Christ In The Shadows. Sabbath afternoon 02/03/2024

 Psalms 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book, it is written of me,

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

When studying the Bible, Jesus Christ must always be at the center and focus of attention, because the purpose of the Bible being written is to point us to Jesus, primarily, and secondarily as sacred history containing His laws and instructions together with prophecies and the experiences of those whom God saw fit to set before our faces as learning curves.

In other words, whatsoever and however we might read and study the Bible, the bottom line is to have a clearer view of Christ, and a deeper relationship with Him. Any other purpose will fall short of God’s glory and will just be an escapade in gathering much information.

Very much of what we read in the Bible points us to Christ, and even though the passages might not say so explicitly, yet, with Him being at the center of our focus, we will see Jesus clearly in the shadows, and types that are written. This is true not only of Moses who wrote the first five books of the Bible, but of all the other writers of Scripture.

Isaiah and David, Jonah and Daniel, and all the rest of the Bible writers point us to Christ, some more, and some less. Thus, every time the Bible is opened in study, we must see Jesus as the focal point, and if this is done continuously, many things that seem to be murky, and riddled with dark sentences would be made very plain. Let’s read:

John 5:46 For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

47 But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?

Almost all of what Moses wrote was about Christ, in some form or fashion and even though Jesus wasn’t mentioned by name, He is present all over Moses’ writings. In fact, our opening passage which says “Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me” is a reference to the Pentateuch which contains tons of information about Christ.

The Manna pointed to Christ, the uplifted serpent pointed to Christ, Joshua pointed to Christ, the sheep and sacrificial offerings pointed to Christ, Aaron also pointed to Christ, the stone which David used in his sling pointed to Christ, and even the goat offering on the day of Atonement, pointed to Christ. In fact, from Genesis to Revelation it’s Jesus from beginning to end. Let’s read:

 John 8: 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Matthew 12: 39 But he answered and said unto them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.

40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so, shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

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

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

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

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

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

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, these are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

Great care should be taken whenever we open the Scriptures, seeking to understand the meanings of passages and therefore, the Biblically recommended ways and means of exegesis must include line upon line, line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little.

Especially is this the case when studying the Psalms, for David goes back and forth between the first and second person as The Spirit gives him utterance, and thus, in one breath he might be speaking of his very own experiences, and in the next breath, he’ll shift directly to Christ, very often, without any notice to the casual reader.

Thus, whenever we study the Bible, we must seek to see Jesus, whether He be in the shadows or types or whether He be in plain sight. In other words, Christ must be our theme and focus, whenever the Bible is opened for study, because this is how Paul, and the other prophets studied the written word. Let’s read:

Hebrews 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, what is man, that You are mindful of him? or the son of man that You visit him?

7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of thy hands.

To the cursory reader, this might seem to hearken back to creation week, when God set Adam over all the things He had created in this world. After Jesus was finished creating, He made Adam, and handed him the keys of dominion over everything, animate and inanimate, to rule over them according to God’s will. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas.

Psalms 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.

6 Thou made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field.

To the casual reader, it seems set in stone that David and Paul are definitely referring to Adam. That’s one rendition, but Adam is not the focus of the scripture because he never died to save anyone. Thus, as Paul studies and writes, with Christ as the focal point, he comes up with a different understanding of the very same text. Let’s read:

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Here again is the very same thing occurring as David seems to be blurting out a barrage of curses against some unknown person, who, on the surface, seems to have done him some great wrong. In the next few verses, David seems to be seeking for revenge on his enemies, something which God instructs us against.

In fact, David himself was warned and instructed by God not to seek revenge upon Saul who hunted him like a wild beast for a long time, and David took the correction in stride, as he explained it to his soldiers, that they should not seek vengeance upon Saul.

Furthermore, Saul had been very dead, a few years well, so David could not be referring to him. And it’s not written anywhere in the Scriptures where David had such a bad beef with another person, for him to be uttering these withering curses, and asking God for revenge upon the person’s head.

Therefore, it seems quite strange and odd, that here David would be found drooling over retaliation upon some unknown person, for he had already crossed that bridge, and thus, the question is: Who on earth could David be speaking of, in the following verses?

We must let the Scripture be its own interpreter, for when a Christocentric focus is employed in studying, it seems as if the verses in question have absolutely nothing to do with David. Thus, we will take several passages from Psalms 109, and we will permit the Bible to explain who David is referring to. Let’s read:

Psalms 109: Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

John 15: 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

Psalms 109: 5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Luke 22: 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, you come out as against a thief, with swords and staves?

53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Psalms 109:6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. 7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.

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

4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

Psalms 109:8 Let his days be few, (That is because Judas’ days would be cut short by suicide) and let another take his office.

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. {All references to Judas’ death by suicide}

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

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

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

Obviously, an entirely different picture is beginning to emerge, because it is evident that David was not the focus of these passages, nor are his words some off the cuff rant, against some unknown individual, because of him drooling over personal revenge.  

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and thus, whatsoever might be one’s interpretation, we must never forget this: The Holy Spirit inspired David to write these things, and as such it definitely will pass the smell test. 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.

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

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

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

Furthermore, the scriptural references in the New Testament point us directly, and unmistakably to the fact that it is the experiences of Christ, with Judas as His betrayer, that David was referring to, and not to David himself venting a personal vendetta against some unknown person.  Let’s read:

Acts 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take.

24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

Psalms 109:13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

Matthew 26: 14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

15 And said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

23 And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

The reason why David, and then Jesus cemented the doom of Judas in such graphic terms is because it is true that it would have been better if Judas had not been born, because, according to the Scriptures and according to the prophet “Hulda”, Judas will have to die three times, in order for justice to be served and his name will be blotted out from the Lamb’s book of life. Let’s read:

Daniel 12: 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

This is a prophecy pointing unmistakably to the first resurrection at which the righteous and some of the notoriously wicked will arise from their graves at the same time, to see Jesus coming in the clouds.

The chief priests, Pilate, Herod, Judas, and the most violent offenders against Christ’s kingdom would be raised to see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven, and then they will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming, only to be resurrected again at Christ’s third coming, to receive their final reward, which is permanent extermination, once and for all. Let’s read:

Revelation 1: 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

[The Great Controversy pp 637] Graves are opened, and “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth ... awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel's message come forth from the tomb glorified to hear God's covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. “They also which pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7). Those that mocked and derided Christ's dying agony and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.

Psalms 109:24 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh fails of fatness.

25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me, they shook their heads.

Matthew 27: 39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroys the temple, and builds it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

The reason why it’s important for us to always have Jesus as the focal point of any Bible study is because if one were to read Psalms 109 and were to come to the conclusion that David is referring to himself, the next conclusion would be that it is okay for persons to follow his lead, and since he prayed for revenge, we too can also pray for revenge against offenders.

The fact is that there are things that David and some of the other prophets and Bible writers did, which we must never ever do, even though their deeds are written in the Scriptures.

 In studying the Bible and its writers, we’ll have to choose the good and utterly refuse the evil because many of them did some good things, but many also did some bad things. Noah’s drinking must never be emulated, but you can follow his preaching.

 Moses’ faithfulness can safely be duplicated by the people of God, but his anger management must be avoided. Abraham’s practice of the morning and the evening sacrifice can be mimicked by the saints, but the tendency to tell lies when in difficult situations, must be avoided.

When Christ is the theme and focus of our attention in the study of the Bible, we’ll always have a perfect example of what we can or cannot do, as far as the building of sterling character goes, and as God leads us in the various vicissitudes of life. Thus, when we might read in the Psalms of a call for vengeance, we must also remember the following passage, which justifies the utterances of The Holy Ghost through David, in Psalms 109. Let’s read:

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Let Jesus always be the focus of our study and dark things will be made plain, clarity would be brought to otherwise difficult passages of Scripture, and we will have Christ’s perfect example before our faces so that we need not err. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that should help us to keep our focus on Christ, for the Bible is all about the Person and Character of Jesus, from beginning to the end. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open faces, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

                                    God Bless!

What's Peculiar About You. Sabbath afternoon 01/27/2024

1st Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Last week we studied some of the peculiar aspects of the Christian’s life, as it pertains to the temporal, and now we must set our sights on the spiritual, so as to cultivate balanced perspectives. One reason why we began with the temporal, is because that is the area most readily seen and observed by those who are not yet believers.

As they observe with keen interest how God’s laws, principles and instructions are lived out in real time to the benefit of the believer, then they are led to inquire after the spiritual components, which drive the temporal.

Daniel and his companions were first tested in the temporal realm, on issues such as diets and foods, and how well they did in college. Then, after they’d passed the smell-test they were ready for inspection in all religious matters, because there is a very close symbioses between the temporal and the spiritual.

Again, the Chaldeans and princes over whom Daniel was promoted as president, had diligently inspected Daniel’s temporal matters first. They took a look at his taxes, his credit rating, and business deals. They took a long hard look at his mortgage payments, to see if he was paying late, and whether he was in arrears. But try as they might, they could not find anything to accuse him of.

Thus, in desperation, after suffering disappointment after disappointment they turned to his religion, the spiritual aspects of Daniel’s life, to see if there was a chink in the armor somewhere that they might have cause to bring some railing accusation against him. Let’s read:

Daniel 6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

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.

The same is true of the parable Jesus gave about the stewards who were entrusted with temporal issues first, to see how they would handle those; and only afterward, when The Lord did a thorough inspection on them, did He entrust them with greater matters, for the way one manages temporal matters reflects greatly, and directly on their spiritual state. Let’s read:

Matthew 25: 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou delivered unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

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

Luke 16: 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

Therefore, with the temporal matters under our belt let’s see what should be peculiar about you and me, in spiritual things, for as was stated before, the two are always closely intertwined.

[1] Peculiarity in character.

The Bible speaks of a peculiar character that should be greatly different from what we may often see on display in persons who have not yet accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. Several integral aspects of the Christian’s character are clearly outlined in the following passages. Let’s read:

[1] 1st Peter 3: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

The Peculiar people of God are to form the habit of taking the high road whenever conflicts, arguments, and volatile situations arise. Even though humility is not stupidity, yet they are to track a different course in situations where wrongs are done to themselves. It all has to do with them cultivating that peculiarity of character as observed in Christ.

The way to overcome evil is by employing the royal laws and principles of God’s kingdom, which work as a counter current to divisiveness, and riot. After the nation of Israel is finished bombing the daylights out of Hamas, they would have to consider what’s next, because the seed sown by both peoples would bear commensurate fruit in the future, for sure.

After unleashing severe fire power on the Taliban in Afghanistan it was hoped that their doings would be curtailed. But lo and behold they are back in power, and we had to leave in a hurry, with the vivid images of desperate persons, clinging to the military aircraft in the sky, as they took off, indelibly etched into our memory.

And right here at home, as political parties go after each other’s throat, the inevitable result will only be more divisiveness, as can be seen in the turmoil and unsettled state of the nation. Things will never get better, because things cannot get better, if the low road is adopted into our psyche.

That’s because two wrongs do not make a right, and when you fight fire with fire, all you get is more fire. It will never work, because the Tit for Tat ways, and means adopted by the world could only produce the never-ending cycle of hatred, discord or retaliation.

For instance, if God had employed the use of deadly force in destroying satan, soon after he had rebelled in heaven, the other angels would have straightened up, but there would have remained that simmering, undercurrent of fear and animosity that would have certainly sprung up and bore fruit in other uprisings in the future.

On the contrary, when the Syrian king invaded Israel and sought to capture Elisha, the prophet chose the peculiar way of resolving tensions and conflicts, and instead of asking God to send fire, and brimstone on the army, he ordered thousands of M.R.E s, meals ready to eat for the invading soldiers.

And the results are before us so that none need err concerning the effectiveness of employing peculiar principles and royal laws as the ways and means of dissolving, or resolving volatile situations. What’s on display currently across the globe, and in our own backyard, are the natural and the inevitable results of taking the low road.

It’s fighting and more fighting, it’s war and more war as nations, individuals, and governments duke it out in retaliation for wrongs done. Israel is now fighting Hamas, America and Britain are fighting the Houthis and Russia, and Ukraine are going for each other’s jugular with no end in sight.

In the meantime, there is saber rattling between the Chinese and Taiwanese, and North Korea continues to threaten South Koreans, while various factions in Sudan are duking it out, and problems continuing to plague Haiti, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. The low road of Tit for Tat methods just isn’t working. It cannot!

In other words, when compared side by side, God’s ways and means, His principles, His instructions, and the laws which God instructs His peculiar people to adopt, are not only much more superior than tit for tat principles, but are also much more effective in bringing about the desired outcomes of peace and tranquility. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 6: 21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: would you smite those whom you hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So, the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

In our day, if Israel were to kindly treat their Hamas captives, by feeding them great food, treating their wounds, providing them with water, and medicines as they need, it’s quite possible, that like the Syrians in the days of Elisha, Hamas will come no more into the land of Israel.

That’s because the good seed of God’s kingdom, the peculiar way of resolving conflicts, the Royal way of treating one’s foes would have been employed, with the peculiar strategy of repaying evil with good used and thus, the inevitable results would surely follow, like clockwork. Let’s read:

James 3: 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  

15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

[D.A. pp 435] The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.

[2] Peculiarity in work ethic.

Peculiarity in character also includes other aspects than repaying evil with good; it also encompasses one’s work ethic, since the bulk of one’s Christianity is manifested during the week, at the work place, in the home, and in one’s interactions with persons of all stripes. Let’s read:

Romans 12: 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

There is a desire or craving that the peculiar people must be very careful of, that of making a quick buck without earnest effort. In our day, the prospects of winning the lotto has had some trickle down effects on many minds, where individuals hope to get rich overnight, without any hard work and well directed effort.

This is a delusion and a fallacy that must now fully be addressed, for there is a greater chance of being struck by lightning than winning the lotto, especially here in the sunshine state. As every new day dawns with fresh opportunities, let the peculiar people of God be found working diligently with their hands or minds to provide for themselves and their families.

Work is honorable, and even if persons may not be where they want to be, they can always start with whatever is available, legal, and right. Joseph began his work career in prisons, managing dangerous and unruly criminals, and as he was found faithful in that which is least, God moved him up the Totem pole of success, until he became the 2nd highest in Egypt. Let’s read:

Psalms 105: 17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant.

18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron.

19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.

20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of  the people, and let him go free.

21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance.

22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 214] The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph's care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing.

 Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God, and even his idolatrous master accepted this as the secret of his unparalleled prosperity. But without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could never have been attained.

It is not God’s will that His peculiar people stay at home, twiddling thumbs, or counting sheep, while the days pass by without positive productions. God will grant opportunity, but success will depend to a large degree on those earnest efforts made by His people to do their very best wherever possible.

That is what Jesus did, by setting the example for all who will follow in His footsteps, for after doing His devotions early in the morning, He would set out to work in the carpenter’s shop with Joseph, and from there He would sell those products that were made with hammer and nails.

That’s what peculiar people do, for they are known to being diligent, hard workers in whatsoever line of employment they might find themselves. After their devotions they set about diligently to work everyday to work like hell.

In the process, they battle with elements of earth, wind, and fire, going out to work in blazing sun or in blinding rain and at times, like Paul they have fought with beasts at Ephesus so that when the day comes, it can be said of them, they fight like a lion, they eat like a horse, and they sleep like a baby.

Therefore, when the Sabbath comes around, that peculiar day of the week, that odd day that most in Christendom do not recognize, these peculiar folk are happy to be found at Church, because they have weathered the storms of life, and have survived to enter into God’s haven of rest.

Again, peculiar people should be known for reading the tea leaves correctly, for great changes are on the horizon, which should not catch us off guard. At the recent world Economic Forum, it was disclosed that Artificial Intelligence is scheduled to wipe out up to 40 % of jobs globally, and the layoffs have begun.

And especially with inflation taking a huge bite out of the family finances and with rents and mortgages going through the roof, it behooves every peculiar believer to buckle up their shoes, and work like they never worked before, lest persons sink down into despair and oblivion in a land of opportunity.

The temporal concerns of life are never to usurp the spiritual concerns, such as witnessing, and character building, however, God is very practical and down to earth in His instructions to His peculiar people. That is why we would find the apostle Paul working, and preaching, preaching and working to sustain himself in a noble manner.

In fact, as far as the sacred record goes, there is not one of the twelve Disciples, who were called, who were not gainfully employed. Matthew did his taxes, Peter, James, and John were all fishermen, and Luke tinkered with needles and bandages and even Judas had his own practice as an accountant.

But all of them were working, because work ethic is an integral part of any character building in peculiar people. This is set forth not merely as an option, but as a must, in those who are looking for the return of Christ in the near future. Let’s read:

Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, why stand you here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, go you also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

Proverbs 6: 6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when will thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep.

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travels and thy want as an armed man.

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 359>360] Wherever we may be Christ bids us take up the duty that presents itself. 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.

Let a living faith run like threads of gold through the performance of even the smallest duties. Then all the daily work will promote Christian growth. But many Christians are waiting for some great work to be brought to them.

 Because they cannot find a place large enough to satisfy their ambition, they fail to perform faithfully the common duties of life. Day by day they let slip opportunities for showing their faithfulness to God. While they are waiting for some great work, life passes away, its purposes unfulfilled, its work unaccomplished.

[3] Peculiarity in destiny.

1st Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Peculiarity in destiny regulates, and has jurisdiction over everything downstream in the lives of peculiar people for it permeates all of their interactions with their fellowmen, it resolves conflicts, it grants hope where there would be only a dark abyss, leading to never land, and it gives us something to live for, and much more to look forward to.

When it came time to argue over real estate, as is so often the case with family members, and siblings, it was a no-brainer to Abraham, to surrender the first choice to Lot, in that which The Lord had promised to Abraham. That’s because a peculiarity in destiny makes it not worth the while to fuss and fight over perishables.

Since the peculiar people of God look beyond that which seen, to that which is eternal, it is not worth the time, the effort or the inevitable bad feelings to destroy relationships over houses and lands, for in a few short years we go to our resting place and leave all material things behind.

 Abraham understood this, and since he was correct in his perspectives, and practice, he deferred to Lot, who at that time was obsessed with the things this world has to offer, and in the process, Lot lost all his material things, his wife, and his family. But with the peculiarity of destiny Abraham cultivated God could safely load him up with riches and material things.

Peculiarity in destiny allows God to safely bless His people, because their affections are not centered in this world, and therefore, material blessings would not pose any existential threat to their well being in the here and now, nor for the great hereafter. They do not have to take matters to judge Judy, in order to resolve their temporal conflicts. This is where some persons stumble, because they become so attached to their material things, to the point where letting go could trigger a family feud, if they had to defer to another materialistic relative. Let’s read:

Genesis 13:7 And there was a strife between the herd-men of Abram's cattle and the herd-men of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herd-men and thy herd-men; for we be brethren.

9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the

plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every- where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as you come unto Zoar.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

Hebrews 11: 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from where they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Peculiarity in destiny also affects our words and our actions, for it sits on the front burner of our minds, and as a result, our conversations with others would generally, and inevitably turn to the blessed hope. It is a fact, that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, and thus, our peculiarity in destiny is to color every word and action.

Soon and very soon, all the things of this world will grow strangely dim. There are troubling signs on the horizon, which disturb even the casual observer and the peculiar people of God who should know what’s coming are to lead the charge in carrying the final, everlasting gospel to a dying world.

No need to bury our heads in the sand anymore, for all of the prophecies pointing to the soon coming of Jesus are being fulfilled currently, even as we speak. Therefore, let the peculiar people, the Royal priest-hood, and the chosen generation, have meaning in our lives for the time is now, and the place is here.

We therefore end with passages of Scripture which should help to keep us all focused, doing all we can, whilst we can, to live soberly, and righteously in this generation, for it is by so doing, that persons would show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Let’s read:

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

                                     God Bless!

What's Peculiar About You? Sabbath afternoon 01/20/2024

1st Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Before we begin to answer this important question, we must have a clear understanding of the meaning of the word Peculiar. A Royal Priesthood refers us to the fact that those who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, are adopted into God’s Royal family, and as such, they become ministers of His salvation to the unbelieving world.

A Holy Nation refers to the fact that those who are the Royal Priesthood are to live by the laws and the principles as laid out in the Scriptures. In this way, a synthesis of the word of God would take place on an ongoing basis in such persons, refining, purging and cleansing from all unrighteousness.

A chosen generation means that God was deliberate and intentional in choosing all those who would use their freedom of choice to serve, love and obey Him. Persons are never saved by accident, because God sends out both angels and His people to go looking for those who shall be heirs of salvation. The Bible is specific about this fact. Let’s read:

Hebrews 1: 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

John 15: 16 You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

But when it comes to being a Peculiar People, we’re looking at something very different to that which is considered normal by the secular, unbelieving world and for this reason, we must seek for a clearer and a deeper understanding of what “Peculiar” means. So, here it is:

The Greek word, PERIPOIESES, from which the word peculiar is taken, refers to God’s acquisition of His people, or, individuals who are His possession because of, and through the purchase of Christ, and as such, they are in a special sense His own unique people.

The modern dictionary’s rendering of the very same word is as follows:

Peculiar: Characteristic of only one person, group, or thing: DISTINCTIVE: Different from the usual or normal: SPECIAL, PARTICULAR, CURIOUS, RARE, ABNORMAL, EXCEPTIONAL, EXTRAORDINARY, SINGULAR, PHENOMENAL, UNIQUE, ODD.

Thus, the general gist of the interpretation of that word “Peculiar” is that God’s people who have been purchased with the blood of Christ are His unique possession, and this fact should be reflected in their own persons, on all levels, so that clear distinctions can be easily made, even by the casual observer.

Thus, this begs the question: What’s Peculiar About You? In other words, after we’ve become His chosen people, and a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, is there supposed to be a distinct difference between God’s people, and those who have not believed, and if so, what does that translate into, in real time?

It’s interesting that when God’s peculiar people are asked concerning their peculiarity, many often tend to turn to our peculiar beliefs, and doctrines which are for the most part outside of the mainstream of modern Christian theology.

Now, while this is true, the Bible does not speak of a set of peculiar doctrines as being God’s purchased possession; instead, it refers to real people who are supposed to be distinct and unique as a result of us being God’s own possession.

This distinction between doctrines, and real people significantly raises the bar, because persons could hold a set of unique beliefs only intellectually, and yet those beliefs are not incorporated into a living, breathing experience, by which those unique views are demonstrated in real time. The Lord cautions us against a mere intellectual approach to our unusual beliefs. Let’s read:

Matthew 5: 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 23:1 Then spoke Jesus to the multitude and to his disciples,

2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3 All therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not.

4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Thus, when the Bible speaks of a peculiar people, it not only encompasses our doctrinal elements, but more so, refers to the living persons, through whom there ought to be a real time manifestation of that Royalty spoken of, and as such, it should inevitably translate into stark differences, and significantly elevated ways of doing things, when compared to average norms.

Therefore, for all practical intents and purposes, the study will deal very specifically with what that word “Peculiar” should translate into, as it pertains, both to the true people of God, and to the observer who, might be contemplating joining God’s unique family, so that they too may become partakers of the same peculiarity the Bible speaks of.

Now, God does not desire His people to be peculiar just for peculiar’s sake. It must always be peculiarity for the better, never for the worse, because the one who is seeking to link up with God’s people must be a beneficiary of the ways, and means adopted from the Bible.

In other words, if a person were to give up on their former way of life, to link up with God’s people, and were to espouse the uniqueness of God’s kingdom, he/ she, in most cases should not come up short, in any aspect of life, because the tenor of the Gospel, and the principles, and laws of God’s kingdom are greatly superior to those espoused by the popular, secular majorities.

The Scriptures are clear, and unequivocal in stating that every law, and instruction pertaining to God’s kingdom would put the believer on a significantly higher plane of existence, when the principles laws and statutes are incorporated into our everyday experiences.

If this were not the case, then persons could point to the Gospel as being malicious, for if one were to surrender their former life for the Scriptural ways of doing things and then become worse off than they were before, then the abundant life Christ spoke of would be a mere figment of the imagination.

That this is absolutely not the case, is made clear in the Bible, for the tenor of the Gospel is to elevate, not to depreciate, to build up, not to tear down, to make better, not to make worse. In other words, at the end of the day, the bottom line of the Gospel is that individuals should absolutely be better off, on every level than they were before. Let’s read:

John 10: 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

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

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

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

8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

Joshua 1: 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand, or to the left that you may prosper withersoever you go.

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

2nd Peter 1: 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

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

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

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

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, you shall never fall.

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

[8LTMS LT 44 1893 Par 13] 2 Peter 1:1-11. There is no place in the school of Christ where we graduate. We are to work on the plan of addition and the Lord will work on the plan of multiplication. It is through constant diligence that we will, through the grace of Christ live on the plan of addition making our calling and election sure…

To put it plainly, if after 31 years of following God, I were to be in a worse position than when I was first baptized into God’s Royal family, then I might as well go back to playing music on South beach, for all of the good news of the Gospel would’ve been a farce.

On the contrary, whenever I may come across some of the former musicians I used to play with, I should be to them a living testimony, and real time witness of what the Royalty of God could to for a person like me. In this way they will scratch their heads and say, I want to give it a shot too, since it has made such a huge, undeniable difference in your life.

Therefore, the fact that persons are God’s peculiar people has to translate into a living, breathing, you and me who are to become the embodiment of the principles, laws, statutes, and instructions of God’s kingdom. It is only in this way that we could show forth the praises of Him Who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

The following therefore, are just a few of the areas of concern that we will be looking at, to see how the peculiarity referenced in our first passage ought to be manifested in persons in real time. But before we delve into them, let us just be reminded of the word “Peculiar” and its meaning. Here it is again:

Peculiar: Characteristic of only one person, group, or thing: DISTINCTIVE: Different from the usual or normal: SPECIAL, PARTICULAR, CURIOUS, RARE, ABNORMAL, EXCEPTIONAL, EXTRAORDINARY, SINGULAR, PHENOMENAL, UNIQUE, ODD.

[1] Peculiarity in business and finances.

Like as it is with all other aspects of Christianity, the peculiar people are to demonstrate a peculiarity in doing business, because all transactions, both with believers and unbelievers are to bear the stamp of Royalty, for the Bible says we are a Royal priesthood and the very description should be productive of a vastly superior way of doing business.

In other words, the ways and means, the methods and the strategies utilized by the world should be in a great degree, different or unusual when compared with the way the peculiar people do business.

For instance, when doing business transactions, the world usually adopts what is known as “Net 30”, a system of payment by which the receiver of goods and services has thirty days to pay the full invoice of that which was forwarded up front. This practice is considered standard procedure and has become the norm.

However, even though it’s now accepted as the gold standard in business circles there is a “peculiar” way of paying for goods and services, that is quite out of the mainstream, and yet it is quite superior by any measurement, and if adopted, will in most instances be preferred by merchants and suppliers alike. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 2:4 And command you the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir and they shall be afraid of you: take good heed unto yourselves therefore.

6 You shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 424] While the Israelites were the chosen and favored people of God, they must heed the restrictions which He placed upon them. They were directed, in all their intercourse with the Edomites, to beware of doing them injustice. They were to trade with them, buying such supplies as were needed, and promptly paying for all they had received. They were not dependent upon the Edomites, for they had a God rich in resources. In all of their intercourse they should exemplify the principles of the divine law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Don’t take our word for it, try it if you are a business owner, and see if it would make a difference in the prices you would get from the very same supplier you have been doing business with for many years. The supplier will “ALWAYS” prefer prompt payment instead of a thirty-day lapse, and in many cases, will be willing to offer steep discounts as a result.

Again, there is a Royal way for technicians to do the trade they specialize in. One of the principles that is to be incorporated into the portfolio of the peculiar people is that if a job cannot be done correctly, for financial reasons, in most cases it is best not to take the job, rather than take it and be forced to do sub-standard work.

There is a product called Red Angel in the country, and its companion is White Angel in the country. Both products afford the ways and means of doing a quick fix that may seem as a viable option, especially if the customer is cash strapped to pay to do the work in the correct manner.

As the peculiar people, and as a holy nation and the peculiar people, we may have some difficult lessons to learn and some difficult choices to make. In some instances, we may be torn between showing mercy by doing substandard work, or conversely sticking to the Royal way of doing things.

The question is whether or not, in some instances it is warranted to do substandard work because of the financial constraints, or whether it is God’s will that everything we do, be able to pass the smell test of heaven. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither you go.

[The Desire of Ages pp 72] As Jesus worked in childhood and youth, mind and body were developed. He did not use His physical powers recklessly, but in such a way as to keep them in health, that He might do the best work in every line.

He was not willing to be defective, even in the handling of tools. He was perfect as a workman, as He was perfect in character. By His own example He taught that it is our duty to be industrious, that our work should be performed with exactness and thoroughness, and that such labor is honorable.

Therefore, some may find it necessary to throw out all their angels, both red and white, if peculiarity is to characterize whatever we do. The genius of our peculiar ways and means becomes apparent when they are incorporated into our everyday experience.

And even if in times past some might have buckled under pressure to go with plan “B”, it is God’s will that we make every needed change in perspective and practice, where warranted. In other words, the peculiarity of God’s kingdom must be manifested in a real time application of His laws and principles.

[2] Peculiarity in dress.

There is also to be peculiarity in dress and outward adornment, in harmony with the instructions given in the Bible. There was a time in days of yore, when the chosen people of God could be distinguished by the way they presented themselves.

But nowadays, the lines have become very blurred, in so much that it can be said in many instances that there is no difference, or uniqueness to be seen. If persons are governed and driven by what the world deems the latest, without a regard to the Scriptural instructions, then there won’t be any recognizable distinctions between the believer and the secular.

When going shopping or when deciding on anything for that matter, the glory of God, and the instruction He has given on the issues in question, should be at the front and center of our decisions and choices, so that at the end of the day, there will be a higher and nobler standard laid down when observed. Let’s read:

1st John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abides forever.

The world glorifies and peddles nakedness exposure and bling, while the word of God instructs decorum, decency, neatness, and humility. Therefore, in every aspect of outward adornment, let God’s instructions reign supreme and there will not fail to be very stark differences between the world and God’s peculiar people.

[3] Peculiarity in diets and foods.

Daniel 1:3 And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so, nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore, he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

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

11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as you see, deal with thy servants.

14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

Question: Did God have to work a miracle in Daniel and his companions, for their faces to appear fairer and healthier than the others within the given ten days?

If God had to work a miracle, then God would be cheating, because the food Daniel and his friends requested, would, in and of itself be inferior, and as such, would put them at a disadvantage, and thus, causing God to pick up the slack through a miracle.

In addition to this, all the other students under the care of the cook didn’t have the benefit of miracles, and therefore, if The Lord were to secretly beef up the faces of His servants, that would constitute an unfair advantage over those who subscribed to the king’s food and drink.

When the issue of diet and food, as specified in our health message, is subjected to the closest scrutiny, it should be able to stand up on its own two feet without any direct miracle from God, for if He has to backstop the diet He gave to us with supernatural interventions, then, the rational conclusion is that, without miracles, the diet would fall flat on its face.

This in turn would call into question God’s wisdom and His intentions, if what He instructs us to eat has to be continually supported by a miracle. In other words, the peculiar diet of the peculiar people must have legs of its own, for either it is inherently good, or it’s not.

God always gives to the human family the very best and this is made manifest when the raw facts in the matter are examined carefully. There were giants in the land of Canaan, in so much that the children of Israel got scared of their immense size. Therefore, we must ask a simple, logical question: “What were they eating” to support such massive bodies on an ongoing basis. Let the word of God speak for itself. Let’s read:

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

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

22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were.

23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bore it between two of them upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.

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

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.

Unlike Daniel and his companions, the sons of Anak did not fear The Lord, and thus, we have to rule out any miraculous intervention, as far as diet and food is concerned. The raw facts in the matter point to a greatly superior diet, as was originally given in the garden of Eden, and which, when adopted by the peculiar people would speak for itself. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 378] God brought the Israelites from Egypt, that He might establish them in the land of Canaan, a pure, holy, and happy people. In the accomplishment of this object, He subjected them to a course of discipline, both for their own good and for the good of their posterity.

Had they been willing to deny appetite, in obedience to His wise restrictions, disease and feebleness would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed both physical and mental strength. They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment.

In our day, we have been given gold, diamonds and pearls in the knowledge that God has caused to be shed upon our pathway, and it behooves everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, to be the very best that they can be, by adopting, and practicing the Royal way of doing things.

Doing so will often be found to be going against our natural grain, but if we were to persist through our freedom of choice coupled together with the power and presence of the Holy Ghost, we can become the specimens of God’s grace that He intends us to be. We therefore end with passages of scripture which will keep this goal ever before our faces. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:2 But who will 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.

18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not.

                                    God Bless!

In The Beginning- God. Sabbath afternoon 01/13/2024

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

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

The Scripture does not, and has never attempted to prove God. It introduces Him as One beyond proof, and does not say where He came from, where He is going or what He is made of, nor does the Scripture subscribe to all of the other ways and means mortal men, and science as we know it, may try to go about proving a theory, or the existence of something in a laboratory.

Evolution is gobbled up by the masses of people and in doing so, the mind is shrunk quite severely, as per its ability to grasp, and understand greater, unseen realities. Evolution is a theory based on limitations, and wherever it is adopted as settled science, folks will inevitably be subject to the restrictions it would impose.

For instance, evolution declares that you must have raw material for things to be derived, but creation is quite the opposite, declaring that God doesn’t need any raw material, in order to produce animate and inanimate things. Thus, from the get go, evolution and creation part ways as to their understanding of the origin of species.

Persons who go about trying to prove God, usually end up in one out of two situations: They either end up believing, relinquishing all their efforts at proving God, or they utterly reject the sacred utterances of the Bible, because He cannot be figured out. In fact, if persons were to figure out God, God will cease to be God.

Science as we know it generally rejects the things it cannot prove, and for this reason, the Scripture says unequivocally, that whoever desires to come to God “MUST” believe. There isn’t any other way in which a person can come to Him. Faith is the only means by which mortals can take hold of unseen realities.

Thus, in the introduction to the Scriptures, as given in Genesis, we find it very brief, and straight cut so as to avoid any suppositions or assumptions mortal man may try to interject. Evolution is an unfounded theory, but Creation, as given in the book of Genesis is a statement of fact.

In the beginning God did create the heaven and the earth, and that statement of fact, together with the other evidences that are given in the Scriptures, in nature, and in the fulfillment of prophecy are more than enough to furnish mortals with much verifiable information, so as to rationally conclude that there must be a God somewhere.

The Bible furnishes sufficient evidences to appeal to anyone’s intelligence, so that a sincere person, who would evaluate things objectively, will come to the correct conclusion that there has to be a God, who made these things. The created works of God speak eloquently to everyone about the intelligence, and wisdom behind the things we see. Let’s read:

Psalms 19: The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shews his handywork.

2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shews knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.

6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Isaiah 40: 25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calls them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one fails.

The things God created are too intricate, complex, and mind-boggling for anyone to conclude that they came about by accident. For example, if the human brain were to be used to its full capacity, it would immediately, and permanently shut down any need for artificial intelligence, rendering that technology not only irrelevant and obsolete, but also absolutely unnecessary.

The ability to process billions of bytes of information is located in the human brain, so that Apple watches and Google Gizmos would pale in comparison with what the human brain is capable of. And yet it was made from the dust of the earth that we walk upon.

After Adam was created, God took him on a test run to demonstrate the extent of, and the capabilities of his intellectual power. And as God brought each animal before him, which he had never seen before, Adam gave them the correct name, that God had in mind.

And, as of now persons barely scratch the surface of what they are capable of. According to the Bible, the person whose mental capability is being expanded through faith in God, could do almost anything. This includes but is not limited to, dissolving many of the challenges, hurdles, and problems incidental to our everyday experience. Let’s read:

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

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

When by faith we believe, and understand that God created the heaven, and the earth, that will set the stage for the God-factor to be incorporated into our everyday experiences, and whenever and wherever this is the case, life not only has more meaning, but it opens the door to limitless possibilities that aren’t available to the person who refuses to believe.

Therefore, we are not going to dwell on any effort at proving God; instead, we will examine how the God factor is synthesized in the lives of the persons who choose to believe, and by extension, we invite every person to incorporate the first verse in the scripture into their daily living: In The Beginning-God.

A lot of noise and fanfare was made when the Brits unveiled the Concorde, taking commercial air travel to an unprecedented new level at that time. The jet utilized four Olympus engines, each one capable of producing 36,000 horsepower, for a total of 144,000 horses. It then flew from New York to London in just under three hours, effectively shaving off about five hours of the travel time normally taken by a conventional aircraft.

But this accomplishment, huge though it be pales in comparison, with the time it took Jesus to travel from earth to heaven, which He did in a single day, without any pollution, and without any noise. According to NASA, the extent of our observable galaxy is about 100,000 light years across, and since light travels at 186,282 miles per second we would be looking at a very long time to cover a fraction of that distance.

But Jesus went much further and faster than that in less than a day, and returned safely to earth in one piece. And since the Bible documents that fact, it calls into question man’s understanding of certain aspects of science as it pertains to travel.

NASA says unequivocally that “nothing travels faster than light”, but since the sacred record is true, it will mean that Christ travels much faster than light, for heaven is beyond the most distant known galaxy, of which the estimate number already observed is no less than two trillion.

Therefore, the so-called statement of fact employed by the sciences of the day, comes up short, when it declares that nothing can travel faster than light. In the Bible, the place where God lives is described as the “Third heaven” meaning that it is located much further than any light year measurement currently in use.

In other words, light travels 671 million miles in one hour, and when multiplied by a 24-hour period, you are looking at several billion miles. So, just for light to cross the observable galaxies science knows of would of necessity include many trillions of travel miles.

Therefore, for Christ to have made the journey from earth to heaven and back in less than a day, it would mean that Jesus travels millions of times the speed of light, and He does so without any space suit, and any of the protective measures, we earthlings must use.

After Christ came from the tomb, He told Mary that He had to make a trip to heaven and back and as He lifted off from earth, there was only silence, not any sonic boom that disturbs animals on farms. Nor was there any use of fossil fuels to get Him to and from. In fact, The Lord demonstrated both the superior wisdom of God and the grave inferiority of our ways and means through travel. Let’s read:

John 20: 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

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.

Acts 1: 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.

Therefore, science and evolution, as taught in the schools of the day, severely limit our understanding of things, and distorts realities that would otherwise put us on a much higher plane of knowledge.

That opening phrase in Scripture “In the beginning-God”, sets the stage for a greatly superior level of wisdom which, to this day, remains mostly unknown to persons who just cannot see beyond science as we know it.

Frigate birds have been given the ability by God to sleep while flying, something that is called a power nap, so that they could stay in the air for weeks at a time. Again, Chinstrap penguins do microsleeps, up to 10,000 times a day in short second intervals. And they also sleep while in the water too.

Loggerhead turtles have been documented to travel up to 12,000 kilometers back to their original nests, and they do this without any GPS, compass, or any of the many navigational gizmos we, as humans will need to make such a journey. In fact, some of us cannot even go downtown Miami without a GPS, let alone, going on a trip across the deep ocean for many thousands of nautical miles.

Hence the reason why the Bible correctly states that the wisdom of this world essentially amounts to the foolishness Paul speaks of when compared with that intelligence and wisdom manifested by our Creator.

It is true that men are given the wisdom by God to produce useful inventions but these inventions are of a much lower quality, and capability than given to celestial beings who have never fallen. For instance, all angels, both good and evil, have been given the ability to impersonate all life forms which are lower than themselves.

And they do so with marvelous distinctness so that the human agent cannot, and we emphasize cannot, of themselves figure out what’s going on, whenever such impersonation takes place. This fact is evident from several passages and from the prophet of God, who has alerted us of their capabilities. Let’s read:

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

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, You shall not surely die.

5 For God doth know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

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.

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.

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.

Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

1st Samuel 28: 15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you 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?

[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, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness.

In other words, we will be living, and dwelling on a considerably lower plane, if we become enraptured with the advances made in science, if God is left out of the picture, for whatever man may invent, that is good, the knowledge can be traced right back to the opening phrase in the Bible: “In the Beginning-God.

Hence the reason why every praise or credit for any worthwhile accomplishment, belongs to God alone, and not to mortal man. The God-factor, whenever it is incorporated into a person’s understanding, and perspective, clears the way for praise to be directed to where it belongs, to God.

Therefore, persons who might become fascinated with the inventions of man, and those who would dwell with admiration and wonder on the so-called capabilities of Artificial Intelligence, will often do to themselves, great harm, if they are not awed, and humbled by the work of the Infinite God. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40: 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

1st Corinthians 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

20 And again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

21 Therefore let no man glory in men.

[C.O.L. pp 41] Here too, is the great cause of mental weakness and inefficiency. In turning from God's word to feed on the writings of uninspired men, the mind becomes dwarfed and cheapened. It is not brought into contact with the 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. All this is false education.

The wisdom of God often confounds finite minds to the point where it becomes futile to the unbeliever to understand the things He has done through His creative power. In stark contrast are individuals who believe in Him, for it is by us believing first, that our understanding becomes more enlightened. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11: 3 Through faith “we understand” that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Thus, through faith in the Living and written word of God, things that were once blurry become plain and simpler to grasp, so that creation is a no-brainer, for it takes less faith to believe God created the earth, than it does to believe that the things that are seen came about by accident.

After God finished His creative work He gave to man the memorial that was to ever keep in view the fact that all things were made by Him and whenever and wherever persons acknowledge this memorial, their understanding and outlook on life would be greatly changed for the better, since the God-factor makes all the difference. Let’s read:

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

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

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

4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

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.

The keeping of the seventh day Sabbath has much more to it than merely resting on the day God has ordained for that purpose. The memorial has to do with us incorporating the God-factor into everyday experiences, so that our perspectives and concepts would be guided by that overarching phrase: In The Beginning-God.

In the beginning-God therefore means that our lives have purpose and meaning, so that suicide is not an option. In the beginning-God means that current interpretation of events by the secular world would differ greatly from those who believe God created the earth, for since He created it, He has jurisdiction over all that takes place on our planet.

In the beginning-God, means that we do not have to lose any sleep over the coming election, since God is the one who sets up kings, and takes them down at His pleasure.

In the beginning-God means that He who formed the earth could accurately predict how and when it will all end, and as such, those who incorporate that 1st phrase of the Bible into their thoughts, decisions, and considerations, will be informed, and hopefully ready for what’s coming next.

This year, 2024, is already shaping up to be a year of several unprecedented events, even as earth’s final conflict, which is predicted to take place looms into view. Therefore, instead of dwelling in the here and now, instead of becoming overwhelmed, distracted, or perturbed by developments, let us keep that 1st phrase ever in view: In the Beginning-God.

It is the will of God that those who are preparing for His soon coming, become intelligent concerning His purposes as revealed in the Scriptures, and thus, it’s imperative that the deep study of His word, as well as a deep personal relationship with Christ, be now sought after as treasure.

In closing, if we choose to dwell on sacred writ, and if we would take some time to commune with God and nature, we will discover that the things of this earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. We therefore end with a few passages of scripture that encourage us to do just that. We read:

Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift 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.

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

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

                                    God Bless!

The Cost Of Forgiveness. Sabbath afternoon 01/06/2024

Isaiah 53: 4 Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Forgive Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster: To forgive is to stop feeling resentment against (an offender) or to give up resentment of or claim to requital for (an insult) or grant relief from payment of (a debt).

In seeking to understand more thoroughly the nuts and bolts of forgiveness, there are some basic things which we must grasp. When the Bible speaks of God granting us grace, and mercy, full, and free, it is free to us, but it costs God a whole lot, because the very concept behind forgiveness is the fact that someone has to pay for it.

In our first passages we see Jesus, who took it upon Himself to voluntarily pay the debt we owed, but in doing so, it cost Him His life, and a whole lot of pain, heartaches, suffering, and shame. Yet, He followed through with His promise to pay our debt, thereby setting us free from the inevitable consequence of sin.

So yes, forgiveness, as it comes to persons from God through Christ is God’s free gift but we should never forget that it had costs associated with it, so that it could be materialized. We are going to amplify this concept, since some might be considering forgiving an individual without having to pay in some form or fashion.

Basically, in a nutshell, not happening, for whenever someone is forgiven, the forgiver takes a hit, either financially, emotionally, socially, mentally, verbally, or even physically, but someway somehow, there is an impact to the forgiver. This fact we must now be permanently reconciled to.

Over the holidays, several gifts were exchanged by friends and families, but all the items had to be paid for at Macy’s, Bloomingdales, or Nordstrom, as the case might be. So, the gifts were free to those who received them, but the individuals who made the purchase had to pay.

Similarly, if we are to forgive someone full and free as God does, we must be prepared to pay, or take a hit, in some form or fashion so that forgiveness can be offered, as it was through the person of Christ.

God did not leave forgiveness up to mere feelings as many of us do, but instead was strategic, deliberate, and intentional in making it available. The reason for this is that if persons were to leave forgiveness up to mere feelings, there will often be times when we do not feel to forgive. In fact, in most instances, feeling to forgive goes quite contrary to our natural grain.

So, the fundamental understanding of forgiveness is that it will cost, some more, some less. Therefore, as the Lord contemplated the huge costs of forgiveness to billions, upon billions of people, it was necessary to create a sort of banking account as it were, so He could store much forgiveness for whenever we may need it.

This account never runs dry because it is centered in Christ, who went over, and beyond to make certain that any amount of forgiveness could be readily and easily deployed to any, and everyone who needs it. This concept of storing forgiveness for whoever may need it, can be found in the book of Exodus, where God says that he “Keeps” mercy for thousands. Let’s read:

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

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

And so said, so done, for as the sanctuary system of sacrificial offerings was instituted, God then made provision so that a constant, and a readily available supply of sheep, lambs, goats, and bullocks was on tap, for whenever and wherever forgiveness would be needed. This is the concept of God creating the “Storehouse” or bank account of forgiveness. Let’s read:

Hebrews 9:2 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid roundabout with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

5 And over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the Mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh.

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

God did not wait for the last minute, when sinners would need forgiveness, to then start thinking about how He would pay, but instead furnished a constant supply, so that persons could approach His throne of grace at any given time, whether morning, noon, or night very similar to how God still offers forgiveness.

As sinners, in need of God’s grace, and forgiveness, we could approach His throne of mercy during the heat of the day, or in the wee hours of the morning, or even in the dead of night when most should be sleeping. It matters not, the time, the place, or the situation, there is a storehouse of forgiveness that God can draw on at any given time. Let’s read:

Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keeps thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Thus, just to reiterate before we proceed, God made provision for forgiveness, so that it could be drawn    upon wherever, and whenever it is requested, and needed. That is a critically important concept for us to grasp as we move forward.

There is a parable given by Christ, which deals with forgiveness specifically, as He responded to Peter’s questions of how often should he forgive. Peter at that time probably thought of himself as being quite generous to suggest seven times.

But to Peter’s surprise, Jesus significantly raised the threshold, by saying seventy times seven. Then, to drive home the point even further, Jesus gets even more specific, by saying that forgiveness might need to be administered to the same person seven times in a single day, which speaks to a forgiving attitude, not to a mere number of times to offer pardon.

And since seven is a number that is representative of perfection, it means that we should be ready and willing to forgive as much as is necessary. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, this kind of forgiveness would require an account, so that just like with God, forgiveness could be drawn upon as needed. Let’s read:

Luke 17: 3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

4 And if he trespasses against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Seven times in a single day will obviously bring into question the offender’s sincerity, for no one likes to be taken for granted, or worse yet, abused for their kindness and long-suffering, especially if it seems as if the offender is doing it willfully, or just doing it for spite.

Thus, in order to bring some clarity to the matter in question, Jesus spoke the following parable, which we will use as our springboard to better understand the nature of forgiveness, and issues pertaining to indebtedness. And hopefully, it would help us grasp, the extent to which God forgives us and by example, how we too should also forgive others. Let’s read:

Matthew 18: 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

When the Bible says that this particular servant was called to account, it refers to an audit of sorts where the King sought to balance out the books as it were. But for some unknown reason, the servant came up short, very short, and apparently the missing money was such an enormous sum, that it would warrant the sale of the man, his wife, and his children.

Before we rush to any conclusions, and write off the unforgiving servant in the parable, we will need to understand a few things about him. And, as we dig deeper, we would see why in certain situations, we ourselves find it hard to forgive, especially when it is money that is involved, as it was in the parable.

We will make a few observations from the parable, and then we will see why it is necessary for persons to follow God’s lead when dealing with the sensitive issue of forgiveness.

[1] In the parable the forgiveness is centered around monetary issues which too often cause bad blood or estrangement between families, friends, coworkers, church members, relatives, and in laws. And in some instances, the situations could get so bad, that it is never resolved, till debt do us part. Let’s read:

Matthew 18: 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

Ten thousand talents would be the equivalent of $142,436,571.48 U.S. Dollars; just about what Rudy Giuliani owes to those election workers in Georgia. That’s a whole lot of debt to be in, and even though the parable does not say what the money had been misappropriated for, it does say that it had become extremely difficult, and nearly impossible, for that servant in the parable to repay.

After the holidays, there often comes a time of very sobering reckoning for persons, who, with the very best of intentions, went overboard in spending. And as the new year turns, and they begin to crunch the numbers some may realize that they got in way over their heads, and will be saddled with debt for a very long time.

The use of credit cards should be monitored closely, and in some cases, must be held in by bit and bridle, lest like the servant in the parable, persons may find themselves owing more than they could repay. It is not the will of Christ, that God’s people be straddled with a burden of heavy debt to the point that it may force persons into insolvency.

If and when this is the case, God is dishonored, for it can cast a dark shadow over His kingdom within the sphere of one’s influence, thus causing onlookers to conclude that Christianity can place the Christian at a disadvantage.

The people God must have something special about them, which would attract, and not dissuade others as per the viability and nobility of God’s kingdom. In this way the secular observer will be led to conclude that it is a good thing to follow Jesus, as manifested in the lives of the you and me, as the principles and laws of God are lived out in real time. Let’s read:

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

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

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

8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

Especially, with the current interest rates on credit cards hovering around 23%, individuals and families should be wary of racking up debt, for doing so can put persons in a very unfortunate situation, where lenders might have to go after them, sometimes via litigation. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 15: 5 Only if you carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.

6 For the Lord thy God blesses thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

Wherever we may have fallen short on the issues of outstanding debts, let’s ask God for wisdom to make a turnaround, and when He hears, and answers your earnest prayers in these matters, let us try our very best to turn a new page, so that persons could stand tall in the freedom that the gospel affords.

[2] The unforgiving servant in the parable seems to have had good intentions, for unlike some others he actually promised to pay back his just dues. In other words, he did not seek to shirk his responsibility by trying to avoid his lender. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him saying Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.

Wherever possible, persons, and saints, who have racked up debt, either inadvertently, or by splurging wantonly, should try their very best to reconcile the debt, because avoiding or shunning one’s just dues, brings great dishonor to the kingdom of God, and in some cases can actually cause the casual observer to brand the followers of Jesus as untrustworthy.

The Bible refers to the followers of Jesus as a Royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, so if the “peculiar” people are found riddled with debt that is irreconcilable, it would raise the question in the mind of the worldling as to what is so peculiar about them.

Legal vehicles that are available in the courts of the land for mitigating debt, such as persons declaring bankruptcy, should be avoided wherever possible, for doing so as a Christian, can cause the worldling to conclude that the followers of Jesus are not that great at managing temporal matters. Let’s read:

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

[3] It was the compassion of the King that led him to forgive the entire debt, not that the servant in the parable deserved the forgiveness. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

There are times when folks who need to be forgiven are not worthy. In fact, none of us is worthy, thus, it must be compassion that drives us to forgive, for if we were to wait until offenders are worthy, we will never forgive.

The Lord of that servant in the parable, was moved by compassion, and, in tender pity, he forgave the entire debt. But we must follow the parable closely, because even though the king felt pity for the one in question, he could only have forgiven the servant if he could afford to.

In other words, after forgiving the servant of almost 150 million, the king did not go broke, because it is apparent that he had sufficient funds put aside to forgive the large debt, and yet, remain solvent. You just do not forgive 150 million, without having back- up to both fund the forgiveness, and yet remain in a liquid state.

Here is where many Christians, some with the best of intentions, often hit a bump in the road, for even if like the king in the parable, they might feel some compassion towards the debtor, they just can’t fund the forgiveness, and yet remain solvent.

Some persons run very tight margins, for one reason or another, and therefore, when any money is owed to us, we may not be able to fund forgiveness, since the funds owed are depended on to pay for the car note, the mortgage, or even groceries. We may feel compassion, and some may actually be yearning to forgive but because some are financially stretched to the limit, it becomes very difficult to let the borrower go free, for fear of going into the red because of unpaid debts to ourselves.

It is not the will of God, that His people should run such very tight margins, wherever possible, so that if forgiving someone of a debt that is owed becomes necessary, persons simply cannot afford to forgive. In fact, it is quite possible that this was one of the reasons why the servant found it necessary to choke the man who owed him 100 pence, for he had not the wherewithal to fund forgiveness. This leads us to our fourth observation:

[4] The forgiven servant goes out and he chokes his fellowman who only owes him 100 pence. We read:

Matthew 18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him one hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, pay me what you owe.

Because of the tight margins the servant ran, he in desperation now tries to scrape up every penny he is owed, and thus, he is not in a position financially to fund any forgiveness. Therefore, he goes after his borrower with a baseball bat, and takes him by the throat, and throws him in jail, a process that would inevitably include litigation in the courts of the land.

Some Christians in our day, who are owed by others might not be so graphic, as to physically choke the borrower, as the servant did, but there are subtler ways in which the chokehold might be applied.

Those forever cell phone calls, in the middle of the night, the forever E mails and text messages that are never returned, and in a few cases, the stalking of the borrower at church, at work, and at their home when they are having dinner, all point to a form of chokehold placed upon the necks of the ones who owe.

Some persons may have wondered why the servant went out and choked the man who owed only 100 pence, for he appears to be quite desperate, in his attempts to collect every last cent that he is owed.

We believe we may have finally figured it out. It is quite possible he was trying to scrape up every last dime, so he could pay back the king who he owed formally. If this is the case then it would mean that he did not believe that he was really forgiven. When God in His mercy forgives us, we are not to think that we must do some sort of penance to repay Him for His kind deeds to us.

It seems as if the concept of penance has more curb appeal than accepting God’s free gift of forgiveness. Someway, somehow, persons may feel obligated to do something, in exchange for forgiveness, and if it were the case that salvation was a thing that money could buy, millions more would probably sign on.

When the father forgave the prodigal son, he felt he was obligated to work to pay back the father but the father did not even reply to his son’s overtures, for forgiveness is never to be based on what one can or cannot pay back. In fact, the elder brother in that parable, suffered from the very same syndrome as the prodigal son, for they both believed that the father’s goodness to them was predicated on what they did or didn’t do. Let’s read:

Luke 15: 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.

Salvation and forgiveness from God are full and free and they come with no strings attached, except the free service of love, through our freedom of choice. When in such a situation that may warrant forgiving someone, and we may experience difficulty in doing so, it would be well for us to contemplate the great debt God has forgiven us, and continues to forgive us, even to this day.

Like The Lord whom we serve, forgiving others is not to be a one-time event, or something that is left up to feeling. Like God, we should have a constant, and readily available supply of sheep, goats and bullocks for whenever and whoever may need forgiveness at any given time, place, or situation.

In other words, forgiveness is an attitude that ought to be carefully cultivated, to the point where we are expecting to forgive someone every day. The reason why God set up a forgiveness account in Christ, and throughout the entire sanctuary system, is because He expects to forgive persons, on an ongoing basis. Let’s read:

Psalms 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

10 He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor has He 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.

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

13 Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him.

And even though we are never to abuse His grace, nor take it for granted, yet the fact is that we will all need forgiveness on an ongoing basis and therefore, if God expects to forgive us repeatedly, we who are His disciples should cultivate that same perspective.

In this way forgiveness would not be something that we will have to think long and hard about. It will be something that is the natural outflowing of love and mercy that was first ministered unto us through the person of Christ. In other words, by beholding what Jesus has done, and continues to do for the you and me, forgiveness can, and will become our default setting.

Let us therefore consider what we do, what we say, and how we react to debtors and let us by the grace of God establish in our persons a storehouse of that grace and mercy, as God once instituted. Thus, we’ll end with two passages of scripture that should help us to turn a new page in understanding, and in the administration of the cost of forgiveness. Let’s read:

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

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

                                   God Bless!

A Day Of New Beginnings. Sabbath afternoon 12/30/2023

John 5: 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, will you be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another person steps down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

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

In the above passages we discover a man who was granted a day of new beginnings in life, by Jesus. As Jesus was passing by, he observed the man’s plight, and in His characteristic nature of love, offered the man, what he ardently desired in his innermost soul which was a fresh start in life, by being healed.

Even though it is true that persons can serve God in almost any physical condition, the fact is that when folks are not doing too well physically, it puts a sort of damper on one’s overall outlook, because being incapacitated as this man was, meant that certain unavoidable restrictions were placed upon him as a result.

One of the consequent byproducts of being in the condition of paralysis as he was, is that other folks could get to the front of the line before him, simply because they are physically able to. In our day there are many facilities available for physically disabled persons, so that such situations can be mitigated.

Yet, because of the sheer number of folks who were waiting for the opportune moment to get the first shot at the water when it moved it meant that there would be a rush, and trampling of sorts, such as the stampede we often see at Walmart and Brands mart on Black Friday.

His plight was therefore expressed in his mournful words of effort and defeat, effort and defeat, until in utter discouragement he had virtually given up on trying, as some persons in our day have. Let’s read:

John 5:7 The impotent man answered him Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another person steps down before me.

Thus, the man saw opportunity within reach, but he just couldn’t access it on account of his infirmity so, what Jesus offered him was a bridge over troubled waters, so that he could avoid the confusion at the front of the line and be healed.

There are many folks in our day who are struggling with some persistent physical issue, that just won’t go away, and like the man in the narrative, some of us could use a fresh start in life. We are reminded in the passages, that it is because of God’s goodness why such opportunities are granted.

There are times when persons may not ask God for healing, and yet, because of His goodness He might offer it. We are to be thankful in all situations, and especially in those cases where Jesus may do us a good turn, by reversing some physical misfortune.

That being said, there are four main takeaways in the narrative we would do well to ponder, even as we might be yearning in our own souls for a new lease on life. Here they are:

[1] The root cause of the man’s infirmity.

This first point has to do with the root cause of the man’s infirmity, which, according to the story, seems to be the result of a wrong course of action on his part. Let’s read:

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

Although sickness, diseases, and infirmities are not always the result of wrongdoing, or an ill-advised course of action, yet, it is always good to check and see whether there may be any contributing factors on our part, and if there are, all necessary changes are to be made, wherever possible.

Health and well being do not come by accident, but are in most cases, the result of well-directed efforts on our part, to live in harmony with the principles, and laws of health God has given for our own good. Healthful living can be pretty evasive if diligence and consistency are not brought into the equation.

And thus, in cooperation with heavenly agencies the you and me are to stake out a course of action that will best facilitate the preferred outcome. Planning, as well as consistent execution are to be brought to bear in any effort, for this is how success is granted in most cases. Let’s read:

Exodus 15: 26 If thou will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that heals thee.

God is more practical and down to earth in giving us instructions than many people realize and therefore we are not to expect Him to work a miracle where it may be avoided. Supernatural power engaged in any healing via miracles is to be viewed as the last resort and not the first resource, as too many faith healers in our day have brainwashed persons into believing.

Again, in addressing the issue of Root cause, persons are to understand that in the overwhelming majority of cases, modern pharmaceuticals do not address the root causes. Instead, they will generally go for the low hanging fruit of treating symptoms.

For instance, Wegovy, Ozempic, and Zepbound do not address the root causes, and therefore, persons are liable to fall back into a relapse whenever those drugs are halted. In addition to being prohibitively expensive to maintain, they do nothing to address the lifestyle changes that are necessary.

In fact, if persons decide to go that route they would be well advised to incorporate the pertinent lifestyle changes that will facilitate long-term success, since the goal should be to eventually ween oneself off of the drugs, lest persons become addicted, or hooked for life.

We have not seen or heard or read anywhere in the Bible where it is God’s will that His people should be inextricably tethered to any drug for life if and when such a situation can be avoided. Let thorough, and exhaustive investigation be made as to root cause in our varying situations and God would certainly bless any diligent effort at a turnaround, because this is His will. Let’s read:

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

This leads us to our second takeaway from the story of the man with his infirmity:

[2] Personal effort in cooperation with God is needed. Let’s read:

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked.

It is true that Christ’s miraculous power was going to be employed, but the man was required to do all that he could do, by cooperating with God. This is one of the critically important points of learning and understanding how God works.

The Lord does not propose to do for us what we can do for ourselves, for this will foster complacency, or presumption. Instead, God desires that folks engage their utmost abilities and efforts, in tandem with His power, and thus, permanent success can and will be achieved, in most cases.

This concept can be derived from several instances that are recorded in Scripture and it’s God’s will that We would learn the nuts and bolts of a living faith in Him, whilst we can. For instance, when it came time to resurrect Lazarus the witnesses were not to stand idly by while Jesus did every single thing, including things that they could do. 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 stinks, for he hath been dead four days.

Jesus is going to pray, and He is scheduled to use His supernatural power in this instance but that doesn’t mean that the human agencies who are present are to be mere spectators. All that they can do must be done, because God’s miraculous power is generally engaged at the point where the human agents have done all that they can possibly do.

This does not only apply to the physical realm, for it applies equally to the spiritual realm as well. If, for some reason one has and addiction to the one-eyed monster, God does not propose to come down from heaven to personally switch off your remote control. The human agent will have to do this, and then, the prayer for deliverance from the addiction will have weight with God. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 535] “Take ye away the stone.” Christ could have commanded the stone to remove, and it would have obeyed His voice. He could have bidden the angels who were close by His side to do this.

At His bidding, invisible hands would have removed the stone. But it was to be taken away by human hands. Thus, Christ would show that humanity is to co-operate with divinity. What human power can do divine power is not summoned to do. God does not dispense with man's aid. He strengthens him, co-operating with him as he uses the powers and capabilities given him.

Here it is again, because Christ’s miracle could have included setting the captive free from the shackles with which he was bound. But the human agents in the narrative could do this, and therefore, miracles are only engaged where absolutely needed. This is something that the human agent must never ever lose sight of. Let’s read:

John 11: 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that You hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Therefore, when Jesus said to the man who had the infirmity for thirty-eight years “Take up thy bed and walk”, that instruction is to be interpreted as being pertinent to the you and me in the here and now, in whatsoever predicament we may find ourselves.

In other words, the correct perspectives on the use of miraculous power by God, inevitably, will include us doing the very best that we can do, and leaving no stone unturned, wherever applicable.

The Lord helps those who help themselves, as well as persons who cannot help themselves, but if we can, we must. This leads us to our third takeaway in the narrative:

[3] After Jesus heals persons, they should be found at church. Let’s read:

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus finds him in the temple….

The purpose of God in healing any person, is never only to heal the body, but rather to heal both soul, and body. Salvation is a holistic work which involves the entire person, and therefore, a healthy sinner is no more good to God than an atheist who may have infirmities.

In fact, a very sick saint is of far more value in God’s sight than a healthy rebellious individual who wants nothing to do with God, and for this reason, every time God engages His miraculous power to heal the body, the end purpose thereof is always to heal the soul, if or wherever such healing may be warranted.

The man with the infirmity in this instance headed straight to church, even though he knew not that it was The Savior of the world who had healed him. In other words, he must have felt a natural gratitude to God in his heart, and as a result, he gravitated to the nearest church, not only to thank God but hopefully to continue the journey of complete recovery.

Sadly, in our day, there are wannabe faith healers to be found, who only address the physical aspects of man’s well-being, and as a result the root cause and the spiritual aspects of the person’s problem are not addressed.

Thus, many faith healings are advertised for all who so desire, and persons attend these meetings, with no intention of making things right with God. Once the body is healed, many go right back to those old habits, both physical, and spiritual, which triggered the adverse consequences in the first place.

In other words, persons take the husk, without the kernel and leave Jesus holding the proverbial bag of salvation, with no interest whatsoever in giving their lives entirely to Christ, so that He could do His good work within them, and save the entire person.

Whenever God may heal you and me, and any other person for that matter, the first thing we should do is to follow the infirm man’s lead, and head straight to the nearest true church, so that God could finish the great work He started, when He first healed the physical body. This is enjoined without doubt, in the following passages of Scripture. Let’s read:

1st Thessalonians 5:1 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1st Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's.

[The Desire of Ages pp 823] Christ came to heal the sick, to proclaim deliverance to the captives of Satan. He knew that those who petitioned Him for help had brought disease upon themselves; yet He did not refuse to heal them.

And when virtue from Christ entered into these poor souls, they were convicted of sin, and many were healed of their spiritual disease, as well as of their physical maladies. The gospel still possesses the same power, and why should we not witness the same results today?

This leads us to our fourth and final takeaway from the narrative of the man with the infirmity, who was healed by Jesus:

[4] The warning against a relapse.

The man in the story had brought adversities upon himself, as the natural result of wrong-doing, and it would be critically important for him not to fall into a relapse, by again indulging in the very same things that did him in originally.

Whatever it was, that had caused the infirmity, the Bible does not say, but what it does say is that Christ found it necessary to go looking for the man to issue a personal caution, against relapsing into his former errors. And it came with a specific warning, that the second time around will be very much worse than at the first.

Persons who desire healing, whether it be physical, or spiritual, will really need to understand the grave import of what Christ is saying to the man. Relapse, in and of itself, is never good, ask your doctors, and they will tell you.

But bad as relapse is, it becomes a whole lot worse, if, and when persons voluntarily do the very things which triggered the adverse situations in the first place. The second time around, the problem is more difficult to treat, and in some cases, it can result in a ton of irreversible, unnecessary damage to the one in question. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 2:20 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.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

In one television ad, a person was featured, exhaling cigarette smoke through a hole in her throat, since the addictive habit, not being overcome, drove her to the point where a Stoma or hole, had to be put in her throat after her larynx had to be removed at the age of 42.

In the TV ad cigarette smoke could be seen billowing from the hole in her throat, and, it was then hoped that some poor souls would see it, and reason from cause to effect if haply they might avoid the adverse consequences that can accrue.

There are instances where a relapse can lead to a lot of devastating results, both to oneself, and to one’s family, if the warning Christ once gave to the infirm man goes unheeded. In the battle to lose weight, it becomes increasingly difficult every time one starts a program, and then stops, if and when, returning to the former ways.

In other words, with each relapse, the hurdles and challenges become greater, and ultimately require considerably more effort to overcome than previous attempts. Now, even though we encourage one and all to keep on trying, the facts on the ground point to increasing difficulty, with every relapse.

This is also true in the spiritual realm, and hence the reason why we must be on full alert, night and day, lest a gradual retrogression imperceptibly takes hold on us, and before you know it, we’re back to square one, or even worse.

Persons who were struggling with latent tendencies, deep in the recesses of the mind, and who, by God’s grace were able to make a turnaround, must greatly treasure their new lease on life, for it is a day of new beginnings that should lead to eternal life.

And, as such, being, and staying connected to your Only source of power should be the top priority at all times. Staying connected to Christ is the key to living victoriously, and therefore, whatsoever might be the urgency of the moment, nothing trumps our time with Christ, who alone is able to keep us from falling back into a relapse. Let’s read:

John 15: 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abides in the vine no more can you, except you abide in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.

In the next few hours, if life permits, many of us will be graced with a day of new beginnings, and like the infirm man in the narrative, we too might have to do mortal battle against our internal, and external foes, of which the internal foes are the most dangerous.

Jesus, may also find it necessary to go looking for us personally as He once did with the infirm man, so as to issue a personal caution against relapsing into the former errors. Instead of dwelling on our failures, or licking our wounds, let us instead treasure the new lease on life God may grant us, determining by His grace to stay connected this entire new year.

God is in the business of putting Humpty- Dumpty back together again, and if folks will cooperate with Him, a day of new beginnings could translate into a victory that lasts unto eternal life, for this is the will of God concerning us. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture which should help us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, and if we do, God, according to His gracious purpose will heal both body and spirit in due time. Let’s read:

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. Amen.

                    Happy New Year Everyone!

                                   God Bless!

Peace And Goodwill Towards Men. Sabbath afternoon 12/23/2023

Luke 2: 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

As the angels of God announced the birth of Jesus, the purpose of God towards the human family was enshrined in their song, a singular purpose of peace and goodwill toward men, which has always been God’s will from the beginning, and which could be materialized in our world, if we were to cooperate with the heavenly agencies.

Peace and goodwill do not come by accident in our world; nations do not just stop fighting one another, nor do opposing political parties suddenly come to a peaceful reconciliation, without well directed efforts in harmony with the purposes and power of God.

When Jesus walked this earth, He manifested in His person and in all of His doings what peace and good will look like in real time and He demonstrated all of the ways and means, principles and laws whereby they are to be accomplished.

Both Christ’s character, and the many ways in which He implemented peace and good will, should be the theme and study of all who desire peace, which has become an increasingly scarce commodity on earth.

The study for today will focus squarely on the basic Godly principles whereby peace and goodwill are to be achieved. Several of them would be highlighted in the life of Christ, and then a practical application will be made in our own sphere, if we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

[1] The foundational principle of peace and good will is love. Not the kind that seeks one’s benefit but rather seeks the good and well being of others first. Let’s read:

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

5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

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

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

Here is where the character of Christ shines forth so radiantly and here is where Lucifer and Christ had to part ways in heaven. Love suffers long only when it is selfless, for the flipside of longsuffering is a short temper. Christ suffered long with Lucifer, even as he went about spreading conspiracy theories, and lies in heaven.

God didn’t destroy him and his followers right away but instead, gave them time, space and room, so as to develop and make manifest, their principles, and methods. Even after Jesus cast them out of heaven, He gave them time, so that they could manifest to the universe what exactly was, and is in their hearts.

And to this day, God still continues to give them the opportunity to make manifest to all, whether their form of government is based on selfless love, and is productive of peace or goodwill, as the government of God is, or whether they are continually seeking their own personal benefit.

When studying the Character of Christ and the good news of His kingdom, this is what persons should be specifically searching for, the selflessness behind all the things God says and does. When the Scriptures are studied from this perspective the student always comes away with fresh glimpses of God’s goodness.

But when the character of Christ, and the principles and laws of the Bible are sought out, merely for the sake of finding faults, the student leaves the study with a paralysis of thought, which becomes more confused, as he struggles to make sense of sacred utterances. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3: 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Here on this forum, we approach the study of God’s word from the perspective that God is always right, and has never made a single mistake, and with this perspective there is no shortage of Bible studies, for every time the Bible is opened, fresh glimpses of the glory of God shine forth in steady rays.

Therefore, the selflessness and goodness of God will be the theme of our study, as we observe examples of how peace and good will toward men were enacted in our behalf; and by extension, should be adopted as modes of thought and action, in all persons who desire to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

For example, when Christ first came to this earth in His incarnate state, He did not seek out the fanfare, and the red-carpet treatment that earthly royalties and dignitaries so often yearn for. God didn’t send His angels first to the nobility and clergy of the day, nor did He make the grand announcement to those were served in the upper echelons of government.

Instead, the grand revelation was made to humble shepherds, out on the open plains, at night, when most people should be sleeping. In fact, it seems as if the shepherds in Christ’s day stood at the bottom of the social totem pole, because it seems as if their testimony could not be admitted as evidence in the courts of the land.

Instead of the angels attending Him with a fleet of shiny black Cadillacs with tinted windows, and with secret service personnel with dark shades and guns at their waist; Christ was headed to a manger where a fleet of humble farm animals awaited Him. That is a manifestation of the selflessness Paul refers to in Corinthians.

When Paul says that selfless love “Vaunts not itself” he is referring to the tendency of desiring to be seen and admired by persons. Wherever this is the case, the peace and good will Jesus came to give would become evasive.

In reality, Jesus would eventually be seen and heard by everyone, but His driving motive was to save and heal not to lift up Himself in pride as is the case with someone else we know too well. When Jesus said: If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me, it was and is to save us from ourselves, not merely for His own benefit or aggrandizement.

In our day currently, we have persons in the public square who only speak of themselves. Everything is made to revolve around self, and everyone else who might not agree with their agenda is viewed as their mortal enemy.

When the tenor of one’s speech is centered around self, it is a manifestation of satanic presence, for this is who he is at his very core. All the blame for what took place in heaven against God’s kingdom, Lucifer charged upon God, Christ, and the holy angels, but he himself was portrayed as being the victim who suffered wrongfully. Let’s read:

Patriarchs & Prophets pp 40>41] Rejecting with disdain the arguments and entreaties of the loyal angels, he denounced them as deluded slaves. The preference shown to Christ he declared as an act of injustice both to himself and to all the heavenly host. And he announced that he would no longer submit to this invasion of his rights and theirs.

He determined to claim the honor which should have been given him, and take command of all who would become his followers; and he promised those who would enter his ranks a new and better form of government, under which all would enjoy freedom.

Sounds familiar? If it does, then we may know for sure that peace and good will is something we will have to work really hard for. But Jesus on the other hand would only use ways and means that selfless love can employ. He pleaded with Lucifer and those who were withering under his influence, to change course.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 39] In great mercy, according to His divine character, God bore long with Lucifer.

[Desire of Ages pp 759] God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power.

God’s hand of mercy was stretched forth to save any and all who would be willing, and therefore, the use of force as a last resort, was an effort to protect the angels who chose to serve God willingly.

If in a certain household, one child keeps bringing home drugs like fentanyl and other opioids, trying to get the other kids to indulge, then the parents will have to act sooner or later, lest all of the kids end up as drug addicts. So, let’s reiterate our first point:

The foundational principle of peace and good will is love, not the kind that seeks one’s own benefit, but rather seeks the good and wellbeing of others first.

In practical ways, this godly principle could only be truly manifested when Christ is in the heart, for the principle itself is foreign to fallen human nature. In situations where a choice has to be made between personal benefit, and the benefit of others, the one who is in Christ will defer to the other without any grudges or bad feelings.

In the Bible there was a man who once interrupted Jesus’ sermon with a request that Christ should use His influence to speak to the man’s brother who had apparently defrauded him of some real estate.

And in our day, there are sibling rivalries and a host of bad feelings that have erupted over perishables. God is not really interested in Christmas trees, and many lights, and cakes, and pastries and rum. What He is looking for is the replication of His character in those who name themselves as disciples of Christ.

When faced with wrongs done to oneself, instead of taking the low road of fighting like hell for our rights we would do well to observe what Christ did, when He was tempted in the wilderness.

In that episode, satan bluntly offered to give Christ what was naturally, and rightfully Christ’s own; this, in exchange for bowing down. Imagine the boldness and contempt involved in offering Christ’s own real estate to Him.

Again, when Herod slew the children in Bethlehem, God directed Joseph and Mary, not to fight for their rights, but to run for their lives, by taking refuge in Egypt. God could have asserted His royal right, and sent a battalion of angels to take care of Herod, but He chose not to do this, even as He had the capacity to do so.

It’s funny, for the place where Christ was born, and the plains over which the angels sang: “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace, goodwill towards men, is now mired in strife and bloodshed. Unless a determined, well-directed effort is made to deal in the heavenly currency, peace and good will would continue to be evasive.

In other words, there is never going to be peace and good will in the Middle East, or between Russia and Ukraine, or in Sudan, or on the streets of our cities, or on our highways and byways, or even in congress where impeachment looms again, if tit for tat laws and principles are adopted as the order of the day. Let’s read:

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

This leads us to our second principle:

[2] In seeking peace and good will, the use of tit for tat principles must be rejected, and instead, persons will have to deal in the currency of heaven, which at its core repays one’s enemies with genuine kindness and respect that is due to all persons. Let’s read:

1st Peter 2: 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for

your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him who judges righteously.

In the life of Christ, we can all clearly see examples of the use of the heavenly currency, in not using tit for tat principles, when dealing with offences. When the woman who was caught in adultery was brought to Jesus for redress, those who brought her referred to tit for tat laws, that were written down by Moses.

Jesus at that time took the high road of grace, and mercy and demonstrated that it is better and always productive of greater good not to repay wrongs with strict justice every time, for wherever you fight fire with fire, you always get more fire. Ask any fireman and they will confirm what we are saying.

Fighting fire with fire is tearing this country apart, and we have not yet seen where it will all lead to, since it takes time for the fruits thereof to become manifest. When Jesus was spat upon, He again took the high road; when the back-stabber Judas kissed Him he replied, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?”

Jesus did not call for battalions of angels against His betrayer, He didn’t utter imprecations against those who were mocking or reviling Him on the cross, and instead of seeking retribution, He instead uttered a word of mercy by saying “Father forgive them”.

The you and me in the here and now would need to have a serious talk with God about the ways and the means adopted, when we are treated badly for no apparent reason by others. Some of us will have to start at home, by forgiving our spouses, others will need to forgive children, and vice-versa, and others will need to forgive in-laws and outlaws.

But if we determine to squeeze strict justice out of the offender, if we determine to repay one bad drive with another bad drive, and if we determine to sue the daylights out of those who have done us wrong, then we will never see peace, and good will, for as was stated before, when you fight fire with fire, all you get is more fire.

Many years ago, I decided to take to court someone who had done me wrong, and who was later caught by the cops, and arrested. With glee, I had looked forward to the day of retribution, when the offender would have to pay a high price for his wrongs.

But as I sat in court, waiting for the trial to begin, I heard a still small voice speaking in my conscience, saying, if the tables were turned, wouldn’t you have liked to be shown mercy? As I pondered the thought it occurred to me that I was taking the low road, by employing tit for tat laws, which are contrary to the peace and good will of God’s kingdom.

Therefore, when I was approached by those who had charge of the trial, and asked if I really wanted to proceed, I said no, because the voice of God had clearly spoken, and as His disciple, we should seek the high road of peace and good will. The offender was indeed grateful for the unexpected break, and that was the end of the matter.

Hear now the word of the Lord. Tit for tat laws are just, but they are not merciful, and if we desire the peace and good will the Bible speaks of, then we’ll need to reconsider and decide upon a different way of resolving grievances and wrongs, when done to ourselves, in harmony with what Jesus would do when in similar situations. Let’s read:

Romans 12: 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

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 lies 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.

1st Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

6 But brother goes to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another.

This leads us to our third and final characteristic and principle that will go a mighty long way in fostering peace and good will toward men. It is taken directly from the word of God:

[3] “Is not easily provoked”

Many of us as Christians do have short tempers. We may be loving and kind in many other respects, and we may have mercy and honesty as strong points in our characters, but with many of us, we blow a fuse too quickly, and as such, in too many instances, we are too “Easily provoked”.

The tendency to take things personally would often set the stage for us to be discombobulated in spirit. Especially is this the case when we refuse to give a person the benefit of the doubt as to their intention and purposes.

One of the highlights of the passages found in 1st Corinthians 13 is that selfless love “Believeth all things” meaning that the intentions and purposes of others are always to be interpreted in the best light, until there may be something else to the contrary.

No, the old lady with the Ford Escort did not really mean to give you a bad drive; she was struggling with her glasses, to try and see the road properly in the rain and her reflexes were not as sharp as when she was younger.

No, your spouse did not really mean to spend that much on groceries and gifts for the holidays. In the heat of the moment, he, or she was overcome by impulse buying, and it was out of the goodness of their hearts that they went overboard, in trying to make others happy. Believe you me, they had originally intended to stay within the budget.

No, the person did not mean to disregard, or evade your call. They were actually on the other line with an emergency call from their doctor, who had given them some bad news about a diagnosis of cancer, and because of the grave nature of the conversation they had really forgotten to call back.

It all has to do with giving persons the benefit of the doubt, and not becoming riled up or easily provoked if, and when things do not go according to script. In our interaction with other folks, and in our efforts to seek and cultivate peace and good will, there would be instances when we might have to bite the bullet, and let things slide, leaving the situation with God.

In other situations, if persons speak or approach us in derogatory or intimidating ways, instead of going the route of self-preservation, we will have to keep our cool, and maintain a Christlike demeanor, even in argumentative situations.

Sorry to say it, but some Christian spouses have the habit of arguing with one another, and in some cases, some are always on edge so that the least ruffling of their feathers, triggers a flurry of un-Christlike words and actions. This is what the Bible has to say in such situations. Let’s read:

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

27 Neither give place to the devil.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

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

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

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp 168] Love is unsuspecting, ever placing the most favorable construction upon the motives and acts of others. Love will never needlessly expose the faults of others. It does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but rather seeks to bring to mind some good qualities of the one defamed.

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp 168] Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience such forbearance makes necessary. This love “never fails.” It can never lose its value; it is the attribute of heaven. As a precious treasure it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.

In closing, we are all aware of the grave turmoil that is gripping the nations, the forever wars and rumors of wars, and the utter intransigence of political foes and “Frenemies” and in many Christian households it is a fact that peace and good seems to be elusive.

Yet, God has called us to peace and good will for it is and was His stated purpose as the angelic choir sang their songs over the plains of Judea. Let us then be willing and ready, so that the presence and power of God may work within us, transforming us, recreating and molding us into the character of Christ.

Enjoy the holidays, have great food with family and friends, and exchange gifts as you would, but always remember this one thing, the kingdom of God is not about bling and things, it’s about righteousness and peace, and joy in The Holy Ghost. Therefore, we will end our discourse with a word of Scripture that will help us to cultivate, and promote peace and good will. Let’s read:

James 3: 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

                                  God Bless!

Debunking The Myth Of Perfect Parenthood. Sabbath afternoon 12/16/2023

Luke 2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spoke unto them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

We have searched the Bible from cover to cover and we have not found a single perfect parent, who ever lived upon the earth. Perfect parents do not live on our planet, and it’s a myth that has been adopted by some who may be prone to find fault or cast blame.

Every parent who has ever lived, and all who would ever live are scheduled to make some type of mistake, some more, some less. This is a naturally occurring fact as a result of fallen human nature, and even if parents were to try to do their very best, persons will, in most instances be able to find flaws, and mistakes of some kind.

As parents look back in retrospect honestly, they are going to see errors, and mistakes in judgement they have made, and if they were to retrace their steps it is certain that, in most cases, they would have done some things differently. That is because there is no such thing as a perfect parent, at least not on this planet.

In our first passages we read of the parents of Jesus, who themselves weren’t exempt from making some mistakes, for according to the record, they had gone an entire day, not knowing where Jesus was, until in a panic they started to look for Him. Now, let’s think about that for a moment.

The sacred record states that Jesus was just twelve years old when He went missing, which would have made Him a minor in our day, and as such, both His parents would be responsible for His whereabouts. The department of children and families would have taken this mistake very seriously, and no doubt, the parents could be subjected to charges as a result.

It was an error in judgement, on the part of Joseph and Mary, for the Bible says they “Supposed” that He was with His kinsfolk. If one of us parents today were to take the kids out for some festive occasion, and we were to return without one of the children, we would no doubt be questioned closely as to how it is they went missing.

And if the parent in question were to reply, and say that they supposed the kid was with the relatives, it would surely result in one of those heated moments between parents and we could all imagine the panic mode and bitter recriminations that will ensue.

But what is even more note worthy in the narrative is that the Bible says Jesus went down to Nazareth, and was “Subject” unto them, in spite of their error, for as far as Christ was concerned, mistakes parents may make in judgement do not render them being ineligible for the respect and honor that are due to them.

Other Biblical parents made mistakes and errors of their own, for none were exempt. Parents, being the fallen beings that they are do make mistakes and for this reason, it’s not everything that parents do, that the children should follow in their footsteps.

When grown up, the children should study the lives  of their parents, and then, based upon what is written in the scripture, they should make their own informed decisions as to the right course they would pursue, choosing the good that their parents did, and refusing the evil.

In this way, they can reason from cause to effect as they observe the history of their parents, and then, the good their parents did, could be cultivated unto the upcoming generations, whilst the evils or errors in judgement can, and should be utterly refused.

This pattern of conduct, and planning the course of action to pursue, is encouraged in the Scriptures for it is by so doing, that righteousness and goodness can be honed for the better while the evils that may have been cultivated by the parents, can be stripped of their former value and status. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 18:1 The word of the Lord came unto me again saying,

2 What mean you by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have any occasion anymore to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.

14 Now, if he begets a son that sees all his father's sins which he hath done, and considers and doesn’t do any such thing,

15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbor's wife;

17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

For instance, in studying the history of his parents, there are certain things Isaac could safely emulate, so as to foster the very same tendencies, in future generations. It’s stated of Abraham that everywhere he went, the first thing he would do was to erect an altar to God for worship, and this pattern of conduct resulted in the conversions of hundred, if not many thousands of persons.

This, Isaac could safely emulate, for it has the effect of promoting righteousness, and also diffusing the knowledge of God, and the Bible in the earth every place and everywhere the family goes. So basically, father Abraham gets an A plus for parenting, in this aspect of parenthood. Let’s read:

Genesis 12:7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there built he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.

8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.

Genesis 13:3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.

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

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

But as with any other parent, Abraham, and Sarah were not perfect, for they had their own share of mistakes and errors to deal with. For instance, when Sarah suggests Hagar as a surrogate wife, Isaac was never to follow her lead, if a similar situation was to unfold later on in his own household. Let’s read:

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

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

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.

Ezekiel says “he considers” meaning that he ought to track a different course, if he were wearing Sarah’s shoes, for the errors in judgement should be bucked by the next generations. Furthermore, just because Abraham is the father of the faithful it does not mean that Isaac must follow blindly, everything he would see Abraham do.

Like everyone else, Isaac must study his family tree and wherever there are found any deviations from righteousness, wherever there is found polygamy, and where there are found any white, or black lies, Isaac is to take the good and utterly refuse the evil, for there is no such thing as a perfect parent, even if, and when the parents are God-fearing Christians.

In fact, there are certain things Abraham did, which if Isaac were to emulate, he could get himself into very serious trouble and that’s because, like you and me, and every other parent who has ever lived upon planet earth, there is no such thing as the perfect parent. Let’s read:

Genesis 12: 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

Again, we have the history of Noah, who God had declared to be righteous and indeed, Noah did very nobly in preaching righteousness to the antediluvian world. In fact, according to God’s assessments, after examining the doings of every person who had lived at that time, The Lord could only came up with one person, and the other members of his family would then become beneficiaries of Noah’s righteousness. Let’s read:

Genesis 6: 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Genesis 7:1 And the Lord said unto Noah Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 98] Noah's warnings had been rejected by the world, but his influence, and example resulted in blessings to his family. As a reward for his faithfulness and integrity, God saved all the members of his family with him. What encouragement to parental fidelity!

But just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Noah also had his own set of issues to deal with, for while he had the Bible in one hand, a bottle of Johnny Walker was often found in the other and because of this his sons would also need to “Consider” meaning, that, as they studied the history of their family tree, they too will need to choose the good, and utterly refuse the evil.

In other words, the preaching part of Noah’s history can be emulated with no problem whatsoever, but the part of his history that was tainted with Johnny Walker liquor has to be utterly refused. Parents do make mistakes, even with the best of intentions and therefore, it is a sacred responsibility, resting upon you and me to make wise choices. Let’s read:

Genesis 9:20 And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard.

21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

Again, we have the God -fearing Jacob who made an error in judgement by preferring one son above the others, a situation that fosters favoritism among the kids. When Jacob made a coat of many bright colors for Joseph alone, it tended to inflame the current hatred harbored by the other eleven children.

This act of love done by Jacob was misguided to say the least, for parents should avoid demonstrating a glaring favoritism, or preference for one child above the next, even if, in their heart of hearts they might prefer one more than the others.

Whenever parents offer preferential treatments to one kid more than the others, it is most likely going to make the others feel left out, and sibling rivalry is almost certain to be the result. And in some cases, it can put the favorite child in grave danger, as it once did with young Joseph. Let’s read:

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

And we can go on and on, from Aaron to David and from Samuel to Solomon, from Joseph, to you and me and every parent in between; one thing we will discover is that perfect parenting is a myth.

 And as such, persons must brace themselves for the fallout of what their parents did, or did not do, and should therefore make all the necessary corrections to their own course of action after considering their parent’s history in retrospect.

Philosophy in our day has crept in unawares into the hearts and minds of parents and individuals, and as is most often the case, it is not readily discerned for what it is. For instance, you may have heard it said that parents must earn respect from their children if their kids are to respect them.

It sounds philosophically cute, but there is only one problem with it in that the concept is nowhere to be found in the Bible. Furthermore, if you were to drill down deeper into what that philosophy would really translate into, you would be alarmed and concerned about the ramifications of it.

    Let’s examine the concept in its most basic form:

   “Respect has to be earned”

Now, if respect has to be earned by parents it will of necessity take some time, because the very concept of earning would necessitate an extended period of several years before it is earned, and the children of the parents in question, would have to go through a number of experiences with their parents, before a settled conclusion of due respect is made.

So, the question is: at what point during the earning process is respect to be rendered to the parents? At the beginning of the earning process, at the middle, or at the end, after it has been earned? During the interim period while respect is being earned, are the kids free to disrespect parents, if they so choose?

Let’s take the concept further, for it will be stripped down to bare bones to see where it will lead. In the military, is respect for senior officers earned, or is it to be rendered at the beginning of the new recruit’s training and then would naturally increase with the passage of time?

When persons go to boot camp, does the officer in charge have to wait until respect is earned before it is given, or is it true that the trainees will have to do several thousand pushups if they were to disrespect their appointed Sergeant?

Again, when the philosophy is applied to the heads of government, such as former president Trump and the current president, Joe Biden, are they to “earn” our respect before we respect them, or are folks to honor them initially in the capacity of their office, as required by God, and then later on respect for them may grow?

Again, should we respect them only if we agree with their agenda, or are we to show due respect, based upon the instructions written in the Scriptures? The Bible does not say anywhere that respect for leaders duly appointed or installed by God, must be earned. That is a philosophical myth that must now utterly be debunked.

In fact, if a close examination of some heads of state was to be made, it would be discovered that in fact, they may lose a ton of respect. Rendering unto the president, or to Caesar respect, is not based on kind and loving deeds Caesar may do. In fact, most of the Caesars we know of, have historical records that are riddled with good and evil.

Again, there were many persons who in their heart of hearts did not favor the former president, for like every other person, presidents do have a checkered history to say the least. Is the Christian to disrespect the duly chosen leaders, until they earn respect or is honor due to them at the onset, as with parents? Let read:

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

How does pharaoh earn respect, especially if one is a Jew who is working in the sweltering sun with an Egyptian taskmaster making your life miserable at every turn? How does a king like Nebuchadnezzar earn respect, who threatened his own magicians with execution?

How does king Saul earn David’s respect, when Saul hunted David like a wild beast without cause? Yet, in the Bible, we read of David being instructed by God not to disrespect the office or person of Saul, and in one instance, where an Amalekite dishonored Saul, it was David who, by the direction of God, set the record straight, to put it mildly.  Let’s read:

1st Samuel 24: 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.

4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

6 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.

Romans 13:2 Whoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

5 Wherefore you must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’s sake.

As it pertains to one’s parents, the Bible states that due respect and honor should be rendered to them, even if, like some who went before, they may make some mistakes and errors in judgment. Respect can be earned over a period of time, but it is due at the beginning, even to those parents who might never seem to deserve it. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

You will notice that God doesn’t qualify the parents by saying “Honor thy father and thy mother” if they do right, or if the earn your respect. The children of pagan parents are to show due respect and the kids of righteous parents are to receive honor, because what God is instructing us to do would protect the structural integrity of the family, which is the very foundation of society.

Similarly with marriage, God does not say that only Christian, God-fearing folks are to honor the sacred institution. The institution itself is sacred, yet those to whom it is given may be Buddhists, Atheists and pagan, if they so choose. It’s the institution with its structural integrity that is holy, not necessarily the people to whom it pertains. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The words: “Therefore shall a man” means any man, whether he be a Christian man, a Hindu man, a Trini man, a Muslim man, a Mongolian man, a Republican man, or a Democratic man. It is the institution with its inherent structural integrity that God instructs us to preserve as being sacred.

The very same instruction, and concept also applies to parents and their children, imperfect though the parents may be. They might have committed serious errors in judgement, they may have come from the Caribbean, with all of the inherent cultural baggage that may manifest itself at times, or like Noah, they may have had drinking problems that they struggled with.

At the end of the day, the children are instructed by God to honor and respect their parents, for doing so protects the structural integrity of the family, and by extension, our society as a whole.

When children do dishonor to parents on account of their parent’s imperfections, it will never stop there, for they will most likely go on to disrespect Pastors, Elders, presidents, managers at work, and teachers, as took place, not long ago at Marjorie Stoneman High. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 308] Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children.

And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents, is rejecting the authority of God. The fifth commandment requires children not only to yield respect, submission, and obedience to their parents, but also to give them love and tenderness, to lighten their cares, to guard their reputation. And to succor and comfort them in old age. It also enjoins respect for ministers and rulers and for all others to whom God has delegated authority.

Parents are to do their very best to come as close as possible to being ideal. They are to follow closely in the footsteps of our Great Exemplar, by emulating the ways and means used by Christ.

And they should endeavor to win the confidence, trust, and respect of their kids as time progresses, but they will make mistakes, and when they do the respect and honor shown to them must remain as a constant.

Like everyone else living on our planet, parents are the products of fallen human nature and even when they are being converted by God, mistakes, or errors in judgement will occur. Let us therefore refuse the myth of perfect parenthood, and instead, try to do our very best by God’s grace, because the structural integrity of the family and society is at stake.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture which enjoins upon both parents and their offspring love, respect and honor wherever due, because parents and children are imperfect beings, and errors will at times occur, yet we must not deviate from a “Thus saith The Lord” because of parental imperfections. Let’s read:

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honor your father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

4 And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

                                   God Bless!

Overcoming Tailor-Made Temptations. Sabbath afternoon 12/09/2023

Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man.

In most cases, when some people think that they’re being tempted, it is just the natural byproducts of a course of action taken by themselves, or others, and in some cases, the devil was going his merry way, in running his normal errands when folks stopped him and asked him to tempt us.

We do live in an evil world, with fellow fallen beings like ourselves and because of this the natural fallout could result in adversities and trials for the Christian and non-Christian alike, for none are exempt. Thus, it is just a fact of life that trials are a natural part of the package, and this all persons must be reconciled to.

However, when we speak of persons asking devils to tempt them, we’re referring directly to temptations that were unprovoked by the devil, but were rather the result of those inner cravings, as defined in our first passage. These cravings and latent tendencies must be understood for what they are, whether they are cultivated, inherited, or both.

The reason why the nature of these cravings should be thoroughly understood, is because they differ in intensity from person to person, and therefore, one must be aware of the specific issues, pertaining to ourselves, for it’s on these points that the devil goes to work, in the majority of cases.

Therefore, tailormade temptations are structured to fit specific persons, and they come with one’s name, address, zip code, and social security number baked in and already stamped with the devil’s approval for, a lot of time, planning, and effort goes into the mix to make a surgical strike on the person in question.

Several relevant factors are taken into consideration when constructing tailormade temptations, such as the time, the place, the disposition, the ambience of the place, the weather-related events, the influence that would obtain, the physical, social, and spiritual status of the person, and most of all, a list of factual observations, devils have gleaned over an extensive period of time.

Although devils are fallen angels, they do retain a sizeable advantage over human beings as far as the intellectual, physical, and spiritual capabilities go. In fact, were it not for the restraining power of God in the world, they would be capable of bringing to the Christian, temptations of such severity and accuracy as to threaten the Christian’s very existence. Let’s read:

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

22 It’s 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 build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.

1st Corinthians 10: 12 Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

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.

[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.

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.

If permitted, they can distract our minds, disorder, torment our bodies, destroy our possessions and our lives. Their only delight is in our misery, and destruction. Fearful is the condition of those who resist the divine claims, and yield to Satan's temptations, until God gives them up to the control of evil spirits.

 But those who follow Christ are ever safe under his watch-care. Angels that excel in strength are sent from Heaven to protect them. The wicked one cannot break through the guard which God has stationed about his people.

When it comes to resisting tailormade temptations, God would have us to understand that these forays are structured to target our weakest points, at our weakest times, and every chink in our armor would present a favorable opportunity for satan’s success.

Not only should we be aware of our weakest points, we must also be cognizant of triggering mechanisms which could fan latent tendencies and cravings into life. Persons who are struggling on issues pertaining to adultery should avoid South Beach, as much as is possible for the atmosphere down there is pregnant with opportunity for yielding to temptation.

In other words, if persons know that they’re weak in the area of physical lust, by going down to hang out casually on South Beach would be the equivalent of asking the devil to tempt them, and even though he may have been running other errands not related to you, he will have no problem stopping by, to make the most of the opportunity.

Again, if we are struggling on issues related to diets and foods, it will be presumptuous to place oneself in a situation such as an “all you can eat” restaurant, that will encourage us to gorge ourselves to the full. This also is the equivalent of inciting temptation on ourselves, especially if we lack self-control.

In the history of David’s fall we could learn valuable lessons that can translate into victory if we’re willing to be taught by God. Lessons, such as knowing one’s self, knowing what triggers spiritual weakness, and how to beef up security in times of idleness, for this is when devils are most successful in bringing to us, those tailormade temptations.

Thus, for our case study, we will review the history of David’s fall, and the history of Christ’s victory in the wilderness, for both Christ and David were the targets of tailormade temptations, and as such, we are to learn from the fall of David, as well as the success, which Christ accomplished in our behalf.

Let’s start with David, a man who was in the habit of leaning on the everlasting arms when in peril. At the time when David was being hunted down, like a wild beast by king Saul, he was at that time, living on the edge.

And even though his weakness for beautiful women was still present with him, the fact of that he had to be constantly looking over his shoulder, seemed to keep his mind preoccupied for the time being.

Yet, the history of David demonstrates a very clear pattern of choices, and when observed by devils, it would form the basis for David’s own tailormade temptation, for as was stated before, devils do have archives, or binders full of observations, which are drawn upon, when structuring surgical temptations. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the Lord, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

42 And Abigail hasted, and arose and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives.

2nd Samuel 5:13 And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

1st Chronicles 3:1 Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:

2 The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:

3 The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.

5 And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel:

9 These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

Thus, as satan pulled the files on David’s history, he saw that there was a pattern of behavior in the man that would be most likely to lend itself favorably to temptation, if the right circumstances were to be put into place. And so, he goes to work, planning a diabolic strategy that would ultimately be executed with surgical accuracy.

The window of opportunity for most women to get pregnant in a month is six days, and therefore, the planning of satan must take this into consideration, for it was his purpose that David’s one night stance must result in pregnancy.

Also, the tailormade temptation would have to be executed during daylight hours, in order for David to be able to see Bathsheba, as nightfall would negate the effort. David would also have to be home, on his rooftop at the exact moment, and thus, matters and situations must somehow be made to converge at the precise time, for David to decide to go up on his rooftop, for some unknown reason.

The exact spot where Bathsheba would be located must be at such an angle that David would get the best view of her, and at the same time, the devil has to make certain that her husband would not be at home, for if Uriah were to be present, this would be a spoiler, no doubt.

Also, the weather has to also be conducive to the temptation, since a rainy day would most likely find his targets indoors, and thus, the devil goes to the weather channel to study the precipitation if any for that day. He discovers that it would be a sunny day with clear blue skies and he says bingo.

Let’s reiterate again, that when some persons may complain of being tempted by the devil, in most cases, they have not a clue what they are speaking about, because a real temptation is something that is well studied out, well planned, and well executed.

Considerable research, together with the historical context, and archives of factual evidences, go into the structuring of tailormade temptations, for they are not those fly by night aberrations which might occur spontaneously, on the spur of the moment, as some persons erroneously believe.

In addition to the physical factors mentioned earlier, the spiritual condition of king David at the time will be of critical importance to the success or failure of the assault, and thus, David must first be groomed, or primed for the temptation over extended periods of time.

In other words, David must first stop praying, for he must be brought to the point where he believes that his knowledge of God’s word alone, together with his own will power, would be sufficient to keep him from temptation. This constitutes one of the most fatal mistakes any Christian can make.

The knowledge of God’s word without the power of God is the equivalent of having a v 12 supercharged engine in a Lamborghini, with no gas. The motive power for us to do right is centered in, and comes solely from the presence and person of God alone. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] Instead of relying in humility upon the power of Jehovah, he began to trust to his own wisdom and might. As soon as Satan can separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of man's carnal nature. The 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.

We know the rest of the story, for according to the sacred record, the devil executed his diabolical plan flawlessly, and the rest is history. And since these things are written for our admonition or instruction, upon whom the end of the world is coming, we will do well to take heed lest we fall into the same traps as king David once did.

Now we turn to Jesus, who was also the target of 3 tailormade temptations, only in this instance, satan doesn’t have any historical archives of observations of latent tendencies as he did with David. Therefore, his strategy must of necessity be different, although the temptations will also be tailormade to suit the Person of Christ.

Throughout the ages, the devil correctly observed, and concluded that the way to a person’s mind is often through their stomach, and throughout each successive generation that has come upon the face of action, he has had almost 100 % success, starting with Adam and Eve, continuing with Noah and many of God’s people throughout history.

And since Christ, in His mortal incarnate state has to eat at some point in time, it’s just a matter of satan prepping the time and place, so as to tackle Jesus at His most vulnerable point. To ask Jesus to turn stone into bread, when Jesus was not hungry would have no impact, or appeal whatsoever.

Therefore, satan must wait until such a time would obtain, so as to have maximum impact. Also, Christ would be tempted to use Divine power, in a manner that is contrary to God’s will, and contra indicated to man’s capabilities and thus, will render Jesus as One who is ineligible to save us. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 119] If Christ's confidence in God could be shaken, Satan knew that the victory in the whole controversy would be his. He hoped that under the force of despondency and extreme hunger, Christ would lose faith in His Father, and work a miracle in His own behalf. Had He done this, the plan of salvation would have been broken.

We cannot turn stones into bread, even if we tried, and therefore, if Satan could get Jesus to use Divine power to deliver Himself when faced with hunger as we mortals often face hunger, then Jesus would, by so doing place victory entirely out of reach for the human family.

The reason for this is that Jesus would be using ways and means that are not inherently available to any of us, and if Christ were to go that route it would’ve been a virtual admission on God’s part that it is not possible for human nature to control the impulses and clamors of the flesh.

And then, if this is the case, then there must be an original flaw in God’s creation of man, thus making it virtually impossible for him to overcome, and by extension, placing all the blame for Adam and Eve’s failure, squarely on God.

Thus, the devil waits for the opportune moment to carry out his tailormade plan against Christ. He must time this temptation precisely, at a point when Jesus would be at His weakest physically, with no friends to offer any help, and where the only choice Jesus would have is to work a miracle to save Himself, or to obey God and die, if it came to that. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 118] For forty days He fasted and prayed. Weak and emaciated from hunger, worn and haggard with mental agony, “His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Isaiah 52:14. Now was Satan's opportunity. Now he supposed that he could overcome Christ.

Tailormade temptations are made to fit the person who is being targeted, and therefore there would be nuances that become necessary as the situation is scheduled to unfold. As Christians, we will discover that we do have strong urges, which strive to make us say and do things that are not in accordance with God’s will.

Fierce pangs of hunger, to the point of fainting could drive a person to eat things that are forbidden, and extreme thirst could do the same, if we don’t follow Christ’s example. The urge to merge is what drove David over the edge, and in our day, it is still driving men and women to do things that are not right.

Balaam’s plot to overthrow Israel was centered on the urge to merge, because if the leaders of Israel cannot control their feelings, but could be led to let their feelings control them, then the battle for their minds would have been won, for wheresoever the mind goes, the body always follows. Let’s read:

[P&P page 451] Balaam knew that the prosperity of Israel depended upon their obedience to God, and that there was no way to cause their overthrow but by seducing them into sin.

[S.G bk 4 pp 48] He counseled Balak to proclaim an idolatrous feast in honor of their idol gods, and he would persuade the Israelites to attend, that they might be delighted with the music. And then, the most beautiful Midianitish women should entice the Israelites to transgress the law of God, and corrupt themselves, and also influence them to offer sacrifice to idols. This Satanic counsel succeeded too well.

Our victories in overcoming tailormade temptations can only be materialized, by following closely in the footsteps of Christ. Jesus didn’t wait for temptation to come His way, before He prayed. Instead, He took preemptive measures by communing with God in the wilderness, before the approach of devils.

Preemptive preparation almost always guarantees victory, for it is not God’s will that we face the devil without first being prepared, and strengthened for whatsoever he may throw at us. Let’s read:

[D.A. pp 321] 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. 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. 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.

This is what David failed to do, and this is also what we often fail to do, for when we compare situation to situation, we discover that both David and Christ were suffering under extreme clamors of the flesh, in David’s case the clamor was bad, in Christ’s case the clamor was a good one, because there’s nothing wrong with being hungry.

It really does not matter whether the clamor may be good or bad; what matters is how we respond to the temptation. If folks neglect prayer, and the study of the word of God, they will become sitting ducks for tailormade temptations, for the clamors and latent tendencies, indigenous to human nature, will drive us over the edge.

We have no clue when tailormade temptations will come our way, but what we can, and should do is to be fully prepared as Christ did for the timing and the intensity of the temptation becomes irrelevant if we are girded with the panoply of heaven always.

Knowing a whole lot of Scripture is good, but in and of itself it cannot stave off tailormade temptation. In David’s case, he most likely knew more Scriptures than me and you, for he wrote portions of the Bible. Knowledge is good, but knowledge without Christ’s power, will only render us informed victims.

Let those who are preparing for what is coming, lay the groundwork for victory by spending quality time with God, the only source of our strength. Instead of wasting precious hours on things that are of little or no consequence, let us set aside time to seek Christ while we can for the days of earth’s final conflict are soon approaching.

During earth’s final crisis devils will open their entire arsenal upon the Christian, and tailormade devices, which had been previously put on the back burner, because of God’s restraining power, will now be let loose upon those who choose to be faithful.

Many of us are not expecting this, and others have harbored the view that because they trust in Jesus, they will be insulated. While God promises to take care of the righteous during that awful time, they will not be immune to tailormade temptations that will be leveled against the commandment keeping people of God. And for this reason, persons should manage their expectations prudently, to say the very least. Here’s a preview of what we are referring to. Let’s read:

[7 LTMS letter 30A par 15] Satan has a thousand masked batteries which will be opened upon the loyal, commandment-keeping people of God to compel them to violate conscience. The followers of Christ must expect to encounter sneers. They will be reviled; their words and their faith will be misrepresented. Coldness and contempt may be harder to endure than martyrdom.

With some persons it would require more courage to encounter a laugh than to be thrust through with a sword. But we must stand steadfastly for the truth, not returning railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing. Parents will turn harshly against their children who accept unpopular truth. Those who conscientiously serve God will be accused of rebellion.

Property that was willed to children or other relatives who believe the present truth will be given into other hands. Guardians will rob orphans and widows of their just dues. Men will take to themselves property to which they have no right. The words of the apostle will be verified in the near future: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Tailormade temptations can be likened to precision guided missiles, but they can all be shot down, if the Christian is found fully clad with the armor, found in the book of Ephesians. Christians must, at all times be connected to the Source of our strength, for it is too often the case that some are disconnected and do not know.

In the wee hours of the morning, before the worry and cares of the day begin to take a toll upon us, let us set aside some time alone with God, so that He may strengthen us as He did Jesus, to face all of the unforeseen barrages of temptations that may come our way.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture which delineates the grim nature of the conflicts, and the need for the Christian to be clad in Christlike armor from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet at all times. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

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

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

                                   God Bless!

Understanding Generational Curses And Blessings. Sabbath afternoon 12/02/2023

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

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

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Generational curses, and blessings pertain to every human being, for all of us are affected, one way or the next by the doings of our progenitors. This fact is inescapable and should thus serve the purpose of causing persons to make wise choices, knowing that not only ourselves will be affected, but also those of our children who may come after us.

Choices and decisions made by parents are like unto throwing a pebble into a river with the ripple effects to be seen and felt far and wide. When parents may choose to do good, by loving and serving God, they set in motion a train of mercies and blessings which extend to thousands of generations, long after those parents are dead and buried.

God does not forget His tender mercy to those who love and obey Him, and even when the up-coming generations may forget, God’s mercies are still to be extended to their offspring for they are beneficiaries of God’s grace, in behalf of the faithful who went on before.

On the other hand, persons who despise and forget God, transmit that disposition to their offspring and even though the destiny of such persons are not set in stone, it is more likely than not, for them to walk in the footsteps of their parents.

In addition to this the practices, indulgences, habits and lifestyles, are all likely to be mimicked by those who come after, for by precept, example and also by inheritance and cultivation, the stage is often set for replications, in those who are born to such parents.

Persons do retain their freedom of choice, and they are never inevitably chained in a hell-bound destiny. However, history has proven the words of Scripture to be true, in the overwhelming majority of cases.

As Esau, and Jacob came out fighting against each other, just so, the after history has demonstrated a continued animosity from generation to generation. Even though there was a pause due to the forced reconciliation brokered by God, yet they were never at peace permanently.

That’s because the propensities, tendencies, habits, practices, and dispositions, were all transferred to the coming generations, and because of this the bad blood persisted between the two. Let’s read:

Genesis 36:1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite.

8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son;

and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife.

Genesis 36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 207] This separation was in accordance with the divine purpose, concerning Jacob. Since the brothers differed so greatly in regard to religious faith, it was better for them to dwell apart.

Esau and Jacob had alike been instructed in the knowledge of God, and both were free to walk in His commandments and to receive His favor; but they had not both chosen to do this. The two brothers had walked in different ways, and their paths would continue to diverge more and more widely.

There was no arbitrary choice on the part of God by which Esau was shut out from the blessings of salvation. The gifts of His grace through Christ are free to all. There is no election but one's own by which any may perish.

Exodus 3: 7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Now, there are a few passages of scripture written in the New Testament that must be addressed, for they are often misinterpreted to mean that God is arbitrary in His choices and decisions, which is not the case in anyway shape or form. 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.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

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.

Be very careful when seeking to understand what is meant by the previous passages. Let’s repeat: Great care must be taken in trying to unpack the previous passages for persons can draw incorrect conclusions about the character and purposes of God, as it will pertain to generational blessings and curses.

Jacob’s household would have their own share of issues, and Jacob himself was not the best of fathers for any to conclude that just because he feared God, that he was free from errors. In fact, Jacob’s life was riddled with faults, from polygamy, to lying and from dissembling to cunning.

But in all and through it all, the general bent of his household was towards God, and for this reason he would impart to his offspring a disposition to love, and serve The God of heaven, imperfect though he and they may be. In other words, Jacob would set a tone in his household that would be to-God-ward.

But Esau was of an entirely different disposition, for even though both himself, and Jacob them grew up in the same house, going to the same church, and having the same religious instruction, Esau did not take to God as his brother did, and God’s laws, and instructions were considered burdensome and even irritating to him.

Thus, he would pass on this disposition to his kids, and even though they had retained their freedom of choice, as a general rule, Esau’s family would harbor and averseness to God and that general tendency to hate God would be cemented with each successive generation, until it became a natural characteristic. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 178] Isaac made known to his sons these privileges and conditions, and plainly stated that Esau, as the eldest, was the one entitled to the birthright. But Esau had no love for devotion, no inclination to a religious life.

The requirements that accompanied the spiritual birthright were an unwelcome, and even a hateful restraint to him. The law of God, which was the condition of the divine covenant with Abraham, was regarded by Esau as a yoke of bondage. Bent on self-indulgence, he desired nothing so much as liberty to do as he pleased.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 178] Jacob had learned from his mother of the divine intimation that the birthright should fall to him, and he was filled with an unspeakable desire for the privileges which it would confer. It was not the possession of his father's wealth that he craved; the spiritual birthright was the object of his longing.

To commune with God as did righteous Abraham, to offer the sacrifice of atonement for his family, to be the progenitor of the chosen people and of the promised Messiah, and to inherit the immortal possessions embraced in the blessings of the covenant. Here were the privileges and honors that kindled his most ardent desires. His mind was ever reaching forward to the future, and seeking to grasp its unseen blessings.

Thus, Esau and Jacob would go their separate ways, one, to receive the blessings, and favors of God for many generations, the other to reap all the natural results that come with an averseness toward God.

The generational blessings and curses are never an arbitrary act on the part of God, but instead are the natural outworking of cause and effect, sowing and reaping, which determine the outcomes. Therefore, there very serious and pertinent questions we need to ask ourselves, in the context of what we’ve seen so far:

[1] Is the destiny of an individual inevitably set in stone, depending on the course of action pursued by one’s progenitors?

[2] Can the generational blessings and curses be reversed?

[3] What about those genetic factors which may be beyond a person’s control? Is there hope in such situations?

[4] Let’s say a person’s progenitors have a history of cancer, because of habitual violations of laws which pertain to diets and foods; is it then inevitable for the coming generations to come down with cancers, or would they have the ability to track an entirely different course?

[5] When The Lord says He will visit the iniquity of the fathers unto the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him, what does God mean by that statement?

[6] Can the generations of the wicked buck the downward trend, through freedom of choice, and could they be saved in God’s kingdom?

There are two statements in our first passage which need to be clarified, once and for all, because there are persons who study the Bible one-sidedly instead of line upon line, and precept upon precept, and if this is the case, wrong conclusions of God and of the passage in question will certainly be drawn.

Here are the two statements of interest which need clarity:

[1] “Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me.”

The word “Visiting” is too often interpreted to mean that God would directly place the sins of the fathers, and results thereof upon future generations, in ways that cannot be averted by the children. Nothing can be further from the truth, for that interpretation is quite contrary to other passages of Scripture.

There are laws of cause and effect, and there are laws of sowing and reaping that are, in many cases, allowed to run their natural course, without direct interference from God, and which bring to maturity the pertinent fruit, either for good, or for evil.

If one’s parents and grandparents, going back many years were to cultivate a love for smoking and a love for drinking, their children would be born with such tendencies, and by example, the habit can become set in stone, in the offspring of such, especially if the children were to now cultivate and practice the very same patterns of behavior.

The adverse results are not anything that God will be doing to the offspring. That word “Visiting”, for the most part refers to God allowing the natural law of action and consequence to run unimpeded.

In fact, what God does is to set in motion, ways, and means whereby persons who have been adversely affected, either genetically, or by the habitual wrong doing of one’s progenitors can make a U-Turn, and if such persons were to take hold of Christ, the only remedy, they can stop the downward trend in most cases. The following scriptures will confirm what is being said. Let’s read:

Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mark 2: 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?

17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

God does not arbitrarily visit the iniquities of one’s parents upon the children, if the children will track a different, and right course. God gives much grace to the wicked, so that they can have equal opportunity just like the offspring of the righteous. This sacred truth must now be set in stone in our minds, once and for all.

Let’s pay very close attention to the following sacred records, so as to confirm, that the downward trend, initiated, and promulgated by one’s progenitors can be stopped, slowed or even reversed, for it all has to do with the choices the individual makes.

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

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

1st Kings 22: 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

52 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

2nd Kings 11:1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.

2nd Kings 12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passes the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that comes into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord,

5 Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.

11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the Lord,

12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.

19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

So, let’s recap what took place here. Ahab, and the infamous Athaliah were the progenitors of Ahaziah, who followed in the footsteps of Ahab, and Ahaziah has a son, namely Josiah, who chooses to track an entirely different course.

It's worthy of note that the training Josiah got from an early age at the hands of the priest Jehoiada, had a profound effect upon his mind, and according to the Scriptures, those early instructions played a vital role in overriding whatsoever genetic, and inherited tendencies to evil Joash’s progenitors bequeathed.

Thus, even though this is the exception rather than the rule, yet, it is possible, by the grace of God for a person to buck that downward trend, set in motion by one’s parents and grandparents. If it were not a possibility, then the grace of God would have limits on its ability to save to the gutter-most.

[2] The other statement from our first passage that needs to be addressed is that of “Keeping mercy for thousands of generations that love me and keep my commandments”

The generations of the righteous are promised grace and mercy, but this isn’t exclusively theirs, as we’ve seen in several previous passages. If the offspring of righteous do evil, in many cases they would reap the natural results just like the wicked because The Lord does not generally interfere with the laws of sowing and reaping.

God’s mercies are over the righteous, but they also are over the wicked, for if this were not the case, no one would be saved in God’s kingdom. The Hebrews struggled on this point of generational blessings and incorrectly concluded, that the favor of God would insulate and shield them from every departure from righteousness.

Furthermore, they had come to believe that those privileges, and blessings granted, and promised to Abraham would be theirs automatically, whether they did good or evil. And sadly, this thinking has seeped into the Christian psyche today, some more, some less.

Blessings and curses are generally dependent on the personal choices of the individuals in question, not merely some automatic bestowal regardless of one’s decisions and actions. This sacred truth must now be made crystal clear, since an overwhelming majority of contemporary Christians, erroneously believe that the Jews are still God’s chosen people. Let’s read:

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

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

33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Luke 3: 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Jews as well as Christians are under the same set of conditions laid forth for producing blessings and/or curses. In other words, any Jew in our day, who will accept the terms and conditions of salvation in and through Christ, will become a beneficiary of mercy promised to a thousand generations.

And conversely, a Christian who claims to believe in Jesus but yet walks contrary to the terms of the new covenant will be a recipient of the natural results of their choices, including generational curses.

However, because of His promises made to parents who love and obey Him, who have done their due diligence in planting the seeds of God’s word in the children’s hearts, God extends mercy, and grace to such, so that in the fullness of time, the seed sown may spring up and bear fruit.

In our day, erroneous concepts have seeped into the hearts, and minds of many persons, and distortions fostered by would be prophets stoke incorrect views and sentiments, that are given utterance by persons who may not know better.

For instance, if a person is really blessed, and highly favored of God, as a result of God’s mercies, which are promised to the generations of the righteous, he will not generally boast of this in the public square, but would rather maintain a humble spirit, knowing that it is because of God’s mercies, why we are not consumed. Let’s read:

Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow for you know not what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Persons who are really loaded with The Spirit of God do not generally make a show of the fact. Instead, it may be the case that you could be sitting right next to such a person in church and have not a clue as to their true status. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

[5 Biography pp 355] I want you to read the books Patriarchs, and Prophets, Great Controversy, Desire of Ages, and Ministry of Healing. I am not, as I said yesterday, a prophet. I do not claim to be a leader; I claim to be simply a messenger of God, and that is all I have ever claimed.

Again, generational curses and blessings are not to be understood as God doing something unto one’s offspring that would trigger a chain of adversities or circumstances, from which he or she cannot escape.

In almost every situation, the choice is ours. God provides the opportunities, success is what persons make of them, and therefore, if a person’s family tree includes indulgences in cancerous foods, and drink, you can in most cases, take concrete steps to slow down, stop or even reverse a downward trend, by the decisions and actions taken.

The salvation God offers is holistic in nature, and it ought to be understood as being applicable to the entire man. God does not propose to save the mind and leave the body behind, hence the reason why it is written, that we should keep our bodies, soul, and spirit blameless, for the one affects the other. Let’s read:

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

And to those who might be withering under a load of generational curses, let us always remember that the grace of God through Christ was manifested for just such situations and if we so desire, the buck can stop at our doorstep.

In some cases, this will not be easy but grace as well as power is promised to all who would take the time to study their family tree, carefully observing where their progenitors went right or wrong, and thereby, purposing in the heart, to track an entirely different course.

[The D.A. pp 296] The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. These were brought together with their different faults, all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil; but in and through Christ they were to dwell in the family of God, learning to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit.

Like them, we too have our individual struggles and issues to deal with. The elders, and deacons of our church aren’t exempt, for we all have cultivated and inherited tendencies to confront which strive for the mastery.

But like the disciples of Christ, mercy and grace are granted to one and all, so that we will be enabled to live victoriously in the here and now, and because of this fact, there is no need for any to be shackled to the habits and indulgences of bygone years.

Instead, let us grab the proverbial bull by the horns, and wherever it be the case, that one’s progenitors may have passed on down to us tendencies, habits or deficiencies, now we know that God’s grace and mercy can put these latent tendencies into reverse gear, for this is the very essence of salvation.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which will enable us to live strong, not groveling in failures or weakness, but rather taking hold of the grace and mercy promised to a thousand generations. Let’s read:

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

                                   God Bless!

How To Stand Your Ground. Sabbath afternoon 11/25/2023

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.

There are stand your ground laws across the United States of America, where persons have been given authority to stand their ground when they’re facing imminent danger. If threatened, persons could use guns to stop any potential attackers, before they are assaulted.

We are living in an increasingly dangerous world in which human life isn’t valued as it should be and for this reason, persons have armed themselves to the tooth, to protect themselves and their families.

The Christian will be facing even more dangerous foes, of the invisible kind, and there are going to be multiple instances where the Christian will have to stand his or her ground.

Thus, we should be aware of the ways, and means used by devils, to try to force their way upon us, so as to make us walk contrary to a Thus saith The Lord and thereby, not only imperil our lives, but also our very souls for eternity.

As a general rule, the use of force by devils is often the method of last resort, only employed after many other devices have been tried, and failed. One of his main methods used is that of flattery, by which he’ll seek to destabilize the soul, using pleasant words of praise.

This often goes to the person’s head, and before you know it, they become dizzy with flattery, and often go on to deny Christ in word and deed. But the devil also deals in heckling, by which he may try to make the Christian feel bad, especially if the popular, and the majority get involved and are arrayed against us.

The Christian therefore, will have to learn to stand his ground, “with his face to the foe” not backing down for a moment or in any degree, lest he be run over by man’s nemesis. Thus, anyone who is prone to buckle under flattery, or heckling, should be on guard, for both strategies will be drawn upon from satan’s arsenal.

Aaron was a man of pliant character, who often was found buckling under pressure; a man, whose mild mannerisms and gentle demeanor often caused him to say, and do things that should never have been said or done. And without a doubt, Aaron was the crowd’s favorite, when contrasted with his brother Moses.

Being the ordained high priest, it was fitting for him to be gentle, but firmness, gentleness and courtesy can and must always come wrapped up in a bundle in the Christian, so that the one would support the other, or otherwise offset the other when due.

For instance, if the devil were to come to you using flattery through some human agent, you should say no, in a courteous manner. No need to shout, or to make a brawl, for no should be a firm no, regardless of one’s demeanor. As Christians, we can stand our ground in a Christlike manner, without becoming all riled up.

But if flattery and praise do not work, devils will try another tactic, by trying to heckle the Christian into submission. Some persons are quite good at dealing courteously with flattery, but when the fiery darts of heckling, gossip, and character assassination are to hurled at us, some Christians blow a fuse.

Such was the case with Peter, who could not stand the thought of being linked with an unpopular Jesus and as satan got wind of it, he turned up the heat of the furnace several notches until in a fit of anger, he blew a fuse. Multiple rounds were fired by satan for he a careful observer, and saw that Peter courted a penchant for popularity.

Thus, as Christ was humiliated, and handcuffed in the public square, Peter sought to distance himself from Christ somewhat for he feared an association with Jesus, would draw him into an uncomfortable position, in the eyes of the popular majority. And as satan studied his tendency, he went to work, using  agents to cause Peter’s fall.

The true soldier of the cross in our day must be very careful of aligning himself / herself with the popular, for when it comes down to the wire, they could turn and rend you, like they did with Christ. When Jesus was healing all the diseases of the people, and was providing M.R.E s, He was no doubt the favorite and the disciples pressed closely about Him, seeking the seat closest to Him.

 But when the tide of popularity turned negative and following Jesus became a liability, the disciples were at a loss as to how they should deal with these new unfavorable ratings. As it is currently, it doesn’t cost us here in America, anything, or very little, to follow Christ, that is why any, and everyone can claim to be a Christian, without fear of retribution, and heckling and scorn.

But all of that is about to change, and when it does, we hope the lessons from Peter’s experience would have done its work already, so that, we too may be able to stand our ground, courteously, yet firmly. In the following passages, and excerpts, let us find out what exactly the devil was observing, as pertains to Peter. Let’s read:

Matthew 27:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Previously there was a strife amongst them, as to who should be the greatest, and when Jesus was transfigured to His glory, on the mount, Peter then offered to build three tabernacles, for he was beside himself with joy, wonder and admiration.

Again, when there was a storm on the lake that had threatened their existence, Peter was the one who had asked Jesus to walk on water, and as he did so, he looked back on his fellows as one being blessed and highly favored. Satan observes all this, but now, with Jesus in handcuffs, and potentially headed to jail, Peter follows at a distance. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 710] After deserting their Master in the garden, two of the disciples had ventured to follow, at a distance, the mob that had Jesus in charge. These disciples were Peter and John.

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. A company drew about the fire, and Peter presumptuously took his place with them.

He did not wish to be recognized as a disciple of Jesus. By mingling carelessly with the crowd, he hoped to be taken for one of those who had brought Jesus to the hall.

These are two completely different approaches to the same situation, one, where John is not ashamed of the Gospel, or of Christ, the other, in which Peter is ashamed of being associated with the Gospel’s Author.

In our day, some preachers are ashamed or afraid of the gospel for this generation, for to preach present truth is like walking on pins and needles. Therefore, rather than be singled out by satan for some of the same assaults from human agents, some preachers avoid the hot button issues, or sensitive topics like gay marriage and weed.

 The marriage institution is like a house on fire, and burning down, yet for some strange reason, some of the contemporary preachers seem to dance around the issue, fearing to stand up, and take a stand for the right lest what recently happened to the United Methodist Church, happens to their congregations. Let’s read:

CNN Nov. 29 261 Georgia congregations leave the United Methodist Church over a divide on LGBTQ issues.

The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church voted Saturday to accept the decision of 261 congregations to leave the denomination over a divide on LGBTQ issues.

The churches are breaking from the UMC after a 2019 decision by the national United Methodist Church to allow congregations to leave by the end of 2023, “for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals.”

As of early August 2023, over 6,000 congregations of just over 30,000 in the United States have been approved for disaffiliation since 2019, according to the UMC’s website. Their exit marked a “solemn day,” the North Georgia Conference of the UMC said in a news release.

And we as Seventh Day Adventists are not to think, or consider ourselves as being insulated from these issues, for the waves of change are already lapping at our doorsteps. In other words, sooner or later we will have to confront the issue head on, and will be asked to make a statement of clarity, as to which side of the fence we stand.

Some, in order to avoid conflicts, backlash and the infamous financial persecution, vainly endeavor to thread both needles, if haply there might be some lengthening of our tranquility.

By so doing, some are actually following in Peter’s footsteps by following Jesus “Afar off”. The Christian in our day must stand his ground, by taking a public stand for present truth, even if it triggers economic boycotts, or even if congregations may have to split up because of irreconcilable issues. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 88] The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people. Their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed the sinner's peace. Though few in numbers, without wealth, position, or honorary titles, they were a terror to evil-doers wherever their character and doctrines were known.

They felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle. If unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness then let there be difference, and even war.

Then, after folks decide not to associate themselves too closely with the gospel or with Christ’s kingdom, because the truth has become very unpopular, the very next step is to go in, and sit with the mob, just like Peter did, so as to hide one’s convictions under the proverbial bushel, lest the truth in the matters be known. And satan observes all this.

Therefore, by sitting in the seat of the scornful, one places himself on satan’s enchanted ground, and he will certainly buckle under pressure, when the heat of the furnace is turned up several notches, because all of the preliminary steps in denying Christ and the gospel have already been taken.

In other words, the Christian who only follows Jesus when it is convenient and pleasant to do so, will not be able to stand his ground in times of real peril, for a pattern of choosing the path of least resistance is established, and unless there is a radical change in one’s mode of thought and action, the observations made by satan will bear fruit in denial of Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:69 Now Peter sat outside in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, you also were with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

This first assault shook Peter out of his comfort zone initially, but he had time to regroup, if he so chose. But once, having set his feet in a downward path by avoiding shame for Christ’s name, it is only a matter of time before the devil will open fire again.

This second time around the maid will not make the heckling accusation in any quiet manner, between herself and Peter; instead, the devil gives her a bull horn to ask the disturbing question, over the public address system. Let’s read:

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

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

Just as Jesus was tempted three times in the desert, just so Peter is being tempted three times, but this third time, the devil is going for the jugular, not by merely asking Peter a question, but by confirming in public, what Peter really prefers to keep quiet. The devil then goes to the sound room, and tells the sound engineer to turn up the volume to its loudest so that everyone could hear. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, certainly, you are one of them; for thy speech betrays thee.

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

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

Multiple rounds were fired by satan, because he is a relentless foe, and therefore, if we intend to live and conquer as Jesus did, we must be reconciled to the fact that we might be the target of multiple assaults from the enemy of souls, some by flattery and some by heckling, among other devices.

Jesus suffered his first three bouts in the wilderness, back-to-back, as did Job, and many other heroes of faith who have gone before, but in all and through it all Jesus stood His ground albeit courteously, quietly and very firmly.

The love of praise, and the love of popularity will in many cases prove the ruin of some, who have never become accustomed to swimming upstream with Christ. One day soon it will be very unpopular to be a Christian, let alone a Seventh Day Adventist, in the true meaning of the name.

Therefore, the time is now and the place is here in which we must never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, and if we are really convicted of this truth in our hearts, we are to stand up and be counted as such, on the job, at the grocery, at the gym, or wherever we may be, so that satan wouldn’t observe what he once did in Peter.

Thus, with some historical context at our back. Let’s go into the Bible study for this afternoon, namely:  

    How To Stand Your Ground.

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.

Aaron was a man of pleasant and gentle mien, both characteristics that are essential to a high priest. In this instance, the multitude clamored for something that both Aaron and themselves knew were wrong, and being vested with authority as high priest, the onus was on him, to take the lead in tamping down, that which was clearly out of line with God’s will.

But, like as it was with Peter, the devil observed that Aaron was pliable, for he loved, and often preferred the easier way of doing things and rather than come out of his tents, with his guns blazing with a definite no, he begins to reason and negotiate with them.

As Christians, we are to maintain decorum, and the truth need not spoken in fits of anger. Yet, when it comes time to stand up for right there must be no negotiation whatsoever, for if, and when persons do enter into negotiations with satan, he will absolutely win the day every time.

In fact, it was this singular disposition of preferring to choose the path of least resistance that led Aaron to overlook serious faults in his own sons, for rather than correct them, when correction was due, he let things slide, in order to remain in their favor.

When Christians choose to take the path of least resistance, when there is confrontation between truth and error, they will be bulldozed by devils, for the mob mentality will be invoked and the wavering pliable Christian, will be overwhelmed with the firm, unrelenting dispositions of the popular majorities. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 316] In the absence of Moses, the judicial authority had been delegated to Aaron, and a vast crowd gathered about his tent, with the demand, “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 wot not what is become of him.”

The cloud, they said, that had heretofore led them, now rested permanently upon the mount; it would no longer direct their travels. They must have an image in its place; and if, as had been suggested, they should decide to return to Egypt, they would find favor with the Egyptians by bearing this image before them and acknowledging it as their god.

Such a crisis demanded a man of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage; one who held the honor of God above popular favor, personal safety, or life itself. But the present leader of Israel was not of this character. Aaron feebly remonstrated with the people, but his wavering and timidity at the critical moment only rendered them the more determined. The tumult increased. A blind, unreasoning frenzy seemed to take possession of the multitude.

 There were some who remained true to their covenant with God, but the greater part of the people joined in the apostasy. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry, were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives. Aaron feared for his own safety; and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, he yielded to the demands of the multitude.

In the final conflict between good and evil, it is not a guarantee that all who would stand up for right will not lose their lives. God has promised to protect us, but this will be according to His will, and discretion. Others may not fare so well as to pass through the ordeal unscathed.

In Aaron’s case, he went a step further in the pursuit of favoritism, by announcing that there would be a feast to the Lord on the following day. The people had not asked for this, but Aaron, seeing the favor with which the newly formed idol was received, he went a step further and made the announcement for the following day.

Thus, by not standing his ground initially, he opened the door to a slippery slope, and the great observer that satan is, made the most of the situation, to the detriment of many thousands. Le’s read:

Exodus 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 317] A religion that permits men, while observing the rites of worship, to devote themselves to selfish or sensual gratification, is as pleasing to the multitudes now as in the days of Israel. And there are still pliant Aarons, who, while holding positions of authority in the church, will yield to the desires of the unconsecrated, and thus encourage them in sin.

The question we have to answer for ourselves, in lieu of what we have studied, is “How can I stand my ground, when my turn comes?

First, we will need the presence and power of Christ in the heart in order for us to do so. Persons might have the will, but the motive power to stand firm is from God alone. Having said that, the Christian will have some definite things to do, so as to cooperate with The Holy Ghost in standing firm. 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.

For instance, if some young man in the church or at the job is harassing you, by trying to cozy up to you against your will and against your conscience, there are two ways to stand your ground by saying no.

The first way is to say a gentle stop, even while you may be smiling and grinning from ear to ear. Guess what, he will never stop, for he will rightly conclude that if he were to push the envelope a little further, you might buckle under pressure.

In fact, the dude will most likely interpret that type of gentle, loving “stop” in that loving, sensual voice to be an actual invitation to continue his forays into your private space. And he absolutely will. This is the kind of gentle “Stop” Aaron had used with the multitude and they continued to push him over the brink.

But if you were to say a very firm no, with your eyes bulging in anger, disgust, and righteous indignation, he will get the message loud and clear, and before long he will put his tail between his legs, and go his merry way. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp 595] Men who are doing God's work and who have Christ abiding in their hearts will not lower the standard of morality, but will ever seek to elevate it. They will not find pleasure in the flattery of women or in being petted by them.

Let men, both single and married, say: “Hands off! I will never give the least occasion that my good should be evil spoken of. My good name is capital of far more value to me than gold or silver. Let me preserve it untarnished.

Again, when it’s time to stand your ground on those occasions of social drinking, the Christian must not be pliable. If alcohol is being served on some festive occasion, and the Christian is prompted to indulge, for the sake of friendship, let a clearcut answer be given in favor of the truth, and the prompters will in most cases be reconciled to your firm principles.

Standing your ground also pertains to issues on the proper observance of the Sabbath, for there will be times when pressure will be brought against those who choose to honor God, by keeping holy the 7th day of the week.

When employers might need work done urgently, they may attempt to get the Christian to violate his or her conscience, by working on the sacred hours just this once.

And it may seem unreasonable if the Christian in question doesn’t buckle under the load of pressure. The Christian in such circumstances must be able to stand their ground, and leave the results in God’s hands.

Every year when daylight saving time comes around, and the hours are shortened there’s always that one thing that has to get done, or else. What we have all discovered over the years is that there can never be enough hours in the working day.

If the sun were to set at midnight, some will still be found rushing at the last minute to enter into God’s haven of rest and therefore whether it be six O’clock or 12:00 midnight when the sun sets the law of God doesn’t change. If one is threatened with firing for not working on the sacred hours, the results should be left in God’s hands.

And there are tools and remedies available through our own network, to try and mitigate such instances if the saint in question decides to go that route.

But persons must be aware that the secular and the religious world will become more antagonistic to the Sabbath of the4th commandment and therefore if currently we may experience push back on this issue, we are to view it as practice for the big one.

In learning to stand your ground on all matters that pertain to conscience, The Lord often gives us baby steps, beginning with the little things, and then the larger issues, if we will learn to be strong, trusting in God every step of the way.

Disciple and discipline are words that come from the same root, and if the three Hebrew boys had buckled under pressure on the issue of food, they could not stand their ground on the more important issue of worship.

Similarly, if we fail in taking baby steps on the issue of diets and foods, we may be steamrolled when the issue of worship surfaces, which it is scheduled to in the not-too distant future. Therefore, faithfulness in little things would pave the way for us to stand our ground on more consequential issues, for he that is faithful in that which is least, will also be faithful in much.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will enable us to stand our ground, not with carnal weapons, but with those that are given in the Bible, for without them, failure is not a matter of if, but when. Let’s read:

Ephesians 6: 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

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

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

                                   God Bless!

The Laws And Powers Of The Mind. Sabbath afternoon 11/18/2023

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

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

A fearful battle is being waged for our minds and it’s scheduled to increase in intensity and severity as we approach earth’s final crisis. No one can be ignorant of what is at stake, except at the peril of their souls. This battle affects persons across all age groups, and is no respecter of persons.

From tweenagers to the elderly, from the young and the restless, to those of more mature years, no one is exempt. Newborn babes do not get a free pass in this conflict and in fact the battle begins before they are even born.

Thus, we owe it to ourselves to try to understand how we can preserve our minds in this conflict so as to live victoriously in the here and now, and for the great hereafter.

Unlike the mark of the beast, the seal of God is only given in the forehead, where the seat of a person’s intelligence is located. Here is where things like our decision making, rational thought, judgement, and reasoning take place.

Thus, the seal of God is only given in the forehead, for wherever the mind goes, the body would follow. This is unlike the mark of the beast which is given in the hand, or in the forehead, for satan couldn’t care less whether or not persons fully understand what is at stake in the final conflict, once they end up taking the mark.

Everything we eat or drink will directly, or indirectly affect the mind, either for better or for worse, that’s why the health message for the remnant people of God, and indeed for the entire world, has to do with the preservation of both mind and body, in the best possible condition, so that clear discernment, and a quick understanding of the issues will be possible.

Knowing this, satan goes to work studiously, and in ingenious ways to adversely affect the food, and the drug industry. He moves upon the food companies to add such ingredients that would trigger a host of side effects, so that the drug industry, which waits in the wings will be ready with its “Remedies.”

Then, with clear understanding of the laws of cause and effect, he knows that persons who are careless about what they eat and drink, would end up at the doorsteps of drug companies, and then, the “Cures” and remedies will be overloaded with ingredients producing side effects that will in many cases, affect the mind in adverse ways.

Hence the reason why more and more drugs are to be found producing suicidal thoughts as one of the adverse side effects amongst many. But he does not stop here, for he also goes to work in congress, and moves upon the unwary to legalize Ganja, better known as the herb.

At first, weed was smoked in reefer form, or with a chalice, and was introduced by law under medicinal marijuana, but now satan has introduced more user friendly, and appealing versions of the same drug, for it’s available in candy, ice-creams, cakes, pastries and almost any rendition one can think of.

The Bible also clearly states the detrimental effects alcoholic beverages have upon the mind, contrary to what the X-Perts might say, for it makes a direct link between inebriation, and the decisions, and choices that certainly follow which are not for the better but for the worse. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

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

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Therefore, there are laws and powers of the mind to be understood by all, especially in the context of the final conflict that is headed our way.

Several of them will now be given in detail, with the relevant Bible texts and references from the pen of inspiration, so that if persons so choose, we might be instructed in wise paths so as to make straight paths for our feet.

[1] The mind can be trained to think a certain way.

The human mind was so made by God that it can be trained in certain modes of thought. This fact is to be understood as being applied to both good, and evil. Much like a raw piece of dough from which you can make bread, bakes, pastries, or dumplings, the final product depends on how it is trained, and the ingredients that are added.

Thus, the Scriptures encourage parents to train the young, pliable minds of the children, in a way that is productive of good and to only add such ingredients that would produce the best results. And adults are advised to train their minds to familiarity with the word of God, so that better outcomes in life can be our lot. Let’s read:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

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

This does not mean that children would not deviate from the script, they may, but at the very least, the foundational principles, and laws of God’s kingdom would be etched upon their minds at an early age so that they will have God’s moral compass to refer to, when making decisions later on in life. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 6: 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine  eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

For example, as one born, and raised in a Seventh Day Adventist home, my parents did their best to try to etch upon the tables of our hearts, the Bible, and its teachings, so as to implant God’s moral compass to guide us in our choices as we grew.

Therefore, in retrospect, we could accurately define in real time what that translates into. For starters, it taught us the definition of right and wrong, so that we could be guided in our decision-making process, even though my personal decisions did not always come down on the side of righteousness, to put it mildly.

But at least, I was aware that I was doing something wrong whenever I chose to do so. Thus, when it was time to return to God, I did not need a televangelist or a preacher.

I knew the way home because God’s moral compass had been embedded into our minds at a tender age, and it not only delineated right and wrong, it also specified Christ as the Only Savior as the be all, end all in salvation and righteousness.

Thus, when it came time to turn back to God, I knew exactly what to do. I didn’t need to attend those six- month evangelistic meetings where preachers start from scratch with the sinner. I didn’t need long Bible studies on the state of the dead, or any of the many doctrines we hold dear.

In fact, when the specific Bible worker came in to do the pre-baptism groundwork, and found out that all that she had been asking me I’d already known, and then some, it was then decided to dunk me without further questioning, for my parents had done their due diligence in instructing us in God’s word.

But what we have taking place today in many cases is that children are growing up without God’s moral compass, and as a result, the ability to differentiate good from evil is largely missing. Thus, without the steadfast moral compass of God’s word, kids end up with “My truth” since truth is made relative.

This point above all others should be given greatest and due consideration when persons are thinking of tying the knot in wedlock, for some set of guidelines for raising their children should be decided upon up front, or else the children will grow up, being pulled and tugged in every which direction by the winds of change, fashion, and popular majority opinion.

Thus, very serious questions need to be asked, and ironed out before uniting for life, if persons desire to have children. Questions such as: [1] How will we be teaching our children to differentiate between right, and wrong? [2] What will be our common reference point in making such determinations? The Bible, or the X-Perts?

 [3] When the kids get into trouble, like I did, once upon a time, who do they turn to? Christ or another set of experts.

 [4] Will we force our own arbitrary moral compass, according to what we “Feel” is right, and if so, when the children disagree, and question where we got our authority from, would we reach for that favorite answer, “We brought you into this world?”

When children are being taught in public school that it is morally correct to have two mommies, and two Daddies; when they come home, and ask for some clarification on the issues, what will the reference point be for settling the matter? Would they be told what the parents think is right, or will all roads lead to the word of God?

In our day currently, right and wrong, good and evil are defined by the clamors of fallen nature, and as a sure result, that which God’s moral compass says is an abomination, is now embraced as being right. If it feels good, if it tastes good, and if it sounds good, then it must be good, according to the principle of pleasure which wields jurisdiction over relativism.

But permit us to amplify that point we made earlier of God’s moral compass making us aware, when we were about to do something wrong. If one is not aware that they are doing something wrong, then there will be no desire to repent, and if there isn’t a desire to repent then there’s no need of The Savior.

One who is currently on trial was once asked if he had ever found it necessary to ask for forgiveness. He replied with an emphatic no, because, in his own words, he had not done nothing wrong. Insisting on innocence is an inevitable byproduct of relativism, for it is the individual who defines right and wrong, not God’s moral compass.

When the Scriptures are not entrenched in the mind everyone becomes a law unto himself and inevitably devils will take control of the mind that is not girded by the Living and written word. Let’s read:

[Chris’s Object Lessons pp 41] The study of infidel authors holds a large place in the educational system. Skeptical sentiments are interwoven in the matter placed in school books. Thus, the seeds of doubt are planted in the minds of the youth, and in time of temptation they spring up.

When faith in God's word is lost, the soul has no guide, no safeguard. To this cause may in great degree be attributed the widespread iniquity in our world today. When the word of God is set aside, its power to restrain the evil passions of the natural heart is rejected. Men sow to the flesh, and of the flesh they reap corruption.

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.

[2] The mind can be trained to the point where it can become second nature to do good or evil.

This point right here is so critically important to the study, that we must spend some time unpacking it. When persons initially decide to give their lives to Christ, conscientious decisions, have to be made, in favor of righteousness, for it takes awhile before a person does right without thinking about it.

In harmony, and in conjunction with the presence, and power of the Holy Ghost human minds could be trained to forgive and over a period of time, keeping our eyes on Christ our great Exemplar, it can and will become second nature since practice makes perfect.

It takes awhile before forgiveness becomes a default setting in the mind, for initially, most would have to think long and hard before letting things slide. But after some time, some more, some less, it becomes more, and more natural to forgive, and conversely, to hold onto old grudges and beefs becomes more unpalatable.

Then, after beholding Christ for some time, you do not have to think about it anymore, for it becomes the natural default setting in the character. If folks have to spend sleepless days and nights, or in some instances many months and years, trying to forgive someone, that tells us that there is work to be done in the heart.

This is what all of the disciples of Christ, who were already in the preaching ministry and who’d been baptized, were yet to experience.

Tit for tat laws still governed their behavior, and a strict sense of justice guided their interactions with others initially. This could be observed, when they were refused entry into a certain Samaritan town, upon which they resorted to their default setting at that time, which was the tit for tat mode of thought and action. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

That’s tit for tat law. But over a period of time their minds were trained in righteousness by beholding Christ, in so much that forgiving others eventually became automatic, with them not having to think long, and hard with fasting and prayers, before they forgave others.

Let us pay very close attention to the two different modes of thought and action emanating from the same mind, one before conversion, the other, after the mind has been trained in forgiveness, through the indwelling of The Holy Ghost to the point where it becomes automatic.

John 18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

34 Then stood up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, who had a reputation among the people and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.

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

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

That’s a completely different Peter, from the one we observed before Calvary, for he didn’t have to think twice, or pray about it before he forgave. So let us reiterate again: The mind could be trained, through the power of The Holy Ghost to the point where all righteousness can become second- nature, without persons having to think about it first.

Sadly, the opposite is also true, because the mind is also capable of being trained to choose evil, to the point where it becomes automatic. In other words, one’s aggregate choices over a period of time could culminate in sinful actions bypassing one’s freedom of choice, so that the very thought process becomes automatic or second nature.

Decision, repetition, and memory all play a major role in persons reaching this point where the mind becomes programmed to self-pilot mode. When the saints of God are doing affliction of soul, a good way to assess and measure where you and I stand in our relationship with Christ, is to observe spontaneous reaction when provoked suddenly.

It is the spontaneous, first reaction that reveals the real person. The scripted response, after thinking long and hard about it with much prayer and fasting is not usually the real you and me. If out of the blue satan can cause us to trip a fuse, then the impulsive reaction reveals the real person.

But if without thinking, the mind will automatically respond in righteousness, then we know that the image of God in us is being brought to perfection.

Again, when persons become addicted to drugs and pornography, it is an automatic sequence of events which essentially subjugates their freedom of choice even though they still retain it.

The very scent of ganja triggers a series of thoughts, and actions that could totally evade one’s rational thought processes, and render that person virtually incapable of resisting the urges, when he or she has reached the point of addiction.

In fact, there are many instances, where in the deep recesses of a person’s mind, they may want to stop, but they cannot on their own, because of the sheer force of habit which has locked them down in iron chains, from which they vainly try to escape.

In other words, their minds have been trained for so long, and those urges become so overmastering and fierce, that repetition eventually moves them from a manual transmission, to the automatic transmission mode of thought and action.

There are man-made solutions, and interventions that can help in such situations, but let it be known that any intervention without Christ would not last unto eternal life.

A person might be delivered from the bad habit, or they might be able to zip up their boots, and catch themselves, but without Christ sitting on the throne of the mind, the old devil will find some other back door through which he will enter, and he will cause just a different type of problem. 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.

[3] The human mind is endowed by our Creator with the power of choice and decision.

In most instances where addiction has not yet set in, everything must pass through the gateway of choice because decision sets the parameter for what would be permitted and what won’t.

Very often, when you hear folks making excuses for not doing something it’s because they really did not decide to do it, because, if the human mind firmly, and really decides on doing something, it will get done. Period!

Somone complains of having to leave church in the middle of service, because the preacher takes too long with his sermon. Instead of finishing in about an hour or so, he went overboard, and the person in question had no choice but to leave, because it had become impossible to stay.

Two weeks later here comes the Mega-millions for almost a billion dollars, and the same person is seen standing in line at Publix, waiting, and waiting, and waiting, without a mumbling word, complaint or a murmur.

Not only are they seen at Publix, they are also seen in the dead of night, sitting on a lawn chair outside of Walmart, waiting to be first in line for those Black Friday deals that are too good to pass up. And with the added risk of a frenzied rush for the door in the morning, where one can get hurt, or even die, the saint in question utters no mumbling word.

That’s because the human mind is endowed with the power of decision and when one’s mind is made up to do something, he or she will do it, let none be deceived on this point. Thus, the question is: How could we harness the powers of the mind, in ways that will be productive of good, to the honor and glory of God?

Three things are necessary to accomplish this, and if persons were to understand and adopt them, then the laws and powers of the mind will be used to the glory of God, and the upliftment of humanity. They are therefore enumerated as follows:

[1] The mind must be garrisoned by the Living and written word of God. Let’s read:

John 15: 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He who abides in me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 460] The heart must be renewed by divine grace, or it will be in vain to seek for purity of life. He who attempts to build up a noble, virtuous character independent of the grace of Christ is building his house upon the shifting sand. In the fierce storms of temptation it will surely be overthrown.

[2] Our choices must be guided by the word of God and The Spirit of God. In other words, the default setting in the mind, for settling all issues, great and small, must first be the these two, The word and The Spirit.

If God so chooses to lead us to manmade agencies, then so let it be, but these two should always be the beginning point in addressing any and everything in life. Before running off to the experts, or to Oprah and Dr, Phil, let the Christian’s first resource be The Spirit and the word, with all other resources coming in downstream. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

Whatever may be the issue, whatever the problem, the disease, the finances, the sin, or the disturbance in our lives, we should form the habit of giving God a shot at it first. Too often, we leave the Spirit and the word behind for last, and only after a string of losses and disappointments that we might remember that there’s a God in heaven.

[3] Choice and decision are in large part the arbiters of outcomes and destiny.

As was stated before, in most situations, everything has to pass through the gateway of choice, and for this reason, persons can determine to a very large extent, outcomes. Whether in spiritual, or temporal things, a firm decision will be needed in order for us to accomplish anything worthwhile.

In making excuses, in blaming others, in placing the responsibility on the backs of the church, of church members, of situations, the weather, one’s race, the Feds or even satan who is too often made the scape goat for our failures, we essentially relinquish the power of decision and choice God has granted unto each of us.

As we near the final frontier in this earth’s history, and difficulties and hurdles loom on the horizon, we will have some hard choices and decisions to make, and if we were to understand the importance of the three previous points, and were to incorporate them into our everyday experiences, we will in large part be enabled to live victoriously from day to day.

 God desires that the laws and powers of the mind be engaged for His glory, for His seal will be placed in the foreheads of those who overcome, through the indwelling of The Living and written word.

We serve a God Who knows nothing of defeat, for in all that satan did or did not do, someway, somehow, we will observe Jesus Christ coming out on top each and every time after being squished. This victorious living is ours for the taking, if we will adopt the last three points, and for this reason, we will end with the following passages of scripture. 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.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

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

                                God Bless!

Worship God As Creator. Sabbath afternoon 11/11/2023

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

In the passage above the inhabitants of planet earth are called upon to worship God as Creator, not only in the other capacities that persons have become accustomed to. The title of Creator trumps all other titles, for they all come under the jurisdiction of Him being Creator, and therefore, in earth’s final conflict when the issue of worship takes center stage, God’s Creatorship will be front and center.

Worshipping God in His capacity as The Creator of heaven and earth, constitutes the highest form of worship, for if one understands Him in this capacity, worshipping Him as Redeemer, Healer, Provider and Deliverer will be understood in the context of Him being our Creator.

For instance, if God did not create in the first place, He would not be able to redeem what He did not make. He also would not be able to heal all manner of sickness diseases, torments, and lunatics if He did not Create us initially. In fact, it is because The Lord created us from scratch, and thus, knows us inside out, why He is able to heal any type of disease.

There are many diseases for which man has no cure like Chron’s disease, Alzheimer's, Aids, the Common cold, corona virus, Cystic fibrosis, corneal ulcer, and Leukemia, just to name a few. The main reason why man is not able to cure these diseases, only treat them is because we didn’t make anybody.

But Jesus Christ who created us, as the Psalmist says “We are fearfully and wonderfully made”, He knows all the nuts and bolts about the human frame, for it is He who made us from scratch, and therefore the title of Mighty Healer, is actually a downstream derivative, coming from the top title of Creator. Let’s read:

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

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

But someway somehow, humanity seems to tend to worship God in many other capacities, other than in His top-notch title of Creator. For instance, there are millions of people who worship Him as Redeemer of the world such as when the wise men from the east came to look for The Christ-Child. At that time, they worshipped Him in His capacity of Redeemer. Let’s read:

Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

[The Desire of ages pp59] The wise men from the East were philosophers. In their own land were treasured prophetic writings that predicted the coming of a divine teacher.  

Balaam belonged to the magicians, though at one time a prophet of God; by the Holy Spirit he had foretold the prosperity of Israel and the appearing of the Messiah; and his prophecies had been handed down by tradition from century to century.

The magi learned with joy that His coming was near, and that the whole world was to be filled with a knowledge of the glory of the Lord. With eager steps they press onward, confidently expecting the Messiah's birth to be the joyful burden of every tongue. But their inquiries are in vain.

Again, in the book of Job, we observe him looking forward to the Redeemer, and that’s Okay, but the importance of God’s creatorship needed to be more clearly established in the forefront of his mind, and it is for this reason, why when God answered Job He immediately turned to His capacity as Creator.

The offices of Redeemer and Healer, which Job had earnestly craved to be manifested in real time could only be fully understood from that perspective, of God being Creator, for once this is understood, the worship of God takes on a whole new meaning and significantly clears up very, many questions.

Let’s pay close attention to the following excerpts from the narrative, before we proceed, for they are critically important to the clear understanding of the subject matter we’re dealing with. Let’s read:

Job 19: 25 For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof.

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddling-band for it,

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

And if we were to read on, and on, and on, and we would make a startling discovery, that God’s entire discourse with Job centers squarely on His Creation, while His capacities such as Healer, and Redeemer are never mentioned. And after Job’s lessons on the creatorship of God, he bows down and worships in a completely different frame of mind. Let’s read:

Job 40: 3 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,

4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

Job 42: 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

You would notice in the book of Job, that once Job understands and worships God in His capacity as Creator, all of Job’s questions, and arguments stop immediately, for they pale into insignificance.

And many of the questions we, and other Christians may have about God, such as where is God in this or that situation, or why wouldn’t He intervene, often stem from the fact that we have not understood nor are we worshipping Him as Creator. In fact, when a person understands the worship of God from the perspective of Him being The Creator, most, if not all of our questions cease, for most of them become relegated to the irrelevant column.

Again, the multitudes in Christ’s day would often worship Him in His capacity as The Mighty Healer, who could heal and cure any and everything. This capacity was often used as a gateway by Christ to bring persons to a fuller knowledge of Himself, but sadly, in our day, some folks seem to be stuck on the title of Healer only. Let’s read:

Matthew 8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Matthew 9:18 While he spoke these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

There is a song we sometimes sing which contains several titles and offices of God, but, by far the most important one is strangely missing. We sing of God in His capacity of Jehovah Jireh, which means that He is our Provider, or Jehovah-Nissi, meaning that He is our banner or protecter, or Jehovah-Shalom, in His capacity as The Prince of peace.

But, as Creator of the heavens and the earth, barely any mention is made. Yet, God who is rich in mercy, and Who desires that we come to a fuller and better understanding of Him, bids us climb Jacob’s ladder, if haply we might behold Him in the full extent of His Creatorship for if and when this is accomplished, like Job, millions of would-be questions will cease.

As was stated before, the multitudes in Christ’s day accepted Him and worshipped Him as the Healer, Teacher, Provider, Deliverer or Redeemer; but when it came to worshipping Him as The Creator, many of them recoiled in great anger and alarm, as observed in the following narrative.

It is critically important to understand what ticked off the Jews in Jesus’ day, for many individuals still struggle on the very same issue, His Creatorship. So, let us study with a humble heart, and a teachable spirit. Let’s read:

John 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honors me; of whom you say, that he is your God.

55 Yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

This particular claim is what sent the Jews into the tailspin of their lives, for obviously, Jesus was going much further than Healer, Provider, Deliverer, and Peacemaker. Christ reached to the very throne of God and declares Himself the One who created all things. This maddened the Jews to the point where they would not rest until they had slain Him. Let’s read:

John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The reference Jesus made of Him being that I Am, is taken from the book of Exodus, where God declared to Moses that the great I Am will send you unto the children of Israel. Therefore, what Jesus was saying in a nutshell is that He is the Person, the “I Am” who is being referred to in that passage. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

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

[The Desire of Ages pp 469] With solemn dignity Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.” Silence fell upon the vast assembly. The name of God, given to Moses to express the idea of the eternal presence, had been claimed as His own by this Galilean Rabbi.

He had announced Himself to be the self-existent One, He who had been promised to Israel, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.”

Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

This particular passage presents a sticking point, for many Christians, and even for some Seventh Day Adventists, for the word “Everlasting” implies, and declares unequivocally, that Jesus had no beginning point. In other words, there was no point in time or in eternity where He did not exist.

And believe it or not my dear friends, it is this single fact upon which our hope must be based, for in His capacity as Creator, He is eternal, He has eternal life inherent in Him, and it is because of this why He has the power, the authority, and the inherent ability to offer eternal life to as many as will receive Him, for He cannot offer what He does not have.

As always, the word of God must be made to speak authoritatively to us, with the least amount of input and finite commentary. Several passages speak very clearly concerning the Divinity and Eternal nature of Christ. To put it as plainly as possible, there was not any time in history or in eternity when Jesus ceased to exist, including His brief stay in the grave. Let’s read:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

1st John 5: 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

John 10: 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Note well that it was the command that He received from His Father, not the actual power, because the power to resurrect Himself was inherently within Him. Divinity cannot die, so it was the human aspect of Jesus that died, not His divinity. Let’s read:

John 10:19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

[The Desire of Ages pp 530] Still seeking to give a true direction to her (Mary) faith, Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. “He that hath the Son hath life.” 1 John 5:12. The divinity of Christ is the believer's assurance of eternal life. “He that believeth in Me,” said Jesus, “though he were dead, yet shall he live.

[The Desire of Ages pp 785] When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ's tomb, saying, Thy Father calls Thee, the Savior came forth from the grave by the life that was in Himself.

 Now was proved the truth of His words, “I lay down My life, that I might take it again.... I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” Now was fulfilled the prophecy He had spoken to the priests and rulers, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Over the rent sepulcher of Joseph Christ proclaimed in triumph, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” These words could be spoken only by the Deity. All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to the humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life. Only He who is one with God could say, I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again. In His divinity, Christ possessed the power to break the bonds of death.

The very next time we sing that song in the hymnal: “Blessed Assurance” we ought to sing it with the understanding, for Christ could not give us what He didn’t have, and therefore, since He certifies that all who truly believe in Him would not perish, but have everlasting life, He is by so doing, sharing with us that which is inherently His. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 1: 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 [The Desire of Ages pp 388] Christ became one flesh with us, in order that we might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we are to come forth from the grave; not merely as a manifestation of the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become ours.

[Maranatha pp 302] Man has no control over his life. But the life of Christ was unborrowed. No one can take this life from Him. “I lay it down of myself,” He said. In Him was life, original, unborrowed, underived. This life is not inherent in man. He can possess it only through Christ.

Therefore, now that we have read, and understood the office of Christ in His capacity as Creator, we can move on, to what that fact will translate into in real time, for as Creator of the heavens and the earth, there are particular prerogatives which naturally belong to Him alone.

These are highlighted and explained using the Bible, so that modes of thought which vouch for so-called independence from God, would be instructed into the import of the three angel’s messages.

[1] As Creator, He can tell us what to do.

Jesus stipulates what we should do, using freedom of choice, to obey or disobey with consequences. It is incorrect to conclude that freedom of choice will render us free from responsibility for our actions.

Our freedom of choice is a gift, not a right, and even when God gives particular instructions to those who follow Him, the principles, laws, and statutes which are found in the Scriptures pertain to every person living on the planet; from Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and Beyonce’, to the man sleeping under the bridge in down town Miami. None are exempt. Let’s read:

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

21 And he changes the times and the seasons: he removes kings, and sets up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.

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

In our world today a lot of emphasis is placed on my freedoms and my rights and my freedom to choose. And we have taken it upon ourselves to redesignate what marriage is, what the family structure should look like, and more and more, finite men are trying to force God out of the equation, by enacting laws that are contrary to what is written.

But God calls us to worship Him and to understand Him in His capacity as Creator, for one day soon all will have to give account for the choices and actions taken in this life. Therefore, let’s hear it from the horses’ mouth, not from a S.D.A Christian, nor from a moralist, but from a pagan king to whom it was given to understand these things. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.

3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine 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.

35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

[2] As Creator, it is His prerogative to define what is good or evil, what is right or wrong.

We have in our day currently the ongoing efforts to neutralize God’s moral compass, as is given to us in the Scriptures. Some poor souls have taken it upon themselves to conflate good with evil, and others in Christendom have gone so far as to call what God has defined as evil, good.

When we read in Thessalonians that the man of sin sits in the seat of God, showing himself to be God, it is saying to us that the bad habit of trying to usurp God’s prerogatives as Creator, are coming to a head in our day, and will culminate in a head-on collision between the commandments of God and the laws of men.

Whatsoever God has designated as good is good, and whatsoever He has designated as evil is evil. In the process of time, while His mercy lingers, He may allow folks to enact laws contrary to the Scriptures, but doing so, in no way annuls His designations. In fact, finite men are warned against pursuing such a course of action, for perilous would be the results. 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!

Deuteronomy 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

[3] In His capacity as Creator, He can tell us how to worship.

The final conflict on planet earth would be centered around the issue of worship, for the three angels’ messages bring to light, the true and the false, with the pertinent consequences for following either.

Cain worship involves modifications to what God has designated as true worship. Contrary to what a lot of folks might think, Cain was a religious man. In fact, according to the sacred record, Cain showed up for worship regularly.

The only problem is that his form of worship wasn’t what God had designated, for it contained several humanistic errors, man-made modifications, and so-called “improvements” to say the least. For example it substituted fruit instead of the lamb, which God in His wisdom had ordained. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his

flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Cain had a problem with God telling him what to do, as far as worship is concerned, and because of this perspective, everything downstream, in Cain’s life, would thereafter be tainted with that tendency to substitute, modify, or alter, God’s word, according to the clamors of fallen human nature.

From the time when Cain decided to modify God’s instructions on worship, everything coming from him and from his line of descendants would go that same route, for where once worship is modified, it is just a matter of time before everything God says will be modified too. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

The tendency to name buildings, and “Towers” after the name of oneself is, in many instances, the same reflection of a Cain mindset.

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

Close on the heels of worship modification, comes the modification of marriage, for substitution is a mode of thought and action that permeates every aspect of a person’s life. Hence the reason why we solemnly declare to you, by the direction of God, that there is only one more shoe to drop, because the modification of worship, and God-ordained marriage are closely intertwined.

Genesis 4: 21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

Secular music came from the line of Cain, and up to this day, it is one of the most worshipped artforms. The “Stars” who peddle in secular music with lyrics that tend to draw the mind away from God, can be traced back to Jubal, Cain’s offspring.

Genesis 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron…

The making of graven images, which was soon to be incorporated into Cain worship, came from his own descendants, and even though, like as it is with music, the abilities and talents can be used for God’s glory, yet sacred history traces the proliferation of these things back to Cain.

Genesis 4: 23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

Cain introduced murder to our planet and ever since that time the earth has reeled in blood, in violence, and carnage. In fact, violence, and bloodshed were two of the main reasons why the antediluvian world had to wiped off the map.

And without a doubt, the violence, bloodshed, and carnage we are witnessing currently, are harbingers of the day when God will say enough is enough and like the antediluvians in Noah’s day, God will be left no choice but to wipe our slate clean too.

We have seen how Cain’s entire life history and his legacy was marred by his deliberate decision to try to modify God-ordained worship, and lest folks also follow in His train, God is calling all the inhabitants of this earth back to the true worship of God, in His capacity as Creator, which includes the seventh day Sabbath as the only God-ordained day of rest.

Is He still the Mighty healer of bygone years? Yes He is! Can He still deliver as He has done on numerous occasions in time past? Yes, He absolutely can. And, is He still that same Provider, who could call down bread from heaven, out of thin air, and give to the hungry multitudes M.R.E s, meals ready to eat? Yes, He can.

But it is His Creatorship, with its prerogatives that is currently on the line and as such, He’s calling on the you and me, in the here and now, to make up our minds as to how and who we will worship. Thus, in harmony with what is at stake, we will close with 3 passages of Scripture that would place these issues squarely on the front burner of our minds. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Revelation 4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sits on the throne, and worship him that lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for You have created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.

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.

                                   God Bless!

Dear Facebook, Twitter, And TikTok. Sabbath afternoon 11/04/2023

Deuteronomy 11: 26 Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.

Very many of the inventions of man come with what we just read of in our first passage: a blessing and a curse, because in many cases, much good could be derived, but at the same time much evil can result. In most cases, it has to do with how the inventions are used, whether for good or evil.

For instance, nuclear energy can be used to provide much needed power to homes, and business alike, but it can also be used to cause terrible destruction and loss of life. The television can be used to share important information with the masses of people or in many cases be used to televise the gospel to the remotest places on earth.

But it could also be used as a vehicle to spread lots of conspiracy theories, and propaganda that can do more harm than good. The same is true of the social media platforms for they can be used for great good or for great evil, depending on the intentions of the users and creators of the platforms in question.

So, things are definitely not the way they used to be for great changes in our world have taken place, and continue to take place, from the time when Daniel prophesied that knowledge would be increased, to the here and now.

In a relatively short period of time earth has gone from land line phones to cell phones from those old type writers to computers, from working on the job to working at home, from the internal combustion engine, to the here and now where we have self – driving electric cars, and lots of artificial intelligence.

And it seems as if the more we invent, the more we are becoming prisoners of our own devices. To see if this is true, just take a minute, and reflect on all the things you think you can’t do without, the plethora of gizmos and modern inventions that have become an integral part of everyday living. But they do come with positives and negatives in many instances.

The friendly smile, the handshake, the embrace, the in-person chit chat between family, and friends have been replaced, in large part, with the phenomenon of social media platforms, in so much that we have become accustomed to talking, laughing, crying and sympathizing, all from a distance.

Not long ago, doing church via zoom would have been unthinkable, for no one would have thought that the physical in-person ambience of praise and prayer would have been be replaced by the distant forms of worship that social media platforms now afford.

With the exception of persons who are physically unable, it boggles the mind, how individuals, and churches, can do communion via Zoom, a concept that would have made the early Christians recoil in amazement.

Back then in the early days of Christianity, personal fellowship, in breaking bread from house to house, and gospel ministry on a personal level were the lifeblood of the church, and the results are there before us. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

But lo and behold, social media inventions allow the churches to provide services at a distance, so that the physical presence and interaction which in times past had characterized the fellowship of believers, is now replaced in many instances with a distant form of interconnection, and one of the reasons why it has taken deep root is that it appeals to our comfort zone.

This is not to say that social media does not play a vital role in getting the truth out to remote places. It does, for without these facilities, in places upon the earth where the true Gospel cannot be preached in person, individuals can now go on line and access a plethora of presentations from various missionaries, preachers, and televangelists.

Thus, social media does have its place; but the new tendency to sit at home in the comfort of one’s bed, snuggling under the covers, and sipping lemonade while Divine hour is going on, was something that a few years ago would have been unthinkable.

And as a direct result, even though we seem to be more electronically connected, yet many persons are becoming more-lonely, and a deep chasm, void of that personal touch has developed, to the point where A.I generated girlfriends are wreaking havoc on the male psyche, since persons could now order their very own tailormade A.I girl to suit their fancy.

Social media platforms have taken the lead in the work of transforming relationships and friendships to the electronic and digital, so that, a very heavy responsibility now rests upon their shoulders to try and mitigate some of the inevitable fallout that the principles of our democracy and freedoms afford, as it pertains to social media.

As was stated previously, very daunting challenges are now facing social media companies like TikTok, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter, in that they are finding themselves responsible for the publishing of content, some good, some evil, and in this, we can surely refer to our first passage which says: Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.

The evaluation, and publishing of content, while at the same time, balancing, and protecting freedom of speech and expression has become an enormous problem, in so much that not even the Feds can put the genie back into the bottle, where it pertains to the responsible management of all content.

And artificial intelligence has added fuel to the fire, in that deep fake representations call into question such issues as copyright infringement, consent from unwilling persons, and the manipulation of pictures, facts, and information, on an increasingly alarming scale.

In fact, there is a particularly troubling trend taking the young and restless by storm, as it pertains to A.I. in the world of online relationships. It is making its way in darkness now but its debilitating and adverse results will soon begin to bubble up to the surface.

Thus, in order to avoid throwing out the baby with the bath water, good, and evil are allowed to thrive side by side, for there are no significant standards set forth by the authorities to determine what will be acceptable and what will be proscribed, for it has become a high wire dance between our freedoms, and moral responsibility.

Persons can now access a plethora of preachers and televangelists, presenting a cacophony of divergent views on the role of Israel, the rapture and the state of the dead. On the other hand, pornography, in its various forms, is permitted under guises which push the very limits of tolerance and rational thought.

Added to this conundrum is the fact that the Bible is no longer the moral authority in modern society, so that it is basically left up to social media executives to determine what will be acceptable, and what will be permitted in the name of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

The Scriptures were given us as the universal moral compass, to guide the feet of fallen humanity back to the source of life and happiness, even to Christ, our Creator, Redeemer, and soon coming King.

But without a generally accepted moral reference point, everyone is left to determine for themselves what is right from wrong and from this perspective, phrases like “My truth” “I did it my way” and “Good without God” have taken deep root. This represents a replica of what had come to be the norm with the Hebrews in ancient times. Let’s read:

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

Therefore, the time has now fully come, to address the problem that is plaguing social media platforms, as well as the many billions of subscribers who are now hooked into their systems, with many persons being hooked to the point of addiction.

The following points with the pertinent information are directly addressed to the likes of Twitter, TikTok and Facebook, as well as to their audiences, so that all concerned may make wise choices, the results of which each would have to give an account of in the judgment.

As always, we will present the Scriptural guidelines first, and then we will go to “Huldah” the prophet to see what she says on the matter. This effort is being   done without malice, or bias, and with the best of intentions so that the horses which have already left the barn, might at the very least, be partially reined in.

[1] Just because the social media entities might be incorporated as companies or businesses, it doesn’t mean that they are exempt from the law of God nor from responsibility for the results which stem from what they do, or permit. In other words, they do not get a free pass just because it’s a company.

The principles, laws, and statutes found in the Bible cover every aspect of the human experience, and are applicable to individuals, businesses, entities, and governments alike. None are exempt, and each would be held accountable in the courts above.

For instance, there are guiding principles that are to govern what the mind is exposed to, and these carry both personal, and corporate responsibility, so that the people are held accountable for personal choice as well as Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok etc. who are responsible for corporate choices.

Persons who abuse Fentanyl are just as responsible as the drug dealers and pushers who might provide the dangerous substances. None are exempt from being held accountable.

Similarly, content providers, and subscribers alike are to be governed, and instructed by the very same Biblical principles, because the perspective of social media platforms being exempt from God’s law is an incorrect conclusion.

Thus, the Bible gives us the gold standard that must govern both personal, and corporate activities and choices, since the guiding principles pertain to all. Let’s read:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Isaiah 33:15 He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil;

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

Psalms 34:12 What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

These principles, laws, and instructions do pertain to you and me, as well as to Facebook, Twitter and Tik Tok. None are exempt, just because they might be incorporated as a business.

In fact, a greater responsibility rests with businesses that peddle content, and imagery that could destroy souls, and even though it is understood, that it is a fine balancing act between the freedoms granted in the constitution, and the moral imperative given to all in the Bible, yet the word of God speaks clearly for itself.

[2] Evil content that is not quarantined, and bridled when warranted, does grave harm to the mind that imbibes such information and imageries. There are two main ways in which the deleterious effects accrue:  [1] The mind is indoctrinated in evil for by beholding we become changed. [2] The mind is desensitized to the point where the once tender conscience, is not disturbed anymore. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 459] Satan is using every means to make crime and debasing vice popular. We cannot walk the streets of our cities without encountering flaring notices of crime presented in some novel, or to be acted at some theater. The mind is educated to familiarity with sin.

The course pursued by the base and vile is kept before the people in the periodicals of the day, and everything that can excite passion is brought before them in exciting stories.

They hear and read so much of debasing crime that the once tender conscience, which would have recoiled with horror from such scenes, becomes hardened, and they dwell upon these things with greedy interest.

Thus, the Bible specifically says that businesses and businessmen will also be held to the same standard of accountability, when the chips are tallied. This is not meant to shutter businesses; it is God’s will that all will pass the smell test when it comes. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.

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

Revelation 18: 11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more.

12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

13 And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

[3] The added issue of Copycats through Influencers.

Influencers can do much good, if they are guided by right principles and intentions. The apostle Paul was an influencer, but he used his influence to bring the people to Christ, because if this is not the case, the influencer in question will lead persons to perdition. Three passages of Scripture confirm what is being said. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Philippians 4: 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Matthew 12: 30 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scatters abroad.

Thus, according to the Scriptures influencers can be divided up into two categories, namely gatherers or scatterers, and therefore an influencer can make the world of difference for the better if they would lead their followers in right paths.

But, as is too often the case, influencers often use their influence for purposes that lead the unwary, and the gullible to say and do things that do more harm than good. The shortages of Ozempic, Wegovy and other weight loss drugs could be traced back to influencers, who set the abuse in motion, and as is too often the case, millions have played follow the leader.

TikTok in particular does much to publish the doings of young influencers, and many tweenagers have been adversely affected by trying to emulate some of the daredevil acts and daredevil diets seen on the social media platform.

Some poor souls have become bulimic, in their vain attempts to follow some influencers down a rabbit hole, in chasing after a body sculpture that’s out of reach, or which would adversely affect one’s health and wellbeing, if the advice and the example of the influencer in question is followed.

Thus, even though much is produced and published under the guise of freedom of speech, and freedom of expression, we are reminded that businesses and individuals do not get a pass, just because they may be incorporated.  

In fact, efforts should be made by influencers, social media platforms, and subscribers, to rein in evils, by which the young and restless especially, are often led astray. Let’s read:

Matthew 18: 7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

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.

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

[S.T December 21, 1891 par. 3] From the moment when he ceased to exert his influence for good, he became an influence for evil. He might have been the center of a hallowed influence, loyal and true, being good, and doing good, but he would not. In separating himself from God, he became a power for evil. Each act of selfishness exerts an influence on others.

[Test. Vol.6 pp 433] Everyone has an influence for good or for evil. If the soul is sanctified to the service of God and devoted to the work of Christ, the influence will tend to gather with Christ.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 323] Of all the sins that God will punish, none are more grievous in His sight than those that encourage others to do evil.

[4] The fear of backlash, and economic boycott do drive many companies and individuals to adopt the principles and policies that they themselves would cringe at, on a personal level, but for the craving of profit, truth and duty are too often sacrificed on the altar of popular demand.

Those who take a stand for the right, will have the favor of God at their backs, and even though man’s nemesis would be unwearied in trying to take them down, yet, at the end of the day, the right course of action will bear fruit to the honor and glory of God, and to the benefit of humanity.

Profit and Principle are two modes of thought and action that are often at odds with each other, and even though it is possible, under God, to reconcile the two, profit often rules the day, especially in the corporate environment in which most social media platforms thrive.

Yet, “Hulda” the prophetess has some encouraging  words for the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, if they’ll follow the rules of engagement, as outlined in the Scriptures. In other words, the social media platforms are to be careful of sacrificing principle for profit, lest millions of persons be dragged down to perdition inadvertently. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 349>350] 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.

They are to be united in all human pursuits, in mechanical and agricultural labors, in mercantile and scientific enterprises. God has proclaimed the principles on which alone this co-operation is possible. His glory must be the motive of all who are laborers together with Him. All our work is to be done from love to God and in accordance with His will.

[5] Last but not least is the issue of one’s Personal responsibility.

Everyone will have to answer for themselves before God, whether they be individuals or corporations. It is imperative that persons do their due diligence in guarding the avenues to their souls, from each and every corrupting influence that will taint the tender conscience with the knowledge of evil.

 Dear Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok, in closing we do beseech you in Christ’s stead to take concrete action in reining in content that does mortal damage to the minds of subscribers, and the blessing of God would attend such earnest efforts.

And to subscribers, influencers and followers alike, we encourage you to make choices in the perusal of content, that will honor and glorify God. If you are sincerely able to invite God’s presence to view the content you are surfing, then God will be honored thereby. But if not, then great change is need

This cannot be stressed enough, because the mind is being bombarded day in, and day out with ideas, concepts, and suggestions that are contrary to the Scriptures, and thus, it takes deliberate effort on our part, in cooperation with the presence and power of The Holy Ghost to keep the mind from the evils with which we are surrounded. Let’s read:

1st Peter 1: 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation.

Proverbs 4: 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp 460] We have a work to do to resist temptation. Those who would not fall a prey to Satan's devices must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts.

The mind should not be left to wander at random upon every subject that the adversary of souls may suggest. This will require earnest prayer and unceasing watchfulness. We must be aided by the abiding influence of the Holy Spirit, which will attract the mind upward, and habituate it to dwell on pure and holy things.

We will end with passages of Scripture that would help us to choose wisely, and let social media, and subscribers and influencers be guided by the truths presented today, for the choices we make will have ripple effects, either for good or for evil. Let’s read:

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.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

                                   God Bless!

From Democracy To Theocracy. Sabbath afternoon 10/21/2023

Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

Part of the genius of democracy is that it allows tolerance of divergent views, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, or freedom from religion. Democracy, as it is enshrined in our constitution, allows people who are of different persuasions, different belief systems and different ethnic backgrounds to come together in a general melting pot, with specific freedoms and liberties granted to all.

Here, in the land of the free, and the home of the brave, different cultures intersect each other, and in many cases, a hybrid is made when two or more of these cultures, with their traditions are synthesized. Thus, the American experiment in democracy has in many ways, afforded a home and shelter for peoples from any and every background.

It is this perspective, of guaranteeing freedoms and liberties to all, under the constitution, that has in a great measure, contributed to the prowess of the American democracy, and under its influence, and protections, many are able to thrive and live side by side with persons who may not be of the very same persuasion.

And it is for this reason, why, even though the laws of the Bible do not in any way endorse alternative lifestyles, yet those who choose to live contrary to the scriptural teachings are afforded the shelters in the constitution so that the maxim “live and let live” rings true in such situations.

Now, before we proceed we must be aware that the God originated form of theocracy we read of in the Bible is quite different to the man made theocracies which exist in the world today.

God’s theocracy, as it was offered to the Hebrews, engaged the freedom of choice, unlike some of the nations today, which enforce religious dogmas upon the people, even if the dogmas are against the will of people, or may violate a person’s conscience.

For instance, when the Hebrews, as a nation, were about to be incorporated under God’s theocracy, they were made an offer by God, and then persons could use their freedom of choice to submit or resist if they did not agree with the founding principles. Let’s read:

Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus, shall you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

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

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

The word “If” engages their freedom of choice as a nation, so that they are free to reject God’s offer, if they choose not to. This is quite different to nations on our planet where a manmade form of theocracy bears sway. In the Taliban’s version of theocracy, “If” is nonexistent, for persons under their jurisdiction are given no choice in matters of conscience.

You either obey their voice and their commands, or you are beaten into submission, or worse yet you’re hanged or executed in public. And there are certain countries where you cannot preach Jesus, without very serious risk to life and property, and there are other countries where it is forbidden to read the Bible, or proselytize.

But here in America people of different persuasions could endeavor to convert others to their particular creed, and many in so doing have had success. This is all going to change in the not to distant future but we will deal with that aspect later.

Again, the freedom of speech is a major pillar of our democracy, because it allows persons to speak truth or to speak lies, once lies aren’t spoken to the Feds, courts, or under oath by some judicial body.

Democracy also grants to commentators, and news anchors freedoms to heckle, taunt, and say things about the government, which, in other countries, will be met with very stiff penalties, or even death.

There are journalists who are now languishing in the prisons of countries ruled by dictators who engage a man-made form of theocracy, and wherever anyone dares to oppose the government, or the dear leader in certain places, they go missing or are abducted or are punished for walking contrary to the theocracy.

Thus, the rulers of these nations are never held to account, as it is here in America, for they rule with an iron fist in their man-made form of theocracy.

Again, in our American democracy, social or media platforms have the very delicate, and quite often, difficult balancing acts on their hands, because on the one hand the freedom of speech allows persons to do Bible studies and to preach the gospel and yet it allows for persons to spread conspiracy theories.

In fact, one of the arguments put forward under the current investigations of the former president is that it is not unlawful in America to tell lies, for as they understand it, lying is permitted under the freedom of speech enshrined in the constitution, once it isn’t done in a court of law, or when being questioned by the Feds.

And sadly, many politicians use that freedom to tell lies way too often, in so much that lying is not only to be expected, it has now become an integral part of the job description. Advertisers also often use the freedom of speech to inflate facts or deflate adverse side effects, so that lying, under the constitution is now an integral part of the fabric of our democracy.

Thus, the social media platforms are in a bind as to what will be deemed conspiracies, and what will be considered truth, and then, the big question is, will they be justified in censoring one while allowing the other, and if so, will the tendency to differentiate be a violation of our democratic values.

Another big question is whether to allow both good and evil in the name of democracy, so as to preserve the freedoms that are enshrined in our constitution. In other words, should they permit good and evil to thrive side by side, and the next logical question will be: Without the moral compass of the Bible, who’ll decide or determine what is good or evil.

What general standards and reference points should be used in determining what is right from wrong, or in differentiating between good and evil? These are just a few of the sticking points that are indigenous to our democracy, and while we might endeavor to sort them out, the scriptures reveal where it all will be headed really soon.

Man-made forms of government are deeply flawed in one way or the next, whether they be democratic or theocratic in nature, for wherever God, and the laws He has given us to live by are made subjective to national biases, preferences or clamors from the popular majorities, those forms of governments will eventually crumble.

This fact won’t be uniquely indigenous to American democracy, for as a nation, we are just scheduled to follow the pattern of “rise and fall” which has been historically documented in every man-made form of government. To be more precise, every nation that has come upon the face of the earth, where God is not the center has failed and will fail sooner or later. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, saw and you beheld a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

39 And after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things: and as iron that breaks all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

41 And whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.

42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

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

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

We are beginning to see very troubling signs of the demise of our democracy and according to the Bible some wise soul will have the lights go on in his/ her head, and will come to the conclusion that America needs to turn back to God, for the problems we are facing each and every day are not only exponentially increasing, they are becoming more insurmountable every day.

Several undeniable pointers tell us that we are now reaching a climax in our democracy, and one of the sure signs is an increasing intransigency of congress. When it is the case that the beacon of democracy is losing the ability to govern itself, then the dictator forms of man- made theocracy would begin to look more attractive or at the very least, would be seen as the option of last resort.

Again, the forever wars and rumors of wars signal to us that the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, pointing to a looming theocracy are just about to be fulfilled. In fact, almost every prophecy, pointing to the last days of earth’s history, is now converging on our doorsteps and it won’t be long before theocracy of the man-made sort, will emerge in America.

In American democracy we have government by the people, and for the people, a system, which on the surface may savor of the best of intentions. But John the Revelator, describes America as a lamblike beast which essentially means that initially, the nation will be a thriving democracy, but is later scheduled to be changed into a despotic theocracy.

Now, if “We the People” begin to clamor for good, and righteousness, that is all well and good, but if the “People” begin to clamor for evil as is defined in the Bible, then the gradual, and ultimate dissolution of our American democracy would ensue, and will pave the way for a man-made theocratic form of government.

To put it more plainly, wherever the majority of any people, is made to guide, and dictate the laws, and principles of any nation, where God is not honored, it will just be a matter of time before the majorities will make demands that will put them on a collision course with God. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

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

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

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

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.

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

Matthew 27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

25 Then answered all the people and said His blood be on us, and on our children.

26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Let us reiterate again, before proceeding; wherever you have the guiding principle of a “government by the people, for the people whether it be democratic or theocratic “We the people” would sooner or later make demands that are diabolically opposed to God and righteousness, and that is because of inherent, fallen human nature.

This is actually the fundamental flaw in democracy, where majority rule bears sway. In other words, if in our democracy God is relegated to a subjective role, then the clamors of fallen human nature inevitably, will gain the ascendency, and will be pitted against God’s revealed will.

History is witness to this fact and it is now sweeping America like a tornado, as the majority of “We the people” clamor for more alternative marriages and lifestyles, which the Bible proscribes. Twenty years ago this was not the case but as the majority of “We the people” approved of, or demanded it, politicians and the judicial branch were goaded under pressure to acquiesce.

It will not only be about marriage, “We the people” will soon begin to clamor for the national day of rest and this in turn would pave the way for us to move from a democracy to a manmade form of theocracy. This is what the Scripture is warning us of, even as it looms larger on the horizon.

In other words, we are approaching a crossroads in our democracy where a “Dear leader” will emerge, who will, under the guise of man-made theocracy, seek to institute, and enforce laws which essentially eliminate the God of heaven from the minds of all would-be subscribers.

When John beheld in vision a lamblike beast coming up out of the earth, he was being shown America, a nation that arose in apparent obscurity. The nation arose out of a sparsely populated area, and rose to prominence amongst the nations of the earth, in so much that when America sneezes the world catches a cold, as the saying goes.

As the pilgrim fathers fled persecution and religious bigotry from Europe and other countries, they then determined that America will be built upon different principles, other than those which governed other oppressive regimes and because of this set purpose, the following was written down in stone, as it were.

[Declaration of Independence] We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

 Later on, the first amendment was added so as to offer protections to persons who might have quite different views on religion. This in turn allowed for Catholics, Muslims, and Witches to live on the same street, with the freedom to worship, and practice in accordance with their particular convictions. Let’s read:

The first Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances.

However, our first passage made reference to a king of fierce countenance, who would come upon the stage of action, at some point in time in the history of the world and after digging through the annals of world history, we discover that Daniel was referring to the pagan, and then papal Roman empire, which arose after the divisions of the Macedonian empire under Alexander the great became weak.

Thus, when papal Rome came upon the world stage, it gradually introduced religious dogmas, and edicts that would over time, force the individuals under its jurisdiction to worship God according to the laws of state.

The use of force in getting individuals to comply is particularly mentioned in Daniel and in Revelation, and therefore, the questions is: “Will our beloved American democracy devolve into a despotic form of theocracy, which would mirror the king of fierce countenance, mentioned in the book of Daniel?”

The short answer is absolutely yes, and we are now sitting on the very edge of what the Bible predicts. As we have shown from the Scriptures on several occasions, the incessant, and increasing troubles of our world will soon drive all the nations of earth to address the issue of worship, and in this last effort, America is scheduled to take the lead. Let’s read:

Revelation 13: 11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

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

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

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

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

[Maranatha pp 190] When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism; When, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is  near.

Each prophecy pointing forward to the times spoken of in Daniel, and in the Revelation is currently being fulfilled, and therefore, there is only one more shoe to drop, which is the inevitable transition from our democracy to a theocracy, as predicted in the Bible by which a national Sunday law legislation would be revived, invoked, and enforced.

In the following passages, every individual can read for himself or herself the clear word of God pointing us to the imminent fulfillment thereof. These signs will lead up to the issue of worship, and without a doubt, they are currently being fulfilled, even as we speak. Let’s read:

Luke 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in different places and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Therefore, the time is now and the place is here, for the inhabitants of earth will soon come to realize a grim truth, that it is God and God alone, who puts a restraining order on invisible forces of darkness with the sole purpose that any, and every person who is willing, may find salvation, pardon and shelter in the person of Christ.

But the bad news is that God’s restraining order has already begun to be lifted, and the sure result would be the fulfillment of end-time prophecies, with the increasing frequency, and intensity spoken of in the Bible, as a woman travails in her labor pains. Several passages of scripture confirm what is being said and we must let the Bible speak for itself. Let’s read:

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

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.

The following reading, with pertinent explanation is of critical importance as we seek to understand the train of events that will ultimately lead us up to the point of addressing the issue of worship nationally. Pay close attention to those triggering mechanisms that are mentioned, and then reflect on the state of our world currently, and be honest with yourselves. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 589>590] Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert the minds of people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God.

Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation.

Even now he is at work, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous.

Destruction will be upon both man and beast. It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday-sabbath, that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced. And that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity.

Our dear friends, God is still in the business of saving to the uttermost, those who desire to be saved. The door of mercy is still open, so that all who will hear His voice, may find pardon and peace in the midst of the increasing storm.

It is now, while mercy still lingers, that you and I are to make it right with God, meaning, that if we were formerly sitting on the fence of indecision, or if we were formerly playing in the river on the bank, now is the time for concrete decisions, in favor of Jesus, His truth, His salvation His Sabbath and His law.

Repentance will involve and include a turning away from cherished sin, and if there are known besetting evils lurking within the domain of the heart, they must be rutted out by the word of God and by His Spirit, so that a oneness and likeness to Christ may become our reality.

In harmony with this appeal, we implore you to seek for repentance and baptism where applicable, for it is a solemn truth that we speak, the close of earth’s probation will come suddenly, at a time when most of earth’s peoples are not expecting it. Let’s read:

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

15 While it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…..

                                     God Bless!

A Substitute For Everything. Sabbath afternoon 10/07/2023

2nd Corinthians 11: 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4 For if he that comes, preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might very well bear with him.

Ever since that day when our first parents fell for the substitute to God’s command, given by the serpent, the principle of substitution has taken deep root in every aspect of society, so that currently, there are replacements and substitutes available for almost everything God has given.

These alternatives always as a rule are advertised as being better, wiser, more profitable, and productive of good, than the original instructions and laws God gave to us. When the Bible speaks of being deceived in the last days, it’s not merely on one or two points but instead, it is an entire system of alternatives to God’s ideals.

And as persons adopt and subscribe to philosophies that are antagonistic to Scripture, mortal men seem to be wiser than God, in the eyes of those who will prefer anything other than what God says. Thus, the whole system of deception is riddled with a plethora of replacements, alternatives and substitutes, which in turn drive persons further and further away from God.

In other words, the worldly-wise are made to seem more intelligent than The Creator, and persons who believe in God are relegated in many instances to a much lower round on the totem pole of knowledge, science, and understanding.

Thus, the Christian in our day will find him or herself having to sift through a maze of confusing doctrines, philosophies, and substitutes, and then, intelligent and deliberate choices will have to be made in order walk the straight and narrow path that leads to life eternal.

The only way that this is possible is by adhering to the written and Living word, for the Bible gives us a clear moral compass so that if we so choose, we can differentiate between right and wrong, good or evil. The Holy Spirit then enables the written word into a living, breathing testimony, in those who choose to obey God. Let’s read:

Acts 5: 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Yet, we must be cognizant of the fact that there are very many substitutes to everything God has given, and some of them may look and sound so close to the original that Jesus Christ found it necessary to utter the following words, in the context of the last days, in which we are living: “Take heed that no man deceive you”.

The following are just a few samples of the plethora of substitutes we are currently inundated with, and later on in our study, we will take four of them, and expose them for what they really are, so that the sincere in heart can make informed decisions.

There are substitute diets, substitute priesthoods, substitute worship, substitute marriages, substitute prophets, substitute science, substitute doctrines, a substitute day of rest, there is substitute medicine, and there’s a substitute to the second coming of The Lord Jesus Christ.

There’s also a substitute Christianity, and substitute girl-friends, coming from the world of deep fake and artificial intelligence, of which persons were warned in a recent Bible study about deep fake. And now, the philosophers of the day are currently working on a substitute work week in which four days of work will replace the six God gave to us originally.

Though the X-perts might do their research and may come up with what seems to be better proposals, or ideas to God’s originals, it’ll be found sooner or later that the wisdom of God was manifested for the best good of all humanity and conversely, the wisdom of man when arrayed against the Bible would be found to be deeply flawed.

Therefore, the time has come for the unadulterated word of God to speak authoritatively to all of earth’s inhabitants, so that there’ll be no mistaking light for darkness, or bitter for sweet. In other words, when God says it, that settles it, period!

[1] Substitute marriages.

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

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

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

When God gave to the human family in Eden, that sacred institution of marriage between 1 man, and his female wife, He laid the foundation for societies the world over, to flourish, prosper and to be fruitful and multiply, and if God’s original ideal is followed, thus it shall be. It cannot be otherwise.

But with the advancement of the many alternatives available today, the gradual dissolution of society is scheduled to take place for when you hear the term “Alternative lifestyle” being used, it’s understood as being alternatives to the original. And wherever this is the case, you’ll inevitably have alternative results and outcomes.

Two men or two women can never procreate, and if we continue down this road we are travelling, we’ll soon discover that the human race would become extinct, if Jesus doesn’t come really soon.

In addition to those multitudes of discordant voices uttering a host of blasphemies against the truth, we also have persons in high places coming out in favor of the abomination.

When pastors and clergy lend their influence against the clear word of God, they essentially try to usurp God’s authority and prerogatives, and, by so doing they place themselves in the seat of God, and the end result is man worship, as individuals coalesce around humanistic errors. Let’s read:

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

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

CNN Oct 2 2023

Pope Francis suggests for first time some people in same-sex unions could be blessed by Catholic priests on a “case-by-case” basis, a seeming reversal of previous statements.

However, the word of God is still as clear as crystal, therefore, the time is now and the place is here that the trumpet must be given a certain sound. God will never accept gay marriage, regardless of politicians, pontiffs and clergy who may vouch for the contrary. God never has and He never will. Period! Let’s read:

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you.

25 And the land is defiled: therefore, I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants.

Psalms 89: 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

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.

[2] Substitute worship.

Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

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

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

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.

The worship of images, including those claiming to portray Mary, St. Peter, or any of the other apostles and saints for that matter is strictly prohibited in the word of God and should never be a part of any form of worship, where God must be the center. Let’s read:

Isaiah 42: 8 I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

For instance, when the philistine priests attempted to have Dagon share the stage with the true God of heaven, they found the fish god badly mutilated the following day, and that attempt triggered a serious calamity that shook the nation to its core. That is because, as the Psalmist David declares, God does not share His praise or glory with any graven image.

Again, praying to any dead saint does absolutely nothing for the petitioner, for they cannot help any person, in any situation, nor do they hear, or answer any prayers. In addition, praying to or for one’s dead relatives does nothing whatsoever for such persons, for the Bible clearly says that any such attempted communication is anathema to sound doctrine. Let’s read:

Isaiah 8: 19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? instead of the living to the dead?

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Again, on the issue of worship, the substitute day of worship that has taken the masses of people in its snare is not of heavenly origin. Sunday was named after the sun by pagan priests and worshipers, who, in direct contravention of the first commandment, bowed down to, and worshiped the sun as a god.

Thus, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is God’s original ideal, that has never been changed from creation, and would never be changed in the earth made new.

Therefore, God is calling on people the world over, in our day, whosoever will hear His voice, that if you intend to go to heaven you will need to worship God on the day that God has blessed and sanctified. So says the scriptures. Let’s read:

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.

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.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

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

[3] Substitute Diets and foods.

The first temptation upon our planet was upon food in which an alternative was suggested to Adam and Eve by man’s nemesis. When God created Adam and Eve, He gave to the human family the very best diet, that would in turn produce the best results. Let’s read:

Genesis 1: 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

It is true, that after the flood, God gave permission to eat flesh, which man was already eating, before any such permission was granted, yet, if we were to observe the elapsed time between God giving us His ideal, to when He finally gave permission after the flood, we will observe a span of almost 2000 years.

That tells us that it took rather long for God to okay the alternative and therefore, if it was indeed better than the original the logical question would be Why did God take so long to grant us something better, if God knew it would be productive of greater good to the human family?”

Thus, without going into arguments about the pros and cons of the original versus the alternative, let’s examine the raw facts in the case, and let the chips fall where they may.

There is a famous Roti shop in El Soccoro Trinidad, that is renowned for a delicious goat Roti, and some customers are known to wait in line for a substantial period of time to get their hands on the hot mouth-watering products. When coupled together with a drizzle of scorching pepper sauce, it can make for an eye-watering, unforgettable experience.

Now, if God says that the original diet is superior to the alternatives, we should expect to see better and superior results if persons made the switch to plant based diets, for if it turns out to be that individuals would become weaker, and suffer deficiencies as a result, then that would be a malicious thing to do.

In other words, persons should not be asked to give up the goat Roti from El Socorro, in exchange for the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, which God gave us as His ideal, if they would suffer loss, and come up short, when compared with using substitutes.

So, let us ask a simple question directly, and we will let God answer for Himself: If an individual were to switch over from a flesh-based diet to God’s ideal in Genesis, will that person suffer loss, become weaker become unhealthier? Or will the opposite be true? This question is so loaded with ramifications that we must let God answer for Himself. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 34: 7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

Now, some may argue that Moses’ longevity, and his ability to defy conventional wisdom on aging could have been because he’d been in close contact with The Life Giver on numerous occasions, and as such, longevity could have rubbed off on him as a natural byproduct. That’s one perspective.

So, we will have to look for someone who was not in close, direct contact with God, to make an unbiased objective judgment, on whether or not, God’s ideal is productive of better results physically. For this we turn to Caleb, who had never gone up to the mount to meet with God, in close proximity, as Moses had done.

Numbers 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

That phrase: “Followed me fully” suggests to our reasoning powers that Caleb did not participate in the uprisings and murmurings that characterized a majority of the Hebrews, especially on the issue of diets and foods, or else, God could not reasonably declare that Caleb followed Him “Fully”.

Therefore, we must of necessity dig deeper so as to discover Caleb’s experience with God. According to what is written in the Scriptures, two facts surface, as it pertains to Caleb [1] He followed God fully. [2] As a result, God worked in him to bring to pass the preferred outcome.

These two factors are of critical importance to those who wish to make the transition from substitutes to God’s ideal, as it pertains to diets and foods. Folks must endeavor by God’s grace to follow God “Fully” and as a direct result God will work in behalf of such persons, to bring to pass the preferred outcome.

Believe it or not, there can be something such as a rebellious vegetarian, who eats fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, but who does not follow God fully, by keeping His other commandments and laws. It is of critical importance for persons to follow Caleb’s lead, and God, according to His purpose, will come through like clockwork for those who believe with a willing heart. Let’s read:

Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, You know the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and you in Kadesh-barnea.

7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

9 And Moses swore on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.

10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spoke this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

Before we proceed, we must of necessity find out who these Anakims were, for Caleb is going to do something that no 85 year-old in their right mind would do. He’s going to pick a fight with the Anakim at his age, which is long past the conventional age for retirement, and Caleb seems very confident, for some unknown reason. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 1: 25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us.

27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart saying the people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.

29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

Obviously, Caleb is referring to the giants in the land of Canaan, who caused the other ten spies to be so terrified when they beheld their enormous size.

And now, forty-five years later, when most normal retirees will be receiving social security, Medicaid, and other benefits, from the government, Caleb is going to pick a fight with some iron pumping giants, because, according to what he is saying, he has lost no strength whatsoever, nor has he aged at all for the last 45 years. Let’s read:

Joshua 14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.

15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 378] God brought the Israelites from Egypt, that He might establish them in the land of Canaan, a pure, holy, and happy people. In the accomplishment of this object, He subjected them to a course of discipline, both for their own good and for the good of their posterity.

She is referring to diet, exercise, and faith in God, by which Caleb was certified as following God wholly. In other words, Caleb obeyed the commandments of God, he cooperated with God’s ideal for diets and foods, and the physical aspects of his being weren’t neglected, because following God wholly, is holistic in nature whereby every aspect of our being is to be brought into harmony with God’s ideal.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 378] Had they been willing to deny appetite, in obedience to His wise restrictions, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed both physical and mental strength.

They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But their unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God, prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard which He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings which He was ready to bestow upon them.

[4] The substitute work week.

One of the bargaining chips on the table currently in negotiations across the nation and across the globe is that of a four-day work week for certain workers. According to the X-perts, persons seem to be more productive overall when they work a short week of four days.

Several countries including Spain, and South Africa are among the nations that have embarked upon a trial of a four-day workweek for certain businesses, companies and workers. In fact, a test run done in the U.K involving almost 3000 workers from a total of 61 companies resulted in 92 % of the employers retaining the four-day work week.

Since the prophecy of Daniel stating that knowledge would increase, the world in general has gradually shifted to a format of less work, less activity, and more free time which has resulted in a spike in the many diseases and illnesses which currently plague the industrial world, and many developed countries.

We are just observing a particular trend, to see why we are heading for a crossroad, in the context of the substitute work week that is gaining momentum. In days gone by, persons and families would be found at the grocery, supermarket, or the mall, where they would spend hours on end shopping.

This obviously included a whole lot of walking so the shoppers would unconsciously be getting a certain amount of exercise as they would walk from store to store and from aisle to aisle, and thereby be burning calories. But gradually, going to shop in person was dumbed down by the likes of Amazon, Uber Eats, and Door Dash.

Then Covid came, and shut everything down across the world, and what used to be a convenience had now become a necessity, as individuals and families found it necessary to shop and work from home. In many cases, this resulted in less activity, and more free time, in so much that employees are loathed to go back to the office.

 Now in addition to this there are now driverless cars and gizmos that could clean and vacuum floors such as Roomba and there are other gadgets which make it unnecessary for individuals to engage in too much movement throughout the day, in so much that one has to be deliberate about their exercise regimen, if you desire some level of activity.

On top of this, here comes the prospect of a shorter work week, looming on the horizon, and businesses, employees, and X-perts are beginning to vouch for it. Thus, the question is, “What is God’s ideal, and why is His ideal the best for humanity?”

In days of old, the Hebrews were put on a rigorous regimen of walking through the desert, in addition to manual labor, which was required in the agrarian society in which they lived, and this, coupled with the abstemious diet God put them on, resulted in  health and longevity to those who were exercised thereby. Let’s read:

Psalms 105: 37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.

Now, we are not here to discuss the pros and cons of a shortened work week, nor are we here to throw cold water on your work from home convenience. We are just observing a particular trend to less and less movement, mobility, and physical activity that is almost certain to have adverse results.

Thus, lest we lose sight of God’s ideal, let us take a second look at the fourth commandment, and then we will consider what the Lord has to say about the days in which we live, in the historical context of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. 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.

When the Bible says that in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, it is certifying the fact that God was productive for each of the six working days and thus the Sabbath rest for us humans is not merely a command, it is a sheer necessity.

This does not mean that every person has to work a six-day week, for there are high intensity, and high concentration jobs in our day, which require rest at shorter intervals. But the concept of persons being productive throughout the working week is what is set as an example for us by God.

As a general rule, whenever the majority is headed in a certain direction, God’s way is almost always in the opposite direction. Thus, we must question who could possibly be behind the general push for more free time, less mobility, less physical activity, and on top of that, a shortened work week. Something just doesn’t smell right. Let’s read:

Patriarchs & Prophets pp 156] Fairest among the cities of the Jordan Valley was Sodom… 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.

Idleness and riches make the heart hard that has never been oppressed by want or burdened by sorrow. The love of pleasure was fostered by wealth and leisure, and the people gave themselves up to sensual indulgence.

Their useless, idle life made them a prey to Satan's temptations, and they defaced the image of God, and became satanic rather than divine. Idleness is the greatest curse that can fall upon man, for vice and crime follow in its train.

It enfeebles the mind, perverts the understanding, and debases the soul. Satan lies in ambush, ready to destroy those who are unguarded, whose leisure gives him opportunity to insinuate himself under some attractive disguise. He is never more successful than when he comes to men in their idle hours.

In our day, we are inundated with substitutes and a  host of alternatives to God’s original ideals, and yet, the X-perts declare themselves wiser than God. The Christian in our day will soon find himself or herself having to make some very hard choices, if we intend to live in harmony with God’s ideal will.

When bombarded with multiple substitutes, let us therefore seek to understand God’s ideals as written in the Scriptures, for the word of God is given as a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path, to guide each one safely from the here and now to the great hereafter. Thus, we will end with a passage that will echo this very sentiment. Let’s read:

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

                                  God Bless!

666 The Number Of A Man. Sabbath afternoon 09/23/2023

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

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

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

We begin with a stark warning: The freedoms, and liberties God has blessed America with will go up in smoke if we continue to squander the opportunities given, through brinkmanship and extreme views. When it becomes the case that reason, and sound judgement are no longer employed, the damages done to the country will become irreversible.

Throughout the Bible, God has warned folks against the worship of idols in any form, whether they be of stone, metal, wood or finite man, for wherever this is done, the concepts of God are severely distorted, and in consequence the concepts of right and wrong are reversed and upended, to reflect the opposite of that which is written in the Bible.

In ancient times, the idols of the heathen always as a rule, represented some intelligent entity that was endowed with Divine or humanistic characteristics.

This went on for many centuries but ultimately it led to the worship of finite man in some form or fashion for the foundational concept of idolatry is to remove God out of the picture, and replace Him with finite objects, or finite man.

One of the key components of worship is that of obedience to the one, or the object that is being worshipped, for it is the willingness to obey what one’s god says that sets them apart as a worshiper.

The gods of fashion therefore dictate what the in thing must be and worshipers bow down and obey by purchasing and wearing whatsoever the fashion god stipulates, even if it contravenes a “Thus saith The Lord.

If persons adopt the policy that they will be guided in their decisions and actions by the “In thing” there is bad news for such, because the mark of the beast will be the “In thing” one day soon, and subscribers will go with the flow, because their minds had been trained to follow that which is popular, fashionable, or that which is the latest.

Beyond the shadow of a doubt, 666, the mark of the beast will become the latest “In thing” when it will be released, and thus, according to the scriptures, it will have the backing of the overwhelming majority of earth’s inhabitants, for sure. Let’s read:

Revelation 13: And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Therefore, folks are now being groomed to submit to the number of a man which is a manmade system of worship, living and decision making that’s arrayed against the God of heaven because the minds of the people are being programmed to follow the dictates of the stars, both religious and secular, and popular majorities, rather than the written word of God.

To be more specific, if one’s mode of thought, and action is governed by what Beyonce or Taylor Swift or Snoop Dog says, does or wears, then that person is obeying the dictates of the star in question, and since obedience is an integral part of worship, those who follow the stars are being trained to bow down to mortal man. Let’s read:

Romans 6: 16 Don’t you know, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Again, on the issue of worship, obedience is more important than praise and prayer, for it is what one does in obedience to God, that distinguishes him or her as a true worshiper.

In fact, if ever, God had to choose between praise and obedience, He will absolutely choose obedience hands down. The issue of obedience is so critically important that the true worshiper will do what God says, even if it goes against his, or her natural grain.

For instance, when Abraham was commanded by God to offer Isaac, it could not have felt all cute and comfy, since Isaac was the only son of promise, and both Abraham and Sarah had waited so many years for the fulfilment of what God had pledged to them.

But now, God tells Abraham to do the unthinkable, unbeknownst to his wife, to whom Abraham would have to do a lot of mansplaining. In other words, he would have a very difficult time explicating to Sarah that such a command came directly from God.

Yet, for everything to the contrary, yet, for all of his feelings, and emotions pulling and tugging at him, the true believer will obey, even though it turns his stomach inside out. That’s because it’s obedience that determines who or what is worshipped, it isn’t primarily or necessarily praise. Let’s read:

Genesis 22: 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom you love, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

With every fiber in his being pulling Abraham in the opposite direction, a true worshiper is going to obey because there is no worship without obedience. Let no one be deceived on this point, because unless he is willing to obey God in this dire circumstance, his claim to worship God will be empty. Let’s read:

Genesis 22: 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

[Patriarchs & Prophets 152] Isaac had been trained from childhood to ready, trusting obedience, and as the purpose of God was opened before him, he yielded a willing submission. He was a sharer in Abraham's faith, and he felt that he was honored in being called to give his life as an offering to God.

And now the last words of love are spoken, the last tears are shed, the last embrace is given. The father lifts the knife to slay his son, when suddenly his arm is stayed. An angel of God calls to the patriarch out of heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” He quickly answers, “Here am I,” And again the voice is heard, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that you fear God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.”

That’s all well and good, because the command was coming from God. But if it was a man who Abraham was worshipping, and such a directive was issued to him, if he obeyed, that will put both the worshiper, and his worship directly at odds with The God of heaven, and as a direct result, the worshiper would have chosen mere mortal man as his god, instead of Jehovah.

When the politicians in our day do or say that which they know to be wrong, in obedience to some man, they are worshiping at that man’s altar, and all such altar boys, and acolytes will be registered under the number of a man if they don’t urgently or decisively change course.

In other words, 666, the mark of the beast and the number of a man has to do with the system of man worship, even if and when individuals may disagree in substance with the directive being given.

Some persons in our day found themselves in the unfortunate position of obeying the dictates of a particular man, even though they had their personal disagreement with what was being put on the table.

In other words, their hearts and minds weren’t fully persuaded, yet they obeyed, and that is the specific mindset that would one day acquiesce to the beast system, if a radical change in mode of thought, and action doesn’t occur, for it is worship and obedience to a mortal man at its very core.

When the issue of worship comes to the forefront in our day, there are many persons who wouldn’t fully be persuaded, yet they will go with the flow as they obey the dictates of a man.

In fact, the beast system may not even force anyone to go to church, once persons obey by accepting the mark, for obedience in and of itself is the essence of worship. The beast system, 666, under the auspices of the devil will make it as easy as possible to obey.

You don’t have to believe or be persuaded, and if a person may be embarrassed by accepting the mark publicly, especially those S.D.A s who would buckle under pressure, the devil will make certain that you can take it in private, all cozy and comfy, once you take it. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 174] In the absence of the persecution there have drifted into our ranks men who appear sound and their Christianity unquestionable, but who, if persecution should arise, would go out from us. When the law of God is made void, the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

Those who serve in the branches of our government as well as in religious circles must be holden to truth and duty, not to position and power, and, wherever there is a conflict between the two principles, truth and duty should bear sway, even if it might cost one his job, popularity, or his reputation amongst peers.

Our country is in dire need of individuals who have sterling characters, who will not be swayed by man worship, who will stand up for truth, righteousness, and justice, men who are willing to put their lives on the line in defense of the freedom and liberties God has entrusted America with.

This is what Joab had failed to do on more than one occasion, as David ordered him to do that which he knew was an act of wrongdoing. For example, when David told him to put Uriah in the forefront of the battle, and retire from him, so that he be slain, Joab obeyed, for his allegiance was given to the king, and for this reason he worshiped David rather than God. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 11: 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Again, when David commanded him to number the people, he remonstrated, yet, even though it went against his grain, and his conscience bothered him, he went along with it, for David meant more to him than God, and as a result, Joab would ultimately be worshiping a mortal man instead of God in heaven as he obeys David in numbering the people.

What is most noteworthy about the particular case is that it was not merely David, from whom such a directive was coming. David was the human agent used, but it was satan who actually issued it. Thus, as Joab obeyed, he was worshipping not only David, but he was bowing down to the unseen god behind the diabolic directive, better known as the devil. 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 a 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.

In the book of Revelation, where multitudes are to be seen worshipping a man, it’s not the man merely that is being worshiped and obeyed; it is the unseen god of this world to whom obedience and reverence are being rendered.

Thus, 666, the number of a man is representative of a system run by mortal man, that commands those individuals under its jurisdiction to do that which is diametrically opposed to what God says. It’s not the mere mortal man that is being worshiped; it is satan himself that folks are bowing down to. Let’s read:

Revelation 13: 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

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

This worship of a mere mortal man is done in direct violation of the first and the fourth commandments, regardless of what The True God says and therefore, whenever deference is given to any finite command that is contrary to sound doctrine, there you would have the worship of men and devils taking place.

In the Egyptian pantheon, pharaohs were endowed with divine attributes, and therefore, it was not only customary, but it was also the law of the land, that the citizenry must worship, venerate, and reverence the king of Egypt as a god.

The devastation and tragedy experienced during one of the destructive judgments against Egypt was the result of a plague against the sun god Ra, and in our day, if persons continue to worship the sun, and the day of the sun, it will soon backfire because the sun will soon begin to wreak havoc on individuals who continue that form of worship. Let’s read:

Revelation 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

The same thing had occurred in the days of Elijah when Israel was led into idolatry by worshiping the sun god. At that time, they were found following the dictates of Jezebel, a mere mortal, and thus, the sun god they worshipped was made to be their enemy.

History is soon to be repeated. Indeed, the horses have already left the barn, and all our efforts to try and mitigate all of earth’s problems, including global warming, and destructive floods and earthquakes in different places, will not be successful until the issue of worship is addressed.

Thus, as we study the topic”666, The Number of A Man” it will be necessary for us to delve into ancient history, so that a clear understanding of the dangers of worshipping and obeying a mortal man, in direct contravention of the scriptures, will be made plain. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 758>759] The ninth plague dealt a heavy blow to one of the greatest gods of Egypt, the sun god Ra, who had been continuously worshiped from the earliest times of that country's known history. In a land which hardly ever saw clouds in the sky, the sun was recognized as a never-failing power which provided warmth, light, life, and growth to the whole world.

Every Egyptian king considered himself as a “son of Ra,” and carried this expression in his titulary. When Amen of Thebes became chief god of Egypt during the eighteenth dynasty, the power of the sun god Ra was recognized as so great that a compromise was made by combining Amen and Ra to make one god—Amen-Ra.

A few years after the Exodus, when Ikhnaton introduced a short-lived monotheism, the only god retained was Aton, the sun disk.

Seeing how entrenched sun worship was in the religious life of the Egyptians, and how highly the sun god Ra, Amen-Ra, or Aton was revered, we can understand why the plague directed against the god was brought upon Egypt toward the culmination of the fight between the God of the Hebrews and His Egyptian adversaries.

Also, the tenth plague, the slaughtering of the first-born was striking at least one god, and that was the king, who was considered to be Horus, the son of Osiris. As the ruler of the Nile country, he was addressed by his subjects as “the good god.”

Hence, the last plague crowned the actions wrought by the miracle-working power of the Hebrew God. So far, the gods controlling the forces of nature or animals had been disgraced. But now, a god, living in a visible form among the Egyptians was also humiliated by the despised God of the Hebrew slaves, of whom the proud Pharaoh once had said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?

Man-worship has therefore been in existence from ancient days, and, because it is showing alarming signs of resurgence, we must of necessity study the dangers associated with it, lest persons fall for the number 666, the finite number of imperfection.

Man was created on the sixth day of the week, and it was the seventh day that God instituted as being the Sabbath, which brought the weekly cycle full circle.

Thus, the number 6 represents both imperfection and incompletion, and therefore, a system such as the number 666 represents reflects the humanistic endeavors to control the three main aspects of our being, the physical, the spiritual, and the temporal. Let’s read:

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

The book of Esther contains valuable information and blueprints which must be understood by those who know what’s coming. In that book, we observe that man-worship was the triggering mechanism for an all-out assault that was scheduled against God’s people.

God signally overturned it, as He will again do when the mark of the beast takes center stage, but we are to be informed as to the nuts and bolts of what took place back then, for in our day we are seeing some disturbing signs, which hearken back to the days of Mordecai.

We will pinpoint the similarities that are reflected in our day currently, and we will see in real time why we keep saying to our friends to study the book of Esther, for there is nothing new under the sun, and man worship always inevitably leads to persecution of persons who beg to differ. Always! Let’s read:

Esther 3:1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

[1] The words “All the king’s servants” tells us that it was the popular thing to do, since everyone was doing it, with the exception of Mordecai.

When 666, the worship and the number of a man surfaces in our day, it will be the popular majorities who would subscribe, with the exception of persons like Mordecai, who have trained their minds to be guided in their decisions by what God says, not by what man dictates.

To be clear, following Jesus in the fullest sense, will never be popular, and therefore, like Mordecai, we cannot and must not go with the flow whenever the flow is contraindicated by the Scriptures for the way to heaven is upstream, not downstream, where any and everything goes. Let’s read:

Matthew 7: 13 Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at.

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.

Esther 3:3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why do you transgress the king's commandment?

[2] The above verse tells us that the mandate came down in commandment form from the king, and as such it was not optional.

Similarly, when the issue of man worship comes to the forefront in our day, it will be mandatory, not optional, where persons can freely choose not to go that route. Very stiff penalties will first be instituted, and when these don’t work, the use of force would be employed, to try and coerce persons to bow.

But like Mordecai, there will be a peculiar people who will never bow. Economic sanctions, and loss of their economic privileges will only drive them closer to Christ, and though men, and demons may heckle, bribe, and offer different incentives to bow, those whose minds are captive to the word of God will not budge. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 607] The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and in this work, papists are solicited to come to the help of Protestants. The movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold, and decided. The law is invoked against commandment-keepers. They are threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some are offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith.

Esther 3:4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

[3] Man worship always leads to the persecution of those who beg to differ.

One of the reasons why there is so much infighting among members of congress is because the worship of a man is sapping the lifeblood of common sense from the conscience, and those who refuse to bow are being ostracized, alienated and criticized daily, in so much that it’s near impossible for them to run for election again.

Again, as Mordecai refuses to bow, Haman extends his anger to all those who may be affiliated with him either by blood, or by similar religious views. When the dark ages were upon the land it was the worship of a man that was the catalyst for millions of Christ’s true followers to be put to death.

Similarly, as America is currently hurtling towards man worship, we may expect the ghost of Haman to start flitting around, causing upheaval, mayhem and dysfunction across all branches of government, and, when man worship is finally instituted the same way Haman tried to take vengeance on those who would not bow, will again be revisited. Let’s read:

Esther 3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

[4] “Their laws are diverse from all people”

This particular statement must be understood by all, for it could not be the laws governing most nations that are being referred to, or else they would not be “Diverse” from all other people.

 It could not be stealing that Haman is referring to, because in most nations of the earth, stealing is a crime. Just recently Sam Bankman Fried, the crypto king, was charged with stealing millions from his unsuspecting customers, and in the Middle east, if one is caught stealing, he can lose a hand or foot as a result. So, it’s not stealing Haman is referring to.

It's not lying either that Haman is speaking of. Just recently some persons were charged with lying to the congress and the F.B.I, and there are others who are currently facing their own day of reckoning for election lies and hush money payments. So, it’s not lying that Haman is referring to.

Neither is Haman referring to murder, because just recently Danelo Cavalcante, who was convicted for killing his girlfriend, was again apprehended in the state of Pennsylvania, after escaping custody, and he was again hauled off to prison, to continue serving his sentence.

So, the diverse laws Haman is speaking about are not the normal laws of nations. There is one, and only one law that could differentiate the Jews in Mordecai’s day from all other people, and that is the law found in the fourth commandment of the decalogue. Here it is, for persons who may not be aware. 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.

Many of the other laws of the Decalogue are still implemented across nations and states, some more, some less, so, when Haman declares “Their laws are diverse from all people” he is primarily referring to the law of the Sabbath.

Esther 3:9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

[Early Writings pp 282] I saw a writing, copies of which were scattered in different parts of the land, giving orders that unless the saints should yield their peculiar faith, give up the Sabbath, and observe the first day of the week, the people were at liberty after a certain time to put them to death.

Now, it is true that God has true Christians in every church, and there might yet be millions today who are inadvertently worshiping a man, by obeying the instruction to worship on Sunday, the first day of the week.

God would have all to understand that such worship was ordained by man, and has absolutely nothing to do with the command He gave to the inhabitants of earth, to rest upon the 7th day of the week, as being the only, official day of rest.

The Sabbath has never been changed by God, and even though the majority of Christians embrace the first day of the week as God’s day of rest, there is no Scriptural support for such worship anywhere.

Therefore, 666, the mark of the beast, and number of his name pertains directly to the worship of man, in opposition to the clear word of God, and it is for this reason that God is now calling His people out of that system, so that they would not be identified as being part and parcel to the beast’s worship system. Let’s read:

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.

5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

In closing, let’s keep in mind that obedience to God forms the bedrock essential of all true worship, and even if much praise and prayer are made in sincerity the fact remains that without obedience to God as the main component of worship, it cannot, and will never be accepted in God’s sight, for God will never take a substitute in exchange for “It is written”.

We’ll therefore end with a passage which confirms this sacred truth, and it is God’s will that people the world over, not be sucked into the worship of man in any shape or form, for those who will be saved in God’s eternal kingdom will be those who obey His voice. Let’s read:

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.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

                                    God Bless!

When God Goes Silent. Sabbath afternoon 09/16/2023

Job 23:1 Then Job answered and said,

2 Even today is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

The ways, means and strategies God uses are often baffling to finite minds, and there are times when a person will have to walk by faith alone, not seeing or hearing any evidence from God which would give clarity to the matter in question.

There are times in the Christian’s experience when God may speak loud and clear, and there are other times, when, for some unknown reason, God goes silent, and what we do under such circumstances, could make or break us.

The Hebrews had the pillar of cloud and fire as they journeyed through the wilderness, but whenever it was the case that some unexplained circumstances occurred, they exhibited an uneasiness which bore fruit in doubt and murmuring.

For instance, when they saw the hosts of pharaoh coming after them with his fleet of Cadillacs, they became uneasy, and voiced their complaints about what they then anticipated; their swift defeat by the forces of Egypt.

Again, when the water ceased to flow, just before they entered Edom that was an opportunity to walk by faith, but instead, the unexplained circumstance developed the same turbulent spirit, manifested on so many different occasions.

These things are written in the Scriptures for us to learn from the experiences of those who have gone before. Especially, as we stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, should the people of God in our day seek to learn those lessons of faith, waiting, and humility, which would be greatly needed in the near future.

Even the most faithful have at times wondered at God’s silence, at times when they thought it needful to hear a word from Him. As John sat in prison, he must have wondered why Jesus wouldn’t come and look for him.

Like Job, John had been faithful to his charge and he had fearlessly rebuked sin in kings and people alike, in so much that a great movement, in favor of God’s kingdom had been set in motion, and many persons had been baptized.

Therefore, after doing his very best he wonders why Jesus would not at least visit him, to give him some explanation or encouragement. Added to this, Jesus was actually John’s cousin, so from a mere bloodline perspective, John believes that he should hear some word from God, as to the where, why and when.

But, as the questions continue to spin like a tornado in his mind and as he hears of Jesus, eating, drinking and mingling with publicans, he wonders why God seems to have gone silent, as if his faithful servant is forgotten. Thus, the questions continue to spin and to spin in John’s mind until at last he gives voice to the great turbulence he is currently experiencing. Let’s read:

Luke 7: 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

In our first passage, we find Job seeking an answer, or at least some sort of explanation for what he had recently been going through. His world was turned upside down suddenly, he had lost all of his kids, his income had been severely depleted and the workers who depended on Job for their livelihood had all but been killed, except for two or three.

Added to all this a mysterious illness has come upon him, for which there is not any rational explanation or cause, and therefore, as Job lays there licking his wounds, Job believes that he is in need of hearing a word from God, that would at least give him some explanation for his present plight.

He prays and he prays, he argues and he argues, he reasons and he reasons but for some strange reason it seems to him as if God has gone silent. Job’s utter bewilderment with God’s silence is then given voice in words that often resonate in our own experience. Let’s read:

Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!  

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

There are times when the Christian believes that he or she needs to hear from God. Our world might be turning upside down, we might be seeing pharaoh’s Cadillacs in the rearview mirror, and for all intents and purposes, it may seem as if everything is about to cave in, and yet, like Job, we might be bewildered by God’s silence.

Therefore, the issue of God’s silence, whenever it might occur, has to be addressed, if our faith is to avoid severe and life-threatening shocks. Thus, the following points must be studied carefully, and after, we will read from the Bible, how we could navigate God’s silence successfully, and come out stronger on the other side.

There are times when it is expedient for God to speak and there are times when, in the best interest of His people, it is wise for Him to go silent.

This might not be an easy pill for the Christian to swallow, but if we were to drill down further in retrospect, we will see the valid reasons why. For instance, if we were to observe carefully in the narrative pertaining to Job, we will see that God only answered Job beginning in chapter 38, only after his questions had swirled, and against all odds, Job decided to be faithful.

But even then, we will observe that God never gave Job an explanation as to why the terrible calamities, and misfortunes had overtaken him. God goes deep into science, creation, and occurrences that baffle mortal minds in the natural world, but God does not touch or address the root cause of Job’s dilemma. Let’s read:

Job 38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

And we could go down and read the entire chapter, and all those chapters that come after, but for some unknown reason God deliberately does not answer that most pressing question, as to why all of these sudden calamities happened to Job. So, let’s ask the question directly: Why did God not reveal to Job the root causes of his problems, and why did He not give him any explanations?

There are times when as Christians we might crave answers and explanations as to why such and such is happening to us or to our loved ones. And we may feel as if some answer, or explanation would help us or strengthen us to bear the adverse circumstances.

While this may be true in some instances, this is not necessarily the case in every situation, for in the history of Job, God teaches us that there are times when it is best for Him to remain silent in certain circumstances which to the finite mind may demand  immediate answers.

Jesus’ knowledge of what was to befall Him during His incarnation, did not make the brutal experience any easier to bear. In fact, as the knowledge of His fate loomed ever larger on the horizon, He uttered those words, that echo and reecho in the lives of a number of Christians, who may be now staring into an abyss of despair. 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 will.

The knowledge of what is to befall true Christians during the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, does not necessarily make the ordeal any easier to bear. We have been given many explanations and reasons up front, but according to the Scripture, many will still buckle under the heavy load.

That’s because a host of reasons and explanations do not always strengthen persons to bear trial, and it is for this reason, why in certain circumstances, it is prudent and wise for God to go silent. Let’s read:

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

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

7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it

is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

[Spirit of Prophecy Bk 4 pp 427] The Lord's servants have faithfully given the warning, looking to God and to his word alone. They have not consulted their temporal interests, or sought to preserve their reputation or their lives. Yet when the storm of opposition and reproach bursts upon them, they are overwhelmed with consternation; and some are ready to exclaim, “Had we foreseen the consequences of our words, we would have held our peace.”

Now, if God were to go the opposite route of giving Job the answers, He would have to explain why the devil was permitted to come to the gates of heaven in the first place. In other words, since God knows the end from the beginning, Job would most likely  be questioning why God permitted satan to come.

 Then God would have to explain to Job that satan had accused God of pay to play, or, of bribing Job to serve him, and this was done in the public square, in the presence of the other intelligences of heaven.

Then, in response to the devil’s claims, to set the record straight, God would have to explain to Job that he had granted satan the permission to prove his point, if it were indeed true, and that this is the reason why everything in Job’s life, came tumbling down.

So now, added to the tremendous pressure Job was already going through, he will now have to struggle with the question of why God gave satan permission and then, this would undoubtedly trigger a new set of other questions as to why Job’s children, and his cattle, and workers got caught up in the whole mix.

The finite mind would find it extremely difficult to reconcile the concepts of collateral damage, even to those of us who have been given numerous Biblical explanations, and therefore, rather than saddle Job with more questions and revelations than he could possibly handle, God goes silent.

Another question that puzzles the minds of persons is why The Lord did not in this instance, give Job a heads up of what was to ensue. In the Bible, there are very many instances where God gave his people a heads up of looming calamity, and they were able to navigate and escape.

But in this instance, God chose not to do so, and it is one of those points which perplexes the minds of some persons. It is not always God’s will that folks who believe in Him should escape the trial of faith, which may include adversity.

There are times when God will see fit to make a way of escape, and there are other instances when it is His will that we hang in there by His grace, until the adverse situation be past.

If God were to warn Job in advance of this particular situation, the natural thing to do would be to take all the necessary steps to avoid it. And since Job had the financial resources to do so, he very well might have gone that route.

If a billionaire like Elon Musk was given a heads up of some looming tragedy, he would then engage his resources to stave off the danger. And if it were the Sabeans and Chaldeans coming after him, it is most likely that he would beef up his security, with many bazookas and he would engage his star-link network to do 24/7 monitoring of the Chaldeans.

Furthermore, if God gave him advance warning of a tornado that would take out his kids, he most likely would again use his resources to build a doomsday bunker, so that his children could ride out the storm safely, in the bowels of the earth.

But in this particular instance, it was God’s will for Job to go through the trial, with all of the difficulties and sadness that would occur as byproducts. Some way somehow, it was in the depths of despair that Job confirmed his decision to follow God no matter what, and as a direct result, the issue of pay to play was forever settled. Let’s read:

 Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

16 He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.

The Bible teaches us, that as Christians living in an evil world, that is becoming more and more hostile to righteousness, the true believer in Christ will at times suffer collateral damage, as a direct result of satan’s incursions into Christ’s kingdom.

The knowledge of this fact does not make the trials any easier to bear, but God, in this instance, chooses to give to us a heads up in the prophecies pointing to the last days, so that persons will manage their expectations prudently. At times, the forays of devils against the saints may get other family members involved, as was the case with Job, even though they may not be the specific target in question. It is just the nature of the beast we are dealing with. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

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.

The knowledge that we would be tempted does not necessarily make the temptations any easier to bear for even now, that God has given us this revelation, we often balk at the prospect of God granting satan permission to tempt us.

The explanations have been given, but yet, we still often cringe at the very thought. That is because it isn’t any fun to be tempted. Yet, it is a part of the purifying process to not only stabilize the believer in Christ, but also to cement his, or decision to go the full distance with God. 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 permit you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

It is not in every instance that we will find it God’s will that we be delivered, and dodge the bullet. In some instances, deliverance is not His will, a fact that Peter was hard pressed to reconcile to. Then, there will be the issue of our attitude in perplexity, if and when this may be the case.

The attitude and outlook we cultivate during trials can go a long way in triggering resilience, and even if the fury of the storm does not abate immediately the eye of faith would be enabled to grasp unseen realities, to look beyond the here and now, to the great hereafter. Let’s read:

1st Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Romans 12: 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.

These are just some of the issues which John also struggled with, as he sat in that dungeon, confined. He just couldn’t understand why God went silent as to the reasons, and explanations why he was lately cut off from his busy schedule, in serving faithfully as the forerunner of Christ.

Like Job, John longed to hear a word from Christ, especially since he had been faithful to truth and duty in preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry. But for some unknown reason to John, God goes silent, and John scratches his head day by day, searching for an answer or an explanation, but for a period of time, not a single word is spoken. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages. Pp 216] To the desert prophet all this seemed a mystery beyond his fathoming. There were hours when the whisperings of demons tortured his spirit, and the shadow of a terrible fear crept over him. Could it be that the long-hoped-for Deliverer had not yet appeared?

But again, in this instance, it was prudent that Jesus not visit John, for doing so would no doubt trigger a plethora of suspicions in the minds of Herod and his vile paramour, and then Jesus would make Himself the target of many premature assaults, even before His time had fully come.

Thus, rather than volunteer to put a target on His back, and cut His ministry short before His allotted time, God ordained that Jesus should stay clear of John in prison, and the fallout from that providence would be mitigated by God, for He never gives to us, more than He knows we can bear successfully.

And there were other valid reasons why God chose to go that route with John, for it is disclosed by the servant of The Lord, that Judas had planned that the forerunner must be delivered, the suggestion being offered up by devils through the human agent, and thus, under no circumstances would God be found obeying His arch enemy. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 224] Jesus did not interpose to deliver His servant. He knew that John would bear the test. Gladly would the Savior have come to John, to brighten the dungeon gloom with His own presence. But He was not to place Himself in the hands of enemies and imperil His own mission.

[The Desire of Ages pp 718] Christ's oft-repeated statement that His kingdom was not of this world offended Judas. He had marked out a line upon which he expected Christ to work. He had planned that John the Baptist should be delivered from prison.

Jesus, instead of asserting His royal right and avenging the death of John retired with His disciples into a country place. Judas wanted more aggressive warfare. He thought that if Jesus would not prevent the disciples from carrying out their schemes, the work would be more successful.

The death of John to Judas would be a debilitating blow to his ambitions, for if the forerunner of Christ was permitted to suffer such an untimely demise, what then might be the lot of all those accountants who were following Christ?

Therefore, what God did and what He permitted the devil to do was strategic on several levels, which to the finite mind may not have made sense up front. True Christians in our day will experience their share of troubles, disappointments, adversities and griefs, but in all and through it all, God’s good purposes are being worked out.

We may not always agree with the ways, means and methods God chooses, but if we were able to see the end from the beginning, we will understand that it was the best productive path in the bigger picture. God does not call us to agree with Him, but to obey.

For instance, when Jesus was experiencing His own bout of depression in the garden of Gethsemane, He was shown what would be the end result of the trials before Him, and even though the heat of the furnace did not abate, Jesus saw that end result will benefit not only humanity, but the entire universe. Let’s read:

Isaiah 53: 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

[The Desire of Ages pp 693>694] The angel came not to take the cup from Christ's hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most-High.

He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved. Christ's agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had in nowise abated, but He who was its object was strengthened to meet its fury. He came forth calm and serene. A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face.

Now, although we do not like to sound like a broken record, we should be reminded that in our day, the same antagonistic forces that came after Job, Jesus, John, David, Daniel, and every follower of Christ, in ages past, will again try to discourage, harass, tempt and destroy, if and when permitted to do so.

Yet, God has given us the assurance that the enemy is not left to run loose without restraint. Temptation and its byproducts, are carefully monitored by The God of heaven, so that if the Christian in question were to hang in there by faith, the adversity would not destroy, but would strengthen faith and resolve. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10: 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

In other words, if one is currently going through the wringer, the guarantee is given that such a person is enabled to bear it, just as Job, Jesus, and John were enabled to bear their share of tribulation.

Thus, because the heat of the furnace is scheduled to be ratcheted up several notches in our day, as we approach the close of earth’s history, it will become even more urgent and important that we study the experiences of those who have gone before, so that we wouldn’t be shaken out by the turbulence that’s scheduled to take the world by storm. Let’s read:

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

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

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

Thus, as we close off our discourse, let the followers of Christ be encouraged, knowing that if and when a trial of our faith takes place, we wouldn’t have been the only ones sailing in the boat.

Trials and temptations will intensify greatly, and we will be tempted to let go our hold on God, if we may not get reasons and explanations, but if we stay the course with Christ, He will bring us through as gold tried in the fire.

Therefore, buckle up your shoes, shake off the blues and let the good news of Christ’s coming kingdom cheer our hearts, as the dawn of eternity looms on the horizon. In harmony with this sentiment, we will end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to hold fast the profession of our faith. 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, ye might receive the promise.

37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

                                    God Bless!

Information Versus Conviction. Sabbath afternoon 09/09/2023

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The topic which we will address today is one that is to be clearly understood, especially in the context of the work of the Gospel being carried to all people of the earth in these last days of history.

The good news of God’s soon coming kingdom is to be preached, and all the instructions, principles, and laws of Chrit’s kingdom should be shared with those we come in contact with, because every Christian is called to take up the mantle of service, as is given in the great commission. Let’s read:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

After coming to know The Lord, He bids us go, and let others know, the things of the kingdom, with all of its precepts and promises Jesus bids us to preach and live by.

But in going to preach, teach, or give Bible studies, we are to understand that there is a huge difference between giving out information, and the conviction of conscience that only the Holy Ghost can bring.

We will discover that presenting truth in a manner that cannot be controverted, does not necessarily translate into conviction. The individuals in question may not be able to dodge the straight truth, but the mind may still not be convinced.

That is because the servants of God cannot convict anyone in their conscience; it’s only God who can do the work of convicting. Hence the reason why when a person decides to give his/ her life to Christ today, in very many instances that will not be the first time that they had heard the truth.

One of the problems with fallen humanity is that we often don’t get it with the first round of information given to us in any matter. Very few persons on our planet are able to grasp with clarity, any subject that is presented to the mind, for it often takes several rounds of repetition for persons to understand fully.

Case in point is the 27 doctrines of our church which if you were to ask most Seventh Day Adventists of, it will be a teeny tiny minority who would remember, let alone explain what we believe.

Again, the prophecies of Daniel, including the 2300 day prophecy have been explained by preachers and evangelists such as Doug Bachelor and others on a number of occasions, yet very many don’t seem to get it, for one reason or another.

That’s because we only use a small percentage of our mental capacity, and therefore, the ability for us to grasp things readily, especially, deep, sacred truth is not something which takes place either rapidly, or regularly.

Persons may have already discovered that when the Scripture is read, it is very often the case that truths are missed on the first and second pass and it’s only after reading the same passages over and over again that the lights may finally go on in our heads.

Hence the reason why it becomes necessary for God to send several different preachers, so that the truth will finally sink in. In the majority of instances, it can take several passes, going over the very same info in different formats, before persons finally get it. 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.

Therefore, there are persons who might have been spoken to on some aspect of present truth, upon whom the truths just may not seem to register. And in some cases, because persons may not readily get the full meaning of the truth in question, they might even put up a stiff resistance to it, to the chagrin of the layman in question.

Just because folks might have grasped some sacred truth readily, does not mean that everybody else should be expected to do so, and if this is the case, then the matter of convincing should be left up to The Holy Spirit, who alone can send the rays of truth home to a person’s mind, in a way that will resonate with their understanding.

Hence the reason for the topic for this evening: Information Versus Conviction.

When we hear people say that a layman or preacher speaks with conviction, that does not necessarily mean that the Holy Spirit convicts the hearers to the point of decision making, anytime such a preacher opens his mouth to speak. It could also mean that the speaker is deeply persuaded by his or her own words.

It is true that whenever the unadulterated word of God is spoken, The Spirit of God is present to drive home the truths thus presented, but in many cases, the minds of persons may not be convicted enough to the point where they will make a decision for the right.

There is a difference between mere information and conviction and even though the two might work in tandem, it is often the case that information may sit on the backburner of a person’s mind, long before any conviction finally does its work, or even arrives.

This fact should not discourage, or dissuade the one who is sent to teach or preach, for our mission is to sow beside all waters not to convict. And thus, in the fullness of time, the God of heaven causes seed to germinate and grow, and it will often bring forth fruit, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold. This fact is clearly stated in the Bible. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

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

Habakkuk 2: 2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run who reads it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Psalms 126: 6 He that goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

There are times when some point of truth is spoken in clear lines, yet for some reason, it may not impact the hearts and minds of the hearers in ways that will bring conviction to the point of decision, even if The Holy Ghost is present.

This is what took place with William Miller, as truth of the Sabbath was presented to him from scripture. There it was before his face, he couldn’t reasonably deny it neither could he dodge it, yet Miller was not able to fully grasp its significance then, because of circumstances that were unfolding at that time.

Thus, even though the word of God was there, and The Holy Spirit was present, the convincing power of God did not sway Miller’s mind, to the point of decision and he died without accepting the present truth, yet he will be saved in God’s kingdom. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 257>258] My attention was then called to William Miller. He looked perplexed and was bowed with anxiety and distress for his people. The company who had been united and loving in 1844 were losing their love, opposing one another, and falling into a cold, backslidden state.

As he beheld this, grief wasted his strength. I saw leading men watching him, and fearing lest he should receive the third angel's message and the commandments of God. And as he would lean toward the light from heaven, these men would lay some plan to draw his mind away. At length William Miller raised his voice against the light from heaven.

He leaned to human wisdom instead of divine, but being broken with arduous labor in his Master's cause, and by age, he was not as accountable as those who kept him from the truth. But angels watch the precious dust of this servant of God, and he will come forth at the sound of the last trump.

Not only does information not guarantee conviction, but even the convincing power of God, at times, has to be engaged several times upon the person’s mind before he or she finally gets it.

The time when folks gave their lives to Christ, when they came up to the altar with tears, and confession of sin, after hearing the sermon, was most likely not the first time The Holy Ghost tried to reach such and such persons with conviction.

In some instances, it took The Holy Spirit hundreds, or thousands of attempts before the ice was finally broken, yet God did not throw in the towel after the very first try, just because persons refused to budge.

The Lord sends both His word, and His Holy Spirit on multiple occasions with convincing power to people, and in some cases the positive response comes right away, while in other instances it might come only years later.

This truth can be certified in the experiences of king Manasseh to whom God sent both prophets and His Holy Spirit for many years, yet the king didn’t budge. It was only after a very long time that Manasseh got it, and the rest is history. That’s because information does not always result in conviction, to the point of decision, even when The Holy Ghost is present. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 33: 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.

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

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

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

Now, it’s never advised to put aside the word of God for a later date, nor is it ever recommended for any person to say tomorrow, because procrastination is the devil’s tool and he can use it to his advantage, in tempting persons to delay and delay, until the cold fingers of death may close the person’s probation.

Thus, even though we are studying the facts on the ground, as it pertains to information and conviction, the God of heaven does issue a warning against any delay after one hears His word clearly, yet refuses to make good on the grace offered through the Holy Spirit’s convincing efforts. Let’s read:

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost says, Today, if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

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

Thus, even though persons are cautioned against a delayed response to the Holy Spirit’s work upon the heart, the raw facts on the ground teach us that, in many cases, after the seed of truth has been sown, a gestation period ensues, where persons may have to weigh the evidence presented, before making a determination upon the truth in question. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 3: 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither is he who plants, anything, neither is he that waters; but God that giveth the increase.

Isaiah 32: 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

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.

Acts 6: 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

[L.D.E pp 197] The Lord has His representatives in all the churches. These persons haven’t had the special testing truths for these last days presented to them under circumstances that brought conviction to the heart and mind; therefore, they have not, by rejecting light, severed their connection with God.

The issue of information versus conviction also took place with all the disciples of Jesus Christ, who upon multiple occasions, were plainly told what was going to happen to their Master. Yet, though the info was given in the clearest lines, it just didn’t fully register in their minds, even though Jesus Himself was with them. Let’s read:

John 16: 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said unto him, now you’re speaking plainly, and not in a proverb.

30 Now are we sure that You know all things, and need not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that You came forth from God.

31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32 Behold, the hour comes, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

Matthew 17: 22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men.

23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Luke 9: 18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;

22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Matthew 16: 21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

We would think that by now they would have gotten it and be fully convinced in their hearts, for it wasn’t just any old preacher uttering these words, it was Christ Himself who was speaking, and therefore, if information, always, automatically translated into conviction, then the following would not be written. Let’s read:

Luke 24: 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

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.

In fact, this particular encounter reveals something that needs to be understood by those who carry the everlasting Gospel to the people in our day. Unless The Holy Ghost illuminates a person’s mind, such a person is rendered incapable of understanding, or being convinced of truth, regardless of how much information on the subject in question is given out. Let’s read:

Luke 24: 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.

Layman preachers in our day, who are preparing to run the last leg of the long running marathon of the Gospel, must understand that The Hoy Spirit will be given to drive home specific truths pertaining to the issues of worship that will obtain in our day. He isn’t scheduled to convince people under the latter rain, of all 27 fundamental doctrines of the church.

In fact, when we read Revelation chapter 14 very carefully, we would discover that the message to be given under the latter rain is uniquely streamlined, for it deals with surgical precision upon the mark of the beast, and the commandments of God.

Therefore, the other hot button issues in Adventist circles, together with all Adventist hot potatoes will be stripped entirely of their former significance and the straight testimony John designates will be given to the masses of people. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation……

Therefore, just like it was of old, this is not the very first time that most people would be hearing about the mark of the beast and the true Sabbath of the Bible. Some will be hearing it for the first time, but many others would have heard it years before, but now, the seed sown will spring up and bear fruit, to the tune of abundant harvests we didn’t anticipate.

In other words, the information had been given for many years in some cases, but the issues were not brought prominently to the forefront of the intellect and therefore, the outpouring of The Holy Spirit will accomplish that which could not be done under less favorable circumstances. Let’s read:

[Publishing Ministry pp 356] The results of the circulation of this book [The Great Controversy] are not to be judged by what now appears. By reading it, some souls will be aroused, and will have courage to unite themselves at once with those who keep the commandments of God. But a much larger number who read it will not take their position until they see the very events taking place that are foretold in it.

 The fulfillment of some of the predictions will inspire faith that others also will come to pass, and when the earth is lightened with the glory of the Lord, in the closing work, many souls will take their position on the commandments of God as the result of this agency.

Therefore, let not the laymen get frustrated, and let not the preachers be discouraged, if the immediate results of preaching the everlasting Gospel do not meet expectations. God knows those who are His in every single church, and in the fullness of time He’ll ratchet up the Latter rain, to produce persons who will obey His voice.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will help us to remember the differences between information and conviction, and God will bless those earnest efforts made by His people to reach persons who are now sitting in darkness. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55: 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

                                    God Bless!

The Pros And Cons Of Grace. Sabbath afternoon 09/02/2023

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: never the less I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

The grace of God towards the human family which is manifested through Jesus has pros and cons that are associated with it, and depending on the mind upon which grace falls, it can have a positive or a negative effect. God’s purpose in granting us grace is because without it, no one would be saved.

Some folks believe that grace is all good, producing the desired effect God intended, but when we drill down further, we discover that this isn’t always the case. Grace does not always guarantee a favorable outcome, and at times it may seem as if grace was wasted upon persons who couldn’t care less about what Christ did for us on Calvary.

Yet, the grace of God is given in promise form, so that any person may avail themselves of it, and be saved if he or she so chooses. Again, grace isn’t only given in response to a specific request by persons, God gives grace to those who do not ask for it, and to those who may trample it under their feet.

It’s because of His goodness and mercy, why grace is granted, not because we deserve or even requested it, and because of His love for us grace is poured out in copious showers, upon believers and unbelievers alike. When we read in the Bible that Noah found grace, he was not the only one to whom grace was given.

Every single antediluvian was a beneficiary of God’s grace, what they did with it made all the difference, but as far as receiving it is concerned, they all were participants in God’s grace, for God had continued to feed and care for them, right up until the day of the flood. Let’s read:

Genesis 6: 3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

By itself, when received into the heart by faith, the grace of God is a good thing, but when it is resisted for various reasons, it can cause persons to become presumptuous, self-righteous, even more stubborn than they previously were. That’s because the same sun that hardens concrete also melts butter.

God’s grace was manifested towards pharaoh, but it did not have the desired effect, because of the king in question. God could have brought the last plague first, and pharaoh would have buckled under a load of pressure, but as grace was manifested, he dug in his heels even more, until he went completely mad.

Thus, the grace of God manifested to him which was intended to save him was not a savor of life unto life simply because of the type of heart it fell upon. And because of this pharaoh turned grace from a pro to a con, by his response.

Therefore, if a person is stubborn, proud, or mean spirited, that in and of itself does not determine the destiny of that person. It’s their response to God’s grace that becomes the deciding factor.

God is not so much concerned with fact that we are sinners; He is more concerned with what persons do with the remedy provided through the grace found in Christ. Pharaoh was not the worst person who’d ever lived on the planet, for if God could reach the people of Nineveh, He could have reached pharaoh.

When we read in the scriptures that God hardened the heart of pharaoh, the correct interpretation of that statement is that God did everything He could do to save pharaoh, but those waves of mercy were relentlessly beaten back time and time again, until it culminated in his demise.

But with Nebuchadnezzar, God’s grace produced the change of heart which God intends, and what took place with the Babylonian king could’ve taken with pharaoh; but the soil of the heart was different and that singular fact affected the outcome.

Thus, there are some fundamentals about the grace of God that should be understood by His servants as persons are preparing to make the final push against the gates of hell, to retrieve the sons, and daughters of God who are still sitting in darkness at this time.

Some of the stereotypes we’ve become accustomed to will be overturned, some of the perspectives we previously held would need to be revisited, and the fresh anointing from God, who desires that all men be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth, is to be adopted.

[1] The grace of God is given to every person, and every inhabitant of earth is a beneficiary of God’s grace, directly and indirectly. Let’s read:

Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.

35 But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him.

[Ms. 52 par 27] The Lord has His representatives in all the churches in the world. These representatives have not had the light of truth presented to them under circumstances that brought convictions to their hearts and minds; therefore, they have not severed their connection with God.

[2] God puts more grace where it is urgently needed and this fact explains in part why some persons who may not be believers, seem to be having less issues and problems than the believer. Let’s read:

Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

Some Christians tend to stumble over the fact that the unbeliever might have things going so smoothly, while the servant of God may be under pressure, or trial, day in and day out. At times this can be quite difficult to swallow, especially if the Christian might be trying their best to live in harmony with God.

But the pros of grace often allow unlikely persons to prosper and do very well, even when to mortal eyes it may seem as if they are living carefree lives. This is not to say that the Christian’s life is inevitably always doom and gloom; it is not, but sometimes, there is a stark disparity that can cause persons to stumble.

This is what took place with David’s chief musician, as he compared his lot in life with those who did not fear God. The pros and cons of grace he just did not understand for as he observed and compared his lot with theirs, there seemed to be an inversion taking place, as far as the dispersion of grace is concerned. Let’s read:

Psalms 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

[3] To the majority of earthlings, one of the cons of grace is that it is free. In other words, the freeness of God’s grace can cause a person to stumble.

The human agent generally prefers to pay for things, for doing so produces feelings of accomplishment, ownership, and achievement. But with grace, all of that is left in the dust at the Cross, where it’s Jesus alone who gets the glory.

Thus, if salvation was a thing that money could buy, millions would have signed on. The freeness of the grace of God can be a very hard pill for human pride to swallow, and because of this fact, concepts such as penances and indulgences will have more curb appeal, than believing in Christ alone.

To many people, the prospect of working, or paying one’s way into heaven is much more attractive than believing. Indeed, if tickets to heaven were being sold by Ticket Master for $100.00 a pop, they would have sold out by now.

And it is because of this why with very many people, God’s grace is rejected. The fact that Jesus died on the cross and did everything free of charge, denies the human agent any credit, and if works would not be considered as a contributing factor to eternal life some persons would have nothing to do with it. Let’s read:

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

It was the freeness of grace that caused Naaman to be fuming at the prophet Elijah, when he was told to go wash in the Jordan seven times. If Elijah had told him to do a thousand pushups, or five hundred crunches, Naaman might have jumped eagerly at the suggestion.

But to go wash in Jordan seven times was way too simple, and free, and since he could not pay for the healing, he went away in a rage. In fact, when we observe the narrative closely, we will discover that Naaman had intended upfront to pay for grace, for in his mind, he doesn’t think that it should be free. The very concept seems to bother him. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.

2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would heal him of his leprosy.

5 And the king of Syria said, Go and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

11 But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

13 And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

The issue of the freeness of God’s grace is not only restricted to healing, because it applies to concepts of salvation which are held by many persons, who believe that some contributing factor on their part is a must in order for eternal life to become a reality. The Biblical teaching that it is a gift from God that is completely free, just does not sound right to some persons.

In fact, some individuals would only accept a hybrid version of salvation, where the goodness of God in Jesus is coupled together with meritorious works on their part, in order for it to seem viable. In other words, to accept salvation as a straight up gift, free and clear, does not sit right with many persons.

This can be verified by the following scriptural cases in which some folks advanced the concept of doing some sort of works or good deeds, so that salvation could be earned. This is not to say that such persons cannot be reached, they can be reached, but we are just unraveling the concept of merit, as it pertains to salvation. Let’s read:

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

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

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

Not long after making that solemn promise, they were found at a block party at the foot of Mt Sinai, complete with calypsonians and other reggae artists who provided the music Israel needed to foster the reveling that soon followed.

Some persons in commenting on the wild scene try to make it seem more conservative than it really is, but the Bible removes all the political correctness and describes a scene of riotous revelry at the foot of the mount.

The people obviously did not understand the pros and cons of grace, for when God said to them “If you will obey my voice” He was not expecting, nor was He intending that they should attempt this sort of heavy lifting on their own.

God’s will was that the people should access His grace to enable them in their efforts to obey, as is the case with every aspect of the Christian life. It is not by might nor by will power, or by determination or even by decision.

One can decide to obey God but without the motive power to do so, obedience will devolve into a bland, joyless experience which only produces the external rites, works, and efforts, without the heart and soul being in the mix. God’s will is that persons will serve Him with joy and gladness, not because they feel an obligation to do so against their will. Let’s read:

Psalms 40: 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

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

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

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

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

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

Here again is the same issue of freeness, as it often pertains to the Pros and Cons of grace, occurring in the experience of the prodigal son, who, after he had spent his father’s goods on girls, gadgets, blings and things, felt that he had to do something to gain favor with his father. He just could not see himself as being a candidate for grace. Let’s read:

Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee.

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

By the way, the prodigal son, and the elder brother suffered from the same problem as Naaman, who had a hard time understanding that God’s grace is free. The elder brother pointed to his faithfulness over the years as the reasons why he was entitled to the father’s favor. Let’s read:

Luke 15: 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

In other words, what the elder brother is saying is that there is an issue of entitlement, based upon his own meritorious works, as opposed to the prodigal son who did not deserve anything, based upon what he had failed to do. The fact is that none of us have ever deserved God’s grace, for it is a free gift, given by God because of His goodness alone.

When a Christian is sick, he or she is not entitled to healing, when financially broken, the Christian is not entitled to a cash bailout from God, and when he is in trouble, he is not entitled to deliverance.

God may choose to do so because of His grace, but to say that a Christian is entitled to these things, just because he or she is doing the right thing, is to put grace in a meritorious format, which the Bible never teaches. Here is the same issue of merit, pertaining to God’s grace, over and over again. Let’s read:

Luke 7: 2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this.

5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

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?

John 6: 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

The issue of the freeness of God’s grace without any meritorious work can be difficult for one to swallow, especially if persons believe that they are wiser than God, because the simplicity of belief is often found to be anathema to their intelligence.

This is one of the reasons why, as Paul studied and observed the Pros and Cons of God’s grace, he was inspired to pen the following words. Let’s read:

1st Corinthian 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

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

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

The laymen in our day, who are being prepared for the latter rain must seek to understand thoroughly the pros and cons of grace, as well as the freeness of the gospel, for as we have stated before, God is scheduled to go off script, in His bid to save to the uttermost, those of His people who are still sitting in Sunday churches.

Many of God’s people who currently attend church on Sunday, do not have the light and knowledge we have at our disposal, and therefore, based upon the freeness of the gospel there are things that may not be required of them that might be required in those who know better.

At the very forefront of our understanding of God’s grace is the fact that it is never based on merit, and thus, there are certain aspects of Adventism which should not be forced upon the invisible remnant, if and when God so directs.

For instance, even though diets and foods are used as an opening wedge to reach individuals, we must remember that eating vegetables is not the gospel.

The health message is described as the right arm of the gospel but it is not the gospel, and therefore, an understanding of the freeness of God’s grace should drive laymen in our day to preach present truth in a manner that will put the real issues at the front, and center of their efforts.

In Revelation 14, the focus of the everlasting gospel is worship, it’s not diets and foods, and thus, even if some were to use the opening wedge of the health message to perk a person’s interest, vegetables and exercise should not be permitted to overshadow the real issue on the front burner, for God is able to save to the uttermost, His people in protestant churches who are still eating meat.

The grace of God and the gift of eternal life are free, and therefore, the Christian does not score salvific points by eating either veggies or meat, as far as our salvation goes.

Now, it is true that there are definite benefits to be experienced in real time by appropriating the health message to oneself, and we are bidden to teach the people how to live healthy lives. But as far as being meritorious, veggies are an absolute non-starter.

Stereotypes, and formatted ways of doing things we have become accustomed over the years will have to be revisited, for vegetarians are not more worthy than meat-eaters. In fact, neither of them is worthy to begin with, for it is the freeness of God’s grace which brings salvation to all men.

For example, under the outpouring of the latter rain if a Sunday keeper were to accept the Sabbath, but may not fully grasp the health message, they’re not to be coerced into doing so, because the issue that will be at stake is the keeping of all God’s commands including the fourth, not diets and foods.

Therefore, if against all odds, such persons were to accept the Sabbath truth, at a time when it will be quite perilous to do so, the laymen should not insist on vegetables, as a must. The grace of God is able to cover those gray areas that may not be understood by our Sunday keeping brethren. Let’s read:

[LTMS LT 2 1899 Par 50] As the right arm is to the body, so is the reformatory health missionary work to the third angel’s message. But the right arm is not to become the whole body.

As was stated before on several occasions, God will be doing some very strange things, using ways and means that we may not be accustomed to, the same way that He introduced Peter and his fellows to the freeness of God’s grace, without the shackles of the rite of circumcision.

Therefore, our minds must now be trained to follow where God leads the way, even if it is a path that we are not accustomed to. The servant of The Lord, in her commentary upon the Latter Rain, describes to us the unorthodox ways and means that God would employ in finishing up the work of salvation. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 206] The Spirit is poured out upon all who will yield to its promptings and, casting off all man's machinery, his binding rules and cautious methods, they will declare the truth with the might of the Spirit's power. When divine power is combined with human effort, the work will spread like fire in the stubble. God will employ agencies whose origin man will be unable to discern.

[Last Day Events pp 195] We may be sure that when the Holy Spirit is poured out, those who did not receive and appreciate the early rain will not see or understand the value of the latter rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.

[Last Day Events pp 209] There is to be in the [Seventh-day Adventist] churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of the heart by confession and repentance.

In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. Because the Lord does not work according to their ideas and expectations, they will oppose the work. “Why,” they say, “should we not know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?”

 The third angel's message won’t be comprehended, the light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light, by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory.

Therefore, in all of our preaching and teaching, let’s never lose sight of the fact that God’s grace is free, and that the Pros and Cons of His grace will produce results that we may not expect. Most of all, let us be willing to be led by His Spirit, not restricting Him to those formats and orthodox ways and means we’ve become accustomed to over the years.

In harmony with this purpose, we will end with a passage of Scripture, which reminds us that we are to be tethered to The Living word, because it is the Person of the book we are following. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

                                    God Bless!