which is written in the scripture, even if its sacred utterances collide with our current knowledge of science. 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!

From Hero To Zero To Crypto. Sabbath afternoon 11/26/2022

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord.

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

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

The desire to get rich quick is not a noble desire and persons who are thus disposed will be vulnerable to significant financial risks, as different schemes, and devices of men, and devils would cause many to be exposed to unnecessary failure and distress.

Losing all one’s hard-earned money in what should have been a good investment is bad enough, but to lose it all to conmen who will deliberately plot and connive to deprive persons of their earnings is not only discouraging, it can affect one’s spirituality by triggering bouts of depression and buyer’s remorse.

Throughout history, persons who have made it their sole goal to get rich in a hurry, have splattered their history and legacy with infamy, and in the process many have gone from hero to zero, and collateral damage has occurred in others, as individuals were pulled into the financial quagmire.

The Bible tells us of certain individuals who ran into very serious problems who all had as the root cause a desire to get rich quickly. The argument between Abraham and Lot was the result of Lot trying to get rich in a hurry.

The move Lot later made into Sodom, was largely driven by the inordinate desire, and the end result is before our faces, so that persons might chart a different course, for like so many other casualties of greed, Lot went from hero to zero.

Judas was driven to insanity by the desire to get rich and famous in a hurry, and thus, he sold The Lord of glory for thirty pieces of silver. The move to try and force Jesus to be King, was inspired and initiated by Judas, who seemed to be obsessed with riches.

He later did the unthinkable and thus, he sealed his fate for eternity. When Judas had initially joined the disciples, he was looked up to and greatly respected by the others, but Christ Who sees things differently was not that enthused, for reasons that would only surface later.

Out of the little sums that were supposed to be held in trust by himself, for needs that would arise from time to time, Judas would pay himself and he would reason away his actions under various pretenses, as the other disciples admired his so-called wisdom. But later on, He also went from hero to zero, as will many who track the same course.

As individuals and families become priced out of the housing market, investors see an opportunity to put a renter’s noose around the necks of some persons who may not be able to afford to purchase a home.

And with rental property availability tight, and with prices sky high, and climbing, the urge to make a quick buck has driven some corporations to buy up many of the available homes, so as to dominate the rental market for years to come.

Charles Ponzi, from which the term Ponzi scheme is derived, promised his prospective investors a 50% profit within 45 days, and a 100% profit within 90 days. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely isn’t true, as many of his clients would find out the hard way, for he also went from hero to zero.

The children of The Most High should avoid as much as possible being caught up in these diabolical evils, for at their core they constitute the devices of devils that are laid for the feet of the needy and greedy.

Gambling, Lotto, Horse racing, and the betting that takes place on major league games all have that one thing in common, namely, to get rich quick. And in our day it has become an oft occurrence for persons to lock themselves away in some basement, surfing the dark web for ways and means to try and phish out credit card numbers, with the collateral damage running into several billion each year.

Crypto was supposed to be a safe way to carry out transactions without the use of a middleman, and it may still turn out to be a tool of the cashless society that is looming, but lo and behold, the hackers have been able to steal, on numerous occasions, billions in crypto currency.

In speaking of satan, we are cautioned in the Bible that we should not be ignorant of his devices, which are numerous and often tailormade to suit the most vulnerable and gullible, in any of the areas where a person’s weakness is made manifest.

And thus, if he observes that persons are prone to  buy lotto tickets, and if he notices that persons are fascinated with Powerball and other quick money ventures, he correctly deduces that such a person will be a prime target for financial schemes, and as such, he goes to work in a deliberate and systematic way to deprive such persons of their earnings.

Especially is this the case with the people of God in our day, who have the word of God at their disposal and who should be on a high alert for any incursions that could potentially upend their finances, which in turn could affect the kingdom of God.

Satan hates to see the kingdom of God built up, and as such, he studies with fiendish intensity, how he can deprive the followers of Jesus of their earnings. He often uses the devices of logic, to cause persons to reason away the sacred utterances of the Bible as being archaic, or not relevant to the here and now.

The schemes he often comes up with are amazing, in that they usually make sense to the unwary. Just   because something is on sale does not mean that it must be purchased right here and now. “Buy one and get one free” is also used in an attempt to get persons to spend, when they may not really need to.

Fifty or sixty percent off, can cause a feeding frenzy on items that one never needed. Liquidation sales, or going out of business markdowns may also entice buyers to purchase stuff that was not previously on their agenda, and Black Friday often puts stores in the black and some customers in the red. And the list goes on and on.

Then again, he uses stars and celebrities to lead the way to perdition because he has discovered, and he has observed over the centuries that most persons play the game of “Follow the leader”.

Thus, those celebrities and stars, who persons look up to and adore are enlisted in promoting the latest “In-Thing” and the multitudes unvaryingly follow in their train.

That’s why one of the first questions persons should ask, when considering the latest this or that, is “Are the popular majorities jumping on the bandwagon? If this is the case, then God’s will is in most cases, in the opposite direction.

Whenever some new moneymaking scheme dawns on the horizon, the prudent Christian should take the matter to The Lord in prayer, before following these fools down a rabbit hole into neverland.

Never should any stars and celebrities be consulted before getting on our knees to ask counsel of God, who knows the end from the beginning, and who’ll be able to alert us to any unforeseen liabilities, and risks that we may otherwise miss. The scripture is mighty clear on this issue. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

When satan was permitted to tempt Job, the very first thing he went after was Job’s finances, for he understands that without income, the fine balance that should exist between inflow and outflow would eventually be disrupted.

And he knows by experience that if such a situation drags on for an extended period of time, some folks will become depressed, raising the possibility that the one who is thus experiencing crunch time might end up cursing God, as we’ve read in the scriptures.

Thus, as the veil is lifted from the unseen world, we see the forces of darkness systematically working to shake down all of Job’s employees, and the wealth Job was holding in his portfolio in the form of herds, and livestock, was literally wiped out in one day.

Now, even though it is true that Job had earned his wealth by employing Godly principles, the basic fact remains the same, namely, the purpose of devils to eradicate most, or all of a Christian’s earnings as a set goal. In this way tithes and offerings that should flow to the treasury would inevitably suffer, and the wider work of the gospel is often impeded. Let’s read:

Job1: 12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

What satan does next must be studied very closely, for it is a script that he often refers to when coming in as a flood against God’s people. Note well that he does not go after Job’s family, or his wife at first.

 Instead, he seeks to obliterate Job’s, income for he understands that Job’s household will be adversely affected by the incoming financial crash. Income affects outcome and inflow affects outflow so that when a person goes broke, suddenly, pretty weird things can start to happen. 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.

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

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

Job 2: 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Job was a righteous man, and the scripture tells us that there was no get rich quick scheme, in any of his dealings. We were just observing the strategies of devils as it pertains to their desire in eliminating whatsoever individuals, especially God’s people, may have.

However, with persons who cultivate the desire to get rich quickly, special battlements, and weapons are often employed so as to cause the most amount of financial damage or carnage for the longest time possible.

This is not to say that all investments are bad, some are good, but if the ways and the means do not pass the smell test of the scriptures, then, most likely we are stepping into a trap. And some of the names of these financial “heroes” can raise red flags.

For instance, Bernie Madoff, made off with billions in cash, robbing so many investors of their fortunes and hundreds of retirees watched in dismay as their savings and retirement funds went up in smoke.

Sam Bankman, as his name suggests, came on the scene as a knight in shining armor, to apparently rescue other crypto platforms that were not doing so well. Following the age-old script, celebrities and prominent persons and popular influencers who the multitudes look up to, and adore, were employed in the advertisement or promotion of FTX.

And like the game of follow the leader, many folks jumped on the bandwagon, for in their minds, if the stars are onboard, then it must be okay. Prominent personalities were thus enlisted, because their own magnetic pull on persons, would all but guarantee that many more would follow their lead.

Celebrities such as Tom Brady, N.B.A star, Steph Curry, tennis player Naomi Osaka, the supermodel Gisele Bundchen, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin O’Leary and Mark Cuban from shark tank, just to name a few, led the way, and the multitudes unerringly followed.

But the urge to get rich quickly lay at the foundation of many of the investments thus made, and thus, at its core, the principle that drives the urge is strictly forbidden in the scriptures. The principles, the ways and means God employs and instructs His people to adopt are often vastly different than what the world employs. Let’s read:

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

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

1st Timothy 6: 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.

As the recent Powerball jackpot soared to over two Billion, some persons found it increasingly difficult to resist the urge to jump in, and many Christians succumbed to the frenzy that was taking hold of the nation.

As the prospect of becoming a billionaire overnight loomed larger and larger some persons cast caution to the wind, and bought several tickets, for as one celebrity says in a certain commercial, “You have to be in it to win it.”

The Bible teaches us that sound investments that have been prayed up are ok, for it was Christ who once gave us the parable of the talents. But coupled with sound investments should be the noble efforts and labors of His people to earn an honest living.

Thus, it was with Christ, as day by day, He would get dressed to go to work in the carpenter shop with Joseph. He learned a trade, as every Hebrew boy was expected and encouraged to do, and in our day, we will find that model very helpful.

Even though many occupations in our day require sedentary work, or skill with computers, yet it will not hurt for persons to learn some trade if they can, so that if things suddenly go south with the electric grid, all of one’s eggs would not be in one basket.

Young men, especially can learn some basic skills in the various lines of trade. It’s really not that difficult to do, your girlfriend will appreciate it, and you may potentially save yourself and family a ton of money, by avoiding the “Stealership”.

Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, yet He did not think it below His dignity to get His hands dirty. He would be found working in the shop with Joseph, honing His skills as a carpenter, and thereby leaving an example for us that all honest labor is honorable.

Indeed, as was stated in a recent Bible study, there are severe shortages of skilled workers, especially in areas where the astronomical prices of rentals, and homes have forced the gentrification of persons in middle income brackets.

It is to be observed that the tech industry is leading the way in layoffs. Wouldn’t it be really cute if some Twitterers could fall back on some skill, or trade to take up the slack?

Nothing is wrong with tech, for the industry is very lucrative, and persons who are thus employed will do well in most instances. However, if some crazy billionaire decides overnight, to call it quits with numerous jobs, the person who has a skill or trade to fall back on, would in most cases, be in a better position than the one who is strictly into tech.

The Biblical model given us is to work and preach at the same time, in whatever one’s trade, or skill may be. Paul was a tentmaker by trade, and there were times when in preaching the gospel, Paul found it necessary to work to support himself, so as not to burden the brethren, even though he could have legally done so.

Peter, James, and John were fishermen, Luke was a doctor, and Matthew who did more sedentary work also preached and worked, preached and worked, until the time came when Christ instructed them to go full-time.

Let those who are skilled in different trades among us, seek to pass on their knowledge to the young and restless, so that they could have a two-pronged approach of tech and trade, if they so choose, just in case one or the other might upended suddenly as we find ourselves living in an increasingly unstable world.

Workshops could be organized, to teach the basic skills so that, at the very least, persons could help themselves around the home, instead of having to shell out green backs for every little thing that may need to be done.

That’s what the Amish do; they pass on to the next generation, skills and trades, learned and practiced by their progenitors, so that the up and coming can sustain themselves, wherever in the world they may find themselves.

Persons will not need a horse and buggy to do this; the opportunities are literally at our fingertips, and since God is more practical and down to earth in His instructions to His people, the least we can do is to consider it, lest some unforeseen disruption cause some to panic unnecessarily.

As we close, it is of tremendous importance for the Christian to consult with God in all the affairs of life. Heroes often become zeros, when the fear and the knowledge of God is not before the faces of persons who are not guided by the Spirit of God.

Let us then pay heed to the counsels given to us in the Scriptures, for they are given for our best good, and the well-being of our posterity. Godliness with contentment is a much more valuable aspiration, than chasing the elusive dream of trying to get rich quickly.

Thus, we will end with a passage of scripture that will help us to navigate the difficulties and perils of the day, and may God bless all well-directed efforts to live in harmony with that which is written. Let’s read:

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.

17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.

                                     God Bless!

From Creation To The Grave And Back. Part [2] Sabbath afternoon 11/19/2022

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

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

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

In most of the Bible studies which are done on this forum, we try to give practical applications of the truths presented so that the word of God will not be held as a mere theoretical document, but rather as knowledge that could and should be applied in your everyday experiences.

 But, as we get closer to the final conflict of the ages, we will have to address certain truths from a more intellectual perspective, so that we may understand clearly, what we believe, and therefore, we will be enabled to share intelligently with others, the things which belong to our peace.

Indeed, the sealing work of God in our foreheads is both spiritual and intellectual in nature, so that we would not be moved. Thus, part two of the topic we begun earlier will be more intellectual in nature. Let’s read:

[Manuscript 173 par25] Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come.

In part one of the above topic, we established from the scriptures that God always uses preexisting raw materials, that are then glorified, in the resurrection of the dead, and in the translation of the living.

The process of glorification isn’t disclosed, nor is it explained anywhere in the scriptures, but what is known for certain is that great changes would be made to preexisting material by the power of God alone.

This can also be certified in the scripture if we were to study the creation of the new heaven and earth. It is this very planet that God uses as the preexisting material, which is then transformed by the fires of hell, to produce an entirely different planet.

In the Spirit of prophecy, it is actually referred to as a purifying process by which the fervent heat from the fires of hell will trigger a metamorphosis of the preexistent planet earth, and thereby produce fresh raw material for God to work with.

In fact, the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of heaven, before the destruction of the rest of the earth by fire, and thus, those who will be saved for eternity will be living on this earth, while all hell breaks loose just outside of the city’s walls.

The presence and power of the Eternal God purifies the piece of real estate where the New Jerusalem is to be located on our planet, but all the rest of the earth will remain intact in its then current form until the time of the executive judgement.

There are several passages in the Scriptures which certify that which was just said, for as we’ve stated previously, God very often utterly exhausts material that is readily available, which He then couples with His Divine power, to produce new material. Let’s read:

Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

[Great Controversy pp 662>664] Christ descends upon the Mount of Olives, whence, after his resurrection, he ascended, and where angels repeated the promise of his return. Says the prophet, “The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.”

 “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, ... and there shall be a very great valley.” “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” [Zechariah 14:5, 4, 9.]

As the New Jerusalem, in its dazzling splendor, comes down out of Heaven, it rests upon the place purified and made ready to receive it, and Christ with his people and the angels, enters the holy city.

Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome.

 They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. At last, the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on, an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal.

Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train and the multitude follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader.

 With military precision, the serried ranks advance over the earth's broken and uneven surface to the city of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city, and make ready for the onset.

The above information from the Scriptures and the pen of inspiration has settled forever the issue of God using the preexisting material of our planet to make a new earth, after the purifying processes of hell fire is accomplished. In other words, the earth becomes entirely, and materially different because of the fervent heat. Let’s read:

Malachi 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.

2nd Peter 3: 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?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

So now, we turn to the same issue as it pertains to the use of preexisting material in the resurrection of the righteous. Just as our planet would undergo the dramatic metamorphosis because of the intense fire of hell, just so the preexistent dust which comprised our former selves would undergo God’s glorification process to produce a new spiritual body, as Christ’s.

This fact is corroborated both by the Scriptures and the servant of The Lord, as can be observed in the following statements which ought to be read closely and very slowly, in order to grasp what is being said. Let’s read:

[Letters And Manuscripts 15 par. 10] Our personal identity is preserved in the resurrection, though not the same particles of matter or material substance as went into the grave. The same form will come forth, but it will be free from disease and every defect. It lives again bearing the same individuality of features, so that friend will recognize friend. There is no law of God in nature which shows that God gives back the same identical particles of matter which composed the body before death.

Paul illustrates this subject by a kernel of grain sown in the field. The planted kernel decays, but there comes forth a new kernel. The natural substance in the grain that decays is never raised as before, but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him. A much finer material will compose the human body, for it is a new creation, a new birth. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

These statements ought to be read very carefully and slowly, for they harmonize perfectly with that which is written in the Scripture. For instance, when Adam was first made from the dust of the ground at creation, the work of God upon him changed the particular make up of preexistent dust into what we now know as a human being, with flesh and bones.

But although originally made from the dust, there is nothing about the human body currently that even remotely resembles the original raw materials that were used in man’s first creation. I personally have gotten bad cuts on different occasions, and not for once did any dust come out of my veins.

The same is true of the resurrection of the righteous for although former raw materials are used, there is nothing remotely close to the original materials, for God will give us a spiritual body. When seed is sown in the ground, the end product of the regeneration process is nothing like the decayed seed that rotted under the clods of earth.

A brand new tree, complete with leaves, branches and fruit is the end product of that which decayed and decomposed. But it was the former material of seed that was used to generate the latter. Thus, it is with the original particles that all go down into the grave.

At the command of God those former particles are reunited together again, glorified and immortalized to produce a brand new spiritual body, that could pass through solid matter. We should not limit the power of God to do as He has said, for nothing is impossible with God.

Question: Are the people of Sodom going to be raised from their graves, after being turned to ashes in the overthrow that took place in Lot’s time?

According to the scriptures, absolutely yes! God has the power to bring them back from ashes, and thus it will be with every saint who was burned at the stake and whose ashes were cast far and wide; God will absolutely bring them back from the ashes.

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were reduced to ashes, and yet, God will bring back persons from the ashes, complete with flesh and bones and with their particular identity. Over time those ashes may have been scattered far and wide, but God has the power to bring them back together again as an indivisible whole. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 2:6 God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly.

Matthew 10: 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Ezekiel 37: 5 Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

However, there is a huge difference between those who are raised to life, and those who will be raised to damnation. Those who are raised to damnation will be comprised of their original particles, before the died. But those who are raised to life will have new particles, because their former dust has been glorified and made eternal.

These scriptural utterances pertaining to what takes place in the resurrection leads us to the sepulcher of Elisha, who died and was buried, and whose body had undergone a partial process of decomposition, leaving only his bones remaining at the time when an account of a particular incident took place at his grave site.

Before Elijah was translated to heaven, Elisha had asked him for a double portion of the Spirit that was upon him, and so said, so done, for a double portion of The Holy Ghost was then given to him. But after he died, he was buried in a cave, where the natural processes of decomposition were taking place.

However, there were invasions of the land of Israel from time to time, and on this occasion, some folks were just about to bury a man, but when they saw the enemy invaders, they quickly turned aside so as to avoid conflict, and they let down the coffin of the man in question, into the cave where Elisha’s bones lay decomposing.

But lo and behold, as the new coffin, with the dead man inside it, touches the bones of Elisha, the dead man stands up on his two feet, and apparently, he walks out of the gravesite safe and sound. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 13: 20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

This particular instance must be studied carefully so as to better understand what took place. There is to be no superstition when studying sacred truth, and the things that are written, are written for a reason. To begin with, there was nothing about the bones of Elisha that gave the stranger life. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 9: 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.

God alone is the Life-Giver, and in this instance, He chose to resurrect the dead stranger, through The agency of The Holy Spirit, probably, as a token of hope to the children of Israel who were at that time sweltering under a load of despair.

Yet, it is a fact that those who have been united with God in this life are never severed from Christ, even in death, and it is by virtue of this union with The Holy Ghost that persons are be resurrected to life.

In other words, even though Elisha is very dead, yet The Spirit of God is very alive, and it is because of this sacred truth why we have hope. The Scripture is abundantly clear on this matter, and since The Spirit of God can revive Christ, He can also revive anyone who died in Christ. Let’s read:

Job 33: 4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Romans 8: 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Psalms 139: 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

John 11: 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

26 And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

[The Desire of Ages pp 388] Christ became one flesh with us, in order that we might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we are to come forth from the grave, not merely as a manifestation of the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become ours. It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal.

This brings us to the most sobering, and pertinent truth of the study this evening, for whatsoever one might do, or whosoever one may claim to be, if The Spirit of God is not enthroned in the person’s heart that person’s hope of eternal life is vain.

We very often hear of appeals for persons to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, but very often not enough emphasis is put on the importance of the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Spirit of God is given to every believer as an “Earnest” or down payment on eternal life, and it is by walking by faith, living and abiding in Christ, that the promise is certified for eternity.

In other words, just like how God needed to see the blood on every doorpost, just so, He is also looking for the presence of His Spirit in all those who name the name of Christ because after all is said and done and after all the sermons have been preached, and after all the appeals have been made the crux of the matter basically comes down to this one thing. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if it so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Some persons may have graduated from theological universities with their Doctorate in theology, and others might specialize in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. That is all well and good and worthy of note, but we must never forget that the most important thing is to have Spirit of God living on the inside.

It is not church attendance, it is not the ability to rightly divide the word of truth, nor is it charitable works that are done. While these things are good in and of themselves, and should be encouraged, at the end of the day, all of the above should be as a result of The Holy Spirit abiding in the heart.

Therefore, an earnest appeal goes out to all who may not have fully understood these sacred truths in times past. Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, for it is the indwelling of Christ in the heart, through the medium of His Holy Spirit, that ensures to us eternal life.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which certifies these sacred truths, and it is the will of God that all who so desire, respond in the positive to the gracious overtures of the Holy Ghost. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

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

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

                                God Bless!

Winds Of Change Are Blowing. Sabbath afternoon 11/12/2022

Matthew 7: 24 Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

The rains which descend, the floods that come, and the winds that blow, represent a vast, multi-prong assault that is to be unleashed on everyone, across the entire globe, by the forces of darkness that are striving for the control of the world.

God would have us to understand that there are different winds that have begun to blow, beginning with the recent pandemic, continuing with different variants and strains, and a plethora of other issues and problems persons are going to face in the not- too distant future.

There are financial and economic winds that already have begun to blow, for try as persons and nations might, we just seem to be caught in a debt spiral, by which nations and individuals need to borrow more and more, just to survive.

Inflationary pressures are biting a large chunk out of every paycheck and the struggle to make ends meet has become a daunting reality for many families, as they try to stretch every dollar.

Then there are military winds that are blowing, for there is war and rumors of war across the globe, in many countries, some more, some less. The saber rattling by nuclear powers that is ongoing in places that are increasingly unstable, tells us that it is only the grace of God that is holding back the winds of strife, spoken of in Revelation chapter 7.

Then there are the morality winds that are likened unto a category 5 hurricane, by which millions are losing their moral compass, and have exchanged the word of The Living God for philosophies and divergent views that are tethered to relativism.

Wherever there is no absolute truth there will also be absolute chaos, because with the scripture being thrown out the window, folks are losing their ability to discern clearly between truth and error.

Families and individuals will become split on their perspectives of life, as erroneous concepts would become more firmly entrenched in the national psyche.

Then there are political winds that are blowing, by which persons of different political persuasions are viewed in some instances as being mortal enemies. The seeds of doubt, skepticism, and distrust have already been sown, and like the laws of sowing and reaping, they will spring up and bear corresponding fruit in due season.

Then again there are climactic winds that blowing, as can be seen in the depletion of water resources, and the stubbornly persistent drought across the entire globe. In the U.S.A Midwest thousands upon thousands of cattle have to be laid to rest because of the ongoing drought.

And lake Mead, lake Erie, and several others have been steadily dropping at an alarming rate, in so much that the authorities are currently rationing water in certain communities, and the supply chain issues are being exacerbated, because of low water levels on the Mississippi River.

Thus, when Jesus says in our first passage that the winds descended, the floods came, and the winds blew, He is not only referring to that which will take place in the religious world, but rather the holistic approach of many disturbances that will be coming upon the face of the earth in short order.

Then it will be, that when these winds begin to blow with increasing frequency and intensity, Christians who were founded upon The Rock Christ Jesus, will not be moved, while others would be displaced.

Indeed, the winds that are referred to in our first passage are scheduled to affect every person on the planet, whether a person is a Christian or not, and thus, the only difference is that some are anchored, while others are not.

 Next year around this time, the world could be in a very different place than it is currently, and that is because winds of change, which would materially alter life as we know it, have already begun to blow.

And according to Daniel and all the other prophets who wrote about the final conflict, those winds of change would gather momentum, as the coming of Christ draws nearer.

The foundation has already been laid for anarchy of the sort most persons have never seen. For instance it is becoming normal and acceptable for persons to rise up in rebellion against the powers that be, who have been duly elected, this, in contradiction to the scriptural counsels given. Let’s read:

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.

One does not have to agree with the entire agenda of those whom God has allowed to rule, for in some instances, oppressive laws have been enacted that hurt the vulnerable.

 When the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage had complained to Moses of the hard dealings they received from their taskmasters, God never advised any of them to rise up in rebellion against pharaoh, for he had become king by God’s own appointment.

Thus, when Moses attempted to resort to violence against the ruling oppressors, he had to flee for his life, for he soon found out that neither God or the Hebrews would be backing his methods, or agenda, for this is not the way God intended for freedom to become a reality for them.

When duly elected officials are regularly made the targets of threats, when attacks on democracy are becoming the norm, and when seeds of doubt are being sown almost daily, it will just be a matter of time before the lamblike beast will begin to speak as a dragon.

Currently, in every nation of the earth, there is to be found some major trouble brewing. If it is not that horrific violence in Ukraine, it is the many murders and kidnappings now taking place in several islands of the Caribbean.

From Iran to Haiti, from Russia to China, and right here across the continental United States, senseless violence and mass shootings are becoming regular occurrences.

And by daily seeing these incidents on the news, we are becoming desensitized to the seriousness of the problem. Then again there is the utter intransigence of political leaders, who seem to be going after each other’s jugular as if they are mortal enemies.

There is no doubt, that the once shining star upon the hill is devolving into a cut-throat culture, by which fellow citizens are pitted against each other and the freedom to vote, and express one’s opinion is becoming riskier with every election cycle.

The forces of darkness are working deliberately and systematically to undermine our established social order, and the structural integrity of many families and of governments alike are daily being torn down.

There is nothing more detrimental to democratic norms as to sow suspicion, and mistrust of others, for when this is the case, anarchy will not be too far behind.

 Again, with the global tightening of monetary policy and the astronomical rise in interest rates, some are sure to succumb to the increasing pressure, as more individuals and families will struggle, to make ends meet.

When increasing numbers of the population find it a necessity to borrow to live, you know that we are in the red zone already.

 Putting food on the table is becoming increasingly challenging for everyday people, and as the heat of the furnace is ratcheted up even more, there would be more individuals and families that will become displaced. It’s just one aspect of the financial winds that have already begun to blow.

Miami recently registered the highest increases in rent and home prices across the entire nation which tells us that more and more persons will be heading North of the border.

In fact, currently in Miami, there is a sort of coerced financial gentrification, by which many families are being forced to relocate, because of sky-high prices for housing and rent. And the inevitable collateral damage will take place, in that many skilled workers would be leaving, being priced out of the areas they once lived in.

There are also looming layoffs, coming from major employers such as Meta and Twitter and others, for whenever a company’s outflow becomes greater than its inflow, employees will inevitably be placed on the chopping block.

When skilled workers are in short supply, the cost of doing business goes up, and cause and effect thereby becomes a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.

Another aspect of the winds of change that are now blowing is the many and varied shortages across the globe. Whether it is the drought, and a lack of water in several countries, or the lack of computer chips, which most persons have come to depend on.

 I recently ordered a module from the dealership in September, with the understanding that it could take anywhere from one to four weeks. We are now in November, so I thought I would check up on the dealer to see if there was any luck in procuring it.

I was told that it could be next year before it comes through, then they showed me a stack of hundreds of items on backorder, with no ETA attached. Those supply shortages that were triggered by the recent pandemic are having a debilitating and long-lasting effect on trade.

 And with China in lockdown mode in several cities, the light at the end of the tunnel seems even more distant than ever. Thus, when Christ says that the winds will blow and the rain will descend, He was referring to disturbances and challenges that would be arising on several different fronts.

Whenever needed resources become scarce conflict is never far away, as was demonstrated during the siege of Jerusalem. At that time, things in the city had reached an all-time low, and skirmishes, fights and violence erupted over the little food that was scarcely available. History is often repeated, so let’s read:

Deuteronomy 28: 50 A nation of fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old or show favor to the young.

51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he has destroyed thee.

[The Great Controversy pp 32 > 37] So fierce were the pangs of hunger that men would gnaw the leather of their belts and sandals and the covering of their shields.

Great numbers of the people would steal out at night to gather wild plants growing outside the city walls, though many were seized and put to death with cruel torture, and often those who returned in safety were robbed of what they had gleaned at so great peril.

Thousands perished from famine and pestilence. Natural affection seemed to have been destroyed. Husbands robbed their wives, and wives their husbands. Children would be seen snatching the food from the mouths of their aged parents.

 The Savior's prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city, we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon his law.

 In the several experiences of Job we may observe what Jesus is referring to, when He speaks about being founded upon The Rock, as the rains descend, as the floods come, and as the winds blow.

 Job and his family were then living in relative ease and security, when out of the blue without warning, the winds of change started to blow. First it was the financial winds that wreaked havoc on flocks, herds and shepherds, virtually eliminating Job’s income.

 With no money coming in, Job suddenly faced the prospect of having to dip into his reserves. But at that time, much of a persons’ wealth was living and breathing in the form of vast herds of livestock. So, with all of this now gone, Job is facing a grim future.

Then it was his children, who were suddenly taken away by the icy fingers of death. Ask any parent and they will tell you that to lose one child prematurely could be heart-wrenching to say the least. Job lost ten children in one day! Indeed, the winds blew and the rain descended and the floods came for Job.

But the archenemy of God and man wasn’t finished with him yet, for when Job was smitten with sore boils he needed someone to support and encourage him as he was dealt blow after blow. He is now at his lowest point and the nearest and dearest mortal he can turn to is his wife.

When spouses are at their lowest point, when the waves of despair and discouragement sweep over the soul, the husband and the wife should be nearer and dearer to each other by helping to lift the heavy burdens through prayer and supplication.

Never should the suggestion be made for persons to turn their back on God at their lowest point because when this is the case, it is only God one can turn to for help in due season. It is when we are weak that we are strong, and therefore, an all-hands-on-deck approach will serve to foster faith and courage amid the gloom of despair.

What is worthy of note is that the Bible says Job was a righteous man, so you will not see anywhere in the first few chapters of his experience where Job cursed. He would pray daily for his children, and he would lend a helping hand to those in need, and his words were always seasoned with grace. Always!

 That is, until the heat of the furnace was ratcheted up several notches, and now, with all of his children and employees gone, and now, with his own wife suggesting the unthinkable, Job opens his mouth, and for the very first time in the narrative, Job curses his day. Let’s read:

Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

2 And Job spoke, and said,

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day.

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

Before we proceed, let’s read our very first passage so that the full meaning of what Christ said would sink deep into our consciences, for it is of critical importance that we be anchored to the Rock Christ Jesus. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Very often, there comes a time in the Christian’s experience when there is nothing and no one else to lean on but Christ. The rug was virtually pulled out from under Job’s feet, and the only One who could sustain him was Christ.

Like Paul and those sailors who despaired of life as their ship ran aground, Job had not seen sun nor stars for many days, yet he knows that there is something bigger and better to live for, and it is his relationship with God alone that is key to sustaining him during his trials.

Even his friends, who were supposed to encourage him, instead unleashed a barrage of blistering words and comments that savored more of self-righteousness rather than empathy. That this was the case, can be seen in Job’s own assessment of those who had stopped by to visit. Let’s read:

Job 16: 2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Thus, even though Job is buffeted on all sides, he is anchored to The Living word, and because of this singular fact, he gradually rises from the dust, he shakes of the blues, and his faith reaches for, and grasps the unseen realities of life, that make all the difference between hope and despair. Let’s read:

Job 19: 25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Being anchored in Christ means much more than a mere theoretical knowledge of Him, for while it is good to have the written word, The Living word of God in The Person of Jesus Christ, is what will make all the difference in the world.

Knowing Christ personally gives us energy, hope and resilience so that even though diabolical forces may seem to triumph for a while, yet the relationship with Jesus causes us to have stability and assurance when things start to go downhill.

In the not too distant future this will absolutely be the case for all who name the name of Christ, and thus, the words of Jesus, in our first passage are an appeal to us, to get to know God whilst we still can.

 The days of wine and roses will come to an end in this country, sooner or later, and then it will be that only those would be found in Christ will be enabled to weather the storms as they begin to roll in, fast and furiously.

Those of us who might have taken God’s grace for granted over the years are now encouraged to take the time to renew our relationship with Him. God is still in the business of saving persons, and all who have had the seeds of truth sown in their hearts at some time or another, would be welcomed in with arms opened wide.

 And to persons who may not have had opportunity or time to know God, today is your lucky day, for God will pardon and receive all who will come unto Him by faith.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that would remind us to make the best of the golden opportunity to be saved. God is willing and ready, the question is, are we? Let’s read:

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

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

                                  God Bless!

From Creation To The Grave And Back. Sabbath afternoon 11/05/2022

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Before we begin our study today there’s a very grim statement coming from the servant of The Lord that must be read and understood because it will set the stage for us to see the importance of revisiting the Biblical truths that are to be as clear as crystal in our minds, especially as we approach the final conflict of earth’s history. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 70] When the time of trial shall come there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason.

 Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance. And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe, but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness.

 When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.

The topic for today would deal specifically with the creation, the death, and the resurrection of man as is stated in the scriptures. For many years the truths that are written in the Bible upon these topics may have been studied in a manner that did not go deep enough to find the gold that is hidden beneath the surface.

But now, the time has come when the glory of God is to fill the entire earth and certain things that once were blurry to our minds, must be made plain. This is especially the case as we are heading into the last days of earth’s history where the things that we say we believe must be as a highway in our minds, so that we would not be moved.

Amid the numerous and discordant voices that seek to explain the origins of man, the word of God is to stand as a bulwark, making plain and simple, things that have been severely distorted by evolution, and erroneous deductions of scripture.

Thus, we must allow the scripture to speak for itself, explaining with surgical accuracy, that which is to be studied line upon line and precept upon precept.

To begin with, God created the world in six literal days, and according to the scriptures, the seas, the earth, beasts, creeping things, fruiting trees, and sprouting grass were all brought into existence before man. Thus, the very first truth that must be etched into our conscience, and believed is this:

[1] Man was created from preexisting raw materials.

When we refer to God as making man from scratch, we are referring to the scriptural truth, that Adam was made from the dust of the earth, which was in existence before God created him.  

Preexistence is interpreted as existing before, and prior to, and thus, the sacred utterances pertaining to this truth must be understood, swallowed and it must be digested as an indivisible whole. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

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

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

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

From that first and singular act of forming man from preexisting dust, God has always followed the same pattern, using raw materials that were previously in existence to continue to create, or recreate man as the case might be.

And throughout the entire history of mankind, God has never turned either to the right hand, or to the left, unswervingly using the very same script.

 Eve was not created from scratch, as per dust alone, as it was with Adam. The raw materials used for Eve were preexisting bone and dust, and thus, a woman was created distinctly different than man was. Let’s read:

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

help meet for him.

21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

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

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

After the fall of man, humanity became subject to deterioration and finally death, because the gift of immortality was only going to be granted to them on the condition of obedience.

 And since they had currently forfeited the golden opportunity, they would gradually slip into decay until the grave would receive them to be retuned to dust. Thus, the second important point in our study is the following grim truth:

[2] Human beings are mortal, because of sin, and as a direct result, will gradually deteriorate back into dust. 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.

At this juncture we must take a scientific detour to the grave, to better understand what takes place in the land of night. When a person dies, as most of us will at some point or another, decomposition begins with the tissues, fat and muscles, and finally, bones are also decomposed through chemical processes.

This decomposition takes place at varying rates, in different climates, and depends on such factors as exposure to the elements, temperature variations, and the like. Thus, given the appropriate length of time, all flesh and all bones will eventually return to the dust, according to the scriptures.

This grim truth raises very disturbing questions as to why God would open the grave. What is He looking for, and does He, as was in man’s creation, employ the use of preexisting raw materials, to recreate a new man? If He does, that will follow the previous script that was set forth at creation.

 But if He doesn’t, the logical question arises in our minds: What then is He looking for in the grave. To be certain, there is a whole lot of “dust” scattered across the earth that has never been used in the creation of man, so if God needed to start from scratch, as in the case of Adam, there is enough raw materials available.

 Why then, does He go to a specific place, in order to resurrect the dead? Why not call them from any old location at random? Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 277] Yet a little while, and He that is to come will come and will not tarry. His eyes as a flame of fire penetrate into the fast-closed dungeons and hunt out the hidden ones, for their names are written in the Lamb's book of life. The heirs of God have come from garrets, from hovels, from dungeons, from scaffolds, from mountains, from deserts, from the caves of the earth, from the caverns of the sea.

As we ponder these sacred truths, we are led to the third important point in our study:

[3] God has never ever resurrected a deceased person by forming him or her from scratch from the dust of the earth, as He first did in Eden. Instead, He has always used the person’s own preexisting raw materials. Always!

 Not for once, in the entire canon of scripture do we read of God resurrecting a person using new dust to form him or her. Instead, in every instance, in which a person was resurrected God’s voice is the medium that was employed, but never does the formation of a resurrected person from scratch, using entirely new raw materials occur in the Bible, as it took with Adam.

This format also applies to persons who were, and will be translated to heaven without seeing death. Like Elijah, Enoch, and the 144,000 in the not, too distant future, all translations to heaven involve the use of preexisting raw materials of the human body belonging to the specific person in question, which are then glorified and immortalized by the power of God alone.

 But any conclusion that God will make persons from scratch, using entirely new, or different dust of the earth, like God once did in Eden with Adam, is not correct and is not supported in any way by the word of God. This is a critically important truth for us to grasp, lest we convey erroneous concepts of the resurrection to the multitudes. Let’s read:

John 11: 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Luke 8: 51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

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

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

Matthew 27: 57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple.

58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.

Matthew 28: 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

[The Desire of Ages pp 779] The face they look upon is not the face of mortal warrior; it is the face of the mightiest of the Lord's host. The earth trembles at his approach, the hosts of darkness flee, and as he rolls away the stone, heaven seems to come down to the earth. The soldiers see him removing the stone as he would a pebble, and hear him cry, Son of God, come forth; Thy Father calls Thee.

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

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

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

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

The displaying of His hands and feet to the disciples was to them an undeniable verification that those wounds that were made when Jesus was crucified, had crossed over into His immortalized and glorified body, and as such Christ’s present body used as the foundation, the preexisting raw material of His own former self.

 Hence the reason why in different parts of the Bible the issues of decomposition, as it pertained to the body of Christ, are addressed and made abundantly plain. The Psalmist David specifies in his writings the fact that Christ’s body was to remain intact in the grave, because the former body was to be used in the glorification of the latter. Let’s read:

Psalms 16: 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Isaiah 26: 19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Matthew 27: 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

However, whether it be total decomposition, as in other saints who died many centuries ago, or no decomposition as with Christ, or even the partial decomposition that will occur with those who will be laid to rest just before Christ’s second coming, the same principle applies, namely, that preexisting raw materials are always used, period. Let’s read:

1st Thessalonians 4: 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

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

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

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

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1st Corinthians 15: 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

The question then is: Why is it important for us to understand these truths? It is critically important to us, because the concepts, methods, the ways and means contained therein will directly affect the way we think and the resulting perspectives would alter the expectations we have of God in our day to day experiences.

 God utterly exhausts available resources when He engages supernatural power, and those who would grasp the concept will do the same. As Jesus Christ was about to feed the five thousand people in His day, He diligently sought out all available resources, with which He then coupled divine power. 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, Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

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

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

Luke 24: 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

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

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

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

And persons who have the fear of God before their faces, and who understand the ways and means of The Almighty, would always seek to follow the very same format. Thus, as a direct result, persons would not harbor unrealistic expectations from God in the many and varied situations one may come across.

 In other words, instead of sitting on one’s lees, and expecting God to work some miracle out of thin air, persons would seek to utterly exhaust all available resources and opportunities, while at the same time they intelligently trust God to take up the slack, by doing what cannot be done by the human agent.

After praying for guidance in seeking a soul mate for his son Isaac, Abraham then engaged in that diligent search which, coupled together with God’s power, produced the desired result in the likes of Rebekah.

 In searching for a job, many resumes and several applications are to be made in scatter-shot form, and as faith in God is coupled together with human efforts and resources, something will eventually stick.

Thus, the use of available preexisting raw materials and resources would lead persons to recycle plastics and other renewables, which use waste to produce new and different products. Many brand-new paper products often come to market, using preexisting materials that would have otherwise been slated for the dump.

 Most cars nowadays use preexisting raw materials, and as those vehicles look so new and shiny with a stunning paint job, we should never forget that it is The God of heaven who first started and introduced the principle of using preexisting raw materials in the creation and redemption of man.

 Let us then follow in God’s footsteps, by availing our selves of every opportunity and every preexisting resource He has given to us, for the furtherance and building up of His kingdom, for the Bible advises us: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

 We end with the first statement that was made this evening, cautioning us by default, to take the time to study carefully those sacred truths we hold so dear. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 70] When the time of trial shall come there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason.

 And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe, but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.

                                   God Bless!