Living On The Brink Of Eternity. Sabbath afternoon 08/26/2023

Matthew 24:6 And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in different places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

All of the signs pertaining to Christ’s second coming are now converging on our doorstep, and even with science struggling for answers, and explanations as to the unprecedented heat and wildfires raging in so many parts of the globe, the word of God gives to us the reasons, so that we might reason from cause to effect, and make the necessary changes.

The changes that need to be made are not primarily scientific, but spiritual in nature. The science behind global warming, and the capricious outbreaks of our weather are primarily the results of the violation of spiritual law, which has jurisdiction over natural and physical laws.

Therefore, instead of addressing the problem from the bottom up, it should be addressed from the top down, for in this way the disturbances mentioned in our first passage can be mitigated, at least partially, since the horses have already left the barn.

For instance, in days of old, when the Hebrews were suffering severe drought, and excessive heat, Haggai gave them the reasons, and the way they should go about mitigating the problems. They were never to start with the scientific remedies because unlike the x-Perts in our day, Haggai understood that spiritual laws are far superior in their relation to science.

Thus, the prophet did not point to science, or global warming as the real problem, for the drought was a byproduct of violating spiritual law and thus, the remedies to be adopted must needs be spiritual in nature first. Let’s read:

Haggai 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes. (That’s inflation being referenced)

7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.

13 Then spoke Haggai the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.

The spiritual law that was being violated was the 1st commandment which says “You shall have no other gods before me”. In other words, they were putting their temporal interests first and God’s interests last and therefore, with this inverted approach, the laws of nature will be disrupted, thereby producing heat and the resulting drought.

The people back then heeded the words of Haggai the prophet, they reversed their inversion of priority and began to build the house of God, thus putting God first, and no sooner had they done this, a stark reversal of fortune ensued.

Now, we must observe, and carefully consider the problem and the way the solution was mitigated. A severe drought is ravaging the land, with famine and high inflation at their doorstep. And Haggai is saying to them that the way to resolve the issue, is to build the house of God.

The proposed remedy is very strange indeed and no doubt, science in our day would make a mockery of the solution stipulated. While it is true that burning fossil fuels contribute to global warming, proposed mitigations such as the transition to electric vehicles and the banning of gas stoves, will only go so far.

Unless the spiritual component is addressed, earth will continue to heat up, and the inhabitants thereof will continue to feel the adverse effects, as rivers dry up, as heat waves trigger severe drought and as wild fires continue their destructive march across islands and continents. The drought in Haggai’s day actually had nothing to do with global warming, because the reason for that severe famine was a spiritual problem. Let’s read:

Haggai 2:16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the press for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.

18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it.

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

But help is on the way for persons who choose to live by the principles and laws of the Bible. At God’s discretion, the promises made to the righteous will be fulfilled in due season, for nothing catches God off-guard, and as such, He has already made needed provisions, when the adverse results would become unbearable. It all has to do with living on the brink of eternity. Let’s read:

Isaiah 4: 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Again, when diseases, pandemics, and epidemics began to suddenly ravage the land of the Philistines, the reason was a spiritual one, for they had taken an unlawful possession of the sacred ark, and until they reversed course by returning it to the Jews, nothing that they might try to abate the disasters will work.

In our day we must be very careful not to reason as the Philistines did, for they looked for every other cause, other than the most obvious. In our day the X-Perts are looking for every other possible reason for the fearful convulsions of nature, other than that which is written in the Bible.

As the Philistines looked back in retrospect, the only thing different that had been done was the capture of the ark, and thus, the preliminary providences which took place in their house of worship, should have been sufficient to alert their consciences, that something had gone wrong.

Yet they searched and searched for any other cause, and the strategies they applied, failed and failed, for unless they would acknowledge that some spiritual law had been violated, they would continue to beat around the proverbial bush and calamities would be escalating until their cries reached unto heaven. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

4 And when they arose early on the following morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

As a person working in the Auto industry, if I were to install four spark plugs on a Honda Accord, and the next day I found them all removed and sitting on the ground next to the car, I personally will start to pray like never before, for it would be obvious that some intelligent entity had disturbed them.

However, like the Philistines, I would reinstall them, but I would be looking diligently the next day to see if it was just my imagination, or my mind just playing games with me.

But if the next day I were to discover the same spark plugs removed, and all four of them were smashed to pieces on the ground, then, I couldn’t reasonably conclude that it was just a fluke.

Some intelligent entity, or some individual must have deliberately done the damage, and the next logical questions would be “Who” and “Why?”.

My intelligence would then dictate that I retrace my steps, to see if I had done something differently, or out of line, for at this point, it would be either God, satan, or some other person responsible.

But for me to conclude that this just happened by chance, would be to bury my head in the sand and deny the most obvious. And if I were to continue to go down this path, my ability to reason rationally would certainly be damaged. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 6:6 Wherefore then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two new cows, on which there hath come no yoke and tie the cows to the cart, and bring their calves home from them.

9 And see, if it goes up by the way of his own coast to Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that happened to us.

12 And the cows took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border.

The unnatural things we are currently witnessing in nature, together with the more than 5500 recorded temperatures broken recently should speak volumes to our intellectual powers, and cause us to reason, that maybe, just maybe, it might be the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy taking place in real time.

But the great fear is that if science was to draw that conclusion, it would trigger a major, embarrassing moment, and would cause worldwide upheaval, for if the Biblical prophecies are true then everything in the Bible is true.

And if that is the case, then the theory of Evolution would become the biggest lie ever told and then the Sabbath of the 4th commandment, pointing to The Creator, would also be true and still valid.

An acknowledgement such as this would then rock the entire globe to its very core, and would certainly spark tremendous pandemonium, and mayhem in the scientific community, because professors, and philosophers would now find themselves in the very awkward position of having to apologize to students who had been brainwashed with evolution for many years.

Thus, instead of acknowledging the truth, reporters and news anchors are in some instances, ignorantly or deliberately, beating around the bush, and using such terms as “Apocalyptic”, “Historic” and “Of Biblical Proportions” to describe current natural disasters, yet none of the prophecies written in the Bible are mentioned in the analysis of events. Let’s read:

Apr 22, 2020 · London CNN —. The world is facing multiple famines of “biblical proportions”

(CNN) See the 'apocalyptic' scenes after wildfire torches Hawaii…

(CNN) Oct 9, 2020 · The World Food Programme warned in April that the planet is facing multiple famines of "biblical proportions" in just a matter of months…

(Newsweek) Apr 22, 2020 · A top United Nations official has warned that humanity could be facing several famines of "biblical proportions" in the near future.

However, the focus of our attention will be the last two verses of our opening passages, which says:

Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same be saved.

The reason why we will focus on these two passages is because the collateral damage being done to the planet, in the form of weather-related events, stems primarily from spiritual causes, with calamities, and disasters in the physical world as natural byproducts in very many cases.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, it was appetite that they were tempted on, as the issue of food was prepared as the snare by the devil. Eve fell for what she heard, while Adam fell for what he saw but both came under the umbrella of desire, which culminated in them eating forbidden food.

Ever since that day, satan has successfully tempted both men and women on the same two issues, and, that he has had great success could be seen in the wrecks of character that have been strewn upon the sands of time.

Desires are not in and of themselves sin, but if they aren’t held in with bit and bridle, they can sink men and women boys and girls in perdition. Therefore, as time progressed, the cravings became stronger and stronger, to the point where feelings would override intelligence, and persons would be driven to extremes and insanity, solely because of the urge to satisfy a desire.

 Some years ago, someone who had contracted the AIDS virus was going around sleeping with men. If they did not previously know of her condition, then persons might have concluded that they did so in ignorance.

But the person in question was known to alert her victims to her condition beforehand; but the urge to merge was so strong and uncontrollable, that they would turn a blind eye and brave the consequences. That is what unbridled cravings and desires will do to persons who are not garrisoned by the grace of God and sound reason.

Thus, when the scriptures predict that in the last days “Iniquity shall abound” God is telling us that temptations on appetite, in their various forms will become more difficult to overcome and as we stand on the brink of eternity, we’ll find ourselves having to do mortal battle with desires and cravings which strive for the mastery.

The purpose of man’s nemesis is one, to get craving to bypass the intellect so that desire would hold our intelligence in a subordinate position, whilst feelings and cravings rule the day. When Janet Jackson sings about the principle of pleasure, that is what she is referring to.

In other words, persons are encouraged in that song to allow the feelings, desires, and cravings to dictate what you do, so if it feels good, do it, and if it tastes good eat it, if it looks good, see it, if it sounds good, listen to it, and if it smells good, indulge the senses without restraint.

Whenever this becomes the case, the person is held in bondage to desire, and without firm decision, and the power of God to put into practice the principles of righteousness, persons can become enslaved for life.

Thus, the math is simple for if iniquity shall abound, and, as we have studied earlier, the violation of the spiritual law throws laws of nature and physical laws into discombobulation then inevitably, with increase of violations, will come increase of natural disasters.

Hence the reason why we have stated on numerous occasions that it’s not global warming that’s the real problem, it’s global sinning. The excessive heat, and outbreaks of nature we see, and do experience from time to time, are in many instances, just the natural byproducts of the violation of spiritual laws.

Therefore, to those persons who are looking for the appearance of the great God, and to those who are desirous, and looking for a better world, God desires that we study carefully the strategies employed by devils, using human agents, so that we be not found as contributors to the problems that are causing our planet to fall into disarray.

The children of Israel are sound asleep one night, in their tents, but unbeknownst to them, their enemy is scheming, and plotting to put a curse upon them. In the dead of night, ambassadors are sent from one of the surrounding nations, to tap Balaam for the purpose of casting a magic spell over the Hebrews.

Balaam tries on several occasions, without success, he being driven by the prospect of great reward, yet time and time again, his nefarious purposes are all signally defeated. Finally, he’s at his wits end, for try as he might, he just cannot poke holes in the guard God has set about His people.

He then retires with shamefacedness and failure, as his plots and efforts sink into oblivion. Yet, the very prospect of temporal gain drives him to think things over, to see if there might be a chink in the armor somewhere.

As he studies intently the events of the past days, as He rehearses in his mind, the words God forced him to speak, he stumbles upon something which grabs his attention, and because of this, he determines to try to understand the link between cause and effect. Let’s read:

Numbers 23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

That turned out to be the key Balaam was searching for, because God Himself tied the prosperity and the security of His people to conscientious obedience of His laws and as a direct result they’re surrounded by an invisible and impenetrable armor on every side.

With this golden nugget of information before him, Balaam goes to work studiously, for if the equation can be upended, he just might have the success he craved and the magic spell he had failed to cast over them, might finally work.

Thus, human agents are sent in among the Hebrews with apparently the best of intentions but under the outer garb of friendship, is a focused determination to get the Hebrews to violate God’s laws, and as the after history of the Hebrews shows, Balaam indeed was successful. Let’s read:

Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

There’s nothing new under the sun and temptations we experience today are just ancient ones, recycled into different formats to suit the fancy or cravings of the gullible. Every temptation, from Eden to the present falls into one of three categories, namely: “The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”

When we speak of temptations upon appetite, we must understand that more than food is included. There is appetite for food, appetite for pleasure, appetite for beauty, appetite for the supernatural. But by far, the most difficult to overcome are those that deal with food.

Therefore, since it began with food, it will end with food, and as persons draw ever closer to the brink of eternity, these temptations will take on a life of their own, and will become more brazen, and more irresistible, if Christ is not in the heart at all times and in all places.  Let’s read:

Luke 17: 26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built.

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

In lieu of the fact that we are now living on the brink of eternity, there are two excerpts from the pen of inspiration that deserve our consideration, for they are meant to put us on guard, against the cravings and desires that are running riot in the last days of earth’s history. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 457] As we approach the close of time, as the people of God stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, Satan will, as of old, redouble his efforts to prevent them from entering the goodly land. He lays his snares for every soul. It is not the ignorant and uncultured merely that need to be guarded; he will prepare his temptations for those in the highest positions, in the most holy office; if he can lead them to pollute their souls, he can through them destroy many.

[Healthful Living pp 74] The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, when, if they had conquered on this point, then they would have had the moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation of Satan. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail in perfecting Christian character. ... As we near the close of time, Satan's temptation to indulge appetite will become more powerful and more difficult to overcome.

The way for us to keep temptations on appetite at bay, in all of their varied forms, and the way for the cravings and desires of the flesh not to faze us, is by having Christ formed within, for He alone is able to keep us from falling.

A common mistake that is made, even by many Christians is to try and tackle the issues of diets and food, and any other craving for that matter, on our own because they are issues in the temporal realm.

Again, there are persons who have fallen into the snare of becoming promise keepers, who believe that by strict self-denial, and sheer will power, they will be able to resist the clamors from within and without.

But while it is true that firm decision-making is an integral part of overcoming, our decision to do the right thing does not guarantee that persons always would. Decisions must be coupled together with the supernatural power of the Holy Ghost to give us the momentum, and staying power to resist the fierce urges of the flesh.

One of the problems associated with overcoming cravings is that persons start and stop, start and stop, until the cycles of beginning and not finishing become set in stone and thus, with every failure the motive power, and will to pick up and move forward again is gradually diminished.

The way to overcome this syndrome is by asking the Lord to give us the grace and strength through The indwelling Christ each and every day, so that we can run the Christian race with a steady and even tread. Victory over cravings does not come by accident, for it is like swimming upstream as the salmons do.

Therefore, the energy, the stick-to-itiveness, power, resilience and determination to do right, must come from a source outside of ourselves, and the Gospel teaches us that it is God alone who can work within us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. 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.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.

Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spoke unto me saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

As we are living on the brink of eternity, let persons be wide awake, making deliberate decisions to do right, and asking God for grace to help us in times of need. We cannot afford to get weary of asking, for grace and strength is promised only for today.

Let us then seek God every day, and He will grant to us increasing measures of His Holy Spirit, so that we may fight the good fight of faith, for it is His will that everyone who names the name of Christ, should live like a conqueror.

In harmony with this purpose, we will end the study with the following passage, and quote because they contain the key to living victoriously in an age where feeling, cravings, and latent tendencies are gaining the ascendency in society. Let’s read:

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

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

[M.H pp 58] All who are under the training of God need the quiet hour for communion with their own hearts, with nature, and with God. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He will receive a new endowment of both physical and mental strength.

                                   God Bless!

Laymen Will Finish The Work. Sabbath afternoon 08/19/2023

Joel 2:23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

As always, when studying and interpreting prophecy history must also be studied, because what God has done in times past is often repeated in future events as He has declared in His word. Future events that are scheduled to take place during the closing days of earth’s history are often previewed in the former experiences of nations and individuals.

That’s one of the reasons why the scripture says we have “A more- sure word of prophecy” meaning that when precedent and prophecy converge, a person can be anchored more securely in the utterances of the Bible, and thus, faith gets the evidence needed, and becomes more firmly established.

For instance, whenever we see the issue of worship, diets and foods surfacing in the book of Daniel, with his companions, God is telling us to expect these to be a part of last day events upon our planet.

When we see the issue of worship surfacing on Mt. Carmel with Elijah the prophet, and then heavy rain falling right after, God is saying to us that the issues pertaining to worship in our day will call for copious showers of the latter rain, as prophesied by Joel. Again, when we see plagues upon Egypt, because of the issue of worship, we should also expect plagues in the last days, on account of worship and when we see frogs coming up out of the waters, and going in among the Egyptians, we must also expect frogs of some sort to surface again in the book of Revelation which deals with last day events. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 1: 9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Similarly, when the Gospel was taken to the entire then known world by the servants of God. We must seek to understand the ways and means Jesus then employed for as with almost everything else, history is scheduled to be repeated.

Therefore, in the study of historical precedent we’ll observe some stunning similarities between sacred history and the here and now, as God wraps up the work of the Gospel throughout the world.

The first observation pertains directly to how Jesus chose His servants, who were scheduled to take the Gospel to the entire then known world.

[1] None of the twelve disciples were ordained by the religious institutions of the day for the work of carrying the Gospel. The establishment leaders were not responsible for their ordination, for it was Jesus, who laid His hands upon them and anointed them for the ministry. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Similarly, when the great work of salvation is to be brought to a close, it will be the ordination of God upon the laymen He has chosen that will finish the work of the Gospel in all the world. This isn’t to say that great men would not be used, but for the most part, it will be ordinary people, whom God has set apart for the specific work. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 204] In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged.... God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the outward training of scientific institutions. These facilities aren’t to be despised or condemned; they are ordained of God, but they can furnish only the exterior qualifications.

The twelve did not learn the ways and means of the orthodox teachings of the Rabbis, for their methods of studying and interpreting the Scriptures were too riddled and interwoven with tradition and sayings of men.

As a result, in their presentation of the word of God, the Rabbis tended to make persons worse off than they were before. That is because they had lost the simplicity of the Gospel, being bogged down with the baggage of sophistication. And as a result, their instructions were vague, and without authority, and they were not able to reach the heart.

When preparing their presentations, the Rabbis did not ask themselves the question: How will this draw persons closer to God, and how will it impact their lives in a manner that would produce growth, faith and obedience that comes from the heart?

Instead, they would spend hours fiddling with those linguistic technicalities that would give persons the impression that they were learned men. They would focus on tradition and technicalities of the law while the spirit of the law found no entrance whatsoever into their own everyday experience.

Thus, when individuals went to church, it was more format than substance, more husk than kernel that was being presented, and people often left church more frustrated, empty, and discouraged than when they first came. This is what prompted Jesus to utter the following words. Let’s read:

Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Thus, when Jesus unleashed an entirely new brand of preaching, it was with authority and persons who were disposed to believe would then be sure of the doctrine.

Jesus used everyday references that persons could readily relate to for they were familiar with all of the illustrations He used, and His methods of teaching, as a general rule, would lead to a definite change of heart, in persons who were willing to receive Him.

Sermons and presentations are not so much about information, as they are about The Person of Christ, and thus, when preaching or giving Bible studies the servants of God, and the information they dispense should be Christocentric in nature. This leads us to our second observation, drawn from precedent.

[2] Laymen in our day must be able to start at any verse or chapter in the Scripture, and preach Jesus to persons.

A direct link to Jesus should be made, whenever a sermon, or Bible study is given by laymen in our day, because, salvation in the Bible is about The Person of Christ; His ministry, His character, His goodness and His love. It’s not so much about information.

This is what Phillip did when he was sent by God to help the Ethiopian eunuch find Christ. The man was reading from the book of Isaiah, and Phillip began with the passage he was reading, and led him to Jesus. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said, do you understand that which you are reading?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he asked 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.

In our day, the laymen who will finish the work must be able to start at any passage in the Scriptures, and preach Christ. The health message is to lead to Jesus and the three angel’s messages, complete with the commandments of God and the Sabbath, must lead to Christ.

In other words, all roads must inevitably lead to the Jesus of the Bible, or else the preaching will be void of substance, purpose, and meaning. This leads us to our third observation from historical precedent.

[3] The laymen who are ordained of God must also be able to draw from their own experiences, for this is how the Gospel is made to make sense to people, in real time, and in the most practical manner. Let’s read:

1st John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

The laymen in our day must be able to sing a “New Song”, for according to Revelation, it is the song of their own personal experience with The Lord. For instance, testimonies from ten, or twenty years back should be replaced with new, living experiences, as the relationship with Christ grows ever deeper.

In other words, the laymen in our day, who are to lead the charge in taking the everlasting Gospel to the ends of the earth, are to have an intelligent, and intimate knowledge of the Jesus whom they preach, and in addition to this, they would have to be living testimonies of the sermons they present.

This aspect of the layman’s life is of vital and critical importance, and cannot be stressed enough, for The Lord seeks laborers who are being brought to a full maturity, through the indwelling and working of The Holy Spirit. To properly represent Christ, the laymen should not be found lacking in any aspect of their lives.

By this we mean that the knowledge that is found in the Scriptures is to be applied in the most practical, and literal manner because laymen must be hearers and doers of the word.

In other words, not only are the laymen to strive for excellence in spiritual things, by the grace of Christ, through their conscious obedience, and intelligent understanding of the principles, and laws of God’s kingdom, but they should also have their temporal aspects of life under the control of The Holy Ghost.

This is of critical importance, so that when they are inspected like Daniel was, the world would discover a person who is well balanced in every aspect of life.

As such, they should seek to rid themselves of debt, wherever possible, the health message should be an integral part of their lives, and their interaction with fellow citizens of earth should be beyond reproach, when subjected to the closest scrutiny by all friends, foes, and frenemies.

In other words, the laymen must become the living, breathing embodiment of what God’s grace will do to those who trust and obey, so that their testimony cannot be gainsaid nor questioned, even by their bitterest enemies. Let’s read:

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

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

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

There’s a form of preaching that can talk extensively, at a distance about truths that are not applied in the one who is making the presentation. In such cases, a lack of conviction and sincerity will be sensed by the people because the sermon was not the song of the person’s experience.

Describing Christianity is quite different than living out the principles and laws of God’s kingdom, for a person may be able to describe or define the many aspects of the Christian’s life, without them actually walking the walk.

To give out a lot of information just for information’s sake, does nothing to heal the wounds of the soul, neither do such methods prompt sinners to repent. And worse yet, Christ is hidden from view, under the mirage of intellectual sophistries that wearies souls.

Hence the reason why Jesus found it necessary to personally ordain the twelve, for He would be with them to not only instruct them but to give them the hands-on knowledge they would need, in order to effectively preach Christ and the Gospel. Let’s read:

[The Desiree of Ages pp 296] When Jesus had ended His instruction to the disciples, He gathered the little band close about Him, and kneeling in the midst of them, and laying His hands upon their heads, He offered a prayer dedicating them to His sacred work. Thus, the Lord's disciples were ordained to the gospel ministry.

This is the reason why, when those who were called by Christ to preach, opened their mouths to speak, their listeners took knowledge that they had been with Jesus. In other words, they could speak with authority, and conviction, for they had experienced a personal, deep seated relationship with Jesus. Let’s read:

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

If and when the laymen in our day become sticklers for technicalities and information, the true word of God is buried under a maze of utterances that does not change hearts and minds, nor goads individuals to turn their lives over to the only One who would make a difference for the better.

Even Paul had to be anointed by Christ for the work  of the ministry he was going to be called to, because by him coming up under the teaching, or instruction of Gamaliel, he would tend to make his preaching more information based, instead of the food for the soul as God intends.

Thus, Paul must first encounter Christ before he can preach Christ with conviction and his anointing must come from God directly, not merely from the Rabbis or even Gamaliel. Even if Gamaliel might previously have laid his hands on him, Paul would need a fresh anointing from God, in order to be outfitted for the work of carrying the Gospel. Let’s read:

Acts 9: 3 And as Paul journeyed, he came near to Damascus: and suddenly, there shined round about him a light from heaven.

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord

said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. It’s hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Institutions of learning such as the many theological seminaries are not to be despised, for they generally do a very good work in the world. There they teach proper exegesis, old and New Testament linguistics, and many other nuts and bolts of ministry.

But the laymen should be careful not to fall into the snare of graduating with honors in theology, while receiving an F grade in the Holy Ghost, for whenever this is the case, much personal instruction from God will be needed, in order for such persons to preach Christ effectively.

Again, charisma is not truth, and those laymen, who are scheduled for the last days, to take the message of mercy to a dying world, must steer clear of using charisma to reach hearts and minds. Instead, let the pure, unadulterated word of God be prioritized, and The Holy Ghost will take it from there to the next level. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 205] The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them.

This leads us to our final observation, that is drawn from the precedents found in the Scriptures:

[4] The laymen who will finish up the work should be able to support themselves by the grace of God, either through employment, or by their skills.

Every one of the disciples had their skills, trade, or profession. Peter, James, and John were fishermen, Luke was a doctor, Mathew worked for the IRS, even Judas was an accountant, and Christ who set us the example was a carpenter. None were found idle. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Matthew 9: 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Later on, when Paul was called to the ministry it was discovered that he also was a tentmaker, and thus, he could support himself if and when he needed to. In other words, if it became necessary, as a result of low funding from the ministry, for Paul to support himself, he could always fall back on the skill, trade, or whatsoever he specialized in. Let’s read:

Acts 18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and worked: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

1st Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Never the less we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

15 But I have used none of these things…

1st Corinthians 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place;

12 And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Currently, pastors are paid by their employers, but with inflation so high, it is a valid question whether or not some could make ends meet on the salaries they receive. But the laymen who are independent of employers, can help themselves if they needed to or if God so directs.

That model manifested by Paul and other laymen, of preaching the Gospel while laboring with their own hands, with their specific skills or trade, may just be the answer we need for Gospel workers in our day.

God is much more down to earth, and is practical in His ways than many realize, and for this reason, the laymen who are scheduled to finish up the work of the Gospel, might very well have to follow the Paul model, if they are led to do so by God.

 Therefore, as the shortage of pastors deepens, and as less and less persons enter the ministry, it will be seen that the predictions made by God through His servant will become more and more of a reality. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 204>205] The Comforter is to reveal Himself, not in any specified, precise way that man may mark out, but in the order of God—in unexpected times and ways that will honor His own name.

He will raise up from among the common people men and women to do His work, even as of old He called fishermen to be His disciples. There will soon be an awakening that will surprise many. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them.

Therefore, let the laymen in our day therefore step up to the plate, being willing and ready to be led by God in the ways of His choosing, and the latter rain that is promised for the finishing up of the work, will fall upon those whom God chooses, fitting them up to carry the gospel to every inhabitable place on the earth.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us that that which is prophesied will surely come to pass, and because of this, the laymen and ordinary people in our day should be found ready, willing and able if and when God calls them to stand in the gap. Let’s read:

Joel 2: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

                                     God Bless!

The Close Of Probation Approaches. Sabbath afternoon 08/12/2023

Mark 13: 33 Take heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house comes, at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning. 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

The Bible study for this evening can be condensed in the following brief statement: The close of human probation is approaching. It is scheduled to occur in the, not too distant future, for the characteristics of history are being aligned with the here and now.

In the Bible we read of nations and populations and peoples whose probation came to a close, and what transpired, in the run up to the expiration of their allotted time, is now taking place across the globe, especially here in the United States.

One of the sure signs that probation is drawing to a close, is the deliberate destruction of one’s ability to reason rationally, because whenever the intellectual powers of the mind become permanently damaged through one’s choice to believe a lie, there is very little else God can do to save persons, and therefore it then becomes futile to try and reach such.

Therefore, there is one word, and one word alone that will form the basis of our study today. Here it is:

              Reason

Whenever nations and individuals lose the ability to reason properly, the work of God’s Spirit upon the human heart is greatly retarded, and because God’s Spirit speaks to us through the seat of intelligence, the gateway to the conscience becomes shuttered, after prolonged and deliberate rejection of truth.

And for this reason, efforts to reach human beings become severely restricted. When this is the case, history teaches us that the close of probation for such nations and individuals is just a stone’s throw away.

There is a valid reason why the people of God are to be sealed in their foreheads, for this is where things like judgement, reason, intelligence, discretion, and decision-making take place.

That is the reason why the seal of God will never be given in the hand, like the mark of the beast is, for some persons, because satan couldn’t care less if he bypasses one’s intellect, to have his way. In the book of Revelation we observe that persons will receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or in their hands.

Receiving it in the forehead means that there will be many persons who would make an intellectual, and deliberate decision to do so. But for those who may not be thoroughly convinced, satan would make it available in the hand. In other words, persons would not necessarily have to understand it or believe it.

They can just take it to retain all of their economic privileges, such as working, doing regular business, and purchasing goods and services, all the while the intellectual aspect is avoided or circumvented.

Not so with God. A person or nation will need to be deliberate in their decisions, and if the powers of the mind, if the powers of reasoning are poisoned through deliberate choice, God may still be speaking but persons would not be listening, and this signals the time to wrap up the work of trying to save the persons in question.

This is the reason why the prophet Isaiah warns us against deliberately distorting truth in any manner, for doing so is known to have a crippling effect on one’s ability to reason rationally.

In other words, when a person deliberately chooses to reject truth and facts, the mind is then trained to interpret truth as error and vice-versa, to the point where one can become permanently embroiled in a frozen intellect, which could no longer distinguish between right and wrong, good or evil. Let’s read:

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

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

Thus, it’s an indisputable fact that the powers of the mind, such as reasoning, judgement, discretion, and choice, are all engaged whenever The Holy Spirit is doing His work, and as such God always appeals to our intelligence wherever salvation, and the Gospel are being presented to the mind.

As we study the following examples of what is being spoken of, let us look diligently for the word reason, or reasoned, so that we might understand why any damage to one’s reasoning powers could produce a debilitating effect on their ability to either recognize or accept truth. Let’s read:

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like

crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Daniel 4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most-High, and I praised and honored him that lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation.

36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.

Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

Matthew 21:24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.

Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Acts 24: 24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

It becomes obvious that a person’s ability to reason rationally, weighing the facts presented, is of critical importance to the acceptance of truth, and thus, if one’s reasoning powers become distorted it can and will eventually lead to a point of no return.

The following examples from the scriptures give us clear evidence of the perversion of reason, just prior to the close of probation for the nations and people in question. For instance, in the case of the people in Noah’s day, God gave irrefutable evidence which was intended to appeal to their reasoning powers.

They may have had their questions about Noah, and the message he was preaching, since it was contrary to precedent. And since science could not support it with any research, they could have been forgiven for indulging their unbelief.

But when the animals began marching into the ark in an orderly manner, when the male and female of birds and beasts, walked calmly, and without any apparent interference into the vessel, that singular providence was intended to arouse the reasoning powers of the antediluvians but alas, it fell on deaf ears.

That’s because over a period of many years the folks back then had trained their minds to reject the most convincing evidences of the truth, and now, because practice makes perfect, they became utterly unable to shake that state of mind which had consistently rejected the clearest evidence provided.

And, as history has it, not long after, their probation came to and end. They had long put bitter for sweet and had habitually exchanged light for darkness and error for truth, and now they are trapped in a mind that distorts any, and everything God may throw at it. Let’s read:

Genesis 7: 8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean and of fowls and of everything that creeps upon the earth;

9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God commanded Noah.

Pay very close attention to what we’re going to read and observe carefully the crippled state of the mind that has been trained to habitually reject truth. The reason for this is that history is soon to be repeated. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 97] The period of their probation was about to expire. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people.

With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Again, they rejected his words, and raised their voices in jest and scoffing.

Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most-gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark.

A noise as of a rushing wind was heard, and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, their numbers darkening the heavens, and in perfect order they passed to the ark. Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient. The world looked on in wonder, some in fear.

Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom. But men had become so hardened by their persistent rejection of light that even this scene produced but a momentary impression.

As the doomed race beheld the sun shining in its glory, and the earth clad in almost Eden beauty, they banished their rising fears by boisterous merriment, and by their deeds of violence they seemed to invite upon themselves the visitation of the already awakened wrath of God.

Unless we are missing something, we cannot see what’s so funny about animals walking calmly into Noah’s ark that the antediluvians should be laughing and making merry at the scene. But they had for so long exchanged truth for error that their reasoning powers had become utterly dismantled.

Something similar took place with the children of Israel who were backing three losers in the form of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. These three amigos had formed a confederacy to overthrow the government God had ordained, and they began spreading a host of conspiracy theories and lies to garner support.

They continued their diabolical work, knowing full well that what they were doing was based on false narratives, yet, when confronted with the truth they dug in their heels and continued repeating the lies they had concocted. Let’s read:

Numbers 16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.

2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown. (Allegory)

3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?

This false claim the co-conspirators knew to be not true, for God Himself had ordained Moses and his brother Aaron, in the most public manner, at mount Sinai and then later on, when Aaron, and two of his sons were anointed to the ministry of sacrifices.

Yet, Korah and his cohorts continued to push the lies and as is always the case one lie often spawns many others, because it becomes necessary, to shore up the first lie with other falsehoods, in order to fill out the narrative. There is never one lie, just as there is never one cockroach.

This is what was developing in real time as the 3 amigos sought more reasons in favor of their first allegation. And since the father of lies is never in short supply, they were fed additional falsehoods to try and give structural integrity to the first one. Here are the additional allegations. Let’s read:

Numbers 16: 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up.

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

So now they are referring to Egypt, the land of their former bondage, in which pharaoh’s officers beat them up on numerous occasions, and where they had to make bricks without straw; they are referring to it now as a land of milk and honey. That is how lies often morph over time, into something very far removed from the original script.

Therefore, God who is rich in mercy, is going to do just as He once did with the antediluvians; He would give them the unmistakable evidence they need, so that they could use their reasoning powers, and not go over the cliff of unbelief, thereby, closing their off probation. Let’s read:

Numbers 16:16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.

17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.

18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.

19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.

20 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These multiple evidences coming from God should have been sufficient to now permanently settle the matter beyond the shadow of a doubt, but the mind that has been damaged by the deliberate imbibing of falsehood, can and will reach a point of no return, where there is nothing else God can do, but to close off probation for such persons. Let’s read:

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

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

Here comes trouble, because their probation is now going to close real soon, for there is nothing left for God to do. To put it in a nutshell, they could not be retrieved from the self-inflicted deception, for their minds had been deliberately barricaded against any evidences of truth.

They had been given time that night to roll over the matter in their minds. They could, if they so desired, recall with clarity what they saw, and heard and just maybe, there might be a chink in the armor of lies they had been taking refuge in.

But no; the disposition to choose lies over truth had taken so deep root in the conscience, that there was nothing God could do to save them from going over the cliff permanently. The servant of The Lord puts it this way. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 402] Jesus, the Angel who went before the Hebrews, sought to save them from destruction. Forgiveness was lingering for them. The judgment of God had come very near, and appealed to them to repent.

 A special, irresistible interference from heaven had arrested their rebellion. Now, if they would respond to the interposition of God's providence, they might be saved. But while they fled from the judgments, through fear of destruction, their rebellion was not cured.

They returned to their tents that night terrified, but not repentant. They had been flattered by Korah and his company until they really believed themselves to be very good people, and that they had been wronged and abused by Moses.

Basically, the same thing occurred, prior to the close of probation for the Jewish nation. God had sent His own Son to appeal to the Jews. Numerous prophets were sent over and over again, but every evidence of truth was beaten back until there was no remedy.

When Lazarus was raised from the dead, this should have forever settled any question pertaining to the Divinity of Christ, but instead of humbly bowing out to the truth, we read a completely opposite reaction which tells us that their reasoning powers were just about evaporated. Let’s read:

John 12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death.

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Yet God who is rich in mercy, The Lord, who keeps on trying and trying, even when He knows that His efforts will be futile, continues to send evidences of truth to His people, for He cannot stand the thought of giving up on persons whom He died to redeem.

He then finally sends Stephen who gave his very last sermon to the Jews, but instead of embracing truth, they dug in their heels even deeper than before, as they rushed upon Stephen and started to bite him.

When the reasoning powers of the mind become so severely damaged by the habitual rejection of truth and facts in any form, the situation reaches a tipping point as it did with the Jewish nation, because their probation also came to an end just a few years later. Let’s read:

Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The servant of The Lord in commenting on the close of probation for the Hebrews writes the following, and we must of necessity observe carefully what is being said concerning the state of mind that gripped the nation. We will see that with the demise of their reasoning powers the close of their probation is also closely linked. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 88] The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason.

The same situation obtained with the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah whose close of probation was closely associated with the utter dissolution of their reasoning powers.

For instance, when the angels smote the crowd that was gathered at Lot’s front door with blindness, that singular providence should have been sufficient to arrest any reasonable thinking person in their tracks but because the damage to their minds was already done, they had now crossed over into never land, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Genesis 19: 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

As it is currently, millions upon millions of persons across America still believe that the 2020 election was stolen, even after ballots have been recounted on numerous occasions. Several investigations into election fraud have yielded no significant evidence of widespread forgery and yet, in spite of the facts very many people still refuse to believe.

The issue has consumed the news cycles, so that it hasn’t left any breathing room for other important issues to be addressed, and even as multiple legal woes are revealed from day to day, millions of folks still would not believe. It has now reached a tipping point, where, if three angels flying in the midst of heaven were to declare that the election was not stolen, some people still would not believe.

While there is no political affiliation on Omegatruth, we must declare a grim revelation, coming from the historical precedents we’ve observed. According to what we have studied this evening, persons are now doing irreparable damage to their reasoning powers which is the only way that The Holy Ghost can reach us.

And if persons who insist on believing a lie were to continue down this path, it will reach a point of no return, when other momentous issues come to the forefront, because their minds would have already been trained to interpret truth as error and error as truth.

When this becomes the case, persons would not be able suddenly change course, because it would be a mode of thought that has been adopted, cultivated and groomed, and it can reach a stage, where any type of truth, even those written in the Bible, will be rejected.

Self-deception is the very worst kind, for it is one thing to be lying to others, but when persons begin to lie to themselves, and believe it, they would have crossed over into satan’s territory, and when this is done, the damage done to the mind could become incurable, for there is no way for God, angels, men or even demons to reach that person.

This is what took place with pharaoh of old who dug  himself deeper and deeper into an abyss of lies and self-deception, until not only God or Moses, but also his personal magicians could not reach him. He did to himself irreparable harm and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Exodus 8: 19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

If pharaoh wouldn’t listen to God, the very least he could do is listen to satan. But what do you do with a person who will not listen to either God or a devil. It then signaled the close of probation for pharaoh, and those under his influence, as took place not too long after in Egypt.

It won’t be possible to suddenly switch gears, when other vital truths are presented, because the mind would have already been trained to reject the most indisputable facts. Pharoah couldn’t switch, the men of Sodom could not switch, the antediluvians could not switch, and the Jews could not switch, for there comes a time when the habitual rejection of truth can never be reversed.

 This, more than anything else is the very grave, and serious danger the nation is facing, for whenever or wherever truth goes out the window, freedoms and liberties and the rule of law follow soon after. When the Bible, with the truths of God’s word was burned publicly in France, the rapid deterioration of society, and the nation as a whole followed not long after.

 But there is still hope. The way to reverse course is to be honest with ourselves and not pick or choose what we prefer to hear. We are now living in an age where deep fake concepts have taken root, and the satellite strands of delusion in various forms are on the rise in many minds.

When studying the word of God, when dealing with temporal matters, when taking an introspect look at ourselves, let’s deal in the currency of truth always, and if this is done habitually, a love for the truth and nothing but the truth will develop as it is nourished.

God stands willing, ready, and able to help America, and individuals who have been adversely affected by the tsunami of lies that has engulfed the nation, yet there are concrete steps that must be taken in order to reverse course. Confession is a must, and a turning away from that which is false is necessary, as well a deliberate and firm decision by persons, to appropriate truth and  facts in an unbiased manner.

As with anything else that is good and upright, the love for truth, and facts is something that has to be cultivated, and with God’s help, the dark cloud that hangs over the nation can be dissipated. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which will help us to navigate that which has gripped the nation, because, it is needful that we deal in the currency of heaven at all times, which is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Let’s read:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

                                   God Bless!

When Your Comfort Zone Gets Disturbed. Sabbath afternoon 08/05/2023

2nd Timothy 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The Christian’s life is not a bed of roses, nor is it a carefree way of life, where persons are insulated from the change of fortunes and circumstances that affect ordinary people. There are times in our lives when we may have easy-going days, and there are other times when things may not work according to plan, or expectation.

At times the Christian experiences disappointment, grief, sickness, stress, and discouragement when the will to move forward is strained and persons could feel as if their drive is lost. At other times we might have mountaintop experiences, and we may feel as if we are on top of the world.

This is all well and good, but God reminds us in His word that we are walking a straight and narrow path that leads to heaven, and as such we may not have our own preferences always. All of the heroes of the Bible had their days of victory, as well as times when they felt deflated.

Not a single one was, or is exempt, and because of this fact, we will need that resilience that is born of God that would enable us to run the Christian race with a steady and even tread. Successful Christian living, and one’s faithfulness, are quantified as folks are able, by God’s grace, to navigate the vicissitudes of life, whether favorable or adverse.

The hiccups and bumps in the road are there for a reason, so that we might develop Christlike virtues, and characteristics such as patience, steadfastness, fortitude, bravery, resilience, courageousness, and an indomitable spirit that is impossible to defeat.

These characteristics are not developed overnight, nor do they come by accident. On the contrary, the Christian must first win his battles on his knees, and as folks seek God for grace and strength in each and every varying situation, the character is chiseled and molded, developed, and matured, until we reflect Christ in a consistent manner, in every situation life may throw at us.

Thus, the scripture cautions us against believing that following Jesus will mean that everything in life will go smoothly. On the contrary, the Christian is made the target of numerous incursions coming from our invisible foes, and it’s only by wielding the shield of faith that persons can survive. Let’s read:

1st Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

John 16: 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

However, the Bible teaches us that some persons can become desperate, and buckle under a load of pressure, and disappointment, while others zip up their boots and grab the bull by the horns, trusting in God alone to carry them through. It all has to do with the approach to life that is adopted.

Daunting situations, challenges and hurdles are to be viewed and understood as being stepping stones, by which persons might climb to a higher round on Jacob’s ladder. And as the song goes, every round or every step of advance one makes, in navigating the hurdles of life, will take persons higher and higher.

 Several examples in the Bible demonstrate what is being said, and it is always left up to the individual in question to determine victory or defeat. The Lord gives grace and strength for every emergency, every puzzling situation, but what folks do with that grace and strength ultimately determines the outcome.

Job and his wife were going well, they were in good and regular standing, until their comfort zone was disturbed. Disappointment, tragedy, and financial loss took a toll on them, until Mrs. Job blurted out the unthinkable.

And the Scriptures show us that not even faithful Job was immune to the change of fortunes, for he cursed the day that he was born. When shaken out of our comfort zones, the true character of a person is often made manifest.

Moses was doing quite well, until his comfort zone was disturbed by the unbelief and stubbornness of the people. When he believed he had reached the upper limits of forbearance, he struck the rock two times in his anger and utter frustration.

Again, Aaron and Moses had just about had it when the children of Israel took up missiles to stone them. It was a very different situation than when they had come through the Red, sea successfully, as pharaoh and his armies were overthrown in the midst.

At that time, they had a mountaintop experience, as they celebrated God’s victory in their behalf. At that time, they relished the moment as they reflected on the great deliverance God wrought for them, and no doubt, their feelings found expression in their song and dance, as can be seen in the following passages. Let’s read:

Exodus 15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

3 The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

But after a while, their comfort zone was disturbed, and the change of circumstances produced a change in mood and outlook, and praise was exchanged for complaints, courage was exchanged for fear, and the latent human tendency to become frustrated when things do not work out the way we expected, took a hold of the multitudes, and the rest is history.

There are times when satan pushes the envelope to the brink, and we might be tempted to say and do things that are not ordained of God. The Christian should form the habit of falling to his or her knees when faced with frustrations and challenges, even though it may be difficult to pray at such times. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?

3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

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

The devil repeatedly brought up that charge against the leaders of God’s choosing, that they had ulterior motives in bringing the children of Israel so far into the desert, to kill them, and then take their property as personal bounty.

Over and over again, we read in the scripture where this accusation was brought, until one day, Moses couldn’t take it anymore, and he blew a fuse in public.

The issue of being disturbed from our comfort zone is not relegated to the Old Testament, for it can also be observed in numerous occasions in the New, as Paul and his fellows became frustrated with those of the Jewish nation, who’d refused to relinquish their unbelief. Paul finally got fed up with preaching to them and he threw in the towel in utter disgust.

And were it not for the resilience that God gives, he would have called it quits, for his comfort zone had been disturbed. Preaching to receptive minds is one thing, but when Paul preached to the unresponsive Jews, it seemed to him as if he were preaching to a stone wall, and that could really wear down one’s patience. Let’s read:

Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

9 Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

The same issue of being disturbed from the comfort zone also took place with Christ as He wrestled with the powers of darkness in Gethsemane. Prior to this Jesus was at the top of the world, commanding evil spirits to depart from persons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. At this time, Jesus could say with conviction, “I delight to do Thy will, O my God”.

But then a change of fortune grips Him, He is placed in a very uncomfortable position, and Jesus’ comfort zone is being severely shaken. His distress is given expression in words that tell of the difficulty of the time, and to make things worse, His disciples who should be there to encourage Him, are snoring at a distance.

When one’s comfort zone is disturbed, very strange things can happen, and words that usually wouldn’t be spoken under more favorable circumstances are often given utterance. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: never-the-less not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40 And he comes unto the disciples, and finds them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Our first passage teaches us that we are called not only to be light-bearers, by preaching, giving out tracks, distributing food, and visiting the sick and the fatherless. These things are very good, but the passage says that persons are also called to endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross.

This means that whenever a change of fortune, or a change of circumstance comes our way, that we did not expect, or did not prefer, persons are to take the matter to God in prayer, asking Jesus for resilience, and grace to deal with the change of circumstance.

The reason why this teaching is important and even relevant to those of us who are living in a troubled world, is because like those who have gone before, we too may be shaken out of our comfort zone, and if and when it’s disturbed, what we do at such times will determine the outcome.

There are difficult days coming upon the planet, on multiple fronts. The excessive heat that the prophet Isaiah predicted, will cause adverse ripple effects across the globe, and persons will be shaken out of their comfort zones.

 Some will be affected one way or the next, either by having to deal with the heat, or by dealing with the increasing cost of energy needed to cool you down. The electric grid is coming under great strain, and the prospect of rationing electricity is becoming a new reality.

Inflationary pressures are now taking a sizeable bite out of person’s finances, and with the saber-rattling taking place between Russia and Ukraine, with the continued destruction of thousands of tons of grain that feeds many millions, things could go South very quickly.

But more than this is what the Scripture says would certainly come to pass. There will be a time of pain and trouble, for the world at large, and especially for the remnant people of God, who will be forced to regroup and do things differently.

 Covid was a dry run where we our comfort zone was disturbed, when churches were shuttered suddenly, and when life as we previously knew it, was turned upside down. During that practice run, over seven thousand churches across America were forced into insolvency, and as a result had to close their doors permanently.

Choir practice had to be halted, Pathfinders had to be suspended, and the one, on one fellowship and interaction individuals had become accustomed to over the years was now put on hold. Nurses were placed under severe strain, and very many left the industry for good, because the stresses that Covid brought seemed too great for some to bear.

But someway, somehow, the Bible is saying that we must endure hardness as good soldiers of the Cross, and therefore the logical question will be: How can we maintain our balance and equilibrium when our comfort zone is disturbed?

To answer this question, we must now turn to the example of Paul, the very person who penned our first passage, encouraging us to endure hardness as good soldiers of the Cross. It was the song of his very own experience he was singing, and those who are preparing for the most difficult days of earth’s history, will do well to study carefully what Paul now is saying. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

The Remnant people of God will soon realize that it is becoming an ever-increasing reality, that we will have to learn how to live and survive under the most difficult and adverse circumstances. Yes, it is true that we now enjoy the comforts of life, and we seem to have all our ducks in a row.

But if some unforeseen event, or change of fortune should come our way suddenly, that shakes us out of our comfort zone, will we be resilient, trusting in God who knows best, or will our countenances fall     like Cain’s?

Adverse circumstances which disturb our comfort zone can bring out the best or the worst in us, and therefore it was in the context of some unforeseen, sudden disturbance during the last days of earth’s history that Jesus gave the following warning. Let’s read:

Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.

After working hard all his life, crowned with success and material blessings beyond measure, Lot and his  wife were faced with a sudden disturbance that had apparently came out from nowhere. The angel’s had told them that they must leave immediately with no time to plan or pack.

Thus, when their comfort zones would be severely shaken, their response to the sudden disturbance, and uprooting, from their retirement home, would define their future.

They deliberated, delayed, and lingered, loathed to leave behind a life of luxury for the discomfort of country living, where there would not be any tap water, electricity or air-conditioning to deal with the excessive heat such as we’re currently experiencing. Just wondering how they would do! Let’s read:

Genesis 19: 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord.

19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die.

20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 160] Lot returned sorrowfully to his home and told the story of his failure. It was hard to forsake his luxurious home and all the wealth acquired by the labors of his whole life, to go forth a destitute wanderer. Stupefied with sorrow, he lingered, loath to depart.

 Although so greatly favored in being called out from the wicked city, she felt that she was severely dealt with, because the wealth that it had taken years to accumulate must be left to destruction.

It is quite possible that some who may be currently preaching the 3 angels’ messages might not really believe it because the actions, the perspectives, and aspirations harbored make it manifest that like Lot, one’s treasure is where the heart is, in Lot’s wife’s case, it was buried in the earth.

Many difficulties, upheavals, and disturbances of no ordinary character are scheduled to ramp up across the earth, and without a doubt, our comfort zones will be disturbed. Already, there are clear fractures appearing in political and judicial systems, which tell us that great changes are underway.

The climate crisis, the forever wars, and rumors of war, the deliberate destruction of food supplies, and the utter intransigence of political parties at home and abroad, should be a wake-up call to those who are looking for Christ’s soon return, and as such, we must expect that sooner or later, the comfort zones we have come to love and cherish, will be disturbed.

God’s purpose in saving persons is singular and very streamlined in that everything and every experience we are to pass through, is in preparation for a better world. And because of this, Christians should never exchange the pilgrim mindset for a secular frame of mind that relishes, and revels only in the here and now.

Building sterling characters for eternity is at the very forefront of the Christian experience, and thus, if we be comfortable or uncomfortable in doing so, let it be said that we were found faithful in weathering the changes that come from time to time.

In harmony with this truth, we will end with two passages of scripture which should remind us of the work Christ is doing in our hearts, in preparation for that great day. And, if in the process, it means that our comfort zones may be disturbed, let us, like the faithful in all ages, be found resilient by God’s grace. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap.

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

                                     God Bless!

Lessons From The Great Depression. Sabbath afternoon 08/29/2023

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

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

During these increasingly difficult last days of earth’s history, God desires that His people exercise a good understanding and prudence in spiritual, as well as temporal matters. As light bearers, Christians are to set a good example in every aspect of life, for this is how God’s kingdom is magnified, and multiplied in the earth.

That lopsided form of Christianity, where only the spiritual is emphasized while the temporal aspects lag way behind does damage to one’s testimony of God’ grace upon the heart, because the perspective we see in the Bible presents a balanced approach to life, blending the spiritual with the temporal.

The abundant life which Christ came to give us is an all-inclusive package, which when applied, practiced and adopted by the Christian, would bring maturity, balance, and stability, so that persons can walk with a steady and even tread which in turn will ultimately make manifest the wisdom and the discretion that is born of God.

Several passages of scripture bring to light the grave responsibility resting upon the shoulders of persons who have experienced God in real time, because the world’s perspective of God’s kingdom is informed by what is seen in the Christian. Hence the reason why the following passages must be taken very seriously. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord God commanded me that you should do so in the land whither you go to possess it.

6 Keep therefore and do them; because this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which

is in heaven.

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

All the laws, the commandments, the principles and the instructions given in the Bible are intended to demonstrate in real time, and in the most literal way what following Christ means. And therefore, as the ambassadors of His grace, we should be dispensing a living, convincing testimony of what Jesus will do in persons who trust and believe in Him.

And therefore, when the Bible is made to synthesize with our daily experiences, the Christian should be able, in most instances, to deal with crisis of varying sorts, including inflation, deflation, and all the other vicissitudes life may throw at persons.

The Great Depression of the 1930s does not merely refer to the economic crisis that brought the nation to its knees; the term refers to the general mood of the people, as resources tanked, and opportunities for employment dwindled sending many families on the bread line.

The actual meaning of the word depression refers to the feelings of severe despondency, and dejection, a mood disorder which is characterized by feelings of guilt, helplessness, discouragement, desperation, remorse, regret, and defeat. Thus, greenbacks do not really suffer from depression, but people do.

The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in modern history, which lasted for about ten years, from 1929 to 1939, the year in which World War 2 began. A convergence of contributing factors led to the depressed mood of people living at that time, in which very many persons, and families went from hero to zero.

The rapid and the imprudent ballooning of the stock market, greatly increased consumer debt, dramatic decreases in industrial production, and in consumer demand, just to name a few. These factors are the precursors which converged, triggering the great depression, and the resulting bread lines and soup kitchens that sprang up during that time.

During those dark days, many banking institutions went out of business permanently, unemployment surpassed 20 percent, and the general desperation pervading the atmosphere caused a mad stampede of bank runs, very similar to what took place not too long ago, when a few of the nation’s banks became illiquid.

During the Great Depression, many workers were laid off because there just was not enough demand to warrant continued levels of production, and this in turn forced millions of people deeper into debt.

In addition to this many reckless speculators on Wall Street who had invested heavily in the stock market with borrowed money were entirely wiped out, and a general sense of gloom and doom now settled on the nation.

Prior to this, the U.S economy had expanded almost incredibly, and the wealth of the nation had more than doubled. But as history often goes, after a time of great increase, comes a time of great decrease. It is just the law of gravity running its natural course as they say, for what goes up must come down.

The inevitable result was that very many Americans were forced to buy goods and services on credit and as a result, the debt noose put a stranglehold on the masses of people who were ill-prepared for sudden and rapid changes and therefore, repossessions and foreclosures and liquidations went through the roof.

An increasing number of people became homeless, farmers could not afford to pay workers to harvest their crops, and as a result, valuable articles of food had to be left in the fields to rot, at a time when the masses of people were being forced onto the bread line.

Thus, there are very valuable lessons to be learned from the Great Depression, and happy would be the individuals who would reason from cause to effect, and will take prudent action in the here and now, to avert a possible repeat of the 1930s.

One of the lessons we can deduce from the Great Depression is that God in His mercy blesses nations and individuals at times with much materials, and resources and what we do at such times determines whether or not we would honor God by surviving a severe downturn, or a change of fortunes.

The study of the parable of the 3 stewards reveals a lot of truth which when understood correctly, would serve to guide our feet in wise paths. In the parable, we observe that God gave the talents, as He often does. It was not because of anything good that the stewards had done, but just because God delights in giving good gifts to the human family. Let’s read:

Matthew 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

In other words, there are times when The Lord may shower persons with temporal blessings, and what such individuals do with the blessings could make or break them for life. Successful stewardship has to do with the prudent management of any resources and opportunities, God places at our disposal.

It was through the providence of God that Joseph was brought down to Egypt, because, if it were left up to his parents alone, Joseph would never have ended up in Potiphar’s house. Thus, the blessings God gave to Joseph had to do with the windows of opportunity that His Divine providence opened up.

It had nothing to do with Joseph, for everything was permitted and orchestrated by God alone, so that the prosperity of Joseph we read of afterward has to be credited to God, just like the three stewards we read of in the parable, who received the talents, or the material blessings from God’s hands. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

Again, just like those three stewards in the parable, God gave material blessings to Abraham, opening up opportunity he never dreamed of, and thus what Abraham does with those gifts, will demonstrate if he is being guided by that wisdom and discretion which comes from God. Let’s read:

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

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

14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and asses and menservants and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.

Genesis 20:14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and women servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

We observe that in both instances, Sarah’s beauty was used as the trigger for opportunity, very similar to what took place with Esther, whose beauty was used to pave the way for numerous blessings to fall upon God’s people. God does not think like we do, and for this reason, some of His methods, and ways might raise eyebrows in persons who may not know Him.

During the years just prior to the Great Depression, God again opened up opportunities for nations and individuals just as He did for Joseph, for Abraham, and for the three stewards in the parable.

What we now refer to as the roaring twenties, was actually God in His kindness, opening up windows of opportunity to the stewards of that era, and what they did with the blessings would make manifest if they were being led by the prudence and discretion found in Christ alone.

Just a few years ago, a convergence of contributing factors was permitted and orchestrated by The God of heaven, to open up windows of opportunity for stewards in our day. As Covid ravaged the country, working from home became the norm, which in turn triggered massive internal migration.

At the same time, interest rates were at an all time low, near zero, triggering a buying frenzy, which in turn caused a ripple effect of the phenomenal spike in the price of real estate, and like Joseph, Abraham and the three stewards in the parable, it was left up to persons to make the most of the opportunity.

Since that time interest rates have skyrocketed, and persons who did not, or could not get their foot into the door of opportunity, are finding it very difficult to do so now because to many individuals and many families, that window of opportunity has all but run its course, at least for the foreseeable future.

Therefore, just to reiterate our first lesson again, so that we never lose sight of the fact: God in His great kindness will at times grant folks material blessings, meaning that at times He will open the windows of heaven, opening the window of opportunity, and it is His will that as stewards of His goodness, we will make manifest the wisdom that is born of God.

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 343] Religion and business are not two separate things; they are one. Bible religion is to be interwoven with all we do or say. Divine and human agencies are to combine in temporal as well as in spiritual achievements. There must be co-operation in everything embraced in Christian activity.

The second lesson that we can learn from the Great Depression is that it doesn’t really matter how much blessings God bestows; what matters most is how it is managed. In the parable of the stewards, the one who received five talents did not have an advantage over the one who received one, just because he had received more.

If fortunes were reversed and the one who received one talent got five, the results would have been the same, because it is the attitudes, the state of mind, the modes of thought and action, which ultimately determine the results. Let’s read:

Matthew 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

Stewards are required to make things work, by the grace and wisdom of God. In other words, whatever the hand life might deal persons whether it be much or little, with God’s guidance it can, and should be multiplied, as was manifested with two of the three.

During the Great Depression many persons were left holding the proverbial bag, and many others balked at the adverse change of fortune which overtook so many. This need not be the case, for even a little can become much, when the God-factor is adopted into our thought processes.

Whatever may be our lot in life, whether at the top or bottom of the Totem pole, stewards can be found faithful and productive when the right approach is implemented. The servant of The Lord gives us the right perspective, and we will do well to adjust our outlook, wherever warranted. Let’s read:

[Christ’s object lessons pp 359] If your duty is in the kitchen, seek to be a perfect cook. If it is your work to till the soil or to engage in any other trade or occupation, make a success of the present duty. Put your mind on what you are doing. In all your work represent Christ.

Do as He would do in your place. However small your talent, God has a place for it. That one talent wisely used will accomplish its appointed work. By faithfulness in little duties, we are to work on the plan of addition, and God will work for us on the plan of multiplication.

Another observation we should take away from the Great Depression, and from the parable of the stewards, is that God blesses persons even when He knows up front that they would not administer the blessings to the best of their ability.

God knew well in advance that the roaring twenties would be followed by the mumbling thirties, and yet He still went ahead and blessed anyway. Similarly, God knew in advance that the steward with the one talent would not handle the blessing well, and yet, in His wisdom and kindness God still gave him the talent.

God’s foreknowledge of our failures does not always prevent Him from blessing us with resources. This is of concern to some persons, for it may seem to the logical thinking mind to be counterintuitive, to bless persons and nations with resources, when He knows in advance that the blessings would not be handled well. 

But, how will we ever learn if we are not granted an opportunity? Errors in judgment are not considered as permanent blunders, if the stewards in question can retrace their steps and learn. Thus, God often grants numerous blessings, as opportunity for folks to learn, and if they do, they can also be numbered among the faithful.

This fact can be observed in several scriptural cases in which the blessings of God were either misused, abused, mismanaged, or squandered. In the case of Solomon for example, God knew in advance that he would not always manage the wealth given him in a prudent manner.

God saw up front that Solomon would spend very lavishly for things he really didn’t need, and that he would splurge on women, on real estate, and on a host of material things that he could not reasonably use on a regular basis, yet God still went ahead and blessed him with resources and opportunities.

Similarly, the father of the prodigal son also knew in advance that the resources given would be used in a manner that would bring the son to poverty; yet the father did not withhold the blessing. This baffles the minds of some people, for very often what God may do in certain circumstances is very different to how the finite mind thinks and acts.

In the experiences of some Christians, persons may be able to point back to times when God’s blessing rested very heavily upon them, but for one reason or another the blessing evaporates into thin air after a while. Therefore, the question is asked by persons: Why did God bless such and such in the first place, if He knew in advance of the outcome? Let’s read:

1st Kings 3: 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said: Ask what I shall give thee.

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

Solomon then began his tenure as a faithful steward as he managed the material blessings in accordance with the wisdom that is born of God. But, after the dawn of great opportunity, like many persons from the Great depression, Solomon went on to hide his talents in the ground, and instead of multiplication, subtraction took hold of him, and those under his jurisdiction.

Some may be wondering what all of these lessons have to do with persons who are living on the brink of eternity, and who are preparing for the promised latter rain?

The information, resources, and opportunities God has granted to His people are intended to bring us to a state of maturity in Christ, where persons will become well balanced in development of character, for it is God’s will, that the subjects of His grace be found faithful both in faith and practice.

When Daniel was scrutinized by his opponents, they started with the temporal aspects of Daniel’s living, such as his taxes, his credit, his business deals. And they searched diligently to see if there was insider trading, given the close connections he had with the government.

Then, after they came up with nothing, they had no choice but to turn to the issue of worship, for as a faithful steward, Daniel passed the smell test, and God was greatly honored by the results, as they had to bear testimony of their findings. Let’s read:

Daniel 6: 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Similarly, the Remnant people of God in these last days should be able to pass the closest scrutiny, as friends and foes may seek to dig up dirt in any of the temporal pursuits, persons are engaged in. Like as it was with Daniel they would begin with the handling of material blessings, and if they find nothing, then they will turn to the issue of worship.

In harmony with these statements, the servant of The Lord writes the following, and it would be well if we can step up to the plate, and make the necessary changes and adjustments in our perspectives by the grace of God. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 616] So should the followers of Christ, as they approach the time of trouble, make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the people to disarm prejudice and to avert the danger which threatens liberty of conscience.

Thus, as we end, it is in the context of faithfulness as stewards, both in spiritual, and in temporal lines that God makes the following pronouncement, and even if we have made blunders in the past, it’s God’s will, that the opportunities He grants us will be used to correct any errors in judgment that might have occurred. Let’s read:

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

                              God Bless!

God's Defense Department. Sabbath afternoon 07/22/2023

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, from whence do you come? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the Lord said unto Satan, have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and hates evil?

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

10 Have you not made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands, and  his substance is increased in the land.

God’s defense department on planet earth is run by The Holy Spirit, to whom Jesus turned over entire jurisdiction over everything which takes place with God’s people, and under auspices of The Holy Ghost there are angels who excel in strength.

These angels are involved in various tasks such as restraining the malice of evil angels, and holding in check the winds of strife lest the earth devolves into utter chaos and carnage. Were it not for their work humanity would have ceased to exist long ago.

Thus, according to what is written, holy angels are much more familiar with the day-to-day operations that take place upon the earth, than many realize, and they do regularly intermingle with the human family on a daily basis, invisibly, and also in the form of men.

For instance, when the two angels passed through the gates of Sodom on the last night of that city’s probation, they were wearing what persons of that day would usually wear, which, if it were in our day would probably be Jeans, Jordans, and some of the clothing items you may find at your local Walmart.

In addition, if they were making such a visit in our day, they would probably have had cellphones, and might have been driving one of those Ford F 150s we often see on the I 95. This is one of the reasons why the following passage was written in the Bible, because it is only in the great hereafter that we will find out what was really taking place upon earth. Let’s read:

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Persons often have no clue whatsoever of how the angels who work in God’s defense department are actively engaged in our everyday life, and because of persons being unaware, many have actually been in direct contact with angels, and knew it not. Many passages in the scripture confirm what is being said. Let’s read:

Psalms 34: 7 The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

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.

11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

[The Great Controversy pp 631>632] In all ages, God has wrought through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of His people. Celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men.

They have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of wayfarers. Angels have appeared in human form to men of God. They have rested, as if weary, under the oaks at noon.

They have accepted the hospitalities of human homes. They have acted as guides to benighted travelers. They have, with their own hands, kindled the fires of the altar. They have opened prison doors and set free the servants of the Lord.

 In the form of men, angels are often in the assembly of the righteous, and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom to make a record of their deeds to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance.

 Angels have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have greatly retarded the work of God, and would have caused great suffering to His people. Though the rulers of this world know it not, yet, often in their councils, angels have been spokesmen.

 Human eyes have looked upon them; human ears have listened to their appeals; human lips have opposed their suggestions, and ridiculed their counsels.

Human hands have met them with insult and abuse. In the council hall and the court of justice, these heavenly messengers have shown an intimate acquaintance with human history.

Angels are stationed around those who fear God, and they deliver us from evils, dangers, and prevent certain adverse occurrences from happening to the Christian, according to God’s will and discretion.

However, not because they do encamp round about the people of God 24/7, means that persons will be entirely exempt from difficulty and suffering. Angels do all of their work, in harmony with, and according to the discretion of God, in varying circumstances.

Thus, there are three critically important admissions that the devil makes in the opening passages, which many persons who might not know better, often fail to make. And we would do well to consider carefully what the enemy of souls is saying, in the context of our topic: “God’s Defense Department”

Admission # [1] God has made a hedge around Job.

Admission # [2] God has placed a hedge around his home, and around all that pertains to him.

Admission # [3] God has blessed the work of his hands and as a result, his substance or possessions are increased in the land.

It is worthy of note that all of Job’s possessions, his family, and all who work at his ranch, and the safety of everything and everyone pertaining to Job, are all attributed by satan to God alone and not to Job, and for these admissions we must give satan credit, for in this case, he is actually speaking the truth, a very rare occurrence indeed.

God’s defense department is much broader, and is more comprehensive than many persons believe, and this apparent ignorance is reflected in the way persons often tend to take credit for accomplishing, and protecting that which they have.

It's funny that satan does not share this perspective, for in his admissions, he credits God, as the reason why Job reached where he was in life. His success, his riches, and his ongoing preservation are all the results of God’s mercy and His defense department.

We also have to observe that the household of Job, together with all of his employees also shared in the collateral benefits of God’s defense department, for being connected to Job in any way, would render a person a beneficiary of God’s blessings.

When Jesus declares that “We are the light of the world” very much more than giving out tracks, and preaching sermons is included. God designs that all who may come within our sphere of influence on a regular basis would be recipients and beneficiaries of God’s goodness, including the collateral blessings coming from His defense department.

This sacred truth should startle the daylights out of the righteous and those who may not know God, for this special truth about collateral blessings has been revealed countless times in both the Old, and New Testaments.

For example, the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah benefited directly from the presence of Lot, even though they had probably never known it, let alone acknowledged the fact. This is what God stated plainly to Abraham several times, even as the prophet interceded for them. So, let’s see for ourselves, if what satan is saying about Job’s collateral blessings, especially on the issue of security is true. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29 And he spoke unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Genesis 19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou come thither. Therefore, the name of the city was called Zoar.

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

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

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

Thus, according to the scriptures, it’s apparent that God places His people strategically across the earth so that the inhabitants thereof may be beneficiaries of His goodness, grace, mercy, and His security, and thus, a very heavy responsibility rests upon persons who are Christians, to live like Job and Joseph.

On the flipside of this truth are the ominous results of walking contrary to the commandments of God, for Christians who violate the word of God, actually put others in jeopardy, and as such, unbelievers can suffer collateral damage if the Christian isn’t walking straight. This important truth is also revealed in the Bible.

Therefore, if and when a Christian is thinking about relocating to Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, or even North Florida, the primary reasons should not only be because of the costs of living; instead, very careful consideration must be made, concerning the impact one would have on the community, to which he or she may be heading.

In other words, will such a move to a different state result in collateral blessings to the neighborhood in which they plan to reside, or would it be the flipside of insecurity and damage to the community that is in question. Persons ought to consider carefully the admissions satan makes in Job chapter 1. Let’s read:

Jonah 2:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

7 And they said everyone to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So, they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, what shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

[The Desire of Ages pp 306] Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence in the world, of God's people whom they despise and oppress.

However, the enemy of souls also made a claim in Job chapter 1 that warrants closer investigation, for he credits Job’s security, not to weapons of defense, security cameras, or any of the other offerings that are available today, such as Ring, ADT, or the many gadgets and gizmos persons often put their trust in.

Absolutely none of these are mentioned as being the real reason why Job, and all that pertains to him are secure. Instead, satan points us directly to God’s defense department alone.

We are hard pressed to believe that an individual of such social, and financial stature, such as Job, would not have some measure of security in place, for it is a fact, that even Abraham who was wealthy, had his own private army of trained soldiers. Thus, it should be reasonable to conclude that Job also had his own security apparatus in place.

Therefore, this raises a very serious question as to whether Job and Abraham can protect themselves and their families, if God’s defense department is taken out of the equation.

To put it plainly, if God removes His “Hedge” from around Job, will Job’s security detail be able to stand their ground on their own, against the incursions of  man’s nemesis, using human agents, or would they be powerless with all of their prior planning for such an event?

What is worthy of note, is that when the hedge was removed, satan never once appeared in person, but instead, took possession of the minds of his human agents to carry out the part of the carnage that took out Job’s family, his employees, and his livestock.

This fact raises several other serious questions, as it pertains to the issue of security for Christians, which we will address next.

[1] Does, and can satan take possession of a human agent, and direct him to attack a specific location, or specific individuals?

Jobs friends came to visit him after the carnage, and thus, it is very likely that Job’s family was not the only one residing in his neighborhood. Therefore, we must question whether or not devils can impress the human agent to handpick specific locations, and persons on a specific street, to carry out their acts of carnage? Let’s read:

Job 1:12 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.

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.

(This single servant was probably spared only so that he could bring back the bad news.)

On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida and the investigators later found out that considerable planning went into the fatal act, before it was carried out.

Again, on 9/11 considerable planning, surveillance, and logistics had to have taken place for months and years before, as specific targets of the Twin Towers were singled out by America’s enemies. Did this take place in a vacuum, or could devils possess a person’s mind, and direct specific attacks, as took place with Job?

If so, this will lead us to another important question that must be addressed sooner or later by those in authority, for try as we might, violence is increasing:

[2] Can such attacks as took place on Job’s family be attributed to “Mental illness” as some X-Perts in our day often do? Was Bin Laden mentally ill? Or are we dealing with something that’s more ominous within the framework of society?

Interestingly enough, the Bible never says that the Chaldeans and Sabeans were mentally ill, for if they were, we will be hard-pressed to believe that they could carry out such an attack with surgical accuracy as they did. This raises the prospect that the world could now be facing an astronomical rise of demon possession, of which the X-Perts are chalking up to mental illness.

[3] Is the Christian’s confidence to be put in arming himself/ herself, and if so, can he, or she withstand an onslaught by satan, through his human agents, if they are permitted to do so?

[4] Who are the Sabeans, and the Chaldeans in our day? And are they kept at bay only because of God’s defense department, or is it because folks might be armed to the tooth?

[5] If persons were to discover that more and more hedges are being removed in our day, can it be that God’s defense department may be in the process of wrapping up its operations on planet earth?

[6] How does God’s defense department figure into the equation, and what does that mean for those of us Christians, who are now living in an increasingly dangerous world?

To answer these very haunting questions, we must let the Bible speak with clarity for itself, because the Christian in our day will soon discover that very hard choices and decisions would have to be made as per the issue of security.  Let’s read:

Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.

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.

If demons can go directly to kings, and control their minds, then it is a no-brainer that they could also go to Nicholas Cruz, who delivered carnage to Marjorie Stoneman High school. It is worthy of note, that in verse 14 of Revelation 16, the minds of those kings are being directed and prepared for battle. Let’s read:

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

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

[Early Writings pp 274] An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the whole land and crowding the churches.

[Testimonies 8, pp 49] I was shown that a terrible condition of things exists in our world. The angel of mercy is folding her wings, ready to depart. Already the Lord's restraining power is being withdrawn from the earth.

[Review and Herald January 30, 1900 para. 6] The world is not improving. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. By rejecting the Son of God …… and choosing a murderer in his stead, the Jews showed what human nature can and will do when the restraining power of the Spirit of God is removed, and men are under the control of the apostate. Those who choose Satan as their ruler will reveal the spirit of their chosen master.

In the instance with Job, it becomes evident that no matter what security measures may be put in place, if the hedge is removed, or missing for some reason, the Christian on his own stands powerless against a foe, who can move upon human agents to plan and carry out acts of carnage.

As we study, we must remember that Job’s case was an extreme example of what takes place behind the scenes, because God does not usually permit such incursions against His people on a regular basis. But it was necessary for God to draw back the curtains, between the visible and invisible world.

Hedges are removed for other reasons than what took place with Job by permission. By the rejection of God’s law, and by casting aspersions on His word, persons, communities, cities, and governments can cause hedges to be removed, for angels often would not go where they are not welcome or needed.

Especially should we consider what is taking place in our world, as more and more cold water is thrown over the sacred utterances of the scriptures, in favor of philosophies, doctrines, and modes of thought and action that are diabolically opposed to God.

This inevitably will result in the removal of hedges, if and when the mercy and long-suffering of God has run its course. God is merciful indeed, and he bears with humanity’s failings, and errors for very, many years, but there comes a time when He must pack up and leave, if we insist on rejecting His overtures.

When things do reach a tipping point, then God’s defense department winds down its operations, in behalf of those who reject His word. This, above all other reasons, is why we are witnessing increases in crimes, in violence, in endless wars, in diseases, in temperatures, and in the utter intransigence of our political apparatus.

In other words, with the accelerated rejection of the word of God, will come the inevitable, accelerated winding down of God’s defense department, and it would reach a stage where God can only protect His own. This isn’t a figment of our imagination, it’s the unadulterated word of God speaking. Let’s read:

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

4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

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

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

We are now living in momentous times, where the leaders of this world are at a loss for answers as to how to address the emerging threats that keep on arising almost daily. Devils are mounting incursions on several fronts, and according to what is written, it is scheduled to get a whole lot worse. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

However, we are not left without hope, because all who will cling to God during these difficult days will be Shepherded through, according to God’s will, for He has made plain in His word, that when the going gets rough, He will manifest Himself in behalf of all those who love and obey Him.

Therefore, instead of stocking up on weapons, arms, and man-made food that could last for twenty-five years, let us stock up on The Holy Ghost, and build characters by the grace of God that would stand the test of time. God has already given us His word that He will be there for us when we need Him most and thus, we are to rest in His promises. Let’s read:

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.

Joel 3: 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.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most-High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Under the early rain that fell on the believers on the day of Pentecost, we do not find a single recorded instance where we read of them taking up weapons to protect themselves. When Peter was arrested for preaching, the church made unceasing intercession for him, and thereby, God sent His angel to deliver him.

Similarly, under the latter rain, there is not a single scripture calling on the remnant to arm themselves with weapons, because the battle is not ours, but The Lord’s. Our preparation and our defense ought to be centered in and around Christ, and we know we can trust Him to do what’s best for His people.

The arm of flesh will fail us and we have seen clearly from the experiences of Job, that without The Lord’s defense department covering us, we do not stand a chance against the invisible forces of darkness, who are much stronger, more intelligent and experienced than we are, in planning and executing destruction.

Therefore, it is fitting that we end our study today with a gentle reminder that Christians are not called to employ carnal weapons but spiritual, because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of darkness in high places. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 10: 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

                                    God Bless!

Why God Does Not Always Intervene. Sabbath afternoon 07/08/2023

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is no doubt that God is preparing His people to stand during the final days of earth’s history, and this preparation would involve having an intelligent knowledge of The God whom we serve. Truths that have been swept under the rug for centuries must be revisited and clearly understood, lest fall into the errors that have spread across the land as a plague.

Coming to grips with the sin problem, and having a clear understanding of the issue of choice, will go a long way in resolving some of those haunting issues and questions that do bubble up to the surface from time, from deep within our thoughts.

One of the pitfalls we must avoid at all costs is that of buying into satan’s version of events, because for the most part the philosophies, teachings, the views and perspectives that are generally held by popular majorities are largely in sync with doctrines of devils and as such we will often find that such views would be diabolically opposed to God and truth.

For starters, the sin problem carries with it natural consequences, as stated in our first passage. Death, with all of its derivatives, such as sickness, sorrow, pain, crime, war and diseases, are by-products of sin and the collateral damage that results is a normal part of man’s existence.

It is true that God sent His Son Jesus into the world to save us from our sins, and to grant us abundant life, but this does not always translate into living a life that is free from the adverse results of sin. To a great extent, the consequences of transgression are mitigated in those who accept Christ, but the fallout from sin can persist for years.

The sin we are referring to is not only that which a person may have committed, but also the original sin which occurred in our first parents. Even though we were not there when they chose to sin, the fact remains that we are their offspring, and collateral damage in us is the natural result of what occurred back then. Let’s read:

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

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.

Therefore, with the understanding that sin causes collateral damage in persons, we must now address some of the unresolved questions and issues which haunt our minds from time to time. When persons suffer, for seemingly no reason, folks are disturbed, and may voice their concern, but when God blesses those who are rebelling against Him, not a word of remonstrance is heard.

For years, God’s blessings fell upon Sodom, and the people enjoyed the bounties of heaven, yet, in the account of their history, most people usually tend to focus on their demise, and almost nothing is ever mentioned of the many years God had poured out His rich gifts upon the cities. Let’s read:

Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you come unto Zoar.

The phrase: “Even as the garden of The Lord” means that it was compared to Eden; that is how much the place was blessed by the bounties of heaven. Yet, it is almost never mentioned in the narrative of their history. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 156] Fairest among the cities of the Jordan Valley was Sodom, set in a plain which was “as the garden of the Lord” in its fertility and beauty. Here the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics flourished. Here was the home of the palm tree, the olive, and the vine.

And flowers shed their fragrance throughout the year. Rich harvests clothed the fields, and flocks and herds covered the encircling hills. Art and commerce contributed to enrich the proud city of the plain. The treasures of the East adorned her palaces, and the caravans of the desert brought their stores of precious things to supply her marts of trade.

With little thought or labor, every want of life could be supplied, and the whole year seemed one round of festivity. The profusion reigning everywhere gave birth to luxury and pride.

Again, when the king of Sodom was invaded by the surrounding nations which were bent on destroying the towns it was God who sent Abraham to rescue the men of Sodom. God’s mercy was poured out for very many years upon the cities, and yet these facts are almost entirely left out of the history of the twin cities. Let’s read:

Genesis 14:10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.

21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the Most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet and I will not take anything that is yours ,lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.

We must be very careful not to harbor the spin that devils concoct to portray God as one who only seeks vengeance and judgements while the millions of His blessings which He bestows every day upon persons often go entirely unnoticed, or unmentioned by the majority of people.

Therefore, we must now turn our attention to some of the reasons why God does not intervene in this, or that situation, for many are at a loss for words, if and when adverse circumstances may occur.

[1] Choices made carry natural consequences, and God is not duty-bound to deliver, intervene, prevent or mitigate adverse consequences from happening. In other words, Jesus is never obligated under any circumstances to prevent the natural results of sin from accruing.

This particular truth must now be revealed in clear distinct lines, for some persons believe that God is the great preventer-in-chief. This is absolutely not the case, for it is His sole prerogative to decide if or when He will deliver in this or that circumstance.

Jesus volunteered to take upon Himself the sins of the world, but if He had not chosen to do so, God would still be a loving God. In addition to this, all of His promises are to be understood in the context of Him exercising discretion in different situations, and not the blanket guarantees as some might view His promises to be.

Especially is this sacred truth pertinent to persons who have deliberately chosen to walk contrary to what God has said.  In such cases, the prospect of deliverance is even more farfetched than those who are trying their best to live up to the light they have received.

Our choices carry consequences, and God has given instructions, laws and principles in His word that will go a long way in mitigating the natural results of sin. But since we are free moral agents, we can choose to do either good or evil with the pertinent results.

When we are finished doing Bible study today, you can join us at Red Lobster to eat our fill of all those finger-licking, forbidden crustaceans, and we would guarantee that there will be no angel standing with a flaming sword at the entrance to the restaurant.

What ever may be the result, God is not obligated to deliver us if things take a turn for the worse. We can pray and repent, if the result of our actions turn out to be debilitating, and God, in His mercy to us might choose to deliver, but under no circumstances is He obligated to do so.

Again, when God has blessed us with finances, and resources, we may manage them prudently, or, like the prodigal son, we may go splurging on blings and things. But if we were to run into trouble, God is not obligated to deliver, nor is He compelled to reverse the natural results of our course of action.

In His great mercy and love, He may choose to do so and we would always encourage persons to repent and pray for pardon and deliverance, but as far as God being obligated to show mercy, it’s an absolute non-starter.

A father has warned his son of the dangers of using drugs. He has pleaded with him to leave the Ganja alone, but try as the parents may, the son continues to do weed. Year after year passes and many prayers are said, and many tears are shed on his behalf, but for some unknown reason, that son continues, day by day, to smoke the herb.

Finally, the son is arrested for possession of drugs, and he is put in jail, where he wishes he had heeded the warnings of his loving parents. But now it is too late, and he is incarcerated with drug dealers, gang bangers, crypto bandits and robbers, and as he sits in jail twiddling his thumbs, he wishes his parents would intervene. Hear the word of The Lord!

His parents are under no obligation whatsoever to get him out of jail. In their love for the wayward son, they may post bail, but as far as being obligated to do so, this is absolutely not the case.

Furthermore, if the parents decided to leave him in prison, to suffer the natural consequences of all his actions, the decision on the part of the parents does nothing whatsoever to change their status as being the loving parents they have always been. If they decide to deliver, it would be of their own free will, but they are never to feel coerced into doing so.

Similarly, God is under no obligation to deliver the sinner, or the righteous. Jesus reserves the right to show mercy on whom He will have mercy, and to let others bear the brunt of collateral damage of sin in general. However, that does not change His status whatsoever as being The loving God He has always been. Let’s read:

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

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

Just because we may be doing right does not entitle us to deliverance, for God is merciful by decision not by obligation. This truth needs to be understood by all Christians in our day, just as it was understood by Daniel and the three Hebrew boys.

Even though they were eating their vegetables with singleness of heart, and even though they’d braved the consequences of standing up in defense of truth by refusing those diabolical requests of the greatest earthly king at that time, they did not think for once that God was obligated to deliver them.

Some contemporary televangelists who preach the health/ wealth gospel, will sometimes portray God as being under obligation to bless and have mercy. But just because one may be walking in the ways of God’s choosing does not make him or her entitled to one of God’s blessings, as if God were obligated to bless.

Let us be very, very careful of subscribing to satan’s version of events, because in doing so, some could risk sinking deep down into spiritual darkness, from which it can become difficult for persons to recover. Instead, let’s all read from the same script as did the three Hebrew worthies. 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.

This leads us to the second reason why God may not always choose to intervene:

[2] God reserves the right at all times to exercise His discretion, meaning, that there are times when He may choose to deliver or prevent certain things, and there are other instances when He might say not so much.

The promises made to the righteous are not blanket guarantees which are automatically scheduled to be fulfilled to the letter, in every which circumstance. The promises are subjected to God’s discretion, and since every case is different, He may choose to fulfill in one instance, whereas in another, He may see fit not to intervene.

When the Hebrew boys faced the prospect of being thrown into the fiery furnace, they had promises to rely on, and they could have quoted passages in the Bible, and they could have pointed to precedent, as reasons why they should have confidence that they would be delivered, for sure.

However, notwithstanding the promises, they left some wiggle room for God to exercise His discretion so that God’s will and not theirs would be done. Not all who follow Christ will be delivered from the fires of the furnace. Some would and some won’t, but all would be declared victorious when Jesus comes to claim His own.

If God were to guarantee deliverance in every case, there would be no need to exercise faith, because it would be a no-brainer to follow God without risk. In some instances, the best thing to do will be for God to deliver, but in other instances, in the best interest of the kingdom, it would be best for Him to leave things alone.

This is what the disciples did not understand as they saw Jesus being handcuffed and hauled off to prison where He was to stand trial for things He did not do. In that episode, God’s discretion saw fit to let things slide, because, in the bigger picture, God saw that millions of persons would be saved as a result.

Hence the reason why Jesus said: “Not My will, but Thy will be done” meaning, that Jesus was willing to leave the ball in God’s court, so that God’s discretion would have the final word. Let’s read:

Matthew 26: 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

53 Don’t you think that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

[3] The third reason why God might not intervene is because in some cases God is prevented from doing so, on account unbelief.

There are countless cases where God was, and is ready to help, but the state of mind harbored, and thoughts cherished preclude any deliverance from taking place. In very many instances where folks hit a roadblock in the Bible, and resolution to problems seemed impossible, the real reason was because of unbelief.

In our day, trouble keeps piling on and some wonder why God isn’t intervening. A couple years ago earth was shaken to its core by Covid, which came about as a natural result of eating forbidden foods.  Very many people lost their lives, and collateral damage was felt in every corner of the globe.

Yet, for all the carnage and trouble we went through persons still insist on eating that which is forbidden, and, instead of putting our thumbs directly on the issue, investigators are looking for any other cause, other than that which God says is the problem. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11: 7 And the swine, though he divides the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet, he chews not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcasse shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

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

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye  shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcasses in abomination.

Yet, for all the information God has given to us so as to mitigate the fallout of sin, we dig in our heels and continue to ingest that which will produce adverse results. Then, when Covid comes around and shakes down everybody, we ask questions such as: “Where is God?” and Why doesn’t He intervene?

Unbelief is what got us into the mess that we are in today, for Adam and Eve chose not to believe God, and we are not to expect or believe that The Lord is obligated in any way, shape or form to deliver us, if we deliberately disregard His laws and instructions.

In fact, unbelief stands out as the root cause for most of Israel’s failures, and if we look for a different out-come, we will have to track a different course. Very many passages in both the Old Testament and the New echo the very same sentiment. Let’s read:

Psalms 78: 22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:

23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,

32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.

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.

Mark 6:2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

An example of what is being spoken of took place as the twelve spies were sent to search out the land of Canaan. Two brought back a good report, but as is always the case, the majority, brought back the bad tidings which aroused the unbelief that was already residing in the hearts of most of the people.

Thus, before we move forward, there is a statement of interest that we should carefully consider. Here it is, for it is a statement of fact that must of necessity be brought into the equation, whenever persons are desirous of God’s intervention, especially in adverse situations:

[The Desire of Ages pp 535] When the Lord is about to do a work, Satan moves upon someone to object.

Numbers 13:31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched 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 and Prophets pp 389] 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? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

Thus, they accused not only Moses but God Himself of deception, in promising them a land which they were not able to possess. And they went so far as to appoint a captain to lead them back to the land of their suffering and bondage, from which they had been delivered by the strong arm of Omnipotence.

In our day there are many calamities taking place on every hand. There is the war between Ukraine and Russia, there is war between Israel and Palestinians, there are ongoing riots in France, tensions are rising between the United States and China, and over the July 4th holiday, several mass shootings took place in various parts of America.

The sad thing about all of these situations is that a lot of people, including little children are losing their lives, and some persons are driven almost to despair as they try to understand the reasons why God isn’t intervening to prevent this or that adverse situation from happening.

Though we may never have all the correct answers, this one thing we do know, that God is not obligated to intervene or prevent anything, and His discretion will guide His actions and purposes as He works for the best interest of the human family.

Questions we may have, and answers we might not get, but at the end of the day, God’s good purposes to all will one day be revealed, and it will be known and seen clearly, that everything God ever did, and permitted, was always in the best interest of earth’s inhabitants.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encapsulates the closing thought and it is our prayer that wherever answers are lacking, faith in The Living God will take up the slack. Let’s read:

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

                                  God Bless!

Darkness Envelops The Earth. Sabbath afternoon 07/01/2023

Isaiah 60: 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

The darkness spoken of in the above passage refers primarily to spiritual darkness, by which it would be increasingly difficult for the multitudes of earth to tell the difference between right and wrong, good and evil.

This darkness will not happen suddenly, for we have studied before that the principles of gradualism are employed by the kingdom of darkness, in order to bring to pass its diabolical ends. A person’s mind can become enveloped in darkness to a greater or lesser extent when erroneous views of God are cherished or held, either deliberately or ignorantly.

Some preachers portray God as being One who only deals in mercy and grace, whose great love for the human family prevents Him from being just. Even though God is indeed love, this one-sided view is a form of spiritual darkness, through which persons are led to perdition.

Another view is that God is strict, looking for every little deviation and mistake made by persons, so as to breathe out fire and brimstone on offenders who sin against Him. This view also constitutes a form of spiritual darkness, and can drive away persons from the only source of salvation, even Christ.

Thus, it is of critical importance that we cultivate a balanced understanding of God, especially as He is scheduled to do strange things upon the earth as we near the brink of eternity. The perspective of A God of grace alone would eventually lead persons to take His love for granted.

 This in turn will cause persons to presume upon His, goodness, with the thought that He’ll never call us to account. On the other hand, the perspective of A God of strict justice and no mercy, will drive some folks to serve Him out of fear, and when this is the case, a robotic form of obedience, without any joy or delight becomes the sad lot of those who harbor this view.

Both unbalanced views could cause individuals to stumble, and both perspectives are actively used by devils to try to distort the knowledge of God in the minds of millions. Thus, when Isaiah predicts that darkness shall cover the earth, unbalanced views of God form the bulk of what the prophet is referring to. Let’s read:

Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

2nd Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We are now at the very time of which Isaiah and the other prophets spoke, where light is exchanged for darkness, bitter is put in place of sweet, and truth is sacrificed in favor of error, and as a result, concepts of right and wrong which in former years were taken for granted and clearly understood are now clouded in a deep, and darkening mist of error, fueled, and backed up by philosophy.

What contemporary society accepts as being normal is now so far removed from God’s revealed will, that many persons are confirmed in erroneous patterns of thought and action, to the point where some are currently exhibiting great confidence in doing that which earlier generations would have recoiled from in former years.

Error has taken deep root in the consciences of the popular majority, and, because much of it is being lauded and fostered by persons in high places, it has now become risky, and even downright dangerous in some cases to speak out about it.

Yet the servants of God must be found faithful while delivering Christ’s last message of mercy to a dying world, even if present truth may not bode well with political or social correctness. God has not called His servants to be popular, but instead, to be faithful to Him, to truth and duty.

Thus, as persons prepare for the big one, the light of truth must now scatter the darkness which has been accumulating for many years. Especially should this be the case with those who will be trusted to carry the Elijah message better known as the three angels messages to the teeming multitudes of earth.

One of the facts which must be understood is that truth never goes through a metamorphosis with the passage of time, neither do the principles, and laws of God’s kingdom change with the fads and fashions of the day. The truths found in the Bible are eternal in nature, and therefore, will stand the test of time.

Therefore, there are three areas of concern which we must address, since great spiritual darkness has overshadowed the truth on these issues. They are: [1] Marriage. [2] The Sabbath. [3] Protection.

The first one has to do with the marriage institution that was given to the human family, directly by God Himself. When God pronounced Adam and Eve as being married, He did set in stone the format of one man and his female wife, as the gold standard for all future generations to follow.

And since that time, God has not changed His mind one iota. God has not taken into consideration any social norms, or what popular majorities think, say, or legislate on the matter. Cultural biases and one’s personal preferences and choices do not move God to change His mind on certain issues, for which He has already stated what is the right thing to do. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:21 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.

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

Matthew 19: 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have you not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

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

Therefore, any other belief, philosophy, teaching, or lifestyle which goes contrary to what is stated in the Bible, constitutes a form of spiritual darkness, and the more we dig in our heels into erroneous modes of thought and action, the more we would become enveloped in the shadows of night.

To put it plainly, God will never accept gay marriage or any of the multitude of alternative lifestyles that are currently on the menu, as viable substitutes to the gold standard He has set. He will accept those who turn to Him, when repentance and confession are made, but the marriage institution of itself will remain as sacred as it was the first day God gave it.

That’s because God cannot be coerced, persuaded, bullied, or bribed into changing truth, and as such, the clamors of earth’s multitudes do not move the needle one notch to the left or to the right. Above the confusion, and discordant voices which root for this or that right, the word of God will always stand unchanged.

Censure and applause are often used by devils to get persons to buckle under pressure, and bribes, gifts, and promotions are often employed by the Balaamites of our day, to try to get some to recant their convictions of truth. But it must never be so with those who are called to deliver present truth.

They might be booed, heckled, insulted, maligned, and economic boycotts may take a fearful toll on a person’s finances, but the truth in the matter must never be sacrificed for some temporary advantage. What God has said on the issue of marriage is set in stone, and will never be changed by any mortal man whoever he may be.

The next issue has to do with the Sabbath, for which there is now a generally accepted substitute in the world of Christendom. When God commanded Cain and Abel to bring a lamb to worship, He did so with the sole purpose of pointing humanity to the great sacrifice to be made by Jesus for our redemption.

Abel obeyed and was accepted, but Cain rejected the word of God, yet he was a religious person who showed up for worship, albeit with his own version of what he thought the sacrifice should be. After he was reprimanded by God, he still continued insisting on his version of worship, and as such, his offering could not be accepted.

After he was told of the natural results of his course of action, he complained about the consequences, and God then promised to protect him as long as he would live. Yet, for all the guarantees of protection God then gave, the requirement of a lamb did not in anyway change.

Just because God promised to protect Cain for as long as he lived does not mean that he was in God’s favor. Instead, he was in God’s mercy. Persons in our day who point to the fact that there are some who prosper or seem to be blessed while disobeying God are deep into the spiritual darkness, which has now enveloped the earth.

God blesses and He protects people because of His goodness, not merely because of anything good we may have done. In fact, if God’s blessings to us were to be based on our own goodness, not a single one of us would be blessed.

God makes His sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and He sends His rain on the just and on the unjust, so material blessings, and general protection are not inevitable indicators that God accepts forms of worship that are contrary to the scriptures. This is a form of spiritual darkness that has overspread the earth.

With Cain, God would never accept anything other than what He had required, and the same is true in our day as it pertains to a substitute day of worship, which has taken deep root in Christendom. There are persons who really believe that Sunday is the correct day of worship, and they may be sincere in their convictions.

But although God understands their sincerity, and the force of habit and tradition, yet the Sabbath of the fourth commandment remains unchanged as the only day of worship God recognizes, and as such God will never ever accept Sunday as a substitute.

Politicians may legislate it, preachers might preach it and the clergy in our day may support it, but it will never be accepted by God, the same way that Cain’s brand of worship was rejected, because the passage of time does not alter any eternal truths which God has given to us. 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.

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.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

The third and final issue we’ll address, as it pertains to spiritual darkness enveloping the earth, is that of protection, which has always been of great concern to earth’s inhabitants.

In our day, it has morphed into an issue which many persons have decided to take into their own hands, and for this reason, the rest of the Bible study will center around some of the truths which need to be understood about protection.

God generally protects all the peoples of earth, and this has become necessary, because our mortal foe only seeks to kill and destroy. Were it not for God’s protection, persons and dumb animals would have been wiped off the face of the earth, many years ago. But God’s mercies are renewed to us every day, and this is why we continue to exist. Let’s read:

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

22 It is because 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.

Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

However, there were times, and there will be times when for some reason, God’s protection is removed, and there are other times when God’s judgment has and will become due. There’s no need for such cases to be a reason for stumbling, for God has given to us sufficient light and knowledge in His word, to dispel the darkness that pertains to protection.

And though we may not completely understand the reasons every time, we may rest assured of the fact that God does not do things arbitrarily, neither is He moved to spontaneous action, without first thinking things through, a format we would do well to follow.

There are several instances in the Bible, where, on account of a certain course of action taken by some, The Lord saw it fit to administer justice, and these instances could cause persons to sink into spiritual darkness, if certain truths about God are not fully understood.

There are instances where there may seem to be a mismatch in the administration of justice, and the surface reader, risks going away with an incomplete or distorted view, if the time was not taken to study the issues through.

Some persons wonder why God visited the city of Jerusalem in days of old with such a devastating judgement in response to David’s numbering of the people. What is worthy of note in that episode is that the narrative begins with these very words: “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel”.

In other words, over the years, satan has figured out what he needs to do, in order to trigger an adverse event, and though he may not succeed every time, because of God’s mercies, yet he knows that laws of sowing and reaping do run their natural course. Now, some may wonder, what is the big deal with David numbering the people, why it would trigger such an adverse response.

 Others may stumble at what they think was a heavy-handed response from God to Uzzah when trying to prevent the sacred ark from falling while the men of Philistia were permitted to take the ark captive, as they travelled for several miles, with no immediate response from God.

In that episode, even David had a problem with the response from God, and his comments reflect the same spiritual darkness concerning protection that now envelops the earth. In other words, to David, it seemed arbitrary for God to destroy someone, just for trying to save the ark from falling. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

8 And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.

In David’s finite mind, this judgment seemed to be a mismatch, because the Philistines years before, had taken the same ark, handling it and placing it in the house of Dagon, their God, and yet, those who then touched it were not immediately visited. But Uzzah, who tried to prevent the ark from falling was intelligently singled by God, and struck mortally for what seemed to David as a good thing, with the best of intentions. That is according to man’s short-sighted wisdom. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

The fact is that God is a Spirit, and as such He reads between the lines correctly, and He takes motives, intentions, purposes, objectives and one’s vein of thought, together with a person’s knowledge into account when evaluating a person’s actions.

We often do not or cannot see these invisible things and therefore our evaluations and assessments are very often entirely different to God’s when drawing conclusions about persons. This became evident as Samuel went to anoint a new king for Israel.

At that time, he saw the first son of Jessie, and said the Lord’s anointed is before Him. Yet the infinite perspective revealed that God had refused him. In other words, what seemed to Samuel as the perfect fit for a king, was in God’s eyes, an absolute non-starter. The reasons for these differences in seeing things is explained in the following passages.

1st Samuel 16: 6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord sees not as man sees for man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart.

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.

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.

These are just some of the reasons why in certain instances which might seem to be similar, there is what may seem to be an apparent mismatch in the way God responds. He looks at what is in the heart while we judge things from the mere externals.

Again, David had a problem with the way God saw fit to address his sin of numbering the people, as an angel of God destroyed 70,000. We must go back to the fact that God is a Spirit and as such He evaluates situations, and actions much differently than we do.

Recently, a submersible sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and imploded, killing all five persons on board. They were on their way to see the Titanic which sank many years ago. Back then, in 1912, it was purported by some people that the Titanic was unsinkable, and some persons went so far as to say that “Not even God could sink it”

The owner and CEO of Ocean-gate was found to be partaking of the same spirit, or mindset, that was to be found in the heart of the captain of the titanic. A brief recount of their words and actions reveals that they were reading from the same script, and shared the same fate.

Some persons believed that the technologies that were employed, and the strength of the materials used, rendered the Titanic unsinkable, and though several warnings of icebergs in the area were given to the ship’s captain, he saw it fit to disregard those warnings, believing that the Titanic’s sturdy frame could withstand anything.

Fast-forward to 2023, and the owner of Ocean Gate believes that the materials used in the construction of the submersible were indestructible. Even though several warnings had been given by employees, and other entities in the business, that CEO disregards them all, and insists that the submersible is safe.

In addition, to this, the CEO’s wife is a descendent of a couple who died on the Titanic. And therefore, the same spirit, and mindset found on the Titanic, was also found in the CEO of the submersible that just imploded. So, when we say God is a Spirit, we mean that He assesses a situation spiritually, taking mindsets and intentions, purposes and one’s vein of thought into consideration.

Therefore, in the situation with David numbering the people, the persons who fell that fateful day were partaking of the exact same spirit which had motivated David, the only difference being that he repented quickly, whilst they did not.

Thus, they became candidates for that collateral damage which was to follow, for their protection was removed by the thoughts and purposes they were harboring. This is one of the reasons why in our day, some persons who may seem to have no connection to a crime, may suffer along with the perpetrators. Let’s read:

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

2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore, he smote Israel.

8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 746] The numbering of the people would show the contrast between the weakness of the kingdom when David ascended the throne and its strength and prosperity under his rule. This would tend still further to foster the already too great self-confidence of both king and people.

The prosperity of Israel under David had been due to the blessing of God rather than to the ability of her king or the strength of her armies. But the increasing of the military resources of the kingdom would give the impression to surrounding nations that Israel's trust was in her armies, and not in the power of Jehovah.

Yet, David thought there was an imbalance in the way God handled the matter, for, as far as he could see, the ordinary people were innocent, and did not deserve the severe judgments which followed. His sentiments are echoed in words that resonate with the spiritual darkness that has now enshrouded the earth on the issue of protection. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

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

When the times spoken of by the prophets begin to take shape, when the time of trouble such as never was, since there was a nation, begins to unfurl, the same situation that unfolded after David numbered the people, will be repeated.

And if persons have not understood the reasons for collateral damage, they will most likely go with the popular flow of thinking that God is arbitrary in His assessments and judgements. When you may hear statements such as “Where was God” in this or that adverse situation, in most cases, it is a rekindling of the same sentiments David once uttered.

 Again, on the issue of protection, God has promised to be with His people until the end of the age, and since we are now living in the wild-wild west, folks will be making decisions on how to move forward in an increasingly dangerous world.

God has given specific promises to those who would be scheduled to pass through the trials of the last days, and as such, individuals would have to decide whether they would defend themselves, or whether they would trust God alone to do so. Let’s read:

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

Joel 3: 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

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.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most-High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the  fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Joel 2: 8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk everyone in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

As the prophet Elijah was sent by God to deliver the stern message to Ahab, he didn’t take anything with which to protect himself except the promises of God alone. And throughout the entire episode, from the contest on mount Carmel, to being hunted down by both Ahab and Jezebel, he never needed to defend himself, for He was “Abiding under the shadow of The Almighty”

Those who subscribe to the prevailing philosophies on self-preservation will most likely have to depend upon the arm of flesh to save them in time of real danger. In other words, if persons decide to take the matter of protection into their own hands, then there will be no need for God to send holy angels to protect such, for they have already decided to protect their own selves.

Angels are sent where they are needed, and thus, it becomes useless for God to put resources in places and situations where folks have already decided to fend for themselves. In a nutshell, it would all boil down to trusting in God, and God alone. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 631] The heavenly sentinels, faithful to their trust, continue their watch. In some cases, before the time specified in the decree, enemies will rush upon the waiting ones to put them to death. But none can pass the mighty guardians stationed about every faithful soul. Some are assailed in their flight from the cities and villages; but the swords raised against them break and fall as powerless as a straw. Others are defended by angels in the form of men of war.

Let us then allow the sacred truths of God’s word to dispel the darkness that has enveloped the earth for it is His will that we be settled into the truth, both in practice, and intellectually. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to search out, and know God for ourselves, because it is an intelligent knowledge of Him that would keep us calm during the difficult days of earth’s history that are ahead. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

                                   God Bless!

Three Problems With Laodicea. Sabbath afternoon 06/24/2023

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou may see.

Laodicea represents the very last Christian church to be upon the planet just before Jesus comes, but the assessments made by Christ reveal that there are three main problems plaguing the modern Christian church: [1] It claims to be rich [2] It claims to be increased with goods [3] It claims to have need of nothing.

The claim of being rich and increased with goods is for all intents and purposes true. Not only does the claim refer to literal wealth, but it also refers to the spiritual wealth which comes with the increase in knowledge, Daniel once spoke about.

 We currently do have at our disposal, the resources, information and tools we need to obtain a clearer understanding of God’s will, than in bygone years.

We have the Bible in a plethora of versions, we have multiple commentaries from which we can draw the Hebrew, Hebrew and Aramaic versions of texts, with exhaustive exegesis, and linguistic explanations in so much that anyone who so desires could go digging for the treasure that lies deep beneath the surface.

No longer do folks have to wait for priests, prelates and pastors to give their own private interpretation as took place during the dark ages, when the Bible was chained to monasteries and persons were told that only the clergy could understand the scripture.

Those days are forever behind us and thus, whoever would take the time to search out the deep things of God could do so, and would be richly rewarded. Thus, Laodicea’s claim to be rich and increased with goods, do have some merit.

But as if these two claims were not serious enough Laodicea is plagued with a third problem, which is the most dangerous of the three, because the third claim is the the most detrimental to the soul, and if not urgently addressed, can render folks incapable of recognizing their dire need of Christ.

In order for a person to appreciate, and appropriate that which Christ has done for the human family on Calvary, one would first have to understand why He had to do what He did, for it was the only option on the table, as far as salvation goes.

In other words, all the counsels and deliberations of The God-head, led to only one viable way to save us from ourselves, and that was to have Jesus come to earth, live a life of perfect righteousness, and then die for the sins of the world, through the shedding of His own blood. Let’s read:

Hebrews 9: 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Thus, the burning question to be answered is: Why was Christ’s sacrifice necessary? And why does the Laodicean church need to think again, when making the claim of having need of nothing? To answer this question, we will have to understand some of the fundamentals about fallen human nature.

Last week we mentioned a few passages in passing, which treat on this important topic, but because of the constraints of time, we did not delve too deeply into the implications and ramifications thereof.

But now, the time has fully come for the truth in the matter to be known, so that we will understand why we keep preaching Christ alone, all by Himself, as far as delivering us from bondage, and setting us free, if the choice is made by us, to have Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives.

After Adam and Eve sinned, they and their offspring, without the intervention from Jesus, would have become inextricably tethered to the sinful, human nature which became indigenous in every person,  and it is a direct production of the efforts of satan who is the king of fallen, sinful nature.

In every individual that is born on planet earth, with the singular exception of Christ, sinful human nature is capable of producing involuntary, reflex actions which are antagonistic to God and righteousness.

Some folks do stumble on the question of whether or not there is inherent innocence, and neutrality, at birth until a person could come to the age of reason where he or she can make deliberate choices, either for or against sin.

The sin problem is much deeper than mere choice, because, when it comes to our sinful nature, folks do not necessarily have to choose to be sinful, or to do that which is evil. That condition is actually who we are at our very core. This is what Jesus tried to relay to the people at His first sermon, when they became infuriated and grabbed Him.

We mentioned last week the situation that obtained with Rebekah, as her two unborn children fought one another in her womb. What is really interesting is that God told her that the reason for the ongoing conflict was that there were two different kinds of people within her womb.

And there is another passage of scripture which says that God “Loved Jacob” but “Hated Esau”. Although that passage in question poses significant challenges to theologians, we must now bypass philosophizing to take a closer look at what Christ is saying to us in those passages. Let’s read:

Genesis 25: 21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bore them.

Paul’s rendition of the same event offers another bit of important information, because he specifically says that even though they were fighting, they did not sin. That is because they didn’t deliberately start a fight, by thinking and acting upon it. They fought it out, because it is in our nature naturally to fight, as an involuntary, reflex action. Let’s read:

Romans 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

To understand what God is showing to us in these passages, we must observe that both were fighting. Even though Romans 9 tells us God loved Jacob, the narrative makes clear to us that it takes at least two have a fight and in fact, according to the story, Jacob continued to fight his twin brother, even after Esau was born.

Now let’s leave deliberate choice in the dust for a while, because it becomes obvious that the sinful nature that is indigenous to all persons goes much deeper than deliberate choice. In other words, the twins did not think it through, and then started to fight.

They fought, because that’s who they are at their core, for choice is not needed for our sinful human nature to manifest itself. If, and when persons find themselves spontaneously blurting out a flurry of unbecoming words when another may step on their toes we must remember this one thing, that in most cases, you did not have to think about it first.

What was said and done in such instances did come forth involuntarily, as a natural reflex reaction driven by sinful human nature, in most cases. This is the reason why babies, and young children do not need to deliberately choose to fight off another whenever their candy is taken away. They will do what they do because that’s who we are at our core.

In order for a woman’s egg to be fertilized, millions of sperm are released and they each swim upstream frantically, with the singular purpose of finding, and penetrating the egg. In the process, they battle each other on their way to the fallopian tubes, or in other words, they start off by seeking the “highest place”

Furthermore, the next passage we will read is very, critically important to our understanding of why we need Christ. Jesus does not condemn us for who we are, He never does, but He bids us consider the only remedy that is to be found in Him, in His sacrifice and righteousness in our behalf. Let’s read:

John 3: 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Thus, when persons speak of “Innocent children” in the context of not having done good or evil, it is to be understood from the perspective that the young members of the human family have not necessarily chosen conscientiously do good or bad. Neither do they need to see evil done, to then act as copycats.

If stranded on a remote island at birth, without any Facebook, or Instagram, or Twitter, for them to learn how to do evil, they will end up doing sin all on their own. The bad behaviors are generated involuntarily by the sheer force of sinful human nature.  

Esau and Jacob were not watching Mc-Gregor in the womb, on Netflix in order to learn how to fight. The behavior they manifested is the natural by-product of sinful human nature, and this is what God points us to as the reason why we need Jesus, and the new heart and mind that comes with His salvation.

In other words, they do not need to choose to fight for according to the scriptures, our natural bent is to do evil, to retaliate, to seek revenge, and, like those unruly sperm we spoke of earlier to seek the highest place.

And these latent tendencies are indigenous in all descendants of Adam and Eve, who are born upon planet earth. Hence the reason why the beatitudes Christ taught us in Matthew chapter 5, present to us a virtual impossibility, without the intervention and salvation that is found in Christ alone.

No man in his natural, carnal state is going to turn the other cheek, if someone deliberately does him wrong. When persons are wronged in the U.S they will sue the daylights out of the offender, for it isn’t indigenous in sinful human nature to let offenders off the hook.

Again, the following passage presents profound and literal impossibilities to our natural sinful nature and it is indeed futile for a person to attempt any of that which Jesus is teaching, without the change of heart which God alone can give. Basically, in a nutshell not happening! Let’s read:

Matthew 5: 44 But I say unto you love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

These be-attitudes do not occur naturally in human nature, for we are born at the opposite end of the spectrum, when it comes to inherent goodness. It is not to be found naturally, in babies, in tweenagers, in adults, nor in grandparents.

One day, someone offended the child of an elderly woman, full of gray hair, and when the elderly lady got wind of it, she showed up on the scene and she threatened to shoot up the offender if the situation was not resolved in her child’s favor. Therefore, the truth about us must now be disclosed. Let’s read:

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

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

Jeremiah 17: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

[Faith & Works pp 88] Adam sinned and the children of Adam share his guilt, and its consequences; but Jesus bore the guilt of Adam, and all the children of Adam that will flee to Christ, the second Adam, may escape the penalty of transgression.

[The Great Controversy pp 533] Adam could not transmit to his posterity that which he did not possess; and there could have been no hope for the fallen race, had not God, by the sacrifice of his Son, brought immortality within their reach.

This brings us to a critically important juncture in the study of sinful human nature, for if Laodicea were to hold tenaciously to the teaching of natural, inherent innocence and neutrality at birth, it raises the question of whether children and babies would be eligible for God’s grace.

Let the question be posed bluntly: Does a child who has not come to the age of reason, or accountability need salvation, forgiveness, and grace just like those who are in their adult years?

Answer: They absolutely do. Babies and underaged children who would be saved in God’s kingdom can only be saved through Christ, who came to save His people from their sins.

The scripture teaches us that not a single member of the human family, whether young or old can be saved without Christ, and the salvation He procured for us on Calvary.

Not long ago, a person in the news media asked the former president Trump if he would pardon himself if re-elected. His response is interesting, because he replied by saying it may not be necessary to pardon himself, for he did nothing wrong.

He actually has a point, for “if” and that’s a big “IF” there is no wrong there is no need of a pardon, and then youngsters would have no need of The Savior, for they did not in most cases, deliberately choose to do wrong.

In other words, if sinful human nature is predicated on, and determined by one’s choice alone, then the involuntary or reflex acts of sin, are not sin, for they manifested themselves spontaneously, and thus are not to be reckoned as a willful, deliberate act. That this is absolutely not the case is borne out by the following scriptures.

1st John 5: 17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

Isaiah 1: 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

This is where the righteousness of Christ, and His death for us on Calvary comes in, for his death and life cover all who are brought to God through Him, from the helpless babe in its mother’s arms to the senior adults, who suffer from bouts of deliberate, and involuntary sin. The salvation Christ brings is sufficient to cover all. Let’s read:

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

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

[ Special testimonies April 10 par 4] We are not to serve God as if we were not human, but we are to serve him as those who have been redeemed by the Son of God and through the righteousness of Christ we shall stand before God pardoned, and as though we had never sinned.

The fact of the matter is that if a person is not guilty he/she does not need pardon, or a Savior, and if the babies and children were exempted from the state of sinful human nature, they cannot be eligible for God’s grace through Christ. That they being exempt from sinful human nature is absolutely not the case, is born out in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Isaiah 49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive be delivered?

25 But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contends with thee, and I will save thy children.

As Laodicea contemplates the assessments given to us by The True witness, it will be necessary for us to first humble ourselves by accepting the diagnosis as being true.

This is the first step in bringing about the necessary changes, because if we were to conclude that God is wrong in His analysis of Laodicea, the appropriate remedial measures will not have meaning to us, and persons would turn away from Christ, encased in a sarcophagus of self-righteousness.

When one believes that there is some inherent form of goodness within the natural human heart, then that person risks suffering a severe shock, when, out of the blue they might do things, and speak words that they never believed, or knew that they were capable of.

Jesus does not make His assessments of our fallen condition just to make us feel bad; instead, He has to make us aware of our dire need, because Jesus deploys resources and remedies only where they’re needed.

Hence the reason why He bids the members of the last Christian church, to take stock of ourselves, to buy the gold that is tried in the fire, and be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, without which no one will be saved.

We therefore end with a message of hope, for it is the will of God that Laodicea would turn and live, and indeed, according to what is written in the Bible very many persons would heed the counsel, and will be saved in God’s kingdom. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

                                    God Bless!

Jesus Sets The Captives Free. Sabbath afternoon 06/17/2023

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.

It is of critical importance for all to understand what Christ has accomplished for us on Calvary, because the results of His life and death cannot be measured or duplicated by any other mortal. Jesus is the only solution to the human conundrum and even though He often uses human agencies to accomplish good, His work can’t be duplicated or replaced in any way.

Jesus is not to be viewed as one solution amongst many, because those who give their lives entirely to Him are enabled to operate and live their lives on an entirely different plane of existence, than persons who may choose the ways and means provided by man.

This sacred truth must now be made crystal clear, for there are some counterfeits to Christ’s salvation, which have imperceptibly infiltrated the minds of many persons and which must now be seen in stark contrast to what God has done for the human family through Christ, on Calvary.

For instance, whenever the Scripture speaks about deliverance, it is not merely deliverance from this or that bad habit which is being referred to. In context of deliverance, the Bible refers primarily to rescuing us from a specific person, not only from particular bad habits.

Living victoriously over the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is also included in the salvation which Christ offers, but His deliverance refers primarily to setting individuals free from the stranglehold of a particular person.

Bad habits can be corrected without God, but for a person to be set free from captivity, requires Divine intervention, and it is only God Who can do this for us. This sacred truth is enshrined in the following passages, and we must now grasp the full meaning of what is being said. Let’s read:

John 8: 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

1st John 3: 8 He that committeth 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.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

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.

John 1:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

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

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

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

30 I and my Father are one.

When taken together, these passages of scripture paint an entirely different picture of the deliverance that God offers, than that which is offered by the world, because in Christ, deliverance comes with an absolute certainty, it comes with permanence, and it is guaranteed with certain expected results. That’s because it involves setting us free from a person, not only from bad habits.

After Adam and Eve sinned, satan then became the de facto leader of the human race, and he did put a stranglehold on the entire human family. Thus, God would have us understand, that satan only buckles under pressure that is exerted by Christ.

 It is true that God offered to humanity the freedom from this tyrannical leader, but emancipation is only accessed through Christ alone. Let’s read:

Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is true that Christ’s death on Calvary forever put the devil into reverse gear, yet the raw facts on the ground certainly make it manifest that many people are still in bondage.

Thus, the question is: How can this be? How could billions of individuals still be in bondage, when Jesus has already come and done what was necessary to set the captives free? This question begs of another: Is it possible for a decent law abiding citizen of earth who is well behaved, well educated, and has great credit, to be still in captivity to man’s nemesis?

As a general rule, when Jesus speaks of deliverance He is referring to breaking the yoke of sin, by which humanity has been bound to satan, referred to as the person, later on in our study. This is the reason why the breaking off of many bad habits, in and of itself, does not necessarily constitute the Scriptural deliverance Christ speaks of.

If a person has a bad gambling habit, and is stressed out because of financial mayhem, that person could call 888-admit it and the resources and help needed will be given to such a person and he/ she can, and in many instances, do recover from the thralldom of gambling. This could be accomplished without any intervention from God.

Smokers can buy nicotine patches, or persons could gradually phase out the habit through counselling, the use of Juul, or by sheer will power. In fact, some have been known to cut the habit “Cold- turkey” as it were, and some never suffered recidivism. Yet, if that person does not experience God’s salvation, he or she is still in captivity, according to the scripture.

Again, if a person has been struggling with alcohol abuse for many years that person can call Alcoholics Anonymous, and they would receive the help, and resources to kick the habit. Folks do not necessarily need God to do that.

The same goes for drug and substance abuse, for there are many resources available locally, and at the federal level to help persons overcome, and it is a fact that many persons have benefitted positively by such ongoing efforts.

There are persons who were once drug addicts, who got their act together by zipping up their boots, and grabbing the bull by the horns, and by appropriating the resources and help available, many have kicked the bad habit and have gone on to get their degrees and now have excellent credit scores, and they lead  honorable lives.

This is all well and good, and the results are worthy of commendation, but this is not the deliverance God is referencing, when He speaks of setting the captives free. Unless a person is set free from the “person” it is not real deliverance, for many are still in bondage even though they might have a stunning array of good habits to show.

To put it plainly, good habits, in and of themselves are not necessarily indicative of freedom from the bondage the Bible speaks of. For instance, the rich young ruler did not manifest any bad habits, as far as we know. He was an honorable member of the society he lived in and he was well respected by all.

Yet, as he himself confessed, there was something gravely lacking, some unknown void in his life which he struggled with, and which he could not explain. He is shown in the scriptures to be in bondage to a person, yet retaining good habits.

There are certain things in the spiritual realm that some persons may not be aware of, and which must now be made plain so that we all might understand what, and who we are dealing with.

[1] When an individual is in captivity to devils, in the overwhelming majority of instances, the captive is permitted to keep most of his or her intellect intact. This is a collateral blessing of what Christ has done for the human family, for Jesus says to devils: “Thus far and no further”, to some extent.

Herod was permitted to live long after his probation was closed, and although he was fully possessed by man’s nemesis he was allowed by satan to retain his intellect, for those who are thus permitted could do much more damage than individuals who might be frothing at the mouth, and uttering unintelligible things. Let’s read:

Acts 12: 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

[2] The retention of our sanity is a direct byproduct of Christ’s victory on Calvary, and it should never be taken for granted. The ability to reason intelligently and rationally, is only possible because of what God has done through Christ, and what He continues to do. You remove God’s restraining power, and there comes a tsunami of mad people, completely off of their rockers. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit  of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

[The Great Controversy pp 517] The power and malice of Satan and his host might justly alarm us, were it not that we may find shelter and deliverance in the superior power of our Redeemer. If permitted they can distract our minds, disorder, torment our bodies, destroy our possessions, and our lives. Their only delight is in misery and destruction.

[3] The restraining power of God alone, is the only reason why humanity has not yet been plunged into irretrievable ruin, because it is the God factor in the human equation which keeps the wheels of sanity turning. Let’s read:

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

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

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

Proverbs 21: 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.

Psalms 33: 16 There is no king that is saved by the multitude of a host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

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

Psalms 146: 3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

[The Great Controversy pp 517] We carefully secure our houses with bolts and locks to protect our property and our lives from evil men; but we seldom think of the evil angels who are constantly seeking access to us, and against whose attacks we have, in our own strength, no method of defense.

[4] If the God factor were to be removed tomorrow, all who have not experienced a Biblical deliverance will suddenly manifest very strange behaviors, and the winds of strife spoken of in Revelation will then be let loose.

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Therefore, when Jesus speaks of setting the captives free, He is referring primarily to emancipating folks from the shackles of man’s nemesis. Good habits or behaviors will naturally follow after God delivers us, if Christ is sitting on the throne of the heart, but first and foremost God has to get the person in question, out of the way.

Now, if God’s salvation was only about having good habits, persons may very well claim victory on their own, but if, as the scriptures teach us, “Setting the captives free” has to do with being freed from the stranglehold of a particular person, then it raises the question of who is the scripture really referring to. There is one, and only one person who fits the bill.

In order to bring the gravity of the situation to the forefront of our minds, Christ explained what takes place in the battle for our souls. A fearful warfare ensues, and the use of force has to be exercised in order for us to be set free, for as we have stated on many occasions previously, devils never voluntarily leave a person. Let’s read:

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

The word “When” refers to an inevitable condition of the human heart, by which a person’s mind is to a lesser or greater extent, naturally under the domain of one or more devils, and unless Christ serves them an eviction notice, that person remains under their jurisdiction, for all intents and purposes. That’s why the word “When” is used instead of “If”.

If it was just a mere possibility Jesus was referring to He would have used the word “If”, and therefore, it would go something like this: “If the unclean spirit goes out of a man”. The Weather channel does not speak of Hurricane season as an “If”. It says “When” hurricane season begins, for what is being referred to is an inevitable fact of life.

You ask any Floridian in their right mind if hurricane season is a mere possibility, or whether, come June 1st, or even before, you could expect strong winds, and heavy rain. Down here in the Sunshine state it is sun in the morning, with afternoon thunderstorms. It’s not an “If” it’s a “When”.

Thus, when Jesus opens with the word “When” He is referring folks to a grave condition of the human heart, by which it is dominated by an unseen person who will never leave on his own. It does not matter how many good habits and talents folks might have cultivated, and it does not matter if one has a good credit score, is well educated, or has lots of cash.

Unless Jesus sets the captives free, by evicting that unseen person in question, the human agent is in bondage, and remains in that condition until he or she is delivered from devils. Satan is busy at work in the hearts of drug addicts and prostitutes, but he is also at work in the hearts of many well-educated persons.

This is certainly an inconvenient truth which most of us would prefer not to hear, but it is just the facts in the matter. In other words, an invisible “someone” is always sitting on the throne of the heart, and it is up to us to choose who that someone will be. Let’s read:

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

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

45 Then he goes, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Case in point was the rich young ruler, who felt an unknown emptiness in his soul, who came to Jesus asking about his condition, but after Jesus told him what needed to be done, he went away sorrowful, and was never ever set free from his captor.

After he turned away from the only Person who can help in such situations he was then permitted by his captor to retain his intellect, his good habits, and his good standing among men. He did not start to curse and misbehave himself, as some other persons who may manifest visible signs of demon possession.

Instead, if you were to visit the rich young ruler’s home you would most likely find it to be neat and tidy, and he would continue to pursue his higher education, racking up excellent grades, going on to get his Doctorate, and if persons were to read the dissertation he wrote for his P.H.D, it would savor only of an incredibly intelligent mind with a high I.Q.

All the while he’s still entirely subjugated in bondage to this invisible person we’re speaking about, and he has not a clue as to his true condition. The freedom that the gospel offers through Christ alone, reaches much deeper than emancipation from bad habits or attitudes.

It’s not only the eviction process that puts the forces of darkness into reverse gear; if a person so chooses Jesus begins the creation of an entirely new heart and mind, that is inclined to God and righteousness. It is such persons Jesus refers to when He says “My sheep hear My voice, and they shall never perish”. 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.

Hence the reason why Jesus makes it abundantly clear that persons in whom God’s emancipation has not yet taken place are not expected to obey God in the real Biblical sense. They may do good, they may be law abiding citizens of the country in which they dwell, but they are still in bondage to this “person”.

Even though, like the rich young ruler persons might attempt righteousness, and might actually succeed in doing so externally, the fact remains that they are still in captivity to the person in question and makes deliverance all the more necessary. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The way that a person is set free from captivity is by using their God-given freedom of choice to ask for deliverance. God does not arbitrarily impose a new mind on anyone against their own will, and because of this, we will have to choose to avail ourselves of the freedom Christ offers, from the bondage to the person, that is indigenous in the human experience.

Prayer for deliverance is encouraged, and when this is done in sincerity, Jesus will always respond in the positive, for this is the essence of salvation, that of setting the captives free. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol. 1 pp 295] Satan leads many to believe that prayer to God is useless and but a form. He well knows how needful are meditation and prayer to keep Christ's followers aroused to resist his cunning and deception. Satan is enraged at the sound of fervent prayer, for he knows that he will suffer loss.

In our day, there are many advertised pathways to heaven, and various types of deliverance are on sale without the God factor. The phrase “Good without God” savors of human efforts to do, and to be good. But while this may go a long way in maintaining an equilibrium in our society, it does not address the root problem of personal captivity to invisible foes.

Therefore, it is a stark warning issued by God in His word, that none should be deceived as to the high stakes in the game of life, for inevitably, we will be under the control of one of two masters, and there are only two. Let’s read:

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

Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

2nd Peter 2: 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

[The Desire of Ages pp 324] When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.

But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world.

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

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

Let us therefore avail ourselves of the freedom that only the indwelling Christ can offer, and wherever there may be a desire for a permanent change of heart, let everyone remember that we can always access God’s throne of grace to find help in time of need.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should keep before our minds, the sacred truth of freedom that is found only in Christ. Let’s read:

John 8: 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

                                     God Bless!

Here Comes The Latter Rain. Sabbath afternoon 06/10/2023

Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

The Latter Rain spoken of in the above passage has to do with the final outpouring of The Holy Spirit on the earth, just before the second coming of Christ. Copious amounts of grace will be bestowed upon all of earth’s inhabitants so that every living person can make an informed choice, either for or against God.

Thus, the Latter Rain will be poured out upon the righteous and the unrighteous to bring the harvests of earth’s multitudes to maturity, which will cause a sealing of one’s destiny through the choices that are made.

The living righteous will be permanently sealed into righteousness, and the wicked would be brought to maturity in wickedness by the choices and decisions that are made. Three segments of the study today will deal with the following:

[1] Situational awareness [2] The maturing of earth’s harvests. [3] Our personal preparation for the Latter Rain.

 However, before we delve into the study, there is important information that we must observe as it will pertain to the time of the latter rain, because it will be seen that many of the recorded events which took place at Pentecost, will be repeated when the latter rain is poured out. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

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

         We will begin with situational awareness.

The out pouring of the latter rain does not coerce a person’s conscience, nor does it force anyone into choosing either good or evil. It does however enable all to see the truth clearly so that persons can make up their minds permanently, as it pertains to God’s kingdom of light, or satan’s kingdom of darkness.

This is accomplished when The Holy Spirit brings to the forefront of the conscience, present truths that need to be decided upon, and if persons respond in the positive, then they will be booked for heaven.

On the contrary, when the truth is brought home to the conscience in a concentrated blaze, when there is no escaping, or reasoning away of the facts in the matter; if a person then chooses to reject Christ and the truths associated with Him, then one’s decision is recorded for eternity, and such folks will receive their dues.

Day by day persons are given opportunity to choose between Christ and satan, between truth and error, and between good and evil, and thus, the choices a person makes become permanently crystalized into character, for the decisions that will be made at the time of the latter rain, represent for the most part, a culmination of choices which have been made over the course of one’s lifetime.

Persons would not get up one morning, and decide to take the mark of the beast suddenly, and persons should not expect to be sealed suddenly either, for both the sealing work and the mark of the beast are representative of processes of preparation that have been ongoing for many years, in most instances.

God has been working and He’s currently working in many hearts and some of the recipients of His grace may not have a clue that such a work is taking place in the background. The thief on the cross who gave his life to Christ did not do so suddenly. Long before he acknowledged Christ publicly, the Holy Spirit had been working with him.

Therefore, when we see him blurt out those words, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Your kingdom”, that was a culmination of God’s work on his heart that had been in progress for many years. The seed had been sown long before, and now, it springs up, and bears fruit. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 749] Both the men who were crucified with Jesus had at first railed upon Him; and one under his suffering became more desperate and defiant. But not so with his companion. This man was not a hardened criminal; he had been led astray by evil associations.

He had seen and heard Jesus, and been convicted by His teaching, but he had been turned away from Him by the priests and rulers. Seeking to stifle conviction, he had plunged deeper and deeper into sin, until he was arrested, tried as a criminal, and condemned to die on the cross.

And now, all sin-polluted as it is, his life history is about to close. He calls to mind all he has heard of Jesus, how He has healed the sick and pardoned sin. The Holy Spirit illuminates his mind, and little by little the chain of evidence is joined together.

In Jesus, bruised, mocked, and hanging upon the cross, he sees the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. Hope is mingled with anguish in his voice as the helpless, dying soul casts himself upon a dying Savior. “Lord, remember me,” he cries, “when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.”

Under the outpouring of the early rain, Paul became frustrated with some apparently stubborn hearts in a certain town, and he was just about ready to call it quits with the people.

But God instructed Paul, that contrary to what had taken place, Jesus actually had many people in that city, and he was to remain there, working in their behalf, until their minds were fully persuaded of the truth. Paul did, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Acts 18: 5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

9 Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Again, when we read in Revelation the words “Come out of her my people”, God is calling persons, upon whom the work of God’s Spirit has been ongoing for many years, yet they were sitting in partial darkness, as regards the Bible Sabbath, and the immutability of all the commandments of God.

They do not just suddenly become God’s people, for they were always His people, but they did not have the clear unadulterated truth brought home to their consciences in ways that brought conviction. Several passages of scripture confirm this fact. Let’s read:

John 10: 15 As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there will be one fold and one shepherd.

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Isaiah 43: 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Thus, as the Latter Rain gains steam, we should be cultivating situational awareness, meaning that care must be taken not to proscribe persons who might seem to be settled into false doctrine, or erroneous ways. The Latter Rain represents Christ’s last-ditch efforts to save as many persons as He possibly can, and this is the perspective which He now desires us to cultivate. Let’s read:

[ Special Testimonies To Ministers and Workers vol 3 pp 28] 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.

[Letters And Manuscripts Vol. 5 par. 11] There are many among the Catholics who live up to the light they have far better than many who claim to believe present truth, and God will just as surely test and prove them as He has tested and proved us. From that which God has shown me, a great number will be saved from among the Catholics.

It is true that many individuals will be hearing truths about the Bible Sabbath for the first time, while to others, who may have known about it, but were not fully persuaded, its importance would be brought home to their consciences with remarkable clarity, through the power of The Holy Spirit.

Therefore, the latter rain should be understood in the context of that special bestowal of God’s grace, given to bring to maturity, and permanence, a work that has been taking place all along in the hearts of many. It would reach its crescendo in the latter rain, but the process itself had always been ongoing.

The outpouring of the early rain by The Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was a microcosm of what will be taking place as we near the close of probation, and because we are living on the brink of eternity, it will be wise to study the circumstances of the early rain to better understand and to be prepared for the latter rain.

The latter rain is scheduled to fall upon all who live upon planet earth, including the good, the bad or in between. It isn’t restricted to the remnant people of God, but instead will be made available to everyone who would be alive at that time. Let’s note well the similarities in the following passages. Let’s read:

[The Early Rain] Acts 1: 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

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

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

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

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

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

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

This leads us to the second segment of the study:

[2] The maturing of earth’s harvests.

It is of critical importance that any light which God is shedding on our pathway, be incorporated into our daily experiences, for it is only as truth and duty are synthesized that spiritual maturity can take place. To hold the truth only in a philosophical format doesn’t do any good, but instead can make things worse for those who are hearers but not doers.

Wickedness is also brought to maturity, and it could become so deep-seated that it would define who a person is. Latent tendencies strengthen with every indulgence, and the clamors of our fallen human do nature become more aggressive and assertive every time they satisfied, contrary to the scriptures.

Thus, both the good and bad of earth’s harvests are gradually chiseling out their own destiny, as choices and decisions to do either good or evil are ramped up. This is why in Revelation chapter 14 we read of two harvests and the word “Harvest” obviously only applies when the produce in question has been fully developed, or in other words, have come to full maturity.

It is most worthy of note that the reaping of earth’s harvests occurs in the very same chapter which will bring every person to the point of decision in taking  either the mark of the beast, or in obeying all of the commandments of God, including the fourth which focuses on the Sabbath. Let’s read:

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

14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Without a doubt, it was the outpouring of the Latter Rain which was the catalyst for the speedy ripening of earth’s harvests. Prior to this time persons might have been dilly-dallying with their eternal destiny, but now, as The Spirit of God puts the issues very squarely on the front burner of the mind, persons will have to certify their choices.

Ananias and Saphira were partakers of the early rain but, instead of maturing them into righteousness, it caused them to come to maturity in wickedness. In other words, the choices that they had been making all along culminated and converged during the early rain, thus bringing their probation to a permanent close.

If one who knows better has been secretly robbing God in tithes and offerings all along, the Latter Rain won’t necessarily bring about some sudden change in practice. Instead, the habit and practice will most likely be confirmed and cemented forever, if positive change is not instituted.

Reasoning away one’s obligations to God on rational grounds, sets the stage for persons to be vacillating in their convictions, and this in turn opens the door for logical reason to take precedence over a known duty.

When persons make a commitment to God whether it be monetary or a pledge of service, it should be held as sacred, and such persons must do all in their power, to make good on that which was promised. But, to reason away a commitment, on apparently rational grounds, will put us at cross purposes with God. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

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

Under the outpouring of the Early Rain, Ananias and Sapphira had basked in the presence, and power of The Holy Ghost, yet they had chosen to retain errors that would only be made manifest when tested.

None should believe that they suddenly defrauded God, for as was stated before, the choices a person makes all along, often become crystalized into the character, if necessary changes in habit or practice do not take place.

In other words, what they were indulging secretly all along was brought to maturity under the Early Rain, and it converged and culminated when it came time for decisions. Just so it will be with all who pay hush money to conscience in an effort to stifle conviction.

If we have sinned in robbing God or if we have done anything that is contrary to truth and duty we must call sin by its right name when confessing, but never should we attempt to make excuses or reason away the voice of conscience on rational, logical grounds.

Their decision to hold back part of the money from the land they had sold was the result of the habit of rationally reasoning away convictions of conscience, a habit that had been in process, and development for many years.

Rationalism and logic are two peas in a pod and are two of the many false prophets in our day that have driven some persons to compromise truth and duty, whenever it is more convenient, profitable, or easier to do so.

Whatever persons may know to be right, however miniscule and insignificant it might seem to be, it must and should be done conscientiously, if one is to continue to grow in grace. This is what Ananias and Sapphira did not do, and it ended in a tragedy that caused great fear and consternation among the believers. Let’s read:

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

The man “Joses” was not coerced to sell his land nor was he forced to bring the proceeds thereof to the church. The Holy Ghost had impressed him to do so, but he was left free and clear to choose to follow his convictions.

The same thing had taken place with Ananias and Sapphira, for they were convinced by the Holy Spirit to follow Joses’ lead. Yet they, like Joses, were left free and clear to do, or not to do as convicted. If, in their minds, the commitment may have seemed to be too much then they could refrain from making it.

But to make the commitment, and then to reason it away on rational grounds, set them up for what was to be their last church service. Whenever a promise, or a commitment is made to God, we should expect satan to challenge it on rational grounds.

The quicker the commitment is fulfilled is the better it will be for the person in question, because waiting can give satan time to employ logic in tempting such an one to renege on his or her promise. If a person’s budget is tight, it may be preferable to return one’s tithes, and offerings at a different time, than when the mortgage or rent is due.

If the both obligations were to converge at the same time, the enemy of souls would undoubtedly try his best, to reason away the commitment to God, using logic, as he did so successfully, with those two who were brought to the point of decision, at Pentecost. Let’s read:

Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?  thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Acts of the Apostles pp 71>72] In sharp contrast to the example of benevolence shown by the believers was the conduct of Ananias and Sapphira, whose experience, traced by the pen of Inspiration, has left a dark stain upon the history of the early church.

With others, these professed disciples had shared the privilege of hearing the gospel preached by the apostles. They had been present with other believers when, after the apostles had prayed, “the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.” Acts 4:31.

Deep conviction had rested upon all present, and under the direct influence of the Spirit of God, Ananias and Sapphira had made a pledge to give to the Lord the proceeds from the sale of certain property.  

Afterward, Ananias and Sapphira grieved the Holy Spirit by yielding to feelings of covetousness. They began to regret their promise and soon lost the sweet influence of the blessing that had warmed their hearts with a desire to do large things in behalf of the cause of Christ.

They thought they had been too hasty, that they ought to reconsider their decision. They talked the matter over, and decided not to fulfill their pledge.

And now, we turn to the final segment of the study: Our personal preparation for the latter rain.

One of the issues that had to be addressed, before the early rain could be poured out, and one which Jesus had to deal with on several occasions was that of seeking for the highest place, a motive which had and has the potential to bring about strife.

When the disciples James and John, with their Mom went privately to Jesus to ask for the highest place in His kingdom, it triggered a severe backlash from the other disciples who had become incensed at the thought that these two could presume to go behind the others backs, and dare to make such a brazen request.

Again, when at the upper room for the last supper, none of them would stoop so low as to wash their brethren’s feet. A callous indifference pervaded the atmosphere, as they each determined that such a duty was too menial for them, and thus they waited and waited, until Jesus Himself did that which they would not do.

Thus, with this mindset, they would not be prepared for the outpouring of the early rain, and therefore, a chain of circumstances would be permitted by God, in an effort to cure the problem once and for all. Thus, after Jesus was crucified and buried, they now found themselves huddling together in the upper room for fear of the Jews, for they now realize like never before that the highest place carries with it the highest risk.

Therefore, a common fear for their lives was one of the catalysts in the preparation of the disciples to receive the early rain. Up until the time when Christ had been crucified, they were haggling over who should be the greatest. Now, there is only silence and trembling, not a word about who should be the greatest is heard, and the common threat to them all, serves to unify them like never before. Let’s read:

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

Similarly, it is quite possible that a common threat to the Remnant people of God in our day may bring all arguments about status, rank, and position to a screeching halt and as a result, there could be unity, and singleness of heart, the likes of which we have never seen before.

Pride, and sin in all of its varied forms must be put away, and there must be deep soul searching, as per our motives, and intents, to see if we are harboring sentiments, feelings, and aspirations which do not meet the gold standard.

This work must be done in tandem with God, for it’s only He who can search us and try us to see if there is any wicked way in us. And then, if there is He bids us come to the throne of grace that we may obtain power and grace to relinquish such defects in our characters.

A thorough, and systematic study of the Bible, with the intention to obey that which is studied, is very important, because the sealing work is two pronged in nature, meaning that persons must be practicing righteousness on an ongoing basis, through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost.

But the sealing work is also intellectual in nature, for we would have to be so rooted, and grounded in the truth and in Christ, that we would not be shaken by the undeniable evidences of our five senses, when the miracle-working power of demons overspreads the land.

But, for us to wait until some general threat to the Remnant people of God becomes a reality, to then huddle together in fear, will demonstrate that we have not learned our lessons well.  

Hence the reason why the servant of God cautions us to study carefully in the book of Acts, that which the early believers went through, because many of the same things are scheduled to be repeated when the Latter Rain begins to gain momentum.

Let us all then make a thorough preparation for the Latter Rain, so that when it does fall, we would have been brought to maturity in Christ. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which certifies the things that were spoken and it is the will of God that our decisions from day to day would come down on the side of good, not of evil. 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.

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.

                                     God Bless!

How To Study The Bible. Sabbath afternoon 06/03/2023

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

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

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

Before we get into the study for today, we have to let you know that God has cautioned the peoples of earth, that the time is coming, and it is almost here, when it will become increasingly difficult for people to find and understand the unadulterated word of God.

And now, folks are just on the brink of a cataclysmic transformation of scripture, which threatens to hit the world like a freight train. This is because, as we have stated time and time again, satan’s work is not startling at the outset, for he is a systematic worker who introduces evil to the masses of people, with apparently the best of intentions.

Satan does not necessarily seek to eliminate the word of God, because he cannot; instead, he prefers to mint so many versions and interpretations of the Bible that the sincere seeker for truth would have to sift through a maze of modified and altered versions which keep coming onstream fast and furiously.

First, the efforts began seemingly harmlessly, to try to make the word of God more user friendly, and easier for persons to read. That’s all well and good. But then, newer versions were minted with gender friendly texts and commentary. Then Bibles which portrayed, and favored certain cultural or political biases started coming to the surface.

Now, today, we have over 1000 different versions of the King James version and a Queen James version is now in circulation, for persons who favor certain aspects of pop culture.

Now, PETA, the acronym for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, one of the more prominent animal rights groups across the land have released their own animal friendly version of Genesis.

Since the letter E in the acronym stands for “Ethical” it will be appropriate for us at this time to observe what the word Ethics means: A set of moral issues or aspects of rightness; the discipline dealing with what is good or bad, right or wrong.

Now, it is true that PETA has done great work in our society, by highlighting the cruelties done to animals on commercial farms, and assisting in various ways, to bring the offenders to justice. Changes have been made for the better in many ways that are without a doubt, beneficial to animals that, would otherwise have been neglected and abused.

But we must drill down deeper, for if they now find it necessary to mint a revised version of the Genesis story to make it more humane and animal friendly, it begs of investigation, as to why such a rendition is warranted on ethical grounds.

Now if ethical issues are brought into question, that would undoubtedly call God’s character to account, since very much of all the animal activity in Genesis has to do with God directly, from their creation to the sacrifices that were ordained by God Himself.

Using Chat-GPT to write their version, they’ve now made a makeover of the Genesis account, filled with animal rights and vegan teachings. In their version, animals are referred to as “beings”, not as creatures or beasts, and plant fibers, like hemp, and bamboo, are used in place of animal skins for clothing, hinting that it was cruel of God to make clothing of skins.

In their version of Genesis, Abraham befriends a lamb instead of sacrificing a lamb, and both Abraham and Sarah adopt a dog named Herbie, for PETA believes God wouldn’t ever permit animal cruelty, and thus, these creative liberties have been taken.

According to Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, “The Bible has long been used to justify all forms of oppression, so we’ve used ChatGPT to make it clear that a loving God would never endorse exploitation of, or cruelty to animals.”

Now, some may say that they would never read any such version of Genesis, but could it be that some folks may already be thinking along PETA’s lines of reasoning. For instance, which of the two offerings brought by Cain and Abel would be deemed more humane?

We dare to suggest that most persons might vouch for Cain’s brand of worship, if given a choice, for his offering apparently spared the life of an innocent lamb, and thus, because the shedding of blood is something that most persons recoil from, it is not a stretch to think that Cain’s worship will most likely, be more pleasing to the majority of people.

By the way, Cain spares the lamb, but strangles his brother in the same breath. Thus, we should never be deceived by the undergirding modes of thought which may be driving the overt actions, for as we have stated before, the mark of the beast has much more top do with a mindset, than with the mark in the hand or the forehead.

If the book of Genesis, and other books of the Bible have to be edited, or modified, and reinterpreted by Chat-GPT and artificial intelligence to fall in line with our cultural biases, or, the popular version of ethics, then, following that same mode of thought would inevitably lead some to believe that The God of the Bible is cruel.

This sentiment has actually been harbored by many, and as a result, some folks view the God of the Old Testament as being entirely different from the God of the New Testament.

Hence the reason why God caused the following to be written, warning us that the truth would become more difficult to find, especially if persons tend to be swayed by political or cultural biases. 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.

Thus, when reading the Bible, the sincere seeker for truth must be prepared to lay aside his or her biases and political persuasions. Cultural norms, and things which might be socially acceptable should never be made to interfere with or taint that which is written, for this is strictly forbidden by God.

Again, the Bible is its own interpreter, and therefore must be allowed at all times to speak authoritatively for itself. Additions or subtractions made to suit the fancy are forbidden and every private interpretation is to be held at bay. We must come to the scriptures as learners, not to dictate to God what we may feel His word should or shouldn’t say.

Prayer before a study of the word of God is a must, for, without a humble submission to be taught by God we would be liable to wrest the Scripture from its true meaning, and this almost always leads folks to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity.

The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible writers, and thus, we will need the presence and power of The Spirit in order to read and interpret correctly. The apostle Paul speaks of persons who study and study, and yet are never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

That’s because the Scriptures cannot be approached using the same methods or strategies like science or mathematics. A humble attitude would be of more value than lots of intelligence, when studying God’s word, and the intention to obey that which is read is the determining factor in whether one understands the Bible. Let’s read:

John 7: 16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

[Counsels for the Church pp 88] 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 the 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.

The habit of taking one isolated scripture, and then building a doctrine or theory on it, is not the way we are to draw our conclusions. Line must be upon line and precept must be upon precept. In other words, several passages of scripture would have to stacked, and studied together, so that a correct exegesis can be arrived at.

One of the pitfalls to avoid when studying the Bible is that of literal interpretation in every instance. The tendency to take God literally every time He speaks could lead persons to do some very strange things. Take for instance, the following passage, which says to cut your hand if it offends you. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:29 And if thy right eye offends you pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand offends thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Believe it or not, these two verses are implemented in the most literal sense in certain parts of the world because in some countries, the hand, or foot are cut off either caused offence by stealing certain things.

When the philistines finally captured Samson, they literally plucked out his two eyes, for as far as they were concerned, he had caused much offence. But spiritual things are spiritually discerned, and anyone who studies the Bible, as it stipulates it ought to be studied, could never ever come to such a gruesome conclusion. Let’s read:

Luke 9:53 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.

Literalist interpretation has also led to the doctrine of Transubstantiation, by which certain religions do teach that the bread and wine of the communion, becomes the literal flesh and blood of Christ, when it is ingested. This is lifted from a passage that was never intended to be taken literally. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

28 For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

If Christ meant this literally, He would be advocating cannibalism, something that is strictly forbidden in other parts of the Bible. But, if the Bible is studied as it says it must be studied, any hint of cannibalism is immediately refuted and proscribed to never land forever. Let’s read:

Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.

27 Whatsoever soul it be that eats any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Literalist interpretation has also led to the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. The parable of Abraham and Lazarus, the real life account of Saul and the witch of Endor, together with several other passages that were erroneously taken literally, have also led to the false doctrine that the human soul is immortal. Let’s take some examples:

Genesis 35:16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor.

17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

1st Kings 17:17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20 And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

Ecclesiastes 12:6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

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

In all three of the examples given, the Hebrew word NEPHESH is used, and it occurs several times in the Old Testament, but never does the word suggest, or even refer to some disembodied intelligent entity of a person, floating around somewhere on this planet, let alone in heaven.

It is correctly interpreted as life, or breath, but not as a separate living entity, outside of the body. Thus, to arrive at correct conclusions when studying these and any other similar passages, the clear, scriptural doctrine on the matter should form the basis of the interpretation regardless of how one or more Bible writers may render an event.

Hence the reason why sound doctrine is important, for it forms the foundation of the belief system, and when doctrine is Bible based it becomes immovable and unapologetic, meaning that whatever folks may read pertaining to a specific event, the foundational doctrine never changes. Let’s read:

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

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

Thus, the following Biblical passages form the basis and foundation of the correct belief system, as it pertains to the state of man in death. However, and whatever one or more Bible writers might seem to say to the contrary, must never be made to do any violence to the core, Biblical tenet on the matter. Let’s read:

Genesis 2: 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:19 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.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

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.

Job 7: 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more.

10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him anymore.

Thus, when persons read the following narrative, it would be well if their minds had been previously garrisoned with the core, foundational doctrine of the state of man in death and therefore, whatsoever the writer in question might say, or leave out in the narrative, the Biblical doctrine stands as solid as a rock. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what did you see? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

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

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

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spoke by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David:

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.

19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

      That could never be Samuel. Never!

It does not even matter whether the writer, in this instance says so, for if the Bible is studied as it says it must be no one in their right mind should come to the conclusion that God permitted a witch to call His faithful servant from the grave.

To put it bluntly, the “Old man with the mantle” is none other but satan. All angels have the ability to appear in the form of men, and this has occurred on several different occasions and continues to this day in the here and now.

Christ and two holy angels met Abraham one day, in the form of men, and Abraham was none the wiser until only after the fact. They washed their feet, and sat down to eat and drink, and it was only afterward when they called Sarah by name, that Abraham was alerted to what was really taking place. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

[The Great Controversy pp 551] Here is a channel regarded as sacred, through which Satan works for the accomplishment of his purposes. The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit world. While professing to bring the living into communication with the dead, the prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds.

 He has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness.

One of the more critically important requirements when studying the Scriptures is that of harboring, and cultivating the perspective that God is love, and that everything God does is from a foundation of loving-kindness. Let’s read:

1st John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Even His judgements are to be interpreted from this very perspective, or else persons will draw wrong conclusions as to His intents and purposes. When God shed the blood of the first lamb, to clothe our first parents, it was an act of love.

When God sent His Son to die on Calvary, it was an act of love. We just cannot say it enough, for what ever God does, be it acts of mercy, healing, reproof or judgements, it has always been, and will always be from the perspective of love, for the principle of love defines who God is.

The flood of the antediluvian world, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the blessings, and curses found in the book of Deuteronomy are all to be seen in the context of God’s love. God doesn’t do anything that will not be in the best interest of the beings He has created.

Therefore, even if some might stumble, or balk at some of His actions in the Old Testament, we would never be moved, or even shaken in our faith, if our core understanding of God is that He is love.

Persons who have not come to this understanding as yet, have a long way to go, for without it, there’s a very real possibility that when studying the Bible, one may read into it, what the Bible writers never intended, and as such, a person may become angry or upset with God for doing such and such in some instances. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Take for example, in the following passages, we read of a God who might seem to be fuming mad at His people on account of their idolatry at Mt. Sinai, and it might seem as if He is so fed up with the Hebrews to the point where He is just about to disown them. Let’s read:

Exodus 32: 9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people:

10 Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Question: How would you understand this passage? Would you go away with the impression that God has had it up to here with them? Or would you see it as God calling Moses to intercessory prayer, for the good of His people?

Depending on how one views God, the passage will be interpreted in one of two ways, either that God is finished with His people, or that He is yearning to save them from themselves. Which one is it? At this juncture we’ll have to let you know that many folks may read and study the Bible, and yet do not know who God is! Let’s read:

Exodus 32:11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 318] Moses discerned ground for hope where there appeared only discouragement and wrath. The words of God, “Let Me alone,” he understood not to forbid but to encourage intercession, implying that nothing but the prayers of Moses could save Israel, but that if thus entreated, God would spare His people.

Moses understood that core principle of love we spoke of earlier, as being an intrinsic element in the character of God, and even if it now seems as if God is frustrated with His people, Moses would remain unshaken in his belief and understanding that God is love.

Thus, it will be with everyone who understands that God is love, and with every story that is read in the Bible, such a person will be able to clearly read and interpret God’s actions in most cases, even when it has to do with judgements. It will always be seen or interpreted in the context of God’s love. Let’s read:

Genesis 6: 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

These passages depict not only justice, but mercy and love to the human family, with the very best of interest for all in mind. In fact, if God did not destroy the antediluvian world when He did, no one would be alive today, and the human race would have long ago become entirely extinct. Several specifics about the antediluvian make this crystal clear. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 91>99] Polygamy had been early introduced, contrary to the divine arrangement at the beginning. The Lord gave to Adam one wife, showing His order in that respect. But after the Fall, men chose to follow their own sinful desires; and as the result, crime and wretchedness rapidly increased.

Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected. Whosoever coveted the wives or the possessions of his neighbor, took them by force, and men exulted in their deeds of violence.

They delighted in destroying the life of animals; and the use of flesh for food rendered them still more cruel and bloodthirsty, until they came to regard human life with astonishing indifference. As sin became general, it appeared less and less sinful, and they finally declared that the divine law was no longer in force.

The altars on which human sacrifices had been offered were torn down, and the worshipers were made to tremble at the power of the living God, and to know that it was their corruption and idolatry which had called down their destruction.

Persons who choose to study the Bible in our day are to bear in mind that the object of such a study is to understand, and appreciate the character of God, with the intention of following in Christ’s footsteps as they are empowered by His Holy Spirit to do so.

 Merely studying for argument’s sake, or to bring up controversial points and questions, will cause folks to miss the boat entirely, for the ones who are given light and knowledge are not to hold the principles of righteousness both in theory and in practice for the sealing work of God in the forehead, settles persons into the truth both intellectually and spiritually. Let’s read:

[G.C pp 593] Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God will be opposed and derided. In order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the will of God as revealed in his Word; they can honor him only as they have a right conception of his character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to study the Bible for ourselves, and when this is done on a consistent basis, the benefits thereof will accrue, to the glory of God and to the benefit of those with whom we come in contact. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

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

                                      God Bless!

Who's Going To Heaven. Sabbath afternoon 05/20/2023

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Persons across the earth are quite often perplexed with this question of “Who is going to heaven” and, in their search for answers, doctrines, teachings and smooth sayings of men, not based in scripture are adopted. But the study today will outline from the Bible what God says about the matter, and should forever quell any misunderstandings about eternal life.

 The false doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul, seeks to fill a void in the human experience, by offering the bliss of heaven to mortals, under terms and conditions God does not recognize nor endorse.

In our study we will seek to set forth in distinct lines what the Bible says about “Who’s going to heaven” and the word of God will address some of the more urgent concerns, and popular misconceptions about eternal life, that have been adopted over the years.

First though, we should let the Bible speak for itself, on the good purposes of Christ towards the human family and the points that are made must be etched indelibly into our consciences, so as to guide us into a good understanding of “Who’s Going To Heaven”

[1] If it were up to God alone, every human being would be taken to heaven. This was God’s original purpose, and over the entire history of our planet, He has worked diligently and systematically to make heaven accessible to all. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2: 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Revelation 22: 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

[God’s Amazing Grace pp 344] It was God's purpose to repopulate heaven with the human family, if they would show themselves obedient to His every word. Adam was to be tested, to see whether he would be obedient, as the loyal angels, or disobedient. If he stood the test, his instruction to his children would have been only of loyalty. His mind and thoughts would have been as the mind and thoughts of God.

[2] God takes no delight in the death of those who will not make it to heaven, for He sent His Son to     save to the uttermost, any, and everyone who will accept of His grace. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 33: 11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die,  O house of Israel?

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.

[3] The determining factor in who is going to heaven is a matter of choice, because no one is ever locked against their will in an iron destiny from which there is no escape. The question of who’s going to heaven is generally settled at the gateway of choice. Let’s read:

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

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest

cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days.

John 5: 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

John 6: 66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

[4] It’s not what a person has done that would keep him, or her out of heaven; it is what one does with the remedy God has provided in Christ which is the determining factor in whether a person is taken to heaven or not.

Transgenders, gays, lesbians, and queers are not to be considered as being beyond the reach of God’s grace, for even though God does not endorse ways that are contrary to His word, He still loves persons whom He died for, and as such, God is willing and able to save to the uttermost all who will come to Him.

 Hence the reason why in a previous Bible study, we strongly urged those who are struggling with gender issues, not to turn your backs on God, for at the end of the day, it is only Jesus who can help you. God is not in the business of destroying, instead He’s in the business of restoring, and as such, all the resources and efforts of heaven are geared towards that end.

In other words, while His servants should be careful not to water down Bible truth, they should also be careful not to water down God’s grace, because the same God who reproves, is the same God who will restore, if the human agent seeks Him for help. Let’s read:

Just because a man might be married to a woman in a monogamous relationship, does not render him or her more of a candidate for heaven than one who is struggling with gender issues.

Ahab and Jezebel were married for many years in a marriage that was not marred by infidelity to each other yet both of them will be lost eternally because of the choices they made.

 In fact, a lot of apparently good people will not be going to heaven, and a lot of folks who were once bad people will be present on resurrection morning, when God comes to claim His own. Let’s read:

Luke 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

1st John 1: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

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

The next passage of scripture is very interesting, for it specifies those who will not be going to heaven in great detail. Yet, the cast of characters given are not to be understood as being without hope while there is opportunity for change and pardon, for it is only if persons persist in a wrong course of action, that the inevitable will occur. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 6:9 “Don’t you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?..”

The unrighteous mentioned above included all of humanity, before God’s grace was manifested to us and received. There is absolutely no such thing as inherent goodness in persons, and therefore if God’s grace were to be removed from the equation, none would be found righteous. Let’s read:

Psalms 14: 2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Jeremiah 17: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

So, let’s read again with the understanding and the explanations:  

1st Corinthians 6:9 “Don’t you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, (Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and Elkanah, without God’s grace) nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, (Jacob, without God’s grace) nor covetous, nor drunkards, (Noah, David, Solomon, Lot without God’s grace) nor revilers, nor extortioners, (Zacchaeus without God’s grace) shall inherit the kingdom of God.

The passage also pinpoints persons who might be “effeminate” as on the list that are doomed. That is, like all those who we mentioned earlier, without the grace of God, if they never sought out Jesus for redemption and salvation. If they do, there is hope for them too, and they can and will be taken to heaven. Let’s read:

[Prophets and Kings pp 58] From being one of the greatest kings that ever wielded a scepter, Solomon became a profligate, the tool and slave of others. His character, once noble and manly, became enervated and effeminate. His faith in the living God was supplanted by atheistic doubts.

Then, after the grace of God which has appeared to all men had accomplished its work upon the heart of Solomon, he was transformed entirely, and wrote the following words, for all, who like him have been ensnared in a host of issues. And by the way, if you and I are faithful, we will see him in heaven with a crown on his head. It all has to do with the topic: “Who’s Going To heaven.” Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

 [5] Heaven will be a place of surprises. Some folks who are expected to be there might be missing, and others who were written off by mortals, as ineligible will be present with a crown on their heads.

Matthew 21:28 But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him.

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Our opening passage was taken from a conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus, who had come by night to find out the truth about the new Teacher, whom he believed, had been sent from God.

The fact that he came by night shows that he had some reservations about his convictions, added to which, he preferred not to be seen by his peers, as speaking with One who was thus disdained by the religious elite.

But with Jesus, persons can come by day or by night for it matters not what one’s reservations might be, if only persons will come. The conversation between Christ and Nicodemus demonstrates that Jesus can take care, one’s reservations, partial convictions and pressure or ridicule from one’s peers, for the plan of salvation is all-inclusive and it’s designed to save any and everyone who will believe.

In the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus, God clearly identifies those persons who will be taken to heaven, and Jesus outlines the ways and the means by which this is to be accomplished. Persons are not to believe that they are beyond the pale of Christ’s grace, if a firm concrete decision has not been made by them to reject Him.

Thus, in His explanations to Nicodemus Christ shows that many of the prerequisites that persons place on themselves, are not only unnecessary, but they are never to be considered as qualifiers, or disqualifiers in accessing God’s salvation. God’s grace manifested through Christ is designed to reach persons, both in high and low places, and those in between.

Persons who might be sitting on the fence are not excluded, and even those who are lukewarm in their relationship with Christ are not to give up hope, for all of these conditions have been addressed by God already, and Jesus has provided ways and means so that everyone can have a fair shot at eternal life.

For instance, after His rebuke of Laodicea, God then encourages the church to repent showing that there was still room for improvements and change, if and when the stipulated steps are taken to address the person’s lukewarm condition.

In other words, God’s diagnosis of lukewarmness is not a death sentence, but is meant to awake us to the urgency of the moment, and then, if we were to respond in the positive to His recommendations, all who were once lukewarm will have their conditions remedied, and reversed, and they also will be taken to heaven. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing and you know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

That’s the diagnosis, but it does not stop there, for no doctor ever stops with a diagnosis, but instead, uses it to make the necessary recommendations for fixing what needs to be fixed. If surgery is needed to address the problem, then surgery is recommended, but never does any doctor in their right mind, make a diagnosis just for the sake of diagnosing.

In fact, most of the times when we read of God in the Bible, issuing stern admonitions, warnings, and predictions of coming judgments, they should most often be understood as a call to repentance because God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone, and if He were to have His way in our lives through choices that we make, He would take everyone to heaven.

For instance, the threat that was issued against the city of Nineveh was intended as a wakeup call, for it was God’s purpose to save the city, not to destroy it in any way. This purpose Jonah didn’t yet fully grasp, and because of his misunderstanding, he stumbled when grace was manifested. Let’s read:

Jonah 3:10> Jonah 4:1 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

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

Similarly with Laodicea. The threat to spit folks out of His mouth was meant to arouse us to repentance, not to scare persons away from the throne of grace. When we read the Bible, we must be very careful to incorporate God’s grace, mercy and loving-kindness as bedrock, foundational principles of His character in our interpretations.

When this is done, threats, warnings, and even the possibility of coming judgments, are all to be seen and understood as calls to repentance. Never are they to be interpreted as God hating us or thirsting for revenge. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that you might be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Therefore, with the understanding that God prefers to have all persons saved and taken to heaven, let’s unpack our first opening passage, so as to grasp the importance of the following three questions, with the correct answers, in the context of who is going to heaven.

Question [1] What does it mean to “Believe” in The Son of God?

Question [2] Why use the symbol of the uplifted serpent?

Question [3] Why is the phrase “Should not perish”

used instead of “Will not perish”? Let’s read:

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.

15 That whosoever “believes in him” “should not” perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Question [1] What does it mean to “Believe” in The Son of God? Answer: Believing in Jesus isn’t something that is to held in a merely theoretical format. “Believe” is a verb, a word that involves and includes action. Thus, a person who truly believes will be spurred to action in order to confirm or manifest their belief.

Hence the reason why faith without works is dead, because when one believes, the very next thing to occur is action. In 1992 when hurricane Andrew was forecast to come ashore with wind speeds in excess of 160 mph, Floridians believed, but they didn’t just sit there and do nothing.

Bags of sand were placed around many businesses and homes, loose patio furniture was brought on the inside, windows were all boarded up, and your local Home Depot was abuzz with activity, until we hunkered down, for what turned out to be one of the costliest storms in U.S history.

Similarly, with believing in Jesus, the one who truly believes would be led to walk in harmony with what Jesus says, including, submitting themselves to be molded and led by His Spirit. This would inevitably include keeping the commandments of God as folks are empowered by The Spirit to do so.

The motive power comes from God but the choice is ours and then, as persons choose good over evil and right over wrong, the Holy Spirit etches God’s law in the conscience, so that the principles of the law are entrenched in the forehead, where one’s decisions are made.

Therefore, those who are going to heaven ultimately will have submitted themselves to have this critically important work done in their lives. The productions of The Holy Spirit in a person’s life, always lead to obedience. It cannot be otherwise, for this is how God’s image is renewed in the heart. Let’s read:

Hebrews 8: 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Psalms 40: 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Revelation 22: 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Satan’s version of the same passages leads persons to believe that faith without obedience is a winning ticket to heaven. But God will not take a deliberately disobedient person to heaven for such will try to stir up the old spirit of rebellion that caused Jesus to die on the cross in the first place. And in a nutshell “Not happening.”

Question [2] Why use the symbol of the uplifted serpent? The symbol of the uplifted serpent is used because God often uses symbols of the very same medium that caused problems in the first place, to bring about remedies for those who are thus adversely affected.

When Moses was about to go into Egypt to deliver the Hebrews, he was instructed to cast down his rod and it became a serpent. Those magicians in Egypt were using serpents, and thus, God would use what the Egyptians used, to bring victory and defeat, to the Hebrews and magicians respectively.

Antivenin is a refined, and concentrated preparation obtained by fractionating blood from healthy horses which have been injected with venom from snakes such as the diamondback and the rattle snake.

Thus, the very venom that the serpents use, is then employed in the healing processes. Again, when the recent Covid virus struck the world, one of the ways in which scientists worked to disarm the sting of the virus was to make monoclonal antibodies.

These are made by exposing a specific type of cell from the immune system to a particular viral protein of the covid virus. Small pox vaccine is made from a pox virus, and the vaccines for Measles, Mumps and Chickenpox are all derivatives from the very same respective viruses.

Thus, the uplifted serpent which was to represent Christ, signified that He also would be exposed to the effects of the virus of sin, but by doing so Jesus would develop resistant, spiritual antibodies of victory that He would share by faith with the rest of the human family, to all who will believe.

Thus, there is nothing in and of ourselves that could make us whole. It’s Christ and Christ alone who can deliver us from the sting of the serpent and because we have all been bitten, some more, some less, it is of critical importance that we follow the guidelines given, if we desire to go to heaven. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Even though Jesus never sinned, yet he was exposed to the malice and temptations of the serpent and by resisting unto blood the incursions made against His own soul, He has gained the victory even over death and because of this, He is now able, and authorized to give to as many as believe, the merits of His own sacrifice and victories. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Hence the reason why the Hebrews who had been bitten by the serpents were instructed to look and live. They were not to try to fix anything before they looked. And we are not to try to fix anything before coming to Christ, for no one in their right mind will try to do the Doctor’s work.

The rich young ruler tried to fix certain things before coming to Christ, and the results are before us, for he ended up never coming to Christ, and because of this very reason, he won’t be going to heaven. Let’s observe the nature, and implication of his question. Let’s read:

Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

21 Jesus said unto him, If you will 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.

This leads us to third question we asked earlier: Question [3]: Why is the phrase “Should not perish” used, instead of “Will not perish”? Should not perish refers to the conditions set forth, which when adopted, would produce the desired results. But, as was stated before, it is left up to the choices that a person makes.

If anyone were to follow the script as is laid out by Christ in His word, the term “Should not perish” will move to “Absolutely will not perish” for when folks  give their life to Christ, those persons can, and will be sustained throughout their entire life by the God of heaven.

And if they choose to remain faithful, if they choose to stay the course with God, they will go to heaven when Christ comes, without any ifs, ands, buts, or maybes. This is what Christ says unequivocally, and we must let the scripture be its own interpreter.

Therefore, the question “Who’s going to heaven” is summed up in the following brief statements. If one believes in Christ, if one chooses to stay in Christ, and if one continually looks to Christ, they will be going to heaven, period.  

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which condenses these answers into the positive and we’ll hope and pray that all who so desire would use their freedom of choice to access eternal life, which God has given to all as a free gift in Christ. Let’s read:

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

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

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

                                  God Bless!

When You're Feeling Down And Out. Sabbath afternoon 05/13/2023

Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

For purposes of this study the term “Down and out” refers to feelings or situations where a person might feel mentally, emotionally, and physically drained, to the point where one could be sapped of the will to live, and destitute of the ways and means to pick up oneself from adverse situations.

It would also refer to becoming destitute of energy, hope, resources and drive, and where darkness and discouragement loom large in one’s mind, causing persons to have a foreboding outlook on life or even suicidal thoughts.

One of the facts of life that as Christians we must be reconciled to, is that there will be times in our lives, when we might feel down and out, where hope and courage to move forward, seems elusive, and when we may feel like giving up on life, and on God.

How we deal with such feelings and how we handle such situations can determine whether we would be victorious in the battles of life, or whether we would sink down into oblivion. The purpose of the study is to highlight some of the ways and means which are given in the Bible to deal with such circumstances, and also the pitfalls we should avoid, when feeling down and out.

Most of those, if not all those who trust in God have encountered periods of turbulence, where clouds of despair have overshadowed their lives. Christians do have sunny days as well as rainy days, we may have mountaintop experiences and at times we may have valley experiences.

The vicissitudes of our lives are not any indication that God has forgotten about of us, nor are the ups and downs, or disappointments, reasons for us to believe that His good purposes for persons will not be fulfilled in due season. The varied experiences a person goes through when trusting God, are almost always geared towards character development.

Faith is not always about feeling good, it is about us trusting the goodness of God in good times and bad. There were times when Abraham and Sarah did not feel good, Joseph cried like a child, as he was being taken to Egypt as a slave, and David was hunted like a fugitive to the point where on occasions he would believe it was just a matter of time before he would be killed by king Saul.

The disciples were bitterly disappointed when Jesus was captured by the mob, and Job endured multiple assaults from the enemy of souls, and if we were to ask him, he would tell us that he didn’t feel good as he passed through his valley experiences.

Even Jesus, our Great Exemplar was at times bowed down with depression and discouragement, and He was moved to utter those words: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? The fact is that God has never ever left one saint who believed in Him. He is always there, He is always near, and He guards us as the apple of His eye.

Therefore, faith in God should never be based upon feelings, for feelings change, and fluctuate, but God does not. In fact, the only constant in the Christian’s life is The God factor, and if persons were to hang in there, staying the course with Jesus, we would often see His wisdom, guidance, and good purposes at the latter end.

Thus, wherever we can, we should avoid harboring thoughts of giving up, for that is what the adversary wants us to do. When you may have run out words to say, and prayers to pray, still hang in there, for it is the promises and assurances that God is with us, which give the impetus to keep us moving forward.

And we must always bear in mind that feeling down and out applies equally to Christians as well as those persons who may not believe in God, with the main difference being that the Christian has God, at his or her back. Christians might not always feel good, but they are always better off with God. Always.

Satan does not leave a person alone just because an individual does not believe in Jesus. The devil would harass and bother saints, popes and evildoers in the same breath, and those who sit on the fence are fair game as far as he is concerned.  

Atheists and witches are also not exempt from such harassment, just because they might side with him, for those who side with him are also mown down in cold blood, the same as Christians, if and when he is permitted to do so. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how are you cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations!

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

Thus, at the end of the day when everything shakes out, after all of the down and out feelings have been experienced and after all of the discouragement and depression one may have gone through, it would be discovered that persons were always better off with God. Always!

Our opening passage is lifted from the experiences of Paul and other prisoners who were sailing on to Rome, under the jurisdiction of a centurion. Several lessons can be deduced from what then transpired over the course of several days, and which ended in their ship running aground, and they, having a close call with death, and feeling down and out.

We will take a look at how the experiences unfolded and we would observe some of the pitfalls to avoid, then we will address the remedies and counsels that are given in the Bible, to weather the down and out feelings, whenever and wherever they might occur. Let’s read:

Acts 27:1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.

9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished {Counseled} them, 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

                                Lesson # [1]

There are times when down and out feelings are the result of disregarding godly counsel especially when it comes from a person who is known to be a God-ordained prophet. In this case, Paul was well known to be an ordained servant of God, but as is too often the case, folks often give such counsel little or no weight.

The counsels given by God through His prophets are never meant to be assessed as one opinion amongst many. Where counsel is given to specific individuals, on specific matters, it should be viewed as not only being the best way to move forward, it ought to be the only way under consideration. Let’s read:

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

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

                                  Lesson [2]

Acts 27: 11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

Whenever the counsel of God conflicts with counsel coming from men, the latter should be dismissed in favor of the former. We will discover more and more that the experts in our day, are too often diabolically opposed to the what is written in the scriptures.

On a wide array of topics, ranging from marriage, to health, from gender issues to monetary concerns, it is very often the case that experts who may not fear God, will give advice that puts persons in a place, or situation which God never intended and this in turn can result in persons feeling down and out.

                                 Lesson # [3]

Acts 27:14 But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

When a person is feeling down and out the situation might be so complicated and adverse that it may be best to just let things shake out on their own. In the current situation with Paul and the other sailors, it would be worthless trying to steer the ship through such treacherous winds and waves.

Thus, rather than try to fight against an impossible situation for the moment, they decide that it would be best to just leave things alone for a while. That is not to say that the ship will correct itself, it’s just the prudent thing to do, so as to buy them some time for a more favorable resolution.

 In our life experiences, there are certain situations which only God can fix, and there are times when an adverse circumstance is best left alone, so that God can do what He does best. If Paul and the other sailors had tried to fight against the contrary winds, they likely would have ended up in a worse situation than if they had left the ship alone in God’s hands.

                                 Lesson # [4]

Acts 27: 30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

This one is huge, and we must not let it escape, for there are times when we are feeling down and out, that we would be severely tempted to bail on God. This would require a firm decision by persons, that come what may, we will not throw in the towel and turn our backs on God, for it’s only He that can help us in our adverse situation.

The sailors in Paul’s case were attempting to flee in a life boat, but they were really going to jump from the frying pan into the fire. As Christians, there are times when we may be tempted to flee from Christ in or own little lifeboat.  

Things might not be going well at all in the church, and our lives may be in disarray, but never should folks abandon the ship, for if we do, as Paul rightly States “Except these abide in the ship, you cannot be saved”

                                 Lesson # [5]

Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

At this point those sailors have all but given up hope of survival, for in their finite vision they could see no way out of their predicament, and because of this, it now seems feasible for them to flee. There is always a way out. Always.

Devils may tempt you to believe that you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, without no way of escape, but God would have us to understand, that with every adverse situation, and with every bout of down and out feelings, a way of escape has already been made. 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.

Proverbs 18: 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe.

                                Lesson # [6]

Acts 27: 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

34 Wherefore I pray you to eat some food: for this is for your health: for there shall not a hair fall from  the head of any of you.

35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and

when he had broken it, he began to eat.

36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some food.

There are times when a person is feeling down and out, that they might lose their appetite for food, for worry and depression can in some instances squelch one’s desire to eat. Different people react differently to depression for whereas some may revert to binge eating, others might be prone to starve themselves, as was the case with the sailors in question.

But focusing and worrying too much on problems is known to consume a lot of valuable mental energy, and if it is the case that persons refuse to eat, they can often compromise their ability to think clearly, because the brain needs food just like the rest of the body.

In fact, worrying about situations that persons can do nothing about, is one of the most futile things a person can do, for it not only drains vitality, energy, desire, and drive; in the overwhelming majority of cases, it is counter-productive. The sailors on board that doomed vessel worried, and worried, and they worried yet at the end the ship still ran aground and it was broken to pieces.

At this juncture we must make a surgical intrusion into the issue of fasting for an extended period of time, when trying to resolve problems that need to be addressed. The Bible does not encourage folks to worry about things they cannot change, for doing so is hardly ever productive of good. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin.

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Neither does God encourage long periods of fasting that last forty or more days, for doing so may open the door for the devil to tempt persons in unusual ways. Excessive fasting without any food or drink for weeks on end is never in the best interest of anyone except Christ, who did that to break the power of appetite on the human family.

But having done so, it is no longer necessary. What Christ did for us in the wilderness does not need to be duplicated or matched by any saint, for He has already done what needed to be done in our behalf. That is not to say that we should never fast, but we should exercise wisdom and prudence when doing so. Let’s read:

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

[Counsels on diets and foods pp 189] All the fasting in the world will not take the place of simple trust in the word of God. “Ask,” He says, “and you shall receive.” You are not called upon to fast forty days.

 The Lord bore that fast for you in the wilderness of temptation. There would be no virtue in such a fast; but there is virtue in the blood of Christ. The spirit of true fasting and prayer is the spirit which yields mind, heart, and will to God.

In other words, when you’re feeling down and out, make certain you eat some food at the appropriate times, and if one decides to fast, let it be done with discretion. And now we turn to the main course of the study, in which we would focus on the scriptural instructions given to help us when we are feeling down and out.

Hannah was feeling down and out, as a result of her not being able to bear children. Back in those days it was considered by people to be a sort of curse, and the woman who could not have children was often stigmatized, hence the reason why you find Hagar making fun of Sarah, who had not borne a child as yet.

 A similar situation had unfolded in the household of Elkanah, Hannah’s husband who had two wives, one of which produced children whilst the other did not. Thus, year after year had gone by, with no sign of a child, and over a period of time Hannah became depressed.

Thus, we will extract from her experiences what can be done in a situation where it may seem to a finite mind as if nothing can be done to change outcomes. As we stated emphatically before, there is always a way of escape, and thus, the following statements are certified in scripture, as being some of the ways and means to be adopted when one is feeling down and out.

[1] Do not stop going to church just because you are feeling down and out.

Hannah was feeling down and out, indeed, she felt like crap, but someway, somehow, she continued to go to church. When you are feeling down and out, it will be discovered that one of the best things that a person can do is to continue going to church, for in many instances, it’s only God that can help us. Let’s read:

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

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh.

Iron sharpens iron, and fellowship with the saints is often therapeutic to the soul that is bowed down with worry, depression and anxiety. In fact, singing, praise, and thanksgiving together with sacred music, has the potential to put evil spirits into reverse gear, according to the Bible.

But if persons seclude or ostracize themselves from the assembly of the saints, it can produce opposite effects. When the multitude of saints begin to sing and praise God it often sends devils into panic mode and very often, they are forced into retreating since the atmosphere of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer really bothers them a lot.

This is evident from the scriptures, even with Saul who had no good intentions. For the evil spirit to get up and leave him, even though he was on their side, speaks volumes to the power of praise. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, David took an harp and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

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

21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

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.

[Patriarchs And 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. He prophesied of the coming Messiah as the world's Redeemer.

Psalms 16: 8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard:  that went down to the skirts of his garments;

3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Lesson # [2] Hannah prayed in bitterness of soul.

1st Samuel 1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

If one is feeling down and out and may feel as if God hasn’t answered as yet, it is okay for such a person to pray in “bitterness” of soul. Praying in bitterness of soul comes from the heart, and occurs when the person pours out their innermost and their deepest concerns to God without being socially, or politically correct.

Praying in bitterness of soul is not usually cute, nor do the words always come out right. When Hannah prayed, in the sanctuary, no words escaped her lips, and to the casual onlooker it was more of a mumble jumble than a prayer.

But that’s alright with God, for He sees what man cannot see, and even if a person may not be able to express themselves intelligently, God understands the language of the soul as no mortal can, and He often responds in the positive as mortals can’t. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 1: 13 Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore, Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

                       [3] Hannah made vows.

1st Samuel 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

When feeling down and out, it may just be the right time to recommit oneself fully to God. It does not necessarily mean that a person was not committed before, but if there is a need and desire for a closer, more meaningful relationship with God, then one can do so, while in the depths of despair.

There are times in our walk with God when adverse circumstances bring us to our knees, and it is true, that when persons have reached rock bottom, the only way out should be up.

At such times, persons often discover that God was very near to them in their adversity, because there is something about being down and out that drives the human agent to the foot of the cross, as the last resort and the only way out.

While it is true that we should not wait until we are in the depths of despair to seek The Lord, if we do, when hedged in on every side with perplexity, and sickness, and distress, God is more than willing to hear, for He specializes in saving to the guttermost.

Job sought God earnestly in the sunnier days of his prosperity, and that was all well and good, but Job was moved to pray in bitterness of soul when his world got turned upside down. In other words, Job sought his God in good times and bad, for he had formed the habit of doing so, and so should we.

Difficulties and trials we may have, adversities and perplexities may be our lot for a while, but in it and through it all, God watches over us to make certain that the fires of affliction do not consume us, but cleanse, where cleansing is needed. Let’s read:

[Prophets And Kings pp 59] God is fully able to keep us in the world, but we are not to be of the world. His love is not uncertain and fluctuating. Ever He watches over His children with a care that is measureless. But He requires undivided allegiance.

Like Hannah, we should not forsake the assembly of the saints, and we can, and should pray in bitterness of soul when facing seemingly impossible situations.

Like Paul we can be calm in tribulation, looking to God as the only One Who can help us when we are feeling down and out, and like the sailors we could, and should eat some food, knowing that worrying over things we cannot change, does not accomplish anything.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should help us to navigate down and out feelings, if and whenever they may occur. Let’s read:

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

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

13 And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

                                 God Bless!

Beware Of Deep Fake. Sabbath afternoon 05/06/2023

2nd Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.

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

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

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

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

The beginning of deep fake is not a phenomenon of recent years, it is being accelerated at a rapid pace, but we were actually being groomed, and prepared for it since the beginning of time.

 Ever since our first parents succumbed to the false, and fake suggestions of the wily serpent, the human race has been on a downward trajectory, heading to more and more deep fake intrusions by men and by demons.

As the serpent perched himself in the infamous tree he suggested fake news to Eve, then after using her freedom of choice to believe a lie, she as well as her husband Adam, became subjects of deep fake, and delusions, and ever since that fatal day, the human race has been increasingly developing a taste and a craving for the unreal.

As we’ve stated previously on numerous occasions, the principle of gradualism is most often employed by humanity’s nemesis, for his work is never at the outset startling or disturbing. He works deliberately and systematically, with patience worthy of a better cause, to bring about his desired ends.

Numerous and undeniable examples of his work are before us, in the likes of Marijuana, which began as a forbidden drug by the Feds, then was introduced as a medicinal product, but gradually morphed into recreational use, until the use of it is now sweeping the country, with an epidemic of delusions.

Oxycontin was first introduced as a wonder drug for pain, but researchers and developers could not have envisioned the latter end thereof, where millions of people would become addicted, and families would be destroyed, and millions of lives lost as a result.

Therefore, the following scriptural references, and the commentary coming from the pen of inspiration must be studied very closely, so as to get an idea of the seriousness of the dilemma now facing earth’s inhabitants. Let’s read:

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

2nd Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

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

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 717] The work of the enemy is not abrupt; it is not, at the outset, sudden and startling; it is a secret undermining of the strongholds of principle. It begins in apparently small things—the neglect to be true to God and to rely upon Him wholly, the disposition to follow the customs and practices of the world.

Thus, satan goes to work in a protracted, ingenious way to introduce fake this, and fake that to persons who, following the lead of our first parents, seem to enjoy gobbling up each and every counterfeit that is released, and which then becomes the now, or the in thing to subscribe to.

After Eve was deceived into believing fake news, she imagined herself to be entering a higher, and nobler sphere of existence, and the exhilarating feeling she then experienced and expressed to Adam, showed that adverse, delusionary effects deep fake can have on a person’s mind. Let’s read:

Genesis 3: 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.

5 For God knows that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

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

There are three critically important aspects of Eve’s state of mind at this juncture, which must never go unnoticed.

[1] She currently views the forbidden fruit as being good for food, whereas previously, she herself had confessed that it would kill.

 Genesis 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.

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

[2] It was pleasant to her eyes, meaning that it had curb appeal, mesmerizing to the senses.

[3] She now believes the fake news of the serpent in that the forbidden fruit can produce wisdom.

These three important aspects of her current mode of thought form the basis for all delusions, and they can be found in everything fake that has ever since been introduced to the human family. What is very disturbing about this particular episode is what will follow next, as the deep fake produces adverse, and delusionary effects on her mind. Let’s read:

[Education pp 25] It was grateful to the taste, and, as she ate, she seemed to feel a vivifying power, and imagined herself entering upon a higher state of existence. Having herself transgressed, she became a tempter to her husband, “and he did eat.”

 [Patriarchs And Prophets pp 55] 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. As the deep fake becomes entrenched in Eve’s mind, she is utterly convinced of the serpent’s words, and in this frame of mind she now seeks her husband.

Adam, whose mind is not yet infected with the deep fake is able to read clearly what has become of Eve, and at first, he correctly assesses the situation, for his mode of thought has not yet been infiltrated by the delusions Eve is now suffering from.  Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 56] An expression of sadness came over the face of Adam. He appeared astonished and alarmed. To the words of Eve he replied that this must be the foe against whom they had been warned; and by the divine sentence she must die. In answer she urged him to eat, repeating the words of the serpent, that they should not surely die.

She reasoned that this must be true, for she felt no evidence of God's displeasure, but on the contrary realized a delicious, exhilarating influence, thrilling every faculty with new life, such, she imagined, as inspired the heavenly messengers.

She expressed greater love for him than before. No sign of death appeared in her, and he decided to brave the consequences. He seized the fruit and quickly ate. After his transgression Adam at first imagined himself entering upon a higher state of existence.

Thus, now that deep fake has been injected into the human experience, it would take on a life of its own, and will begin, and continue to morph into various satellite strands, and productions of the very same delusionary principle.

It begins with fake gods which were introduced not long after the fall, in the history of our world. And as generations wandered further and further from God they came to believe that fake gods could actually say and do things that The Real God of heaven can.

This became starkly evident on Mount Carmel, as the people of Israel had now become brainwashed by the deep fake of Baal, who they imagined, could produce rain and protection, just like, or even better than The True and only God. Let’s read:

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, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

The phrase: “O Baal, hear us” is a reflection of how far the deep fake has infiltrated their minds, for they now “Imagine” that a god made of stone can hear. It cannot, and it will never be able to hear. Nor can the statues of wood and stone, found in many churches today speak nor hear. They are the work of men’s hands, and are not endowed with any of our five senses.

To put it plainly, praying to them, or begging them for this or that, including forgiveness, is an absolute waste of time, for they, like Baal of old, cannot, and will never hear. They’re just a part of the deep fake system of delusions that have now taken the world by storm. Let’s read:

Psalms 115: 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not.

6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not.

7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

8 They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone who trusts in them.

[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. The apostate tribes of Israel were to be shown the folly of trusting to the power of Baal for temporal blessings.

[Prophets And Kings pp 124] 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 a zeal and a perseverance worthy of a better cause they linger around their pagan altars and pray earnestly for rain.

Night after night, throughout the doomed land their cries and entreaties arise. But no clouds appear in the heavens by day to hide the burning rays of the sun. No dew or rain refreshes the thirsty earth. The word of Jehovah stands unchanged by anything the priests of Baal can do.

From those former years even until now, deep fake has become indigenous in our society, to the point where persons are now permanently frozen in the delusionary frame of mind, and without God’s help, it will become impossible to free oneself from that mode of thought and action.

Deep fake runs as a common thread throughout the fabric of society and culture. For many years, satan has been grooming individuals, and nations for deep fake, and now it is here to stay, as an intrinsic and an endemic plague upon the land, from which it is now becoming increasingly difficult to escape.

There is fake news, there are fake preachers, fake gospels, fake healings, and fake miracles. In fact, the religious world would become so deeply affected by fake, that God found it necessary to issue cautions to persons who might unwittingly subscribe to fake. Let’s read:

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

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

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

And there is fake speaking in tongues. A few years ago, when speaking in tongues was the “In thing” in evangelical and Pentecostal circles, a lot was made of the fake languages then spoken.

But since that time, it has greatly subsided, because it has been exposed for what it is, and now, with the advent of language learning platforms like Rosetta stone and Babbel, persons seem less inclined to be uttering a flurry of words that have never made any sense.

There are also fake politicians, fake food, fake drugs and fake medicine. According to the United States drug enforcement agency, 99 percent of 50 million confiscated pills are fake, and contain fentanyl, the opioid that is driving drug overdose deaths across the country, to the tune of 70,000 in 2021. And the bleeding continues!

There are also fake persons. A Chatbot is not a real person. It may quack like a duck, walk like a duck, or it may look like a duck, it is not a duck. Chatbots are not real persons even though they might comfort or cheer, or give advice; they are fake, and not the real person, never have been, never will be.

If persons are not very careful they can get addicted to deep fake, to the point where they think they will not be able to live without it. Sadly, many persons are so deeply entrenched into fake that the problem has caught the attention of our Surgeon General, Dr, Vivek Murthy, who recently voiced his own concerns about the adverse effects of artificial intelligence on younger people in particular.

There are also fake degrees, fake certification, fake education, fake genders, fake money, a fake day of rest and believe it or not, very much of the cosmetic industry, which is devoted to outward appearance is now based upon fake, for the most part.

As it is currently, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there are now around 16 million cosmetic surgeries that are done each year, with the Brazilian Butt-lift being one of the most popular, and like those who have gone before, who have bought into fake, persons have come to “Imagine” that it is  real. But in truth and in fact, it is fake.

Then there is fake grass that can now be purchased from the likes of Cutters Edge, where lawns remain green year-round, with little to no maintenance. In fact, fake grass is becoming so increasingly popular that your local Home Depot, and Lowe’s have gone to great lengths to provide us a wide variety of fake lawn grass in different sizes and assortments.

Music industry executives are openly complaining of the adverse effects deep fake is having on the music industry, for they also are discovering that they are not immune to fake. Recently a deep fake of R and B singer Drake went viral, and there were so many hits that it has raised alarm bells pertaining to copyright infringement.

Not long ago the head of the Federal Reserve, even Jerome Powell became engaged with a conversation with a fake caller, posing as Volodymyr Zelensky, and he was none the wiser, until after the fact. Recently, Geoffery Hinton, one of the pioneer developers of artificial intelligence at Google, left the tech giant to speak out against the dangers of the technology.

In his own words, in an interview with The New York times, he confessed that A.I. - (Artificial Intelligence) has the potential to bring us to a place where we’ll “not be able to know what is true anymore.”  Thus, it is an undeniable fact, that the concepts of deep fakes have become permanently entrenched in our society, with no turning back whatsoever.

If it were just for the novelty of it, we may just shrug it off as pop culture, but the fact is that, behind the scenes, the king of deep fake is preparing to launch one of the most extensive and devastating delusions to be ever let loose across the planet.

And when he does, individuals, who for many years having been imbibing and subscribing to fake, would be heavily inclined to believe. That is why we stated before that the mark of the beast, or 666 really has much more to do with the mindset that has been in grooming for many years, than the emblem it would register in the hand or forehead.

It will become extremely difficult for persons to just uproot themselves suddenly from modes of thought and action that have been cultivated over the years, since with many individuals, deep fake concepts are now their comfort zone.

So, let’s reiterate again, the mark of the beast would have much more to do with the particular mindset, than the literal mark in the hand or in the forehead, because, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

Many persons are currently thinking in beast modes of thought, so that when 666 does come around, it will just be the final nail in the coffin; a culmination, and a convergence of mindsets, which were being groomed for centuries, and thus, it will be a natural flow of thought and action to accept the mark in the hand, or in the forehead.

Just for clarification, beast modes of thought include the following:

[1] The tendency to follow popular majority opinion.

[2] Following a charismatic leader, when the leader is not Christ.

[3] The thinking that the end justifies the means, whatever the means might be.

[4] Obeying the dictates of men rather than God, if and when there is conflict between the two.

[5] Believing that there is inherent goodness outside of Christ, or being “good without God.”

[6] Determining that one’s daily bread always takes preeminence over spiritual concerns.

[7] Deciding that miracles take preeminence over scriptural truth.

[8] Deciding that when food becomes a life or death matter, a person will have food, no matter what the cost, including having to worship in order to eat.

[9] Compromising truth, and righteousness for the sake of peace, and personal security.

[10] Deciding that one’s family and friends are more important than God.

[11] Deciding that deep fake is acceptable, as a way of life.

Clamoring for the unreal and fake is inevitably going to culminate in the deep fake of the second coming, that will precede the real coming of Christ, and will forever seal the eternal destiny of billions of earth’s inhabitants. The world has been, and is now being groomed for this spectacular display of deep fake.

Not only will the second coming of Jesus Christ be counterfeited, many satellite intrusions by demons into the human experience are scheduled to shake earth’s inhabitants to the very core. Thus, we must deliver the goods, in plain, simple format so that we might better understand the magnitude, and severe ramifications of deep fake. Let’s read:

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

2nd Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

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

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

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

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

And, as usual, satan starts with those who hold the reins of authority, for he has learned over the years, that most people play the game of follow the leader. Thus, when the leaders of earth have succumbed to the deep fake the people under their jurisdiction are inevitably going to follow, for the most part. 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.

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

In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [1:13-15.] The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld.

The shout of triumph rings out upon the air., “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth.

His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered.  

He heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.

But even this spectacular display of deep fake does not capture the magnitude of the intrusion, for he is scheduled to take the fake to a very personal level, where, if folks are not firmly rooted, and grounded in the truth and in Christ, they are almost certain to subscribe to, and believe the counterfeit.

The belief in the natural immortality of the soul, the masterpiece of errors that has been taught for years in the movies, and in most religions, would prepare the majority of earth’s inhabitants for the direct and convincing intrusions of evil spirits masquerading as friends, family, and loved ones.

This particular intrusion by devils will be one of the main drivers in getting persons to subscribe to the deep fake of Christ’s second coming, and, because there can be no ways or means to discover the fake except by the word of God, which the majority will have rejected, then persons will be rendered utterly unable to discern or understand what’s taking place. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 551>552] The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit world. While professing to bring the living into communication with the dead, the prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds.

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

The way to avoid getting sucked into the deep fake mindset is to cultivate a love for truth on all levels. The place to start is with “It is written” for when we accept the truths of God’s word, it puts persons in a frame of mind to love reality, and reject fake.

Serving, loving, and obeying The only true God will lead folks to worship on the true day of rest, not on the fake day which stands at the opposite end of the weekly cycle. The truths found in the scriptures lead persons to shun the fake, the unreal, the counterfeit and any, and everything that might savor of forgery or sham.

Reading and studying the word of God as well as the character of Christ, brings a person into touch with a completely different mindset, and perspective. And, if one is a lover of nature, and nature’s God, scenery from nature tends to curb the appetite for the fake, the superficial, and the synthetic.

Let us all therefore cultivate a love for the truth, the truth only, and nothing but the truth, because God is a God of truth, and Jesus declares: “I am the way, the Truth and the life.” We’ll end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us in the search and the love of truth. Let’s read:

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

                                  God Bless!

Avoiding The Point Of No Return. Sabbath afternoon 04/29/2023

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

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

Even though God is merciful and even though where sin abounds grace did much more abound, there is a limit to God’s forbearance, and there is such a thing as a point of no return.

 This means that there could come a tipping point in a one’s life, where, because of the deliberate and persistent bad choices one makes the eternal destiny of that person can become fixed forever.

Decisions which are made over an extended period during a person’s life time become sealed, or set in stone, and that’s because choices and decisions make habits, and habits form the character. And the character defines who a person is at their very core.

With the Christian believer, who has his or her own sets of faults and besetting sins to confront, and to overcome, character building is supposed to be on a continuous and upward trajectory, as Christ does His work on the heart, minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day.

After many years of one’s decision making in a right direction, the character reflects the image of God, and becomes sealed for eternity, not because God prevents them from turning back, but because by their own decisions they have chosen good over evil and right over wrong, and truth over error.

Thus, when we read of the angels of God holding back the winds of strife so that His servants can be sealed in their foreheads, we should understand it to mean that the sealing is a process, not an event, which takes place over a period of many years, in most cases. Let’s read:

Isaiah 8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

Psalms 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our  God in their foreheads.

Conversely, with persons who will reject God’s offer of salvation in Christ; their characters are usually on a downward trajectory where the latent tendencies, cravings, and clamors of fallen human nature would become more deeply rooted with every indulgence.

Then, after an extended period of time, individuals become firmly gripped in a never-ending vacuum of sin, and after a while the mind would be completely overrun by demons.

With those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives, the Holy Spirit is given incrementally, in proportion to desire, capacity, and a willingness to obey increasing light that is shed upon our pathway.

The disciples of Christ were not all at once filled up front with the Holy Ghost, as took place on the day of Pentecost. Instead, they were gradually imbued with God’s Spirit, until the process culminated in the outpouring of the early rain. Let’s read:

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 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

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

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

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

Like the sealing work of God in the heart, complete demon possession takes place in stages and is never the result of any one-time action or decision by any person. The principle of gradualism applies equally, both to the sealing process, and to demon possession, and thus, the point of no return for persons who reject Christ comes when their minds become controlled entirely by evil spirits.

To this time, we are now hastening with lightening speed, and therefore, we must make an urgent call at this time, to any person who might be sitting on the fence; the time is coming soon when there isn’t going to have any fence to sit on, for we will either become fully God’s or fully satan’s. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

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

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

45 Then goes he, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

At this juncture we must declare that the devil has a stronger will power than human beings and because of this fact, if persons deliberately, and persistently make their choices and decisions on his turf, there is going to come a time where he could force them to do his bidding, even if they might recoil from doing so. 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.

This is what took place with Judas, who was at one point in his experience, partially possessed by devils as Jesus alluded to on multiple occasions. Judas did not at once come under their full sway, because he was still sitting on the fence, and therefore, he had not crossed the threshold of no return.

 Jesus continued to plead with Him, and offer ample opportunity for him to make right choices, but with every entreaty, Judas steeled his heart against God’s grace, and the tipping point finally occurred at the communion table, after Jesus washed his feet, and singled him out as the one with diabolic intention.

It was at this point where the Bible states that satan entered into him, and took full control of his mind, and from that point onward, Judas had no say, and no choice in what he would do next.

In other words, he would have to do satan’s bidding, regardless of whether he might have wanted to, or not. From this point forward Judas will be remotely controlled, robotically following all the dictates of the adversary. Observe carefully, the next verses. Let’s read:

John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spoke.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spoke.

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, what you do, do quickly.

28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this unto him.

The point of no return, as took place with Judas was just a microcosm of what took place with the Jewish nation when they finally, and permanently rejected Christ. Ever so gradually, their decisions became set in stone, and as they continued to persecute Christ’s servants, their decisions became sealed forever.

Then, after the nation had fully disconnected itself from God, the invisible leader she had chosen took the reins of control, and from that time forward, the nation was under the direct influence of evil spirits, who then forced them to do that which we will read of in upcoming paragraphs.

If America, and the world at large does not change course, if we persist in enacting laws that are known to be contrary to what God has stipulated, then the time will come when God will have no choice but to give those who persist in rebellion against Him, over to the control of the invisible leader they will have chosen. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 36:15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:

16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

[The Great Controversy pp 28] The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus, they rejected the last offer of mercy.

Then God withdrew his protection from them, and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen. Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the conquerors.

Observe carefully what satan does next, for history Is scheduled to be repeated in the not-too-distant future. Indeed, the early tremors and the harbingers of what is being described can already be seen, and heard across the land. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 28] Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason controlled by impulse and blind rage.

They became Satanic in their cruelty. In the family and in the nation, among the highest and the lowest classes alike, there was suspicion, envy, hatred, and strife, rebellion, and murder. There was no safety anywhere. The rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves.

Uncontrolled passions made them tyrants. By their actions they had long been saying, “Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Now, their desire was granted. The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the nation, and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway.

The only way for nations, and individuals to avoid the point of no return is to surrender to God’s work of grace in the heart, for according to the scriptures, wherever there is no submitting, there would be no resisting. Let’s read:

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

The grace of Christ and the power of God is freely offered and given to those who accept Jesus, so that the fallen impulses of human nature will be reined in. But without Jesus Christ in the heart, the devil isn’t going anywhere.

In fact, he will remain, until the time comes when, because of the choices folks make he could become so deeply seated that he cannot be evicted. Devils do not, and never voluntarily leave a person. They must be evicted by force, and the only One who can do this is Christ. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 324] When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.

The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.

 But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world.

It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light.

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

Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome.

Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

Four important pointers pertaining to the point of no return will be made from the scriptures, before we delve into our case study for today.

[1] The point of no return is a culmination of choices made by individuals, which are then confirmed, and sealed by God forever. Once the point of no return is crossed, there can be no turning back or reversal.

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

12 Though a sinner does evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him.

Proverbs 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

[2] The point of no return will culminate in the close of probation for all of earth’s inhabitants. All of the righteous will be sealed forever and those who have rejected God’s grace would have passed the point of no return. Let’s read:

Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

[3] Persons could pass the point of no return while still living. Death is not necessary for an individual’s probation to be closed.

Hosea 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

Hosea 7:8 Ephraim, hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows not.

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

[The Desire of Ages pp 392] They were greatly displeased, and wishing to wound the Savior and gratify the malice of the Pharisees, they turned their backs upon Him, and left Him with disdain. They had made their choice, had taken the form without the spirit, the husk without the kernel. Their decision was never afterward reversed; for they walked no more with Jesus.

Daniel 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

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

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

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

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

[4] Repentance becomes impossible after the point of no return is crossed, and prayers for the persons in question, become redundant.

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Genesis 18:32 And he (Abraham) said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Our case study for today would be about Eli, and his sons, who, while still living, crossed the point of no return. We will observe the successive steps in their deteriorating relationship with God, and then we’ll draw from their experiences, the pertinent lessons, so as to avoid making the same fatal mistakes.

God had spoken on numerous occasions to Eli, and his sons, about their ill-conduct, but especially to the father, under whose jurisdiction the sons were. Time and time again, and over the course of many years, God entreated, warned, and counseled them to change course, but they would not listen.

On Eli’s part, he took no concrete action to stem the tide of evils, which had become so repugnant, that the congregation loathed to attend the sanctuary services. What do you do on Sabbath mornings, if you know Hophni and Phineas would be preaching, knowing full well the blatant hypocrisy that exuded from them?

Yet God bore long, over an extended period of time with the waywardness and the stubbornness of the priests. Then, after God exhausted every possible avenue to reach them, He sent a startling message by young Samuel, informing Eli and his household that their day of grace had expired, and that they had reached the point of no return. Let’s read:  

1st Samuel 3:11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.

The following lessons should be deducted from the verses we just read, so that folks may avoid crossing that same threshold of God’s forbearance, into the point of no return.

 [1] When God points out sin in our lives, and we are made fully aware of them, concrete steps should be taken to correct the evils, or else, continued delay can lead to a rupture in one’s relationship with God.

It was not enough for Eli to remonstrate against his sons, they should have been removed entirely from the priesthood, especially since the sanctuary, and its services were being abhorred by the people. But this would obviously involve crossing the will of his sons, something some parents would loathe to do. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honor your sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel my people?

[2] Confession of one’s sin is never enough, in and of itself to trigger a change of heart. There must be a turning away from the sins which are causing the relationship with God to become frayed. Let’s read:

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

There is a big difference between a mere admission of facts, and the godly repentance spoken of in the Bible. Achan, Judas and Saul all confessed their sins, but there was no real turning away from the sin, nor any material change of heart.

In Eli’s case, a turning away from the sins that were causing the ruptured relationship with God, would lead him to not only remove his sons from sacred office; it would also lead him to make the necessary reforms, by instituting what God had commanded for any and every priest, moving forward.

[3] A very grave responsibility rests upon parents who have children under their roof. Note well, that God called Eli to account for his sons, even though they were adults.

They most likely were not living at Eli’s home at the moment in question, but in their capacity as priests, they were under Eli’s jurisdiction directly. When we have children living at home, whether kids or adults, parents are responsible for maintaining the Biblical principles and standards at all times.

At times this might be difficult, and there might be some pulling and tugging especially where there are differences of opinion on certain matters. However, the parents should exercise both steadfastness, and kindness in the administration of their parental duty so as to facilitate the work of God’s grace on the hearts of the children.

The way to avoid crossing the point of no return, as it pertains to the close of one’s probation is to allow and facilitate the work God endeavors to do in the heart. There would be some struggling, some self- denial, as fallen human nature strives to gain the preeminence over the spiritual.

Yet God who is rich in grace and mercy has provided all that we need so that folks might live victoriously. In other words, we may struggle without yielding to sin, and there are other times when we may be in a difficult or awkward situation with family or friends, yet the true Christian can, and should walk with a steady and even tread. 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.

Let us therefore be steadfast in Christ, looking to Him for grace to help in time of need, and most of all, let us cherish the new lease on life that He has given us. We therefore end with a few passages that should help us to be faithful until the end. Let’s read:

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

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

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

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

                                  God Bless!

Does Go Take Too Long? Sabbath afternoon 04/22/2023

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

One of the problems people have with God is that it is thought that He takes too long, to do what He has to do, or what He has promised to do. In almost all of the examples we will study we will see similarities and disturbing patterns emerging, which must be as beacons of warning in our own experiences.

Very many of the temptations which come our way are tailormade to cater to that innate hastiness that we too often suffer from. And as we are living in the “Now” generation, with fast foods, fast cars, drive through laundries, and marriages, and with every thing we need at our fingertips, it may seem archaic to wait upon God for any length of time.

Thus, the enemy of souls goes to work in protracted and ingenious ways, to take advantage of our fallen human nature, which is too often in a rush to do the things we deem important. Hastiness in any matter is a recipe for disaster, and especially when it comes to the fulfillment of God’s promises, we should not set any deadlines for God, “Or else”.

When dealing with God, we must avoid giving Him deadlines, ultimatums, or specific time frames that we stipulate He should work within. God is Superior and we are His subordinates as far as rank goes, and thus, we are to defer to His timings, His judgements, and His assessments in all matters, for The Lord is never early, and He is never late.

Even though God dwells in eternity, He is able to make intrusions into the human experience with surgical accuracy, to the milli second if needs be. So then, we are not to buy into the doctrines of devils that says God takes too long to do this or that.

Waiting upon God should be an open-ended wait, giving Him deference to do that which He will do in His own time and way. For instance, when Jesus bids us knock and it shall be opened, He does not specify how many times we should knock. In fact, the form of the verb strongly suggests that folks should keep on knocking until it’s a Yes, a No, or a Wait.

But for us to stipulate by 3:00 pm on Thursday this week or else, will not only set the stage for a variety of temptations, it could also set persons up for the oft disappointments that shake our faith in God. The following three examples are to be studied carefully, with the intention of learning from the mistakes of those who have gone before.

[1] The impatience of the saints at Mt. Sinai.

Exodus 24:12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will you tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

That phrase: “And be there” refers to an open-ended time frame, as far as the human agent Moses is concerned. He is not to rush God in any way, he is not to carry his watch, or Fitbit with him, checking the time ever so often as some persons might do during divine hour.

Moses must “Be there” for as long as it takes, as he waits upon God to determine his length of stay on the mount. Some of us have very difficult lessons to learn, before the time of trial comes upon the world because, in Revelation 14, it speaks of the patience of the saints.

But in some instances, our own experiences may be described as “here is the impatience of the saints”. Moses and Joshua then depart for the Mount, and the people are left under the jurisdiction of Aaron and Hur, if any matters of concern should arise, and need redress. Let’s read:

Exodus 24:14 And he said unto the elders, wait here for us until we come again to you and behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

And the people wait, and they wait and they wait. One day passes, two days, three days, and four days elapse, with no sign of Moses. Yet they all continue waiting, the fifth day, the sixth day, and finally the seventh day comes around, and still no sign or word from either God or Moses.

The sermon for that first Sabbath without Moses would have to be done by Aaron, and after vespers the people hang around, questioning when Moses will be back for duty. The second week passes and still not a word or a sign from either God or Moses.

At this point, persons are beginning to get jittery, and some are wondering if the glory of God might have consumed him in the mount, and yet, against all odds they continue waiting.

Three weeks elapse, and the people are questioning with Aaron about Moses’ whereabouts, but Aaron himself is lost for words, or explanations, nor can he give them a specific time frame, or even an E.T.A

The people begin to get impatient, for they are not hearing from God, they are not getting any answers from Aaron, and the suggestion begins to surface that it might be that Moses has abandoned them all in the wilderness. In this frame of mind, the people are now ripe for one of satan’s favorite temptations, for he suggests to them that God is taking too long.

And thus, if they cannot hear from God or Moses in what they deem to be a reasonable period of time, then they would look for alternative leadership. The idolatry which then followed was satan’s version of an alternative, which will always involve some form of disobedience.

Whenever we may find ourselves becoming upset or impatient with God we must then be on the lookout for alternative suggestions coming from devils, and/ or men, which invariably would include a sinful act.

Impatience and hastiness are a breeding ground for temptations and sins which would not seem feasible under more favorable circumstances. A counterfeit worship as that which took place at the base of Mt. Sinai, is always satan’s suggested alternative when there is a perceived vacuum of godly leadership.

 Question: How long is too long? To strictly rational thinking minds, three to four weeks at the most, are more than sufficient, for the people to at least have some guidance as to time frame.

 But with no end in sight to their weeks long waiting, the suggestions of the enemy begin to make sense, and what follows next is just a microcosm of what has been repeated all too often in the experiences of many persons.

Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not  know what is become of him.

The multitude in this instance demonstrated clearly that they were looking to mere mortal man as their leader, which is one of the gravest mistakes that any Christian could make. If Moses is not present for any length of time, that fact should not in any way be a cause for stumbling, if one’s personal relationship with God is intact. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

The time is coming, when general conferences, and church leadership as we have known it for years will be dissolved. Your local church will be shuttered and the nurturing, caring pastoral roles would absolutely be evaporated, and then, when the carpet is pulled from under our feet how shall we stand in that great day?

The recent pandemic, even Covid, with his relatives was just a wake-up call, or a test run as it were, for during those days, many persons found themselves destitute of that deep, meaningful relationship with Christ which is necessary to carry persons through, when the going gets rough.

And as members waited and waited for guidance on the matter at hand, faith, and enthusiasm began to wane, and in some cases, some churches and some church members haven’t yet been able to find back their groove. In fact, during those long months of waiting, over 7000 churches closed permanently in the U.S.

During Covid, when church activities had virtually ground to a halt, where there were no longer those Sabbath school classes with individual teachers who you knew, where concerts were eliminated, and the Pathfinders club couldn’t meet, or go camping as in normal times, the faith of some persons was then severely shaken, and some have not yet recovered.

 The truth of the matter is that if Moses were never to return from the mountain, that fact should not be a catalyst for deteriorating change in one’s personal relationship with God, because our relationship with Him should never be tethered through mortal man.

And so, we see that because the Hebrews thought that God was taking too long with Moses, the minds of the people became ripe for the floodgates of sin and temptation to bear sway in that episode.

[2] The impatience of the saints in Abraham and Sarah.

In the instance with Abraham and Sarah, God had promised them a son, but He did not specify a time frame so that their expectation could converge with reality. They were to wait on God, and in the fulness of time, the promise would be materialized.

And like the Hebrews at Mt. Sinai, they begin to wait and they wait and they wait and they wait. One year passes, two years and then three, and still no sign of a son. Four years elapse, five years, six years, and still nothing is happening.

Sometimes we may think that God has forgotten His promise because it may seem to us that after He has given His word He should follow through right away. And with this finite frame of mind, we cannot see or understand what the delay is about.

The fact of the matter is that there really wasn’t any delay. God wasn’t deliberately pushing their faith to the limits to prove any point, because he does not need to. In God’s planning, everything is done and is executed with surgical precision, but we may not be able to discern all the pieces of the jig saw puzzle up front.

Isaac, who would be the son of a miracle, was to be one of the progenitors of Christ, and therefore, the timing of his birth would have serious consequences downstream. In other words, Isaac’s birth would not only affect the time Christ’s birth, it would also have a direct impact on the future prophecies of Daniel.

And all of the subsequent progenitors in between would be also directly affected in the stream of time if Isaac was to be born one day earlier, or one day later. The timing of his birth brought a multitude of other factors into play, for it would affect the 2300- day prophecy we so often like to refer to. It would also affect the date of the exodus from Egypt.

Rebekah, who was to be Isaac’s future wife must be in place, so that when Abraham and Isaac prayed to God for a wife, she would just happen to be there at the well in the nick of time.

If Isaac was to be brought upon the stage of action some years ahead of his time, the perfect wife God was preparing for him would only be a little girl at the time he would be looking for a wife.

All of these factors are brought into the equation in God’s planning, and therefore, for us mortals to be in a haste, or try to hurry up God, will actually be an attempt to alter His perfect planning. After all was said and done, after all the supposed delay, Isaac’s birth was to culminate in the following verses. Let’s read:

Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

The birth of Jesus Christ was executed with surgical precision, even to the millisecond. But in the interim Abraham and Sarah are losing patience, and like the Hebrews at the mount, they are tired of waiting and in this frame of mind, they become ripe candidates for temptation, which as we stated earlier, invariably would include suggestions to indulge in some sort of transgression. Let’s read:

Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had a 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.

Observe her conclusions, that God has prevented her from bearing children. Which suggests that God changed His mind after making a promise to them. And thus, we must follow her line of reasoning to its logical end: If God has changed His mind, over what He has promised, then it is time for Sarah to take things into her own hands.

Brethren, believe it or not, this particular line of reasoning is very often adopted by us in our own experiences, and if persons were to look back in retrospect, we may see where we may have made very grave and regrettable mistakes by succumbing to the erroneous belief that God is taking too long.

What Sarah did next, triggered a tsunami of adverse circumstances, the repercussions of which are still being felt today, for by taking matters into their own hands, they actually messed up God’s perfect plan, and brought upon themselves untold, unnecessary misery which they lived to regret.

How often in our own experiences have we messed up God’s plan, by thinking that He takes too long? A male saint prays long and hard for a female wife. He fasts and he prays for months and years on end, he asks the elders to pray with and for him.

But somehow his dream girl just keeps eluding him. He visits other churches, he gets involved in singles ministries, and finally, in desperation, he asks for an anointing with oil, so that he may shake the blues of persistent loneliness, all the while he prays and he prays and he waits and waits.

One year passes, two years pass, three, four years. He is beginning to get desperate, because he has a strong urge to merge, but some way, somehow, it just seems as if God is not listening. So now, what is he supposed to do, because he has indeed followed the script, he has dotted the Is and crossed all of the Ts, but still no spouse.

He begins to think that it might be time for him to take matters into his own hands, for in his mind God is taking too long. Whenever the person in question reaches that threshold, he will become vulnerable to the devices of satan, who will undoubtedly begin to bring a plethora of alternatives that may seem to be the one.

But if he goes out on a limb like Sarah once did, and he integrates himself with someone of a different persuasion, he is almost certain to mess up God’s perfect plans for him. It is always best to wait it out, and in doing so, a firm concrete decision would have to be made, that come what may he would not read from a different script, no matter how long it takes.

That is what Abraham did when his servant Eliezer asked the following valid question as they mulled searching for a wife for Isaac: Let’s suppose I do find the perfect wife, but she is not willing to leave her hometown to marry Isaac, should I then bring Isaac back to meet her, or should I drop the prospect like a big stone? Let’s read:

Genesis 24: 5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence you came?

6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware, that you bring not my son thither again.

8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

In Sarah’s and Abraham’s case, God’s perfect plan did not originally include any cussing and fighting between two desperate housewives. Neither was it ever God’s intention, that Hagar and Ishmael should evicted and be put out on the street. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 145] Flattered with her new position as Abraham's wife and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud. Mutual jealousies disturbed the peace of the once happy home. Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah's entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault. She desired to banish her rival. Hagar's haughty spirit wouldn’t brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. “When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”

But as God so often does, in His foreknowledge, He incorporates into His planning the mistakes that the human agents insert into His plans because we think He takes too long, and He tries to make the best of a bad situation, or hasty decision. It all has to do with that age old question that has to be reconciled in each and every mind: “Does God Take Too Long? Let’s read:

Genesis 16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

And the rest is history, for we are still witnessing the after effects of that one hasty decision, thousands of years after it was made!

[3] Impatience when looking to God for healing.

This one is huge, and it might touch a raw nerve in the human experience, for no one likes to wait for healing. When we are sick or bed ridden, our prayer to Jesus is usually: “Lord, get me out of here right now”. None of us in our right minds will like healing to be postponed, especially if it can be done right away.

 And The God of heaven absolutely understands, for it is He who once caused to be written in His word “I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”

Yet, there are times when we may have to wait on God, even as we are sick and tired of being sick. It is a fact that most of us would much rather prefer to be up and running, instead of being bed ridden, and in our expectations from God, we may be tempted to think that He is taking too long.

The fact of the matter is that even though we open up the floor for questions each Sabbath afternoon, there are times when we do not and cannot answer certain questions, because, we just do not know the answers for certain questions and situations. If any person tells you that they can figure out the reason why God does this or that every time, they are lying to you, plain and simple.

This is what transpired when Mary and Martha had sent an urgent message to Jesus, informing Him that His good friend Lazarus their brother was sick. What happens next should be studied closely, for it seems reasonable that Jesus should at once, set out on His journey to Martha’s house, to prevent Lazarus from dying.

But believe it or not, in God’s perfect plan, it was His will, that in this instance, Lazarus should die, and in all that Jesus would do next, and in all His empathy for Martha’s family, He must not mess up His own Father’s plan, by arriving on the scene too early.

In other words, if Christ arrived on the scene before the appointed time, Lazarus would not have died in His presence, and yes, Lazarus would be healed, but in doing so Jesus would have messed up God’s plan.

The following passages should be read prayerfully, with the understanding that God is never late, and never early. He plans and executes His plans with a surgical precision, that baffles intelligent minds, but in all and through it all, what He does, and how He does it is always the best way. Always! Let’s read:

John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he remained two days still in the same place where he was.

That deliberate delay would seem counterintuitive to the disciples, to Mary, and to any other person. In Lazarus’ mind, as he suffered on what turned out to be his death bed, he couldn’t fathom why on earth that urgent message given to Christ would not lead to a rapid response.

Then after two days Jesus decides to head out to Bethany, where Lazarus has already died. To mortal minds, going, after he died would make no sense, except to console the bereaved. But why the wait?

Thoughts begin to take shape in Mary and Martha’s minds, that if Jesus had not delayed, their brother would have been alive, and thus, as they mull over the whole situation over, they, like so many others are beginning to think that God takes too long. Let’s read:

John 11:7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleeps, he shall do well.

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless, let us go unto him.

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died.

In other words, if you didn’t delay, if you had shown up on time, Lazarus would never have passed away. Like the Hebrews at the mount, and like Abraham and Sarah, we were waiting and waiting and waiting but we don’t like to wait in vain, as the Rastafarian once said. We are just wondering what Mary would say when she comes on the scene. Let’s read:

John 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died.

Whenever persons come to the conclusion that God takes too long, satan is never far away, lurking in the shadows, seeking to strike at an opportune moment to do the most amount of damage to one’s faith.

In their frustration over Jesus’ supposed delay, their minds becomes ripe for a surgical strike of logical reasoning, which satan would now employ, to try if possible to throw a monkey wrench into the whole mix, and dissuade Christ from performing the most important miracle of His life on earth. Let’s read:

John 11: 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he is stinking, for he hath been dead four days.

[ The Desire of Ages pp 535] When the Lord is about to do a work, Satan moves upon someone to object. “Take ye away the stone,” Christ said. As far as possible, prepare the way for My work. But Martha's positive and ambitious nature asserts itself. She was unwilling that the decomposing body should be brought to view.

In all of the three examples given during our study the persons in question did wait for some length of time. The Hebrews waited, Abraham and Sarah also waited, and Mary and Martha also waited. The problem is that their waiting was premised on reasonable or specific time frames that they themselves had predetermined, or in Saul’s case, the stipulated time frame given by God had come and gone.

Since we were little children, we have been hearing for years that Jesus is coming soon. Doug Bachelor has preached it, E.E Cleveland has preached it, most of our pastors have preached it, and we ourselves have preached it. Some have come and gone, others are aging, and yet, for some reason it might seem to persons that there is a delay, and so, the question arises in many minds: “How soon is soon?”

Brethren, let us learn our lessons whilst we still can, as we study the mistakes of those who have gone before, who thought that God takes too long. As in former years, if we draw that conclusion, we would set ourselves up for a plethora of temptations of no ordinary character, especially as we’re approaching midnight in our earth’s history.

Many of us who believe in Jesus might not be ready for prime time, because when the issue of worship takes centerstage across the land, we will need one of the most important characteristics of our entire Christian experience to take us through, and that characteristic is patience. Let’s read:

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

[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.

Let us therefore learn to wait upon God, because His ways, His timing, and His interventions in behalf of His people are always the best and always in the fullness of time. Thus, we will end with a passage of scripture that should help us to grasp the concept of waiting upon God, and at His appointed time, He’ll do whatsoever is best for us. Let’s read:

Hebrews 10: 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36 For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

                                     God Bless!

Dealing Prudently With Gender Issues. Sabbath afternoon 04/15/2023

Joshua 24:15 And if it seems 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.

Younger people in our generation have to deal with issues that persons in years gone by never dreamed of, nor ever had to contend with. Indeed, it is a true statement that our world today is being plagued on an unprecedented scale, with problems that would make the people of Sodom and Gomorrah look like saints.

 There are sensitive issues coming to the forefront of our conversations and deliberations, in high and low places, that persons might much prefer to avoid. But because those issues have now entered the church, and are quickly becoming so deeply entrenched, the trumpet will have to be given a certain sound.

In the presentation of truth, political correctness, or social biases and preferences, and popular majority opinions, should never be allowed to taint, alter, or pervert the written word, for God has not called us to popularity, but rather to faithfulness.

When the servants of God are sent to deliver a very unpopular message, they are to pray and ask God for grace to do so without watering it down, for if they are found diluting the truth because of social pressures, the blood of those souls who are lost as a result would be upon their shoulders.

In other words, watering down the truth carries the heftiest price and the stiffest penalties, when done to appease the clamors of the popular majority.

While it is true, that when dealing with any sensitive issue great care must be taken, the servants of God must at the same time be very careful not to dilute His word, for fear of backlash, or economic boycott and persecution, as is so often the case whenever a person or individuals may stand up for right.

Issues pertaining to gender identity is one of those hot button issues that almost always breeds anger, and animosity when it is being discussed by persons with opposing views. There is no need to be riled up or get all out of whack because of differing opinions on the matter, for personal opinions do not trump a single sacred truth.

Thus, any disagreement on such matters should be taken to God in prayer, whilst at the same time we are careful to observe the principle of free choice as is stated in our first passage.

As Joshua then viewed and observed the tendency of the Hebrews to go after false gods, The Spirit of God moved upon him to pen the words, protecting a person’s right to choose.

The genius of Christianity is that it allows persons of different persuasions to live on the same street, and in our interactions with our fellowmen persons are to keep in mind that it is God who has granted free choice, with consequences, to all of earth’s peoples, and this freedom must not be taken away, even if a person may be at the opposite end of the spectrum in, their beliefs, philosophies and convictions.

Muslims, Buddhists, satanists and Christians are all granted the freedom of choice by God, and because of this, they can, and should be allowed to converge in the same zip-code, if they so choose. The same is true of adult persons who might choose a different path as it pertains to gender issues.

Such persons have been granted God-given freedom that must be respected. Differences of opinions are not to lead to coercion of one’s conscience, for if we were to take that route it would inevitably lead us to Daniel chapter 3 and Revelation chapter thirteen.

Therefore, the principle of “Live and let live” is to be a guiding rule, when dealing with conflicting views. In other words, just like Elijah laid before the people their choice between Baal and the true God, we too are to acknowledge the freedom of choice that God has given to each person. Let’s read:

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.

Deuteronomy 11: 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day.

28 And a curse if ye won’t obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

The curse here mentioned is not to be understood as something that God does to a person, in revenge for their not following the good and right. The curse is in the evil deed, just as the devil is in the details, so that the blessing or the curse is the natural result of either course of action.

For instance, if Buddhists were to eat healthily, and exercise regularly they will reap the natural benefits thereof, even if they may have utterly rejected Jesus as Lord and Savior. And atheists, who unwittingly do follow the laws of health, by refraining from eating forbidden foods, will be at lower risk for cancers, in the overwhelming majority of cases.

And companies, corporations, and businesses which return a faithful tithe are blessed indigenously, even if they have no affiliations with The Lord Jesus.

The blessings, or the curses are integrated with the choices a person makes, and is not so much God doing this or that in response to our choices, even though He is known to directly bless those persons who are in a covenant relation with Him.

 That’s because there are natural consequences for choosing to do either wrong or right, and in many cases, God simply allows the laws of sowing, and reaping to run their natural course. Thus, whatever may be a person’s choice on gender issues, let it be known that a person’s conscience on all such matters is to be left free to choose.

That said, there are satellite issues springing from a discussion of gender issues, for those parents, who still have children under their roof, will have to take a stand either this way or that, because until the son or daughter comes to the age of accountability, and reason, the parents are responsible for whatsoever goes on under their roof.

And churches, and religious institutions would also have to take a stand either this way or that, sooner or later, for there will be no middle ground by which we would be able to avoid making our conviction on such matters clear. Already, many athletes are facing a conundrum, by being urged against their will to wear rainbow-pride uniforms and arm bands.

Thus, in cases where the issue has come home to a family, definitive decisions, and choices on the path moving forward would have to be made by parents or guardians who have jurisdiction over the children under their care.

This is not a mere suggestion, it is the unadulterated word of God in such matters, because parents are to be responsible for their kids, until the children reach the age of accountability.

And, if there is a father in the home, he is the first person called to account by God, in answering for the actions, and decisions of not only his children, but also of his wife, in some instances.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God called Adam first, then Eve, and last of all satan, in that specific order, because as far as God is concerned, the serpent was the least in the chain of command, as stipulated in Genesis chapter one.

In other words, God gave our first parents dominion over the earth, and as such, He must call them to account first. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

11 And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou should not eat?

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

Similarly, when Abraham was urged on to have that rendezvous with Hagar, God called Abraham first to account. In fact, in that episode, God did not even call Sarah, even though it was at her suggestion that Abraham did what he did.

Therefore, when dealing with gender issues under our roofs, parents would have to take the lead by stating clearly what is God’s revealed will on such matters.

 And even though it is now a sensitive topic that is fraught with potential differences of opinion, yet, the parents in the home will have to take the lead in establishing the relevant parameters.

 The word prudent means “being clever and careful in action and judgment” as we must be with those issues of gender that are knocking at our doors.

We probably would not have had to do any Bible study on these matters, were it not for the fact that more and more families, and churches are being affected, one way or the next, by the accelerated expansion of philosophical teachings and the use of indoctrination on these issues.

Therefore, we have no choice but to stake out the Biblical positions clearly, from the word of God, and yet at the same time, we must be prudent in doing so. Thus three questions would be addressed, so as to bring clarity to certain issues in question and we will let God’s word speak for itself.

Question [1]: If your child comes home from school, and because of some philosophical indoctrination he or she was given, requires a name change or may request gender affirming therapy, what should godly parents do, and should they comply?

Question [2]: Should Christian parents be attendees of a transgender/gay marriage, if one of their kids decides to marry someone of a similar persuasion, or should the parents desist?

Question [3]: If the laws of a particular state offer the freedom of choice to underage children on gender issues, should Godly parents comply with Caesar’s law, or are they to affirm an “It is written” in their households, even if there are penalties or adverse consequences including losing custody of a child?

Believe it or not, these are just a few of the grim or urgent predicaments some families would have to confront now, and because of this, the word of God will outline to us the right and the prudent thing to do in any such circumstance.

Let’s begin with question [1] If a child comes home from school, and because of some philosophical indoctrination he or she was given, requires a name change, or may request gender affirming therapy, what should Christian parents do, and should they comply?

Parents are free to do whatsoever they choose, with natural consequences, but if they desire to follow “It is written” they would have to direct their kids, and explain to them as best they could what the word of God says about the issue. Sadly, there are situations, now obtaining in our world that not even the many prophets of old could have seen coming.

Fathers will have to do some mansplaining, as they endeavor to teach their kids what the Bible says. Ever so gently, and with wisdom born of God, the parents will need to explain the following passages of scripture, which set the record straight in simple format. Let’s read:

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

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

Genesis 2: 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.

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

Then the parents may have to address the issue of contrary feelings that the child in question may be experiencing. Fathers and mothers would have to explain in real time, that most of our feelings, as human beings, are contrary to the word of God.

It’s not just on gender issues, for it applies to every facet of our existence. God does not condemn any person for experiencing contrary feelings, for if this were the case, none of us would be saved.

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

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight that You might be justified when You speak, and be clear when thou judge.

5 Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

When the Calypsonian Shadow sings about “Feeling the feelings” he is referring to contrary feelings he is experiencing, which come down upon him in heavy torrents, and which also plague the unrighteous, the righteous, and even those sitting on the fence. Every human being that has ever lived has had to confront a plethora of contrary feelings.

From Mrs. Potiphar, to David, from Solomon to the father of the faithful, even Abraham, from the men of Sodom, to the people of Nineveh, and every one of the disciples without exception.

All have had to deal with, and confront the contrary feelings, but never should these feelings drive us to manipulate God’s word in order to cater for fallen, human nature.

What God is saying to us is: under no circumstances is anyone permitted to alter His word, so as to cater to contrary feelings, whether naturally occurring, or whether cultivated.

We would have our share of struggles with feelings, and we may have to pray long and hard, in earnest for victory, but we are never to tamper with what God has said. Anytime anyone attempts to remove or alter the truths given in the Bible, they embark on a slippery slope which ultimately leads to never- land. Let’s read:

Psalms 89: 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

 Deuteronomy 12: 32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

 Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

What philosophy is doing in our day is attempting to alter the designations given in Genesis chapters one and two, and when persons choose to subscribe to such teachings God can’t help them recover, if they have been previously convicted by the Holy Ghost, and yet there is no change of perspectives, for they turn their backs on His word, the final authority on all matters.

There are many smooth-talking, politically correct, and financially motivated speakers who concoct a litany of philosophies to suit itching ears. But the word of God is abundantly clear, when it comes to tampering with what He has stipulated.

Thus, we must repeat so that persons would hear precisely, what is being said: Jesus cannot help any individual who has previously been convicted by The Holy Ghost, yet deliberately, and permanently turns their backs on His written word granted such a person has come to the age of reason. Let’s read:

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded.

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge and didn’t choose the fear of the Lord.

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

We do sincerely encourage everyone to choose the truths written in God’s word, while there is yet the opportunity for salvation to occur in the heart, but the truth of the matter is that there is a point of no return, where a person’s decision becomes fixed for eternity, and the pleading voice of conscience will cease forever. Let’s read:

Hebrews 6: 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Question [2]: Should Christian parents be attendees of a transgender/gay marriage, if one of their kids decides to marry someone of similar persuasion, or should the parents desist?

Again, as it was with our first question, parents are free to choose whatsoever they decide to do in such situations yet there are pitfalls and temptations that would beset their feet, if they were to attend. One’s presence at any wedding is most often viewed as an endorsement of the union of those getting married.

Especially if the person in question who is doing the marriage vows, asks if there are any objections to the consummation of the marriage. The parents in such instances would naturally recoil from raising their hands in a public objection, for doing so would almost certainly cast a dark shadow over the entire ceremony.

This in turn could potentially trigger a very bitter backlash from the persons at the altar, and it could create deep wounds that might never heal with the passage of time.

In addition, if the parents in their heart of hearts are decidedly against any such union, yet may choose to attend, just to show support for their kids, they will open the door for severe temptation to compromise their conscientious objections.

They would be invited to take pictures with those who are getting married, the parents would have to walk up the aisle to give the engaged persons away, and throughout the entire festivity, their hearts will be bleeding internally, as they witness that which they know is contrary to God’s will, and favor.

These are just a few of the potential results if God-fearing parents decided to attend. In the spiritual realm, we are counseled against placing ourselves knowingly in the way of temptation, for we would almost certainly be taken advantage of by invisible foes.

This is what occurred when Peter presumed to mix in with the crowds that were reviling Christ in the judgment hall. He entered onto satan’s enchanted ground, and the enemy absolutely abused him, or as Christ once put it, he sifted Peter like wheat.

John, who’d made his inner convictions clear as day, chose rather to be as close to Jesus as possible, but Peter, who courted popularity, chose to blend in with the crowd, so as to disguise his real feelings, and as such, when the crowd poked fun at Christ, he felt obligated to laugh too, lest his true feelings be known.

Thus, Peter fell a prey to the devices of devils, and they turned up the heat several notches, until in his frustration and anger, he let loose a number of four- letter words, denying any connection with Jesus. In other words, satan pressured him into siding with the crowd, against his personal inner convictions. Let’s read:

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

Romans 14: 22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemns not himself in the thing which he allows.

23 And he that doubts is damned if he eat, because he eats not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is a sin.

The Desire of Ages pp 711>712] The disciple John, upon entering the judgment hall, did not try to conceal the fact that he was a follower of Jesus. He did not mingle with the rough company who were reviling his Master.

He was not questioned, for he did not assume a false character, and thus lay himself liable to suspicion. He sought a retired corner secure from the notice of the mob, but as near Jesus as it was possible for him to be.

Peter had not designed that his real character should be known. In assuming an air of indifference he had placed himself on the enemy's ground, and he became an easy prey to temptation.

 Many who do not shrink from active warfare for their Lord are driven by ridicule to deny their faith. By associating with those whom they should avoid, they place themselves in the way of temptation.

They invite the enemy to tempt them, and are led to say and do that of which under other circumstances they would never have been guilty. The disciple of Christ who in our day disguises his faith through dread of suffering or reproach denies his Lord as really as did Peter in the judgment hall.

Peter tried to show no interest in the trial of his Master, but his heart was wrung with sorrow as he heard the cruel taunts, and saw the abuse He was suffering. In order to conceal his true feelings, he endeavored to join with the persecutors of Jesus in their untimely jests.

But his appearance was unnatural. He was acting a lie and while seeking to talk unconcernedly he could not restrain expressions of indignation at the abuse heaped upon his Master.

Question [3]: If the laws of a particular state offer the freedom of choice to underage children on gender issues, should Godly parents comply with Caesar’s law, or are they to affirm an “It is written” in their households, even if there are penalties or adverse consequences including losing custody of a child?

As was clearly stated in response to the two former questions parents and guardians retain the freedom of choice in any matter of conscience, and they are free to choose either the good or the evil, if they so choose.

However, sooner or later, persons who genuinely believe in The Lord Jesus, would discover that in all matters which pertain to salvation, the conscience, worship, and truth, very clear lines of distinction will have to made so that it would be unmistakably clear where we stand on this or that issue.

In instances where the state, or Caesar commands parents to do that which is directly contrary to the word of God and sound doctrine, parents have the sacred duty to disobey Caesar, in deference to God.

There are many things which have become “Legal” with the support of law, but that does not mean to say that we must surrender truth to comply in every instance.

Serving and obeying God will at times involve actual loss, of property, relationships, commercial privilege and family members, in some instances. Those cute doctrines which teach a Christianity without a cross, or salvation without self-denial, are categorized in the Bible as being smooth things, specially designed for itching ears.

There are times, when on account of the incursions of men and demons, persons will have to stand up and be counted the same as took place when Moses asked the question: “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

If Caesar attempts to force unscriptural practices on the saints, whether it be worship or morals, we will have to make decided choices in favor of the right, even though we might suffer serious consequences.

The final conflict of the end time affords no middle ground, in so much that the easy-going Christianity of former years, where individuals sat on the fence without any hard commitment to obey God or satan is quickly coming to an end, and when it does, there will only be two classes, or two camps that remain.

Therefore, if persons decide to remain true to God during these difficult days, we should read the next passages of scripture slowly and prayerfully with the understanding that the days of playing “In the river on the bank” are now almost over. Let’s read:

Matthew 10: 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother-in-law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And he that takes not his cross and follows after me, is not worthy of me.

39 He that finds his life shall lose it and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.

Throughout our very troubled, world there is one word that keeps recurring over and over again, and that’s Decision, Decision, Decision. 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.

All of the decisions that persons now make would be culminating and converging during the times of Revelation chapter 13, because every time persons deliberately choose to do the right or wrong, those decisions serve to deepen and cement conviction of conscience, in either the good or bad direction.

Let us then form the habit by the grace of God, of making firm concrete decisions in favor of right, and one day soon, The God of heaven would lock in the pattern of choosing right permanently for eternity, during the sealing process.

We therefore strongly advise, and encourage every saint, who names the name of Christ, to stand firm for the right under the most daunting circumstances because he that is faithful in that which is least will also be faithful in much. We end with a quote from the pen of inspiration, as we think on these things. Let’s read: [Education pp 57] The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.

                                    God Bless!

Offensive And Defensive Positions In The Spirit World. Sabbath afternoon 04/08/2023

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

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

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

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

The passages above tell us beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are all involved in a war; not merely against fellow mortals like ourselves, but more so against principalities and powers, and the forces of darkness which do strive for the supremacy in our minds.

 Too often we find ourselves focusing our attention upon the human agent, when indeed, it is the many invisible forces we wrestle against, that are causing the problems and challenges we encounter on our journey towards God’s kingdom.

In fact, this reality is something that persons must be reconciled to, in that each step of advance in the right direction would be challenged by the forces of darkness, and therefore, a person should not expect only smooth sailing in his/her Christian experience.

There will be times when we will have to do mortal battle against internal and external foes, of whom the internal foes are the most dangerous. However, Christ has promised us grace that will rise with the emergency, so that folks need not fear, nor buckle under the heavy load of discouragement whenever the enemy comes in like a flood.

Jesus, who has trod this way before, had to endure multiple assaults by the enemy of souls, who was a relentless, and a determined foe that Christ had to meet, and conquer each day, during His sojourn on this earth.

The word Christian means little Christ and therefore, we who believe in Jesus, and follow Him, must also expect to encounter malice, revenge, oppositions, turmoil, and hardships of various sorts, intertwined with the sunny days, and mountaintop experiences that the straight and narrow path affords. Let’s read:

John 16: 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

2nd Timothy 3: 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

[LTSM 7, MS 24, 1892 Par. 22] Remember that every soul striving to advance in the divine life, finds every inch of ground disputed by an antagonistic force and he must gird himself for the conflict by earnest prayer, and fight the good fight of faith.

 [LTSM 17, Lt 67, 1902 Par. 53] The Christian warfare is an individual warfare. Satan will contest every inch of the way, but press forward. The strength and courage necessary for the conflict will be given you.

   Our interpretation of adverse events.

One of the issues that we will be lazar focused on in this presentation, is how to interpret adverse events as they occur in our life experience for we’ll discover that whenever the adversary of souls goes on the offensive against the Christian, we often make the mistake of misinterpreting events as they unfold.

At such times we will discover that the Christian is often tempted to believe that God has forsaken him or her, and it’s at these moments when our faith can be severely shaken. But, the truth about the matter is that if one is sincerely trying to walk in harmony with all the light given, adverse circumstances are often a harbinger of good things to come.

In other words, whenever God determines to bless His people, we should expect the forces of darkness to launch an offensive, and if and when it ensues, it is to be interpreted as a herald of something bigger, and better, that is already on the way.

In the spirit world there are those who stake out an offensive position, while on the other hand, we will find that God often plays defense. This is a fact that we must understand moving forward, for very often we might expect God to go on the offensive, against the forces of darkness that are arrayed against our souls.

There are times when God goes on the offensive but this is more the exception than the rule, because His nature of loving-kindness does not generally move Him to offer offense. Whenever God does go on the offensive, it is usually in response to continued, and prolonged provocation, or determined resistance or persecution against His own people.

Therefore, when we pray, we should do so with the understanding, that God, as a general rule, is not in the business of walking around with a baseball bat, seeking to pick a fight with men or demons. His own nature consists of love, peace, harmony, kindness, and every good, and upright characteristic that can be found, written of Him in His word. Let’s read:

1st John 5: 8 He that loveth not knows not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

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

22 It is because 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.

Psalms 103: 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever.

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

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

So, let’s repeat so that this sacred truth may sink in deep into our consciousness: God is love, and He is not in the business of going on the offensive under normal conditions.

 On the contrary, the forces of darkness often go on the offensive, always seeking to pick a fight with God, holy angels or with the Christian. Unprovoked, man’s nemesis will target an unsuspecting believer, and if granted permission, he will cause distresses and hardships, difficulties and a host of problems the saint in question may not be catering for.

Thus, the Bible teaches us, in no uncertain terms, that in the spirit world it is the adversary of God and man who stakes out offensive positions, for this is who he is at his very core. His nature drives him to take offensive actions against the good, the bad and the in between.

Persons are never to be deceived into thinking that if they were to cozy up to the devil that he will leave them alone. This is an absolute misunderstanding, for he will target even his most ardent followers, the same way he goes after the Christian. The reason is that going on the offensive is a natural byproduct of his nature as the Bible declares. Let’s read:

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

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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

After David was anointed as king of Israel, and satan got wind of it, he then went on the offensive to try if possible, to thwart the good God had intended to do for his people. Numerous assaults were launched from strategic positions, and in each and every case God adopted a defensive position, protecting David from the malice of the prince of darkness.

One day, as David was singing his songs of praise in the king’s court, the prince of darkness moved upon Saul to hurl a javelin at the musician, with the hope that it would pin him to the wall. This happened on more than one occasion, but in each instance, God played defense in behalf of his servant. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16: 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

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

9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul.

Again, Saul was moved upon by invisible forces to go on the offensive after David, for the king had spent many sleepless days and nights, hunting down David like a wild beast in the forests and wilderness. Saul refused to let go of his purpose to strangle David with his own hands. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

1st Samuel 26: 2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

We observed that God’s actions against Saul are all defensive in nature, for it is not the nature of God to go on the offensive against human beings. Christ has come to save men’s lives, not to destroy, and thus, if and whenever He can, God avoids resorting to brute force to compel persons to comply with His will.

These determined attacks against David continued to weigh on his mind, for at every turn, he found himself having to look over his shoulder, lest some sudden attack from the spirit world, through human agencies, should snuff out his life prematurely, as he then thought.

According to the scripture, the prolonged incursions against his soul and his person, finally took a toll on David, for he began to interpret the events as being a harbinger of bad things to come, instead of being heralds of the good God that was going to do. His interpretations and conclusions are expressed in David’s own words of anguish and despair. Let’s read:

       David’s Interpretation of Events.

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.

Again, after God revealed the fact that He was going to do great things through young Joseph, the forces of darkness staked out an offensive position, and as usual, they chose the medium of human agencies to carry out their diabolical plans.

Joseph was first cast into the pit, and then sold as a slave into a foreign country, where he would now be tasked with learning a new language in a hurry. And as he saw his father’s tents fading in the distance he shed many bitter tears, thinking that this has to be the end of his dreams.

  His interpretation of events.

[Patriarchs and prophets pp 213] With a trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change in situation—from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror.

But throughout that entire episode, we do not find God going on the offensive to prevent the malice of his brothers. Instead, The Lord takes up a defensive stance, and protects Joseph through all the ups and downs of his experiences in Egypt, until The Lord’s purposes for him would be fulfilled in due season.

In his own words, Joseph later informed his brothers in retrospect, about the correct understanding, and interpretation of the events that had transpired. He attributed his success to the defensive role God had played in his capture, and consequent exaltation in Egypt, in so much that Joseph didn’t even credit his brothers with the chain of circumstances. 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.

4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

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.

7And 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.

When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, the forces of darkness went on the offensive, for the conversation of that fateful day was begun by man’s nemesis, not Eve. It’s true that their power of choice was used for the wrong reason by our first parents, but the offensive came from the serpent.

When God had determined to free His people from Egyptian bondage, He spoke to pharaoh first, to let His people go. Many of us, if we had been in God’s shoes, would not have condescended to speak to a poor mortal like pharaoh, especially, if we were to consider the omnipotence God has at His disposal.

Yet God addresses pharaoh in a non-confrontational manner, that he should let the people go. And, even after the multiple requests had been made by God, and denied by that stubborn king, God did not at once bring upon the Egyptians the last plague that did them in.

He waited and waited, He pleaded and pleaded, and each successive plague was mingled with mercy, for God takes no pleasure in the destruction of human life. But stubbornness on the part of the king caused The Lord to tighten down the screws with increasing pressure, until He had no choice but to turn up the heat several notches so that pharaoh would listen.

But, had it not been for the fool-hardiness of the king, we would never have read of a single plague upon Egypt. That is because God, as a general rule, does not stake out offensive positions when dealing with the human family.

God is not confrontational or offensive in nature for He much rather prefers those peaceable and kindly solutions to problems that are in harmony with His word, when dealing with humanity. In other words, He is not a bully God, but instead always seeks out the most peaceable route at first, as He did with old pharaoh. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus, saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

Instead of acquiescing to God’s word, pharaoh, who was under the direct influence of demons stakes out an offensive position in the narrative for in response to God’s overtures he increases the burdens of the people, and, like the invisible master under whose control he now is, he proceeds to harass and torture the Hebrews as he goes on the offensive. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no more, give the people straw to make

brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore, have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?

  Their interpretation of events?

Exodus 5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

21 And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Several judgments against Egypt ensued, with each one becoming severer, until the episode culminated in the demise of every firstborn of man and beast in the kingdom. One would think that pharaoh would have learned his lessons well, but again, urged on by the prince of darkness, the king again goes on the offensive. Let’s read:

Exodus 14: 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea ….

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.

Their Interpretation of Events?

Exodus 14: 11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

There are critically important lessons for us to take away from the experiences of those who have gone before. Their interpretations of adverse events are pregnant with instruction, for those of us who are living in an environment where things are becoming more and more volatile by the day.

 [1] For starters, in our interaction with our fellow mortals like ourselves, we too should follow God’s lead in avoiding going on the offensive, nor should we expect The Lord to always take offensive actions in the protection His people.

Too often, we find ourselves following the dictates of fallen human nature, in clamoring for revenge or justice as the case might be. But those who spend time beholding the character of Christ, would avoid confrontation as much as possible, and would rather prefer peaceable solutions to any volatile situations, if, and whenever this is possible. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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.

[2] Another important lesson for us to consider and learn from the experiences of God’s people in times past, is that whenever we may attempt to do things that are good or right, we should expect some level of resistance from the prince of darkness.

But his offensives are not to be viewed as negatives to the good purposes intended, because, as we have discovered in the several examples given, God’s own defensive actions in our behalf often uses the ploys of demons to facilitate the outworking of His grand purposes in behalf of His people.

Thus, whenever we may experience offensives, and oppositions from the spirit world, when trying to do that which is good and upright, these events should be understood and interpreted as harbingers of the good that is to follow, and we would be encouraged greatly in thus bearing patiently, the assaults of our invisible foes. Let’s read:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 [3] There is a book called “Last Day Events” which outlines in graphic detail the perils of the last days. The information that is found therein is not to be understood as scaremongering. Instead, the info is a herald of the morning, and therefore, when we read it we must look beyond what is seen to that which is eternal.

In other words, some of the bad news that is found therein is actually good news for the Christian, for  God’s word certifies that all offensives coming from men and demons will soon come crashing down and persons who at that time remain faithful will see in real time The Day Star arising in their hearts.

And, we have the assurance that God would be with us, mostly in a defensive position, so that whenever we pass through the fire or the flood, His presence will always be there to guide, encourage, strengthen and cheer, so that persons would not be engulfed by the forces of darkness who are on the prowl.

Thus, in all of the vicissitudes of life, in all of those adverse circumstances and offensives that come our way from time to time, let it be settled once and for all in our hearts, that God often turns the negatives into positives, and if we were to hang in there by His grace, we will often discover that our latter end will be better than at the first.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should help us to understand and interpret events in our lives correctly, and may God grant us grace to bear, the various offensives coming from the spirit world in the interim. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him …..

                                   God Bless!

When Michael Stands Up. Sabbath afternoon 04/01/2023

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.

The times spoken of in the above passage are not to be understood as being in the distant future, for the world is now in a perpetually precarious state where uncertainty, and turmoil rule the day.

The sunshine state could possibly be on the brink of becoming the wild, wild, west, where persons could be traveling on a bus going to school or work, and it is conceivable, that every person on that bus could be fully loaded.

Indeed, the time has now come where individuals and families will have to make some hard decisions as to how to proceed in an environment where it is no longer required to have a concealed firearm. In many cases you would find persons responding by taking matters of security into their own hands so as to protect themselves and their families.

We often sing the songs “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way” and there is another one “Only trust Him” but we declare the truth to you, that the times that are coming upon our world will really test our willingness to trust God for everything that pertains to life, including security.

Even though our hearts go out to the latest victims in Tennessee, we have observed that in recent years the term “Our thoughts and Prayers” is beginning to sound like a broken record, for currently we have a lot more mass shootings recorded for this year, than days which have elapsed thus far, 131 versus 90.

The lamblike beast is the only nation on earth that allows its young school aged children to be targeted by persons, who for one reason or another, might decide to do the unthinkable.

Not even the Taliban permits what is being done in America, and according to scripture, it will continue spiraling downward until our troubles culminate in the time of trouble such as never was, since there was a nation.

All of the major gauges do suggest that the world is now caught in a multiprong vortex from which it is becoming increasingly difficult to escape. The storm clouds are gathering both at home and abroad. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 101] The issues of the press teem with records of murder—crimes so cold-blooded and causeless that it seems as though every instinct of humanity were blotted out. The spirit of anarchy is permeating all nations, and the outbreaks that from time to time excite the horror of the world are but indications of the pent-up fires of passion and lawlessness that, having once escaped control, will fill the earth with woe and desolation. Even now, in the present century, and in professedly Christian lands, there are crimes daily perpetrated as black and terrible as those for which old-world sinners were destroyed.

Again, earth’s inhabitants are currently bombarded on multiple fronts, with problems and disasters, for which we don’t have the answers, the resources, or the solutions to solve them. Deadly tornadoes are taking their toll, hurricanes are yearly increasing in intensity and frequency, and drug resistant viruses and bacteria are becoming more common.

In addition to this, we have major upheavals taking place with Trade Unions, both at home and abroad as can be seen currently in France, and Israel of all places. Chipotle, Amazon and Starbucks have begun to see their share of trade union woes, and it is just the tip of the iceberg, as the servant of the Lord has accurately predicted. Let’s read:

[ Letters And Manuscripts 1903, Volume 18, par. 9] “Trade 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.”

These are not mere aberrations, but are instead the symptoms of deeper spiritual problems which have become endemic in society. Spiritual law always has preeminence over natural or physical law, meaning that the former absolutely has jurisdiction over the latter.

To put it bluntly, whenever spiritual law is interfered with, it would throw off physical laws into increasing discombobulation, downstream until an appropriate remedy is adopted. And if necessary corrections are not made in a timely manner, the severity, and cost of the collateral damage goes up exponentially.

In the days of Elijah, it was the violation of spiritual laws in the worship of false gods, that had triggered that devastating famine which took a deadly toll on man and beast. When the corrections were adopted on Mt. Carmel, the heavens released great torrents of water, and the earth was refreshed. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

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

Again, in the days of Joshua, spiritual law was being violated by Achan, who had stolen things that were specifically stipulated as being accursed. Thus, when Joshua’s soldiers went into battle against Ai without prayer, they suffered the destabilizing defeat which caused them to question whether or not God was with them.

The reason for their failure was specifically pointed out by God, so that coming generations of mortals would not be deceived as to cause and effect, as it pertains to collateral damages, wherever spiritual law is violated. God is merciful, but His mercy would only go thus far and no further, if persons insist and persist in the violation of spiritual law. Let’s read:

Joshua 7: 10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore do you lie thus upon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

Therefore, that phrase in our first passage: “Stand Up” refers to the exercise of Divine authority at a time when forces of evil would have tried to coerce the violation of conscience, by trying to force all of earth’s inhabitants, to worship the image of the beast.

The worship of the image of the beast would then constitute a violation of the fourth commandment, and thus, would bring upon earth’s inhabitants, the wrath of The Lamb, after our probationary time has expired, as spoken of in the book of Revelation. Let’s read:

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Michael, in our first passage refers to Christ, who at that appointed time will rise up to take the reins of control out of the hands of mortal man, not that they were ever in man’s hands, but He will be doing some very strange things, which folks may not have seen or heard Him do before.

Let’s repeat, so that you would hear correctly: Jesus will be doing some strange things at the appointed time, that we may not have heard or seen Him do before.

To those who may have been brainwashed by those smooth-talking, truth denying, or politically correct preachers of the day, when Michael stands up, He is going to do things that you’re not expecting to come from the meek, loving God He is known to be.

That little cute baby that has been worshipped for centuries on Christmas day will turn heads, and will be a cause of great concern when He begins to roll through the earth. In fact, many of the saints of God at that time would have difficulty understanding the extent of His work, in defense of His people, and in defense of His downtrodden law.

The prophets predicted that persons will be caught off guard as to extent of His intrusions at that time, for even the very saints who would be saved, might experience difficulty in coming to grips with Jesus’ movements, as at that time He will be wrapping up the history of planet earth, as we have known it. Let’s read:

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

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

Revelation 19: 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

Currently, all the nations of earth seem to be taking one step forward and two steps backward for if one were to take a look at where we are, we seem to be either stuck in neutral, or going in reverse.

The war between Russia and Ukraine is taking a very heavy toll on resources globally, and has triggered a mad stampede into electric vehicles, and everything electric, as if that would solve our problems forever.

There are unforeseen problems associated with the near complete dependence on the electric grid, as is laid out in the green new deal, and such challenges would be manifested only after the switch over has been made.

With oil-based sources of energy, you would have more pollution, but the chances of a catastrophic shut down will not be not as high as when there is total dependence on the electric grid. If, for some reason we were to run into a major problem with our electric grid, the consequences could then be absolutely devastating and catastrophic.

Without back-up generators, and batteries, it could result in shuttering of banking systems, computers will lack the power to operate, satellites would not be able to communicate information efficiently, and those vital services we have come to depend on can suddenly be upended, and the “everything electric” mindset could abruptly be rendered null and void. Let’s read:

                       HURRICANE CENTRAL

Hurricane Ian In Florida: Millions In The Dark, By Ron Brackett and Jan Wesner Childs, October 05, 2022.

M​ore than 2 million power outages are being reported in more than 20 counties from Southwest Florida where Ian came ashore, up and across the state to areas around Daytona Beach on the state's Atlantic Coast, according to PowerOutage.us. Each outage can represent several people in a household or building, or a business or shared utility account.

 One of the issues arising from the power outages is that persons with a Tesla, and other electric vehicles were not able to recharge their batteries, and many got stuck, not being able to make an escape as their fuel burning neighbors could.

The issues that are now plaguing earth’s inhabitants are much deeper, and entrenched than the passing disturbances taking place with geopolitical forces or the capricious outbreaks of nature, whereby storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards are becoming more frequent and intense.

The real problem from which all of the other issues stem is a spiritual problem, and it would require a spiritual solution to solve it. It will ultimately, and be finally decided by heads of states that unless earth’s inhabitants turn back to God, there will be no letting up of those adverse circumstances that keep piling up at our doorstep.

 But our first passage cautions, that in our efforts to turn back to God, very grave mistakes in judgement will be made that will culminate in Michael standing up for His people, who will remain faithful at a time of unprecedented, global turmoil. Any turning back to God will have to take place on His terms, not ours as we are cautioned of in Revelation 13.

As we studied last week, any universal mandate to coerce the conscience on matters of worship would trigger a swift response from Christ, causing Him to make direct intrusions into the affairs of men so as to protect the faithful during those perilous days.

However, this will not be the first time that Michael will have to “Stand up” or intervene, in the religious affairs of men because there were instances in times past when He was moved to do so, albeit on a more miniature scale.

For instance, when the three Hebrew boys faced the mandated false worship in Babylon, The Son of God made a direct intrusion, and delivered them out of the hand of king Nebuchadnezzar.  Some preachers, in trying to describe that intrusion in language that we can understand, might say that God asked one angel and then another, how fast they could reach Babylon.

Then, finally, according to their rendition, God came to Michael and asked the same question, to which He responded: I am there already. Well, we have some news for you; the truth of the matter is that Christ was always there, they just were not seeing Him, but He had always been there. Always!

Michael has never ever left any of His people at any time or at any place, whether it be in good times or bad times; and He has very valid reasons for never leaving us. When He had pulled back His restraining orders from the devil just for a few days we observe what took place with Job and all that had pertained to him.

Thus, Christ’s presence has always been there, but persons were probably not seeing Him. At certain times He may reveal Himself through the presence of angels, or in other instances, He may take it on a personal level, as He did with the Hebrew boys, but Michael has always been there for His people.

When Jacob was fleeing from Laban, and was in dire straits because of the looming threat from Esau, the angels of God made themselves visible to him, and he was thus encouraged on his way, but Christ had always been with him. Let’s read:

Genesis 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

The same fact of Christ’s continual presence with us was again made manifest in Joseph’s experience. At that time Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers, false accusations were made against him by the seducer, and finally he was incarcerated for standing up for right. But in all and through it all the presence of God never left him. Let’s read:

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

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

20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

23 The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

When Elisha was surrounded by the immense Syrian army, Michael stood up again to protect him and his servant from the malice of the king. In that instance, the servant wasn’t aware that Michael’s hosts were already on the ground, and so it seemed to the poor servant that they were cornered, and were about to be consumed. But again, Michael was always there. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

And with you and I, and with everyone who believes in Jesus, Michael has always been there, and He will always be there, even though folks may not see Him with their naked eyes, but Jesus’ presence is always with there with us. Always! Let’s read:

Psalms 139:1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 You know my down sitting and mine uprising, You understand my thoughts afar off.

3 You compass my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

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.

Matthew 28: 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

As it pertains to Daniel 12:1, when Michael will be standing up for all those who remain faithful during the darkest hours of earth’s history, as they refuse to bow to the image of the beast, Jesus will again be doing some very strange things that persons haven’t catered for.

Last week the question was asked: How did the king of Babylon recognize the 4th Person in the furnace as being The Son of God? This will take us into very deep waters, as it pertains to Michael/Christ, who is never short on resources, methods, ways or means when it comes to standing up in the defense of His people.

Here are just three of the many ways that God can inject Himself into the equation as it pertains to Him standing up in defense of His people:

Direct revelation. Tailormade revelation. And the issue of facial recognition.

Direct revelation is when God makes Himself known to a person directly, via a dream or a personal, or a physical encounter. For instance, when Jacob was at the brook Jabbok, he had a direct encounter, as he wrestled with Christ. God also made himself known to him via dreams, which he had on a few occasions.

So yes, there are times when, in defense of His own, God could, and will make a direct intrusion, and the individual in question would be made to understand beyond the shadow of doubt that it is The Almighty God in the house. Let’s read:

Genesis 20: 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?

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.

Daniel 3: 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Tailormade revelation: Tailormade revelations occur when Jesus decides to single out one person out of a group of many people, and reveals Himself to that  individual only, while all the others who are present cannot see or hear anything. Let’s read:

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

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

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

7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Acts 9: 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Facial recognition: Facial recognition is where God can cause a situation of mistaken identity, where the enemies of His people are rendered confused, on account of their utter inability to correctly read, identify, or recognize another person’s face.

This He has done time and time again, but persons were none the wiser, and therefore, this last issue about facial recognition is particularly troubling for it could trigger confusion and mayhem, or in other situations it could be employed for the good of His people as God sees fit.

Let no one be deceived into thinking that Jesus is limited to finite modes of thought and action, for as we have stated before, when Michael stands up in Daniel 12:1 He would be doing some very strange things. Before we deal with the bad part, let us deal with the good part.

Pay very close attention to the following narrative, being careful to observe the nature of the intrusion, how the issue of facial recognition is employed, the conversations that ensue, and the total inability of mortal man to figure out what exactly is going on. Let’s read:

Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.

This same capability is also employed in defense of His people, for as we have stated before, when in Daniel chapter 12 Michael the Great Prince stands up in defense of His people, He will be doing some very strange things. Now is the time to get ready for whatsoever might ensue. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 6: 13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and  compassed the city about.

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

 [They then embark on an 11-mile journey through mountainous terrain]

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

2nd Chronicles 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

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.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

Let us repeat again, so that you will hear correctly: When the mark of the beast would have been set up, and coerced worship would have taken center stage at home and abroad, Michael will stand up, and He will be doing some very strange things.

Our willingness and ability to trust God is directly tied to our understanding of His limitless capability, which when understood as being open-ended, will render all of man’s devices, ways, and means which are used against God’s people, as being far less than foolishness.

 Each and every device, gizmo, and tracking device is considered by God as total foolishness, when they are contrasted with what Michael will do whenever the threshold of coerced worship is crossed.

 The time spent drooling over the latest this and the latest that would be much better spent studying and communing with God for if and when this is done our comprehension of things will take one a whole new different meaning, and the clever inventions of man will pale into insignificance, before the God of Daniel 12:1. Let’s read:

[C.O.L pp 41] In turning from God's word to feed on the writings of uninspired men, the mind becomes dwarfed and cheapened. It is not brought in contact with deep, broad principles of eternal truth. The understanding adapts itself to the comprehension of the things with which it is familiar, and in this devotion to finite things it is weakened, its power is contracted, and after a time it becomes unable to expand.

Let us therefore trust in Jesus, for the beast will do what he is scheduled to do, satan will do what he is scheduled to do, but Michael will do whatsoever He wants to do, for as the scripture says: There is no searching of His understanding; and the information with the interpretation given out today is sure and certain.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should keep us pondering upon these sacred truths throughout this coming week. Let’s read:

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most-High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

                                     God Bless