Can God's Prophets Make Mistakes. Sabbath afternoon 05/24/2025

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

Whenever we come to the study of God’s word, we should do so with a humble and teachable spirit, for the attitude folks come with determines to a large, whether or not they will leave the study edified or more confused.

God is a Spirit, and therefore the state of the mind plays a critical role in whether the truths of the bible will be understood, or whether they will fly over our heads.

For instance, if folks were to approach God’s word with an intention to believe and obey the Holy Spirit will unlock their minds so that they might be enabled to receive and understand truth. Let’s read:

Luke 24: 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

The converse is also true, for if one comes to the study of God’s word, with preconceived ideas, not willing to be instructed or corrected as warranted, then the word becomes blurry, and very difficult to grasp.

And that is because some might attempt to instruct God, instead of The Lord instructing them. This took place when the scribes and pharisees of Christ’s day made it their duty to search for errors, mistakes and faults.

The attitude they came with effectually prevented them from learning truth, and they often left more confused than when they first came. Thus, basically in a nutshell, you will get whatsoever you’re looking for. Let’s read:

John 10: 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, how long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

In the gospel of John, Christ takes the matter even further, for he declares that they cannot understand because of the attitude they came with. The study, and understanding of the Scriptures is not so much dependent on mental acuity and skill in languages, it has much more to do with the soil of the heart on which the truth falls. Let’s read:

John 8: 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Again, if you come looking for mistakes, you will find a whole heap, but if persons were to come, seeking for the truth, with a humble, teachable spirit, they will also find a whole heap. It all has to do with what you’re looking for. Let’s read:

[PH 117 par 51] If you refuse to believe until every shadow of uncertainty, and every possibility of doubt is removed, you will never believe. The doubt that demands perfect knowledge, will never yield to faith. Faith rests upon evidence, not demonstration.

In our first passage God encourages and instructs us to believe His prophets, for an ordained prophet is the mouthpiece for God. Furthermore, prosperity, and one being established firmly in Christ is directly dependent, and related to a person’s belief in the prophets.

Thus, as we approach the topic for today: Can God’s Prophets Make Mistakes, it must be with a believing heart, and mind. Several erroneous concepts and a plethora of divergent views have been coming into our ranks and God warns us that they are scheduled to ramp up significantly as we approach the end of days.

Even though God-ordained prophets speak on God’s behalf, they are finite, and therefore they might not be 100% correct every single time without fail. Even those prophets who were fully loaded with The Holy Spirit in some instances made mistakes, and in some cases, they did not fully understand what they were prophesying.

That does not make them inauthentic, for if we go that route, we will end up throwing the proverbial baby out, with the bath water. Light, and truth are progressive, and in some instances, it takes time for the prophet to hear, and understand the voice of God clearly.

In some instances, the rays of light once shed upon the prophet’s mind in years gone by are superseded by additional truth, so yes, the prophets of God can in rare instances, can say or write things which may seem to be a mistake from the finite perspective.

For instance, Paul writes that bodily exercise profits little, but Ellen G. White is inspired by the same God of heaven, many centuries later to inform folks that physical exercise is a huge deal, and it is critically important, not only for good health, and longevity, but also for staving off many diseases and ailments which now afflict the human family. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 4: 8 For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Young Timothy, at this time, was a minister of the gospel, and the instruction of Paul to him was given in accordance with the light and knowledge shed on Paul’s mind at the time. Let us fast forward several centuries later, and the same Holy Ghost grants us additional light on the same subject. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol, 3 pp 211] Ministers should not neglect physical exercise. The poor health of some of our ministers is because of their neglect of physical exercise in useful labor.

[LTMS 25 LT 92 1910 par, 10] Ministers make a mistake in taking so little physical exercise and in remaining so much indoors in heated and often ill-ventilated rooms.

Their time is largely given to study and to writing, when physical exercise is a positive duty. By using their physical powers, they would benefit the powers of the mind. They should exercise brain, bone, and muscle equally.

So, the question is: Did Paul make a mistake when he said bodily exercise profits little? Be very careful how you answer for the fact that truth is progressive in nature, must at all times inform our perspectives.

Here it is again, another example of a prophet who is highly regarded and revered by the people. He is speaking on behalf of God, but as it is in very rare instances, he also makes a mistake, and because he is in the school of Christ, he is humble enough to be corrected. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16: 4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

5 And he said, peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord sees not as man sees for man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart.

Again, not because God is using frail finite persons does it mean to say that we should point fingers at them if they were to make a mistake as though they are perfect.

The only Person who has never made a mistake is God, and therefore, we must be willing and humble enough to keep on believing His prophets, even if there might be a blip here and there in the writings.

Here it is again, an ordained prophet of God is sent by God to tell the people of Nineveh that they have forty days remaining before their entire city would be destroyed.

And even though some might argue that it was one of those conditional prophecies, there is only one problem, Jonah does not inform them that it is a conditional prophecy.

Jonah is not bidden to deliver the message with any caveats, because the prophecy was as distinct, and pointed as you can get. Furthermore, according to what is written, Jonah did not even give instruction on what the inhabitants thereof should do to avert the impending doom. Let’s read:

Jonah 2:1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

As was stated before, sometimes the God ordained prophet may not even fully understand the message he is given to declare, but the mere fact that he/ she is sent by God should be enough for folks to humble themselves, and bow to God’s sovereignty.

To put it plainly, it isn’t always absolutely necessary for the God ordained prophet in question to know the meaning, or understand what they are saying. In some instances, the interpretation is scheduled for later generations. Let’s read:

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

8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

9 And he said, go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the  trees: therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

[The Desire of Ages pp 215>216] Like the Savior's disciples, John the Baptist did not understand the nature of Christ's kingdom. He expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and as time passed, and the Savior made no claim to kingly authority, John became perplexed and troubled.

Like the prophet Elijah, in whose spirit and power he had come to Israel, he looked for the Lord to reveal Himself as a God that answers by fire. But Jesus seemed to content Himself with gathering disciples about Him, and healing and teaching the people.

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?

We have covered several issues pertaining to God- ordained prophets, and we should take the time to outline them clearly, before we go into the Bible study. Here they are:

[1] Prophets can in rare instances make mistakes for they are finite.

[2] Prophets do not always understand the message God give to them.

[3] Sometimes, the message given is applicable only to future generations, and therefore the meaning or the interpretation may be made clear, in the fulness of time, as God sees fit.

[4] In some instances, the light given to a prophet may be superseded by new or additional light as the case might be.

This last point is where we will segway into the core of the study, for there are questions swirling around the issue of how many persons will be alive to pass through the time of trouble, who will not see death, and who will be translated to heaven.

Bible studies should never be done just for purposes of argument, but should have as their sole intent, to edify, build up, instruct, make plain, and most of all, to prepare the saints of God to manage expectation prudently.

As was stated before in a previous Bible study, God will put many of His people to sleep for a moment, just before earth’s final crisis unfolds in its entirety. The reason for this is that the time will be so brutal that if some were permitted to live, they would not make it through the ordeal.

The severity of that time must be understood in the context of the preemptive action God will take, lest millions of His people be lost. Daniel refers to it as a time of trouble since there was a nation.

Jeremiah describes it as the time of Jacob’s trouble, in which he equates it with a man giving birth to a child. And the servant of The Lord goes even further and declares that the dangers, and turmoil of that time cannot be exaggerated. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 30: 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.

[The Great Controversy pp 622] It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal.

Thus, when we read in Revelation chapter 14, the words: “Blessed are the dead which die in The Lord from henceforth”, we are to understand that God is letting us know that He will be putting most of His people to sleep, in order to save them from the very gruesome ordeals that are to follow.

In Revelation chapter 7 the prophet is shown twelve thousand people from each tribe who are sealed in their foreheads. This does not mean that the dead who die in Christ, “From henceforth” are not sealed.

In fact, all who will ever be saved in God’s kingdom must be sealed, before they can enter. Therefore, we are not to conclude that only the 144,000 would be sealed. The Scripture is very clear on this point. Let’s read:

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

13 In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4: 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

2nd Corinthians 1: 21 Now he which establishes us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;

22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

It becomes clear that being sealed does not prevent a Christian from dying. It just certifies that he or she belongs to God. Therefore, the 144,000 who will be sealed, are not the only ones who will be saved in God’s kingdom in the last days of earth’s history. In fact, there are many millions who will be saved.

One of the sticking points on the subject has to do with where John saw the two groups of saints, for in one instance he sees the 144,000 just before the close of probation, and then he sees a multitude which no man could number, standing on the sea of glass, together with the 144,000.

The two groups are depicted as being in different places in the vision given to John, and furthermore, there is nothing in the vision that suggests that the 144,000 is a figurative number. Let’s read:

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Question: What is the prophet John referring to as the four winds of the earth?

 [The Great Controversy pp 439] Winds are a symbol of strife.

[Last day Events pp 239] Angels are now restraining the winds of strife that they may not blow until the world shall be warned of its coming doom, but a storm is gathering, ready to burst upon the earth, and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture.

Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.

Therefore, the 144,000 are depicted as coming into view, just before the time of trouble. John also says that he heard a specific number, not a figurative one and the characteristics of history also bear witness to the fact. Let’s read:

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

When Christ was upon the earth, there was always an inner circle of disciples, who by no coincidence numbered twelve. And there were other disciples, a great multitude who were also baptized and sealed, but the inner circle of twelve were distinct from the rest.

This was made clear on the day of Pentecost when the inner circle of disciples sought guidance from God to replace Judas who fell in transgression. Thus, there were the twelve, and also a great multitude of other disciples. Let’s read:

Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

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.

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

1st Corinthians 15: 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

[The Desire of Ages pp 293] While Jesus was preparing the disciples for their ordination, one who had not been summoned urged his presence among them. It was Judas Iscariot, a man who professed to be a follower of Christ. He now came forward, soliciting a place in this inner circle of disciples.

Therefore, when the narrative in Revelation chapter 7 is studied closely, you will see that John also saw a great multitude, but two important points should be observed: [1] He sees them on the sea of glass, not in the context of the four winds. [2] He makes clear distinctions between the two groups. Let’s read:

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

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.

When John says that they were redeemed from the earth he is referring to the 144,000 who, translated to heaven without seeing death, now stand upon the sea of glass.

On this point there is great need of clarity, for there are many other saints who will be resurrected, just before Jesus comes, and who would be alive on the earth to witness His coming in person.

But the main difference is that they will have passed through the portals of the tomb previously. Daniel alludes to this fact when he speaks of the many that sleep in the dust of the earth. 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.

[The Faith I Live By pp 182, par 1] And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame, and everlasting contempt. It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people.

In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying, “It is done.”

That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, “such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.”

The whole earth heaves and swells like the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up. 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.”

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. Those who had died in faith under the third angel's message, keeping the Sabbath, came forth from their dusty beds.

Again, there is nothing in the Bible, neither in the characteristics of history to suggest that the 144,000 is a figurative number. John saw two distinct groups, one, in which he heard the specific number, and the other group which could not be counted.

Furthermore, our first passage instructs persons to believe His prophets, for even though there may be various schools of thought on the issue, the servant of God makes it plain, so that we could understand. Let’s read:

[Life Sketches pp 65, Par 1] Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[WLF pp 14, Par 2] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[Test 1 pp 59, Par 1] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[LSMS 83, Par 1] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake. When God spoke the time, He poured upon us the Holy Spirit, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God, as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai.

[EW pp 14 Par 1] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[R.H July 21, Par 2] The living saints, 144,000, in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[Maranatha pp 287, Par 4] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

The Israel of God stand listening, with their eyes fixed upward. Their countenances are lighted up with His glory, and shine as did the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai.

The wicked cannot look upon them. And when the blessing is pronounced on those who have honored God by keeping His Sabbath holy, there is a mighty shout of victory.

[Our Father Cares pp 369, Par 4] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[C.E.T pp 58, Par 1] Soon we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[L.D. E pp 272, Par 2] Soon we heard the voice of God [The voice of God is heard repeatedly during the period immediately preceding Christ's return. The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[1 L.M.S pp 101, Par 6] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

[C.C. pp 33, Par 1] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.

And there are other references in her writings. Not one of them ever speak of the 144,000 as being a figurative number, no not one. Question: Why is it important for us to understand that there are two distinct groups?

Answer: It’s important, because if we don’t, we will be expecting God to deliver all His people at a time when deliverance may not be forthcoming for everyone, and that could severely shake a person’s faith.

That passage in Revelation 14 which says “Blessed are the dead who die in The Lord, from henceforth” is telling us that we should be prepared and expect to be put to sleep, before all hell breaks loose.

It is critically important for all the Remnant people of God to manage our expectations prudently. It is not written in the Bible how the putting to sleep is going to take place, but one thing we know, that it is the majority who have kept the Sabbath up until the time, when the third angel’s message is given.

Let us therefore live in readiness, for we know not when the time is, but final movements will be rapid ones, and it is quite possible that we may see these things come to pass sooner rather than later.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that should cheer us on our way. While we look forward with expectancy, let us live soberly and righteously in this generation, for whether we live or die, we are The Lord’s. Let’s read:

Romans 13: 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

                                 God Bless!

Prayer Versus Impulse. Sabbath afternoon 05/17/2025

           Prayer Versus Impulse

                            Sabbath afternoon

                                 05/17/2025

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

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

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Acting on impulse drives a person to make decisions and take actions on the spur of the moment without thinking and praying things through properly. There is often a temptation at hand, goading you to say or do things right now, or else.

It is a safe assumption to make that devils are most successful in tripping up the Christian on the issue of impulse, more than any other temptation. In very many cases, you might not see temptations coming, so, when they burst upon you suddenly, there is the strong tendency to react impulsively.

It takes time for your first reaction to any situation to be Christlike every time, and therefore, we must be girded with the presence and power of The Holy Ghost preemptively, to avoid making grave errors in judgement, when we’re blindsided out of the blue.

Prayer on the other hand, slows you down, and thus causes you to consider and reconsider very carefully before making your move.

When the Christian takes things to God in prayer, it gives him time to hear God’s will in the matter, or it will allow time for the providences of God to direct in this or that situation.

Sometimes the Christian might be seeking guidance in a particular situation, or emergency, but in the heat of the moment, he may not readily recall what the Bible says on the issue, if applicable.

Therefore, stopping for a while to check in with God before moving forward in this or that decision, may allow enough time for The Lord to bring the passage to memory so that you can avoid any potential error that may be regretted later on.

Satan understands these two modes of thought and action, and therefore, he goes to work to lay snares for the feet of those who are driven primarily by the impulse of the moment, or who are habitually hasty in their decisions.

Very many Christians are ensnared with his devices, and as we get closer to prime time, persons will be driven almost to insanity in their decision-making processes.

Therefore, because practice makes perfect, it would become necessary for Christians to form the habit of checking in with God first, until that format will become second nature.

Too often persons find themselves checking in with God in retrospect, after the damage has been done, whereas if folks had prayed up front, with a humble patient spirit, we might have avoided a catastrophe. There’s a valid reason why the following passage is written in the Bible.

There is something called impulse buying where the Christian makes purchases on things he/ she never catered for. It was not on the grocery list, nor was it originally in your mind to get such and such and you never made allowance for the purchase.

But because it was on sale at the time, the decision was made in the heat of the moment, sometimes with buyer’s remorse following closely on the heels of the purchase.

Do not take our word for it, when you go home this evening, check out your wardrobe or closet, and see how many shoes, and dresses, and suits that were bought, which are hardly, if ever used.

Or if that does not work, check your garage and see how many tools and gizmos you bought in the heat of the moment, and in some cases, you forgot that the items were purchased previously, so that folks ended up buying the same thing two or three times as the case may be.

Sometimes it is the way something smells so good at the bakery, or looked so good on the store shelf, that causes a person to make the purchase without thinking things through.

Men in particular have to be very careful with the issue of impulse, when it comes to women, for you can be swayed this way or that by sudden external beauty, if the mind is not stayed on God at all times.

David fell on impulse and Solomon followed David’s lead, as various beautiful women would be seen on the spur of the moment, and then, without thinking through the ramifications properly, the decision was made right there and then, to bring them home to live.

But Solomon soon learned the hard way that if you want to treat a woman right, it will cost money, in most instances. Thus, the impulsive decision making continued, until the king ended up with about 1000 women.

And because every action breeds a reaction, he now found himself having to raise taxes across the board, on the backs of the citizenry to pay his child support or alimony as a result. It all boils down to impulse versus prayer. Let’s read:

[Prophets & Kings pp 55>56] Tax after tax was levied upon the people, that means might be forthcoming to support the luxurious court. The people began to complain. The respect and admiration they had once cherished for their king was changed into disaffection and abhorrence.

Satan also uses bad news and good news to drive persons into panic mode, whereas if they had let cooler heads prevail through prayer, such hurried decisions might never have been made.

Especially is this the case with bad news which can impact you adversely. In such situations, there often comes upon persons an urgency to do this or that or else, and in the heat of the moment, decisions and actions are taken, often with great regret.

After the time in November of last year, when many persons were greatly disappointed, some became disillusioned with the way things are going, and in the heat of the moment, some decided to uproot from America and head to other countries where they think things would be more favorable.

But there’s something such as one jumping from the frying pan into the fire, especially if your decision is made without earnest prayer. In fact, some persons might have been doing quite well in the frying pan, but now, who knows what their impulsive decisions may lead to.

This particular ploy of using impulse is also used by many stores and dealerships, when they say “Hurry before the sale ends, or the sale ends at midnight.

At other times they might say that this item is the last one they have, and even though that might be true, the fact is that pressure is brought to bear on the person in question to act immediately, without properly thinking things through.

After the steep tariffs were announced, some folks rushed into the dealerships to make their purchases before sticker shock set in. Others became tarrified, as they mulled the prospect of having to pay more for goods and groceries.

But in retrospect, one will have to question whether or not impulse played a leading role in the purchase or whether the issues were taken to God in prayer for due consideration.

The devil is most successful when there is nothing wrong with the item or the issue in question, per se. He might suggest that the dress or suit can be used for church and indeed it may be.

But the question is: Would this purchase be driven strictly by impulse, or would the Christian check in with God first, or at least hit the pause button for a while, just to think things through.

The Christian will also have to confront what we describe as good temptations, to do things or to take actions on the spur of the moment without prayer.

When the Scriptures teach us to acknowledge God in all our ways, the Christian will be checking in with God constantly, throughout the day, so that his/ her decisions could be guided with God’s wisdom, and discretion.

In some instances, God may speak through His word while in other instances He may use His providential working to direct you as to what course of action to pursue in this or that situation.

But if we have cultivated the disposition to be in a hurry, we will make ourselves vulnerable to attacks which under different circumstances would not have fazed us.

That is what Jesus was trying to communicate to His disciples, and especially to Peter, who on very many occasions, manifested an impulsive character. Satan is a careful observer, and he saw in Peter tendencies that would enable him to trip him up, when given the right circumstances. Let’s read:

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when you art converted, strengthen your brethren.

What God is looking for is the disposition, and the habit of the Christian to seek His face in all things. When this is the case across the board, God might help you, even if in one instance you forgot to pray.

The following are just a few examples of what we’re speaking, as a pattern of impulsive behaviors are manifested in Peter. Some of them result in good but others, not so much.

[1] Impulse when dealing with fear and uncertainty, as it is currently. The uncertainty in the atmosphere is causing some persons to go into full blown panic mode, for they know not what move to make, nor when to make it. Thus, like Peter, they can become prime targets for impulse. Let’s read:

Matthew 14: 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the

sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

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

28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  

29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go  to Jesus.

[2] Impulse in cases where one is beside themselves with joy, excitement, or unexpected surprise. Some persons will speak, even when they know not what to say, but will utter things on impulse driven by the heat of the moment Let’s read:

Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart,

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Luke 9: 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

[3] Impulsive actions and words drive by remorse or bad feelings. Sometimes, when one feels the sting of conscience in some particular situation, they may say or do things that are not in harmony with God’s will.

Some question whether or not devils can read your mind. They cannot, but they are careful observers. Therefore, they do spend a tremendous amount of time studying your pattern of behavior to arrive at correct conclusions as to what you will most likely do in a given situation.

Thus, in all of the examples given on Peter, some of them good, some not so good and some in between we will see the one characteristic surfacing over and over again, that of impulsiveness.

Thus, if indeed a person is impulsive by nature, and Christ is not yet formed within, or the person is not in the habit of checking in with God through prayer, it’s just a matter of time before the old devil will trip you up. Let’s read:

John 13:4 He rises from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he pours water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with  the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

A backdrop to Peter’s statement is here needed, for he uttered those words impulsively because of deep remorse. In other words, he was feeling very badly on account of them having to let Jesus do what they should have done. So yes, he was feeling very bad. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 644] At a feast it was customary for a servant to wash the feet of the guests, and on this occasion, preparation had been made for the service. The pitcher, the basin, and the towel were there, in readiness for the feet washing.

But no servant was present, and it was the disciples’ part to perform it. But each of the disciples, yielding to wounded pride, determined not to act the part of a servant. All manifested a stoical unconcern, seeming unconscious that there was anything for them to do.

By their silence they refused to humble themselves. The disciples made no move toward serving one another. Jesus waited for a time to see what they would do. Then He, the divine Teacher, rose from the table.

Laying aside the outer garment that would have impeded His movements, He took a towel, and He girded Himself. With surprised interest the disciples looked on, and in silence waited to see what was to follow.

“After that He poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.” This action opened the eyes of the disciples. Bitter shame and humiliation filled their hearts. They understood the unspoken rebuke, and saw themselves in altogether a new light.

Here it is again, where that same characteristic of impulsiveness causes Peter to answer impatiently in a situation where he became quite irritated by the question asked.

If he had stopped to think about the nature of the question, and if he had even briefly checked in with God, he could have been spared another snare of devils.

But our characteristics run as a common cord across the entire spectrum of our everyday experiences, so if we are given to impulse instead of prayer, it really does not matter whether your reaction is good, bad or indifferent for it would inevitably have impulse as the main driver of all that is said or done. Let’s read:

Matthew 17: 24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Does not your master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.

27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when you have opened his mouth you shalt find a piece of money: that take and give unto them for me and you.

Therefore, because Jesus observed it was impulse versus prayer with Peter, He encouraged him to pray and Jesus warned him that the habit of not checking in with God will make him a prime target for sudden temptations that come out of the blue without prior notice. Let’s read:

Luke 22: 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.

34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Matthew 26: 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

33 Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

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

The days in which we are living are such that we will have to be constantly checking in with God through prayer, not only so that God will guide us, but also that he will strengthen us to face trial without folks resorting to impulse.

The characteristic of humility, by which we take time to pray to The Lord for guidance and direction in all situations would translate into a habit of checking in with God constantly. It takes time and a whole lot of practice to wait upon God, as our modus operandi.

But this is exactly what is needed as folks head into choppy, unchartered waters. Last week we got some very bad news, for out of the blue, the finger of God began writing on the wall, much to the chagrin and dismay of those who know what’s coming.

Therefore, now more than ever before, Christians in the remnant church should be asking The Lord to search our souls, to see if there’s the same tendency of impulse versus prayer, that was found in Peter.

It is a very solemn statement we make, that it is not business as usual, for many will have to regroup and rethink and re-pray their plans for the future. Those strategies that we had previously set in stone in our minds, may not cut it now, for disturbing things are happening daily in the shadows.

The following statement gives pause for concern, and should drive us to the throne of grace through prayer, so that God might direct our every step at such a time as this. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 588] The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of Spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power.  And under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.

Thus, the remnant people will be tempted to make impulsive decisions and take actions based upon the bad news of the day, especially if such specific news lines up with eschatological prophecies in the Bible.

Thus, to stave off what could potentially be a mass exodus to the woods, prematurely, Christ has given us a specific sign to look for, and when it occurs, it will be the final signal to flee. God will guide some persons and families to make their move, before the sign occurs. That’s true.

But the sign given would mark a distinctive turning point in the history of the world and therefore when it happens there will be no turning back whatsoever to those persons who have studied and believed the prophetic utterances in the Bible. Here is the sign. Let’s read:

Matthew 24: 5 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand:)

16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house.

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day.

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

[The Great Controversy pp 30] Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem. Christ had given his disciples warning, and all who believed his words watched for the promised sign.

After the Romans under Cestius had surrounded the city, they unexpectedly abandoned the siege when everything seemed favorable for an immediate attack.

The besieged, despairing of successful resistance, were on the point of surrender, when the Roman general withdrew his forces, without the least apparent reason. But God's merciful providence was directing events for the good of his own people.

The promised sign had been given to the waiting Christians, and now an opportunity was afforded for all who would to obey the Savior's warning. Events were so overruled that neither Jews nor Romans should hinder the flight of the Christians.

The stated sign has not yet occurred in our day, but we are getting dangerously close. Thus, rather than go into full blown panic mode, and make decisions, and take actions on impulse alone, God is calling His people to pray like never before, so that the habit of checking in with God would come to maturity.

Be very careful of making decisions in the heat of the moment, and be wary of conspiracy theories that will arise from time to time to throw folks off kilt, lest the ghost of David Koresh haunt those who may not be rooted and grounded in Christ. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that should help us to pray, instead of moving strictly by impulse, for now more than ever, people need The Lord, as the song says. Let’s read:

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

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

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusts in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

Blessed Are They That Mourn. Sabbath afternoon 05/10/2025

  Matthew 5: 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Ever since the fall of Adam, all generations have had to confront the issue of our mortality. The fact that we are finite is something all persons have to come to grips with, because mortality deeply affects the various perspectives on life that are held worldwide.

Sooner or later, everyone will have to face up to this fact, and what we do as a result will make all of the difference in the here and now, and for eternity. We can exercise until thy kingdom come, and we could eat every vegetable we can think of, but inevitably, we must deal with this issue of mortality.

Let it be said here that the blessed hope given to us in Christ is what makes all the difference in life, as it opens up the possibility of eternal life to all who will believe. It is this blessed hope that makes life worth the living.

There are individuals who’ve made very important contributions to this world, in advancements and in inventions, technologies and medicines, which have greatly helped the human family, but without this blessed hope, all the good that is done will fade into oblivion at the end of the day.

This past week the financial Guru Warren Buffet saw fit to pass the baton to one who is younger, even as it is known that he made considerable contributions to the investment world. Over the many years of his investing, he has made many millionaires but, as the fact of his own mortality comes into view, he found himself having to reckon with the ultimate.

This is what Jesus was trying to get the folks in His day to consider, for life seemed to be one big rush to survive and provide for the here and now. While it is true that we all have to work and pay bills, this is not the greatest, or most important issue on the menu.

The salvation of all souls, including our own, and the building up of God’s kingdom is what constitutes the greatest achievements one could strive for, because this is what would last for eternity as Christ stated in His discourse with the people back then, and as He is now calling our attention to. Let’s read:

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

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

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

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

In our first passage, Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who mourn, and He promises comfort for the bereaved multitudes of earth. The Lord empathizes with suffering humanity, being a firsthand witness, and participator in the sadness, and loss of life that has become a part of the human experience.

Hence the reason why God has placed in His word, many promises of assurance, and of a better world to come that are to cheer our hearts on our pilgrim journey to Christ’s kingdom. In other words, a better day is coming, and every mourner is encouraged to allow the promises of God to instruct our views on the issue of mortality.

However, comfort, in and of itself does not make the future brighter. It is the blessed hope that puts the sadness of life into the correct perspective, and from this we derive the hope of the better world to come.

Hence the reason why Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave, to certify to all humanity that God has power to resurrect and to impart life, to all who believe. As Mary and Martha mourned the loss of Lazarus, the issue of mortality again came into view.

The narrative is written, both to comfort our hearts and to inform our perspectives, so that even though we must confront our own mortality at some point in time, at least we would have the assurance that The Lord will raise to life, all those who trust in Him.

As we read, there will be some highlights that would brighten our pathway, and would greatly help in the process of recovery after the loss of your friends or family. Let’s read:

John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Persons who are closely associated with Christ can, and do get sick at times. Persons who work for the building up of God’s kingdom can fall ill, for its just a part of our humanity. Diligence, and faithfulness in doing God’s work does not necessarily prevent all sickness, for even Ellen White fell sick on numerous occasionIn fact, she lost two of her own children, and later lost her husband while doing God’s work, so when we read in the narrative of Lazurus, that a certain man was sick, the words identify with experiences we are all familiar with.

This leads us to another important point we should always remember, that whenever the Christian falls sick, the default setting should be prayer. In times of illness, we are to turn to God who knows best, and we can trust Him, that He will do or permit only that which is best in the given situation. Let’s read:

John 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

Prayer that is made to The Lord for healing does not always result in healing. Sometimes it does, and at other times it doesn’t. It all depends on The Lord’s will, and His ability to accurately read the future.

Very often God might see something coming down the road, that mortals cannot see, and therefore, He may employ His foreknowledge preemptively in His answers to our prayers.

This is what took place when God told Hezekiah the king to put his house in order. In that circumstance God looked into the future, and He saw two very disturbing things that would take place.

[1] That the king would make a significant mistake in judgement and [2] That the most wicked king to rule Israel would be born to Hezekiah. Therefore, in His wisdom, and mercy, God informed the king that it was time to go. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him Thus, saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Then, as we often do, Hezekiah began to pray like he never did before, because the human spirit naturally recoils from the prospect of passing. Thus, Hezekiah prayed to God for healing, and in this instance, God answered the king’s prayer, as per his desire.

But the results would be placed on record, so that the living who will come after would know that God always does that which is in the best interest of His people. In the heat of the moment, it may not seem to us mortals as the preferred outcome, but with God, it is always the best thing to do.

Lamentations 3: 32 But though He causes grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.

33 For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.

The Lord then extended Hezkiah’s life by fifteen long years, but the records show that the time when God had bidden the king to put his house in order, was indeed the best time for him to pass on. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 20: 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying,

3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.

6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.

Not long after, an embassage from Babylon was sent to find out why the shadow in the sun dial of Ahaz suddenly defied all logic and science to go back ten degrees.

In today’s environment it would be the equivalent of all clocks and time pieces suddenly reversing back about an hour or so. That would immediately cause great consternation and fear among the nations, as everything we depend on for time is thrown out of whack.

An occurrence of that magnitude would certainly rattle Wall Street, and the stock markets. It would disturb and throw off those GPS gizmos we’ve come to depend upon, and it could potentially interfere with your Tesla and other electric vehicles which depend on accurate time as an indispensable part of their operation.

Yet, Hezekiah missed this golden opportunity to set before the men of Babylon, the glory of the God of heaven, and instead, did what you and I must never do, to expose the material wealth God has blessed us with to unconverted strangers. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 20:12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment and all the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah shewed them not.

14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, what said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, they are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

15 And he said, what have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the Lord.

17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.

21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

In the case of Paul, prayer was offered three times, petitioning The Lord to remove a thorn in the flesh, some sort of physical issue that was bothering Paul, but it was not in the apostle’s best eternal interest, for him to be healed.

This is something the Christian should be reconciled to, for if The Lord does not heal or restore, it does not mean that your prayers were not answered. It means that God did what was best in the particular given situation.

This leads us to another very important point in the narrative for the passing of a Christian is not the end of the story. Like all who have believed in God, from Adam down to the last saint, those who have had a relationship with Christ will be raised again.

This is one of the reasons why Jesus says blessed are they that mourn, for those who grieve in Christ have the assurance that one day soon death will give way to eternal life, and mourning and sadness would be things of the past. Let’s read:

John 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, your brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

1st Thessalonians 4: 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

[The Desire of Ages pp 804] The resurrection of Jesus was a type of the final resurrection of all who sleep in Him. The countenance of the risen Savior, His manner, His speech, were all familiar to His disciples.

 They may have been deformed, diseased, disfigured in this mortal life and they rise in perfect health and symmetry; yet, in the glorified body their identity will be perfectly preserved.

This leads us to the core of our study, because the you and me in the here and now would also have to confront our own mortality someday. Some will be sooner, and some will be later, but the way things are going, it will be something that must be given due consideration.

Confronting our own mortality.  

There is a single passage, written in the Scriptures which we hesitated to present previously, but now, will have to unpack, especially since the storms are gathering on the horizon. To put it plainly, Christ’s 2nd coming may be much closer than many persons would prefer to believe.

In the book of Revelation, after the preaching of the third angel’s message, something is written, which is of critical importance for us to understand, and be reconciled to.

In Revelation chapter 13, the mark of the beast has been instituted and the teeming multitudes of earth have been fully alerted to the high stakes involved in taking or refusing the false form of worship. Then, a final message is given warning anyone against taking the mark. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worships 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; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.

[The Great Controversy pp 627] The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which he bears long, and which he will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.

[The Great controversy pp 628] All of the judgments upon men prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy.  The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final Judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.

Then, after the third angel’s message has been sent, and delivered the following passage is written. Thus, as we read, there will be one and only one question to be answered. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.

Question: When does “Henceforth” begin? 

The answer is to be found by carefully studying the context in which the passage is written, because it comes right after the final close of the three angel’s messages, especially the third which locks down the teeming multitudes in their decisions for eternity.

The statement, taken together with other passages in the scripture, and several quotes coming from the servant of The Lord, point to a time when, because of the dangers posed by the institution of the mark of the beast, it will become necessary for The Lord to put many of His people to sleep briefly. We read:

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

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

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

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

The time of trouble such as never was will be a time unlike any other in the history of the world, and it is a fact that many persons in the Remnant church will not be able to withstand or survive the turmoil, and the bloodshed that will be overspreading the earth.

Therefore, rather than lose millions of His people during that awful time, The Great and merciful God will put many of His people to sleep, just for a brief moment, so that they can be saved in His kingdom. This is one of the reasons why we must confront the fact of our own mortality. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 637] 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 agonies, 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.

The above statement no doubt refers to the special resurrection, in which the Bible clearly states that some of the righteous, and certain wicked persons would be earmarked to be raised to life, prior to the general resurrection of the righteous, where all the dead in Christ will come forth from their dusty beds. 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.

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Matthew 26:63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

64 Jesus saith unto him, thou hast said: never-the-less I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

All who are raised in the special resurrection would see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven, with all of the glorious and destructive scenes that will attend His coming. Thus, the word “Henceforth” refers to a time, when God will lay many of His people to rest.

Therefore, it is with the understanding that we must now read the following statements, for they would shed great light on our perspectives, when praying for the sick. God who knows the end from the beginning, and Who always does what is best should be trusted in every prayer, so that His good, and perfect will may be done. Yes, it may be hard at times, but it’s always the best route to take. Let’s read:

[7 LTMS Par 10] In praying for the sick we are to pray that, if it be God’s will, they may be raised to health, but if not that He’ll give them His grace to comfort, His presence to sustain them in their suffering.

He knows whether or not those for whom petitions are offered would be able to endure the trial and test that would come upon them if they lived. He knows the end from the beginning.

Many will be laid away to sleep in Jesus before the fiery ordeal of the time of trouble shall come upon our world. This is another reason why we should always say after our earnest petition, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, O Lord, be done.” [Luke 22:42]

In closing, let’s all be encouraged and strengthened to face whatsoever life may bring, for the Christian has sunny days and rainy days in his portfolio. The blessed hope of the new earth will make all of the difference as we navigate the vicissitudes of life.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture which should cheer our hearts, even as we look to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith. Hang in there, for it wouldn’t be long before time will give way to eternity, and grief, and mortality will be behind us. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 15: 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

                                     God Bless!

How To Live In Surrender Mode. Sabbath afternoon 05/03/2025

Matthew 26: 39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: never-the-less not as I will, but as thou wilt.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Living in surrender mode has to do with adopting the mode of thought and action that is willing to be led by God in all things, whether we may have our own ideas or not. Having our own ideas isn’t a bad thing, for it is incidental to the gift of intelligence given to us by God.

However, human intelligence exercised without God or when used without His direction will lead persons to do and say things that are contradictory to God. It is because of that humanistic tendency, to exercise our intelligence outside of the context of God’s will, why the worldly-wise make so many blunders.

The person who is truly humble and wise will allow his or her intelligence to be guided by God, and His word, for in so doing, the likelihood of doing satan’s bidding inadvertently, will drop exponentially.

In our first passage, the gold standard is set before us in the Person of Christ who had His own personal preference as it pertains to Calvary. But it becomes clear that His decisions would be guided by The Father’s revealed will, and not His own.

In other words, when Jesus utters those words: “Not My will, but Thy will” He is there showing us in real time that there will be instances in our experiences where we will prefer to take another route. But, if it will conflict with God’s revealed will, the Christian is to defer to God’s wisdom in the matter.

We often see this question posted on cars: “What would Jesus do”. The answer is that Jesus would do this, He would defer His preferences, and decisions in any matter to the Father, so that God’s will would always take precedence in any given situation.

As Christians, we also would have to learn the very difficult lesson of giving God the last word, in every situation, so that His will, and not ours will have the preeminence.

This is not something that is so easily accomplished, because in most cases, it will take lots of pulling and tugging, a lot of back and forth, before folks finally decide to let go and let God. But if we are to survive prime time, this condition must be reached, not my will but thy will.

Obeying God is not always a bed of roses, for there are times when He may instruct us to do things that may not jive with our desires or preferences. To put it plainly, it is hard to imagine, that Abraham would be jumping for joy at the prospect of having to be circumcised at 99 years of age. Let’s read:

Genesis 17: 9 And God said unto Abraham, you shall keep my covenant therefore, you, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every male  child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

Back in those days you didn’t have laser surgery and some of the other gizmos we have today that would make the procedure easier to bear. Yet, Abraham is going to put aside his feelings on the matter, and let that maxim: “Not my will but thy will” bear sway.

Zipporah? Not so much, because she could not see why the procedure was necessary, as coming from God, and as she reasoned for or against it she finally decided that her own will would be done. But in the process, she almost lost both her son and Moses. Let’s read:

Exodus 4: 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

Here it is again as we study the patterns of pulling and tugging, our will versus God’s will, and which one we will decide to go with in the end. Here is the scenario with Peter and his fellows who have fished all night and have caught nothing.

And now, he has called it quits, and they are packing up their nets until some other time but Jesus comes along and instructs Peter to let down his net, for a draught, at a time when experienced and intelligent fishermen will not usually be fishing. Let’s read:

      Understanding the Dawn and Dusk Advantage

This refers to the twilight hours around sunrise and sunset. The reduced light intensity at these times will offer a unique advantage to both predator and prey.  

During these times, many fish will feel safer to leave their daytime hiding spots, and actively hunt for food. It is also easier for predators to see their prey in the fading light.

                       Temperature Transitions

Water temperature plays a significant role in fish activity. During the day, the sun heats the water, which may cause fish to seek cooler, deeper areas or shaded spots.

As the sun sets, the water temperature begins to cool, making fish more comfortable, and likely to feed. Conversely, in the early morning, the rising temperatures can stimulate feeding as fish become more active after a cooler night.

Therefore, the pulling and tugging begins in Peter’s mind, as his experience, and intelligence are pitted against The Lord’s word. As we observe the logical line of reasoning, going through Peter’s mind, we should be reminded that logic and rational thought are sometimes found to be on opposite sides of the spectrum to faith and obedience. Let’s read:

Luke 5: 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke.

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

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Back in the days of yore, as it has always been the case throughout human history, the issue of defense stood front and center of the individual and national need to exist. In harmony with the need to protect borders, personal property and life itself, there were heavy investments in security apparatus.

For instance, kings would invest heavily in horses, as they were tried and proven in battle to be superior to an armed man standing alone. The speed of the horses back then averaged between 30 and 40 mph, so that when compared with an armed soldier it is the equivalent of an Abrams tank, going up against a man with an AK 47.

Thus, it was a no brainer that kings would be having horses as a major part of their battalions, because of their sheer strength and speed, which would then make their armies very superior and formidable. Let’s read:

Exodus 14: 5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him.

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

Similarly, Solomon would follow that conventional wisdom on battalions, for horses would comprise an integral part of his army. In fact, any army without a cavalry of horses would be considered inadequate to say the least, and would logically be setting itself up for defeat even before the war began. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 1: 16 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

17 And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty: and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.

2nd Chronicles 9: 28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands.

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

That’s all well and good according to conventional wisdom, but like with Peter, God’s wisdom does not always jive with man’s wisdom and because the two are often at loggerheads. Thus, the pulling and the tugging is about to begin as the wisdom of man goes contrary to the wisdom of God.

Whereas it is settled knowledge and understanding that horses back then were essential to giving your army the advantage, The Lord comes along and says what He thinks of a horse, and He proceeds to give instructions concerning them, which are entirely out of line with the conventional wisdom on battle. Let’s read:

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

15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.

16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

Psalms 33:17 A horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the Lord: He is our help and our shield.

It’s funny, because when Ahab went out to battle he saddled his horse and chariot, in harmony with the wisdom at that time, but he died in his chariot, for as The Lord says, a horse does not deliver anybody.

In fact, both Ahab and Pharaoh died when they put their trust in horses, because the ways and means we often adopt to protect ourselves, can turn out to be the very means of our demise. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22: 34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

Exodus 14: 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

25 And took off their chariot wheels that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.

26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 287] The mysterious cloud changed to a pillar of fire before their astonished eyes. The thunders pealed and the lightnings flashed. “The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound.

Thine arrows also went abroad. The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightning lighted the world: the earth trembled and shook.”

The Egyptians were seized with confusion and dismay. They endeavored to retrace their steps and flee to the shore. But Moses stretched out his rod, and the piled-up waters, hissing, roaring, and eager for their prey, rushed together and swallowed the Egyptian army in their black depths.

In our day the Christian will have to live in surrender mode meaning that in any and every given situation we must ask ourselves that same question referred to at the beginning of the study, namely: “What will thou have me to do”

Living in surrender mode means that in cases where wrongs are done to the Christian, The Lord would have us follow His instructions on dealing with such issues in a conciliatory manner so as to deescalate, instead of igniting animosity.

The Christian should be the first to extend an olive branch in such situations where tempers may flare, and where there may be disputes and arguments about your personal rights. It’s not our rights we’re fighting for; it’s God’s right to our service.

And, as such, instead of tracking a belligerent course using tit for tat ways and means, the Christian must do as Jesus would do and defer his/her actions and decisions to God by saying: “Not my will but thy will be done. Let’s read:

Matthew 5: 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.

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Speaking of “The Officer” this past week, I was on the Palmetto Expressway, turning onto 67th Ave and when the traffic light turned green, I observed that the driver of an SUV was driving aggressively, and he almost hit another driver in a Lexus.

The other driver didn’t take kindly to the bad drive and he immediately tried to force his way into the SUV, as he pulled suddenly in front of the first driver and slammed on his brakes.

I’m there in my truck thinking that they are probably living in survival mode, for neither seemed willing to give an inch. As I kept observing the escalation, the driver in the SUV turned on his red and blue lights and demanded that the driver in the Lexus stop.

The rest is history, for the driver in the SUV was a cop. In surrender mode, the Christian facing similar situations would defer to God’s methods of dealing with aggravations and would extend an olive branch by not retaliating in the same currency. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

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

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

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

This does not mean that you must spread your body as a carpet for persons to walk over. What it means is that living in surrender mode will move us to do as Jesus would do, so that instead of escalating the conflict, we will track a different course by seeking to soothe frayed nerves.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, as the mob was now approaching Jesus to arrest Him, a familiar ploy of devils unfolded, in that the mob was being moved upon by devils and those like Peter who were trying to protect Jesus were being moved upon by devils.

Both were doing satan’s will even though they might seem to have been operating on opposite ends of the spectrum. It is worthy of note, that after Peter was truly converted, he was never recorded in the Bible as ever carrying a sword again.

After the day of Pentecost he was beaten with many stripes, he was jailed on more than one occasion, he came face to face with conflicts, and oppositions by which his rights were trampled upon, but through it all, he never carried or used his sword anymore, in self-defense.

The fact is that if we decide to take the matter of self-defense into our own hands, we will not need the protecting power of God, for there will be no need for the angel of the Lord to encamp about them, who are armed to the tooth in self-defense.

Therefore, if the Christian decides to go the survival route, and satan should pick a fight with you for any reason, you will have to try shooting him, if you can. In times past God may have winked at the ways and means adopted by His people as per security issues.

But now, as God is preparing to send in His special reinforcements of angels who excel in strength, to protect His people, there will be no need for Him to put resources where they are not needed.

If we decide like Peter, to handle matters of defense for ourselves, using conventional ways, and means that are not in harmony with the Bible, then we will be on our own, sooner or later, for The Lord will not force His form of protection upon anyone who may beg to differ. Let’s read:

[Maranatha pp 201] I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads. Their only safety was in keeping their eyes directed upward.

Angels of God had charge over His people, and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness.

The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. I heard those clothed with the armor speak forth the truth with great power.

I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”

Bit by bit, The Lord brings the Christian to different point of surrender, until the you and me in the here and now can sing with the understanding that hymn we all love to sing: “I Surrender All”

With some, He bids us surrender on matters of diets and foods, with others He bids us surrender on the fleshly lusts which war against the soul, with others, God bids us surrender on the matter of security and self-defense, so that we could avoid embarrassing the cause of Christ, when poked suddenly by devils.

Could you imagine what the headlines would have reported on Peter, as an elder of the church, after the confrontation with the mob? If Jesus had not healed and restored the man’s severed ear, there would have been Channel 7 News helicopters flying over, whilst ambulances, blaring their sirens would be rushing the man to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

And satan, who is always ready to make the most of the Christian’s blunders would be sure to emblazon the newspapers in all caps, with the gory details of the one who retaliated in an un-Christlike manner. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 138] Those who compose our churches have traits of character that will lead them, if they are not very careful, to feel indignant, because on account of misrepresentation their liberty in regard to working on Sunday is taken away.

Do not fly into a passion over this matter but take everything in prayer to God. He alone can restrain the power of rulers. Walk not rashly. Let none boast unwisely of their liberty, using it for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God, “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” [1 Peter 2:17]

This advice is to be of real value to all who are to be brought into strait places. Nothing that shows defiance or that could be interpreted as maliciousness must be shown.

In closing, let the remnant people of God in our day determine by the grace of God, to follow closely in the footsteps of Jesus, even as we would encounter more and more situations, that will try our patience to the core.

Yes, persons will try to tick you off and yes there will be times when you might have to forgive and forget that Hialeah driver, who deliberately cut you off, and almost caused an accident.

Worst yet, when your freedoms are trampled upon, when your rights are violated and when persons will be wrongfully accused, fined and jailed for doing the right thing there will be strong temptations to resort to survival mode, and put these fools in their place.

But the question is: “What would Jesus Do” in the same situation? How would He respond, and what does the Bible say the Christian should do in such circumstances? The answers are grim indeed, and as such will call for deep soul searching and surrender of no ordinary sort.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that would greatly help us in navigating the various mine fields now being set for the feet of the unwary. We must take these issues to God in prayer, and ask Him to thoroughly convert us before all hell breaks loose in the most literal sense. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. 18 if it be possible, as much as lies within 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 hungers, feed him, if he thirsts, give him drink.

                                     God Bless!

Protect Your Praise. Sabbath afternoon 04/26/2025

Psalms 147:1 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

3 He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.

11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

20 “Praise ye the Lord.”

When the Psalmist David says in the above passage that praise is comely, he isn’t only saying that praise to God is the right thing to do. He is also referring to praise as an integral part of the Christian’s armor, for it is one of the main components necessary to gaining the victory.

Especially is this the case when the Christian is in a head-on collision course with the forces of darkness as the Remnant people of God are going to realize more and more.

As it stands currently, there’s a very strong demonic presence across the land, and those who comprise the remnant are to be much more vigilant, than in former years.

In other words, it’s not business as usual, because we have now turned a definite corner in our earthly experience, and as such, there are some necessary adjustments and fine tuning to be made, in order to withstand the influx of attacks that will be coming in from all different directions.

As we go about our daily duties, working and paying bills, we might sometimes lose sight of the fact that the Christian is in a war, with invisible foes who are determined to make the commandment keeping people of God the object of their ire.

This is plainly stated in the Scriptures, not to scare anyone into retreating, but to make us aware of the real to life challenges we will confront, even as we seek to serve The God of heaven, in an increasingly hostile environment. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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 you 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.

Therefore, the issue of praising God would have to be understood both in the context of thanksgiving, as well as in the context of serious conflict which is scheduled to ramp up significantly in the very near future.

In other words, it is one thing to praise God when things are going smoothly, when there are mountain top experiences to gladden the heart, but when we are down in the valley, when the going gets rough, it is another thing to praise God at such times.

Therefore, it is necessary upfront to understand the issue of praise, how it affects God, how it affects the devil and how it affects the Christian who decides to praise God anyway, whether in the valley, or upon the mountain.

The study of the Bible includes a study of patterns, where line upon line and precept upon precept can bring us to correct conclusions so that our feet may be guided by the will of God. Thus, in the following examples we are just going to observe the effect of praise, in times of conflict.

In this first example, the people of God are facing an existential threat from the Midianites, and God calls Gideon to be the agent through whom He will work to bring deliverance in a signal manner. At such a time as this, when the outlook for victory looks bleak to the finite mind, Gideon is directed to praise The Lord.

Thus, in harmony with the rules of spiritual warfare, he grabs his trumpet, and he and his 300 men begin to play music and sing praises to God. Pay very close attention to what happens next. Let’s read:

Judges 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.

20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

The same thing is observed when Joshua is directed by God to use praise as a weapon of war. Battles are not won by might, and power, but by obeying God, praying to God and praising Him sincerely, especially in situations where things seem dire.

Like Gideon, the Hebrew priests grab their trumpets and it was when they blew their horns, and shouted the praises of The Lord, that God went to work for them, and the massive walls of Jericho were shaken down suddenly by a mighty earthquake. Let’s read:

Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Here it is again, the same pattern being repeated in the context of conflict, emergency, and difficulty, for it appears as if God gets going when your praises to Him are offered especially when the outlook is grim.

The Hebrews are again in dire straits, as the enemy surrounds them, bent on their destruction, and in the midst of their adversity, they do what you and I should always do, when facing trials of no ordinary sort. Observe carefully the same pattern happening over and over again. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.

19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endures forever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

One more example, as we observe praises to God in the context of facing adversity and danger. Let’s just say here that the natural thing for the human agent to do in times like these, is to feel downtrodden and forsaken.

But God is definitely teaching us that it is when the storm clouds have gathered about the Christian and it might seem as if the enemy will triumph, that we should look to the hills from whence comes our help and praise Him anyway. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

Therefore, it becomes apparent that praising God in times of danger and difficulty is the modus operandi for the Christian to follow, because the blueprints are there before us, so that we may know what to do.

Giving God praise, especially when we are facing an adverse situation has the effect of not only changing mood, it has been proven to have healing effects on the mind as well as the physical body and the frayed nerves can also find rest.

As we call to mind God’s goodness towards us in the sunniest days of our experience, and as we recall His deliverances in times past, let praise to Him ascend, for doing so can greatly lessen the suffering, and the anxiety that persons may be experiencing.

This piece of information is of critical importance, especially as we are reminded of the spiritual nature of the warfare. In other words, whenever the issue is spiritual, the interventions must include spiritual remedies, in conjunction with other pertinent cures.

The following example demonstrates the positive effects that praise can have on persons, for it has to do with not merely man, but with Lucifer himself, as he was facing his deep internal crisis and conflicts in heaven.

As he struggled back and forth with his own issues, it was observed that very great changes in his mood would occur, as the choirs in heaven began to sing. And he, being the choir director in heaven before he fell, was affected very positively by the praises lifted up to God.

In fact, according to the servant of The Lord, praise brought him almost to the point of repentance as he not only listened, but was moved to join in with the angels as they sang. Pay very close attention to the effect of praise. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 36] The angels joyfully acknowledged the supremacy of Christ, and prostrating themselves before Him, poured out their love and adoration.

Lucifer bowed with them but in his heart, there was a strange, fierce conflict. Truth, justice, and loyalty were struggling against envy and jealousy.

As songs of praise ascended in melodious strains, swelled by thousands of glad voices, the spirit of evil seemed vanquished; unutterable love thrilled his entire being; his soul went out, in harmony with the sinless worshippers, in love to the Father and the Son.

But we must launch out into the deep as it were, for according to the Bible, praise to God can also annoy devils, and can send them into reverse gear, as they make their advance.

Something happens when prayer and praise ascend to God for it’s a documented fact that evil spirits are deeply irritated when the Christian is engaged with praises.

According to the sacred record, the evil spirit that tormented Saul, would get up and leave, whenever praises, and the right type of music were offered by David, because it produced a soothing effect upon the King’s perturbed mind. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on a harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

17 And Saul said unto his servants, provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so, Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 643] His counselors advised him to seek for the services of a skillful musician, in the hope that the soothing notes of a sweet instrument might calm his troubled spirit.

In the providence of God, David, as a skillful performer upon the harp, was brought before the king. His lofty and heaven-inspired strains had the desired effect. The brooding melancholy that had settled like a dark cloud over the mind of Saul was charmed away.

Whenever it was necessary, he was recalled to minister before the king, to soothe the mind of the troubled monarch till the evil spirit should depart from him.

Therefore, it is a no brainer, that because our praise to God often turns seeming defeats into victory, our praises would come under attack so as to upend the victory that God often gives us in adversity.

If devils can succeed in stopping your praise, for any reason, they would have won, in the overwhelming majority of cases. Hence the reason why praise and worship come under attack at various point in our experience.

It is nothing new, for it’s just the continuation of the script from the playbook that’s used throughout the history of mankind. In other words, wherever you have sincere praise to God ascending, the devil will become ticked off, and attacks should be expected. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 50>52] The happy birds flitted about them (Adam and Eve) without fear; and as their glad songs ascended to the praise of their Creator, Adam and Eve united with them in thanksgiving to the Father and the Son.

In the happiness and peace of the holy pair in Eden he beheld a vision of the bliss that to him was forever lost. He would change their love to distrust and their songs of praise to reproaches against their Maker.

This is what was tried on Job, as Job suffered from the first bouts of attacks, where he lost just about everything.  After the first wave of adversities and trials, Job did the correct thing, because he fell on his knees and worshipped God anyway. Let’s read:

Job 1:18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

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

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and he worshipped,

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

But the second wave got really personal, as Job was relegated to being bed-ridden, with sores that were a direct assault on his person by satan. In this one, he tries to change Job’s praises to curses, just as he did with our first parents, and as he continues to try to do with persons who follow Christ.

Job did very well in this first episode and he is now trying to regroup, when, lo and behold, out of the blue comes another attack, in an attempt to change Job’s praises to curses.

These things are written in the Scriptures so that we may understand the nature of the warfare, and thus position ourselves to praise God, in the good times as well as the bad. Let’s read:

Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

2 And Job spoke, and said,

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, there is a man child conceived.

5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Recently, several members of our local church have been attacked in various ways, and we will observe two things:

[1] The attacks took place almost within the same period of time, beginning approximately around November of last year, when there was a severe uptick in demonic activity across the land and which continues up to the present.

[2] It is also observed that all the affected members have one thing in common, in that they are closely associated with praise and worship in the church.

Thus, we must confront the issue, and do whatever we can to protect our praise. Now that we know for sure, that sincere praises often get God going, and now that we know for sure that praise to God ticks of devils, the Christian will have to make a conscious decision to praise God anyway.

Now, to the strictly rational mind, it may seem as if the logical thing to do is try not to tick satan off. But if we were to go that route, then the victories which attended the heroes of faith may evade us.

Therefore, the right thing to do, and the only thing to do is for us to protect our praise, meaning, that whatsoever may be our lot in this life, and whatever may come our way, let us try by the grace of God to keep our praises to Him intact.

Definite, and pertinent instructions are therefore given in the Bible for us to achieve this end, and as we study the counsels given, let us ask God to keep our faces lifted to the skies.

The up and down experiences will not last forever, for we are pilgrims heading to a better world, where these circumstances will be things of the past.

Instruction [1] Remember, and call to mind all of the good things and deliverances God has done for us in times past, for it’s the song of our experience that is the catalyst for praise, especially when you’re being tried.

Where possible, the Christian should have a diary or some means of preserving, for reference purposes, God’s dealings with us. Whenever this is done, and if you were to pull the files when tempted and tried, your mind will be greatly refreshed and much better prepared to deal with the current issues. Let’s read:

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

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

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

24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore, will I hope in him.

[The Great Controversy pp 621] God's love for his children during the period of their severest trial is as strong, and tender as in the days of their sunniest prosperity.

[Last Day Events pp 72] We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history.

Instruction [2] Keep the promises of God front and center of your experience. That song we often sing: “Standing on the Promises” will have meaning in the most literal sense.

One ploy of the enemy is to try to get the Christian who is facing trial, to focus on the problem instead of the solution. Hence the reason why the Hebrews were instructed not to look at their wounds, but on the uplifted serpent, which represented Christ, and the healing that is to be found in Him.

Therefore, by dwelling on the promises of God, an aura of positive outlook will envelop the mind, and this will also go a long way in the recovery process.

That’s what Christ told the man who needed help so desperately for his young son, who was in adversity. All things are possible to him that believeth, and it is the mere possibility that opens the door of hope to the one who is tried, because you never know what God will do. Let’s read:

Psalms 121: 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.

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

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

Instruction [3] Wherever possible, sing and play the songs of Zion that will lift your spirit heavenward. It is especially important for musicians and singers to pay attention to this particular instruction.

The right type of music would deeply affect for the better, the one who is musically inclined, even if the songs of Zion are played to his / her unconscious mind. The voicings and melodies that soothe will help the mind in thinking along positive lines, and this often paves the way for desired outcomes. Let’s read:

Psalms 149: 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.

Psalms 150: Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 

6 Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Instruction [4] Live in harmony with whatsoever you know to be right. A clear conscience before God and man is critically important to dealing with adversity, for wherever this is the case, the one who is facing trial will have the confidence and assurance to plead with God.

This particular instruction proved very valuable to Job, as he battled the forces of darkness during his time of testing.

Job 23: 10 But he knows the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

In closing it is important for all of us to look beyond that which is seen, to that which is eternal, for it is the blessed hope which puts all the troubles of life in their proper context and perspective.

The just shall live by faith, and we will find it more and more necessary to trust in God for everything that pertains to life and salvation. In harmony with this, we will end with a gentle reminder that God always has the backs of those who believe and trust in Him. Let’s read:

Psalms 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

                                     God Bless!

Truth, An Endangered Species. Sabbath afternoon 04/19/2025

2nd Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Truth is becoming an increasingly rare commodity, and our first passage speaks of a time when it would not only be unpalatable to preach Bible truth, but it takes it a step further where teachers and preachers of smooth things will be hired, so as to lull persons into a false sense of security.

When Paul says to preach the word, he is not only referring to those truths that do not ruffle feathers, such as Jesus loves you, and God is a God of love. It is an eternal truth that Christ died to save us, and no doubt, this can never be overstated.

But he also is referencing those other truths which point us to the soon return of Jesus, and what it will take to be ready. These are not generally acceptable to the multitudes who, for the most part, are dead set on making a little heaven down here, even with the brewing storms that are now gathering on the horizon.

Observe carefully, that almost none, if any at all, of the churches in contemporary Christianity, preach of a sanctuary in heaven where persons will be judged, because as a general rule, people do not like to hear that they will be held accountable for what they do and the decisions they make.

In fact, whenever the doctrine of the judgment may be mentioned, persons usually get either defensive, or they may go into self-justification mode, because, the very thought of having to answer to the higher Authorities in heaven, causes most persons to recoil and in many cases, folks may be angered.

Thus, rather than deal with inconvenient truths, they hire to themselves preachers who will tell them only what they prefer to hear, and according to what the statistics show, such preachers are doing quite well financially.

When Paul, and the other Bible prophets speak of sound doctrines, they are not speaking only of the need to keep all of the commandments of God, but they are also referring to those truths contained in eschatological prophecies, which, as a general rule, do not jive with the secular mind that is distracted with consumerism, and the need to “make it.”

For instance, the prophecies which point forward to the coming kingdom of God, by which Jesus will put all earthly kingdoms into reverse, by utterly wiping them out and setting up a kingdom of righteousness will almost certainly be met with scorn and violence by most traders on Wall Street.

Thus, with the prevailing mindset of worldliness and materialism persons who dare to preach the present truths for our time, might very well find themselves ostracized, or sidelined by society, hence the reason why Paul warns the Christian of a time when sound doctrines would not be tolerated. Let’s read:

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

Try preaching that on Wall Street and see what will happen to you! Thus, it will take a certain caliber of preacher to preach the three angel’s messages with no fear or dread, and such preachers obviously must never be swayed by popular majorities, or induced to take bribes in order to water down the truth.

Furthermore, such preachers should not be found going with the flow of popular sentiments, because the flow always goes downward. This will inevitably call for preachers of sterling character, who will not bring any potential gain or loss into the equation.

And without a doubt, such preachers, like the truths they present are also fast becoming an endangered species, and were it not for The Lord preserving to Himself a remnant, those who preach present truth might become museum pieces, the way things are going.

A “Yes Man” is a dangerous person, for he will see a fellow human being going over the cliff and because his modus operandi is never to ruffle your feathers, he will not say a word to the contrary, but instead may even assist someone in doing the unthinkable.

This is exactly what took place in the days of Ahab, as he deliberately hired a bunch of yes men to tell him only what he wants to hear, and never oppose him, for if one dared to cross his will, they would be targeted for excommunication and incarceration.

The following narrative therefore, contains valuable lessons for one and all as we face an unprecedented epidemic of yes men. The reason why it has become necessary for us to observe and learn is because we also will face collateral damages from the doings of yes men, as they speak only smooth things.

Therefore, we must point out the dangers, and the pitfalls, and things we mut avoid at all costs, if we are to avoid the snares that are incidental to folks wanting to hear only smooth things. Let’s read:

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

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

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

Lesson: [1] Will you go with me to battle?  Satan often uses friends and acquaintances to gain access to the mind of the Christian, and thereby he tempts us with suggestions which never originated with God. This is a common ploy that is used every single day, and therefore, we are not to be ignorant of his devices.

This is what took place between Christ, and Peter when the disciple was used as an agent to suggest to Christ that Calvary should be off the menu. Jesus, who was quick to discern the nature, and the origin of the suggestion, then addressed the invisible foe as being the author of the thought. Let’s read:

Mark 8: 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32 And he spoke that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

[The Desire of Ages pp 416] Satan was trying to discourage Jesus, and turn Him from His mission; and Peter, in his blind love, was giving voice to the temptation. The prince of evil was the author of the thought. His instigation was behind that impulsive appeal.

Sadly, in our day, the Christian is often too slow to discern the real, invisible agencies behind certain suggestions, coming from friends or foes alike, and some rush on blindly in doing satan’s bidding, often with the best of motives.

But the Christian must remember that the road to hell is often paved with good intentions, and lest the devil have us for lunch, we would be well advised to be wide awake to his incursions just as Jesus was.

This is not paranoia as some may think, instead it is following the mandate given in the Scripture to save us from making very grievous, and potentially fatal mistakes. In the case of Ahab, and Jehoshaphat, the one who was being targeted by devils almost lost his life in the process. Let’s read:

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

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

1st Kings 22: 32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

In such cases, where one has premonitions of some incoming suggestion that is contrary to a thus saith The Lord, the Christian should humbly decline while standing his ground, for there is no need for the one who is targeted to get all riled up over the prospect of temptation.

If you realize that a friend or close associate is being used as an agent to get you to walk contrary to God, be kind, yet firm in your refusal. To go to battle was a plan concocted by devils, who used the ungodly Ahab to ensnare Jehoshaphat into doing something that could have potentially cost him very dearly.

The Christian in our day should be very careful to parse any suggestions to do anything that God has not ordained, or given you the clearance to do. This is especially the case when the suggestion might be to go to places, or to do things Christ has expressly forbidden.

To make investments following the counsel of folks who do not fear The Lord, is to walk into a potential trap which satan specializes in. Yes, the advice given might be coming from the experts, with the best of intentions, but if it’s the case that God is not in their thoughts, they can be used as agents to lead you into snares which you may deeply regret.

The devil is always looking for ways and means to devour the Christian and some make the mistake of thinking that the word devour would only refer to devouring you spiritually. But guess what, he could devour you financially, he may devour you socially, or even physically, if we are not very careful.

For instance, if someone suggested that you go with them to the social event, to that particular nightclub in the Dominican Republic, and you went, you could have been devoured physically, and if that turned out to be the case, the next voice you would hear is the voice of God calling you to either eternal day, or eternal night.

Again, a lot of well-intentioned Christians were also ensnared, and devoured, when, on the suggestions by friends and financial advisers, to park their funds with Bernie Madoff, some concluded that it had to be a good sound investment, coming from a world- renowned guru, who had a stellar record.

Bernie, being interviewed on CNBC and other major news networks several times, and being regarded as an icon in the investment world, was much sought after for financial advice, and his word was like gold, to those who listened. That is until he Made off with the funds, into neverland.

Again, the Christian must vet suggestions and advice coming from financial advisors and “Gurus” for it is a fact that many are devoured on Wall Street.

Persons who do not believe the truths of the Bible, and who couldn’t care less about God, should be vetted thoroughly, through prayer, if the Christian is to avoid potentially catastrophic losses.  

This leads us to our next observation in the story, for the very least you can do is to pray about it. On this point, our prayers must be not of the kind that the yes men prayed, for they had a readymade answer to their prayers, which would obviously be in sync with Ahab’s wishes.

Lesson: [2] Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

Ahab actually agrees to pray, but he would do so on his own terms, because any mention of not my will but thy will would not be tolerated. When praying to God for guidance and direction in those critically important matters, who you pray with is important.

There are some in our day who pray like if they are trying to bully God into blessing them, and like Ahab they may not want to hear Thy will be done. That is exactly how the four hundred false prophets prayed. Note well, in their antics, that they leave no wiggle room for any other view. It’s what Ahab wants, or nothing else will do. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22: 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the Lord, with these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

When a Christian prays for guidance from The Lord, we should not have any preconceived answers that we are not willing to surrender, just in case The Lord may disagree.

Answers from The Lord, for guidance in any matter usually comes in three sizes: Yes, No, or Wait. Thus, if you do not have definite directions from The Lord to move forward, or decline, you should wait even if Ahab may try to pressure you into a hasty decision.

The problem with Ahab’s type of prayer is that it has predetermined answers from yes men, who are on his pay roll, and therefore, they would not be of the same mind and heart as the one who will pray with a humble spirit, waiting and watching at God’s doors for answers and direction. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

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

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

This leads us to our third observation, because Ahab is not interested in hearing truth. In other words, if Micaiah is not going to go along with his agenda, he does not want to hear anything he has to say.

Lesson: [3] I hate him because he speaks the truth. This presents a predicament of epic proportions, for when the concept is reasoned logically to its natural end, you would see that the four hundred prophets are actually goading on the king to commit suicide, for they just don’t want to hear truth. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying, behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.

Our 4th, and final observation has to do with Ahab’s treatment of persons with whom he does not agree, because after the true servant of God tells the king the truth in the matter, he is incarcerated for doing so. Let’s read:

Lesson: [4] Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with the bread of affliction. Let’s read:

1st Kings 22:26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

27 And say, Thus, saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

To go after persons you do not agree with, seeking revenge just because they may beg to differ, or to jail them, like many of the apostles were, is a mode of thought and action that never bodes well with the God-given freedom of choice.

If Ahab is averse to truth, he should at the very least respect the opinion of others, but to hold vendettas against Micaiah, just because he speaks the truth, is reminiscent of what has taken place throughout the ages, as devils go after those who live, and preach the truth. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

For instance, in the days just after Pentecost, the disciples were disbanded from preaching the truths that were needed at that time. They were jailed and beaten on several occasions yet, true to their higher calling, they forged ahead, as having their mandate from God, not from men.

In our day, where present truth for our generation is fast becoming an endangered species, there is the prospect before our preachers of having to present an unpopular message which is not in harmony with worlds views, or secular perspectives.

The preachers of present truth in our day will have to brace themselves for stiff oppositions, coming from within and without. And, as the epidemic of itching ears continues to spread like the plague, it will become increasingly difficult to speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

The three angel’s messages in particular are not in line with the world view, and therefore, we would have to pray like never before, that The Lord would grant us grace and courage to preach what persons need to hear, not what they prefer to hear. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 607] As the controversy extends into new fields and the minds of the people are called to God's down-trodden law, Satan is astir.

The power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment. And some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards, and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith.

In closing, we are all encouraged to take a decided stand for truth, for God will enable the decision that is made in favor of truth. Let not the adverse winds of strife and change deter you, and never ever water down truth in order to curry favor with persons who are becoming frozen in falsehood.

God’s grace and His power will rise correspondingly with the emergency, and truth will triumph in the end, because it is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth that will set us free. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will encourage the Christian to endure hardness as good soldiers of the cross, because truth has always made its way against opposition, yet it triumphs in the end. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 4: 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

                                      God Bless!

When Kings And People Repent. Sabbath afternoon 04/12/2025

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

The scripture is clear. The above passages refer to those times when nations and individuals run into a host of difficulties on account of sin, and from which they cannot extricate themselves except The God of heaven delivers, or intervenes, for believe it or not, there are situations where only God can deliver.

Such situations are referenced by Christ when He speaks of earth’s final crisis, and aptly describes it as perplexity. Perplexities are difficulties and problems that avoid solution, for men may not know how to handle a perplexing situation which defies logic and rational modes of thought.

Not long ago, when covid 19 ravaged the earth, and brought normal business, and life as we know it to a screeching halt nations and individuals became very perplexed, and as a result, the virus sent the nations of earth, scrambling in different directions, looking for a cure.

After desperate and herculean efforts, the remedies were made available, but not before very many folks were deceased, and thousands of businesses went under. In fact, right here in the U.S, it is stated that over 7000 churches closed their doors permanently, while others are still struggling with membership, and attendance issues.

When our opening passages are read in context, we will see that they are referring to such instances as Covid and other pandemics and epidemics that are scheduled to ramp up significantly as the coming of Jesus draws near. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7: 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people.

Therefore, whenever these situations may occur, we should view them as a call to prayer, not merely for deliverance from the perplexity, but a call to repent, because in the overwhelming majority of cases, it is the result of sin, in one form or another that causes the natural consequence.

Even though this is an inconvenient truth that most persons prefer not to hear, it is the truth, and it will be necessary for us to come to come to grips with it, if nations and individuals may desire any meaningful change of fortunes. Let’s read:

Proverbs 26: 2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

Thus, our first passages teach us what we ought to do in such situations, for God delights in mercy, and as such, God lays out in the clearest terms possible the correct course of action to pursue, if nations or individuals seek a reprieve.

The following therefore are the distinct instructions to be followed, and as we read and explain we must bear in mind that the expected results would follow like clockwork only after the stated prerequisites are fulfilled. Here they are:

The prerequisites: Humble themselves, Pray, Seek My face, Turn from their wicked ways.

The results we can expect: I will hear, I will forgive, I will heal the land, I will listen to your prayer.

Let’s begin with the first requirement: The humbling of ourselves. This includes the acknowledgement of any sin that triggered the perplexity in the first place since we must reason from cause to effect, in order for our prayers to make sense.

Persons can say whatsoever the want about David, but one thing you have to give him is that he would always acknowledge his sin when he did wrong. He did it when he sinned with Bathsheba, and he did it when he sinned by numbering the people and it was because of this, why in so many instances, he was spared the full consequence of his wrong actions. Let’s read:

Psalms 51: 2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

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

Jeremiah 3: 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.

13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord.

Like David, you and I we have our issues and sins to confront, for here we are struggling by the grace of God to live in an increasingly difficult and dangerous world, and yes, like David we also may make grave mistakes at times.

The problem is not so much with the committed sin, even though much prefers that we do not err in the first place, the problem is what we do with and how we apply the remedies. If we have run into difficulty as a nation or individually, like David, it will be very important for us to acknowledge where we have gone wrong.

This is what the king of Nineveh did, when he and his people were facing an existential threat. In that episode, the king, and people alike, acknowledged their sin, they repented, and they prayed.

But most importantly, they turned from their wicked ways, which is a critically important aspect of prayer for deliverance, and the rest is history, because the stated results followed like clockwork. Let’s read:

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything: let them not feed, nor drink water.

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

True repentance also took place in ancient Babylon, after Nebuchadnezzar was made to eat grass for 7 years. As he emerged from dwelling with the beasts of the field, he acknowledged his sin and his folly, as did the king of Nineveh.

And God, who is rich in mercy, and always quick to forgive, changes his fortune and restores him to his former position, because the prerequisites stated in our first passages were fulfilled. As the king retraced his steps, he saw, and he pointed out to all who will take heed, the reasons for his fall.

Then, just like David did, he acknowledges the God of heaven, in bringing righteous judgements upon him, and Nebuchadnezzar makes a U-Turn for the better, not only confessing and forsaking his sin, but also encouraging every citizen under his jurisdiction to follow his lead. Let’s read:

Daniel 4: 4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace.

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:

12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

That last verse, which speaks of Babylon having fruit and food for all, means that it was the bread basket of the then known world, for all the nations of earth had to trade with Babylon, since that kingdom was represented as the head of gold, in the image that was depicted in Nebuchadnezzars dream.

Thus, when the scripture states the following:  “The beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it” we should understand it to mean that ancient Babylon was the dominant kingdom at that time, and all nations were more or less dependent on it for survival.

But like so many other kings, Nebuchadnezzar was ill affected with pride, as he relished, and reveled in the thought that his kingdom was the greatest, and that everyone was dependent on him.

This led him to take the glory of his achievements to himself, and it required the distinct intervention by God, to bring him to his senses. There are times in the history of the nations of earth, when God finds it necessary to stop kings and people in their tracks, lest they be destined to irretrievable ruin. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

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.

26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

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

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?

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

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.

However, the next example given in the Bible is very different, for Amenhotep 2, the pharaoh that ruled during the Exodus, tracked a different course, after he was humbled by The God of heaven.

Instead of doing like David, Nebuchadnezzar and the king of Nineveh, he dug in his heels, buried his head in the sand, and utterly refused to repent, pray, and turn from his wicked ways.

The same God who restored and forgave David and Nebuchadnezzar would have done the same for this Pharaoh, but, like satan, when he was reproved, he only became more desperate, stubborn, and bitter.

In other words, he would never acknowledge God, for doing so would damage personal, and national pride, and thus, pharaoh decided to drag the entire nation down the drain with him. Let’s read:

Exodus 12: 29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

One would think that after the burial of his son, the king of Egypt would repent and turn from his wicked ways. But no, after the initial shock and awe of that fateful night, he continues to dig in his heels, for he regroups, and instead of repenting, he determines to pursue the Hebrews.

In desperation, he tries to save face, by endeavoring to bring the captives back, with a very strong show of force for if he were to succeed, Egypt would again be exalted in the eyes of the nations, and pharaoh himself would be like Robinhood, in the eyes of his people.

Then, all the devastation which took place during the plagues could be attributed to natural causes such as global warming, and in this way intervention by the God of heaven could be removed from the equation and the records permanently, as being the cause.

The question is why. What on earth would drive him to do the unthinkable, after having burying his first born, and what on earth would cause his people to continue to support him, even as Egypt was brought to ruins?

There is one answer, and one answer only, Pride. It was national and personal pride that pharaoh had indulged over the years, and which he tenaciously clung to, that caused the very thought of repenting to rankle in his mind.

To confess that he was wrong would humiliate him in the eyes of his subjects, and he would thereby be blamed for the trainwreck that brought Egypt to its knees.

Therefore, rather than go that route the king then decides to dig in, and let the chips fall where they may, even if it meant that in the process, his entire army together with the magicians, and counselors would also perish.

The following excerpts should be closely studied, for they give us a window into the mind of pharaoh, as he comes to that final, and fatal decision, never to repent. Pay very close attention to the thinking of his supporters, as they desperately search for any excuse to save face. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs 7 Prophets pp 283] Pharaoh's counselors declared to the king that their bondmen had fled, never to return. The people deplored their folly in attributing the death of the first-born to the power of God.

Their great men, recovering from their fears, accounted for the plagues as the result of natural causes. “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” was the bitter cry.

Pharaoh collected his forces, “six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt,” horsemen, captains, and foot soldiers. The king himself, attended by the great men of his realm, headed the attacking army.

To secure the favor of the gods, and thus ensure the success of their undertaking the priests also accompanied them. The king was resolved to intimidate the Israelites by a grand display of his power.

The Egyptians feared lest their forced submission to the God of Israel should subject them to derision of other nations; but if they should now go forth with a great show of power, and bring back the fugitives, they would redeem their glory, as well as recover the services of their bondmen.

Now, there is one more king whose doings we must examine before we close for his experience contains a very dire warning for kings and peoples of our day. King Belshazzar knew of the history of his father and the great change that took place after he was made to eat grass.

He knew of Nebuchadnezzar’s repentance, and his acknowledgement of the God of heaven, and yet, he went even further by adding insult to injury, when he called for the sacred vessels of God to be used to drink wine with his concubines and counselors.

Persons who know better, and who deliberately do what they clearly know to be wrong are accountable in a much greater degree, than persons who might commit the same sins ignorantly.

Therefore, when Belshazzar did the unthinkable, by insulting the same God who reproved, forgave, and restored his father, his sin became much greater in magnitude, and it called for the rarest, and singular intervention by God, as The Lord intruded into their festivities, to make the final announcement of their impending doom. Let’s read:

Daniel 5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18 O thou king, the Most-High God gave unto Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the Most-High God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it  whomsoever he will.

22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knew all this;

23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

4 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25 And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

26 This is the interpretation of the thing: Mene; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27 Tekel; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28 Peres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

In our day, if you are a king, or if you are a people, that same merciful God of yesterday, today, and forever, is now calling on you to consider your ways. If you have made decisions without consulting God, and if you are suffering greatly as a result, the same God will forgive and heal when the prerequisites are met.

But just as it was in bygone years, we will have to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways. Let no one be deceived by smooth words and promises, if the prerequisites are not met, for The Lord does not change.

As was stated before, God is not too concerned with the sin of a king or a people because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. What The Lord is most concerned about is what folks will do with the remedies provided.

God delights in mercy, and He takes no pleasure in the destruction of nations and individuals. Yet, there is an invisible tipping point, where mercy gives way to judgment, if and when kings and people wouldn’t repent, nor turn from doing evil. Let’s read:

[S.T August 24, 1882, par. 5] There is a limit beyond which men may not go on in sin, a hidden boundary between God's mercy and his wrath. Our gracious God still bears long with the impenitent.

He gives them light from Heaven, that they may understand the holiness of his character, and the justice of his requirements. He calls them to repentance, and assures them of his willingness to forgive. But if they continue to reject his mercy, the mandate goes forth devoting them to destruction.

We sincerely hope and pray that this will not be the case with the you and me in the here and now, for as the storm clouds are gathering on the horizon, it will become even more urgent, and necessary that both kings and people be found on the right side of history, by repenting and turning from our wicked ways.

In other words, it may be that the writing is almost on the wall, meaning that we may be just a stone’s throw away from that invisible boundary, between God’s forbearance, and His judgments.

We will end with the same passage of Scripture that we began with so that we would be encouraged to make our move while we can, because the doors of mercy are still open for business, and God’s grace still lingers for all who will see the need to humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from doing evil. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

                                     God Bless!

Countdown To Midnight. Sabbath afternoon 04/05/2025

Exodus 12: 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

The passages above refer to the final countdown to midnight, as took place in the land of Egypt, prior to the exodus of the Hebrews, from Egyptian slavery. God is merciful in all of His dealings with humanity, and He utterly exhausts all ways and means to save persons, before bringing or permitting judgements to fall.

Several passages show many instances where God, in His mercy gave Pharaoh time to repent, when He was willing to forgive, for He takes no delight in the death or destruction of persons.

The clearest evidences, appealing to his intelligence were given to pharaoh and on multiple occasions his own magicians and counselors protested against his stubbornness and foolhardiness, yet pharaoh would continue to dig in his heels, even as Egypt was being reduced to ruins.

Therefore, when we read those opening passages, referring to the countdown to midnight, God would have us understand that they did not, and they will never occur in a vacuum, but instead, are the last resort, when mercy and grace has absolutely failed to bring about the necessary changes in persons.

Several passages in the narrative demonstrate what is being said, and therefore, as we study the sacred history leading up to that fateful night, we should endeavor never to follow in pharaoh’s footsteps by erroneously concluding that God’s grace would last forever, because it won’t. Let’s read:

Exodus 9: 17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

20 He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:

21 And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.

Stubbornness is the same as iniquity and idolatry and it often occurs in persons who have dug in their heels to do evil, in the face of the clearest evidence to the contrary.

In this instance we find that undeniable distinctions would be made between the Egyptians and Israel so that any rational thinking person would be led to reconsider their ways. Whenever persons become hell bent on flagrant disregard of facts and truth, there you have the strong presence of demons being manifested. Let’s read:

Exodus 9:4 And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.

5 And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.

6 And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he didn’t let the people go.

Not only does pharaoh disregard facts and truth but he also disregards his most trusted counselors, for whenever the habit of closing one’s eyes to truth is fully developed, it reaches a critical point where not even your trusted friends can reach you. Let’s read:

Exodus 8: 18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so, there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

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

Exodus 10: 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, how long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Therefore, it was determined by God that nothing else could be done to reach pharaoh except one of the most devastating judgements to fall upon him, and those who partook of his spirit.

But before the destroying angel would pass through at midnight there would be necessary preparations and instructions to be fulfilled so that persons could meet and survive the emergency.

It was not only to place the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts because, there were several other instructions and prerequisites that had to be fulfilled, in order for the angel of death to pass over one’s house.

These instructions are enumerated in the following passages, and we will study what each one meant, since they were not given arbitrarily, but were full of significance, not only for the Hebrews back then but also for us who will be facing our own countdown to midnight in the not too distant future. Let’s read:

Exodus 12: 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a house.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats.

6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remains of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's Passover.

To many readers it might seem as if the blood on the door post is all that is required, but when we observe carefully all the instructions, we discover that several other prerequisites were given, and all must be fulfilled to the letter, in order for the angel to pass over your house.

For instance, if a family or individual posted blood on their door posts, but refused to eat the Passover lamb, they would not be spared, for one direction was thus disregarded. God is particular with giving detailed instructions, and He expects every iota to be understood as being essential.

The following is a breakdown of 4 of the instructions together with the correct interpretation of what was meant and what they pointed forward to. And as we read, a practical application should also be made, so that whenever our countdown to midnight occurs again, we will be found ready.

[1] Every man a lamb. The Passover Lamb that we read of represented Christ, and as such, every person who desires to be saved in God’s kingdom must make a personal decision to follow Him.

Others cannot decide for us, and if our family and friends do not see their need of Christ, then that should not stop, deter, or delay our decision, for we are not saved in groups or by churches, but in single file only. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

[2] Take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post.

The blood on the door posts represents a person’s acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, where He shed His own blood for our sins. When we read in Revelation chapter 3, “Behold I stand at the door and knock” we are to understand that Christ seeks to offer the merits of His sacrifice to everyone.

The reason why His blood is to be put on the door, is because the merits of His blood must be applied to the door of the heart, for it is the shedding of His blood that brought us reconciliation to God. Thus, it is His blood that opens up the entrance to, and the  possibility of salvation. Let’s read:

1st John 1: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Hebrews 9: 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

[3] They shall eat the flesh, and shall let nothing of it remain.

It is not enough for us to accept Christ’s sacrifice in our behalf, by the shedding of His blood, the laws and principles of His kingdom are to be internalized and assimilated, or “Eaten” so that all the necessary changes for the better can occur in us, through the  indwelling of The Holy Ghost.

This is a critically important point, especially as we prepare for our own countdown to midnight, for in our day, there are some who have applied the blood but have not yet eaten the Passover lamb, because of the erroneous doctrine which teaches God’s law was nailed to the cross.

Thus, if you notice carefully in modern Christendom there is a heavy emphasis on the blood. Everything is focused on the blood alone, while the Passover lamb is waiting to be eaten.

This perspective must now be corrected from the scriptures because Christ’s salvation is multifaceted, being inclusive of both blood and the keeping of all of God’s commandments. In other words, the blood will lead us to obey everything God has said in His word. Let’s read:

John 6: 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by The Father, so he that eats me, even he shall live by me.

60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, this is a hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

[Special testimonies Oct 3 1900 par 6] Those who believe in Him as a personal Savior, those who work His works, receiving His words and practicing His principles, are eating the bread of life. Christ's lessons are their food and drink. They constantly seek to do Christ's will. Under all circumstances they strive to do as He would do.

1st John 2: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

5 But whoso keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

6 He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Romans 3: 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Revelation 14: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

[4] Eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste.

This last instruction had to do with the limited time available for them to eat the Passover lamb, as they prepared to leave Egypt in haste. Similarly, persons in our day who may not have been assimilating and practicing the laws and principles of God’s kingdom will have a limited window of opportunity to do so.

Because final movements will be rapid ones, those Christians who may not have understood, and who might not have been acquainted with the fact that the law of God is still valid, in its entirety, will find it necessary to embrace, and internalize these truths quickly.

This is because the second coming of Jesus Christ at midnight will be taking place just around the corner from Revelation 13, and14. Thus, we make a special appeal to all our Sunday keeping brethren who may not have understood these truths in times past.

God has not forgotten you. You may have the blood on the doorposts of your hearts already, since you believe in Jesus. That’s good! But there are other necessary prerequisites that have to be fulfilled in order for the angel to pass over you when our own countdown to midnight begins.

In our day, faith in Christ’s blood, in and of itself will never be sufficient to save anyone, without keeping all God’s commandments, where folks know better, because the Scripture teaches us that faith without works is dead.

Therefore, it is the combination of the two, through the indwelling of The Holy Ghost that will prepare a person to stand in that day when all hell will literally break loose. Observe carefully the following again, for it is written in the context of the final countdown to midnight. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Just as God passed through Egypt at midnight, and delivered all who had obeyed the instructions given, just so will Jesus make His appearance at midnight for the deliverance of His commandment keeping people.

Those who will be delivered at that time would have had not only the blood of Christ on the doorposts of their heart, but would have also obeyed His law that forms the foundation of God’s government.

It is worthy of note that at midnight in Egypt, some were delivered, while some were destroyed at the very same time. Similarly, the 2nd coming of Jesus at midnight will have both aspects of deliverance and destruction, and it is now left up to everyone to choose in which category you will be found. Let’s read:

Matthew 25: 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mark 13: 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.

36 Lest coming suddenly he finds you sleeping.

1st Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

[The Great Controversy pp 636>637] It’s at midnight that God manifests his power for the deliverance of his people. The sun appears, shining in its strength. Signs and wonders follow in quick succession.

The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow.

The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. There is a roar as of a coming tempest. The sea is lashed into fury. There is heard the shriek of the hurricane, like the voice of demons upon a mission of destruction.

Mountain chains are sinking. Inhabited islands disappear. The seaports that have become like Sodom for wickedness, are swallowed up by the angry waters. Babylon the Great hath come in remembrance before God, “to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” [Revelation 16:19, 21.]

Very disturbing developments are taking place even as we speak, and gross darkness is spreading across the earth in so much that thinking men and women everywhere are being awakened out of slumber as it were.

The prophecies in the Bible which deal with last day events are now converging on our doorsteps, and it is a no brainer to say that we are just at the very tip of the iceberg, to say the least, because the winds of strife spoken by John in Revelation 7 have already begun to blow.

In other words, it might very well be that currently, the countdown to midnight, for the you and me in the here and now has already begun, and as such, there is a special sense of urgency to the moment as it pertains to living in readiness.

We therefore urge everyone who so desires to make your calling and election sure by doing due diligence to the instructions given, for we are to keep in mind that the blood on the door post is only one command among many.

 We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that is meant to keep the correct perspective in view, and we hope and pray that good intentions will translate into obedience, for the entire work and purpose of salvation is to bring us back into harmony with God, and His law. 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.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

                                God Bless!

Insurance Versus Assurance. Sabbath afternoon 03/15/2025

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

18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

Even though the above passages refer primarily to the earth made new, the statements also apply in some measure to life on planet earth, because The Lord has put in place certain systems to help those who trust in Him, to navigate and mitigate some of the difficulties and challenges we encounter in our sojourn down here.

For instance, the angel of The Lord encamps around them that fear Him, and He delivers them, so that a measure of peace, protection, and security is made possible through the providential interventions of God.

Now, this does not mean to say that in every single case, without exception, that this will ring true, for there are times when the Christian might have to confront challenges that are incidental to everyone else. However, we are always much better off under the shadow of The Almighty.

Hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes and accidents do not generally differentiate between a Christian and an unbeliever, however there’s no doubt that in many instances God has intervened to deliver those who trust in Him. That is an undisputed fact.

That being said, individuals and families within the remnant church, and indeed, all sincere believers the world over, who know what is coming should position themselves intelligently, according to what is written.

The reason why this counsel is necessary is so that when the going gets rough you would have had an intelligent understanding of the ways, and means to be adopted as the crisis deepens upon the earth.

As many earthly systems which we have become so accustomed to are uprooted, and as safety nets that we have come to depend on are dismantled, we will find it necessary to revisit the ways, and means God given us to live by in His word.

We have become accustomed to healthcare systems and monetary systems, and we currently depend on healthcare systems with health and home insurance to help mitigate the risks that are being posed by an increasingly warming planet, and by the increase of diseases and pestilences the world over.

There are king tides in many places where flooding did not previously exist in former years. I personally visited a home on the water in Surfside Miami some years ago when water levels were 6 feet lower than they are currently, and with the increasing intensity and frequency of hurricanes, according to the Bible, the worst is yet to come.

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires are becoming more costly, they are lasting longer, and they seem to be covering larger swaths of territories as things on planet earth continue to deteriorate.

The fact is that most of the costliest hurricanes, with the exception of hurricane Andrew have all occurred within the past twenty years, and this bears witness to the veracity of the predictions made in the Bible. Let’s read:

Luke 21: 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Isaiah 4: 5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.

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

Katrina 2005 3 $201.3B,

Harvey 2017 4 $160.0B,

Ian 2022 4 $119.6B,

Maria 2017 4 $115.2B,

Sandy 2012 1 $88.5B,

 Ida 2021 4 $84.6B,

Helene 2024 4 $78.7B

Irma 2017 4 $64.0B,

Andrew 1992 5 $60.5B

Ike 2008 2 $43.2B

Milton 2024 3 $34.3B

Ivan 2004 3 $34.0B

Michael 2018 5 $31.2B

Florence 2018 1 $30.0B

Wilma 2005 3 $30.0B

Rita 2005 3 $29.4B

Laura 2020 4 $28.1B

Charley 2004 4 $26.6B

After Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida in 1992, with up to 200 mph winds, some insurance companies went out of business permanently, for even though they had given customers their word, the bills that came due were just too great for them to handle. Thus, some were forced into insolvency.

That’s a problem, for if after paying for many years, your premiums which are sky high, only to find out that your insurance does not have the capacity to foot the bill for repairs when they come due you can get left holding the proverbial bag, as many persons are finding out, more and more.

This requires that we first understand the difference between assurance, as it comes from God, and the insurance industry, as we know it. Assurance, as it comes from God, according to His providential will, takes care of potential disasters before they come, so that the God-model is prevention is better than cure.

But insurance generally deals with calamities after they occur. That is the main difference, and it is a huge one, especially when insurance companies are not able to honor their financial obligations because of being financially strapped.

With life insurance, benefits might be paid out, but someone may have to die first. With your home insurance too, benefits might be paid out, but your house will have to either burn down first, or some hurricane or tornado would have to destroy it and the valuables inside it, before your insurance will kick in.

This is what is currently unfolding in California after the deadly wildfires devastated some communities. This is what is also taking place in certain parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas after hurricane Helene literally razed many properties and buildings to the ground.

Insurance companies might step up to the plate, but you will have to suffer the destruction first, let alone the hassle of trying to rebuild, and the wrangling, or back and forth which often takes place between the insurer and the insured, as companies may become hesitant to pay out such enormous sums as a result.

With the Scriptural type of assurance, God, in some instances may prevent or turn away the hurricanes, the tornadoes, and the wild fires from doing their dirty work in the first place, so that you would not need insurance at the back end. Again, as we stated before, this is subject to God’s will in situations that He deems appropriate and/or necessary. Let’s read:

Mark 4: 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

And even if God allows a calamity to strike, as it was in the case of Job, the Christian in some cases could still be better off, when it comes to claims, for your insurance company would, in the majority of cases, only cover you for what you house, and valuables are worth, but in some cases, God might reimburse you for much more than you had previously. Let’s read:

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

Preemptive assurance is what satan recognized as fact, as he was doing surveillance on Job’s property, for it then became evident that the peace, and the tranquility enjoyed by Job, with persons under his jurisdiction, were not the result of chance, or good luck, but was instead the direct interposition of God to stop calamity before it strikes.

After permission was granted, satan brought on the tornado which leveled the house where Job’s kids were having a party. Tornados, and other disasters would have been brought on much earlier if it were not for God’s assurance protecting Job. Let’s read:

Job 1: 9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

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

12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So, Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, the fire of God (wildfires) is fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep, and the servants and consumed them and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house.

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

Before we proceed, we would have to set the record straight, as it pertains to the insurance industry, and the terminologies used in describing what they refer to as natural disasters. This phrase: “An Act of God” is of satanic origin, for it lays the blame for calamity squarely at the feet of God, when in most instances, this is not the case. Let’s read:

The Insurance Industry’s Interpretation: An act of God is an uncontrollable event, such as a tornado, a flood, or tsunami, that are not caused, or controlled by humans. Events, such as floods, earthquakes, or natural catastrophes, are considered as acts of God. Insurance companies would often limit, or exclude coverage for acts of God.

This wrong interpretation must now be corrected, especially since hurricanes, and other natural, and unnatural disasters will be ramping up in increasing intensity, and frequency. The God of heaven is not man’s enemy, He is man’s dearest Friend, who sent His Son Jesus Christ into this world to save us from ourselves.

This fact, Jesus had to make plain to His disciples as they called for retribution on persons who did not see eye to eye with Christ’s request. So, let us say it again, God does not stand as a destroyer towards the human family, it is satan and his minions who in most cases are doing the dirty work.

And then, poor mortals are found giving voice to his work of accusing God, when disasters are declared to be an act of God. Let’s read:

Luke 9: 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.

Isaiah 14: 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

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

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

So, the question is, how is the Christian to navigate all of these things, which are scheduled to increase exponentially? How could we, who are so immersed in the insurance industries, who depend upon them for almost everything, be weaned off of the systems to the point where assurance will take the place of insurance?

Let us just say here that we would have to become accustomed to doing things, and mitigating things in a completely different manner, from what we now consider to be the gold standard.

Understanding, to the best of your knowledge, the revealed works of God in behalf of His people, will greatly help in this matter. So, let’s read prayerfully with the understanding, the following solemn truth and then we will follow the angel of God, wherever he goes.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

1st Samuel 19: 19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.

20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.

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

23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah.

24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

Genesis 18: 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, will thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

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

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

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

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

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

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

33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

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

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

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

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

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

[Patriarchs & Prophets p 279] Many of the Egyptians had been led to acknowledge the God of the Hebrews as the only true God, and these now begged to be permitted to find shelter in the homes of Israel when the destroying angel should pass through the land. They were gladly welcomed, and they pledged themselves henceforth to serve the God of Jacob and to go forth from Egypt with His people.

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

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

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

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

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

When salt is sprinkled or added to food, it changes the taste dramatically, so that everything in your pot is affected. Similarly, God has sprinkled His remnant people strategically throughout the earth, so that in certain instances, the inhabitants thereof might be beneficiaries of His assurance. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 631] The Lord delights in mercy; and for the sake of a few who really serve him, he restrains calamities, and prolongs the tranquility of multitudes. Little do sinners against God realize that they are indebted for their own lives to the faithful few whom they delight to ridicule and oppress.

The Bible prophets predict a dramatic increase in the frequency and intensity of storms tornadoes, wildfires hurricanes and earthquakes, and because we know that God’s word never fails, it behooves us to position ourselves intelligently, based on the info He has given in His word.

As it pertains to assurance versus insurance, we will need to follow the direction God will give us in some circumstances. We are strongly advised, both in the Bible, and in the writings of the servant of God, to remove to the country wherever, and whenever we can.

In doing so however, we may want to consider that passage we read of earlier, which says: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them.

Thus, in following the counsel given, God may direct two or three families to make their move to some particular location, so that there would be a heavy concentration of holy angels in the area, to stave off whatsoever may be coming down the pike.  

This will also provide much needed support systems so that in the event of emergency and calamity, you would not be out in the boon docks all alone.

This is not to say that God cannot or will not protect the singular Christian living in the boonies; He can, but there is very strong evidence in the Scriptures for joining forces with other believers.

When David was being hunted by king Saul, he went to the location where other like-minded believers were, and because there was a strong concentration of the Holy Ghost, and holy angels in the area, Saul could not break through the invisible barrier to get at David.

In his dilemma, life or health insurance would have done him no good. Instead, it was the assurance of God’s preemptive protection that saved the day.

We are not advising anyone to go and cancel their insurance and switch over to assurance alone, but what The Lord is saying to us is that the systems of earth will fail you, and they are beginning to fail. And whereas in times past, we put our trust in these systems the time is coming when they would not be available to those who will obey God at a time when it will be very difficult to do so. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 625] As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment-keepers shall withdraw the protection of government, and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages.

And associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries, and will thank God for the “munitions of rocks.”

Let us therefore at the very least, consider these things while we can, for no one knows when the mark of the beast will raise its head across the land. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should enable us to navigate the challenges that are headed our way, and as always, we must take all our plans and concerns to God, to be led by Him in all things. Let’s read:

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

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

3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most-High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

                                    God Bless!

Final Movements Will Be Rapid Ones. Sabbath afternoon 03/22/2025

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

The above verses were taken from Christ’s discourse with His disciples, pertaining not only to the demise of Jerusalem of old, but also to the end time events that would usher in the final conflict between good and evil on planet earth, and the subsequent end of human probation.

The prophecies, as recorded by Matthew, have dual meaning because some predictions pertained to the invasion and destruction by the Roman Cestius, and also the 1260 years of papal persecution while some other aspects of the prophecies pertain to the here and now.

The servant of the Lord, in describing the horrors in the days of Titus, says that the situation back then had deteriorated to the point where satan himself was at the head of the nation, and many crimes too horrible to mention took place at his instigation.

He had taken the reins of control, although he also remained completely hidden from view, working his will through those human agents who had become fully demon possessed, even though they knew it not. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 88] The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. Then God withdrew his protection from them, and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen.

Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the conquerors. Satan aroused the fiercest and the most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason. Satan was at the head of the nation, and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway.

Hence the reason why Jesus wept as he stood upon Mt olives, and with prophetic eye observed the dark days that lay ahead, not only for the chosen people, but also for persons who would be living during the time when the final conflict would take place.

When you read in the Bible that Jesus wept, it was not for being sad about Lazarus because He was just about to raise Lazarus from the dead, so it would be irrelevant for Jesus to weep for him.

Jesus’ weeping was about being sorry for those who would reject His messiahship, and the consequence of their rejection of Him, in spite of the abundance of undeniably convincing evidence that was given to them. This He referred to when, as He hung on the cross, people mourned for Him. Let’s read:

Luke 23: 27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

Thus, after the servant of The Lord describes all the gory details of what took place back then, under the Roman Titus, she then makes the following cryptic statement, which aught to be a cause for concern, to any rational thinking person who is studying end time prophecies. Let’s read:

[Great Controversy pp 88] The Savior's prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow.

In other words, what she is saying is that what took place under Titus is a joke when compared to what’s heading our way. Indeed, that is what Daniel is also saying, because the prophet is basically telling us in a nutshell that we ain’t seen nothing yet. Let’s read:

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

Therefore, because of the urgency of the moment, the final movements that will close off probationary time for earth’s inhabitants, will accelerate greatly, and alarming developments are scheduled to take place with such rapidity, that they will defy reason, and as a result folks will be at a loss for a response.

In lieu of what The Savior has predicted, together with the other Bible prophets who treat upon this subject, it is prudent that the remnant people of God who know what is coming, be prepared in such a manner that we will not be swept off of our feet by the swift incoming tide of snares and adversities.

We are not going to dwell too much on what those final movements will be, or how they would unfold, for most of us are already acquainted with what is predicted to come to pass in the last days of earth’s history.

Instead, we are going to deal with the deeper, and more important question of how to survive, and be prepared to remain anchored in Christ, when the winds of strife are let loose, thus triggering those rapid movements being referred to.

There are two statements coming from the pen of inspiration that we must therefore address, as it pertains to us living in readiness. Those statements refer to latent tendencies in our character that have not been completely overcome, and which we often sweep under the rug by making excuses for failures.

If the veil was to be lifted, we would see the devil grinning from ear to ear when we make excuses for our shortcomings. He loves to hear Christians blame other people, circumstances, the weather, feelings, impulse, and most of all, he loves to hear the most favorite of all words, the devil made me do it.

With many Christians, including the remnant people of God there are invisible skeletons hiding out in our closets, which only surface from time to time when the right set of circumstances converge.

Temptations, as they are concocted, and delivered by devils are not circumstances that do occur in any haphazard manner. They are devices and snares that are well studied, and thought out, prior to bringing them to the Christian.

Several components are carefully considered, such as timing you at your weakest moment, studying the files they have on you, to see which points you have historically been susceptible on.

And there are other contributing factors which are brought into the equation, such as prime location, the time of day, or night, ambience, and influence that may, or may not obtain.

If Bathsheba’s husband was at home at the time, we most likely would never have read of David’s fall in that instance, and furthermore, for her to become pregnant from just a one night’s stance would take considerable planning and surgical execution.

Therefore, for the Christian to think that temptation occurs in a haphazard manner is to misunderstand what the Bible teaches about man’s diabolical foe, who has years of experience under his belt, with a clear knowledge of what works best, in any given situation.

Sinful tendencies which are allowed to fester, and breed undetected and unaddressed, while we hope that triggering mechanisms of satan will somehow be skirted, without fervent prayer and a stern self-denial, is an absolute nonstarter.

The skeletons in our closet must now be confronted and overcome permanently, before the big one hits, for the final movements will produce rapid currents of temptations and snares that will be coming at the Christian with increasing severity and frequency.

In other words, any sin that is not overcome now will gain the mastery over us, when the right set of circumstances are converged by devils. And in most instances, he is not looking for three or four issues. The devil only needs one, through which he could shake us down from our perch.

The following excerpts bring this grim reality to light with the hope that all concerned will stand up, and take notice. In other words, now is not the time to be playing church, but instead, we should be honest with ourselves, asking the tough questions about the man in the mirror.

And if we have a problem with some sinful, latent tendency, or some skeleton in our closet which trips us up, ever so often, we should now ask The Lord to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 88] Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the conquerors. Satan aroused the fiercest and the most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason.

The meaning of the word “Arouse”: To awaken that which is dormant, to stir up. Now, let’s consider this folks; in order for something to be awakened, it first has to be in existence in a dormant or a latent state, for no one could arouse, or awaken anything that is nonexistent in your character. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 88] Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power.

But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory.

What is being referred to is some responding chord in us that triggers the wrong reaction whenever the right set of circumstances converge. Some cherished sin, or a dormant tendency that we may be privately clinging on to, that has not been confronted for what it is.

David did not originally have any deliberate plans to sleep with Bathsheba. He had not spent days, and nights drooling over the prospect of a rendezvous. But, on the spur of the moment, when the right set of circumstances converged, he was overcome.

The same is true of Peter, for although he carried a loaded gun, he had no premeditated, or deliberate intention of shooting the high priest’s servant in the ear. But when the devil converged the right set of circumstances, Peter, like David also fell.

Again, the same can be said of Jacob, when he went in to deceive his father, Isaac. He had not planned to tell such brazen lies on God, but when in the heat of moment, Isaac pressed him about finding the meat so soon, he got tripped up by a question he was not expecting, and as is too often the case, God was the only way out, to him. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] Man is contending with foes who are stronger than he. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places.” Ephesians 6:12.

This leads us to our case study of the man, Moses, who for years had endured the winds of strife which were coming from a multitude of insubordinate folk. They wore him down over the years with complaints and murmuring, and on several occasions, they had almost stoned him.

The journey to Canaan would have taken but a few days, but because of the attitude of the multitude, it was now going to take forty years. Thus, Moses was in no mood to take further insults and threats to his person when they clamored for water.

Thus, satan, ever on the lookout for opportunities to trip us up, observed that change in mood that came over Moses. He studied his countenance carefully, and he correctly determined that Moses could be a prime target for temptation if the right circumstance could be brought about.

Therefore, he pulls the files he has on Moses, and to his delight, he discovers that there is one point on which he has been successful with Moses in times past. He runs the tape on Moses, in different cases when his temper tantrums surfaced. Let’s read:

Exodus 2: 11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, surely this thing is known.

After years of the people wearing Moses’ patience thin, who knows, there may still be some answering chord, some latent, dormant tendency that has not been completely uprooted, that could be aroused if the right set of circumstances were to converge.

Thus, he determines to try it once again. There must be some way that he could tick off Moses to the point where he will lose his cool, trip a fuse, and sin in the process, for that is the end game of every temptation; it’s always to get persons to sin.

And so, he goes to work through the people, as he moves upon them to bring again the old charge that Moses had led the multitudes into a wilderness full of hardship instead of leading them to Canaan. Thus accusations, and impugning of motives will be used as catalysts to trigger a wrong response. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

3 And the people chode with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 417] The two brothers went on before the multitude, Moses with the rod of God in his hand. They were now aged men. Long had they borne with the rebellion and obstinacy of Israel; but now, at last, even the patience of Moses gave way.

“Hear now, yoo rebels,” he cried; “must we fetch you water out of this rock?” and instead of speaking to the rock, as God had commanded him, he smote it twice with the rod. The water gushed forth in abundance to satisfy the host. But a great wrong had been done. Moses had spoken from irritated feeling. His lack of patience and self-control was evident.

[Testimonies Vol. 6 pp 656] Strength of character consists of two things—power of will and power of self-control. The real greatness and nobility of the man is measured by the power of the feelings that he subdues, not by the power of the feelings that subdue him. The strongest man is he, who, while sensitive to abuse, will yet restrain passion and forgive his enemies.

As we were writing out the Bible study, we were just wondering if in our own lives there might be some latent tendency, some dormant propensity that may have gone undetected or unaddressed for years and which might bubble up to the surface if the right set of circumstances were to be converged by devils.

There are basically two types of skeletons that you would find in your closets, namely, the ones that are really dead, and the ones that are just subdued. The ones that are really dead refer to former cravings or indulgences that have been uprooted by Christ.

As a general rule of thumb, these would not faze the Christian anymore for they have become permanent bygones, and as such they are not really a problem.

But the skeletons that are just subdued are the ones that are deep seated, usually having being indulged in your early, and adolescent years, into adulthood, and which the devil has successfully tripped us up on, over and over again, but since baptism they only surface on occasion, when the right circumstances converge.

Now, just because they do not erupt nearly as often as they used to in former years some Christians may take it for granted that these have been overcome, but lo and behold, when sudden temptation comes, out of the blue without warning, and the situation is favorable, the old devil succeeds yet again, much to our chagrin.

These issues, which are usually no more than one or two at the most, are the ones that are described as being the latent tendencies that have the potential to bubble up to the surface when, in times of fierce temptation, the old man may resurrect briefly, only to disappear into the shadows, to await another opportune moment.

Thus, the Christian who is engaged in serious soul-searching has to ask himself or herself, is there one latent tendency that could tick me off if the right set of circumstances are converged by devils?

This will call for us to be honest with ourselves and with God, for if these issues are not confronted and addressed now, they will most likely surface again in the future.

Final movements will be rapid ones, and it is quite possible, that in the process, some might lose their benefits such as Social Security or cuts to Medicare or Medicaid. We don’t know just yet, but everything may eventually be on the chopping block.

Could it be that if things were to take a turn for the worse suddenly, that some, like Moses will become ticked off, and might blow a fuse in the heat of the temptation, on the spur of the moment? Remember, Moses had behaved himself quite well for many years, earning him the coveted title of the meekest man on earth.

Now folks, if the meekest man upon the earth could blow a fuse under sudden temptations, what about the you and me in the here and now, who are often ticked off by bad drivers on the road every day?

Again, we must do due diligence as we ask God to search us, for we cannot approach the final conflict of the ages with latent tendencies unaddressed, for if we do the final movements that will be rapid ones will sweep us off of our feet, as the heat of the fire is scheduled to be turned up several notches. Let’s read:

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

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

Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] It is impossible for us in our own strength to maintain the conflict; and whatever diverts the mind from God, whatever leads to self-exaltation or to self-dependence, is surely preparing the way for our overthrow.

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, and the disposition to follow the customs and practices of the world.

In closing, we are strongly advised not to take the victory for granted, nor should we presume that just because we may not have slipped up on a particular issue for many years, that we stand free and clear. As we have seen, this is not necessarily the case in every situation.

The urgency of the moment calls for soul searching of no ordinary character, confession of latent, sinful tendencies, and the humbling of our hearts before God, so that we may be victorious before the storm bursts upon us, for sacred history teaches us that God always gives the victory, before the battle, not merely during the battle.

We therefore close with two passages of Scripture that we would do well to ponder, even as we see cracks beginning to appear in the new abnormal. Let’s read:

Psalms 139: 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Romans 9: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

                                  God Bless!

Confronting The Issue Of fear. Sabbath afternoon 02/22/2025

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

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

3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

The issue of fear is something the human family has had to deal with, ever since our first parents sinned in Eden. Fear is a part of the fabric of life on planet earth and even though we do serve an all-powerful God, the Christian at times experiences fear, some more, some less.

The reason why the issue of fear would have to be confronted, is because, if it is left alone, it can then trigger a number of adverse side effects which have the potential to alter our faith, and trust in God, and in consequence, we could begin to assess situations and draw conclusions, the same way the worldling does.

The secular mind does not generally incorporate the miraculous or the supernatural into its thoughts and actions, and the teaching of evolution never makes any allowance for God.

Therefore, whenever trouble comes as it certainly would, and when a dangerous situation arises, the natural response is to go into panic mode, and leave the God factor out of the question.

This has happened over and over again in the Bible, and as we approach the final conflict of the ages, in which the forces of good and evil are scheduled to come to a head, the fear factor, and the God factor will come face to face, and depending on a person’s relationship with God either fear, or faith will then be vanquished.

Fear has the potential to crystalize faith, and if it is allowed to run riot, it could freeze hope and trust in God, and could cause, even the most conscientious Christian to make a wrong decision on the spur of the moment, which he or she may never have made under more favorable circumstances.

Thus, the Lord encourages our faith to shine brightly when the going gets rough, and we must remember to take hold of the arm of Omnipotence, even when the giants in the land might loom larger than life. In fact, fear is the favorite tool of satan to try to drive the Christian to do the unthinkable.

When fear went unbridled and unrestrained, in the experiences of David, it caused him to play the mad man, and in doing so, he let his spittle run down his beard, even as he scrabbled unintelligible writings on the wall. The situation was that David had fled to the Philistines, in order to escape from Saul.

Whilst in their company someone recognized him as the one who had recently killed Goliath, and when David realized that they knew who he was, he went into a full blown panic mode, resorting to stratagem and acting a lie, in order to save himself from what he saw as certain retribution. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 21: 11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

The Christian has to practice speaking the truth in difficult, and even dangerous circumstances, as it is currently. We would have to trust God, and let the chips fall where they may. Your firm decision to be truthful, in every situation is a must, for if we leave truth up to chance we would become the sport of circumstances.

Satan specializes in structuring situations so that the default setting would be falsehood, in order to save oneself from any undesirable outcome. This he has done on numerous occasions, and with alarming success, for it is one of his devices, referred to in the Scriptures.

Especially would this be the case moving forward, as many will be tempted to resort to plan B, meaning, that some might consider employing falsehoods, to avoid an uncomfortable situation, to say the least. We must always keep in mind that it’s the truth that will set you free, never falsehood.

Trusting in God, in the fullest sense, is not always an easy matter, and there will be those times when the Christian would find himself between a rock, and a hard place. “Fear not” is God’s word to us today, as we face mounting challenges on every side. In fact, the phrase “fear not” is written in the Bible about 170 times, for a valid reason.

Fear drove David to tell a blatant lie to the priest at Nob, and by so doing, the priest, and others were slain by Saul as a direct result. Fear often drives the Christian to tell lies, and once that route is taken, in some cases it could very well turn out to be the final nail in the coffin, literally, as we will see. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 22: 7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him hear now you Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;

8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that shows me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or shows unto me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?

9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

10 And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king.

16 And the king said, thou shalt surely die Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house.

18 And the king said to Doeg, turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

Fear caused Adam and Eve to hide from God, and drove them to tailormade clothes of leaves, which  God had to replace with His clothes made of skins.

Fear caused Job’s wife to suggest the unthinkable to curse God and die, and if Job’s faith had not been strong to confront his own fears, we may have had a completely different narrative about his latter end. Let’s read:

Job 3: 25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Again, when the giant Goliath railed against Saul’s army, when he defied the God of heaven, and when he threatened to make an example of anyone who dared to fight him, fear then sent the hosts of Israel scrambling, and consequently, as it always does, it caused persons to lose sight of the God factor.

Fear also caused the disciples to forsake Christ, and flee, and it drove Peter to rattle off a series of words that no Elder should utter. It was fear that drove him to say that he didn’t know Christ and it was fear that drove him to mingle with the mob who were at that time ridiculing Christ, and to pretend that he was their buddy, when in fact he was not.

This is another snare of satan, because he has seen that in many instances the fear of ridicule and scorn can drive the Christian to try to be cool, in order to disguise their faith in God. Christians must never try to be cool, but rather, should be humbly proud to be called a peculiar people. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 712] Peter tried to show no interest in the trial of his Master, but his heart was wrung with sorrow as he heard the cruel taunts, and saw the abuse He was suffering.

More than this, he was surprised and angry that Jesus should humiliate Himself and His followers by submitting to such treatment. In order to conceal his true feelings, he endeavored to join with the persecutors of Jesus in their untimely jests.

But his appearance was unnatural. He was acting a lie, and while seeking to talk unconcernedly he could not restrain expressions of indignation at the abuse heaped upon his Master.

Again, it was their fear of the giants that drove the Hebrews to pick up missiles to stone Moses, and it drove them to literally select a captain to take them back down into Egypt. It all stemmed from fear, that issue which we must all confront someday.

So yes, it is a tried, and true snare of satan, to inject fear into the heart of the Christian, and if God is not brought into the equation, things can unravel pretty  quickly, and drive the Christian into survival mode.

But the Christian is not to focus on survival, but on surrender to Christ, for therein will lie our ultimate safety, as our first passage tells us. In the experience of Elijah, it became necessary for him to hide from Saul, but because he trusted in God he was directed where to go, so that he could never be found.

In fact, the brook Cherith was not located very many miles from Saul’s own palace, and thus, God had the deranged king going around in circles looking for the prophet who was found to be dwelling in the secret place of The Most-High.

The Hebrews, on the other hand had the tendency to lose sight of God, whenever they faced perilous situations. And therefore, we should learn valuable lessons from their experiences, so that we can avoid taking the same route. Let’s read:

Numbers 13:27 And they told him and said we came unto the land where you sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

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

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

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.

Most of what the ten spies said was true, for the people of Canaan were indeed strong, the cities were walled, and yes, it is true that the sons of Anak were living there too.

These facts cannot and should not be denied, but to conclude that just because of the raw facts on the ground that they are not able to take over the land is where the error in judgement lies.

Faith in God does not dispense with real to life facts on the ground, it does not bury its head in the sand in order to live in a make-believe world. However, it is necessary for the God-factor to be incorporated in the assessments and planning, so as to facilitate the miraculous outcome that God is so often willing and ready to bestow.

Following this last vein of thought, we are not to kid ourselves into believing that the time of trouble, spoken of by the Bible prophets would be a breeze to overcome. It won’t be a breeze by any stretch of the imagination.

In fact, the description given by the prophets is that it will be much more severe and dangerous than any previous troubles that have engulfed the earth, thus making it unique, in the sense that it would bring a climax to earth’s history permanently.

Yet, for all of the intensity, and bloodshed, and the troubles that are scheduled to cover the face of the earth the Christian must never lose sight of The God Factor, for if this is done, fear will consume faith and hope will be sacrificed on the altar of anxiety.

Thus, we should be cognizant of the realities on the ground at this time, while at the same time keeping faith and hope alive, for it is only as we trust in God that the terrors of the last days could be held in the proper perspective. Let’s read:

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

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.

[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.

[The Great Controversy pp 829] The people of God will not be free from suffering; but while persecuted and distressed, while they endure privation, and suffer for want of food, they will not be left to perish. That God who cared for Elijah will not pass by one of his self-sacrificing children. He who numbers the hairs of their head will care for them, and in time of famine they shall be satisfied.

The ghosts of Goliath are flitting around all over the place nowadays, and the Canaanite duppy is now on the loose, to try to make the God of Israel seem small and to try to shake confidence in His ability to overrule adverse events.

We should now be managing our expectations very prudently, for we are not to expect deliverance at the first signs of trouble. Our faith will be severely tested, and yes, there would be trials of no ordinary character that will assail the Christian.

Yet, in all, and through it all, we are to remember that God is still in control, and He who is found in Christ will be made secure. God will be with us as we pass through the fire and the floods, so that they will not overwhelm, but purify.

The purpose of passing gold through the fire is not to destroy, but rather to remove all dross. Thus, the trial of our faith, should not drive us to forget or to question God, but rather to cooperate with Him, as He puts on the finishing touches to prepare us for heaven.

Therefore, whenever the Christian becomes afraid, it is time to remember and repeat the promises of  God for such a time as this. Try to avoid consuming too much bad news, for it can affect your psyche as well as your faith, for the more the mind dwells on the giants in the land, the lesser God’s power to save and deliver will become.

Dwell instead on God’s promises, and try to bring to mind the many chapters in your experience, when God delivered you over and over again. As we call to mind His miraculous interventions in our behalf, we will be greatly strengthened and encouraged to face tribulation, persecution, fire and flood.

We therefore end with two passages of Scripture which should strengthen, encourage and prepare the Christian for what is looming on the horizon, for there’s no doubt that the world has turned a corner into extreme spiritual darkness, which mirrors the prophecies of end-time events too closely. We read:

Psalms 56: 3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

Psalms 91: 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most-High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

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

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

                                   God Bless!

The Latter Rain Mindset. Sabbath afternoon 02/15/2025

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

The latter rain spoken of in the above verse has to do with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which is scheduled to be ramped up significantly just before probation closes so as to bring all of earth’s teeming multitudes to maturity, where their final irrevocable choices will be sealed for eternity.

This includes those who will ultimately be saved in God’s kingdom, and also those who will be eternally lost. The valley of decision referenced in the book of Joel 3 has to do with final decision-making for every person living on the planet at that time, and even now.

The decision is as simple and straightforward as it gets: if individuals choose to obey God rather than men, they would need to step up to the plate, and cast in their lot with the commandment-keeping people of God.

In other words, to put it in precis form, the gospel in our day can be condensed in a nutshell by these few words: “If you love me, keep my commandments, including the 7th day Sabbath of the decalogue.

But if not, then a definitive, and deliberate choice to worship the beast and his image, would have to be made, but any which way, the power of decision will then be actively engaged either for, or against God.

The work of the latter rain as will be ordained by the Holy Spirit will cut away all of those nonessentials to salvation that have been accumulating for centuries, and God will make present truth so simple that even a child could understand.

Back then, in the days of yore, when one asked the all-important question: What must I do to be saved, the answers given by the early Christians were not complicated or long-winded. They were direct, plain and simple so that everyone could understand.

The Lord would have us understand that long Bible studies, spanning several months, or years, are not necessarily essential to an individual being baptized. They could be productive of great good wherever it is possible, and wherever time can afford, but they are not absolutely necessary for an individual to be baptized.

Therefore, the following two excerpts coming from the pen of inspiration must be reconciled once and for all, for they are to understood in their contexts. Let’s read:

[Evangelism pp 308] Thorough Preparation for Baptism. There is need of a more thorough preparation on the part of candidates for baptism. They are in need of more faithful instruction than has usually been given them. The principles of the Christian life should be made plain to those who have newly come to the truth.

The preparation for baptism is a matter that needs to be carefully considered. The new converts to the truth should be faithfully instructed in the plain “Thus saith the Lord.” The Word of the Lord is to be read and explained to them point by point.

[Last Day Events pp 211.212] Thousands Converted in a Day.

There will be thousands converted to the truth in a day who at the eleventh hour see and acknowledge the truth and the movements of the Spirit of God. These conversions to truth will be made with a rapidity that will surprise the church, and God's name alone will be glorified.

The time is coming when there will be as many converted in a day as there were on the Day of Pentecost, after the disciples had received the Holy Spirit.

So, how should we reconcile the two phrases given above? Here they are again, side by side: Thorough Preparation for Baptism. Thousands Converted in a Day.

While it is true that persons are to be thoroughly instructed before baptism, wherever possible, the fact is that most individuals do not retain all of the teachings given up front, let alone all of the twenty- seven fundamental doctrines of the church.

In fact, very many Seventh Day Adventists may not be able to rattle off all 27 doctrines if asked to, and therefore, the latter rain mindset will seek to make as simple and straightforward as possible that which will enable persons to make informed decisions for present truth.

In other words, where time permits, extensive Bible studies can, and should be given, so as to make the candidates for baptism informed of what is involved in being baptized. But under the latter rain the Bible studies will become much shorter and condensed so as to feature those specific points of truth especially controverted by the beast.

The great commission given us is to teach, baptize, and continue teaching. Therefore, during the time of the latter rain, the truth will be condensed into a miniature, concise, and precise form, so as to be easily digested by one and all.

Therefore, what is to be taught up front at the time of the latter rain are the condensed essentials, to let people know what is required for baptism and then, once they understand that they are saved by grace through faith in Christ, and that the commandments of God are to be kept, including the 4th, they can be baptized, if they accept.

Pay close attention to the next passages for they are written in a strategic order, so as to inform the latter rain mindset, as well as all our general efforts at soul winning. Let’s read:

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Note well how the verses are written, for verse 19 instructs us to teach, and then baptize, but verse 20 tells us to teach them to “observe all things”, after they have been baptized.

The reason why the verses are structured that way is because if we are to wait until persons are taught to observe “All things” they may never be baptized, because it could end up taking too long.

The revelation of truth is an ongoing process, and we are always in a learning curve, as God opens up to the mind, things that were previously fuzzy, and because of this, the teaching of “All things” is really an ongoing process, that will never end.

Thus, we must identify from the word of God, what are the essentials that should be taught up front, as we prepare persons for baptism, under the auspices of the Holy Ghost’s latter rain. Let’s read:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

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

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words.

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.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

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

Note well, that Peter does not mention anything about the Sabbath, or the commandments of God, for at the time of the early rain, no one questioned whether the Sabbath, or the laws of God were valid, and therefore, those items were strategically left off of the menu, as being not necessary to focus on at that time.

The Holy Spirit instead moves upon the disciples to deal with the elephant in the room, which was the acceptance of Jesus Christ of Nazareth as being The One who was sent by God for the salvation of all. In other words, Christ was now to be certified in the minds of the people as The Redeemer.

Hence the reason why, when asked by the people, “What shall we do” a clear, concise answer is given, not any longwinded Bible studies for many months, but rather the gospel, or present truth, in a precis format, to meet the present needs of the people back then.

Here it is again, where the jailor realizes that he will be killed by the authorities, if there indeed was a prison break, on account of the earthquake that had shaken the place.

He asks a simple straight forward question, and the reply comes back in precis form, with only one Bible study being given to prepare him, and his family for baptism at that time. Remember, all of these things took place under the early rain. Let’s read:

Acts 16: 29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

32 And they spoke unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

Again, under the outpouring of the early rain, the new converts were not to be initially burdened with months and years of studies, before being baptized, for the seeds of truth had already been planted, and now it was time to reap. Similarly, the latter rain is given in the context of reaping earth’s final harvests. Let’s read:

Acts 15: 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well.

That’s it? Certainly, there must be a whole lot more that they could have been be taught, but for now, the “Necessary Things” number only 4: They must abstain from meats offered to idols, from eating blood, from things that are strangled, and from fornication.

Thus, in order to facilitate those decisions spoken of by the prophet Joel, The Holy Spirit is promised in copious amounts, so as to bring home present truth to the forefront of the minds of individuals in a clear direct, and simple format, so that everyone will fully understand what is at stake.

As the former rain was given at the beginning of the Christian church, on the day of Pentecost, so it will be given in copious amounts near the end of earth’s history, just before the close of probation, to gather in all of God’s people in one, and to finalize all those decisions that will be made by the ungodly.

The unction is to make us function in the context of the very rapid conversions which are scheduled to take place, as the end of all things approaches. And we could be looking at sooner rather than later, the way how things are going.

Thus, the stereotypes, formalities, and traditions we have become accustomed to over the years would need to be revisited, and in some cases, discarded, as The Holy Ghost will lead. We must not become so entrenched in tradition so that we will be averse to the changes that would become necessary.

The Bible teaches us that as many as are led by The Spirit of God, they are the sons of God and thus, the willingness to be led is what will be one of the most important characteristics of those who will be called to give the loud cry, under the outpouring of The Holy Ghost in the latter rain. 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 of man's machinery, his binding rules and his cautious methods, they will declare the truth with the might of the Spirit's power.

Great and critically important lessons are learned in the experiences of the early church, when The Lord granted the former rain. These lessons should never be lost upon the minds of those who are to give the loud cry.

They are written in the Bible for a reason so that the remnant of God in our day may position themselves intelligently, in order to receive the latter rain with the understanding. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 148] Let those who desire to be refreshed in mind and instructed in the truth study the history of the early church during and immediately following the Day of Pentecost.

Study carefully in the book of Acts the experiences of Paul and the other apostles, for God's people in our day must pass through  similar experiences.

Thus, the encounter between Philip and the Eunuch from Ethiopia, furnishes a wealth of instruction for those who will be granted the latter rain mindset. As we do our case study observe how the Holy Ghost is leading, His unconventional methods, and also, the simplicity and directness of the gospel. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 26 And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

This first passage tells us that The Holy Ghost is the One who makes appointments, for the gospel to be preached to receptive persons. It’s not by might nor by power, but solely the result of being willing to be led by God.

Under the latter rain, The Holy Spirit would not generally be wasting time after persons who have no interest in salvation. Even though the outpouring will be upon “All flesh” yet, most of the specific appointments made will be for those who shall be heirs of salvation.

We are instructed to sow beside all waters, and the parable of the Sower teaches us that there would be different soils, upon which the Gospel seed will fall. But if one declares decidedly that they want nothing to do with Jesus, their choice must be respected.

There is such a thing as wasting precious time after one who is decidedly not interested in hearing any word from God. That’s what God was trying to teach Paul, when, in spite of the warning given, he insisted on going up to Jerusalem to preach to the decidedly stubborn hearts. Let’s read:

Acts 21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

Phillip did not know who he was going to meet, nor what type of reception he would be given, but that was not really his business. His forte was to obey in all things whatsoever, and howsoever The Spirit will direct. A humble and a willing spirit will be of much value to God, during the closing work of salvation.

The mere fact that The Holy Spirit is The One who gave to Philip his marching orders, was enough to settle in his mind that the encounter would be very productive of good. Let’s read:

Acts 8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

This cannot be stated enough, for the tendency to plan ahead of God, the disposition to employ man- made efforts and strategies, without being guided or sent by The Holy Spirit, would not cut it when the latter rain falls. Note well Philip’s ready, and willing mindset we spoke of earlier, now being manifested in real time. Let’s read:

Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias and said Understandest thou what thou readest?

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

The latter rain mindset is one that is dead focused on one thing, and one thing only; the salvation of as many as God will call. Thus, Philip’s conversation is not going to deal with hot potatoes, those sensitive topics some persons like to argue about. Philip goes directly to the purpose to which The Spirit sent him.

One thing, and one thing alone absorbs the interest of Philip, and because he is so dead-focused on the mission, he goes to work under the auspices of The Holy Spirit, with a surgical accuracy that is worthy of emulation. Let’s read:

Acts 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

The Ethiopian eunuch was reading of current events pertaining directly to salvation, because Christ had recently been crucified, and thus, he was most likely seeking a better understanding of what had taken place in Jerusalem.

The place in question was abuzz, with the news of Christ’s recent death and His resurrection, and these current events probably are what drove the eunuch to revisit certain passages of scripture.

Under the latter-rain, the remnant people of God in our day should be able to begin with the current events, and lead persons to Christ, just as Philip did. And the “Current events” will at that time, include the newly minted mark of the beast, and decisions to be made either for or against the laws of God.

In other words, speaking of things which might be irrelevant in our day may not tow the line effectively so as to cause persons to ask that most important question: “What must I do to be saved?”

Everything that is said and done, every Bible study or sermon, and every evangelistic outreach should have as its core purpose to lead persons to Christ. It is not to win any argument, nor to prove any point, it is solely to lead persons to the foot of the cross.

Thus, if people are found reading their Bibles in our day, searching for answers to last day events, which are occurring in natural disasters and wars, as many indeed are currently doing, but they might not be understanding what they are reading, those who are led by The Spirit of God would be able to start at the pertinent prophecies and lead persons to Christ.

Let’s take a specific example so that we understand what is being spoken of. Let’s say the Ethiopian was reading from Revelation 14: 6 which says:

“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.

The Ethiopian Eunuch in our day should then be led to Christ from that very verse because it’s Jesus who created all things, in conjunction with the other two members of the God-head, and He is to be honored and worshiped as both Creator and Redeemer. And, it’s the 7th day Sabbath commandment that certifies His Creatorship.

The remnant people of God who have been granted the latter rain mindset should immediately refer the eunuch to other verses of Scripture, which point to Jesus Christ as The Creator, and Lawgiver. In other words, like Philip, they must begin at Revelation 14 and preach Jesus unto him.

And thus, any eunuch in our day can be led to give his life to Christ, knowing that the same power that created the heaven and the earth in the beginning, is the same Power that gave us the 7th day Sabbath, and thus, present truth in miniature form can be fed to willing hearts and minds. 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.

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.

Matthew 15: 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Now, it is worthy of note that the Bible does not say exactly where Philip went from the passage in Isaiah to bring the eunuch to the point of baptism. But we may safely conclude that he used the line upon line, precept upon precept method which is mandated in the Bible, for the record says that he “Began” at that verse and preached unto him Jesus. Let’s read:

 Acts 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaks the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

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

The conversation between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch couldn’t have lasted more than a few hours at the most, yet, because it took place in the context of the former rain the man was readied for baptism, as far as the Holy Ghost was concerned.

There were no long studies and indoctrinations that were necessary, no evaluation of the eunuch’s past history, of what he did, or didn’t do, and he was not required to learn a number of dearly held doctrines, which most of us cannot remember anyway.

The Eunuch was being prepared for baptism long before Philip had arrived on the scene and therefore Philip was brought there just to put on the finishing touches, or the icing on the cake, as it were. Three months’ worth of Bible studies, and tent meetings  were therefore not needed.

In fact, according to the sacred record, Philip wasn’t even permitted to remain for “Potluck” afterwards, because The Holy Ghost had other urgent business to do. The latter rain will guide us to dispose of the many unnecessary formats which we have become accustomed to over the years. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

There were other souls waiting in the wings who, like the Eunuch, had divine appointments, and thus, under the former rain, all formalities, and traditions which had come to be viewed as being essential, in fact were utterly discarded by The Spirit of God, and in their place, the bare-bones, and simple format of precis-form teaching took place. Let’s read:

[L.D.E. pp 206] When the heavenly intelligences see that men will no longer present the truth in its simplicity as did Jesus, the very children will be moved upon by the Spirit of God and will go forth proclaiming the truth for this time.

This brings us to two very important questions that now have to be confronted, and answered from the scripture:

                                  Question [1]

What exactly is actually required in the Scripture for a person to be baptized, under the latter rain?

                                Question [2]

Could the Scriptural prerequisites for baptism be condensed into a precis format so as to deliver the surgical formula in just one Bible study, or in a few hours, as the case might be?

In both cases, of the jailor with Paul and Silas, and also with Philip, and the Ethiopian eunuch there is the clearest evidence that indeed, under the latter rain, a person could be prepared for baptism in just a few hours, or in one Bible study.

This may not bode well with the traditions, methods and formulas we have come to expect, and accept over the years, but according to the sacred record, it is quite possible. Let us be reminded, that The Holy Spirit’s work under the latter rain will upend a lot of norms and formalities persons have come to view as being essential.

While it’s true that these things may not necessarily be bad, in and of themselves, God is now alerting us to the fact, that some of the formats currently being used would not be needed when the latter rain time comes around. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp 82] God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the outward training of scientific institutions.

These facilities aren’t to be despised or condemned; they are ordained of God, but they can furnish only the exterior qualifications. God will manifest that He isn’t dependent on learned, self-important mortals.

Therefore, it should be with a humble heart, and a teachable spirit that we must search the Scripture for the answer to that all important question: “What must I do to be saved?” in the context of the latter rain

It’s worthy of note that in the conversation between the Ethiopian eunuch and Phillip the Sabbath wasn’t mentioned and the reason for this is that back then, it was not a problem, neither for Jew or Gentile.

The nations of earth back then may or may not have obeyed the fourth commandment, but one thing is certain, there was no dispute about the validity of the Sabbath even by pagan nations, and thus, it was not necessary to feature it prominently, for as they say, it was a no-brainer.

But when you fast-forward to our day, you’ll observe an entirely different landscape, where unscriptural doctrines have taken deep root in the contemporary Christianity of the day, and which threaten to cause the Bible prophets to turn in their graves. 

The doctrine that God’s law was nailed to the cross, and is no longer binding upon men was unheard of back then, and thus, the focal point of belief for any would-be believer in our day is not merely a belief in Jesus, but also a recognition that God’s law is still valid, including the fourth, which reminds us to keep the seventh day Sabbath holy. Let’s read:

Under the outpouring of the latter rain, this one will be the “Big one” because it is the point of present truth most controverted in both the religious, and secular worlds.

While Christianity in our day has essentially turned its back on the fourth commandment, philosophy and secular education has all but eradicated the day of rest, through the teaching of evolution, and thus, The Holy Spirit solemnly declares that He isn’t going to beat around the bush, when the time of the latter rain begins.

He will be going for the jugular as it were, because it is the Sabbath that will divide the entire world into two distinct camps, those who honor would God by keeping all of His commandments, including the 4th, and those who won’t.

In fact, when you read the condensed form of the everlasting gospel given in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, you’ll discover that no mention is made of believing in Jesus, because that is not really the issue. Christians in our day have already believed, but the one sticking point is the Biblical day of rest.

Thus, the everlasting gospel is a specific gospel that is tailormade to address the needs of our day, and as such, it goes directly to the root of the problem, which must be confronted, and decided upon by the teeming multitudes of earth. 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.

This last statement is lifted directly from the fourth commandment of the Decalogue, and thus, it will be the focal point of all teaching, all instruction, and all conversions, under the Latter rain. The majority of Christians have already believed in Jesus, so that is not really the issue, but this one sticking point is the one that must be addressed.

Therefore, under the Latter rain, when any member of the remnant people of God in our day might be directed by The Holy Spirit to go join themselves to this chariot, whether it be the Facebook chariot or a TikTok chariot, like Phillip of old, they must be laser focused on one thing, and one thing only.

Many of those other doctrines, and teachings, and rules and traditions we have become accustomed to may no longer be needed at that time, in order for folks to be baptized.

And thus, it is that the Latter rain mindset is to take deep root within the consciousness of persons who would be called to give the last message of mercy to a dying world. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

[The Great Controversy pp 605] The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.

While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law is evidence of loyalty to the Creator.

While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.

As it stands currently, the hearts and minds of men are consumed with business and pleasure or they’re distracted by wars and rumors of war, by upheavals in high and low places, or with pestilences in divers places with devastating natural disasters also on the uptick.

These things portend the coming of Christ, and are to arouse every person living on planet earth to the urgency of the moment. In other words, it is not business as usual, but the first tremors of the final conflict that will shape each and everyone’s eternal destiny, all who will be alive at the time of the latter rain.

Therefore, if anyone in the hearing of our voice be convinced of these sacred truths, if any persons on the Facebook chariot, or the YouTube chariot be fully aroused in their consciences to the urgency of keeping the Sabbath, let them signal their desire to do so by reaching out to us at the following number:

The Northwest Dade Seventh Day Adventist church

                            6500 NW 202nd St

                         Hialeah, FL 33015-8143

                               305-974-4945

Those who are in leadership will direct you as to the “Necessary things” for baptism. And, for our other friends, family, and eunuchs who may currently be living in foreign countries, you can also contact the nearest Seventh Day Adventist church in your area to request baptism.

The local Pastor or Elder should be more than happy to assist you as per what is required. In closing, let’s all be willing, and ready like Phillip, to be led by God wherever, and whenever He beckons us, and let us never believe that the work of The Holy Spirit has to fall within the confines of traditions and man-made formulas.

The Lord is much bigger than that, and the work of salvation is scheduled to close up on the earth much more gloriously than when it first began. We’ll now close off our discourse, in harmony with this solemn truth. Let’s read:

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

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

30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

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

                                    God Bless!

The Doctrine Of Ownership. Sabbath afternoon 02/08/2025

The opening passages, which we will read later on are very humbling, and when juxtaposed together, present an all together different perspective than most earthlings hold. In fact, when the Scriptures are studied carefully on the doctrine of ownership, it is discovered that we are just stewards, managing goods and materials lent us by God.

But as far as owning anything goes, in the full sense of the word, we do not own anything. Yes, we may have in our possession titles, and deeds to houses, and lands, and yes, many other materials may be in our name but when the straight unadulterated truth is studied, an entirely different picture emerges.

You may hear a lot of talk about “my country” and my life, and my possession, and my this and my that and because persons have been brainwashed into believing that material things of earth belong to us, they could become encased in the delusion that we actually own things.

This delusion comes directly from the father of lies, who himself is self-deceived on this point, hence the reason why he presumed to offer to Christ the earth and its kingdoms in exchange for worship. But it was a boldfaced proposal, which prompted Jesus to then dismiss him summarily.

In times past we have mentioned that the time may come when we will read the plain word of God with no commentaries, or other human input, but we are “scared” to do so, for there are some persons who might not be able to receive, and digest the straight testimony of the Bible.

However, we will go for a test run this evening as we study the doctrine of ownership, and it will be very important for us to lay aside any preconceived ideas and put on our humble shoes, by letting God’s word speak directly to our hearts.

Indeed, it might very well turn out to be one of the most sobering experiences we have had in a long while. In the following passages we are looking for what the Bible says God owns, and the highlighted words will help us on our way. Let’s read:

Psalms 24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

The phrase “The fullness thereof” means everything and everyone who lives on the planet. It includes all of the raw materials which go into the production of goods, the construction of homes, the manufacture of cars and heavy machinery, and the production of foods and beverages. It all belongs to God.

Psalms 50: 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.

This includes all beasts, whether they be wild, or domesticated, it includes the millions of chickens slaughtered by Tyson foods, and everything on the menu at Chik-fil A. Mc Donalds and Wendys do not get a pass either, for everything that is offered and sold belongs to God. It also includes your favorite pets. They are all God’s own.

Haggai 2: 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

This one is huge, for the passage is not restricted to silver and gold, but rather includes all of those rare earth materials that go into the making of computer chips and lithium batteries that power your Tesla or other electric/ Hybrid vehicles. Those raw materials all belong to God.

The words “Silver and gold” also refer to all jewels and precious stones sold by your favorite Jeweler, including every item sold by Tiffany and Zales, and includes the diamonds in that ring you gave to your wife, not too long ago. It all belongs to God.

In fact, long before there was any mining upon the earth, there was gold and precious stones buried in the earth, very much of which could now be found buried beneath the sand dunes of the deserts in Namibia. When God created the earth He also made gold, silver, precious stones and rare earth materials in abundance. Let’s read:

Genesis 2: 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasses the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasses the whole land of Ethiopia.

All of the oil and gasoline sold at your Chevron and Exxon gas stations, come from oil, coal, and shale which belong to God alone.

The vast deposits of oil in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Africa and the United States all belong to the God of heaven, for not only does God own them, God also strategically distributed them across the earth in His wisdom. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 107>108] The entire surface of the earth was changed at the Flood. A violent wind which was caused to blow for the purpose of drying up the waters, moved them with great force, in some instances even carrying away the tops of the mountains and heaping up trees, rocks, and earth above the bodies of the dead.

By the same means the silver and gold, the choice wood and precious stones, which had enriched and adorned the world before the Flood, and which the inhabitants had idolized, were concealed from the sight and search of men.

The violent action of the waters piled earth, and rocks upon these treasures, and in some cases even forming mountains above them. God saw that the more He enriched and prospered sinful men, the more they would corrupt their ways before Him.

At this time immense forests were buried. These have since been changed to coal, forming those extensive coal beds that now exist, and also yielding large quantities of oil.

Not only does God own all the raw materials upon the planet, God also owns all of the real estate, any and everywhere on the planet. The time has come for a rude awakening to the truth in the matter for it seems as if folks have lost sight of God’s sovereignty on the issue of ownership. Let’s read:

Leviticus 25: 23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine, for you are strangers, and sojourners with me.

It is worthy of note that we are reading these facts on real estate in Leviticus, and not only in the New Testament, after Calvary. The belief that Jesus took ownership of everything only after He had laid His life down for us, is a false narrative.

In fact, God owns everything, and everyone before Calvary, and after Calvary, because, we are reading presently from the Old Testament. This is certified by His sovereign prerogative to distribute land as He sees fit. And it raises the bar even higher, for He can take land from certain people, and give it to others.

When the people of God were to be persecuted for their faith in Revelation 12, God provided a place of refuge in a sparsely populated area, and He gave to them stewardship of that land, even though at that time it was inhabited by indigenous peoples. 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.

Furthermore, Christopher Columbus didn’t discover anything, because there were already living there, peoples from different ethnic backgrounds in those lands that were to become known as being the new world. So yes, God not only owns all real estate, but He can also distribute it to persons, and nations as He sees fit. Let’s read:

Leviticus 20: 23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things and therefore I abhorred them.

24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that flows with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people.

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

5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

Numbers 34:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, when you come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)

3 Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward.

13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, this is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the Lord commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe.

14 For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance.

Not only does God own all the real estate, all of the silver, gold, and precious metals, He also owns each and everyone living on the planet, from His peculiar people, to Atheists and Buddhists, from law abiding citizens to those sitting in jail cells, as well as those who were recently pardoned.

God also owns the leaders of each country, together with all folks who work in the various government agencies, and this includes all the military personnel who serve at the discretion of leaders at home, and abroad. They are all owned by God personally. Let’s Read:

Ezekiel 18: 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.

Psalms 69: 33 For the Lord heareth the poor, and despises not his prisoners.

Acts 27:1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Then, to cap it off, Isaiah writing under the guidance of The Holy Spirit, summarizes the entire issue of ownership, and he places our planet in the correct perspective, in comparison, or in contrast to the big picture. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

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 calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one fails.

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

Our final introductory passage comes from the pen of Paul, who shaves the cold facts down to a bare- bones formula, and summarizes the issue of owning anything into precis form, so that we would always bear in mind the fact that nothing that we think is ours, is really ours. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 6: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

When taken together, the previous passages clearly teach us that we are born as stewards, and we die as stewards. In every single instance, where the rich and famous die they cannot carry any of their riches or material goods that they have accumulated over a lifetime with them.

The rich, and the poor go down to their graves the same exact way, as far as owning anything goes. And it was this grim reality that dawned upon Job, as he went through his learning curve of trials. All of his earthly possessions were not really his, he was just a steward of God’s blessings. Let’s read:

Job 1: 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

21 And said naked came I out of my mother's womb and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 5:15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

Ecclesiastes 2:15 Then said I in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.

Michael Jackson left a catalog of songs which he had previously bought from the Beetles that is currently worth over half a billion dollars. He had to leave it all behind, when he died. The faithful who believe in God also have to leave it all behind, because we had never really owned anything on this planet.

Abraham had to leave it all behind, Lot and his wife had to leave it all behind, and Bernie Madoff had to leave it all behind, and to those persons who are currently billionaires, when their numbers are called in heaven, they too, will have to leave it all behind. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 2: 18 Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

19 And who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

You read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation; God never ever gave this world to Adam, and Eve. It is a fact that our first parents were appointed by God as stewards, but as far as ownership goes, they never owned anything. It had always belonged to God, all along, referring to the earth and all its contents.

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.

Genesis 2: 15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Therefore, when we read in the New Testament of satan offering to Jesus the kingdoms of this world in exchange for worship, we must understand that he himself is self-deceived on this issue. Just because a bandit has defrauded victims of valuables, does not make those possessions his.

When Achan stole that goodly Babylonish garment and the shekels of gold, and then hid them among his own stuff in his tent, that act did not make the items his own. Instead, there was a sting operation embarked upon to find the culprit in the matter and Achan, together with those who aided, and abetted him, were brought to justice.

Therefore, upon the authority of God’s word we do declare unequivocally, that satan has never really owned anything on this planet, even though he has fed that same delusion to billions of earthlings over millennia. Let’s read:

Luke 4: 5 And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the devil said unto him, all this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

A right understanding of the doctrine of ownership is of critical importance to persons living in the here and now, especially since the world is given over to materialism and consumerism. The following are 4 modes of thought and action that inevitably spring from an incorrect perspective on ownership:

[1] If persons come to believe that material things, and money are really theirs, they most likely would not ask God for guidance in managing it, because they believe that it is theirs, and they should have the last word on how it is used or invested.

[2] When people become brainwashed into thinking that what they have is theirs they will generally have a problem with God’s instructions on offerings, and tithes, because, in their minds they believe that no one should tell them how to spend what is theirs.

[3] When folks believe that material things are their own, they will most likely fight like hell for it. Strife between family members over real estate and their inheritance, usually springs from the belief that the things of this world are their own, and if so, they are going to fight for it, even if in the process, they will violate God’s law. Let’s read:

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

The Lord teaches us that if we find ourselves in any dispute over property, and it reaches a boiling point where persons are going to fight, the Christian is to take the high road, and not bring the cause of God into disrepute, by taking fellow Christians to court, on account of any family feud. That’s because as Sovereign owner, God can tell us  what to do, in such circumstances. Let’s read:

Romans 12: 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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

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

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.

14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward.

15 For all the land which you see, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.

[4] When persons come to believe that their bodies are their own, they will generally resist any effort by The Lord, to instruct them on the issues of outward appearance, for in their minds, their bodies belong to them, and no one could dare to tell them how to dress. Let’s read:

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.

Hence the reason why you have sayings such as “it’s my life” it’s my body” and “I did it my way.” The vein of thought stems from a basic misunderstanding of the doctrine of ownership. On the issue of abortion, you will often hear the same line of reasoning, that “it’s my body.”

But even though persons are given the freedom of choice by God, our bodies still belong to Him, both by creation and redemption, and therefore, it is His sovereign right to instruct each of us on the issues of outward adornment and how to treat our bodies.

This leads us to the core of the Bible study, in which three stewards are given talents by The Master, not for safe keeping, but for multiplication purposes. It follows the same instruction given in Eden, for us to be fruitful and “Multiply”. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoned with them.

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.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou delivered unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, 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.

These first two stewards, they get it, because they understand that they are just managing the Lord’s goods for Him, so, they invest, and multiply all the assets, according to their various abilities, but not once do they conclude that the assets are theirs.

We are all under the most sacred obligation to keep our bodies in the best condition possible so that we can do the most amount of work for The Master for the longest time that is humanly possible.

Therefore, the first two stewards are not only great investors, they also understand that health is a very important aspect of stewardship, for if they do not manage their bodies well, it will affect their ability to invest and work for The Master.

Thus, they become efficient in the management of everything God entrusts them with, including the dinero He lent into their hands. Let’s read:

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?

Hence the reason why The Lord entrusts them with greater assets for they have a correct and intelligent understanding of their roles as stewards. And they are happy to invest The Lord’s funds, for in doing so they are paid well by God, for The Lord is not a hard man as the third steward claims. Let’s read:

Matthew 20: 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward call the laborers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

However, the third steward sustains a fundamental misunderstanding of the doctrine of ownership, and because of this, his perspectives are molded by the delusions he has cultivated. Therefore, his mode of thought and action must be observed closely, for it will shed great light on the reasons why he did what he did.

 His line of reasoning is “Why bother?” If the talent is not his own, why bother with the hassle of trying to multiply it for the Master, because at the end of the day, even if he were to triple or quadruple the initial investment, it still will not be his, so, “Why bother?”

Thus, he decides to keep it safe and sound for The Master, but as far as him trying to multiply another person’s funds, he isn’t going to make the effort. In his mind it is not worth the effort, because it is not his.

With this mindset, he does not bother to ask God for direction in how to multiply or manage the funds prudently and because he has no increase, there are no tithes, or offerings for him to return.

The charge that God is a hard taskmaster is false, for it doesn’t take into consideration that The Lord pays His stewards very well. It is not like if God is asking us to manage and multiply His goods for free, for in the process, He showers us with numerous blessings mercies and kindnesses that we can never repay.

Furthermore, the cross of Christ opens up the gates of eternity, with all of its riches to those who are found faithful, and from studying the Scriptures, it becomes clear that the saints will finally be granted permanent ownership of things God will give to us.

Thus, the charge that The Master is “a hard man” is categorically false, and it shows that the steward does not really believe in God’s promise of a new earth. His focus is centered squarely in the here and now alone. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons] There are many who in their hearts charge God with being a hard master because He claims their possessions and their service. But we can bring to God nothing that is not already His.

All things are God's, not only by creation, but by redemption. All the blessings of this life and of the life to come are delivered to us stamped with the cross of Calvary. Therefore, the charge that God is a hard master, reaping where He has not sown, is false.

Just for the record, there are some truths which we will need to certify from the Scriptures as it pertains to stewardship, because the talents given by God to the stewards were for practice purposes, to prepare them for the future kingdom, in which He will give us a permanent inheritance, and where the faithful are scheduled to finally become owners. Let’s read:

Daniel 7: 18 But the saints of the Most-High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever.

Matthew 7: 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Isaiah 65: 21 And they shall build houses and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.

[Christ Triumphant pp 80, Par 2] God promised to Abraham, and his seed after him, that they should have possessions and lands, and yet they were only strangers and sojourners. The inheritance and lands that are to be given not only to Abraham but to the children of Abraham will not be until after this earth is purified. Abraham will then receive the title to his farm, his possessions.

And the children of Abraham will have a title to their possessions. Every one of us should constantly bear in mind that this earth is not our dwelling place, but that we are to have an inheritance in the earth made new.

In closing, it is important for us as we move forward, to understand the doctrine of ownership even as we try to be faithful in that which God has entrusted to us as stewards. The correct perspective, as studied in the Scriptures is to inform our actions, decisions, and thought processes.

We are pilgrim/stewards, passing through this world and heading to eternity, and as such, all arguments, and fights over the temporal things of life are to be held in check. Even when it comes time to surrender what we have, because of the beast system, we are not to fly into a rage, because it’s not worth fighting for, since it all belongs to God. Let’s read:

[Test. Vol 2 pp 712] There is a prospect before us of a continued struggle, at the risk of imprisonment, loss of property, and even of life itself, to defend the law of God, which is made void by the laws of men.

[LTSMS 10 par 39] “In cases where we are brought before the courts we are to give up our rights unless it brings us in collision with God. It is not our rights we are pleading for, but God’s right to our service.

 “Instead of resisting the penalties imposed unjustly upon us, it would be better to take heed to the Savior’s words: ‘When they persecute you in this city, flee you into another…”

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will help us to walk with a steady and even thread, even as we live in an increasingly troubled world. Let’s read:

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: You believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

                                  God Bless!

The Sin Of Loyalty To Man. Sabbath afternoon 01/18/2025

 Matthew 23: 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Currently in our day there is an alarming rise of man worship, where one’s loyalty is given to mortal man, instead of to God, meaning that persons have their allegiance registered, first and foremost with a man, and then God secondarily.

What this translates into in real time is that such a person will obey the man instead of God, wherever there is a conflict of laws or commands between the two. Worship has much more to do with obedience than praise, for it is who we yield ourselves to obey that demonstrates whose servants we are.

Even though some may not know it, to render any blind obedience to a mortal man, regardless of the laws given to us by God is a sin. Wherever this is the case, it demonstrates that folks hold mortal man in higher esteem than the God of heaven, and this is essentially what man worship is all about.

For instance, if a certain man commands a person under his jurisdiction to tell a lie, contrary to the 9th commandment which clearly says: “Thou shall not bear false witness” if that person obeys the dictates of the man instead of God, he will be worshiping his boss, plain and simple.

The Christian in our day must hold the lines of truth in a clear, concise and consistent format, so that the line of demarcation between those who serve God, and those who serve Him not, may be distinct.

The tendency to buckle under pressure from your boss, if and when he instructs you to break God’s law, is a recipe for disaster, and all who take that route will have to repent, or perish, as the word of God plainly states. Let’s read:

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

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.

It was the worship of the creature, rather than The Creator, that got us into the mess we are in today, for Adam worshipped Eve, when she bid him to eat of the forbidden fruit, and he obeyed, contrary to what God said. In so doing, Adam placed his loyalty with her, instead of God, and the rest is history.

Persons in our day should study the history of the fall of Adam especially, for his sin was decidedly greater than that of Eve, because the Bible says Eve was deceived, but Adam knew exactly what he was doing, and therefore, his decision to partake of the fruit was a conscious and deliberate choice to obey Eve instead of God. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2: 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

This is something men and women in our day must never ever do, for wherever this is the case calamity and adverse consequences will follow like clockwork in the overwhelming majority of cases.

Therefore, as we study the sacred history of man’s fall, folks should determine never to take that route again, for the habit, and tendency to be loyal to man is the sin that will permanently close the probation of this earth, never ever to be reversed. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

There are several different routes Adam could have taken so as to avoid plunging the human family into the abyss. [1] He could, and should have sought the Lord’s guidance in the matter. [2] He should have refused to eat of the fruit. [3] Lastly, he could have thought of the other 23 ribs he still had.

But the decision to be loyal to Eve instead of to God caused the downfall of the human race and here we are today still suffering the adverse side effects even though Jesus has died and opened up the possibility of life eternal, to those who so choose.

What Jesus has done for us is a big deal, and should never be trifled with, but the facts on the ground do remain, no doubt. We suffer heartache and care, we succumb to various diseases, and folks have to work like hell to put food on the table.

Therefore, it is important that we study very closely, and observe Adam’s vein of thought, which brought him to that fatal decision, so that we in our lifetime of experiences could avoid repeating the very same mistakes, with those whom we love. Let’s read:

              [Patriarchs and Prophets pp 55>57]

In a state of strange, unnatural excitement, with her hands filled with the forbidden fruit, she sought his presence, and related all that had occurred.

An expression of sadness came over the face of Adam. He appeared astonished and alarmed. To the words of Eve he replied that this must be the foe against whom they had been warned; and by the divine sentence she must die.

Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. But now the deed was done; he must be separated from her whose society had been his joy.

He understood the high destiny opened to the human race should they remain faithful to God. Yet all these blessings were lost sight of in the fear of losing that one gift which in his eyes outvalued every other.

Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator—all were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself, and he could not endure the thought of separation.

He did not realize that the same Infinite Power who had from the dust of the earth created him, a living, beautiful form, and had in love given him a companion, could supply her place.

Then, believe it or not, Adam did the unthinkable by making a well-informed decision to share the fate of his wife, something that both husbands, and wives must never ever do. The following thought process should never be allowed to leave the gates of one’s conscious mind. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 57] He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her.

That vein of thought, in reaching his decision might sound cute, and lovey dovey, but it is a thought and decision that must be avoided at all costs.

Thus, the word of The Lord comes to us with distinct clarity on this matter: Wives, if your husband insists on being lost, pray like you never prayed before for him, that he might have a change of heart.

But if he has made up his mind firmly, that he wants nothing to do with Jesus and heaven, then you will have to respect his freedom of choice, and let him die if he so chooses. But never ever should the wife decide to share the fate of her husband, for doing so will place her loyalty with man, and not in God.

The same is true of husbands. If your wife has made a firm, deliberate decision to reject God’s salvation, then you must pray for her like never before, doing all you can to encourage her to do the right thing.

But if she insists, then let her die, but never, ever should you make the fatal decision to share her fate with her, for by so doing, your loyalty would be with her, and not with God, and both of you will never be saved in God’s kingdom if that’s the case. Let’s read:

Matthew 10: 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother-in-law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 162] We should beware of treating lightly God's gracious provisions for our salvation. There are Christians who say, “I do not care to be saved unless my companion and children are saved with me.”

They feel that heaven would not be heaven to them without the presence of those who are so dear. The redemption of the soul is precious.

Christ has paid an infinite price for our salvation, and no one who appreciates the value of this great sacrifice or the worth of the soul will despise God's offered mercy because others choose to do so.

In fact, we are not saved in groups or by families, for anyone, and everyone who would walk through the pearly gates must do so in single file.

And therefore, if sons or daughters or husbands and wives, or aunts, and uncles, or in-laws, and outlaws refuse to choose life, then so be it, but never ever should you decide to share their fate with them.

Furthermore, wherever you have loyalty to man as a working principle, instead of loyalty to God, you will have major problems coming down the pipe, sooner or later. And God would have us understand that it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

Several cases in point, written in the Scriptures, tell us that serious problems always attend that working principle, where one’s loyalty is given to a man, and not to God. Families, churches, and nations have all been destroyed, or collapsed when loyalty to mortal man bears sway.

That’s what took place with Joab, who for all intents and purposes had sworn allegiance to King David, so that whenever the king would give him a command, contrary to God’s revealed will, he would acquiesce, and curry favor with David.

At times Joab would get really vexed with David, for requiring something that he knew would end in a national tragedy, but because Joab’s loyalty was to David, and not to God, he gave David his worship, for worship at its very core is not merely praise and thanksgiving, it essentially, and always boils down to who you obey. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 15: 22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

2nd Samuel 11:14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

That last statement: “There fell some of the people of the servants of David” tells us that wherever man worship is practiced, where one’s loyalty rests with man, instead of God, there would also be collateral damage taking place, even with persons who might have had absolutely nothing to do with the man worship in question.

Thus, persons who had nothing whatsoever to do with Bathsheba, ended up taking a fatal hit in the process, for as was stated before, if loyalty to man becomes the working principle you will have trouble coming down the pipe. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

Hence the reason why the warning is given, that if any loyalty to man takes place in the near future the people of God may not be entirely immune from the collateral damage and fall out that may take place. It isn’t the best of news, but it is the truth.

The law of God clearly states: “Thou shall not kill” and therefore, when Joab obeyed David instead of God, David became to him, one greater than God, and thus, his obedience to David, contrary to what God says, is classified as worship.

Here it is again, the same modus operandi in action as Joab is called upon by David to do that which he knows is wrong. Like Adam, he is consciously aware that it is a sin.

However, because he has sworn allegiance to king David, he lets it slide, and like clockwork, trouble is coming down the pipe, for loyalty to man, instead of to God inevitably breeds trouble. Let’s read:

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

2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

The same thing occurred in the days of Rameses 2, as he brought his country to ruins, because those who were under his jurisdiction adopted the maxim Pharaoh first” and everyone else after.

They would be loyal to him, even though a national funeral is scheduled to take place, after the angel of death passes through. Again, just as it was with Joab and Adam, major national, collateral damage would ensue and young babies would perish in the process but the principle of loyalty to man still holds sway.

And what about the firstborn of beasts, which had nothing to do with pharaoh’s stubbornness? They too will be taking a hit, for there is something which persons might not be aware of as yet.

When folks live under the banner of the “Loyalty to man” principle, in some instances you could sustain heavy losses, or collateral damage, as the case may be.

As far as we know, Covid was the result of handling, and eating forbidden foods, but so many individuals who have never eaten forbidden foods also suffered collateral damage, including those, who, like many others, have been faithfully eating their vegetables, with singleness of heart.

Very many persons who have never even touched a cigarette have died from second hand smoke. That’s because when loyalty is removed from God, strange things can happen, and persons who have not been in conscious violations, could sometimes incur loss.

In stark contrast was Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, as they came face to face with decisions that would test their loyalty to God. Nebuchadnezzar, in the capacity of king, orders their food, which in his ignorance, he thinks is the very best, for it is what he himself partakes of.

But the chef’s menu contains forbidden foods and alcoholic beverages, items which God forbids His people to ingest. Thus, it comes time for decisions, to see where their loyalty will be placed. Let’s read:

Daniel 1: 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.

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.

But satan is a relentless and determined foe, and he will not let the servants of God off the hook, until he has tested them on the matter of worship, the very same issue that is scheduled to bring the probation of earth to a permanent, and final close.

The devil insists through Nebuchadnezzar that the Hebrew worthies must subscribe to a false system of worship, or else face the heat of the furnace. As far as the devil is concerned, if persuasion will not work, then he will threaten them with death, and in this dire circumstance, their loyalty to God will again be tested.

It’s worthy of note that the same format used by the devil in testing the loyalty of Daniel and his friends is the same format used he when he tempted Christ in the wilderness. He begins with the issue of food, the issue so many persons struggle with.

And when that doesn’t pan out at all in his favor, he finally moves to the issue worship. In other words, if food does not work with Christ and Daniel, the very last test of loyalty would be bowing down to a false system of worship. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

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

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

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

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

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

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

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

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

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

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Many of the remnant people of God have already been tested on food, some have not buckled, some are still struggling, and some have bowed down. So, the next test that is coming our way will be the one on worship, which will forever determine where our loyalty lies.

The mark of the beast has to do with one’s loyalty to man, or conversely, one’s loyalty to God, for it is the number of a man, meaning that the entire beast system is a manmade system of worship, and living that is diametrically opposed to God’s revealed will.

It sets in stone, a counterfeit form of worship which is opposed to the true worship of God, by making a law that will officially legislate Sunday as a National day of rest, thus putting at odds, those who choose to differ, by honoring God in the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath.

When governments attempt to mandate that false system of worship, they would, by so doing, set up the citizens to choose between loyalty to God and loyalty to man. And no one should be deceived into thinking that this scenario is in the distant future.

Instead, we could possibly be dangerously close to seeing this come to pass in our lifetime for there are very troubling signs on the horizon, with the rise of loyalty to man taking center stage, and so becoming the endemic working principle by which nations will operate.

Remember, as was stated earlier, whenever loyalty to mortal man is entrenched in a nation, it will just be a matter of time before the naturally occurring adverse consequences begin to accrue, and as it is stated clearly in the book of Revelation, this will be the pivotal point for the close of earth’s probation. 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.

14 And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

This is the specific decision on loyalty that Joel the prophet is referring to when he declares by The Spirit of God that multitudes have converged in the valley of decision.

To put it bluntly, the Decision to be made is whether one will be loyal to God, His laws and His worship or whether to be loyal to man so that persons can have access to their economic privileges. Let’s read:

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

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

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.

Joel 3: 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

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

The “Sickle” is a reference to the harvests of earth that are just about to be reaped, and the “Decision” is a reference to loyalty to God or man, which every person living at that time must decide upon. Thus, when the sickle is finished doing its work, probation for planet earth will have been permanently closed.

The original God-ordained Sabbath will then be the focal point of this decision-making, for it is the point specially controverted by satan, and the man of sin, working in tandem. Thus, any decision on loyalty to God, must of necessity include a decision to worship God on His 7th day of rest.

The claim to believe in Jesus will then be put to the test, for if one truly believes, he/she will take their resolute stand for God, by casting in their lot with His commandment-keeping people, and they will by so doing, acknowledge Christ as both Creator and Redeemer. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

[The Great Controversy pp 605] The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.

While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator.

While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.

God is now calling His people, who currently sit in Sunday churches, with a special sense of urgency, to make your move whilst you can. Yes, you believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, and yes, you believe that He died for you, but a further step is needed, to put the icing on the cake as it were.

Persons who are pricked in their conscience by The Holy Spirit on this issue, must not only accept the 7th day Sabbath as their sign of loyalty to God, they must now leave their Sunday churches to unite with the remnant people of God, in order to worship God in spirit and in truth.

This will be a tough decision to make for many folks who have for years enjoyed the fellowship of their Sunday keeping brethren but it is what God requires at such a time as this, since He is wrapping up the sealing work, which is to differentiate between folks who serve God, and nominal Christians.

Therefore, in closing, we encourage all our Sunday-keeping brethren to worship God on His 7th day of rest, for thus it was ordained in Eden, and thus it will be for eternity.

We therefore end with 3 passages of Scripture that will bring these sacred truths to the forefront of the mind, and it is our hope and prayer that everyone will do right, by obeying with a willing heart, all of His commandments. 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.

Revelation 7: 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.

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!

The Right Way To Obey God. Part [2] Sabbath afternoon 01/11/2025

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye 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 leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

In obeying God the right way, persons will have to be prepared to go it alone, if needs be, because the opening passage teaches us that true obedience will never become popular or mainstream on the earth.

When a person is convicted by The Holy Spirit, that person’s decision to obey or not cannot, and should not be hinged upon whether or not the majority will also believe and obey.

In some rare instances, the majority may, but, in other instances they may not and therefore, when God speaks to us individually, we should take it on the most personal level.

Sacred history teaches us that it was hardly ever the popular majority who were in line with God’s will. In the days of Noah, it was the minority, in the days of Lot, it was the minority, with the 12 spies, it was the minority, in the days of Elijah, it was the minority, in the days of Christ, it was the minority.

In the days of David and Goliath, it was the minority, in the days of Samuel, it was a minority, in the days of Daniel and the three Hebrew worthies, it was the minority, and in our day, the remnant people of God are also in the minority, accounting for 0.00275, or 0.275% out of approximately 8 billion people upon the earth.

Obeying God, especially in these last days of earth’s history, will call for the type of obedience that will go against the flow, and thus, persons should never wait to see how many folks will believe, before they themselves take up the mantle of obeying God.

The problem with going with the flow, is that the flow usually goes downstream, and never upstream and because of this, you have two types of disciples in Christianity that have emerged in our day.

One who obeys God partially, in everything that will not ruffle his or her feathers, and the other who will obey God, even when the truth might step on their toes. This dual discipleship has been brought about by the preaching of another Jesus, and another gospel. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:4 For if he that comes, preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received or another gospel which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel,

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

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

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

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

Just for the record, there’s only one true gospel that has ever been endorsed and certified by God, and it is the one which presents Christ as our Savior, who accepts us as we are, but does not leave us where we are, but who instead provides truth and His Holy Spirit to lead believers into obedience. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4: 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Any other gospel which does not lead to a radical change in the believer’s life experience, or does not require individuals to obey The Lord in everything, is designated a false gospel in the Bible, and is neither recognized, or endorsed by God.

In fact, to put it in the clearest manner possible, the first and the foremost reason why The Holy Ghost is given to the believer is to enable the person 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.

All other byproducts such as preaching, witnessing, giving out Christian books, feeding the hungry, and speaking in tongues, etcetera, are secondary, as far as importance goes. Even praise, and worship does not necessarily mean that God accepts persons, if the obedience factor is missing. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 15: 22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

There are many persons upon the earth who can do good things, and there are many individuals who do have a knack for preaching, but who would not even be considered as candidates for heaven.

The sole reason for this unfortunate outcome is that their perspectives and practice did not include the fundamentals of obeying God in all things, according to the light shed on their pathway. Let’s read:

Matthew 7: 21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and  it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.

Just because a person might indeed have The Holy Spirit abiding in their hearts, does not mean that every aspect of obedience would be easy. There are some issues that are a breeze to overcome and then there are deeply seated latent tendencies which do strive for the mastery.

Some of these deeply seated cravings can be likened unto pulling teeth at the dentist, for they offer very stubborn resistance, and very often, we have to go back to Jesus over and over again, to confess our sin and the petition Him for the victory. Let’s read:

Galatians 5: 16 This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies.

The Cambridge English Dictionary: To Emulate: To copy someone’s behavior, or try to be like someone else, because you admire or respect that person. This includes fans of the various stars or celebrities, such as “Swifties”.

If persons endeavor to look like her, or to copy any one of the other stars, in their behaviors, gestures, styles, dress, appearance, and fashions, they are “emulating”

Galatians 5:21 Envying, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

We are not here to minimize anyone’s struggles, for we all have our different issues to confront, and to overcome, yet, God forbids that we tamper with His word, to make accommodation for our weaknesses.

With some people, food is not a problem, for they are not the type that may be affected by eating and drinking. But with others it can be a very real mortal conflict, where the smell of curry goat beckons you, and you can be driven to tears, trying to overcome.

As some individuals walk down the aisles at Publix, where shopping is a pleasure, twinkies, Oreos, and chocolates can produce seductive mouth-watering sensations, and with some folks, they really have to think long and hard and make a firm decision by the grace of God, in order to resist the urge to indulge.

With others, the gravitational pull of their hormones and testosterone could be the elephant in the room, and the urge to merge could be quite strong, while with others, this is not a problem, since sexual drive and such feelings, do not phase them, for whatever reason and because of this, our struggles differ from person to person, just as our faces differ.

Yet, whatever might be your issue, and whatsoever may be our struggle, God has called us to obey Him in all things, and therefore, any other gospel that makes provision for the flesh, or that compromises truth and God’s law, to accommodate what persons prefer to do, contrary to God’s revealed will, could never produce the kind of obedience God is looking for.

The issue of partial obedience, which has become mainstream in Christianity is what caused five of the ten virgins to fall short of God’s glory, for they were content with a superficial work, and they recoiled at the personal struggles that would step on their toes. Let’s read:

                 [Christ’s Object Lessons pp 411]

The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have a regard for the truth, they have advocated the truth, they are attracted to those who believe the truth; but they have not yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit's working.

They have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their old nature to be broken up. They receive the word with readiness, but they fail of assimilating its principles. Its influence is not abiding.

The Spirit works upon man's heart, according to his desire and consent implanting in him a new nature; but the class represented by the foolish virgins have been content with a superficial work. They do not know God. They have not studied His character.

“They come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth, they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.” Ezekiel 33:31.

The apostle Paul points out that this will be the special characteristic of those who live just before Christ's second coming.

Therefore, in this study, we will take up two issues which pertain to obeying God the right way, and as we study, let us remember what we had learned last week about obeying God from a positive view point.

 [1] Obeying God the right way with your finances.

The word money is mentioned approximately 125 times in the KJV Bible. However, in the scriptures, words such as gold, riches, silver and wealth are often used to refer to money. Therefore, the number of times money or anything related to it is mentioned, comes out to over 2000 times.

So, if you want to know where a person’s treasure is you will have to pull their bank statements and their credit histories, for these would reveal where one’s priority lies.

One of the reasons why the folks in Malachi 3 were observed to be walking mournfully before the Lord of hosts is because of the issue of obeying God in tithes and offerings.

When scrutinized very closely, we see clearly the benevolent, selfless character of God, manifested in what He does, and in the laws and instructions He gives to us. As a general rule, He gives more than He keeps for Himself.

He gives us six days, and He keeps one just one for Himself, which is not really for Himself alone, for the Sabbath was made for man. He reserves 10% of our increase, and He leaves us with 90%. Run that by the IRS, and see what will become of you. He gives us the freedom to return of our own, something the Feds will never ever do.

He pours out all of heaven to save us, in the Person of Christ, and because of the benefits to the human family that were gained on Calvary, everyone on the planet including the godless and the wicked are now beneficiaries of His kindness, even though most folk do not acknowledge His mercies.

Therefore, when it comes to returning something to God’s cause, when it comes to returning a faithful tithe, the perspective should be one of great joy and thankfulness for all that He has done and continues to do.

Those who lived during the days of Malachi chapter 3, were apparently obeying God partially with their finances, and because of this, The Lord had to bring the matter to the attention of the prophet, so that His people would change their perspective on giving to God’s cause upon the earth.

They were not obeying God the right way with their finances, for some were grumbling and others were mumbling about the benevolence stipulated by The Lord. Just for the record, God does not need a single dime from any person.

The Lord has given to us the plan of returning tithes and offerings to help root out the inherently selfish nature in ourselves. He has also given us this plan so that we will not forget to acknowledge Him as the Great Benefactor to the human family. But as far as needing any money or anything from us, God does not. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 29:13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

Psalms 50: 10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.

12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Haggai 2: 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

In fact, the correct perspective to cultivate, as far as anything we have, is that it has been lent unto us by God. That Mercedes you are driving, that brand new BMW and that beautiful Tesla you have parked up in your garage, isn’t really yours; you have borrowed it from Christ, for a while.

Even if you’re finished paying for it, it still isn’t yours because all of the raw materials that went into the production of it, all belongs to God alone, as some across the U.S will soon find out. Not even your own body is yours. Everything and everyone on the earth belongs solely to God. Let’s read:

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.

Therefore, when it came time to return the faithful tithe, with freewill offerings, the folks in the days of Malach came up short, for they were obeying God on the matter of finances, grudgingly.

Malachi 3: 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

Five promises to the faithful are made in the above passages, but like with anything else that God has promised, we must be careful in the application, lest we find ourselves obeying The Lord for the wrong reasons. Here are the five promises:

[1] I will open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

[2] And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land.

[3] And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground.

[4] Your vine shall not cast her fruit before the time in the field.

However, these promises are too often viewed as a sort of contract between God and the giver and thus there are some persons who will return tithes, and offerings, with the singular, and highest purpose of reaping the rewards.

Others will return funds into God’s treasury with the expectation that the “Devourer” would be promptly rebuked, and if this does not occur as they expected their faith receives a shock and their hopes are now dashed to pieces. In some minds, God did not keep His end of the bargain.

The reason in most cases is that they were obeying God for the wrong reason. The right way to obey God in this matter is to return your tithes, and your offerings because you acknowledge God’s mercies and His gifts to you, we being unworthy. Great time should be spent in contemplation of the things God has given to us freely, salvation full and free, and if faithful, eternal life, and from this right perspective, we should give with sincere gratitude. This type of giving, God will be well pleased with.

But if persons were to give from the perspective of a binding contract, then it would not be giving at all, it will be pay to play, as often takes place among some of the politicians of the day. In other words, persons should not attempt to grease God’s hands in order to receive blessings. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 9: 7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work.

Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.

    The right way to obey God on the Sabbath issue.

Before we get into the Sabbath issue, it is important that we understand how we got to where we are, as far as the substitute day of rest goes. Satan employs a combination of religion and science to try to make of none effect, the truth about the Sabbath.

He moved upon pagan and papal Rome to introduce Sunday, as a memorial of Christ’s resurrection which God never ordained, and then he employed science to try to discredit the Scriptural records of the true age of the earth.

Thus, by this two-pronged method, God’s work of creation, and the institution of Sabbath observance has gotten distorted and cloudy in the minds of the people. The study of fossils, and the science behind radio-carbon dating have contributed greatly to the fostering of the theory of evolution.

According to the “X-perts” radio-carbon dating merges chemistry and physics to develop a scientific method that could accurately determine the age of organic materials as old as approximately 60,000 years.

It is based on the science that living organisms, like trees, plants, people, and animals absorb carbon-14 into their tissue. When they die, carbon-14 starts to change into other atoms over time.

Scientists can then estimate how long the organism has been dead by counting the remaining carbon-14 atoms. The technique was developed in the 1940s at the University of Chicago by chemistry professor Willard Libby, who later received the Nobel Prize for his work.

But who is Willard Libby? We were just curious to know, for it seems highly unlikely that God would move upon a scientist to come up with a method for determining the age of fossils that would essentially debunk the great facts of creation. Let’s read:

Willard Frank Libby was born December 17, 1908 was an American physical chemist noted for his role in the 1949 development of radiocarbon dating, a process which revolutionized archaeology and paleontology.

During World War II he worked in the Manhattan Project's Substitute Alloy Materials Laboratories at Columbia University, developing the gaseous diffusion process for uranium enrichment.

Libby was also involved in the development of the atomic bomb, and his second wife, Leona Woods Marshall was one of the original builders of Chicago Pile-1, the world's first nuclear reactor.

But what about his religious persuasions? Libby was an Ag·nos·tic: A person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.

Therefore, we must now connect the dots, because if through radio carbon dating, science arrives at the conclusion that the world is several billion years old, then, that puts science squarely at odds with what the Bible teaches on the age of the earth.

And if the Scriptural record of the 6000-year age of the world is incorrect, then the great facts about the creation would have to be dismissed summarily, and that will include throwing out the Sabbath, marriage and God’s original instructions on diets and foods.

Thus, we have science denying God on the one hand and the papacy discrediting His Creatorship, by the institution of a substitute day of rest that is entirely the brainchild of the beast in Revelation 13. So, for all intents and purposes, God’s original day of rest, the 7th day Sabbath is under attack on two fronts.

Therefore, the keeping of the original Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty to God, in these last days of earth’s history. In years gone by, the test of one’s allegiance to God was to believe, acknowledge, and accept, Christ, as The Savior of the world. But this is  no longer a test of one’s loyalty, in and of itself.

The claim to believe in Jesus has gone mainstream, but has been so watered down in the process that it virtually means almost nothing today, whenever the popular majority in Christendom make this claim.

 The other gospel, which teaches persons to believe, without obeying God’s commandments, has bred a multitude of professed believers, who now take to themselves the name of Christ, but who recoil from obeying His law.

But to reject Christ outright is the same as rejecting His commandments, because both are inseparable as far as the true gospel goes.

In other words, if you were to remove the law from the gospel, there’s no need for Jesus for He came to save us from the consequences of God’s broken law. Thus, the fact is, that if there was not a broken law, we would not need The Savior.

And therefore, the focal point of great departure in Christendom today, is the Sabbath, not merely the Person of Jesus, for it is this point in particular that draws a dividing line between those individuals who acknowledge Christ in His capacity as Creator, and those who do not.

Even though many are in ignorance about this issue currently, yet the facts are the facts, and because of the substitute day of rest that has been introduced by the man of sin, the servants of God must now be clear when presenting this issue to the people.

Christ is to be worshipped and honored as both The Creator and the Redeemer, and while Calvary puts our focus on The Redeemer, Mt Sinai focuses our attention on the Creator side of things, the fourth commandment being the only one which speaks of God in His capacity as Creator.

Thus, as we delve into the issue of obeying God the right way, on the Sabbath issue, let us bear in mind that the Sabbath commandment is the only one of the ten, which lets us know by whose authority the law has been given. Let’s read:

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

However, there is a correct way to obey God in the keeping of the Sabbath, for it has to be kept, both in the letter and the spirit. In the letter is a reference to the Biblically stipulated time of sunset to sunset. Let’s read:

Leviticus 23: 31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

In the spirit refers to having one’s mind unhinged from secular interests, and focused on God and the interests of His kingdom. Let’s read:

Isaiah 58: 13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words;

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

Here is where great reform has to take place in many of the rank and file and also in the regular lay-persons of the remnant people of God, for there has been a great departure in keeping the 7th day holy, the entire day.

Not only have the edges of the Sabbath been profaned, but secular thoughts, conversations and work planning have been allowed to take place over the sacred hours. In fact, in some cases, persons now keep the Sabbath like how Sunday is kept, in a subjective manner.

Again, if we find ourselves in a hurry to close off the sabbath, if we are found counting down the minutes and hours to its close, because of some pressing temporal concern, we are not keeping the day as God originally intended.

Then again, you have the issue of relatives and family members who remain at home, while the heads of the family are at church. Any and every thing could be taking place under your roof, while you are at church singing hymns. There is great need of reform in these areas. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 307] Those who discuss business matters, or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. And the commandment includes all within our gates. The inmates of the house are to lay aside their worldly business during the sacred hours. All should unite to honor God by willing service upon His holy day.

In closing, we are reminded that there is a right way to obey God in everything. Love is to be the motivating factor at all times, based upon an increasingly, intelligent understanding of His goodness and mercy towards us.

And to those persons who had not known, and had not understood that the commandments were given for our best good, now is the time, when God is calling on you to stand up and be counted, for it is those who obey God in spirit and in truth who will eventually be saved in His kingdom.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to obey God the right way, for doing so with joy is the very essence of one’s relationship with Him, and would greatly enhance our understanding and appreciation of His character. Let’s read:

John 4: 23 But the hour comes and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

                             God Bless!

The Right Way To Obey God. Part [1] Sabbath afternoon 01/04/2025

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

God does not desire or require anyone to serve and obey Him out of fear, but only from a loving, willing heart that cultivates an intelligent understanding of His character and goodness. Fear has torment, as is written in the book of first John 4, but perfect love casts out all fear.

Whenever you read in the Bible of “The fear of The Lord” it’s not usually referring to being afraid of God in the human sense of the word, because fear and trust are two things that are never compatible with each other, as far as a stable relationship goes.

Of course, it takes time for a person to appreciate the goodness of God, and therefore, throughout our experiences with Christ, obedience is a must. It is essential that while we are learning about God, that we obey Him, because your intelligence, and your understanding of God is only developed through obedience.

In other words, if you don’t obey you will never be able to understand, because the human intellect is enlightened about the character of God through the processes of obedience, and this is how many dark sentences in the Bible are made plain.

But if persons were to sit on the sidelines, hoping to come to a good understanding of the Bible without intending to obey, the word of God becomes even more strange and confusing, and the mind will go around in circles, and become enveloped in greater darkness.

In fact, a person’s ability to understand the scripture hinges directly on one’s intention and willingness to obey, and wherever this is not the case, the word of God becomes obscure and perplexing. Let’s read:

Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

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

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

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

So, there are different stages of development in our understanding, and appreciation of God’s character, and every person who has joined the royal family, or might be thinking of joining, should be given ample opportunity to get to know The Lord.

And they must also be given time to understand the reason why God has given us commandments, and instructions to live by. The laws given to us by God have always been for our very best good, even if the reason why they are given is not clearly understood up front.

And thus, the mind of faith should not wait to obey God, until there is that perfect understanding of the reasons why, because, if persons were to go that route, they will certainly stumble in their walk with God. In obeying God, the path forward may not be always perfectly clear.

And there may not be given any logical reasons why God has commanded to do such and such. But faith will lay hold of the unseen, and will trust God, that He is giving us these laws and these instructions for our best good.

Thus, the best, and safest route to take in obeying God the right way is to obey first, and then ask your questions later, and if The Lord sees it fit to give an explanation, thank Him, and if God chooses not to give any reasons, praise Him anyway.

You will never go wrong with this type of obedience for it is tested, tried, and true, being exemplified in real time in the experiences of the faithful through the ages. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, and prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

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.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 290] The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience until every shadow of uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all.

Unbelief whispers, “Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;” but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.

There will never come a point in the Christian’s life where we stop learning, for even in the earth made new, we will constantly be advancing in knowledge and understanding.

And therefore, the way we decide to obey God will be critically important, if we are to have that deep meaningful relationship with Him, one that will not buckle under pressure when the storms of life come and the winds of strife blow. 

There is such a situation as a person doing the right thing the wrong way, and especially when it comes to obeying God, you want to do it the right way.

The reason for this is that when erroneous concepts perspectives, and practices pertaining to obedience are harbored they can greatly impede our walk with The Lord, and they can potentially put individuals at a very serious disadvantage, when it comes time to exercise a living faith during the difficult days ahead.

The Lord would have us understand that over a long period of many centuries very divergent approaches to obeying God have emerged, and because of this we must now delineate from the Bible, with surgical accuracy, what is the right way to obey God.

The following are some of the erroneous concepts on obedience and believing that have imperceptibly crept into Christianity, and which we must be wary of, for they may look and sound cute on the surface, but on the inside, they are ravening wolves.

[1] There is the scientific approach to obedience, in which a person would believe and obey, only when there is enough science to substantiate what God is saying.

This approach puts God’s word and commands to us on pause, while the scriptural utterances are tested in the lab, and if the science pans out, then persons will readily obey, and they would greatly rejoice at discovering the proof in the pudding. However, this is not the type of obedience God is looking for.

For instance, in the two following examples we have God and the U.S.D.A saying basically the same thing, but critically important information isn’t to be found in the Bible. However, it can be found on the U.S.D.A website. The question is why? Let’s read:

           (USDA) U.S. Department of Agriculture

Eating foods such as fruits that are lower in calories per cup, instead of other higher calorie foods, may help lower overall calorie intake.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers.

Adding fruit can help increase the amount of fiber and potassium we eat. These are important nutrients that many people do not get enough of.

Then you have the scriptural version, but it doesn’t give any science to back up what God is saying. All it says is that the diet is very good. This situation often occurs in the Bible and therefore, the Christian must make a deliberate choice to believe, and obey God, whether or not the science can verify. 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.

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

God, in His word tells us plainly that man’s original diet of fruits, nuts, and grains, and later on herbs or vegetables, is very good, but He does not say why. He does not break down the benefits which would accrue, all He says to us is that it is very good.

The fact is that even though the science behind the diet is very important, and sheds great light on what God has already said, it’s actually irrelevant as far as obeying God the right way goes.

If the Christian were to wait for scientific data to be revealed, before obeying God, there will come times when the science behind His commands becomes so farfetched that the person in question will recoil in fear, because our knowledge of science is greatly inferior on every level, to the knowledge that is to be found in God.

When Jesus commanded Peter to walk on the water there is no known science that we know of that will support such a command, thus, to the many Peters out there, the right way to obey God is to obey first and ask your questions later, that is, if you have any questions.

In the word of God, the benefits of fruit, nuts, and grain becomes evident, even though God again does not spell out in any detail, why the giants who were living in Canaan were so huge. But, if persons were to examine the record closely, we will find evidence that is linked to what they were eating. 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 dwell 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 upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.

26 And they went and came to Moses and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel… and brought back word unto them…..and shewed them the fruit of the land.

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

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

The problem with the scientific approach to obeying God is that when finite sciences, and the Scriptures collide as they often do, the persons in question will take a step back, and will often stumble if things do not add up.

Thus, we must declare unequivocally, that this is not the type of obedience, or belief system that God is looking for. For instance, there has not been found any material evidence that the children of Israel had wandered forty years in the wilderness, as the Bible clearly states.

There have been no residues, remnants, or vestiges of their pilgrimage found along the way, and for this reason, the scientific approach could stumble over the Biblical account.

Here it is again as the scientific approach, waits for lab tests and results, before believing, and obeying. All the while, serious collateral damage is occurring, in the human family as persons await confirmation from science.

In the Bible, God does not always give us many fine details of what adverse events would take place, nor does He always say exactly how they would unfold if we were to ignore His revealed will. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11: 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

5 And the coney, because he chews the cud, but divides not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divides the hoof, and be

cloven-footed, yet he chews not the cud; he is unclean to you.

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

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

46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps upon the earth.

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

Note well the command: “Do not eat them” and the brief commentary by God: “He is unclean unto you” It certainly does not give much science to hang your obedience upon, nor does it say what makes them unclean.

Several important pieces of information are missing from the passages, and it is imperative that we now understand the reasons why. All the Lord says is that they are unclean, and that those items should never ever be eaten.

Jesus does not reveal the gory details; He does not mention in clear terms what diseases will accrue, or how these forbidden items would affect the nervous system of the human body in adverse ways, and He does not make mention of any medicines that could counter the deleterious effects.

All God says is that we should never eat them, and that they are unclean, and entirely unfit for human consumption. The question to be settled is whether we will take Him at His word and obey Him up front, or whether we will wait for science to confirm the facts in the case, before we believe.

Just for the record, here is a list of the diseases that come about as a result of eating forbidden foods. It is the scientific discovery behind God’s commands, but not necessary for obeying God up front. Let’s read:

African swine fever is a contagious and deadly viral swine disease affecting domestic and feral swine of all ages. Pseudorabies is a contagious disease that primarily affects swine but it can also affect cattle, sheep, cats goats, and dogs. It is particularly devastating to breeding sows and piglets.

In adult pigs, the disease causes abortion and stillbirths, respiratory problems, and occasionally death. In newborn pigs, it attacks the respiratory and central nervous systems causing incoordination, sneezing, coughing, and death.

Foot and mouth disease virus, Pseudorabies virus, Influenza A virus, Nipah virus, Ebola-Restin, Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, PRRS virus (Chinese high path), PRRS virus, Porcine Tescho-virus, (Teschen/PTV1), Japanese encephalitis virus, Getah virus.

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus, Menangle virus, Porcine Sapelo-virus, Porcine circovirus, Circovirus 3 Porcine rotavirus, Swine vesicular disease virus, Vesicular exanthema of swine virus, Porcine rubulavirus, Seneca-virus A, Porcine parvovirus, Porcine delta-coronavirus, Porcine para-influenza 1 virus.

Atypical swine pesti-virus, Influenza C virus, Porcine respiratory coronavirus, Hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus, Encephalomyocarditis virus Hepatitis E virus, Porcine adenovirus, Porcine kobuvirus, Orthoreovirus, Sendai virus, Porcine cytomegalovirus. Porcine Sapo-virus, Vesicular stomatitis virus, Chikungunya virus, Rabies virus, Porcine bocavirus, Porcine astrovirus, Swine pox virus, Porcine toro-virus, Swine papillomavirus.

Compare or contrast all of the vast information we just discovered, with the simple command and the statement coming from God to us: Do not eat them, they are unclean unto you.

If we cultivate the scientific approach to obedience God will have us understand that persons would be obeying the scientists and not God, for we withheld obedience until the lab results verified His word.

And therefore, for all intents and purposes, this will not be the type of obedience that God is looking for. The haunting question which would certainly bother the mind that has embraced the scientific approach to obedience, is why are these items deemed to be unclean?

And until science corroborates the facts, the person in question will in most cases freely partake of the forbidden foods. The real issue is not what diseases and cancers from these forbidden items might, or may not accrue, for that is actually beside the point. If we were to obey God, because of the known adverse side effects we would be obeying God from fear, and not from love.

The same scenario is what took place at the flood as Noah warned of a deluge, the likes of which mortals had never seen. In fact, up until that time, rain had never fallen, so for the antediluvians to go into the ark would be a stretch, especially when there wasn’t any science to back up what Noah was saying.

In the following excerpts, pay close attention to the mode of thought especially as they turn to scientists and philosophers to explain to them what Noah was saying. They will never obey The Lord, until they got an explanation, and sadly, they never did. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 97] The ark was finished in every part as the Lord had directed, and was stored with food for man and beast. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people. With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Again, they rejected his words. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng.

Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most-gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark. A noise as of a rushing wind was heard, and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, their numbers darkening the heavens, and in perfect order they passed to the ark. Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient.

Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom.

If we are not willing to obey God in times of peace, we won’t obey Him in times of grave peril, because the mind that has become immersed in obedience based on science, will stumble when there isn’t any material evidence, or proof to confirm God’s word.

It’s funny, because the very same people were later apparently willing to obey, as they saw new science, truth, and facts converge, in the deadly storm that covered the earth, but sadly, the willingness to obey came a bit too late.

This is what science-based obedience could do to every person who chooses to go that route, for the obedience God is looking for is not to be based on any verifiable research, or facts. God is looking for persons who will believe Him, and take Him at His word, regardless of what our sciences may, or may not reveal. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 99] Above the roar of the tempest was heard the wailing of a people that had despised the authority of God. Others were frantic with fear, stretching their hands toward the ark and pleading for admittance. They called upon Him earnestly, but His ear was not open to their cry.

This leads us to the second erroneous concept on obedience that has crept into Christianity, and one that has soured the relationship between God and many Christians. Here it is:

[2] The prohibitory perspective to obeying God in which His laws, and instructions are viewed as a restriction to a person’s liberty rather than beneficial to your overall well-being, but you will obey anyway, because you are scared of the consequences.

This particular perspective has wreaked havoc on so many people that it must now be disclosed for what it really is. God does not desire anyone to obey Him because of a fear of consequences. Whenever this is the case, the Christian experience will become one of gloom, instead of joy, and gladness.

This particular perspective took very deep root in the hearts and minds of many persons in ages past and today the dirty work still continues. Just for the record, there are two confirmed results to obeying God.

[1] If obeying God is done the wrong way, your focus will always be on the darker side of things, and you would have great difficulty praising God in times of adversity. In addition, it would almost be impossible to recognize the good purposes of God when He may allow trials to come. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:13 Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord, yet you say what have we spoken so much against thee?

14 You have said, it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

[2] If one were to obey God the right way, there will be a deep-down joy and peace that cannot be easily disturbed by external circumstances. Persons in this second scenario look on the brighter side of life and they tend to praise God in good times and bad. Let’s read:

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.

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.

In the first scenario we have persons who obey God, but they are not happy doing so, because they view His requirements and laws from the prohibitory side yet they will obey, because it is the right thing to do.

There is no real joy, or pleasure to such persons in obedience, for their view is that God’s instructions are an encroachment upon them, but, because of a fear of consequences, they will comply. In this way, one’s service to God descends into a cold formality that becomes devoid of delight.

But, in the second scenario, the person in question views God’s laws from a beneficiary perspective, in that they stand to gain greatly by obedience, and for this reason, they are eager to obey, and serve God with joy, having an intelligent understanding of His goodness, made manifest in His character.

It is worthy of note that the persons being referred to in Malachi chapter three, view their walk with God as being a great disadvantage, and as they look out of their windows at the ungodly, they conclude that the disobedient are better off than those who obey, and this view sours their relationship with The Lord. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

So, here’s a question for you, is it true that serving and obeying God puts you at a disadvantage to the ungodly? And if so, are we obeying Him just because of a fear of negative consequences? Or do we truly enjoy obeying The Lord, because of an intelligent appreciation of His goodness?

Let’s break it down, and bring the matter closer to home in the most literal sense. If men, women and tweenagers were to refrain from adultery, as the seventh commandment states, merely because they are afraid of contracting STDs and HIV-aids, this will constitute obedience from fear.

In this scenario, persons might be chomping at the bits, and drooling over the prospect of sex outside of marriage, but the fear of STDs keeps them in the obedience lane. Again friends, this is not the type of obedience God is looking for.

Here’s a question for you: If persons were to have guarantees that the adulterer would never contract any sexually transmitted disease, would persons still obey God? And would folks be happy doing so? In other words, without the threat of STD’s, will we still view His law on marriage as being good, or as being too restrictive?

Whenever when the Ten commandments are being presented, the focus should not be heavily weighted to the prohibitory side, with heavy emphasis placed on the negative, and adverse consequences, for in this way some of the hearers might be scared into obedience, which, in some instances, does not last.

It is the goodness of God that brings individuals to repentance, and even though in our day we have to emphasize all the laws of God, because of the false doctrines, teaching that they were abolished at the cross, yet, Calvary should not get lost in the mix.

In fact, it would be well to follow the model given to us, as when Moses asked to see God’s glory. At that time, the people had sinned greatly, by worshipping the golden calf, and 3000 lay dead as the result. So, what they needed was emphasis on the goodness of God, not primarily adverse results. 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.

Even though the adverse consequences are to be mentioned to bring about a balance to the equation we should endeavor to dwell at length on the bright side, with the positives being given much attention, for in this way, persons would be drawn to God for His goodness, and not because of negative results.

Hence the reason why, in this presentation we let the simplicity and the goodness of Gods commands have the preeminence, so that persons would learn to trust Him at his word. Let’s read:

Romans7: 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Psalms 119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold I have taught you statues and judgments even as the Lord 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.

Joshua 1: 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.

[O.H.C. pp 137] The law of ten commandments is not to be looked upon as much from the prohibitory side, as from the mercy side. Its prohibitions are the sure guarantee of happiness in obedience. As received in Christ, it works in us the purity of character that will bring joy to us through eternal ages. To the obedient it is a wall of protection. We behold in it the goodness of God, who by revealing to men the immutable principles of righteousness, seeks to shield them from the evils that result from transgression.

In closing, the right approach to obeying God could be encapsulated in the following statement: “God says it, I believe that it is good, and that settles it.” Yes, there may be adverse consequences associated with disobedience, but let us focus on the wisdom, and the many benefits, the law of God brings.

Science might agree or disagree, and lab tests might confirm or debunk we couldn’t care less. We do not need any science to confirm God’s goodness, before we believe and obey. If God says it, that is sufficient evidence that it’s good, for this is the one, and only way to obey God the right way.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that should help us to recalibrate our perspectives where necessary, and we hope and pray that everyone will ultimately see God as a friend, not as a foe. Let’s read:

Psalms 40:5 Many, O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbered.

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

                                   God Bless!

When God Needs Foolish Men. Sabbath afternoon 12/28/2024

1st Corinthians 1: 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

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

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

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

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

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

In preparing for this Bible study, we made a pretty grim discovery, that many of the individuals who the scriptures describe as being foolish are actually very well-respected and intelligent persons, to whom the world often looks up to, and have in veneration.

According to the Bible, having a very high I.Q. does not necessarily mean that a person is not a fool and being able to rub shoulders with many intellectuals, philosophers and the worldly wise may not translate always into having the wisdom that is born of God.

The Bible teaches us that the fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise instruction. And therefore, in the evaluation of fools, and wise men, the acknowledgement of God must be taken into consideration.

When persons deliberately reject the revealed truth about God, and turn to man-made philosophies and suppositions, the mind becomes darkened, and to a great extent contracted in its ability to expand so as to comprehend and evaluate spiritual things.

This deliberate turning away from God and His word then leads individuals to reason things along strictly logical modes of thought, so that the Divine and the supernatural are not taken into consideration in the planning and execution of duty.

Therefore, because of these grim discoveries, we’re prompted to examine from the word of God, those descriptions of what makes a man a fool, for there seems to be an inverted understanding of the wise and the foolish in our day which is causing persons to be led astray.

The following examples are therefore given in God’s word not only so that folks might tell the difference, but that we may understand why on certain, specific occasions, God might need, or choose to use foolish men for the accomplishment of His purposes.

[1] A foolish man is one who says there is no God. It includes, but is not limited to Atheists, and involves persons who deliberately reject the testimonies of the Scriptures, in favor of evolution. In the Scripture such individuals are described as being fools. Let’s read:

Psalms 14:1 The fool has said in his heart there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psalms 19:1 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.

In our day we have rockets that head into space, we have telescopes which bring back images from the milky way with myriads of galaxies, moons, and suns together with millions of white dwarfs, and yet still man comes back down to earth to teach the theory of evolution?

Hence the reason why the Bible designates such as a fool, for in many cases, there is a deliberate effort to reject the light streaming from the word of God, as to the origin of species, and the creation of all things. In other words, all these discoveries should naturally lead us to conclude that there must be A God somewhere.

After Darwin visited the Galapagos islands, he used his so-called intelligence to conclude that the world we live in came about by chance evolution, and, no doubt, he is venerated in most of the higher schools of learning as an intelligent man and one who made a significant contribution to science.

But if the truth, revealed through God’s handiwork leads folks to Darwinism, and evolutionary theories, then the designation of a fool becomes appropriate. And if a change of heart, and perspective does not occur, the books of record in heaven will have the designation of “fool” written beside the names of such persons.

If all the billions and trillions of other planets, suns, and stars can be spinning, and moving out there in outer space without accident, then the only logical and sensible conclusion is that there must be Godly intelligence involved. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40: 26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one fails.

Romans 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

[2] A foolish man, according to the Scriptures is one who has gotten rich, by using his intelligence, and God’s resources to become wealthy and successful in life, yet there is neither a thought or care about God or man, in that man’s reckonings, and planning.

Many persons living on our planet have done very well financially, for they have carefully thought out their monetary strategies and some have made solid investments over the years, while others have used intelligence, thrift, patience and hard work, so that over a period of time they have accumulated great wealth.

And, having become successful financially they now can look forward to a comfortable, and well-funded retirement which often evades the poorer classes in their golden years. Such persons are usually looked up to by the masses of people, as being wise. This may be true on a temporal level.

Yet, in spite of their apparent worldly success, if the God- factor is never brought into the equation, such a person is designated as a fool in the Bible. It is not what people are accustomed to hearing, but it is the truth. In other words, the fact that a person may be doing well financially is not unmistakable evidence that such a person is not a fool. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

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

[3] A fool in the Bible is one who is stupid enough to pick a fight with God, something that we as mortals should never, ever do. If folks have to fight, let it be against another human being like ourselves, or even satan, but try your very best to avoid picking a fight with God.

In other words, when mortals deliberately decide to set themselves in array against the revealed will of God, they can lose their minds, and become like the king of Babylon, whose stubborn resistance drove him to insanity for seven long years. Let’s read:

Psalms 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Acts 5: 34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all 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.

38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel, or this work be of men, it will come to nought.

39 But if it be of God, ye Cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

All three of the previous descriptions of a fool were to be found in the pharaoh of Egypt during the time when the children of Israel were then enslaved by the one, who is generally believed to be Amenhotep or Ramses 2.

He regarded himself as being divine and history tells us that he accepted worship from his subjects, and therefore, when Moses and Aaron came in with the command from Yahweh to let the children of Israel go, he viewed the command as coming from a much inferior god, and he became deeply offended.

Pharaoh claimed not to believe in, nor recognize the God of heaven and for this reason, Egypt became an atheistic nation. They did, however retain a host of false gods in their pantheon, but the One and only true God was rejected outright, by both king and his citizens. Thus, on this first count he became a fool.

Pharaoh was also a fool on the level of the worldly wise, having riches laid up in store for many years, flush with education, architectural advancement, and knowledge in medicines and pharmaceuticals, while at the same time, he denied the power, and existence of God.

We should pay close attention to the characteristics of a fool, as mentioned in the scripture, because this pharaoh mirrors the rich fool mentioned by Christ in the New Testament, who had much goods laid up in store for many years. The question is: How was this pharaoh able to accumulate his vast wealth?

It can be traced right back to the very same God of heaven, whom he currently despised, for it was the wisdom, and genius given by God to Joseph, during the devastating seven-year famine, which caused a tremendous amount of wealth to fall by default into the hands of the pharaohs. Let the sacred record speak for itself:

Genesis 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

54 And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Not only did Rameses 2 become extremely wealthy through the providence of God, sacred history also confirms that he was a great builder, and came into possession of tremendous amounts of real estate by the providence of God.

These observations are very important for they will guide us as we search for any replicas that might be occurring in our day. The vast wealth and real estate of Rameses 2 required the building of treasure cities and according to the scriptures, almost all privately held lands, ultimately became his. Let’s read:

Exodus 1: 11 Therefore they did set over them task- masters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Genesis 47: 11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt in the best of the land in the land of Rameses as Pharaoh had commanded.

14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money fails.

16 And Joseph said, give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, we will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also has our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:

19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so, the land became Pharaoh's.

So yes, Rameses became an extremely wealthy man who accumulated extensive real estate through the providence of God, so when he says “I know not The Lord” he was just telling a flat out, blatant lie.

It was a deliberate, conscious decision that he made to totally reject the undeniable evidences of God’s kindness toward himself and the nation as a whole.

At that time, as far as advancement in knowledge, sciences, art, education, and military prowess, Egypt had become the equivalent of the United States, in our day, and no doubt was the bread basket of the world under the wise leadership of Joseph, who was led by God Himself.

But, as was stated before, Rameses 2 was a fool, for not only denying the existence of God, but also for accepting praise and worship which belongs to God alone. All pharaohs considered themselves the sons of Ra, which they embraced in their titulary.

Carrying the title “son of Osiris” he was worshipped as a god, and to his poor subjects he was the zenith of both religious and political leadership. But what is particularly troubling is that the ordinary citizens of his realm did not have a problem in addressing him, and worshipping him as the “good god”.

It's one thing for the leader of any nation to think of himself as a god, but whenever the citizens begin to worship him as such, they will enter into the twilight zone of spiritual darkness, which in most cases ends in national destruction. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 759] The king, 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.”

Thus, his ideologies and his philosophies ultimately filtered down to the Egyptians, for they embraced the same warped perspectives as their king. When any mortal man, aspires to lead out in religious and political matters without God, the end of that nation will ultimately draw near, sooner or later.

But Rameses 2 was also a fool, because he picked a fight with the God of heaven, something which we as mortals must never, ever do. When God through Moses commanded the king to let His people go, he then went on the offensive, and instead increased in large measure, the already heavy burdens of God’s people.

This is significant because it was the law of God that pharaoh picked a fight with God on. In other words, he forced the Hebrews to work on the Sabbath day, contrary to the fourth commandment, which says: “Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of The Lord thy God. In it thou shall not do any work”. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

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

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall not give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the quota of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them; you shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore, they cry, saying, let us go and sacrifice to our God.

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

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

Thus, he went to war against The God of heaven by requiring the Hebrews to violate the Sabbath, and he did not stop there, for once any mortal man sets himself in array against God, he can go on to run the entire gamut of rebellion, which ultimately ends in destruction, if there isn’t any repentance.

He would set himself against God on all levels, and by so doing, he would run the country of Egypt into the ground, until by his foolishness, he would look upon the cold, dead face of his firstborn, and yet he still would not surrender.

The religious leaders of his realm, as well those who were in positions of influence would complain unto him that Egypt was being brought to ruins by his so-called intelligence but yet, because they viewed him as being the good god they continued to throw their support behind whatsoever he did.

Thus, those who were under his jurisdiction were worshipping him, because their decision to blindly obey the dictates of their dear leader, regardless of what God says, is what actually constituted worship, even if those who were obeying might privately be upset, and even if they vented their feelings about the stupidity of the king. Let’s read:

Exodus 10: 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

28 And Pharaoh said unto Moses get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

29 And Moses said, thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

Thus, on all the previous three levels of a fool that the Bible mentions, Rameses 2 became a real fool as is delineated in the following:

[1] Rameses was a fool, for he denied the existence of the God of Heaven.

[2] He was a fool for accumulating to himself vast treasures of wealth and real estate, with absolutely

no acknowledgement, or thought of God or man.

[3] He was a fool for picking a fight against God, by forcing the Hebrews to violate conscience and work over the sacred hours of the Sabbath.

However, for the fulfillment of God’s good purposes towards His people, believe it or not, this was the exact type of person God was looking for. He would fit the bill for what God was going to do and thus he was chosen by God, not because The Lord foresaw his willingness to obey, but because He foresaw his sheer stupidity.

It is worthy of note that this particular pharaoh was brought upon the stage of action by God in order, to facilitate the deliverance of His people and from this experience, and others like it in the Bible, we could safely conclude that there are times when The Lord indeed needs foolish men. Let’s read:

Exodus 9: 16 And indeed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 267] And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee My power.” Not that God had given him an existence for this purpose, but His providence had overruled events to place him upon the throne at the very time appointed for Israel's deliverance.

Though this haughty tyrant had by his crimes forfeited the mercy of God, yet his life had been preserved that through his stubbornness the Lord might manifest His wonders in the land of Egypt. The disposing of events is of God's providence.

He could have placed upon the throne a more merciful king, who would not have dared to withstand the mighty manifestations of divine power. But in that case the Lord's purposes would not have been accomplished.

History has a way of repeating itself, and therefore those of us who have been informed about what is coming must be on high alert for any characteristics, and patterns in one, that do seem similar in nature to those which were observed in the pharaoh of old.

One who manifests the same characteristics, one who is heavily invested in real estate, one who is a builder, one who has great wealth, one who might oppress God’s people, as it pertains to the Sabbath, one who is unusually stubborn, and one who seems to be obsessed with adoration and praise of men.

If at any time someone fitting this bill is brought by God upon the stage of action, then all the remnant people of God should have their eyes wide open to see what might, or may not transpire under such a person.

And we are never to believe that God is far removed from the processes that bring heads of nations upon the stage of action. God is closely intertwined in the most extensive way, in all that takes place upon the earth and especially will this be the case as the time for our final redemption draws near. Let’s read:

Proverbs 21: The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water, he turns it whithersoever he will.

Revelation 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

[Prophets & Kings pp 499] In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice.

But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and counterplay of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.

Therefore, as we look forward to the new year, it is with great urgency that we’re to seek to understand the shaping of events, in the light of what God has told us will be coming upon the face of the earth.

Indeed, it might be that all of the actors are already on the stage, only waiting for the curtains of last day events to be drawn aside. The world has become a decidedly more dangerous place, and who knows what will transpire with the changing of the guards.

Therefore, like Stephen, we are to keep our heads lifted to the skies, seeking God for direction in every decision of life, and trusting Him to take us through the flood, the storm or the fire, whichever might be headed our way.

While the Christian is not to go into panic mode, we are counseled by Christ to look for the signs and the waymarks that would herald His return, and this we must do, because in every reference to the second coming of Christ, the Bible infers that it would occur suddenly. Let’s read:

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

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

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

Mark 13: 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

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

[The Great Controversy pp 491] The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state—men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above.

“Watch ye therefore; ... lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence;

While the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments, it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

Thus, as we look forward to a new year, we must be ready to adapt and make changes as The Lord would direct. The life of ease and peace isn’t guaranteed to last forever, and because of this, we will encourage everyone to hope and pray for the best, but prepare for the worst, just in case things begin to deteriorate more rapidly than some expect.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should help us to keep in view the blessed hope, for it is quite possible that we might see with our own two eyes, many of the end time prophecies being fulfilled. Let’s read:

Romans 13: 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

                                 God Bless!

The Sovereign Prerogatives Of God. Sabbath afternoon 12/21/2024

Daniel 4: 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?

There are certain distinctive prerogatives which are naturally incidental to the office of a king, or in our case a president. These powers and authorities can be exercised, with or without the consent of those who are under their jurisdiction. And, even though the underlings may clamor for a reason why, or some other explanation, it remains the sole right of the king or president in question, to offer fine details to the populace, for he may choose to do so, or he can choose not to, it’s all up to him.

For instance, presidents Obama, Biden, and Trump have all issued executive orders, which some people agreed with while others became quite infuriated at their courses of action taken. However, in their sole capacity as president, they did it anyway, whether some folks would agree, or whether some would be upset. Again, a lot of people have become infuriated over the pardon president Biden gave to his son Hunter. Some on the left are crying foul, while some on the right have become emboldened in their belief that the justice system is rigged and corrupt.

While we are not hear to take sides, or to say yea or nay, the basic fact remains that the president or king in question retains the prerogative to do things that his subjects might not necessarily agree with even if the majority, or minority may sound an alarm. Their prerogatives all come with their territory, and no doubt, when the changing of the guards will take place in January of next year, we can expect some of those executive orders, and pardons to be issued on a large scale, and again, as it was in bygone years, some will agree, while others would become upset.

The same scenario often takes place with what God does, or what He permits, for there are those who will agree, and there are those who will object, but God reserves the sovereign prerogative to do as He pleases, which is a truth we as mortals will have to be reconciled to. In many instances God may offer us an explanation, as He has done numerous times in the Scripture and through His chosen prophets. But God is not duty- bound to give any reasons for doing such and such.

There have been times, and there will be occasions where God may see fit not to reveal any fine details, or explanations about some situation or incident so as to procure the very best outcome in the interest of all concerned. Therefore, as we study the sovereign prerogatives of God, let us do so with a humble heart and teachable spirit, so that the relation of the creature to the one and only Creator might be clearly understood.

The following therefore are some of The Lord’s sole prerogatives in His singular capacity as Sovereign of the universe, including our world.

[1] It is His sovereign prerogative to issue executive orders, with, or without any explanations, as He sees fit. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven;

14 He cried aloud, and said thus, hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from a man's and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

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 whom-soever he will and sets up over it the basest of men.

Matthew 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

  [2] It is God’s sole prerogative to execute judgments against sin.

At times it may seem to finite minds that The God of heaven is missing in action, and, as a result of this it might seem as if folks are getting away with murder, as the saying goes. Untold suffering, the barrage of lies and corruptions engulfing nations, so many children and adults dying daily by violence without cause in several war-torn countries.

Nations invade other nations, and wreak havoc on the citizenry, whilst fraud, and the daily travesty of justice seems to go unrebuked. And because of the seeming inaction on God’s part, persons take more unwarranted liberties by continuing their heaven- daring iniquities. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him.

13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he fears not before God.

But, this seeming inaction by God is really a gross misinterpretation of His mercies, which some poor mortals take for granted, during the interim period that God has given them to repent, and to turn from their wicked ways. This is the reason why so many things across the land have now taken a decided turn for the worse, and yet it may seem to many that God isn’t going to intervene. We have news for you! God reserves the sovereign prerogative to execute judgments when He sees fit.

And in the fullness of time, persons may be assured that He absolutely will. Several passages of Scripture when taken together give us the correct perspective of the balance between God’s justice and mercy, so that we will understand His sovereign prerogative to execute judgement. Let’s read:

Genesis 15: 13 And he said unto Abram, know for a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

2nd Peter 3: 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

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

[The Great Controversy pp 627] To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,” [Ezekiel 33:11.] The Lord is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,” “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Yet he will “by no means clear the guilty.” “The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.” [Exodus 34:6, 7; Nahum 1:3.]

By terrible things in righteousness, he will vindicate the authority of his downtrodden law. The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which he bears long, and which he will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.

[3] It is The Lord’s prerogative to save any person He deems fit, to be a candidate for heaven.

Heaven will be a place of great surprises, because persons who many expect to be there may not be present, and some persons who may not have the perfect rap-sheet will be there in the kingdom. It is not for us to make any determinations about who should and should not be saved. Thus, we are encouraged to sow beside all waters, and let the chips fall where they may, because man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.

The Lord made manifest His sovereign prerogative to save any person He deems fit, when against the seeming logical, finite reasoning of men, He chose Saul, who later became Paul. When God chose him for his role in the early church there was definite remonstrance on the part of folks who not only knew what Saul had been doing to the saints but were themselves aware that they were on the menu daily.

At that time, he seemed to everyone concerned, to be the most unlikely candidate, as was Mary, out of whom Christ had cast out seven sex demons, and the thief on the cross who never had an opportunity at restitution, for all the items he had stolen over his lifetime. Therefore, in all of our interactions with persons, of high or low degree, we should always bear in mind this fact, that God reserves the right to save to the uttermost, anyone, who, in His foreknowledge, and wisdom, He sees fit. Let’s read:

 Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly, there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays,

12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

Last but not least, and so critically important for the here and now, and also for eternity, is the following sovereign prerogative of God, which so many folks have difficulty grappling with.

[4] It is God’s prerogative to keep certain secrets private, and to withhold specific types of sensitive information from us as mortals.

In every government on earth, and especially in the U.S. you have what is called classified information. It comes in varying degrees, from information that will not cause any serious harm to those highly classified secrets, which only the chosen, trusted few will ever have access to. These highly classified secrets, if exposed to wrong people, can jeopardize national security, and could seriously compromise the nation’s ability to protect its citizens, and could put several people at risk of harm, and even death.

This is what Edward Snowden did when he decided to release a treasure trove of sensitive, classified information which greatly compromised America’s intelligence, and sources. This is what also took place when Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange released online, very sensitive, top- secret information, which, according to government officials, jeopardized the U.S military operations and planning on many levels.

That is why, before one can be trusted with handling very sensitive information, that person has to pass several security screening tests initially, and then he or she will be granted one of five levels of security clearances, as those in authority may see fit.

Tiers one, and two apply to low risk, non-sensitive positions. Persons applying for a position of public trust are required to have a background check, and criminal records examined. Together with finger- printing, credit checks etc, they are to be duly scrutinized.

That is under normal circumstances. But we are no longer living under normal circumstances, if you can understand dark sentences. The days of normal are now relics of the past, and the Remnant people of God who know what’s coming must be prepared for the new abnormal.

Tiers three and four pertain to the Secret Security Clearances, and High-Risk Public Trusts which means that persons who will be granted these clearances would have access to sensitive information that can cause grave danger and harm to the United States.

In recent memory there have been a few individuals who have violated public trust, for they were found sharing America’s sensitive information with foreign adversaries, online and in person. So yes, tiers three and four can be pretty serious as far as our national security goes.

Then you have the highest security clearance which is tier five also designated as the Top-Secret Security clearance, in which the relevant authorities will do a deep dive into every aspect of your life, including interviews with your friends and neighbors and your co-workers, together with polygraph tests etc.

This Top-Secret clearance is what Lucifer didn’t have because the info was so sensitive that it could have put the entire universe at risk. And therefore, God in His wisdom and foreknowledge saw it fit to keep the highly classified information between the members of the God-Head alone.

 But now that it has been revealed in the Scriptures, we must observe how God went about unfolding it in due season, and in increments, so that we would have a much clearer understanding of the Sovereign prerogatives of God, and how they relate to, and do interface with our freedom of choice. Let’s read:

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.

The secret has to do with the contract between God the Father and Jesus Christ, when He would come to this world, and give Himself as a sacrifice to save us from our sins. The decision was made and sealed long before man was created. Let’s read:

Revelation 13: 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

1st Peter 1: 18 Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by the tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

Ephesians 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Therefore, according to what is written in the Bible we can decisively conclude that the plan of salvation was not a reaction to some emerging threat but was a well thought out plan made well in advance, to be implemented when it would become necessary. We use the word “When” because as the Scripture says unequivocally, God reads the future accurately, and therefore it was not a matter of if, but a matter of when man would fall. Let’s read:

Isaiah 46: 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

[D.A. pp 22] The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam. It was a revelation of “the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal.” From the beginning, God and Christ knew of the apostasy of Satan, and of the fall of man through the deceptive power of the apostate. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence, and made provision to meet the terrible emergency.

So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Thus, God goes to work with His good plan in mind and He creates Adam, and Eve with the freedom of choice. They could use their freedom to be aligned with God’s will, as it pertains to not eating of the forbidden tree, or they could use their freedom of choice to misalign themselves with His will. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat. 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof thou shalt surely die.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 49] God might have created man without the power to transgress His law; He might have withheld the hand of Adam from touching the forbidden fruit; but in that case man would have been, not a free moral agent, but a mere automaton. Without freedom of choice, his obedience would not have been voluntary, but forced. There could have been no development of character. Such a course would have been contrary to God's plan in dealing with the inhabitants of other worlds. It would’ve been unworthy of man as an intelligent being, and would have sustained Satan's charge of God's arbitrary rule.

Thus, you have a situation where man’s freedom of choice, and God’s perfect foreknowledge will meet at a crossroads, with Adam and Eve choosing not to align themselves with the will of God.

God’s foreknowledge of future events never forces anyone to do evil, but we have to come to grips with the fact that His foreknowledge is perfect, and thus, for our own good, and the entire universe as well, it is necessary that the Sovereign prerogative of God, to withhold classified information, be understood.

Not only must it be understood thoroughly, but the human agents must also be willing to let God’s plan for our salvation run its course even though at times it might include situations that are not cute, to say the least.

Sometimes the only way to achieve some permanent good is to move forward with decisions and actions that can have adverse consequences up front, as was the case on August 6, 1945 when an American B-29 bomber dropped the first atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

The explosion promptly killed an estimated 80,000 people; tens of thousands more would later die of radiation exposure. Three days later, a second B-29 dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people. Japan’s Emperor then announced his country’s unconditional surrender in World War II in a radio address on August 15, and ever since that episode, Japan has gone on to become a strong ally of the U.S. and one of its important trading partners.

Thus, it is, with God’s implementation of the plan of salvation. He also, like us, took a serious hit, for it is not like if Jesus stayed up there in heaven and just watched us being battered, bruised, and scarred. He rolled up His sleeves, and buckled up His boots, and came and died in the process of salvation. Thus, as far as suffering is concerned, He took much more of a hit than anyone of us will ever take. This solemn truth should now cause every mumbling word to be hushed, and every question of God’s goodness to be permanently laid to rest.

Now, some may argue that if The Lord had revealed the outcome in the garden of Eden, with all of the gory details and adverse consequences that would stretch millennia into the future then Adam and Eve would have chosen to do differently. That this is not necessarily the case is made clear, as when Jesus told Peter of a definite adverse outcome that would accrue, by his course of action, and yet, as the record shows, Peter still went ahead, and did exactly as God’s foreknowledge had prophesied.

Peter’s freedom of choice was left intact, but yet the perfection of God’s omniscience was made manifest when on several occasions, Peter does exactly what Jesus said he will do. Therefore, with Christ’s perfect foreknowledge, He puts a safety net in place, just as He did, before the foundation of the world when the contract between The Father and Jesus was signed, sealed, and later delivered. Let’s read:

Luke 22: 31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren.

Matthew 26: 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 Peter answered and said unto him, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise, also said all the disciples. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples and finds them asleep, and saith unto Peter, what, could you not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 73 And after a while came unto him, they that stood by, and said to Peter, surely, thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrays thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. 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.

The secrets about the plan of salvation were not to be made known up front, but at the time when they would be needed. If Christ had revealed the plan of salvation up front to our first parents, with all of the gory details, their obedience, and freedom of choice might have been motivated by the knowledge of consequences, and not by love, and loyalty to the Creator. The same is true of other good secrets, which God retains the prerogative to keep to Himself. Here are just a few examples:  

[1] If Christ were to let Moses know of His plan to translate him to heaven, without him seeing death, Moses’ behavior could have been affected by the knowledge of his imminent translation.

[2] If Christ were to let us know up front that the former president would win against all odds, very many persons may, or may not have stayed home, and not done what they would have naturally done, through their freedom of choice.

[3] Again, if God were to reveal up front the day and the hour of His coming a lot of people might behave themselves very well, or even differently as they see the time drawing near, and no doubt, almost every person would straighten up, the night, just before Christ appeared.

Then again, our behaviors could be affected by the foreknowledge of the exact day of His coming, and thus, our freedom of choice would not be exercised entirely free of bias, in the truest sense of the word. Thus, in His wisdom God has chosen to withhold the top secret, classified information pertaining to the exact day of His return. In the fullness of time, when it becomes necessary, He will make that information known to His people, but for now, just as it was with the plan of salvation it remains highly classified info.

And, for good reason, for whenever in retrospect we observe what took place in 1844, we discover God’s wisdom in not making the day of His coming known to mortals as yet. Here are just a few snippets of the doings of persons, in relation to what they believed was an exact date for Christ’s second coming.

            [The Great Controversy pp 396>374]

[1] Sinners inquired with weeping, “What must I do to be saved?” Those whose lives had been marked  with dishonesty were anxious to make restitution.

[2] The hearts of parents were turned to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents.

[3] Heart-felt confessions were made, and members of the household labored for the salvation of those who were nearest and dearest.

[4] Everywhere were souls in deep anguish, pleading  with God.

[5] Many wrestled all night in prayer for the assurance that their sins were pardoned.

[6] For some weeks preceding the time, worldly business was for the most part laid aside.

[7] The sincere believers carefully examined every thought and emotion of their hearts as if upon their death-beds and in a few hours to close their eyes upon earthly scenes.

[8] There were among them many who had been actuated by no higher motive than fear.

In closing, whatever might be our ideas, convictions, or beliefs, one thing is certain, and that is that we’ve turned a corner, and there will certainly be lots of collateral damages, and consequences, of which the remnant people of God may not be entirely immune from.

However, if we were to keep The Lord’s sovereign prerogatives in view, in the fullness of time it will be revealed why God permitted such and such to take place. The most important thing for us however is to make certain that our freedom of choice is aligned fully with God’s revealed will.

In this way, no matter how the tide turns, no matter the uncertainty, no matter the evil forebodings that are haunting the minds of millions globally, The Lord will take care of those who are in covenant relation with Him, for His sovereign prerogatives are always intended, and exercised with the very best good of His people in mind.

Thus, it becomes fitting for us to end with a passage  of Scripture which should cheer our hearts, even as we stand on the brink of eternity, at one minute to midnight, as it were. Let’s read:

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling  thereof.

                                   God Bless!

Don't Squander Your Golden Opportunity. Sabbath afternoon 11/09/2024

Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for you know not what a day may bring forth.

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.

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.

There are times in life when God opens the door of opportunity to nations or individuals, and what one does in the moment could make a great difference in the person’s or nation’s after history. When God is ready to work on behalf of nations or individuals we must rise to the occasion, because another chance might not be given, no one knows.

Sometimes the golden opportunity slips by, and it’s only afterward, as persons reflect in hindsight, that they realize the door has been closed. And in some instances, there might be genuine remorse for the chance that has passed by, but irreversible damage could have already been done.

One of the dangers of sinning by procrastination is that even though you may catch yourself, and may endeavor to redeem the time the fact is that in most cases, during that interim period, between your procrastination, and redemption, real harm is done.

When the dying thief on the cross saw, and seized his golden opportunity, he did nobly by rising to the occasion, and he would be saved in God’s kingdom. But during the time when he lived on earth, damage was done to many persons, and he found no way to replace the stolen items to individuals.

Similarly, when Saul, who later became Paul, rose to the occasion on the road to Damascus he seized the golden opportunity, and to a very great extent, he was able to redeem the time, and retrace his steps, but during the interim period, Stephen, and many other saints had already been put to death.

When interest rates hovered near zero in the United States, many homeowners seized the opportunity to refinance, and many others saw wisdom in buying a first, or second home, while the Feds kept interest rates abnormally low.

But there were others who procrastinated, thinking that the low rates would be here to stay and so they dilly dallied, and twiddled their thumbs, by putting off for some future day that which could and should have been done while the opportunity still lingered.

And now, many folks look back at those times with longing desire, and some are drooling for the days of yore to return. They may, or may not return, for no one knows what tomorrow will bring. And thus, you might have a situation of here today, but gone tomorrow, that occurs.

Therefore, when God opens up the way before us so that great things could be done, or achieved, it is of critical importance that we be ready, when The Lord is ready, for very often, a mismatch of timing causes persons to defer for another day, that which can and should be accomplished in the moment.

In Eden, God gave us a golden opportunity to live in this world forever, without experiencing death, and all of the negatives we have accrued over the years. But the opportunity was squandered in the moment and even though Christ has died to redeem all from sin, and its consequences, the fact is that damage has already been done.

So yes, we do have hope of eternal life, and yes, we can individually make good choices that would last for eternity, but in the meanwhile, we still have to deal with the natural fallout of the choice that was made, and in many cases, continues to be made.

In other words, on account of squandering that first golden opportunity, the interim period between sin and our final redemption will bring to us the natural fallout of the choices then made. We must deal with inflation, cancers, pandemics, wars, hurricanes, and politicians who make promises they cannot keep.

Being genuinely sorry for squandering your golden opportunity does not always change the raw facts on the ground, and though we encourage everyone to redeem the time, there might still be a lingering, nagging effect that in some instances, may never go away in this life.

With king Saul, God gave him a golden opportunity, not only to rule, but also that his posterity would sit upon the throne of Israel for many years to come. In his choices, and decisions, king Saul could pave the way for success or failure, for God grants to persons the opportunity, success is what we make of it. Let’s read:

[PK. pp 486] True success in any line of work is not the result of chance, or accident, or destiny. It is the outworking of God's providences, the reward of faith, and discretion, of virtue, and perseverance. God gives opportunities; success depends upon the use made of them.

Numerous chances to redeem his past failures were granted, but with every opportunity, Saul insisted on doing things his own way, until it reached a point where The Lord could not work with Saul anymore, and, Saul’s day of opportunity slipped into oblivion, never more to be reversed. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7 And let it be when these signs are come unto thee that you do as occasion serves you; for God is with you.

But Saul soon developed the habit which so many of us do, of not consulting God for guidance, direction, and wisdom, for he habitually did what he thought was best and right in his own sight.

True humility is not doing what, in our finite minds we deem best; it is being willing to do what God sees best, even when we may not see eye to eye with The Lord.

Thus, on numerous occasions, when Saul could have seized his golden opportunity, he resorted to doing things his own way, and this tendency soon became a habit, to the point where it became set like stone in his character. And after a while, it became a core part of who he was. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Thus, the tenor of the Bible is for persons to make the best and most of today, as our first passage says, for we know not what another day may bring forth. In the work of saving souls, you may have only one opportunity to tell others of Jesus, and that person’s destiny could hang upon what you did, or didn’t do.

When the Lord was just about to pluck me out of the fire as it were, there was one other Seventh Day Adventist in the band who had backslidden just like myself. To him I spoke the words of truth, for a long time one night, but he never came to the point of giving his life over to Christ.

Some time later, the leader of the group gave me an urgent call saying that the former S.D.A was in grave peril in the hospital, and that I should go quickly to visit him, because things were not looking good. We grabbed a couple of religious books, including Steps to Christ, and headed for the hospital.

But when we arrived, he was already staring into outer space, and was unresponsive. Not long after he slipped into eternity, and thus, the next time he will be seen is when Jesus comes, in either the first or second resurrection, for we cannot judge his final end.

There are certain important points that should be considered as it pertains to “Not Squandering Your Golden Opportunity”

[1] Opportunity, especially as it pertains to a soul’s salvation, is not guaranteed to stick around forever, for it can be here today, and gone tomorrow. Let’s read:

Hebrews 3: 7 Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, today, if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

[2] Some opportunities may only come around once in your lifetime.

[3] God grants us opportunities, but success is what we make of them.

This one is of critical importance for we can make or break an opportunity by the decisions, and choices that are made. As a general rule, when God opens up an opportunity persons should not only seize the moment, but we should also continuously go back to God to find out how to manage it.

Here is where some fail, for many immediately may seek out finite wisdom, before referring to God for help. Success is not only receiving the blessing, but more so in managing the blessing, for receiving and managing prudently are two peas in one pod.

For instance, after God had promised to open the womb of Hannah, she and her husband did not just run away with the blessing, and forget about God. They went back to Him for wisdom, and instruction as to how they must manage the blessing prudently. Let’s read:

Judges 13: 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold, now, you are barren and bear not: but you shall conceive, and bear a son.

6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name.

8 Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou did send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah….

12 And Manoah said, Now, let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?

13 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.

14 She may not eat of anything that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.

Isaiah 58:11 And the Lord will guide thee continually and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Proverbs 2: 10 When wisdom enters into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.

12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaks froward things.

[4] When opportunity comes there is usually a given time-frame in which you must make your move, or else, the window of opportunity could close.

[5] Very often, you do not know in advance if this is your last opportunity.

The main problem with the Hebrews as far as their opportunity goes is that early up in their experience they endeavored to plan for themselves. The case in point is when God was ready to work in their behalf, to bring then into the land of Canaan, they panicked when they saw, and heard of the giants.

And in this frame of mind, they made themselves a captain to return into Egypt. Then when God agreed with them and said, alright, go ahead and head back to the wilderness, they said no, we aren’t going.

Instead, they decided to go take Canaan on their own. Thus, The Lord could not work with them, for they wouldn’t humble themselves enough to be led by Him, but insisted on planning their own strategy. Let’s read:

Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

Numbers 14: 40 And they rose up early in the morning, and got them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned.

41 And Moses said, wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper.

42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.

43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.

44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: never-the-less the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Humility is not what many people think it to be, for it has more to do with one’s attitude than the other external manifestations that are observed, such as the disposition and attire of monks and other clergy.

Being humble, in a nutshell, is the disposition to be willing to be led by God in all things, even if you may be a specialist at what you do, and even when you may not see eye to eye with God. The Lord has not called us primarily to agree with Him, but rather to obey Him.

The tendency to choose the “experts” over the type of wisdom found in the Scriptures, causes many to miss out on God-given opportunity. When experts are sought after, it’s important to do two things:

[1] If you can, find out, whether those experts are God-fearing, or not.

[2] Pass the counsel, and advice they give through the word of God first, meaning The Living word and the written word.

Many experts in our day do not believe in God, and for this reason, the counsel given can, in some cases be contrary to the revealed will of God. The person may be an expert in his or her field, but that is not the most important qualification for the Christian to hang his hat on.

The children of Israel listened to the X-Perts, who were the ten unfaithful spies, for they reasoned and arrived at their conclusions along strictly logical, and finite modes of thought. They considered the size of the giants, in contrast to their own selves, and, in their minds, it was a no-brainer that they could not win.

Be very careful of experts who do not include the God-factor in their reckonings, for they mostly deal in finite limitations, and the counsel they give could cause you to squander your golden opportunities, in some cases.

That was the problem with king Saul, who seemed to have difficulty seeing beyond the finite, to behold the infinite. When faced with danger or difficulty, he would instantly refer to the realm of mortals alone, using only finite calculations to guide his decisions.

For instance, when David offered to smoke out the giant Goliath, Saul, who was an expert in war, didn’t think it possible, and based upon strictly humanistic modes of thought, he made unequivocal statements pertaining to the mission impossible. Let’s read:

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

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

Again, when Saul finally caved in to David’s offer, he again resorted to finite modes of thought and action as it seemed the expert thing to do by loading David up with his own spear, and shield. But, the armor of Saul would not only greatly impede David, it could have put him at risk of defeat. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17: 38 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also, he armed him with a coat of mail.

39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he tried to go; for he had not proved it. And David  said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

Thus, it was that by taking counsel of God and being willing to be led by God, David was able to maximize his golden opportunity. This is what those ten spies, together with the multitudes had failed to do. They left God entirely out of the picture, and that is how they squandered their golden opportunity.

Joshua and Caleb however tracked a different route, for they incorporated The God of heaven into their assessments and conclusions, and thus, whenever Divinity is united with humanity, individuals as well as nations, in most cases, would not squander their golden opportunity. Let’s read:

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

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

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

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

The bottom-line result of the Hebrew’s squandered opportunity is that almost none of them entered Canaan. Yes, it is true that many may have repented and many others would be saved in God’s kingdom, but the fact remained, that their golden opportunity had passed, never more to be restored. Let’s read:

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

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

As the nation turns a new page, there will be a host of golden opportunities given to us to redeem the time. Success will depend largely upon the course of action taken, and the decisions made, for we are the arbiters of our own destiny.

As was clearly stated before, if the God-factor is incorporated into the decision-making processes, The Lord will respond in the affirmative, by guiding us with wisdom and discretion, so that we can avoid serious errors in judgment.

But if we permit the forces of evil to pressure folks into making laws that are antagonistic to truth, and righteousness, then we would have squandered the golden opportunity to redeem the time.

Again, in our own personal experience, God grants windows of opportunity to do good, by advancing the interests of His kingdom, especially now that we see eternity dawning on the horizon.

Let us then be faithful in making full use of the time remaining, given to us to finish up the work of the gospel, for there is no doubt that the windows of opportunity will close sooner than many expect.

We therefore will end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to do the most and the best whilst we can. Let’s read:

Ephesians 5: 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

                                     God Bless!

Making Decisions in Panic Mode. Sabbath afternoon 11/02/2024

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

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

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

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

2nd Corinthians 2: 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

There is no doubt that America is now in full blown panic mode as the possibility of chaos and national upheaval looms large on the horizon. Men’s hearts are indeed failing them for fear, looking after those things that are coming upon the earth.

Everything that is vile, everything that is false, that is incendiary and profane is now on the menu daily, and mortal man seems entirely powerless to stop the downward spiral into the abyss.

Even when the changing of the guard occurs, those seeds that have been sown nationally will continue to germinate, and will bring forth commensurate fruit in due season, for the Bible says, whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

This is the work and product of fallen human nature that is not transformed by the grace of Christ, but is rather motivated by demonic spirits. Man does not have it within himself to resist the incursions of the devil, because pound for pound he is much stronger than we are.

And thus, the only remedy for the fallen condition of humanity is the grace of God applied to the heart and this is the reason why we do not point anyone to manmade solutions but rather to Christ alone, for He is the only Person who could solve this world’s problems.

Man was originally made lower than the angels, and since the fall in Eden by our first parents, folks have continued to sink lower and lower on all fronts. The mental, physical, and spiritual capabilities we were created with have all deteriorated drastically of the years.

And now, folks have become considerably weaker, physically, morally, and mentally, to the point where we cannot control ourselves without Christ. This is an inconvenient truth we will have to confront and be reconciled to, if we are to understand our dire need of Christ.

You may see persons well dressed, apparently very intelligent and they may seem to have it all together but at the opportune moment, when the serpent is ready to strike, all those who are not covered by the blood of Christ will succumb to his deadly sting, and that is what you’re seeing live, in real time currently.

This fact about our powerlessness outside of Christ has to be clearly understood, before we proceed for it is critically important to establish from the Bible, the reasons for the urgency of the moment, which is driving persons into panic mode. Thus, we will have to put it plainly.

A human being without Christ has much weaker will power than the devil, and for this reason, if persons have habitually yielded their freedom of choice, by doing his will he can and will dominate that person’s mind, and can literally force them to say, and do evil things, even things they had not originally planned to say or do.

The bitter words that are being spoken daily and the hatred being stoked, coming from the mouth, must be traced right back to the source. The Bible says it’s the work of devils, because they have the ability to intrude into a person’s thoughts, words, and their deeds.

This is the plain truth, without any gravy, or salad dressing, and we must now confront this reality in real time from the Scriptures. Think about it for a moment, if satan could speak through Peter, who was a disciple of Christ, imagine what he could do through persons who are not in Christ.

The Bible does not beat around the bush, nor does it mince words about the source of what folks are seeing currently, and therefore, we must pay close attention to the following passages, for they reveal truths that most people would have difficulty being reconciled to. Let’s read:

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

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

In other words, satan has much stronger will-power than any member of the human family, and thus, he could, and will speak directly through any individual spontaneously, who is not kept by the power of God through faith in Christ.

We like to think of ourselves as large and in charge, but the Bible teaches us that folks would inevitably serve one of two masters, either Christ or satan. It is not what you will hear in the secular realm, nor is it a cute doctrine, but it is the truth. Let’s read:

James 3: 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the captain wants.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind.

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

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.

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.

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

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

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 101] The spirit of anarchy is permeating all nations, and the outbreaks that from time to time excite the horror of the world are but indications of the pent-up fires of passion and lawlessness that, having once escaped control, will fill the earth with woe and desolation.

There are those who erroneously think that on their own they could resist satan’s incursions, and for this reason some have decided, and others are planning to resist the predicted dangers of the final conflicts, during the last days of earth’s history, without Christ in the heart.

We have some bad news for such persons, if they’ll continue to harbor that perspective, because when prime time comes around, and such persons are not found in Christ, the devil will force you to do his will, using his baseball bat.

And according to the Scriptures, we have not seen anything as yet, for these are just the early tremors of a much larger conflict that will culminate in the close of probation. The issues are so serious that we must now read from the pen of inspiration the truth about the matter, before we proceed. Let’s read:

[D.A. pp 324] When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature.

The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan.

But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world.

It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light.

If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.

Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We might leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan;

But without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ and continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

In one of the first passages that we read earlier the apostle Paul says we are not ignorant of his devices. We are not supposed to be, but some persons may not be cognizant of how “his devices” are deployed, and how they work. So, let’s delve into the study for today: “Making Decisions In Panic Mode”

When wolves are on the hunt, they’ll first panic the herd by running directly at the entire herd, and then the individual members of the herd are driven into panic mode. And in this state of mind, they usually make a decision that ultimately determines which ones will be singled out for lunch.

Prior to their decision in panic mode, the wolves do not really know who will be on the menu, but as the herd is scattered in a frantic effort to escape, the weak and the vulnerable are singled out, and that is how the wolves know where their next meal is coming from.

For starters, his devices are always structured to put you into more problems than you’re already in. The devil doesn’t set his devices just for fun, it’s a well- thought-out plan to destroy unwary souls, and thus, we must study from the scriptures how his devices are employed.

As our topic suggests, one of his most successful devices is to try to get you to make hasty decisions when you are in panic mode. It is a tried, and true device that has driven many saints in ages past, to do, and say things that were entirely out of God’s will.

First, satan creates, or he looks for an environment of desperation, or panic and then he suggests to the mind, plan “B”, which, in the overwhelming majority of cases, will bring us a lot of unforeseen problems. Let us take a few examples from the Scriptures, so that we could better understand the issue.

A massive army from the Philistines had amassed in Michmash, with the sole intent of wiping out the Jews once and for all. Their equipment was superior and their soldiers vastly outnumbered the small and ill-equipped Hebrews, and thus, defeat was all but guaranteed, without some major intervention from God.

The situation was dire indeed, and as Saul saw the sheer size of the army, with thousands of horses and chariots, Saul knew that of themselves, they were greatly inferior, without God on their side, and they would no doubt be annihilated.

So, Saul waited, and waited, and waited for Samuel to show up at the appointed time but the time came and went, and therefore, in panic mode, he makes a decision that was contrary to God’s will and the rest is history, for that decision marked the beginning of the end for him. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13: 5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait for the people were distressed, then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, what hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou came not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

The same is true of Abraham and Sarah, who came to believe that time was slipping away, and as they both were deep into their golden years, they went into panic mode, thinking that the only way they were going to have a son is through adultery.

Therefore, the decision to impregnate Hagar was a decision that was made in panic mode, when their backs were against a wall, as they thought. Up to this day we are still witnessing the baleful results of that singular decision that was made in desperation. Let’s read:

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

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

3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

Here again is the very same device, as David goes into full blown panic mode, as Saul hunts him as the most wanted man on the planet. First, he makes the decision to tell a series of lies to the high priest at Nob, and then in sheer desperation, he does what we must never ever do when in panic mode.

He turns to the enemies of God for help. As we have stated up front, the devices of satan to put persons in panic mode is always to bring you more problems than you already have, and this turned out to be the case, as the Philistines remembered, and recognized David as the person who had killed their champion, Goliath.

Thus, when David realized the grave results of those panicked decisions, he recoiled in great fear for his life, and were it not for the tender mercies of God, that would have been the end of David. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?

2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.

10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

And we can go on and on and on, for it was in sheer panic that Rebekah resorted to fraud, when Isaac was just about to bless Esau with the birthright. In this instance Jacob also lied against God to avoid being found out by his father. The decisions, choices and actions all took place in panic mode.

Genesis 27: 6 And Rebekah spoke unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7 Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death.

8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.

12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

13 And his mother said unto him, upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

18 And he came unto his father, and said, my father: and he said, here am I; who art thou, my son?

20 And Isaac said unto his son, how is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me.

Again, the sailors and captain of a certain ship are in full blown panic mode, as they believe their vessel will run aground upon the rocks, and will be dashed to pieces. Thus, in this frantic frame of mind they all decide to jump ship.

However, Paul advises against the decision, for even though they were in real peril, they were not to do anything based solely on the danger of the moment. God was still in charge, even in that time of great desperation, as He always has and always will. Let’s read:

Acts 27:5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

14 But not long after, there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

During the time of the great recession, beginning with the crash of the stock market in 2007 to 2008, home values across America began to plummet in no small way, and home owners watched in dismay as their equity was virtually wiped out.

That downward spiral became so severe that very many persons went underwater on their mortgage, and found themselves in the unfortunate situation of paying a lot of money for a home that was losing value every, day with no end in sight.

Thus, rather than lose everything, some decided that it was time to jump ship, and sell, rather than end up with an asset that no longer had value, and in the general environment of panic that pervaded the land at that time very many people relinquished ownership, only to realize later on that Covid would spark a buying frenzy.

The Christian should avoid the snare of making any decision based on fear and panic, because, as we’ve seen in many instances grave mistakes in judgment can be made. Every decision and every choice that is to be made should be taken to The Lord in prayer, so that He could guide us with wisdom and discretion.

Come Tuesday, we are not advising anyone to vote this way or that way, because the choice is yours. All we are saying is that you could, and should take the issues at hand to God in prayer, instead of making choices based solely on the heat of the moment. The general spirit of fear, and panic does not originate with God, as the Bible says. Let’s Read:

2nd Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1st John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

In the general panic that has struck the nation some may forget that God is still in control of events, and as such, His will is going to get done any which way, for He rules and overrules in the affairs of men. We may be in danger of losing sight of The Lord who sits on the throne of the universe.

Do not be afraid of any mortal man, for we are just dust, and when we focus on what man might do, we can become panicked, and may lose sight of the fact that God is still in control.

This is what happened to all the children of Israel in the wilderness as they saw in the distance, the hosts of pharaoh coming behind them. The went into full blown panic mode and in this state of mind they lost sight of the Almighty God in the pillar of cloud, and fire, and they murmured to return to Egypt.

In our day we may be seeing pharaoh, not merely in the distance, but right upon us, nipping at our heels, yet, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is still on His throne. Let us therefore know for certain that at the end of the day, His will alone will be done, and because of this, we may rest assured.

Therefore, we can hope for the best but prepare for the worst, as God decides if and when things would come to a head. Don’t be afraid of asking The Lord to guide your choices, for the passage says “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”.

In harmony with this promise we must be reminded of the truth in the matter, for even though we might hear of proud, boastful and hateful words on a daily basis, our world is a mere speck in the universe and as such, God holds all matters in His hands.

We will end with two passages of Scripture that will keep these truths ever in view, with the hope that none will be forced into panic mode, over what man can, or cannot do. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

                                    God Bless!