When God’s Justice Is Questioned. Sabbath afternoon 10/20/2025

Isaiah 28: 21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

God delights in mercy, and everything He does on our planet is interwoven with grace, forbearance and kindness towards us, erring mortals. Persons have come to question God’s justice, not only in sacred history, but also in some of the things that He allows to take place currently.

There are those who may wish that He will stand up against the oppression, cruelty and apparent unbridled lies, day in and day out, while others have become skeptical in their perspectives of Him as it pertains to the mass shootings and the many thousands who are dying daily in Ukraine, in Haiti, and in so many countries around the world.

Our opening passage gives us a glimpse of the reason why some people might question His justice, because Isaiah calls God’s serving of justice, or His permission of certain adverse situations, a strange act.

The Lord delights in mercy, and long after we have thrown in the towel, and given up on persons who seem to poking their fingers in His face God is still working to bring about a change of heart or mind wherever possible. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 3: 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Lamentations 3:33 For he does not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the Most-High.

Indeed, were it not for God’s longsuffering, and mercy towards, us, many of us would not be alive today. In fact, everyone of us is directly tethered to God’s mercy, and that’s why we are alive. It is the Cross of Christ that, shields us from what we are really due.

Thus, because of what mortals may see as God’s inaction in emergencies, some have questioned His justice, while others are displeased when He does act. So, it has become a situation where you are damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

One of the erroneous concepts being taught, and adopted in many Christian circles is one where a majority of people have come to view serving God as being something subjective.

And because of it, persons are in grave danger of becoming very displeased with what God will do, or what He will permit in these last days of earth’s history.

This subjective view is more often than not, the result of persons accepting Christ on terms that are favorable or agreeable to themselves, terms that they, or others have set, and thus, whenever this is the case a person’s faith could get a shock if things do not pan out the way they expected.

So, at this point it is necessary to lay out in plain statements, what it means to obey and serve The Lord. First up, we must understand that He is The Creator and we are His creatures, and because of this He retains the sole prerogative to lay out the terms and conditions of discipleship.

There’s a cute brand of Christianity on display in our day, where many additions, and subtractions are made to God’s revealed word, so as to make accommodations for personal ideas preferences and biases.

Some attempt to mix politics and religion into a diabolical brew, and then throw over it the name of Christianity. Others have incorporated pagan concepts and Darwinian ideologies into their own brands, and the result is my truth, not God’s.

Therefore, the truth in the matter of discipleship must now be made abundantly clear. Following Jesus will call for self-denial, and obedience to His every word, according to the light that is shed on our pathway.

This is accomplished through the inner working of His Holy Spirit in our minds, but God does not by-pass our freedom of choice to force folks to obey. The choice is ours, and if we do choose to serve, love and obey Him, it will have to be on His terms alone. Let’s read:

Matthew 16: 24 Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,  and take up his cross, and follow me.

Galatians 5: 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that ye would.

So yes, there will be times when you will have to grit your teeth in denying that which your human nature craves, and yes, there will be times when you will have to do mortal battle against internal and external foes, of which the internal foes are the most dangerous.

Don’t let any smooth talking preacher, soothsayer or bling televangelist tell you otherwise, for God does not cut a deal with us as mortals, where we come to the negotiating table with our own set of ideas, and preferences, the way deals are made when countries are negotiating tariffs.

Instead, in His capacity as God, He sets the terms and conditions, and He bids us choose to obey Him with our free will, and if we so choose, He sends us His Holy Spirit to empower our choices. That is the only type of discipleship or Christianity that God recognizes. Let’s read:

Exodus 19: 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob,and tell the children of Israel;

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.

6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

8 And all the people answered together, and said, all that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

Hebrews 8: 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

In addition, God has not called us to merely agree with Him, He has called us to love and obey Him, and wheresoever this is done with the intelligent understanding of Who He is, and with the clear knowledge of His singular prerogatives, persons will have the confidence to seek Him in each and every situation.

There are cute duties delegated to the Christian, and there are disagreeable duties that also need to be performed. It’s the same in every household because there are times when the parents might have to do things they may prefer not to do. There are things God prefers not to do but He has to, for the greater good of all.

The same is true of pastors, elders and of church boards, for there would be times when decisions will have to be made, that may not jive well with every single church member. Persons should not expect to agree with every decision the board makes.

The performance of duties in the kingdom of God must never be made subject to feelings, because there would be times when you will not feel good about doing certain things that God requires. We are elaborating on the dangers of the subjective form of Christianity.

Discipleship involves obeying God even when you are not feeling good about doing so, or when you may have serious questions or even doubts about what He did, or didn’t do. There will be instances where the Christian may have to scratch his head as he, or she questions what God is or isn’t doing.

This is what took place with the prophet Ananias, when Jesus instructed him to anoint Saul to be an apostle. The poor prophet scratched his head and he had serious misgivings about God’s wisdom in doing so, since Saul used to hunt down the early Christians, to jail and persecute them.

So yes, there are times when you will not feel too good about obeying God or following His revealed will. It’s not about feeling good, it’s about obeying with the understanding that God always does, or permits that which is in the best interest of all.

In other words, for us to make appendages, and additions or subtractions to His word, in order to satisfy our desires and our preferences, will put persons on a fast track to be at great odds with The Lord, whenever He does His strange acts.

Thus, the questions and answers on discipleship that deeply affect the way we view God’s justice must be given in precis form so that a child could understand.

Question: What does it mean to serve The Lord subjectively or objectively?

To serve The Lord subjectively is to obey Him only when we agree with what He says, permits, or does in His word, or in any given situation.

To serve God objectively is to render to The Lord unquestioning obedience to His every word, and command, whether or not we agree with what He does or permits.

Subjectively: adverb: In a way that is based on personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.

Objectively: adverb: In a way that is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.

Therefore, in order for us to discover the truth in the matter, as it pertains to God’s administration of justice, we must now take a journey from the Philistine towns, all the way to Jerusalem and as we go, we are going to observe many of the same questions, and challenges, Christians in our day struggle with, as it pertains to His strange acts.

We begin in Philistia, where the ark of God had been taken, after being captured in battle. Those folks in Philistia did not have a knowledge of the correct way to transport the ark, and therefore, in His mercy, God saw fit to let things slide when the  ark was taken up and transported for many miles.

However, after placing it in the temple of their god Dagon, they received to initial warnings from God that something was amiss with what they had done.

The next morning, Dagon was found collapsed before the ark, and as the idol lay there prostrate without any apparent explanation, the Philistine priests questioned in their minds what was going on.

They reverently place it back on its pedestal, but the very next day it is again found prostrate before the ark, only this time its body has been badly mutilated, and the fish part of its body has been separated from the human part in what may have seemed to be some form of strange, violent altercation.

They view this as an evil omen, and they remove the ark from their temple, but after doing so, there ensues sudden diseases, death, and destruction, wreaking havoc on the nation, until they were all too eager to rid themselves of the ark.

They do so by yoking two milking cows together which had never been yoked before, they set the ark on a cart driven by the two cows and they watch to see what would happen next.

Then, unprovoked and without apparent guidance they take the straight highway to Beth-Shemesh and when they arrive, the citizens are pleasantly surprised at the unexplained providence and they rejoice greatly because the ark is once again back in Jewish custody. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 6:11 And they laid the ark of the Lord upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their emerods.

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

Here is where the Bible study begins, for serious questions about God’s justice arise in the hearts of many, as events begin to unfold. And as we do diligence in studying the sacred history, we must set our minds to understand some very important issues on loving and obeying God.

We will observe a few points that will help us to avoid the snare of questioning God’s justice. The points may seem simple, but when studied very carefully, we will see that they are often triggering mechanisms for disregarding God’s instructions. And thus, they can lead persons to question His justice, if and when He does act, His strange act. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

15 And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the coffer that was with it wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the Lord.

Point [1] It’s critically important to obey God even in times of great rejoicing.

During times of great rejoicing, there often come temptations to let your guard down, and persons are tempted to take unwarranted liberties which they likely would not have taken under different circumstances.

In other words great rejoicing is not a good reason for disregarding God’s instructions on a particular issue, for it is just as important to obey, when you are in a solemn assembly, as when you might be out and about with friends, on a picnic, a birthday party, or at a wedding.

The robe of Christ’s righteousness is not only to be worn on Sabbaths, it is to be worn at the gym, the grocery, the workplace, the restaurant, the beach and any and everywhere the Christian may go.

In this way, when you conscientiously set your mind to do His will through the freedom of choice He will guide you, and keep you, because it was in your heart to obey Him. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10: 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.

God’s revealed will does not take a vacation when the Christian is rejoicing for whatever reason. The will of God is to be consulted in every situation so that His word may be honored.

Therefore, when we pass our varying situations of rejoicing through the litmus test of His word, and follow His revealed will, there will be no reason to be afraid of Him, because God is love.

The disposition to think that just because He is a loving God, that His instructions wouldn’t matter that much is one of the precursors to questioning His justice, whenever it occurs. God wants us to rejoice always, but in doing so, let’s try to be in harmony with His revealed will always. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 589] All Israel had been taught to regard the ark with awe and reverence. When required to remove it from place to place the Levites were not so much as to look upon it. Only once a year was the high priest permitted to behold the ark of God.

What happens next is that they began to question God’s justice, for it seemed to them that The Lord should not have spoiled their joy, at such a time as this.

God did not have any problem with their joy, the problem was with their irreverent curiosity, and the way in which they allowed it to lead them to a disregard of His plain instructions. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 589] As they continued to gaze upon the sacred chest and to talk of the wonderful manner in which it had been restored, they began to conjecture wherein lay its peculiar power. At last, overcome by curiosity, they removed the coverings and ventured to open it.

This leads us to our second point, as we study the reasons why people often question God’s justice.

Point [2] Beware of unwarranted, irreverent curiosity.

The first temptation to the human family began with curiosity. As Eve stared curiously at the fruit, she wondered why it is, God had withheld it from them, and the more she wondered, the more she became curious, until her mind became ripe for temptation. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 53] Unmindful of the angels’ caution, she soon found herself gazing with mingled curiosity and admiration upon the forbidden tree. The fruit was very beautiful, and she questioned with herself why God had withheld it from them. Now was the tempter’s opportunity.

Again, David’s sin with Bathsheba began with his curiosity, for when he beheld her stunning beauty he became curious, and instead of denying self, and stifling his urge to merge he proceeds further as he went on to enquire about her.

Therefore, according to the sacred history, in very many cases, the Christian’s downfall could often be traced right back to the point of curiosity. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 11: 2 And it came to pass in an evening-tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

If David was walking down on South Beach, folks would say that he went looking for trouble, but he was on his roof and thus, up until this point it was not a sin, because the Christian man, or woman may not always be able to avoid seeing beautiful persons of the opposite sex.

The problem begins when your curiosity comes into play, and through the freedom of choice you make a deliberate decision to enquire. It’s fitting that we hit pause and check in with the dictionary to find out the meaning of curiosity.

Curiosity: A strong desire or interest in something or someone that leads to inquiry.

2nd Samuel 11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

Again, there are currently over 7000 languages in the world today, and they all came about as the result of curiosity. After the flood, men refused to believe God and thus, one of the reasons why the tower of babel was built was to satisfy their own curiosity as to why the earth had overflowed with a flood. Let’s read:

Genesis 11: 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the ord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 119] Many of them denied the existence of God and attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. One object before them in the erection of the tower was to secure their own safety in case of another deluge. And as they would be able to ascend to the region of the clouds, they hoped to ascertain the cause of the Flood.

This issue of curiosity deserves our attention, for according to the Scriptures, it would be a major factor when prime time comes around. In Jesus’ prophecy about end time events, He says that the devil will be making appearances worldwide, and as a result, the curiosity of some Christians may be aroused.

Thus, to avert the temptations to follow up your curiosity with inquiry, Christ tells us not to go, and His instruction means don’t almost go, whether it be via the breaking news, Snapchat, Instagram or Tik Tok, or any of the other social networks which bring the curious to your doorstep.

The Christian should have no interest whatsoever in seeing satan, and if you were to go, contrary to God’s instruction, and things were to take a turn for the worse, folks could be led to question His justice in what God may permit, or what He may do. Let’s read:

Matthew 24: 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; do not go forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

After the episode with the men of Beth-Shemesh, the people requested that the sacred ark of God be removed from among them, for they became afraid and confused as to why such judgements were meted out.

They did not stop to figure out the problem, but  instead, would have nothing to do with the ark. In our day some people will have nothing to do with God, because of what they see as a miscarriage of justice on His part in certain situations.

Thus, the men of Kirjathjearim were called upon to take away the ark from among the people. They did, and what happened after, to the house where it was lodged, is worthy of note, for no harm came to that household for twenty years. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the Lord, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord.

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

Major note: Eleazar was not Abinadab’s only son, for he had at least two others, namely Ahio, and Uzzah.

Thus, when you hear persons questioning God’s justice in the sudden demise of Uzzah, remember that God’s presence was apparently abiding in the same house with Uzzah for twenty years, and nothing happened to him. Just remember that.

Then, as David gathered a great multitude to bring back the ark with great rejoicing God’s strange act was about to put a check on the disregard of His plainest instruction, and as it was with the men of Beth-Shemesh people would again question His justice, as if He was doing something wrong, or inappropriate. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps and psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

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

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

The Lord did not give an immediate explanation of why He did what He did unto Uzzah. He remained silent and His silence seems to give rise to great misunderstandings of His justice. Therefore, we must ask the following question:

If in some instances, God does not give us any explanation as to why He administers justice to nations, or to individuals, or why He may permit tragedy in certain instances, where it seems as if innocent lives are lost, are we then to go the route of David and others by becoming upset with Him?

The two reactions of David are often mirrored in our day, as persons question the justice of God in certain situations. According to what is written in the Scriptures, David became displeased, and he also became afraid, just like the people in the city of Beth-Shemesh. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6:8 David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, how shall the ark of the Lord come to me?

Question: Why was David displeased?

Answer: David was displeased because, as far as he could see, God acted inappropriately in killing an apparently innocent, man who was just trying to prevent the ark from falling. And as far as David was concerned, it was a good thing Uzzah did.

Question: Why was David afraid?

Answer: David became afraid, because if it is true that God destroyed a man for just helping, which was a supposedly good thing, then the question in David’s mind is “Who’s next.”

One thing is certain, there most likely was serious soul searching after this incident, just like it was after the sudden demise of Annanias and Saphira. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6:10 So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household.

It is almost certain that many persons who read this account of Uzzah, would tend to agree with David’s view, that God acted inappropriately, and yet it was the right and merciful thing to do, since, in all of God’s doings, the great principle of love is always intertwined.

Just because we may not immediately see love in His actions, and just because He may not give us an explanation right away, does not mean that we are to stand as judge over The Lord.

In addition to this, if, as David concluded, with so many others, that God acted inappropriately, and as a result they were justified in being scared of Him, how is it that in both instances where the ark was removed to certain households, nothing but God’s blessing came upon those two homes?

How do we square the questioning of His justice on the one hand and great blessings from the very same God under different circumstances? There seems to be some great disconnect that persons keep missing for some reason.

The answer to this conundrum is as simple as it gets, for the issue has to do with the perspectives that are held by many people including Christians as it pertains to the instructions and laws of God.

There is a lot of noise in contemporary Christian circles, as regards God’s law and His instructions to us. All of the reasons such as good intentions, reflex actions, personal opinions, and God’s love, do not atone for disobedience.

When God told Cain and Abel to bring a lamb, He meant a lamb and nothing else. Persons who might genuinely be in ignorance of the Sabbath might be accepted by God for their sincerity, but as far as accepting any other day of the week as a substitute, just because a person did not know, that will never ever happen.

What God says He means, and He means what He says and thus, He cautions us against adding, subtracting, deliberately manipulating, and giving private interpretations to His word.

In our day, science is still fixated on the curious in contradiction to what the Scriptures declare on the origin of species. There are many satellites or telescopes scanning the heavens for the origins of life, when the clear, concise account is given in the Bible. Here it is in one simple short sentence.

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

Again, to many minds The Lord might seem to be missing in action, as the cries of the stranger, and the poor reach up to heaven, whilst the rich, and the infamous, might seem to be getting away with murder as it werThese things perplex the minds of many persons and some are led to question God’s justice, while some believe He is taking too long. We’ll need to remember that in the greater scheme of things He is working out everything for the greater good of His people, and the very best good for the world at large.

Harboring the Scriptural perspectives on serving and loving God will prevent in large measure the common misunderstandings of what He does or what He may permit.

And, it is of critical importance that our minds be aligned with His word and will so that we wouldn’t question His strange acts, when they will begin to occur in the final chapters of earth’s history. Let’s read:

[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.  

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.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that would help us to navigate all of the noise that has been accumulating for centuries.

And it is the will of God that those individuals who are preparing for prime time, will harbor only the Biblical perspectives on God’s prerogatives, His instructions, and a balanced view of His love. In doing so we will avoid the snare of questioning His justice, whenever He begins His strange acts. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.   

                                          God Bless!

Where to Return Your Tithes and Offerings. Sabbath afternoon 09 /20/2025

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my 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.

                   Merriam Webster Dictionary.

                                     The:

                               definite article

                                     Meaning:

[1] It is used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is definite or has been previously specified by context or by circumstance.

For example: Put the cat out, This gospel of the kingdom, Preach the word,

[2] It is used as a function word to indicate that a following noun or noun equivalent is a unique or a particular member of its class.

For example: The dragon was wrought with the woman. Which keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

There is a lot of confusion, and a whole lot of noise as it pertains to where you should return your tithes and offerings, and even though some may take it for granted that returning to your local church is a no- brainer, there are several questions that need to be clarified on the issue, so that folks might be aligned with God’s will.

For instance, when it says in our first passage that the tithe should be returned to “The storehouse”, does it mean any local church, or any congregation from any denomination? For instance, is your local Baptist church where you attend church regularly, each week, “The storehouse” that the Bible is referring to?

The opening passage in Malachi also includes these two words: “My House”, so the next logical question is what is God referring to when He says My house?

If I were to give you an invitation to my house, you would not go to any house on my street and call it my house, for the simple fact that I do not live there and it’s not mine anyway.

And there are follow up questions to your answers to the question of what constitutes “My house.” For instance, does The Lord leave it up to any preacher to designate and determine what My house is?

The Lord is speaking very specifically in the passage for He says that the tithe must be brought into the storehouse, and the storehouse must be His house, so when those two stipulations are employed in the interpretation, it does not leave any wiggle room for suppositions, assumptions, or private interpretation.

There are a multitude of churches, denominations, congregations, independent ministries, and other televangelists who are claiming a piece of the pie by instructing their followers to fund their churches or ministries with their tithes and offerings that have been devoted to God.

Now, while it is true that through your freedom of choice you can contribute to any of these ministries, the tithes and offerings that have been consecrated to God must be returned to God’s storehouse or My house, according as God stipulates.

Several points must now be made as clear as crystal before we proceed, because the fuzzies on this issue need clarification from the Bible.

[1] Just because a local church, a denomination, a televangelist, or independent ministry purports to preach from the Bible, that is not necessarily the qualifier for being The Storehouse, or My house.

Mega churches, where thousands of Christians may congregate each week, where the name of Jesus is purported to be lifted up, and where faith healings occur, do not necessarily constitute the storehouse, or My house, according to the Scriptures.

[2] Even the preaching of genuine truth does not necessarily make a church or independent ministry The storehouse, or My house.

For instance, God forbid that if for some unknown reason, Lindrey, Junior, and myself were to become upset with the establishment or the conference and we were to go out and form our own independent S.D.A church, namely, The Three Amigos S.D.A church.

And let’s say we were to preach the unadulterated straight truth from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, does that then qualify us as “The store house or My house?” It absolutely does not.

 Let us just say here that God forbid if that were ever to take place, do not come or attend, and you must never support the three amigos with your tithes and offerings that were vowed to God for it’s neither the store house, or My house.

[3] My house is a defective place, a place where you must not expect to find perfect people. In fact, if a church claims to free from any defects, that stands as an instant disqualifier as being “My house.”

When Jesus was upon the earth, His house was a place full of defective people, yet it was His house. There were people there who were possessed with demons and there were a number of hypocrites, blind guides and fools, according to Jesus, yet, it was His house.

When persons disconnect from the God ordained church, or storehouse because there are too many hypocrites, and form their own independent church, it is just a matter of time before hypocrites will start to attend their church, because, according to what we have read in the Bible, you will always have a set of hypocrites, until the shaking does its work.

In fact, in the parable of the wheat and the tares, the disciples of Christ became quite dismayed by the presence of hypocrites, and they asked the Lord what they should do about the issue. Should they go root them out of the church, so that others may not be affected?

Christ’s answer to that dilemma was an absolute no, for He then made it plain that they should be left alone, and not uprooted. It was “My house” He was referring to, and since it is His house, He has both the freedom and the authority to designate who can be members. Let’s read:

Matthew 13: 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then has it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Therefore, let’s sit back and listen to The Lord as He describes some of the people who are members of the storehouse, the congregants who attend “My” house on a weekly basis. Let’s read:

Matthew 23: 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore, ye shall receive the greater damnation.

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

17 Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

In addition to these unfavorable descriptions, there were also murderers to be found in His house, that’s the reason why when Jesus preached a sermon they didn’t like, they took Him to the edge of a cliff after Divine hour, to throw Him over, yet it was His house. Let’s read:

Luke 4: 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

John 8: 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

Not only did His house have some murderers, it also had a lot of thieves. This is the reason why when the complaint is made about God’s remnant church that it has too many hypocrites, you should think twice, for if a church doesn’t have any hypocrites it most likely is not “My house.”

Thus, according to the testimony of Christ on the state of things in His house, there were to be found several thieves. A “Den of thieves” refers to a sort of lair, where many are to be found, very similar to the den of lions into which Daniel was once thrown. It wasn’t one lion down there. Let’s read:

Matthew 21: 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Now, we are trying to be as reasonable and logical as possible as we think these things through. If His house has some murderers, a lot of thieves, a lot of hypocrites, and some liars, it might seem logical for Jesus to be done with the it, and go start His own independent church, where truth can be preached in a much more favorable environment.

But no, He still regards it as “My House” and week after week and Sabbath after Sabbath He continues to attend services there, because as far as Jesus was concerned, the storehouse, My house didn’t change because of negative circumstances on the ground. Let’s read:

Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

In fact, when pressed on the issue of His financial contributions to the defective church, He sent Peter with some money to pay directly to the same den of thieves, for as far as Jesus was concerned, it was still “The store house and My House” just as it had been ordained by God in the Old Testament. 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 cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Apparently, even satan recognizes that God has a specific storehouse, which The Lord describes as My house. This is the reason why he took Jesus from the deserts and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple for there was the designated headquarters of the place God had then chosen as His house. Let’s read:

Luke 4: 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence.

[In heavenly Places pp 284] The church of Christ, enfeebled and defective as it may be, is the only object on earth on which He bestows His supreme regard.... The Lord has a people, a chosen people, His church, to be His own, His own fortress, which He holds in a sin-stricken, revolted world.

[Last Day Events pp 43] Let all be careful not to make an outcry against the only people who are fulfilling the description given of the remnant people, who keep the commandments of God and have faith in Jesus.

God has a distinct people, a church on earth, second to none, but superior to all in their facilities to teach the truth, to vindicate the law of God. My brother, if you are teaching that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is Babylon, you are wrong.

It becomes obvious that God is very particular, and specific when He speaks of The storehouse, as being My house and therefore we must brush aside all the noise and the fuzzies, and let the word of God speak for itself authoritatively.

As we read, let us try to avoid inserting any private interpretations into the Scriptures, for that will do violence to the passages that are being reviewed.

Question: What is the storehouse, and My House?

Deuteronomy 12:5 But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither you shall come.

6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks.

7 And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

8 You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

10 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety;

11 Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord.

13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that you see.

14 But in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.

17 Thou must not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand.

18 But you must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that you put thine hands unto.

26 Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the Lord shall choose.

Deuteronomy 14: 22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.

24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose.

Deuteronomy 15: 19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

20 Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the place which the Lord shall choose, thou and thy household.

It becomes very obvious that the returning of tithes and offerings must be in accordance with what God chooses, for the following statement occurs to often in the previous passages, for it to be ignored: “The place which the Lord thy God shall choose”. In fact, the phrase occurs no less than 16 times in the instructions given to the people.

Therefore, the next logical question has to be: What is this place which The Lord Your God shall choose?

It is the designated place where you would find the law of God containing the ten commandments and the Spirit of prophecy as being manifested through God’s presence, and all the designated synagogues associated with that place. Let’s read:

Exodus 25:1 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

2nd Chronicles 6: 6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

10 The Lord therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

11 And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel.

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

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

The designation of the store house, as it pertained to all of the synagogues associated with the law of God, and His presence, would come to a final end when Cestius, and later Titus would raze the city and the house to the ground.

This was foretold by Christ Himself as he sat upon the mount of Olives., but up until that time it would remain the headquarters of the storehouse, or “My house, as designated by God. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Fast forward to the day of Pentecost and thereafter as the Christian church gets rolling under the direct auspices of the Holy Ghost. God is a God of order, and thus, He plans and He organizes with the same accuracy that was manifested at creation. Let’s read:

Acts 2: 46 And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

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

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.

3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it, Lord? And he said unto him, your prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.

6 He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell you what you ought to do.

Now, we have to hit pause as we figure out what is transpiring here. Why would the angel put Cornelius in contact with Peter, so that Peter will tell him what to do? Why doesn’t the angel just go ahead and tell Cornelius what he needs to do, since he is already there with him?

Instead, the angel puts Cornelius in contact with the organized church, of which Peter is a representative, because God is a God of order, and therefore, every aspect of His work must be executed in an orderly manner.

Here it is again, the same scenario occurring where this time it’s Jesus who is speaking. For some reason He also does not tell Saul what he needs to do, but instead, puts him in contact with a member of His house, “MY house” because He has a specific church upon the earth. Let’s read:

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

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute: it is hard  for thee to kick against the pricks.

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

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.

15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

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

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

Fast forward to the 21st century and the question is asked and needs to be answered from the Scripture: Does God still have a specific storehouse, which He designates as “My House” and if so, does He expect our tithes and offerings to be returned there, just as it was in the days of yore?

The answer is a resounding yes, and just as it was in the days of old, if you’re wondering what is the “MY house, and “The storehouse in our day, you would have to look for the church that has the same two identifying marks as formerly, namely, the law of God and the Spirit of prophecy.

In other words, if a denomination or church teaches that God’s law was nailed to the cross, and it is not valid anymore, that denomination or church cannot be the storehouse, it matters not how much Jesus it preaches.

In Biblical prophecy, a woman is used to represent the church, and therefore, you will have to look for the organized denomination that promulgates God’s law and also has the testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of prophecy.

Any other church, denomination, or independent ministry is just a church, but is definitely not “The storehouse or “MY house” and therefore, your tithe and offerings that have been vowed to God should be returned to His designated house. 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.

Revelation 19: 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Now, it is true that God’s people are to be found in most churches, and in every language, tongue, and people, and yes, there are many independent 7the Day Adventist churches that may have inadvertently claimed to be the storehouse.

God is now calling all to act in truth and sincerity, by restoring The storehouse, “My house” to its original owner, with the proceeds thereof, from now on, for God is just as specific as He was back then, when He declared those solemn words: “In the place which The Lord Thy God shall choose.” Let’s read:

[Test. Vol 9, pp 249] The tithe is sacred, reserved by God for Himself. It is to be brought into His treasury to be used to sustain the gospel laborers in their work. But will you rob God because you think the management of the work is not right?

Make your complaint, plainly and openly, in the right spirit, to the proper ones. Send in your petitions for things to be adjusted and set in order; but do not withdraw from the work of God, and prove unfaithful, because others are not doing right.

Jesus is more than willing to forgive wherever there have been genuine mistakes and errors, and even if one had knowingly departed from His revealed will, He will forgive if we confess.

It is not for us to judge the motives, and intents of the heart, all we are doing is establishing the Biblical fact that God still has a specific storehouse upon the earth.

And if any person so desires to follow the Scriptural instructions on returning your tithes and offerings to His house, the truth is there before you, so that you can make your move intelligently.

In closing, we hope and pray that The Bible brought clarity to the matter, so that from here on out, we may know what to do. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will help us to see the light clearly so that faith and practice may converge. Let’s read:

Proverbs 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake you not my law.

4 He taught me also, and said unto me, let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

                                     God Bless!

What Are You Hiding? Sabbath afternoon 09/13/2025

What Are You Hiding?

                            Sabbath afternoon

                                  09/13/2025

John 3: 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone that does evil hates light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds will be reproved.

21 But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Many years ago when I was just a kid in elementary school, I got involved in a situation that got me into trouble. Back in those days, when the schools would have recess, they would serve milk and biscuits to the students.

At different times certain children were selected to serve and when they did, they were given full access to the items on the menu, and it was their sole duty to distribute the snacks, as the students waited in line.

On this particular day, my friend and I were selected to serve, but sadly, we decided that we would help ourselves to some of the items. We did, but some way somehow, the principal at the time found out, and we were summoned to his office to answer for our sins.

This took place in Trinidad, in the Caribbean, so we knew what the result would inevitably be, therefore we hatched a plan to deflect some of the pain that would be coming our way.

We then decided to tuck a copybook neatly into our pants at the rear, where we expected the full impact of the disciplinary action was sure to take place. The copy books were well hidden, and as we went into the principal’s office, it was with part apprehension and part assurance.

And so said so done, the principal pointed out our sins and then he gave us our due. Our plan worked flawlessly, but throughout the procedure, the poor principal looked really puzzled, for he just could not figure out why we were not crying at all.

Finally, after we were released from the operating table as it were, we went on our merry way, but we made a fatal mistake by rejoicing too soon, for we didn’t realize that the principal was looking through his window and saw us giving each other a high five as it were.

He then called us back to his office and he asked us what we were hiding. We became uneasy, sweating profusely, and with dismayed looks on our faces, he opened up our pants, and there he found the shock absorbers that had taken the brunt of his discipline.

He then proceeded to give us a double portion as it were because we tried to hide the plot but this time there was serious weeping, and gnashing of teeth, because our strategy having now being exposed and backfired, we were made to feel the full force of his disciplinary actions.

So, the question is: What are you hiding? In the first passage Christ tells us plainly why persons endeavor to cover up certain secrets, hide their deeds, or why some try to divert attention away from the truth.

Then, Jesus says, if we are dealing in truth, and have nothing to hide we would be glad to have our deeds and the facts surrounding our cases exposed, for it would then be a source of vindication, and not of condemnation, as the case may be.

A person who is innocent of an alleged wrong would not be afraid of cross examination because the truth is the truth, and it has a way of vindicating itself in a way that appeals to the observer.

On the other hand, when a person has some wrong to hide they often get nervous, agitated, uneasy and angry when the truth, and facts relating to the case in particular are coming due to be exposed.

Now, it is true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and yes, there would be some cases where there are skeletons in your closet, sins in our past life that persons prefer to keep secret.

God makes allowance for this, for Jesus is not in the business of embarrassing His saints into confession. Yet, He desires that as we grow in grace, reflecting His character, that the doings of bygone years be a thing of the past.

And even more so, because we are now at a critical juncture in the history of the world, where there is a profusion of coverups, and miscarriages of justice, it is now more important than ever before that folks come clean as it were, living in the light of day.

Now, it is an indisputable fact that public servants who are vying for the public trust may try to dig up dirt on each other, and yes, there is something that is called opposition research, by which deeds done by one person in the past will be employed in mud- slinging.

No one is perfect before God, for we have all made our share of mistakes, however, in cases where we may have issues that we prefer to keep secret, folks should confess to God and to our fellow man where it is warranted before we are shamed into doing so.

Coming clean does not necessarily mean exposing all your gory details on Jerry Springer or Judge Judy. It means that we go to God first and confess our sins and where there is a decision, and good efforts to turn away from sin, the blood of Jesus will cover our wrongs, for He has the legal authority to do so. Let’s read:

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

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

4 Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

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

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

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

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

That being said, the Scriptural requirements should be diligently followed, for we are to go to The Lord in prayer, acknowledging the wrongs where wrongs have been done, and we are to turn away from evil, so that when God wipes our slate clean, there will be nothing to hide.

The blood of Jesus is not employed in covering up unconfessed sins which we know of, but His grace is accorded to all who will come clean, by not trying to hide sin, excuse sin, or blame others for wrongs we have done.

When Daniel was wrongfully accused by his fellows, he did not become desperate when they launched a series of investigations into his conduct, because the truth would be revealed as they probed his doings.

Throughout their inquiries Daniel remains calm and composed, for he had nothing to hide and therefore when their investigation would come to a close, the findings would vindicate Daniel.

The exoneration of Daniel would lift him even higher than before the investigation took place because his innocence would be certified, and the skeptics who were previously sitting on the fence would be led to trust him even more. Let’s read:

Daniel 6: 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocence was found in me; and also, before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Judas, on the other hand, who had something evil to hide, seemed to be nervous and disquieted when his deeds were just about to be made known. In the upper room, where Christ was having the ordinance of humility with His disciples, it was made known to them that one of them would betray Him.

It's important to note that Jesus does not name any of them in particular, all He says is that one of them will betray Him. That could mean anyone, and thus, if you were one of Jesus’ disciples, and as far as you know your conscience is clear, then you would not have any problem with being exposed.

Therefore, what happens next gives us deep insight into how conscious guilt affects the wrong doer, for every one of them, with the exception of Judas, ask the question: “Lord, is it I” and Jesus clears each name.

Now, the last and the only man remaining is Judas, and therefore, if he were to remain silent, all eyes would now be fastened on him. Therefore, he forces the question from his unwilling lips, dripping with sweat, as he awaits the answer that will single him out as the traitor.

It did not have to come to this, for he could have confessed his sin up front, avoiding the drama, and the embarrassment of being thus exposed. But, like Achan who had something to hide in Joshua’s day, Judas waits until all roads lead to him, and then he has no choice but to confess. Let’s read:

Matthew 26: 21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

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

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

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

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

[The Desire of Ages pp 654] They began to search their own hearts to see if one thought against their Master were harbored there. With the most painful emotion, one after another inquired, “Lord, is it I?” But Judas sat silent.

John in deep distress at last inquired, “Lord, who is it?” And Jesus answered, “He that dips his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me. The disciples had searched one another’s faces closely as they asked, “Lord, is it I?”

And now the silence of Judas drew all eyes to him. But now, to escape the scrutiny of the disciples, he asked as they had done, “Master, is it I?” Jesus solemnly replied, “Thou hast said.” In surprise and confusion at the exposure of his purpose, Judas rose hastily to leave the room.

Again, basically the same thing took place when the leaders in Christ’s day tried to cover up the truth on the resurrection. If when the soldiers had related to them the truth of what had happened, if they chose to turn to God with confession and repentance, the story could have had a happy ending.

But they made the deliberate decision to hide the truth, and thus they endeavored to sweep it under the rug without coming clean to both God and man.

Like Judas, who waited until his sins were exposed, they too waited and waited until the news broke on CNN that Jesus was indeed risen from the dead and was being seen and heard by hundreds of people.

The story was being run as the headlines with every news cycle, and drip by drip, the undeniable facts in the case were seeping into the public square, but still they denied and denied. That is what happens when you have something to hide. Let’s read:

Matthew 28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men.

10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there  shall they see me.

11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto  the soldiers.

They were assembled urgently because they would have to do one out of two things:

[1] They could admit it. They could leave the truth intact, just as the soldiers had related the facts.

However, if they were to go with the raw facts in the matter, they would implicate themselves in a crime that would rock the nation to its core, because they would incur the guilt of having killed The Son of God for no reason.

They would now have to face the music and confess to the nation that they were wrong, and as a result, they could face the death penalty, according to the law of God.

This then would have serious ripple effects right up the chain of command because it would implicate Pilate who gave the final order to slay Christ, and if this were to come to the officials at Rome, he could then be deposed from his high office.

Another satellite problem would also surface with their practice of pardoning a convicted felon for no valid reason. Therefore, rather than fess up, and go to God for pardon, they determine to hide the facts in the case through coverup bribes and hush money.

They also offered immunity to those who had been witnesses of the facts in the case just in case it came to court for redress. If it sounds familiar it’s because there is nothing new under the sun.

The next option on the table can potentially stymie any concerns and investigations into the facts, but this would spawn a host of conspiracy theories and never-ending questions, that the authorities would have to dodge or explain, much to their chagrin.

[2] They could try to cover it up. They could decide to sweep the evidence under the rug by going the route of falsehood and denial.

Matthew 28:13 Say His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept.

14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you.

15 So they took the money and did as they were taught and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Whenever any person tries to hide unconfessed sin, it will just be a matter of time before the truth seeps out into the public square.

Wrongs can only be covered up for so long, but sooner or later, either in the courts on earth or the courts above, the matter will be disclosed. This is a most sobering guarantee that folks can take to the bank and cash. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 184] Those who came forth after the resurrection of Jesus appeared to many, telling them that the sacrifice for man was completed, that Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, had risen from the dead; and in proof of their words they declared, “We be risen with Him.”

Now, let us consider this statement for a moment, because some of these folks who were dead were people whom the living knew. Some may have been neighbors, relatives or friends of the living and thus, if dead people start appearing all over the place you will have to draw some sort of conclusion.

It's either a sequel to the movie “Dawn of the Dead” or indeed, what the soldiers originally reported is true. Thus, try as they might to squish the truth in the matter, it just kept popping up in the public view until the guilty parties had run out of all options and lies. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 184] Notwithstanding the lying reports circulated, the resurrection of Christ could not be concealed by Satan, his angels, or the chief priests; for this holy company, brought forth from their graves, spread the wonderful, joyful news.

Also, Jesus showed Himself to His sorrowing, heart-broken disciples, dispelling their fears and causing them joy and gladness. As the news spread from city to city and from town to town, the Jews in their turn feared for their lives and concealed the hatred which they cherished toward the disciples.

These experiences which took place in bygone years have very serious implications and lessons for those who are living in the 21st century. It is always better to come clean with God, and with our fellowmen, in situations where sin or crimes have been committed to others.

In fact, the Christian is to live as if in the sight of God so that all our doings would be in broad daylight, so that if for any reason, enemies and frenemies try to dig up dirt on you as they did with Daniel, you won’t panic because of the investigation, because you will have nothing to hide.

As was stated before, Christ is not in the business of exposing the private sins of anyone, but if they are left unconfessed and unforsaken, they would bubble up to the surface sooner or later, because this is the guarantee given in the Scriptures. Let’s read:

Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

The Lord does not desire us to be scared of probes, and inquiry, and furthermore, being afraid is not a good motivation for folks to do right, just because they are panicked about being found out.

The right thing should be done because it’s the right thing, and because the Christian serves, and loves God intelligently aspiring by His grace to have Jesus’ character developed and matured in our hearts by the power of The Holy Spirit. This work is something the Christian willingly chooses to have done.

The fear of The Lord is not about running scared or trying to hide things that ought to be confessed. It is about living in sincerity and truth, appropriating the words and laws of God in practical ways so that folks might develop a keen sense of right and wrong, and choose good over evil.

This is what is meant by living as if in the presence of God, and when this route is taken, the judgment in heaven will not scare us, for we chose to walk in the light, even as He is in the light, and in so doing there will be nothing to hide. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 88] As the books of record are opened in the Judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God.

When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God’s remembrance.

All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven.

As they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.

Whatsoever we do, whether at church, at work or in our interaction with other persons, we must do it as if in the light of day, and it must be able to pass the smell test of The Almighty God.

The reason for this is that God desires us to mature to the point where persons can be subjected to the closest scrutiny, and yet, come out clean. In this way not only God, but we ourselves may be vindicated.

The Lord has promised to cast all our sins into the depths of the sea, and He will, if we come clean by confessing and forsaking our sins. But to wait until we are exposed, like Achan and Judas will cause the name of Christ to be greatly dishonored.

In closing, let us always remember that the work of salvation is to have Christ formed within. This does not happen overnight, it is a work in progress, but it should be our firm purpose to cooperate with the heavenly agencies through our freedom of choice so that the work of God may be perfected in us.

We therefore end with a gentle reminder that God sees and knows it all. Let’s read:

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

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

                                      God Bless!

Why Some Great Men Fall. Sabbath afternoon 09/06/2025

Deuteronomy 11: 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.

27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day.

28 And a curse if you would not obey the commandments of the Lord your God but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

In the book of Deuteronomy there are written many blessings and curses and some persons become very dismayed because they may not know why God will speak of a curse, right after promising to bless.

Over and over again it occurs in the Scripture where God promises blessings, and right after He promises curses, or vice versa.  In fact, the children of Israel were summoned to a special covenant ceremony where both blessings and curses were to be read.

And some people wonder and question why God is doing this. He has to do so, because our freedom of choice can turn a good thing into a bad thing, in so much that we can cause God’s blessings to turn sour by our course of action. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 27:11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,

12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin.

13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,

15 Cursed be the man that makes any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and puts it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.

Then right after, in the very next chapter, God promises a ton of blessings, if His people would not deviate from His revealed will. The two options of blessings or curses must be clearly understood by the reader, because we are the arbiters of our own destiny. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when you come in, and blessed shalt you be when you go out.

The uttering of both blessings and curses has caused some persons to come to incorrect views of God, as One who inflicts punishment when a person walks contrary to His revealed will. This is generally not the case, all He is doing is telling us what is on the menu.

Therefore, certain truths streaming from The Lord’s throne must now be made clear, for we are at that time when His glory is scheduled to fill the earth.

First of all, it is important to know that through our own freedom of choice we can put a good thing to a bad use, thus representing the good thing as if it were something bad, when this might not be the case.

Knives could be used to cut up onions, peppers fruit, cucumbers, and your daily bread, but they can also be used in nefarious ways not worth mentioning.

The same is true of guns, for in and of itself, the gun is a pretty harmless object, but if placed in the wrong hands or put to a wrong use, it can become a curse, as has been seen too often across the land. Guns do not shoot any person, people do, for someone has to pull the trigger.

The same is true of nuclear energy, which could be used to produce megawatts of energy for billions of people, but also could be used to wipe out millions. It almost always comes down to freedom of choice in what we choose to do with something that might be inherently good.

Again, in the health and fitness industry, carbs and sugars from even the very best sources have been demonized as culprits as if, in and of themselves, they can do you great harm. They cannot, if you don’t let them.

God created fruit, with their sweet content, fibers, and other nutritional values and thus, when they are used in harmony with the laws of health, they could be a great blessing. In the earth, made new there will be sweet fruit and carbohydrates, and many items that now seem to be off limits for some persons.

Therefore, we should avoid the temptation to find fault with the blessings, instead of with the choices we make. In fact, many things that are anathema in the health and fitness industries, are actually good for you, when used within the parameters of God’s instructions.

Water is good for you, for it comes from the hand of God to humanity as a good and perfect blessing, in so much that Christ uses it in referencing the water of life that is given to each believer. But even though water is very good, a young man died from drinking too much water not long ago.

Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, and Stevie Wonder were all blessed with natural talents and if used in harmony with God’s revealed purpose they will remain as blessings. But when, like so many folks who have gone before, the blessings are perverted, they could become a curse.

Therefore, when we follow the same line of reasoning as it pertains to God’s blessings, we would discover that in every instance, the problem is never with The Giver, but with the receiver, and what he or she chooses to do with the blessing.

With many Christians, the attitude displayed might cause God to put blessings on hold for the time being, lest folks vaunt themselves and become puffed up with pride. The issue occurs so often, in both sacred, and secular history that in some instances it may not be safe for God to bless certain individuals.

The reason for this is that more harm than good can be the result if the blessing is turned on its head or made to serve purposes other than what The Lord had originally intended.

Now, it is true that God does not think and act as we do, for there is nothing such as the perfect man, or woman without their own set of issues. We have all come short of the glory of God, and thus, the predicament of The Lord deciding to bless a faulty person whom He knows will pervert the blessing, often occurs.

On the flipside of this predicament is the prospect of not getting anything done, for if He were to withhold blessing us, until He is sure we can handle it, that day may never come. Therefore, in some instances, The Lord goes ahead and blesses persons, so that at the very least, some level of good may be accomplished.

It is very often the case that when persons are down and out in the valley of despair, they would turn to God, and humbly pray for guidance and direction, but if and when The Lord exalts them to prominent positions, sometimes they may no longer feel their need of Him.

This pattern of initial humility, and pride later on, occurs so often in the Scripture that it warrants the most careful attention so that we may know how to avoid some of the pitfalls that occur after God blesses persons or nations. It is one of the main reasons why great men fall.

Before we proceed, let it be said that right after a day of great blessing, there come temptations to overthrow the very thing God sought to accomplish. As a general rule of thumb, your mountaintop experiences would be followed with temptations in the valley, where your arch-enemy is waiting in the wings to destroy and annoy.

The Bible tells us that we should never be ignorant of his devices, and therefore, whenever God does something great for you, whenever God blesses you really good, try by His grace to be humble, lest satan succeeds in turning your blessing into a curse.

For instance, if out of the blue, God blesses you with a large sum of money, be very careful to turn again to Him and pray for heavenly wisdom, and discretion to manage it prudently, lest, before you know it, the dinero makes itself wings and flies away towards heaven like a bird and you find yourself back to square one, or even worse.

Again, if suddenly, God promotes you to a high position of trust, where you find yourself on top of the world as it were, be very careful to walk humbly with God, lest the old serpent fills your head with pride, and you think that you don’t need God’s counsel and guidance anymore.

These are just some of the reasons why great men fell in times past, and if the lessons of bygone years do not sink deep into our consciousness, great men, and women in our day are sure to fall also. The servant of The Lord puts us on our guard. Let’s read:

[Special Testimonies 27, 1902 par 6] Christ entered upon His mission of mercy, and from the manger to the cross was beset by the enemy. Satan contested every inch of ground, exerting his utmost power to overcome Him.

Like a tempest temptation after temptation beat upon Him. But the more mercilessly they fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of His Father, and press on in the blood-stained path.

After Christ’s transfiguration on the mountaintop, where Peter, James, and John saw Moses, and Elijah speaking with Jesus in His glorified form, devils were waiting in the valley to cause mayhem. This snare the Christian must be very wary of, and it should drive persons to prayer, even more than before the blessing came.

Devils become extremely irritated and exasperated when God’s kingdom on earth is making strides and advancing. The following is an example of what we are studying and we would do well, to learn from persons who have gone before. Let’s read:

Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

3 And his raiment became shining, exceedingly white as snow; as no fuller on earth can white them.

4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answered and said to 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.

7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 

17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which has a dumb spirit;

18 And wheresoever he takes him, he tears him: and he foams, and gnashes with his teeth, and pines away: and I spoke to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up; and he arose.

When David was down in the valley of the shadow of death, where Saul, and satan were on his heels night and day, he prayed like never before, and he humbled himself greatly before God, waiting on His word before making any move.

But later on when The Lord exalted David to the highest position as king, he began to take to himself unwarranted liberties, which inevitably led to his downfall, so that he lost respect in his own family and across the nation as a whole. Let’s read:

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

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

9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] It was the spirit of self-confidence and self-exaltation that prepared the way for David’s fall. Flattery and the subtle allurements of power and luxury were not without effect upon him.

According to the customs prevailing among Eastern rulers, crimes not to be tolerated in subjects were un-condemned in the king; the monarch was not under obligation to exercise the same self-restraint as the subject.

All this tended to lessen David’s sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. And instead of relying in humility upon the power of Jehovah, he began to trust to his own wisdom and might.

As soon as Satan could separate the soul from God, the only Source of strength, he will seek to arouse the unholy desires of man’s carnal nature. The work of the enemy is not abrupt; it is not, at the outset, sudden and startling.

It is a secret undermining of the strongholds of principle. It begins in apparently small things—the neglect to be true to God and to rely upon Him wholly.

The same is true of Solomon, who after a day of bright beginnings, where he prayed, and The Lord answered him by fire, he began to become puffed up in his mind, as if he did not need God anymore.

As the Lord increased material blessings to Solomon he started to chart a proud, self-serving course that was contrary to God’s revealed will; a course that would exalt himself in the sight of the people and in the sight of the surrounding nations.

This he began to do when he started to violate God’s law on marriage, by appropriating hundreds of women, and concubines to himself. In other words, God’s doctrine of one wife per man would not pertain to him anymore, for in his mind, he was above the law.

This has caused some to question God’s goodness in blessing him with so much wealth. Indeed, it is a very sad commentary on our sinful nature, that God has to think twice as it were, before blessing us.

The same was true of King Saul, who at first seemed to be so humble, and willing to be led by God. But when he ascended the throne, he also became puffed up later on, so that the God of heaven could not even speak to him anymore. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 15: 10 Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying,

11 It repents me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night.

17 And Samuel said, when you were little in thine own sight, was thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed you king over Israel?

Therefore, our case study will involve Gideon, whom God chose as the instrument to deliver His people from the Midianites. Like David, like Saul and like Solomon, Gideon started off his mission, pretty humble, with a small view of himself, and being ever so careful to consult with God before making any move.

The following passages show how little Gideon thought of himself, and how the angel of God had to encourage and goad him into the heroic act that would place him in the hall of fame with other Bible heroes. Let’s read:

Judges 6: 11 And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

That was then, but later on, after God gave Gideon one of the most stunning victories over the Midianites, Gideon began to take unwarranted liberties to himself. And since praise of the human agent often tends to destabilize the man, Gideon began to falter.

He would not seek God’s face as previously when he had a diminutive opinion of himself, he would not ask God for any more signs and wonders, so that his steps might be guided with wisdom and discretion, and he goes even further by starting his own church with a form of worship God had never ordained or intended.

That’s the main reason why great men fall, for they often begin their mission in a humble frame of mind, but after God exalts them to positions of prominence, they tend to go out on a limb, and they often do, and say things God never commanded.

Thus, we who live in the 21st century would do well to learn from the errors of those who have gone before, because The Lord is again going to do great things for and through His chosen instruments, but He desires that they begin humble, and end with humility. Won’t that be a cute thing! Let’s read:

Judges 8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

25 And they answered, we will willingly give them. And they spread a garment and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Whenever persons lose sight of God, it is just a matter of time before they would take a serious hit from devils, and when the hit occurs it will usually take down many others who placed their trust in man. Thus, the following points would help us to navigate the perils that are incidental to God using any of us in a mighty way.

[1] Pray like you never prayed before, and continue to pray, for doing so demonstrates constant dependence on God for wisdom and direction to execute His will.

Whenever and wherever this mode of thought and action is adopted, those who are anointed by God to do great things will be more likely to be faithful to the end, for if The Lord is diligently sought after in everything, He will be more than willing to guide us through unnumbered snares that are set for the feet of the unwary. 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 mine eye.

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

[2] Avoid like the plague, the tendency, and the habit of taking praise to yourself from fellow fallen mortals. When persons might shower you with praise, let it be promptly directed to God, and if persons insist on praising you, run for your life.

Satan deals in accusation, as well as in praise, and some world leaders have now discovered that this is the key to getting concessions from anyone who suffers with praise. In fact, if you are the type of person who gets going, after you are praised and flattered by people, it is just a matter of time before you will be praised into doing some stupid things.

Let’s take some examples from the Bible so you would be able to identify it when it occurs, even from people who may be ignorant of what they are doing. This point could not be overstated enough since it is of critical importance to those in high places. In fact, it could be a life and death matter, that’s how serious it is. Let’s read:

Daniel 2: 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.

26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art you able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king.

28 But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these.

Daniel 5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you.

15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing.

16 And I’ve heard of you that you make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

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.

That was very excellent, and noble of Daniel to deflect all praises to God, but there is a flipside to this coin, because if, and when a person suffers with praise, it can cause the person in question to not only make very bad decisions it could cost him his life.

Praise to the human agent has the effect of destabilizing clear thought and if you are not very careful, it will cause you to do things you would never do under different circumstances. In other words, it can discombobulate the man, thus leading him like Humpty-dumpty to take a great fall. 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.

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.

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.

That was the last battle king Ahab fought, for he was slain because he craved flattery over truth, and anyone who is in a high position of trust, who caves, and melts before praise, will be in danger of making very bad decisions not only for themselves, but also for all those who are under their jurisdiction. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons 161] We need to shun everything that will encourage pride and self-sufficiency; therefore, we should beware of giving or receiving flattery or praise. It is Satan’s work to flatter. He deals in flattery as well as in accusing and condemnation. Thus, he seeks to work the ruin of the soul.

Those who give praise to men are used by Satan as his agents. Let the workers for Christ direct every word of praise away from themselves. Let self be put out of sight. Christ alone is to be exalted.

[3] The third and final point is for us to observe if there is any developing tendency in our lives to leave God out of the picture in certain circumstances. Some great men and some lay men fall into the habit of praying selectively, by which God’s guidance is sought for some things, but not for others.

If we form the habit of seeking God in everything, then the likelihood of taking a serious fall goes way down. In the Bible, we are encouraged to seek The Lord in all our ways, and the promise is given, that God will direct our paths in right places. Let’s read:

Proverbs 3:4 So shall you 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 your navel, and marrow to your bones.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will encourage us to chart a wise course moving forward. It isn’t necessary for any great man or woman to fall, and it is not God’s will that His servants who are promoted to a place of prominence in society or in the church, become the sport of circumstances.

If we keep God ever before our faces, He will help us to live victoriously, for it is His will that we be kept by His power through faith, through all the vicissitudes of life. Let’s read:

Philippians 4: 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

                                     God Bless!

Faithful In Times of Adversity. Sabbath afternoon 08/30/2025

Malachi 3: 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the store- house, 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.

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.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Before we begin the study, it must be established in our minds, in the clearest terms, that the first tenth of our increase is holy unto God, and should not be touched for any reason, unless God gives a direct command to do so.

The instruction does not take into consideration nor makes allowance for poverty, adversity, tariffs, rents groceries, student debt, or the sticker shock persons may encounter, when prices for goods and services are going through the roof.

All of the above are never to be reckoned as valid reasons why the tithe should be appropriated for personal use. It is holy unto God, and He reserves it to use at His discretion. This must first be clearly established from the Bible. Let’s read:

Leviticus 27: 30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.

32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.

33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he changes it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

Now, it is true that the Levites who worked for the sanctuary were given the tithes that were brought by the rest of the people. But even the Levites were commanded to return tithes on the tithes they were receiving. That’s because the law releases no one from returning tithes. Let’s read:

Numbers 18:21 And behold I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore, I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

25 And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,

26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, when ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe.

The command given to us by God to return a faithful tithe and offering, is intended to keep fresh in our minds, the all-important fact that we are created by Him and are constantly dependent on His sustaining power, for life and all that pertains to life.

It is also intended to create the habit of systematic benevolence, thereby counteracting the endemic issue of covetousness, which is the root of all sin.

If and when these two purposes are fulfilled, there will not be an atheist, and many of the problems we now face will be seen for what they really are, self- inflicted wounds in the overwhelming majority of cases.

According to the Bible, returning a faithful tithe and offering, could greatly mitigate the effects of global warming, it could solve the issue of persistent global hunger in many countries, it could solve the water crisis in the Midwest, and other places.

Very often, when places are in a state of persistent or extreme drought, the underlying problem is not global warming or a lack of rain. The issue is often due to unfaithfulness in returning to The Lord, that which is His.

In fact, returning a faithful tithe could in many cases mitigate several problems you encounter with your car, it could cause your dinero to stretch to the max, and it can cause your mango, and avocado trees to produce profusely.

All of these side effects and more, can in very many instances be tied directly to a person’s or a nation’s faithfulness or unfaithfulness in tithes and offerings, as the case might be.

For instance, when the people in the days of Haggai suffered from severe water shortages, it wasn’t due to global warming, or any of those underlying issues that science often points to. The problems stemmed from the people leaving God for last and, everything else first.

Thus, when persons refuse to acknowledge God as The Giver of everything the focus inevitably shifts to self, and manmade solutions to the problems that are very often incidental to unfaithfulness.

Thus, nations and individuals suffer unnecessarily, and chase after phantom solutions, while the simple answer is to be found in the Scriptures, in very many cases. Let’s read:

Haggai 1:1 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?

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

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

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

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

However, it’s one thing to return a faithful tithe and offering when things are going good, when there is plenty of income, and when inflation is low. But if and when there’s a change of fortune, and adversity sets in for a prolonged season, being faithful at such a time as this can be a completely different animal.

When inflation is heading North and when the price for goods and services is skyrocketing, there is the natural tendency to squeeze, mash brakes and to be tightfisted. That’s all well and good, if doing so does not affect your faithfulness, for God expects us to be faithful, when inflation is low, and when it is high.

Nowadays, many persons are finding it necessary to cut back severely on their spending in order to make ends meet, and in doing so, a strong temptation will often come to the Christian, to put your tithes and offerings on the chopping block.

Miami Dade county is facing a budget deficit of 400 million dollars, and many other counties across the country are currently facing budget shortfalls.

Thus, to make up the difference, property taxes in Dade will be hiked in some places, to as much as 21 % according to the recent information sent out.

In addition to this, the cost of electricity, housing, rent, groceries and gas are taking a definite toll on millions of people, in so much that individuals and families are being forced to migrate, in what we call financial gentrification.

And according to current and foreseeable trends we haven’t seen anything yet, for when the truth of the matter starts to put a firm grip on your expendable income, some hard, and some very difficult choices may have to be made.

n fact, the new word for what is currently taking place is “Sneak-flation” where businesses, and your local grocery and hardware stores are finding some ingenious and innovative ways to hike their prices, since they could only absorb so much of the sticker shock increases for so long.

Again, persons are now finding it necessary to dip into their savings and their 401k, in order to make ends meet, and the credit card ghost is stalking a lot of well-intentioned people, in so much that in some instances, folks are being sucked into the vacuum of spiraling debt.

Thus, if you are a person on a fixed income, certain things may have to be on the chopping block, and things you once took for granted might have to be put on hold, to deal with the emerging situation.

But again, as was stated earlier, God expects us to be faithful in the good times as well as in the times of adversity, because the instructions on tithes and offerings were not designed or meant to be subject to changes in the economy, which tend to fluctuate ever so often.

Therefore, it’s important for us to understand that the tensile strength of the Christian’s faith is tested and certified mostly in times of adversity. In former days of wine and roses when things were going very smoothly, your faith might not have been ruggedly tested.

But as adversity looms on the horizon, and as the new abnormal is taking hold, we may find ourselves having to regroup, and do things differently, so as to be faithful in returning that which is due, through the financial covenants made to God.

An example of what is being spoken of took place in the days of Elijah, when, on account of the king and queen leading the people deep into idolatry, famine with all of its accompanying difficulties, shook the faith of some to the core.

The situation on the ground got so bad that persons were forced to adopt a bare-bones approach to life, in which the nonessentials had to be stripped away, and instead, survival mode set in.

The Christian living in our day will have to learn to eat some humble pie where necessary, for come what may, the tithe and offering which acknowledge God as The Giver and Sustainer of all, must remain intact, even if persons may go into survival mode.

This is what took place with the widow woman of Shunem, who was on her last meal, with nothing to expect for the future. Indeed, she was between a rock and a hard place, for she had her son to take care of, and with unemployment at record levels, it seems as if there was no recourse for her.

Thus, the question comes home forcibly to us: Does the Lord expect folks to still be faithful in tithes and offerings when they are on their last leg of existence or does He give us a pass, until better can be done?

In other words, let’s say the widow woman had to choose between feeding her son, and returning her tithe and offerings, what do you think God would expect her to do in such a life and death situation?

As we study the narrative, let us put ourselves in her shoes, and let us observe the principles of putting God, and the interests of His kingdom, first, for this is what faithfulness, in times of extreme adversity, demonstrates. Let’s read:

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

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

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

At this time water was so scarce that even Ahab the king had to lay aside his kingly robes, and go looking for water, just like everybody else. It was humble pie in the extreme, because the people and beasts were dying, left right, and center.

Thus, it is a very grim request Elijah is making, and the widow will have to make some difficult choices in this first round of testing. Would she put God first in the person of Elijah, or would she seek to provide for her son and herself first?

What would we do if placed in a similar situation? Would we seek for a way to escape our obligations, or would we bite the proverbial bullet and trust the promises of God?

Believe it or not, these are some of the stark choices that may come your way, but let us remember that faith that is not tested, cannot be trusted, especially in times of adversity. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18: 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

[Prophets and Kings pp 124] A year passes, and yet there is no rain. The earth is parched as if with fire. The scorching heat of the sun destroys what little vegetation has survived.

Streams dry up, and lowing herds and bleating flocks wander hither and thither in distress. Once-flourishing fields have become like burning desert sands, a desolate waste.

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

Again, the question is asked, what should the widow woman do in such a grave situation? Let us say she was living today in Gaza, where food and water are quite scarce to say the least, and her son has been reduced to a skeleton.

If God were to send His servant to request her water that is almost gone, what should she do, and what is the right thing for the you and me to do, if we were in her shoes. Without a murmur, the widow goes on to acknowledge God as the Giver of all things.

But the test of faithfulness hits even closer to home when Elijah asks her to make him some bread from her scanty store. This second test will definitely put her life on the line, for it was barely enough for her and her son. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the Lord thy God lives I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

This brings us to an understanding of the command to return a faithful tithe and offering, because God does not ask us to do so without giving us promises to support our faith, especially in times of adversity.

Thus, the real question at the heart of the issue is whether or not we would trust God at His word, or whether we will go with logical reasoning that seeks to justify a deviation from principle, because of dire circumstances.

The Lord does not expect the impossible without the supernatural, hence the reason why in Malachi, in Deuteronomy, in Leviticus, in Exodus, and in the current narrative, God always backstops the return of a faithful tithe and offering with promises.

As we study several examples, we will see a pattern of requirement and promise taking shape, for where there’s the command, the supporting network of His promises are surely to be found. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

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

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the store- house, 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.

Haggai 1: 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Haggai 2: 18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it.

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

[Education pp 126] Every command is a promise.

[MB pp 76] In every command or injunction that God gives there is a promise, the most positive, underlying the command.

Apparently, it always comes down to whether or not persons will believe God. This seems to be the crux of the problem, for God does not ask us to return to Him that which is His, without giving us the backing of His promises.

And so said, so done, for after the widow woman Obeyed the command, after she made a deliberate choice to put God, and the interests of His kingdom first, the sacred record tells us that everyone in her household was well fed. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Elijah.

Again, because we are living at a time of increasing adversity and financial hardship, there will be strong temptations to withhold that which belongs to God and His cause. Poverty, and desperation should not drive the Christian to deviate from principle, for if we do we become the sport of circumstances.

In the New Testament there was another widow who also decided to be faithful in times of adversity. Like the widow in Elijah’s day, she too had been in a bare-bones situation, and as she got dressed to go to church, she realized that all she had remaining was two mites.

The logical thing to do may seem to be her keeping her pennies and trying to stretch them ever so far. But logic and common sense are often the diabolical enemies of faith, and so she takes her two mites to church in obedience to the command of God.

What follows next is worthy of note, because God does not assess situations and motives the way we do. Being faithful is not so much about quantity, as it is about quality, for God loves and approves of the cheerful giver. Let’s read:

Luke 21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all.

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

From the experiences of the two widows, and from the instructions given in the Bible, we can take away four essential points to guide us, even as we head into choppy waters.

[1] God requires, and He expects the Christian to be faithful when things are going well and when things not going so good.

Luke 16: 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?

[2] He desires that we make deliberate plans to give, and not to leave giving for the spur of the moment, to be driven by feelings, appeals, or shaming, as the case may be.

1st Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

[3] We should seek the kingdom of God and the interests thereof first.

[4] The promises of God are given as a backstop to base your faithfulness on.

It always comes down to believing God, not only on the issue of tithes and offerings, but on every other issue, command and instruction we receive from His word. In fact, everything that pertains to victorious Christian living, inevitably boils down to believing God.

Yes, you do have urgent bills to pay, no one would dispute that, and yes there are things that are very important that need to be addressed, or else. But they are not more important than being faithful to God, by acknowledging Him as the Giver of all things.

Your groceries, mortgage, rent, pet food, car notes, electric bills, cell phones, student loans, manicures and pedicures, credit card bills, water bills, gas bills, and general maintenance of the home all have to be taken care of.

But the principle of putting God first is the ordained means by which the storehouses of heaven are to be opened up to the believing person and therefore, if God can trust you with ten thousand, then He can trust you with ten million, because your faithfulness will run as a common thread throughout your entire life experience.

Let there be major changes in our perspectives and practice wherever warranted, because the just shall live by faith. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will encourage us to faithful, even in times of adversity, because the promises of God are designed to withstand, tariffs, inflation, recessions, and sticker shock. Let’s read:

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

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

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

                                   God Bless!

Who Can Forgive Sins, But God Only. Sabbath afternoon 08/23/2025

Mark 2: 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

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

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

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

There are certain prerogatives which belong to God alone, and one of them is the authority to forgive sins. Even though Christians are instructed to forgive other persons their trespasses, we cannot absolve a person of guilt, where wrongs were committed.

We are encouraged not to pursue a course of action that is vengeful in nature, and we are to forgive our fellowmen in the sense that we would not hold sins against ourselves against them, but as far as pardon and absolving goes, that is God’s territory alone.

The reason why this authority belongs solely to God is because we never shed blood for the remission of any sins. Thus, according to the Bible, pardoning sin and the authority to forgive, will legally require the shedding of blood, and no one else but Christ has ever done this. Let’s read:

Hebrews 9: 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Thus, the Christian can let things slide when wrongs are committed against his or her person, and we can and should pursue reconciliation whenever we can, but we of ourselves can never forgive sin. That is the territory, and the prerogative of God alone.

Thus, when Jesus instructs us to forgive one another He is referring to not pursuing justice, where justice is due, but rather seeking to foster reconciliation by not holding grudges or resentment against persons.

A Biblical example of this was manifested when king Saul pursued David like a wild beast in the caves and mountains yet David decided not to mete out justice when he had the opportunity to do so. David’s men in some of these instances drooled for revenge, but David held firm, and would try to get even.

David went even further, for after the death of Saul, he mourned for the king, and he took care of Saul’s family who survived. Thus, the following passages show that David forgave Saul his trespasses, but as far as the sins of Saul goes, they remain unto this day, for he never sought for God for forgiveness.

So yes, David took the high road, by not rendering evil for evil, and by not harboring bad feelings, and hatred against Saul, but those actions do absolutely nothing to remove any of Saul’s sins from the books of heaven, for only God can forgive sins. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.

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

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

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

7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

9 And David said to Saul, wherefore do you listen to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt?

10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed.

11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet you hunt my soul to take it.

16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

17 And he said to David you art more righteous than I: for thou have rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

18 And you have shewed this day how that you have dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killed me not.

19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

Also, after the death of Saul David mourned several days for the slain leader, and he meted out justice twice, on persons who had done violence to Saul’s family thereby demonstrating in real time the words of Christ, to forgive men their trespasses.

However, for all this not one of Saul’s sins were ever removed from the records in heaven. That’s because at the end of the day as our first passage states, only God can forgive sins. The reason why it is important to make this point absolutely clear is so that we may understand the solemn nature of the study.

One of the main reasons why God never delegated the forgiving of sin to any mortal man is because if He left it up to us, the authority would inevitably be seriously abused. Persons would begin to pick, and choose who to forgive, and those who could afford it would pay to have their sins remitted.

Famous people, and Hollywood stars who are in bed with persons who have pardoning powers would be let off the hook, and without a doubt pardon would be guaranteed to family members, close friends and associates, while individuals who have committed far lesser sins would be put on the midnight train to hell.

Over the centuries many persons have taken it upon themselves to forgive sin and pardon criminals. This practice became widespread especially during the dark ages, and it persists to this very day. So, instead of confessing and turning to God for pardon, people are now looking to mortal man to absolve or forgive as the case may be.

Now, there are a couple difficult passages that have to be understood thoroughly, before we proceed, because a cursory reading of them might seem to suggest that Jesus granted the authority to forgive to some persons.

These passages must now be confronted, explained and thoroughly understood, so that the light that is streaming from God’s throne on this matter could be made plain to everyone. Here are a few of those passages. Let’s read:

John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.

23 Whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins you retain, they are retained.

The disciples were not to retain, or remit anyone’s sins independent of God. They were to let persons know of the conditions and requirements laid down in Scripture, and then, depending on the course of action taken by the individuals in question, Christ would remove, or retain their sins.

But the removal, and retention of sins rested solely with God alone. This has always been the case, and it will remain the case until the last sin on the planet is either retained or remitted for eternity.

Therefore, the servant of The Lord lays out the only correct interpretation to the above passage, so that any and everyone may know the truth in the matter.

To put it plainly God, and God alone could pardon or forgive sin, and wherever this authority is usurped by any mortal the person who seeks pardon through human agencies, outside of Christ, will have all their sins retained and unforgiven in the books of heaven.

And if this knowledge never dawns upon the mind, or is rejected in favor of human pardons, those sins will usher the person in question into never land. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 806] Remission of sins can be obtained only through the merits of Christ. To no man, to no body of men, is given power to free the soul from guilt.

Christ charged His disciples to preach the remission of sins in His name among all nations; but they themselves were not empowered to remove one stain of sin. The name of Jesus is the only “name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

Again, some persons erroneously believe that Peter was granted power to forgive sins, but in the first example given, we see Christ addressing all of the disciples, not only Peter.

In fact, the next example speaks about Peter being given the keys of heaven, and authority to bind and loose things in heaven and earth as the case might be. Peter, as well as all of the other disciples were never to do any of these things on, or of their own.

They were commissioned to declare to the people the written word of God, which contains the terms and conditions upon which pardon may be granted, but they were not to take it upon themselves to try to pardon anyone. In fact, later on in the next verses we see where even Peter was in need of pardon. Let’s read:

Matthew 16: 18 And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

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

In the above passage, Peter was not given a special set of keys to the kingdom that was not available to the other disciples. The keys to the kingdom are in fact given to every believer, for they consist of every word in the Bible, which contains the revealed will of God.

A key is a mechanism by which on can gain entrance to a place, person, or thing, and therefore, we must never conclude that just because Jesus singled out Peter by name on this occasion that the others were left out. They were not.

John is specifically described in the Scriptures as the disciple that Jesus loved. This does not mean that Jesus did not love the other disciples. Thus, because Christ names one person specifically in an instance, we are not to conclude that some special privilege is granted to pardon, that the others are not privy to.

Thus, if we were to reason along strictly logical lines we would have to conclude that by handing the keys of the kingdom to Peter, Jesus thereby gave satan the keys, because of how He addressed Peter, later on in verse 23. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 413>414] “The keys of the kingdom of heaven” are the words of Christ. All the words of Holy Scripture are His, and are here included. These words have power to open and to shut heaven.

They declare the conditions upon which men are received or rejected. Thus, the work of those who preach God's word is a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Theirs is a mission weighted with eternal results.  

The Savior did not commit the work of the gospel to Peter individually. At a later time, repeating the words that were spoken to Peter, He applied them directly to the church.

 And the same in substance was spoken also to the twelve as representatives of the body of believers. If Jesus had delegated any special authority to one of the disciples above the others, we should not find them so often contending as to who should be the greatest.

This leads us to our case study for today, in which persons presumed to usurp the authority of God to pardon, and as we will observe, perversion would inevitably be woven into act. Let’s read:

Pardon: The action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense.

The authority to forgive sin was never ordained, nor was it ever intended to be exercised by anyone, but God alone, yet, the people in Christ’s day had come up with a custom that had become quite popular at the time.

And, as will always be the case when mortals take to themselves authority that belongs to God alone, the practice was adopted ultimately perverted by Pilate.

On the occasion of the Passover, they would pardon someone arbitrarily without the conditions set forth in the Scriptures being applied to the case. Thus, a convicted felon could be eligible for pardon without confessing that he had done wrong, and without an effort to turn away from his sins, as God stipulates.

Pardon is conditional, and it is not something to be trifled with or to be taken lightly, because it involves letting persons off of the hook, for wrongs and sins committed. Therefore, in the clearest terms the God of heaven lays out the way in which forgiveness is to be granted.

Any deviation from the Scriptural stipulation is the equivalent of sitting in the seat of God, or usurping the authority and prerogatives which belong to God alone. Let’s read:

1st John 1: 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ezekiel 18: 27 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

28 Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall  surely live, he shall not die.

But here comes Barrabas who never confesses any sin, he does not turn away, and he does not even consider or reflect on the evils he has done. There’s no deep soul-searching on his part, and no remorse as when a person takes an introspect look at his or her deeds.

Yet, he is pardoned by Pilate, for no other reason than the people clamoring for his release. There is not one iota of justice in the act of letting him go free, it’s just Pilate wielding power that was never granted him by God.

It was, and is a practice of human devising but it has no foundation whatsoever in the Bible. The power to forgive sin was never ordained nor intended to be exercised by any person other than Christ. Even with the keys of heaven in their hands the disciples could not forgive any sin, nor pardon anyone, let alone a convicted felon. Let’s read:

Matthew 27: 15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

22 Pilate saith unto them, what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, let him be crucified.

[The Desire of Ages pp 733] The Roman authorities at this time held a prisoner named Barabbas, who was under sentence of death. This man had claimed to be the Messiah. He claimed authority to establish a different order of things, to set the world right.

He had done wonderful things through satanic agencies, he had gained a following among the people, and had excited sedition against the Roman government. Under cover of religious enthusiasm, he was a hardened and desperate villain, bent on rebellion and cruelty.

[The Desire of Ages pp 733] It was customary at this feast to release some prisoner whom the people might choose. This custom was of pagan invention; there was not a shadow of justice in it, but it was greatly prized by the Jews.

Then, down through the ages, including the dark ages and onward to the 21st century, the practice of mortals forgiving sin and pardoning persons outside of the Scriptural stipulation continues. During those dark days when the word of God was chained to the monasteries, the practice of pardoning persons was terribly abused.

In particular, Tetzel of Germany, a convicted felon was employed to sell pardons, to raise funds for the Roman church, and what he then did, would make the prophets turn in their graves. Take a look:

[The Great Controversy pp 127] As Tetzel entered a town, a messenger went before him, announcing, “The grace of God and of the holy father is at your gates.” And the people welcomed the blasphemous pretender as if he were God himself come down from Heaven to them.

The infamous traffic was set up in the church, and Tetzel, ascending the pulpit, extolled indulgences as the most precious gift of God. He declared that by virtue of his certificates of pardon, all the sins which the purchaser should afterward desire to commit would be forgiven him.

More than this, he assured his hearers that the indulgences had power to save not only the living but the dead; that the very moment the money should clink against the bottom of his chest, the soul in whose behalf it had been paid would escape from purgatory and make its way to Heaven.

Hence the reason why there are two very important prophecies in the Scriptures which now warrant the utmost attention. These two prophecies would shed great light on the here and now, and what we could expect to prepare for in the very near future. Let’s read:

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

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

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.

The above passage in 2nd Thessalonians 2 speaks of the papal system, which for centuries has usurped both the position and authority of God in the minds of billions of people. This it has done by doing two very important maneuvers:

[1] By accepting worship which belongs to God alone.

[2] By claiming the authority to pardon, and forgive sins.

But then in Revelation 13 John tells us that the lamb like beast would be exercising all the power of the papacy, whose deadly wound was healed. Thus, it is a no-brainer that the exercise of “All” the power of the first beast would include the issue of forgiving and pardoning sins.

However, because of our flawed human nature, it is inevitable that just like how Tetzel had abused the power to forgive and pardon, the lamblike beast will also follow his lead, and abuse the same power that was never vested in it by God.

And all of the accompanying terrors that existed in the dark ages as a result, will be regurgitated by the lamblike beast, hence the reason why God is calling on us now to consider our ways.

Mortal man cannot free any soul of guilt, for when Barabbas was then pardoned by Pilate, he left his jail cell with a truckload of sins, unrepented of and also unforgiven.

In our day, persons, and congregants who look to mortal men for forgiveness may be told that they’ve been pardoned, but The Lord will have us know that doing so does not move the needle in the books of heaven.

Therefore, if any person sincerely desires pardon or forgiveness, he or she will need to follow the Biblical methods, ways, and means in order for your slate to be wiped clean in the heavenly courts.

God is still in the business of pardoning, but He will bring that work to a close, when human probation no longer exists, and then it will be too late to make your move in any meaningful way, because once the words “It is finished” are uttered, there will be no recourse for anyone.

And according to the Scripture, this final chapter of earth’s history will take place quite unexpectedly, at a time when most persons on the planet would not be looking for it. Let’s read:

Mark 13: 35 Watch ye therefore: for you 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.

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

1st Thessalonians 5: 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

[ The Great Controversy pp 88] 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.

Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men.  

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.”

The Lord is now sending us these warnings so that we would not be deceived by philosophies that have invaded the minds of millions.

In other words, now is the time for us to do serious soul searching, and wherever there are any secret sins, unconfessed and unforsaken, let us hasten to the throne of grace so that we could obtain real mercy.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will help us avoid the noise, and it is the will of God that we hold the present truth in clear, steady lines in our minds, thus enabling us to walk with a steady and even tread. 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….

                                 God Bless!

The Prince of Darkness Arrives. Sabbath afternoon 08/16/2025

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.

During the closing scenes of earth’s history the Bible tells us that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, and the dragon is scheduled to go to war against all of earth’s inhabitants, but the remnant of God’s people living upon the earth will be especially singled out.

Thus, because there is currently an astronomical increase of demonic activity across the entire globe we must be made aware that it is not some future time that the Lord is speaking of, the time is now and the place is here. In other words, it is right at our doorsteps presently.

Because evil angels for the most part remain hidden from view, it is necessary for the Christian to have spiritual discernment that is born of God, to know whenever there’s a significant uptick in their activity especially in the context of the final conflict.

The alarm is being sounded at such a time as this so that the remnant people of God will be prepared for whatsoever would be heading our way, and to deal prudently with the fallout from those activities that will be increasing at the speed of lightening.

It is the most solemn statement that we make, that we are not living in normal times by any means, but instead we have entered a new abnormal, by which we can expect a general winding down of events as earth’s history hits its climax, in the conflict of the ages.

This is not mere hype, coming from the figments of our imagination, it is a five-alarm fire being sounded by The God of heaven, to let us know that prophecy and reality will be converging in the not too distant future. Let’s read:

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2 A day of darkness, and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

So, before we delve into the specifics of the arrival of the prince of darkness, we will do well to observe similarities between the activity of termites and the work of devils, for they have strategies in common that are worthy of note.

Here in the sunshine state where the weather gets hot and humid in the summer months, there is a proliferation of winged termites which go through a sort of metamorphoses, before entering your house and they can do tremendous damage if they are left undetected and unaddressed.

The following information contains the pointers and warnings given by Orkin pest control, to make folks aware of their activities, even as they remain hidden from view. They also show how to detect them, the signs to look for, and how to deal with the problem whenever it occurs.

Let us pay close attention to the highlighted words in the excerpts, for they represent some similarities between termites, and the workings of evil angels which we will address later on. Let’s read:

                                 From Orkin

How to Identify Termite Activity/ Signs of Termites Termites can often live on your property, or inside your home for an extended period of time before being detected.

Whether it’s drywood termites, which burrow deep within wooden structures or subterranean termites, which are primarily found underground, these discreet intruders can be tough to discover before significant damage has already been done.

To help keep damage to a minimum, it’s crucial to catch the warning signs as soon as possible.

             How to Identify Termite Infestations

Detecting a termite infestation early is essential to prevent costly structural damage to your home. Termites can silently compromise the integrity of a building, making it important for homeowners to recognize the warning signs of their activity. Here are some common indicators to look for.

One of the most noticeable signs of a drywood termite infestation is the presence of tiny, pellet-like droppings. Crumbling or Damaged Wood: Such as crumbling or soft spots, is also a clear indicator of termite feeding.  

Hollow-Sounding Wood: Wood that sounds hollow when tapped could indicate termites have been feeding inside, often causing damage that goes unnoticed.

We will be focusing squarely on the most obvious sign, that of droppings. Since droppings are a sure way to detect the presence of termites, we have to identify what are the spiritual droppings that would indicate that there is an infestation of evil angels, so signaling that the prince of darkness is present.

Question: What are the spiritual “Droppings”? Answer: The droppings, just like the termite pellets are those natural byproducts of increased demonic activity which are revealed to us in the Bible. Here are some of them:

[1] Droppings of incessant and unwarranted Lying. Anywhere there is an over-abundance of lies daily, often with no logical reason or need, there you have a foolproof indicator that the prince of darkness has increased his presence. Let’s read:

John 8: 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

[2] Pellets of cruelty and unwarranted killings. These two droppings are currently being manifested across the globe, and they represent a surefire sign that the prince of darkness is present on the ground with hosts of evil angels in tow.

These pellets or droppings could be seen on a daily basis, in Sudan, in Gaza, in Ukraine, in Ecuador, Haiti and in almost every nation under heaven. Droppings are also seen in the uptick of mass shootings across the land. These signs tell us that the activities of the prince of darkness have increased greatly. Let’s read:

John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning.

John 8: 39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

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.

[3] False accusations. Wherever there is an abundance of accusations and constant finger pointing on a daily basis, there you’ll have droppings from the prince of darkness. Words of accusation had their beginnings in heaven, when lucifer accused God falsely of many things.

Here are just a few, so that we can understand why a day does not pass without fresh accusations being on the menu. What the world is now witnessing is not merely the doings of men, it is the outworking of methods, way and means coming directly from the prince of darkness. Let’s read:

[Spirit of Prophecy, Bk 1 pp 18>22] Concealing his real purposes, he assembled the angelic host. He introduced his subject, which was himself. As one aggrieved, he related the preference God had given Jesus to the neglect of himself.

He told them that henceforth all the sweet liberty the angels had enjoyed was at an end. For had not a ruler been appointed over them, to whom they from henceforth must yield servile honor?

He stated to them that he had called them together to assure them that he no longer would submit to this invasion of his rights and theirs; that he would take the honor upon himself which should have been conferred upon him.

And then he turned from the loyal and true angels, denouncing them as slaves. He told them that himself and they also had now gone too far to go back, that God would not forgive.

And now they must assert their liberty and gain by force the position and authority which was not willingly accorded to them.

He claimed that angels needed no law; but should be left free to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right; that law was a restriction of their liberty.

These are some of the reasons why in the book of Revelation, John saw the accuser of the brethren at his old job, carrying on the work that was begun in heaven, and now being witnessed on a wider stage on planet earth.

It’s not really about the human agent. What we are witnessing are the droppings of those termites we spoke about earlier, the natural byproducts of the prince of darkness, as he ramps up his diabolical work in the final days of earth’s history. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God, day and night.

Zechariah 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

[4] Deception. Wherever you see deception running rampant, as a part of the daily fabric of life; wherever there are constant efforts to mislead, misinform, twist facts, and subjugate the truth, you could be assured that the prince of darkness is increasing his activities and his presence. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

2nd Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

[5] A craving for praise and self-adoration. An unusually insatiable craving for human praises, and adoration is one clear signal that the prince of darkness has significantly increased his footprint in the area, where persons indulge this craving.

Praise and worship belong to God, for it is His due, because of the fact that everything, and all people were created by Him. Therefore, when any created being desires worship and praise, they are thereby attempting to rob The Lord of what is naturally and rightfully His.

This is what started the whole problem in heaven, which then led to the fall of one third of the angels. It was lucifer’s craving for worship and praise which led to dissatisfaction and fault finding with God, and anyone on earth who follows his lead, will inevitably be seeking worship, sooner rather than later. Let’s read:

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!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most-High.

Here again is another instance of that same craving for worship and adoration, as manifested in a mortal man. The desire is being driven, not only by his own indulgence.

It is the same luciferian spirit on display, that’s being fostered and encouraged by the prince of darkness, who remains hidden from view just like the termites we spoke of earlier. And inevitably, the dragon’s ire will be turned against all who refuse to worship the human agent representing his kingdom. Let’s read:

Esther 3: 2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

Now, there is something of critical importance for us to observe as we go into the study, for in every case and instance recorded in the Bible, where the prince of darkness showed up, the people or the individual never saw him in reality.

The reason why this must be considered is because persons in our day would not see a direct, real devil yet. That time will eventually come just before Jesus comes, but up until that time the prince of darkness will be greatly increasing his presence and activities  through human beings.

This is what is currently taking place, but because it is not recognized nor understood for what it is, folks are pointing fingers, and blaming the human agents. Observe carefully what is being revealed in the next examples, for the prince of darkness arrives, yet the people in question have not a clue. 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.

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

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

1st Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.

15 And Saul's servants said unto him, behold now, an evil spirit from God troubles thee.

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.

1st Samuel 18:10 And it came to pass that on the morrow the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, what you do, do quickly.

28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this unto him.

Mark 9: 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he tears him:

and he foams, and gnashes with his teeth, and pines away: and I spoke to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

There’s a popular saying that goes like this: “If you see something, say something.” Do you mean to say that in all of these examples, not a single individual ever saw the prince of darkness? Not one? Not even king David who was blessed with such great spiritual discernment did not see anything?

Since that is true, it tells us that we are in very deep trouble, in the here and now, where we are seeing droppings and pellets piling up all over, the natural byproducts of the prince of darkness falling left right and center across the entire globe. And yet, no real to life devil is ever seen!

The next example shows us that demonic activities are not limited to your everyday John public. There was a time in the days of Christ and thereafter when the prince of darkness arrived, and took the reins of control from a nation, and again, the inhabitants of the city never ever saw a real devil. Let’s read:

Matthew 27: 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, which of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

Here on display were two ambassadors, from two entirely different kingdoms, Barabbas representing the kingdom of darkness, and Jesus representing the kingdom of light. Therefore, when they asked for Barabbas, the invisible leader of that particular kingdom was the one that was really chosen.

If two nations have to negotiate on a very important national issue, such as trade, they’ll often send their representatives to the bargaining table, just like how the president of China does not always attend high stake summits personally. It is not always necessary for him to do so, because designated persons could represent him.

Thus, if an agreement is reached and decided upon, it is not merely the negotiator’s wishes that were in negotiation, it would have been the real leaders of the nations in question, whose will was done, and who would ultimately approve and appropriate the stated results.

Thus, when Barabbas was chosen, he represented the prince of darkness, who then approved the choice that was made, and who ultimately went on to rule the people with an iron fist.

Pay very close attention to what followed not long after he arrives on the scene, with his newly minted authority and mandate. This is what will be coming down the pike for all of earth’s inhabitants who are not sheltered by God’s power. Let’s read:

[The great controversy pp 88] Then God withdrew His protection from them, and He 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 most debased passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were beyond reason, controlled by impulse and blind rage. They became Satanic in their cruelty.

In the family and in the nation, among the highest and the lowest classes alike, there was suspicion, envy, hatred, strife, rebellion, murder.

The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the nation, and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway.

Then, in the most solemn words, the warning comes down to all earth’s inhabitants in our day, that there will be an astronomical increase in droppings, and pellets, the naturally occurring byproducts of the prince of darkness.

The following prophecy is not given or written in the Scriptures to scare anyone; it is written so that folks might position themselves intelligently in Christ, so that we can be covered, and sheltered by His power at a time when things will be looking pretty grim.

As we read, we will highlight some of the same old droppings and pellets we saw earlier, for this is what will tell us of the arrival of the prince of darkness. Let’s read:

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

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

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now permits will permit, until he be taken out of the way.

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

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

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness

in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

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

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

The power and the ability to subdue evil impulses is to be found in Christ alone, for we cannot, in and of ourselves subdue anything pertaining to our fallen human nature. Hence the reason why the prince of darkness is dead set on causing the Christian to be distracted from the real issues on the menu.

In other words, if the you and me in the here and now were to observe some of the same droppings in our own lives, now is the time to clean house as it were, for the prince of darkness could only arouse that which lies dormant within.

Many persons are filled with consternation at how rapidly deterioration is occurring across the globe. It is those dormant, latent tendencies that were never fully overcome, being fanned into life by the arrival of the prince of darkness.

And according to the Scriptures, you have not seen anything as yet, because we are just at the tip of the iceberg. In other words, as the 2nd coming of Jesus draws near every day, final movements will be rapid ones and individuals who are not governed by Christ will be doing unthinkable things.

Therefore, it’s an urgent appeal that is made for all to find refuge in Christ whilst we still can so that the work of salvation could run its course in our hearts, and bring to maturity, a Christlike character that will stand the test of time.

Hence the reason why we find it necessary, and we encourage you to pray like you never did before, so that the trickle-down effects of the droppings would not infect our minds imperceptibly.

If you find yourself craving compliments, praise and adoration from fellow mortals, if we find ourselves eagerly listening to juicy tidbits of tales, if we find ourselves using deception in any form, if we see the tendency to lie, or bear false witness, and if we are indulging pride, now is the time to have a serious talk with God.

The servant of The Lord puts the preparation that is needed for such a time as this, in the most solemn terms; and the reason for this is that the shakedown that is coming, will be so severe that persons who in times past, glowed with potential, could go out into utter darkness when prime time comes around. Let’s read:

[The Great controversy pp 622] Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Savior be brought to yield to the power of temptation.

Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” [John 14:30.]

Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept his Father's commandments, and there was no sin in him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.

May The Lord help us to understand the import of these things, and may we be willing to make all the necessary changes, by the grace and power of God working within us. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will help us to do so. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                 God Bless!

Who Is The Greatest Among You. Sabbath afternoon 08/09/2025

 Matthew 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

21 And he said unto her, what wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, we are able.

24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.

28 Even as The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

It was the revealed will of God to make the nation of Israel great in the sight of the other nations, which in turn would bring honor to His name, while at the same time attracting the peoples of earth to the One and only true God.

And since God’s purposes for His people, the world over have not changed with the passage of time, we who live in the 21st century are gently reminded in the Bible of what it means to be great in the sight of heaven.

According to the Scriptures, true greatness consists of several components which when interfaced with each other, produces a person or a nation of sterling character.

Many of the things that are accounted as greatness in the world, are foolishness in the sight of God and Christians are cautioned to avoid conflating the two very different concepts in our minds, lest we come to wrong conclusions, and cultivate aspirations that are neither endorsed or recognized by The Lord.

According to worldly, and secular concepts, a great man, or a great nation is one that has tremendous wealth, one that wields unlimited, and apparently unchecked power, and one that has other people and nations in subservience. 

This is what Nebuchadnezzar gloried in when all of a sudden, the voice from heaven announced the great change in his fortunes by which he was rendered on a level playing field with animal kingdom.

Napoleon, Hitler, and Alexander the great were all looked up to by their underlings as being great, and yet, the records show that their history leaves much to be desired. Great conquests were made by some, and nations were subjugated in other instances, but in the books of heaven, their achievements amount to minus zero.

That is because greatness apart from God amounts to nothingness, when contrasted with the wisdom that comes through God, by following the laws, and principles of His kingdom.

Conversely, whenever the revealed word of God is incorporated into the operations of any community, nation, family or individual, the inevitable results would be both spiritual, and temporal greatness.

It cannot be otherwise, for the gold standard comes from the Greatest of all kings, even The Lord of the universe, who not only delineates what greatness is, but also is the embodiment of all that is written as it pertains to being great. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

Hence the reason why the Bible warns us not to allow ourselves to be sucked into a vortex of secular, worldly-minded greatness but instead Christians are strongly advised to follow the gold standard as is set forth in Jesus Christ, who is our great Exemplar in all things.

In other words, individuals who might be rich and famous, but who do not have the fear of the Lord before their face, with Jesus in their hearts, those persons would be destitute of true greatness, until they conform to, and adopt the Biblical criterion. Let’s read:

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

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

The Scriptures then go on to define the specifics of true greatness, when applied in the real world, and when they are adopted by communities, individuals, families, and governments, as was God’s purpose for His people, they will produce the desired results because the gold standard comes from The Lord.

The following therefore are some characteristics or manifestations of true greatness, and it is the will of God that who the cap fits, let them wear it.

[1] True greatness begins with having the fear of the Lord before your face and adopted as a foundational working principle in all that we think say or do. Let’s read:

Proverbs 9: 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 1: 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

In these two verses we see the beginning of wisdom and the beginning of knowledge. The reason why the two words are used is because wisdom is the correct, and prudent use of knowledge, therefore they are presented, and they are intended to be an inseparable whole.

Knowledge in the hands of a fool could be quite dangerous, and could bring nations and persons to the brink of extinction. Therefore, knowledge and wisdom are to be regarded as two peas in one pod.

[2] Greatness is also manifested by the control you exercise over your words. In other words, to speak and act impulsively, and to let loose a barrage of unbecoming words, if and when you become ticked off, shows great weakness, not greatness.

Proverbs 29: 20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 17: 28 Even a fool when he holds his peace is accounted as wise, and he that shuts his mouth is esteemed a man of understanding.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 567] Physically, Samson was the strongest man upon the earth; but in self-control, integrity, and firmness, he was one of the weakest of men. Many mistake strong passions for a strong character, but the truth is that he who is mastered by his passions is a weak man. The real greatness of the man is measured by the power of the feelings that he controls, not by those that control him.

[3] Gentleness is a manifestation of greatness, and the opposite is true, for wherever there is unbridled cruelty being manifested, great weakness is also on display.

Psalms 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

Bullies are not only cowards, they are also weak, as was manifested in the demise of Saddam Hussein, Bin laden and Hitler, who all went into hiding when hunted, instead of coming out, and bravely facing the music.

When they were relishing their moment of power, they took satanic delight in the use of brute force, and many persons were slain, and treated with the utmost cruelty, but that shows underlying weakness and fear.

It is worthy of note, that with all that satan has done on planet earth, with all the destruction, and brute force he has exercised over the centuries, someway, somehow, he much prefers to remain hidden from view.

Even when he’s scheduled to make live appearances just before Jesus comes, he will still wrap himself in the garbs of deception. In fact, one of his greatest fears is that of being disclosed, for it bothers him if he were to be found out.

This is the reason why he personally pushes theories which try to prove that he doesn’t exist. So yes, the bullies on your block, in your neighborhood, and in your schools are not only cowards, they suffer from inner fears, which they try to cover up with the use of force.

That was the case with king Saul, as he twice hurled a javelin at David, in his attempts to pin him to the wall. It was an inner fear of losing the kingdom that drove him to do as he did in so much that whenever the dark premonitions haunted him, he would lash out at anyone, even his own family. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 20:30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?

31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.

[4] True greatness is also manifested by being kind, and being a lover of the truth. One of the important underlying characteristics of sheep is that they love truth. That is the reason why they hear The Master’s voice when He speaks, because they love truth.

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

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

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

[5] True greatness is also manifested by the person being humble. Pride and haughtiness make a person look small, and there’s usually a great loss of respect and credibility in the eyes of the beholders. Let’s read:

Proverbs 16: 18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isaiah 14: 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most-High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

This leads us to our case study in greatness which is found in our opening passages. In that instance, the sons of Zebedee went privately to Jesus, behind the other disciples’ backs as it were, and they, with their mother, asked for the highest place in His kingdom, something that all of the disciples were secretly or openly cherishing.

When the news of what they had done came to the attention of the other ten disciples, it sparked bitter feelings of resentment, and deep animosity among them in so much that it threatened to shatter unity, and peace, which Jesus sought to establish within His own inner circle.

Judas in particular was incensed at the brazenness and bold-facedness of the request made by James and John, that they should have the gall to take it upon themselves by asking for the highest place in the kingdom, and worst yet, to do so secretly.

This then triggered a race to the top, because, even though James and John had harbored the desire of being first and greatest in the kingdom, the other 10 disciples also were cherishing the same sentiments, and now, the question spilled out into the open, as they vied and jostled for the highest place.

Of course, as it always will be with those who crave worldly greatness, the elimination process begins, for each one estimates himself as being superior or more worthy than the other, and so they begin to check off each other, one by one, as in the game of survivor.

And, in this frame of mind, they would be in danger of doing whatsoever it takes, to push their fellows down while lifting up themselves, for whenever it is the case that there is a craving for worldly greatness the end will justify the means, whatever the means may be.

Judas started writing off the disciples one by one as he sought to big up himself for the top position. He begins with James and John, who were just mere fishermen and who did not even have the education or the finesse necessary, to be at the top.

It's true they could fish, but they were not proficient with computers, so they would lack the necessary skills and the know-how for the job.

He also scratches off Matthew, as being in bed with the Romans on the issue of taxes, because the Jews viewed those who collected taxes for the Romans as national traitors.

Judas even writes off Jesus Christ as being too timid to wrest the reins of control from the Romans, and so, one by one, everybody else seems not to be up to the challenge in his mind and thus, lo and behold, there’s only one left standing, me myself and I. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 717] Judas was highly regarded by the disciples, and had great influence over them. He himself had a high opinion of his own qualifications, and looked upon his brethren as greatly inferior to him in judgment and ability.

The church would never prosper with such short- sighted men as leaders. Peter was impetuous; he would move without consideration. John, who was treasuring up the truths that fell from Christ's lips, was looked upon by Judas as a poor financier.

Thus, Judas summed up all the disciples, and flattered himself that the church would often be brought into perplexity and embarrassment if it were not for his ability as a manager.

Thus, hurt feelings, wounded pride, and great anger at the two disciples pervaded the atmosphere, in so much that Jesus had to address the volatile situation before it spun out of control. And He did so with the gentleness and wisdom that is born of God.

He didn’t point fingers, call them names, nor did He rebuke them in any visceral language, for this would only pour salt into an open wound, and would then produce the opposite effect Jesus desired.

When a situation arises, where brethren, or family members become incensed as they vie for the best, the highest or the greatest remember that you must never fight fire with fire for you will only get more fire.

Instead, we are counseled in the example of Christ, and in the approach which He then took, to take the royal road which is found in the Bible, by seeking to diffuse, not infuse more animosity into the mix, by seeking reconciliation, not annihilation. Too many persons are seeking for annihilation nowadays. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 435>436] When Christ and the disciples were alone in the house, while Peter was gone to the sea, Jesus called the others to Him, and asked, “What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way?”

Shame and self-condemnation kept them silent. Jesus had told them that He was to die for their sake, and their selfish ambition was in painful contrast to His unselfish love.

Although He had spoken so plainly of what awaited Him, His mention of the fact that He was soon to go to Jerusalem, again kindled their hopes that the kingdom was about to be set up.

This had led to questioning as to who should fill the highest offices. On Peter's return from the sea, the disciples told him of the Savior's question, and at last one ventured to ask Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

The Savior gathered His disciples about Him, and said to them, “If any man desires to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” There was in these words a solemnity and impressiveness which the disciples were far from comprehending.

Thus, according to Jesus, true greatness manifests itself in service, not in seeking to make other people subservient to oneself. It was the tendency to seek the highest place that prevented the disciples from washing one another’s feet.

And if the Christian in our day is not very careful, we can find ourselves cultivating that same tendency of loving to be served by others instead of being eager to play the role of servant. Let’s read:

Matthew 20: 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.

28 Even as The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

We are no doubt in a downward spiral that may not easily be reversed, for in seeking the highest place we are in danger of making the same mistakes like Judas and the other disciples made by scratching off everyone else, so that we alone are left standing.

Hence the reason why Isaiah warns those who live during the last days of earth’s history, that darkness would envelope the earth, and gross darkness the people, for he saw in holy vision, the same spirit of self-exaltation, that started the war in heaven. Let’s read:

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

Persons should not be deceived as to the results of tracking a me first course, because doing so will only bring war, discontent and strife in a thousand forms, the reason being that the underlying principle of the kingdom of darkness is diabolically and diametrically opposed to God’s kingdom of light.

In other words, the “Me first” perspective, and the philosophy which drive such thoughts and actions, can only produce adverse effects. It may seem, and sound good up front, but in the end, it will be sweet in the mouth and bitter in the belly.

Never believe that evil angels under satanic rule are living in peace, and harmony with each other. They are not, for they have fist fights, and arguments and bullying amongst themselves, because these are the natural byproducts of me first philosophies.

It is true that they put their differences aside when it comes to achieving their common goal of dragging humanity lower and lower into the abyss, but other than that it’s mayhem, disturbances, confrontations and fights on a daily basis. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 435>436] The strife for the highest place was the outworking of that same spirit which was the beginning of the great controversy in the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from heaven to die.

There rose up before Him a vision of Lucifer, the “son of the morning. Lucifer had said, “I will be like the Most-High” (Isaiah 14:12, 14); and the desire for self-exaltation had brought strife into the heavenly courts, and had banished a multitude of the hosts of God.

Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus, alienation, discord, and strife will be inevitable.

Dominion becomes the prize of the strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.

There is much work to do in our hearts, and there is much conversion to take place in the lives of many. The spirit of unselfish service, the willingness to let ourselves be God’s humble servants, waiting to do His bidding by serving in whatever capacity He may ordain, is the spirit that should be cultivated at such a time as this.

The Christian in our day will have to do spiritual, and mortal battle against perspectives, and philosophies that have their origins in the depths of hell. You may not encounter a real devil as you go on your way but the mindsets that are obtaining, should be enough to put you on your guard.

Every sentiment must be tested and proven by the word of God, and if it does not line up with what is written, it must be rejected outright, in favor of the gold standard. Jesus stooped to wash His disciples’ feet when they refused to do so.

Again, as He entered Jerusalem for the last time, He chose one of the lowliest animals to ride on. Thus, in our day, when His ways and means are contrasted with the here and now, we could plainly see why the Laodicean church, the last of the seven churches has warranted His stern rebuke.

Let Christians in our day study the life and character of Christ, especially the closing scenes of His earthly life, before calvary, and we will never harbor an idea or relish a thought of being first.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture which will help us to stay focused on Jesus, so that as we behold His greatness in humility and service, we too would be encouraged and strengthened to track the same course as He did. Let’s read:

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

                                    God Bless!

Two Sides To A Story. Sabbath afternoon 08/02/2025

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

There are instructions given in the Bible for dealing with rumors, gossips, fairytales, complaints, stories, and there is guidance given for handling resolutions to issues that are entirely true so that God’s will may be done in all scenarios.

Because we are fallen and do live in an evil world, it is inevitable that somewhere, sometime, somehow, arguments and disagreements may spring up among persons and these instances would at times produce stories and rumors that can spread like a wildfire if not held in check.

These stories, which have two sides in most cases, can affect not only persons in the secular realm, like politicians, and unbelievers, but they have also been observed at times during board meetings, and also among fellow church members.

Back then, in the days just after Pentecost, some of the brethren took issue with Paul and Peter when it was discovered that they were bringing the Gentiles into the church, who had not been circumcised, and the report spread across the early church like a wild fire.

This caused such a great upset, in so much that they had to call the first emergency conference meeting to hear the two sides to the story so that they could resolve the issue, and thank God, they did resolve it, but not before there were some heated arguments between the two sides.

In that instance, The Holy Spirit was present, since God has given Him to be with us always, not only when things are going smooth and lovey dovey, but also when there are disturbances, arguments, and complaints to be dealt with.

God doesn’t leave, or forsake Christians when they have problems to resolve, for if He were to do so, it would result very often in mayhem, and even fights. Thus, The Holy Ghost remained at the meeting even as heated words, and accusations flew left, right and center. Let’s read:

Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

5 But there rose up certain of the sect of Pharisees which believed, saying that it was necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Again, God does not leave nor forsake husbands and wives when they may have problems and arguments in their married life. Persons do make mistakes, and there are times when in the Christian household the peace that passes all understanding might go up in smoke for a while.

This doesn’t mean that they should be written off as not being Christian, for even though we are to strive for excellence in our behaviors and demeanors, the fact is that this is not always the case, and whenever a volatile situation may arise, Biblical instructions, as per a godly resolution, should be sought after.

Several of these instructions, principles, ways, and means are given in the Scriptures, so that folks may be guided by the word of God, when the going gets rough. We begin with the first instruction found in our opening passage, which deals with the issue of avoiding gossip, and talebearing. Let’s read:

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

This instruction when carried out in the spirit of love could stop fairytales in their tracks, and would grant time for careful consideration before drawing your conclusions.

Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, when those juicy tidbits are being served up one’s emotions and feelings might get in the way of rational thought and wherever this is the case, persons would be prone to rush to judgement, before hearing both sides of the story.

Tales have a way of going through a metamorphoses and taking on a life of their own, in so much that it’s often the case when they emerge from the spin mill, other details that were never in the original account may become added to the mix, and this often tends to blur the truth in the matter.

Another instruction in dealing with stories and hear says that may even be true, is that of confirming the matter from more than one person, because doing so will prevent one lone wolf from spewing scatter-shots from the Jerry Springer rifle. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 19: 15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;

18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother.

19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

Instruction [2]: 1st Timothy 5: 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Note well the Scriptural instruction in the passage is to refuse the accusation if it is coming from a single source. This does not necessarily mean that it is not true, it may actually be true, but if it is coming only from one person, it should be refused.

In other words, before rushing to conclusions, take some time to listen carefully, without biases, and let there be a preponderance of unmistakable evidence before drawing any conclusion.

This way of handling stories, and rumors which may occur from time to time, could save a lot of persons the pain, and heartache of repairing damages, after the fact.

It must be stated here that because of man’s fallen nature, we naturally tend to gravitate towards bad news, more than good news, in so much that the news media actually thrives off of negative stories much more than good news.

For instance, when some juicy tabloid story is on the menu, as is the case currently, you will usually find that the 7:00 pm news hour will open up with the story in question while the news on health and well- being is left for last, for around 7:45 pm.

Instruction [3] Leviticus 19: 16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor; I am the Lord.

This instruction on the issue of stories, coming from the rumor mill has to do with us not being a conduit for the tales in question. For us to take pleasure in spreading tales, even those that are true, can bring persons more in alignment with the accuser of the brethren than with the Spirit of truth that emanates from Jesus.

Some persons believe that tales are only fictitious in nature, and could never be true; but while in most cases they may be concocted stories there are times when they could also be true. Let’s read:

Definition from Oxford Languages: Tale: A fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted.

Thus, the passage above that we just read does not deal with whether or not the story is true, it deals with the issue of being a conduit for the negatives.

And one of the reasons for this instruction against being a conduit, is that embellishments are often added, to spin the story into harmony with what the conduit prefers to hear. This can distort truth, and it can potentially do irreparable damage to the person in question. Let’s read:

[Acts of the Apostles pp 319] Christ-like love places the most favorable construction on the motives and acts of others. It does not needlessly expose their faults; it does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but seeks rather to bring to mind the good qualities of others.

This leads us to the story for today, which is a case study on how to deal with two sides to a story. We’ll listen to both sides, we will observe the resolution, and we must try by the grace of God to learn and apply the pertinent lessons learned. Let’s read:

1st Kings 3:16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

[1] The women were harlots.

Just because they were harlots should not lead us to conclude that the story is coming from questionable sources, and as such, we shouldn’t care less to listen if they come seeking a resolve, through the justice system in Solomon’s day.

Solomon listened, God apparently listened, and if it is the case that a Christian happens to find himself in a similar situation, we should consider listening without bias, and without drawing conclusions, or dismissing the case, just because of the source.

The Bible teaches us to give everyone a fair shake at justice so that even if one of the women was known to be a prostitute, or any other questionable person for that matter, king Solomon must afford them due process and he must exercise impartiality in hearing their issue.

In fact, when you dig a little deeper, The Lord had forbidden His people to countenance whoredom in any form, or fashion, but if the matter pertained to justice, every person must have their day in court.

Too often in our day, persons who are considered to be in the lower echelons of society are marginalized when it comes to justice, while the rich and famous, are afforded ample room to make their case.

Not so with God, for He commanded that each and every case, coming to the courts, be heard without bias, and with no consideration being given to one’s status or financial standing, as is too often the case in our day.  

In this way, the basic rights of all would be free from discrimination, and all would have access to justice, because God is not all about mercy with no justice, for if this were the case, His character would be off balanced.

In fact, in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel was sent to reprove, and encourage the king, to make some of the necessary changes in the way he was handling matters of the kingdom, especially issues pertaining to the less fortunate.

At that time Daniel pointed to the cruelty which was being meted out to the poorer classes within his realm, as an area that needed redress, since it was being recorded as sin in the books of heaven. Let’s read:

Daniel 4: 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.

The operations of God’s kingdom upon the earth are not to be viewed as being only spiritual in nature for the way persons are treated, and mistreated in the court systems of earth, always catches the attention of The Most-High. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 16: 18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Deuteronomy 1: 16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

The Lord continued to address the issues pertaining to justice in the New Testament, as Jesus sought to warn against the habit of exercising disparities in religious practice. Let’s read:

Matthew 23: 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Isaiah 59:4 None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15 Yea, truth fails; and he that departs from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Thus, in the narrative under consideration the two women are to be granted due process just like any other, for there are basic rights that pertain to every human being, whoever they may be. Let’s read:

1st Kings 3:17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I  and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.

[2] Those who are first to bring accusations can very well be the ones at fault. This is not always the case, but you never know, hence the reason why Solomon has to listen carefully to both sides of the story.

It is quite possible, though not conclusive, that the woman who speaks first in the narrative is the one at fault, for if you were to take a closer look at her testimony, there are some details there that should be given a second look. For instance, she says that she was sleeping when the other woman took her child.

Now, there have been other instances when persons apparently got minute details, whilst asleep, so we should not come to any firm conclusions just yet.

For example, some of the soldiers who were tasked with keeping Jesus’ body securely in the tomb, also said that they had revelations of fine details while sleeping. Thus, it is nothing uniquely coincidental to the narrative we are studying. Let’s read:

Matthew 28: 12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

Now, if indeed the first woman was in a deep sleep as claimed, when the fraud took place, it seems as if she too got a lot of minute details while apparently asleep.

What is also conspicuous is that the other woman does not mention anything about sleeping, so there appears an immediate inconsistency between the two sides of the issue. That’s why you have to listen to both sides of a story because you just don’t know for sure in every case. Let’s read:

1st Kings 3:20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.

21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.

22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, no; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus, they spoke before the king.

[3] Solomon listened attentively to both sides of the story, as we also should do whenever we encounter a similar situation.

Solomon listened attentively, and patiently to the two sides of the story, as the two women went back and forth over the issue. He did not let his emotions drive him to hasty conclusions after hearing the first side. He waited respectfully for the two parties to present their case, before he said a single word.

This methodology is born of God, for it gives both the accused and the accuser a fair chance to make their case, as we should do when we find ourselves in similar situations.

It has been observed over the centuries that women will generally tend to listen favorably to women and men favorably to men, when issues arise. This often results in a sinner and a saint being on the menu, as male and female biases are sometimes permitted to taint the narrative.

Therefore, the Christian is strongly advised to listen in with one male ear, and one female ear so that the tales, stories, and accusations could be heard in an objective manner, not being influenced by personal feelings, emotions, preconceived opinions or biases.

This will then open the way for impartial judgments and conclusions to be reached, which would tend to be in line with scriptural ideals and if these ordained methods were to be employed pervasively, what a huge difference would be made in some verdicts. Let’s read:

1st Kings 3:23 Then said the king, The one saith, this is my son that lives, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, no; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.

24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.

25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.

26 Then spoke the woman, whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

It’s very rare where you hear persons say it was my fault. Especially is this the case when grave matters between spouses may get blown out into the public square. One spouse might present their side of the story, with bias, so as to make the other the villain.

The other spouse, on the other hand, feeling that the entire truth was not spoken in the matter, might get defensive and may make self-justification efforts to clear his or her name.

Now, while it is true that we are all struggling to do that which is right, and pleasing in God’s sight, the fact is that there will be instances in our experience when for some reason or another, issues will bubble up to the surface. Those who are tasked with listening and giving their two cents in these matters should, like Solomon be in tune with God, so that their conclusions, and the determinations emanating from their lips will bear the stamp of God’s approval.

There are times and there would be times when you may be tasked with listening to two sides of a story, where only God, who reads the heart, could make a correct determination and thus, the instructions we are given in the Bible will greatly help in navigating any potential mine fields.

More than this, the spirit of love will help to mend broken relationships, and soothe frayed nerves even as we endeavor to reflect Christ in our interactions with others. Whenever rumors, tales, and stories may have to be dealt with, let your conclusions be redemptive, and conciliatory in nature, as much as is possible, for the Christian must seek reconciliation, not annihilation as is too often the case.

God will bless all such efforts if we seek His wisdom and guidance in these matters, for as was stated up front, He does not leave Christians alone, to handle volatile situations all by themselves when they may have stories or tales to deal with. We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that should point us in the direction of reconciliations, wherever possible, for this is the good and perfect will of God. Let’s read:

James 5: 19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.

                                    God Bless!

Trusting In God's Deliverance. Sabbath afternoon 07/26/2025

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

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

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtha; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets.

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.

36 And there were others……

The doctrine of deliverance, as it comes from God needs to be understood more thoroughly, for there are nuances and differences that sometimes occur, and if we do not learn the important lesson of trust in God, some may be in danger of stumbling at what they believe God is supposed to do in certain situations.

First of all, the Bible teaches us that all things work together for the good of those who love God. This does not mean that all things are necessarily good, but they work together as a cohesive whole for the good of the Christian.

Thus, when we read of promises of deliverance in the Bible, we are to understand that it is left solely up to God to administer deliverance as He sees best and in times, ways, methods, and places as He sees fit.

Again, from the Christian’s perspective our faith in God is not that He will deliver us every single time without fail, but that He would always do what is best without fail. This understanding will enable us to put our lives entirely in His hands, so that He can do His good pleasure.

In our first passage, after mentioning several heroes of faith, Paul also mentioned other unsung heroes who may not have gone out in a blaze of glory, but who were just as faithful as the Daniels and Davids of the day.

We may not now know their names, and we might not have a long graphic history of their noble deeds as they stood fearlessly for the truth under fiercest opposition, but in the book of remembrance, their names are emblazoned in faithfulness.

Several passages of scripture must now be observed and understood, in order that persons would harbor balanced views on how deliverance comes from The Lord to His people. 

For instance, the passage which says “The angel of The Lord encamps roundabout them that fear Him, and delivers them, does not necessarily mean that in every situation without fail, The Lord will deliver us in accordance with our expectations. Let’s read:

Psalms 34: 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

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

That passage should also be balanced with another one which says “All they that live godly in Christ will suffer persecution” so that when the two verses are fused together in our minds, they would make room for the nuances that may occur in certain situations.

Sometimes, you will have to stand like the brave, as David did when facing Goliath the giant but in other situations you may have to run for dear life, as God sees fit. The Christian who has to flee, and the one who is guided by God to stand his ground, are both recipients of God’s deliverance, but with nuances.

Sometimes the protective power of God is displayed in a marked manner, for the deliverance of persons, and at other times, the Christian may be wondering why the omnipotent power God might seem to have come up short.

For instance, in one situation The Lord sent an army of horses of fire, and many angels to fill a mountain as they were commissioned to protect Elisha. But in another instance we see God instructing Joseph and Mary to run for their lives as they fled in the middle of the night from Herod.

Do not be perplexed by these nuances, for it’s just God working out things and situations for the best good of His people. And we are to remember that we are not His only people.

God has many people the world over, so that what perplexed Job, as pertains to deliverance, and the length of time it took for it to be manifested would be of great benefit to other Christians, thousands of years later, who might suffer for a long time in their particular situation.

Sometimes we look at things from the perspective of our little cocoon, and folks might miss the bigger picture entirely, while trapped in our prism. There’s danger of looking at deliverance from God from the very narrow, me only viewpoint.

Deliverance from God often takes into consideration other factors that we may not immediately see, and that’s the reason why it’s imperative that we leave the ways and means, the methods, the timing, and the place entirely up to God, and trust that He will always do that which is in the best interest of His people.

Again, it cannot be reiterated enough, that God is never short on resources, for there are billions if not trillions of angels who wait to do His bidding at any time and in any given place. Let’s read:

Psalms 103:20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

Psalms 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

Revelation 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.

Therefore, it’s never an issue of resources, it has to do with His will being done in varying circumstances according to His good purposes for all of His people.

So yes, there will be times when The Lord chooses to do things differently, as deliverance is concerned, and as such Christians must not allow their feathers to become ruffled if things do not pan out according to our desires, or if God’s deliverance doesn’t match our expectations.

Therefore, there are some important points persons should understand, as it pertains to deliverance, so that when the going gets rough in our day, persons won’t be caught off guard by bitter disappointment, and thereby our faith be severely shaken.

[1] Just because something is definitely good, in and of itself, it does not necessarily mean that it is God’s will that you should do it.

There are good things, and good activities that may be good to do under normal circumstances, but if an unfavorable situation obtains, those same activities should not be done, without God’s direction. We are now living in the new abnormal, and certain good activities that are in the Bible, would need God’s clearance before persons proceed.

For instance, even though preaching is good, and is enjoined in the great commission given by Christ to all Christians, certain topics would need approval from God first, before being presented, and that is because of the very volatile situation that has now obtained in certain places.

So yes, because the Bible says, that “As many as are led by The Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” preachers would need The Holy Spirit to guide with wisdom and discretion, so as not to inadvertently invite good trouble.

In fact, according to what is written in the Scripture, there are times, and there will be times when God will actually forbid persons to preach, or evangelize in areas where the forces of the enemy are so firmly entrenched, that the preaching of the truth might only invite persecution.

Then, if the preacher or teacher in question were to move forward with that which is inherently good, he may place himself in a compromised position which may require deliverance from God, which The Lord did not originally ordain.

And if that turns out to be the case, the preacher could find himself doing battle with satanic agencies whilst deliverance might not be forthcoming as he expected.

God is more practical and down to earth than many people realize. Therefore, in order to avoid such an unfortunate situation, the Christians in our day will need to pray like never before, when evangelizing in certain places or situations.

In other words, since fools rush in where angels fear to tread, persons would be well advised to pray first, especially in situations where the preacher might encounter stiff opposition, and where the preacher could become an endangered species. Let’s read:

Matthew 10: 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.

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

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

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

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Acts 20: 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there.

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 21: 2 And finding a ship sailing over to Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

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.

Acts 21:27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,

28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.

31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.

[19LTMS MS 29, 1904 par. 6] God does not require His children to remain where, by the course of wicked men, their influence is made of no effect and their lives endangered.

When liberty and life are imperiled, it is not merely our privilege, it is our positive duty to go to places where the people are willing to hear the word of life and where the opportunities for preaching the Word will be more favorable.

This does not mean that God will never ever send a preacher or teacher into enemy territory; all God is saying to us is just make sure that He sent you, and you did not presume to go of your own volition.

He sent Elijah, and He sent Moses and Aaron but He  also provided protection to meet the emergency as they went upon satan’s enchanted ground. Again, it is not in every situation where God definitely sent a preacher, that he would escape unscathed.

All we are saying by the grace of God is that if that turns out to be the case, at least the preacher will have the assurance that he did not place himself in harm’s way unbidden, and this very fact would be as an assurance and strength to suffer for Christ’s sake.

Several instances in the life of Christ do illustrate the grave importance of being sent by God, so that we would not unnecessarily imperil life and thereby, cut our work short, as did Paul.

This particular temptation, with all its catastrophic consequences, if yielded to, nipped at the heels of Jesus constantly, as the devil sought to thwart the plan of salvation in various ways and through many different agencies. Let’s read:

Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

As was stated before in a previous Bible study, John was probably wondering why Jesus did not come to look for him in prison, seeing that He was his cousin and he had been faithful in the execution of duty. In fact, the Bible mentions prison visits particularly, as The Lord tallies the numbers of the faithful. Let’s read:

Matthew 25: 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.

35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger,  and ye took me in.

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

So yes, there is even a Scriptural basis for Jesus to have visited John, and therefore, the question is: Why didn’t Jesus go? The answer is as simple as it gets, for Jesus was neither sent, or directed by The Father to go, even though it is a good thing. Let’s read:

It must be observed here that going to look for John in prison would have been a good thing, especially because he was thrown in jail for speaking the truth. But we should always remember that just because something is good, does not necessarily mean that it is God’s will that you do it, or you go there. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 216] John would not discuss his doubts and anxieties with his companions. He determined to send a message of inquiry to Jesus.

This he entrusted to two of his disciples, hoping that an interview with the Savior would confirm their faith, and bring assurance to their brethren. And he longed for some word from Christ spoken directly for himself.

The disciples came to Jesus with their message, “Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another?” The Savior did not at once answer the disciples’ question. As they stood wondering at His silence, the sick and afflicted were coming to Him to be healed.

[The Desire of Ages pp 224] Gladly would the Savior have come to John, to brighten the dungeon gloom with His own presence. But He was not to place Himself in the hands of enemies and imperil His own mission.

Visiting John was a good thing no doubt, but to do so without God’s permission would be presumption, even though it was a good thing to do, and because of this fact, deliverance from any potential dangers would not be guaranteed.

In fact, if Jesus had gone to visit John, without a first clearance from The Father, He could have been put into a compromised situation where He might have been tempted to deliver Himself, by using His own inherent power, and had He done so He would have brought the plan of salvation to a screeching halt.

The temptation that satan hounded Christ with from the cradle to the grave, was to use His own inherent power without authorization from The Father, even if it was to do something good.

If Christ had once done so He would be immediately disqualified from being man’s representative, for we cannot exercise such power of ourselves, for we just do not possess miraculous power naturally, and as such, Jesus would be exercising an advantage over fallen man.

There is nothing such as new temptations, for there are only three categories of temptations for satan to choose from, and what he often does is to recycle the same temptation over and over again, bringing it in from different angles and perspectives, but at the end of the day, it is the same temptation.

Here it is again, as he tempts Jesus to employ His supernatural power to deliver Himself from pangs of hunger. It was not a temptation to smoke weed, it was a temptation to make bread, something that is in and of itself very good. In fact, it was Christ who in one instance prayed: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Thus, the devil would spin the same old temptation in different ways, but his sole object was always the same, that was, to tempt Jesus to employ His Divine power without prior authorization from The Father.

Several of these instances will now be pointed out, so that the you and me in the here and now would know what we are up against, and the reason why we must learn the all-important lesson of trusting in God’s deliverance, while at the same time avoiding the prevalent sin of presumption. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

Mark 15: 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

John 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

4 For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeks to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is always ready.

8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

Now brethren, please consider carefully what Jesus is saying and the implications of His response. When He says “My time is not yet come” Jesus is no doubt referring to His death on Calvary, and thus The Lord is implying that by going up to Jerusalem before the appointed time given by The Father, He would cut His ministry short.

Now, going up to Jerusalem was not a bad thing in and of itself. This was not an invitation for Him to go see Beyonce or Jay Z, it was an invitation for Him to go to church, which in and of itself is a good thing.

But even going to church must be in line with The Father’s will, for once upon a time Jesus did go to church, but were it not for the interposition of The Father in causing Him to vanish into thin air, that could have been the last time He went to church. Let’s read:

Luke 4: 28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

Furthermore, If Jesus was to presume to go up to Jerusalem before the time appointed by The Father, satan no doubt, would have sought to create such a compromised situation involving risks, that would tempt Jesus to use His own power independently to deliver Himself, and if Jesus were to do so, the plan of salvation would go up in smoke.

In fact, in the instance currently under consideration Christ was actually planning to go up to church, but for Him, there’s a right time to go even if it is a good thing. Very many temptations which often occur in the Chistian’s everyday experiences consist of good temptations. Consider it prayerfully. Let’s read:

Mark 15:9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

Here again is the same temptation being recycled as the devil tempts Christ to presumption by using His Divine power, independent of The Father. It is the same old, same old. Let’s read:

[Desire of Ages, pp 729] Herod questioned Christ in many words but throughout the Savior maintained a profound silence. At the command of the king, the decrepit and maimed were then called in, and Christ was ordered to prove His claims by working a miracle.

Men say that Thou canst heal the sick, said Herod. I am anxious to see that your widespread fame has not been belied. Jesus did not respond, and Herod still continued to urge: If Thou canst work miracles for others, work them now for Thine own good.

And it will serve Thee a good purpose. Again, he commanded, show us a sign that Thou hast the power with which rumor hath accredited Thee. But Christ was as one who heard and saw not.

The Son of God had taken upon Himself man's nature. He must do as man must do in like circumstances. Therefore, He would not work a miracle to save Himself the pain and humiliation that man must endure when placed in a similar position.

Again, the issue of trusting in God’s deliverance with all of the nuances and differences that may occur at times, is a subject that Christians in our day ought to carefully consider, for deliverance comes in different shapes and sizes.

Sometimes deliverance comes in a stark manner as the power of God is displayed in fire and brimstone upon those who seek to do the Christian harm, but at other times deliverance comes as the Christian is instructed to run for dear life. Both types come from God. Let’s read:

Matthew 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt.

15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

1st Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

[Prophets & Kings pp 120>121] At the palace he solicited no admission, nor waited to be formally announced. Clad in the coarse garments usually worn by the prophets of that time, he passed the guards, apparently unnoticed, and stood for a moment before the astonished king.

Elijah made no apology for his abrupt appearance. A Greater than the ruler of Israel had commissioned him to speak; and, lifting his hand toward heaven, he solemnly affirmed by the living God that the judgments of the Most-High were about to fall upon Israel.

We are living at a time where persons who speak the truth could be targeted in various ways, and the book of Revelation tells us that as the inhabitants of earth become more averse to truth, the risks would also increase to those who preach present truth.

The prophecies which predict the soon coming of Christ, and the end of the world as we know it, do not jive with current agendas that are adopted by many persons in high and low places, therefore, it will require wisdom and prudence born of God, to preach the truth without watering it down for any self-preservation reason.

Most importantly, it may become necessary for The Lord to send His servants into enemy territory, for as was stated before, the preachers must not presume to go, just because the preaching of unadulterated truth is inherently a good thing.

Therefore, the Christian must cultivate the humble and teachable spirit manifested by our brethren in days gone by, meaning that at times, God may tell us to stand our ground, while in other instances, we may be instructed to run and hide.

Let earnest prayer for God’s wisdom, guidance, and direction be lifted up often, so that whatsoever we do and wheresoever the preacher might be sent, it would be at God’s command solely.

This will call for a humble spirit that is willing to be led by The Spirit of God in all things, and even as for the time being, we are still afforded opportunities to disseminate truth beside all waters, we should bear in mind that rapid changes are on the way, and thus, we should be willing and ready to make adaptations to strategies wherever necessary as The Spirit leads.

Faith in God does not dispense with real to life facts on the ground, but it is not intimidated by enemies of truth, once God has sent us. Let us therefore be ready to stand like the brave, or flee to another city as God might direct, because, as many as are led by The Spirt of God, they are the sons of God.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that would help us to keep these truths in view, as we’re heading into unchartered territory, for the last days of earth’s history may be at our doorstep. Let’s read:

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

                                     God Bless!

The Stranger Within Thy Gates. Sabbath afternoon 07/19/2025

Exodus 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;

24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

The law of kindness is all pervasive as it is dispensed by God to everyone and it includes all members of the human family, whether or not they are believers in God.

Therefore, in harmony with the decalogue, Jesus always made provisions for the strangers who lived amongst His people, so that they would be treated with respect, courtesy, and kindness.

God deals kindly with all people, whether they are Christians or of other persuasions because there are some fundamental mercies that pertain to everyone wherever and whoever they might be. For instance, He makes His sun to shine on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just, and the unjust.

It is true that by a wrong course of action persons or nations can bring upon themselves natural curses as a result of deliberate sins, but it is very rare, if ever, that God would entirely deny food and drink to any person or nation.

Even in times of great apostasy, such as took place when Ahab and Jezebel ruled, the land was never entirely devoid of water for then, the entire nation would have perished.

Yes, it is true that Elijah was sent to prophesy that there would be no rain for a period of three and a half years, but there was still some water and food to be found. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18: 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

1st Kings 17: 2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

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

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

Again, during the times of the Antediluvians, God provided food and drink for the rebellious, up until the very day of the flood, for as was stated before, there are some basic fundamental mercies that God dispenses to all of humanity, including the stranger within thy gates.

This will also be manifested when the seven plagues of Revelation 16 are being poured out. They will not be universal in nature, for then all the inhabitants of earth would be destroyed.  Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 628] These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off.

Just because Cain turned his back on God, it did not mean that he and his offspring would be deprived of the essentials for daily living. Yes, it is true that the natural consequences of his choices and actions will produce a natural curse as time went by, but Cain would have access to food and drink.

God does not starve sinners into submission as the devil would attempt to do in Revelation, chapter 13. Instead, The Lord gives to persons a lot of grace and mercy, even where sin abounds.

Thus, God sets the gold standard for the treatment of the strangers within our gates, and it is of critical importance for us Christians to reflect the goodness and character of God, for His character is magnified or reproached by what the professed Christian does or does not do. Let’s read:

Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Savior.

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

Thus, The Lord caused instructions to be written in His word, for the treatment of strangers, foreigners and those persons who had come to live within the borders of the Hebrews. The instructions were not meant for the Hebrews only, for they represent a gold standard for all to follow. Let’s read:

Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourns among you.

Exodus 23: 9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for you know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19: 33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, you shall not vex him.

34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19: 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

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

In other words, deliberate provision was to be made for the stranger, from the bounties God had blessed His people with. That same counsel is still alive, and well today, for whenever the Christian gets paid, he should not only think of returning tithes alone, with the rest of his salary being entirely devoted to bills.

The Christian should set aside something from his or her paycheck for the less fortunate the poor and the stranger. It’s not a mere suggestion; it’s a moral duty enjoined upon all who name the name of Christ.

These sums should not be given based on feelings, and emotion, which tend to fluctuate with the high cost of living, and tariffs.

A percentage of whatsoever is our increase should be laid aside for benevolent purposes, and should be a deliberate and well thought out pledge that is made for the advancement of God’s kingdom upon the earth, as it pertains to the exercise of kindness.

In other words, we should never entirely glean our fields, nor gather every grape for our own personal use. There is no support for that mode of thought and action in the Scriptures.

That’s what Boaz did, when Ruth the stranger came by looking for food and grain for Naomi and herself. Boaz did not leave it up to chance or feeling, neither did he inquire up front about where she was born.

All he asked was whose damsel is this, and when he learned that she was an immigrant who had come in with Naomi, it was enough to trigger the humanity in Boaz, since she needed food and drink.

Those basic needs touched a corresponding chord in the heart of Boaz, because the Christian must never be blind, or tone deaf to the plight, and suffering of his fellowmen, whoever they may be and thus, Boaz was deliberate in his instructions to the reapers. Let’s read:

Ruth 2: 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, hear thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens.

9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou are thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother-in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knew not heretofore.

12 The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

Furthermore, the stranger or foreigner was not to be excluded from the religious services, once he or she had fulfilled the prerequisites given by God. In fact, the 4th commandment pertaining to Sabbath worship, also includes the stranger that is within thy gates, from which the title of the study is lifted. Let’s read:

Isaiah 56: 3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, everyone that keeps the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.

Several passages in the Bible echo these truths and they are written so that people, the world over will follow God’s lead. In fact, true religion is defined in large part by the way kindness and benevolence are dispensed toward everyone, regardless of creed and race, or cultural backgrounds.

Thus, the following truths, which are lifted directly from the Scriptures are to inform our understanding and practice as we seek to follow in the footsteps of Christ. Pay close attention to His universal approach to benevolence and kindness, for it pertains to all people.

[1] The basic essentials such as food, clothing, and shelter are provided, and intended for all of God’s creation even for those who don’t acknowledge Him as God, even for individuals who may be His sworn enemies. Let’s Read:

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

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

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

15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart.

23 Man goes forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening.

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

Matthew 5: 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

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

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Psalms 68: 18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

[2] The value of the human soul is based upon the price paid for our redemption, and therefore, in our treatment of strangers and foreigners, Christians are to consider that Jesus died for them. They are not things, they are people. Let’s read:

John 12: 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Romans 5: 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

[15 LTMS LT 27, par 7] The value of one human soul is more than the value of the whole world.

[3] One Race is not of more value in the sight of God than another. This particular error God corrected at the time He gave Peter the vision of unclean beasts.

At the foot of the cross, all human beings stand on a  level playing field. Let’s read:

Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Acts 17: 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.

Acts 10: 9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

12 Wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things,  and fowls of the air.

13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

14 But Peter said, not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.

15 And the voice spoke unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

This leads us to the story of the good Samaritan, by which Jesus sought to set the record straight on the compassion that is to be exercised towards every person, regardless of race, creed, culture, or their country of origin.

The great lessons Jesus then taught are particularly pertinent, and applicable in our day, where there seems to be an increasingly warped perspective on the value of human life.

Every person on the planet belongs to God, and any unwarranted ill treatment of anyone is an affront to God who created them, and died to redeem all.

The man in the narrative had fallen amongst thieves and he, being severely beaten and bruised, it was the moral duty of any other human being passing that way, to stop and render unconditional help.

It just seems as if the humanity has gone out of the hearts of many in our day, hence the reason why it’s necessary to revisit the story, so that our views on what Christianity consists of could be informed, or otherwise corrected as the case may be. Let’s read:

Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, what is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

36 Which now of these three, do you think, was a neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

There are several questions the good Samaritan did not ask and we owe it to ourselves to take note.

[1] He did not ask the man which country he was born in, or what language he spoke.

[2] He did not ask what religion he belonged to.

[3] He did not ask whether the man was a Sabbath keeper.

[4] He did not ask the man for payment for medical services, for helping the wounded was a moral duty even if it would cost.

It becomes obvious that we are in deep trouble, for some Christians in our day have become very far removed from the gold standard set forth in the Scriptures.

When Christ reproves the Laodicean church in the book of Revelation, chapter 3, He is speaking about persons who have adopted the Christian name, but whose works and actions are of such that The Lord neither recognizes, or endorses them.

Great changes in perspective, and practice are now warranted, for there is a callous view on human life that has come to be the norm in many places and in many countries. Starvation of the less unfortunate is used as a weapon, and the stranger within our gates is being brow beaten, to say the least.

God is now calling on those who name the name of Christ to consider your ways, for even though these things have been predicted to come to pass, God is not pleased with the deteriorating state of things.

And as our first passage stated, God will intervene in the fulness of time, for the time is coming when He will say thus far and no further. It is not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Let’s read:

Isaiah 59: 14 Judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15 Yea, truth fails; and he that departs from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.

19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

Now is the time for the Christian to shine amidst the moral darkness that is now enveloping the earth like a pall. The glory of God’s character and the light that streams from Calvary are meant to dispel the clouds that are gathering on the horizon, even as we speak.

Therefore, let us in our neck of the woods be found living in harmony with the great moral law, for the Scripture that says “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you” is scheduled to be fulfilled in due season.

We therefore end with a passage that’ll encourage us to make changes in perspective and practice as is necessary for God will bless all sincere efforts aimed at reform and change, in the right direction. Let’s read:

James 3: 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

                                     God Bless!

When The Christian Gets Ticked Off. Sabbath afternoon 07/12/2025

 Psalms 16: 32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Matthew 10: 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Ezekiel 2: 2 And the spirit entered into me when he spoke unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spoke unto me.

3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

James 3: 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

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 governor lists.

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, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of 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.

10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

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.

The Bible teaches Christians to take a conciliatory tone when fellow Christians may get ticked off for some reason or another, meaning that the aim of the one who seeks peace, should be to soothe any frayed nerves, and wherever possible to bring back a sense of normalcy to relationships.

Christians are the salt of the earth, and because the very nature of salt is to add a favorable taste to the food that is eaten, the general influence of the ones who speak and act in Christ’s stead should be that of bringing about reconciliation and calm to your troubled waters.

This does not mean that in every single instance the peace that the Christian seeks would become reality nor does it mean that peace must be purchased by compromising truth and principle.

What it means is that, as the ambassadors of Christ we are to seek out ways and means that will be in harmony with methods Christ employed that would make God happy to call us His children. In other words, peace is to be sown by the Christian as a seed, which in turn will certainly spring up, and bear corresponding fruit to God’s honor and glory in the overwhelming majority of cases. Let’s read:

James 3: 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

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

However, there are times when even the Christian might get ticked off, for one reason or another, and how persons handle volatile situations would speak volumes more, than any sermon that is preached.

Back in the days of old, Jacob’s sons got very ticked off because of an injustice done to their sister, for it seems from the narrative that Shechem had had a nonconsensual sexual relation with Dinah, and this incident rankled in their minds, until they became chafed with anger.

What they did next actually put their entire family at risk of retribution, for they went up afterwards, and slew all the males of that city, and were it not for the interposing mercies of God, we would have read of a very different after-history.

So yes, even though they were servants of the One true God, and even though they had a knowledge of God’s law, they got ticked off, and that is a red flag warning to all of us, who might seem to be so cool, and cute under favorable circumstances, but when some incident touches a raw nerve, a different side of us could be exposed. Let’s read:

Genesis 34:2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.

25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

Moses also got ticked off when he saw the injustice of an Egyptian beating an Israelite. In that instance he sprang into action in the heat of the moment, as he slew the offender, delivering the justice which he thought was overdue.

In fact, when we read the history of Moses, we will see that he got ticked off on several occasions. Not because one has a close relationship with God does it mean that they could never get ticked off, except they are girded by the power, and presence of The Holy Spirit, moment by moment.

Those of us who think that just because a person may be a really genuine Christian, that he or she is immune or completely insulated from being ticked off, might be living in la-la land. There was none like Moses, who spoke with God face to face and yet, he succumbed to anger on different occasions.

For instance, when he came down from Mt, Sinai, with the hand written law of God in his hand and he saw the children of Israel prancing to Dollar Wine, his anger waxed really hot, and he broke the law of God into pieces, in the heat of the moment.

These things ought to show us the frailty of human nature, and our utter inability to tow the line in the times of anger, if we are not kept by the power of God at all times, and in all places. Let’s read:

Exodus 32: 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

Now, some folks may argue that this was righteous indignation, and yes, it very well could have been. However, even righteous indignation should always be guided by The Holy Spirit, or else, later on you might be heard shouting: “Hear now ye rebels”.

However, The Lord would have us understand that it is not only Christian men that get ticked off, because in sacred history, you also have God-fearing women who also got ticked off, and when they did, like the sons of Jacob, and like brother Moses, they also lost it.

After Abraham followed Sarah’s advice, and Hagar and himself had their rendezvous together, Sarah got ticked off when the new mistress began to big up herself, as she thought of the honor of being the mother of Abraham’s son.

The fond thought went to Hagar’s head, but it also went to Sarah’s head, and before you know it, this once humble, Christian blew a fuse after the birth of Isaac, and the rest is history, for she demanded that Abraham evict Hagar, before she had to. Let’s read:

Genesis 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.

There’s something very important for us to consider in the narrative which often gets overlooked but has to be addressed, since it is becoming acceptable in high and low places.

Hagar was obviously much younger than Sarah was, and it has been observed on numerous occasions, that when a wife gets into her golden years that the husband in some instances will start looking for one who is younger and more vibrant than his wife.

At times, this ends in divorce as the husband seeks out pleasure and a new life with one who is younger while the former wife is left holding the proverbial bag. This scenario has been especially observed in rich men who can afford it, and for some reason it seems to be on the uptick.

Husbands and wives should try their best to be all they can be to each other, and they should be there for each other in the evening of their days, for even though the man might be strong, and perky for the while, he must never forget his wife’s labor of love.

In addition to this he must always keep in mind the fact that one day, he too would be on the other side of the mountain, and since what goes around often comes around, who knows, the husband might also be forsaken at a time when he might need the love and care of his former wife who was despised.

This particular scenario has happened recently and it could become the norm if persons play follow the leader. But this is not what God intended, and when it occurs, the wife could become very ticked off even if she is a Christian, as she sees herself forsaken, in favor of another.

Matthew 7: 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Malachi 2: 13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regarded not the offering any more, nor received it with good will at your hand.

14 Yet ye say, wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

But one of the things that hurts the most is when a person manifests ingratitude for kindness shown to him or her. When one has no regard for what good is done to his or her person, and when there is not any acknowledgement to the benefactor, the Christian in some instances might get ticked off.

This isn’t a justification for losing your cool, all we’re saying is that it can produce feelings of anger when it occurs. Even though Jesus did not get ticked off in a particular instance, He did voice His observation when only one of the ten lepers who were healed, returned to give thanks.

The other nine took the healing, and went on their merry way, without turning back to thank Christ for restoring them from one of the most loathsome diseases at that time, and Jesus made a public note of it. Let’s read:

Luke 17: 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

It was the sin of ingratitude that had caused David to become ticked off at Nabal, when he had asked him to give him some food and drink for his men in the desert, as they were in hiding from Saul.

David and his band of fugitives had taken great care to protect Nabal’s sheep from roving marauders and therefore, it was a small favor David asked, which in and of itself could never have repaid the kindness rendered.

But not only did Nabal refuse, but he added insult to injury when he referred to David as a slave who had escaped from his master. That response did not sit well with David at all and in the heat of the moment he became ticked off, and he pledged to destroy not only Nabal, but all that belonged to him.

Now, there are critically important lessons for us to derive from the narrative, so that when we may be tempted to blow a fuse, for any reason, we too may follow the instructions that will be given.

Four points will be deduced from David’s experience so that cooler heads might prevail, and so that the Christian may avoid escalating conflict.

[1] There are thoughts and actions to avoid when a person answers the Christian rudely. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25: 10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

There are times when, in speaking to some persons, they may make a reference to slavery if the Christian being spoken to is of African descent. This naturally triggers bad feelings and deep emotions that stir up a can of worms, if we are not girded with the grace of Christ.

When Nabal brought up the scenario of a slave and his master, in reference to David, it hit a raw nerve, and David, who previously had done very well in not seeking revenge against Saul now blew several fuses and immediately switched into revenge mode.

In other words, he then and there determined that Nabal would pay a high price for disrespecting him and his men in such a loathsome manner, and David decided to destroy all that pertained to Nabal, with the edge of the sword.

The Christian in our day must avoid, by the grace of God, being driven to extremes when persons in high and low places may make derogatory remarks about the marginalized and disenfranchised.

In our fallen nature it is so easy to switch to revenge mode, and hope that these fools will pay a stiff price for all the nastiness that oozes from their mouths as it pertains to those who are in the lower echelons of society, or may be of a different race or creed.

Feelings, thoughts and actions of violence, pay back, vengeance, or even hoping that God will intervene with heavy retribution to the perpetrators should be avoided at all cost, because when such feelings are indulged, it can put the Christian’s mind into a mode where we hope that the offenders are destroyed.

The spirit of reconciliation, on the other hand, while acknowledging the wrongs that are being done, will pray for those who might be doing and saying these things, either ignorantly or deliberately.

In other words, for the Christian to hope for the death of one who does us wrong, is not a Christlike sentiment, and wherever and whenever it surfaces, we must ask God to cleanse from unrighteousness. Let’s read:

Proverbs 24: 17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles;

18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

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

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.

[2] Be very careful of acting on impulse whenever a person does you wrong, or answers you in a manner that is derogatory. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

Impulse disregards deep thought and prayerfulness, and is driven strictly by the heat of the moment and by present circumstances. You will notice that David didn’t take time to pray in the narrative, because he had gotten so riled up by Nabal’s negative response that humble prayer to God went completely out the window.

We have observed over a period many years, that it is much more difficult to stop and pray when your adrenaline is pumping, than when you are seated in church singing “Does Jesus care.” It could be pretty rough, but it is always advisable to take some time out just to pray, and cool down.

You will be surprised at the difference it will make, for if David had done so, it’s almost certain that God would never have directed him to go kill out every person that pertained to Nabal. Not happening. So, yes, the Bible strongly advises us to pray, especially when we may not feel like doing so. Let’s read:

Psalms 142: I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.

2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knew my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me;

no man cared for my soul.

5 I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

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.

Philippians 4: 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every- thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

[3] The ministry of reconciliation must be adopted by the Christian, especially as we are heading into choppy waters, and there is an increasing tendency for some persons to answer roughly. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them.

15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields.

16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

When the servant says “Consider what thou will do” he is referring to the appropriate response to those threats made by David. Abigail’s response is quite noteworthy, because she took the high road, doing whatsoever was necessary to diffuse a volatile, and potentially deadly situation.

The Christian in our day must deal in the currency of heaven, instead of becoming ticked off, because, as we have stated on numerous occasions previously, if you were to fight fire with fire, you’ll only get more fire.

Firefighters will use water, and fire retardants while fighting fire, and the Christian should also use ways and means that will deescalate, not infuriate. When dire situations arise because someone gets ticked off, the Jesus in you should shine radiantly amidst the darkness, for this is how the character of God is to be made manifest in our interactions with people.

Abigail’s response to the threat of annihilation was to bake loaves of bread, and stew down five sheep complete with curry, in addition to fruit, roast corn, raisins, and cakes. Note well she didn’t go the route of self-preservation, by being locked and loaded to protect herself and her family.

God is calling upon the you and me in the here and now to follow Abigail’s lead by refusing to adopt the ways and means used by the world. The fact that we are royalty, our thoughts and actions should always bear witness to the fact, that God’s principles, and His ways and means are vastly superior to those of the kingdom of darkness. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

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

[4] Last but not least is the fact that David the ticked off Christian, was willing to listen to wise counsel, as it came from The Lord through Abigail. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25: 30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord shall have done to you according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel;

31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.

32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me.

33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with my own hand.

35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

The Lord must be able to speak to us when we are in the frame of mind where we are deeply wounded by some wrong or evil done to us. It was Jesus who said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them.”

The sheep are not to only hear God’s voice when things are going smooth and easy, but we must also be willing to listen to His voice, when like David, our nerves are frayed, and we are ticked off.

There are times in life where God might send some preacher, person, or fellow Christian, to diffuse the situation that has obtained, but we must be willing to listen to God’s voice at all times.

Instead of stoning the messenger, instead of steeling our hearts against any advice or counsel it would be better if we, like David will say, blessed be thy advice when it’s coming from a good, reliable source.

God is still speaking to ticked off Christians, but the question is are we still listening, for if we do, we will find in many situations that there is a way out of our predicament, without having to resort to revenge, violence, or the use of force.

Thus, instead of standing your ground as the world does, let us stand on the promises of God, and be willing to hear when He speaks, for if we do, we can be saved a whole lot of problems and repercussions if we had gone the revenge route.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will encourage us to listen, for even though we are beset with dangers on every side, God still has one thousand ways and means of resolving difficulties, which to human minds may seem to be evasive. Let’s read:

Proverbs 3: 4 So shalt thou find favor and a 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.

                                   God Bless!

How Not To Bow. Sabbath afternoon 07/05/2025

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

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

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Because we live in an age of idolatry, and many may not seem to understand what it is, we must seek to learn what God is saying to us in those first passages when He commands us not bow down or serve gods and graven images.

In most instances in our day, the protestant world does not literally bow down to any physical graven image or idol. Those days, for the most part, are for all intents and purposes behind us, speaking of the contemporary Christianity of the day.

However, there are other false gods, and idols which have replaced those of wood and stone from years gone by. And there’s a whole lot of bowing down in our day, that persons may not understand to be the very thing God speaks against in the law.

And it is a fact that modern idolatry bears sway, the same as idolatry did in ancient times, and in certain instances it is even worse. Thus, we should seek to understand the full extent of the commandment, so that it can be uprooted from our hearts through the power of The Holy Ghost, in cooperation with our freedom of choice.

The commandment begins by forbidding persons to have any other gods except the One, and only true God. To have other gods means several things, such as to hold in reverence above God, or to deem more important than God, anything or anyone, and any of God’s created works, whether they are animate, or inanimate.

It also means to make or possess any graven images for purposes of worship, or to hold a philosophical idea and concept above what the Bible says. These are the more common forms of bowing down.

Again, anything that is allowed to consume our best energies, and interests, and anything we take more pleasure spending our time, effort and resources on more than Christ and His kingdom will fall into the category of other gods.

When persons come to a point in their lives where they firmly believe that they cannot live without a certain thing, or they cannot surrender a belief or a teaching that is contrary to the scriptures, that also becomes a god. And there are a lot of immaterial gods, we must be aware of.

For instance, evolution is a philosophical god, for it contradicts the great facts of creation, and therefore when any person knowingly adheres to its teachings they are bowing down to a false god.

Another graven image in our day is that of same sex marriage, which contradicts the Biblical teaching on marriage. Therefore, if people accept alternative marriage, and lifestyles as being right, it becomes a god, and by accepting it such persons are bowing down.

In fact, many persons are bowing down to a graven image, and they have not a clue as to what they are doing in many cases. Thus, before we proceed let us see the amplified version of our first passages. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 583] It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines, and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. With many a philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah; “While the living God, as he is revealed in his Word, in Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshiped by but few. Thousands deify nature, while they deny the God of nature.

Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the Christian world today as verily as it existed among ancient Israel in the days of Elijah. The god of many professed wise men, philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists; the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges, universities and even of some theological institutions is little better than Baal, the sun god of Phoenicia.

However, after commanding us not to have any gods other than the True God the Bible says that we must not bow down to them nor serve them. This means that we must never let them dictate, stipulate, and direct what we do, for if this is done we will become subservient to them and will do their bidding in the  end.

For example, if one is in the habit of bowing down to the god of fashion, whatsoever is trending would be purchased and worn, regardless of whether it is in harmony with what God says.

In fact, it does not even have to fit properly, once it is the in thing, persons who are governed solely by the latest fad or fashion, will eventually bow down, for it is a mode of thought and action that has come to be adopted.

When Jacob was on his way back home, he required the members of his family to surrender the jewelry, and other graven images in their possession, which he describes as gods. He then buries them out of sight, to prevent a return to former false concepts.

That’s because the Bible instructs us not to adorn ourselves with jewelry, so, if Jacob is now going to bury them where his family would never find them there must be something about it that is out of line with Biblical teaching, even though it is fashionable. Let’s read:

Genesis 35: 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.

3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

Again, if a person worships at the altar of food, what ever the stomach craves will be given it, regardless of what God says. A Foodie is one who allows desire to control what is eaten, even if it is known to cause illness, disease and death.

In other words, if it tastes, smells and looks good, it will be eaten, with no consideration being given to the stipulations given by God to the human family, for our own good.

Therefore, in a nutshell, to bow down to anything or to anyone means to choose to do that which is quite contrary to what God says, and wherever that is the case, there you have a graven image, or other gods.

However, for the purposes of this Bible study we will focus specifically on what it means to bow down in our day, for many folks are bowing and do not know. When a person, tells us to do things contrary to the Bible, if we do it, we are bowing, plain and simple.

Everything the Christian does conscientiously should have its roots and foundation in the Scriptures, for if God has not ordained it and if He has forbidden it in any form or fashion, adhering to it becomes a form of bowing down.

For instance, when Moses refused to circumcise his son, because of remonstrances coming from his wife, he temporarily bowed down to her because he obeyed her voice instead of the instructions of God.

When Adam listened to Eve, instead of God, he also bowed down to his wife, and the rest is history, for his single act of bowing down, set in motion a train of circumstances that went on to produce billions of other bowers.

When against the plain command of The Lord, Joab did what David asked, by causing Uriah to be slain, and by lying when he did so, he also bowed down to David, and later on he repeated the very same error by numbering the people against the revealed will of God.

Joab obeyed David because of the philosophical concept that he held, that those who serve in any government are to yield implicit obedience to the dear leader, even if he or she directs you to do the very thing God has proscribed. Thus, it becomes a form of bowing down, for it is a flawed philosophy.

When Joab sent his befuddled narrative of Uriah’s demise in the battle to David, he bowed again for he was complicit in a crime, of which he knew better than to cover for David. And, he most likely will be lost eternally, for it seems as if he never gained the victory over bowing down.

When kings instruct their officials, and those under their employ, to tell blatant lies, if the subordinates acquiesce to the boss’ request they will be bowing down, because bearing false witness is forbidden in the Scriptures.

The reason why it’s important for us to understand the ramifications of bowing down to a false god is because when you bow down the very first time, it becomes easier to bow the second, and third time, and if there is not a change of heart, persons could become trapped in the habit of bowing.

Again, whenever pressure of any kind is brought to bear against a person to do that which they know is wrong, if they buckle, they will have bowed down.

The commandment against bowing, also includes situations where immense pressure is exerted to make you bow, even to the point where one’s life may be in danger.

And because we are living in an era where there is tremendous pressure being brought to bear against persons, for them to bow down by doing wrong, we must study from the Bible how not to bow.

The history of temptations and consequent falls of God’s people throughout the ages is replete with all different types of pressures being brought against them to turn aside from a plain thus saith The Lord.

Pressure was exerted against young Joseph, as he went about his daily duties in Potiphar’s house. He was pressured night and day to depart from truth and duty. Minding his business and not interfering with anyone, pressure would come against his poor soul, from the most unlikely source.

Mrs. Potiphar used entreaties, solicitations, praise, seduction, threats, and whining. Her efforts quite possible could have included offers to help Joseph carry out the garbage, even as she was scantily clad in provocative clothing that leaves nothing to the imagination.

She would come into Joseph’s little office and just sit there staring lustfully at the young man. Her efforts may have included financial rewards and other such incentives for Joseph to depart from strict integrity.

Day by day she would get more desperate in her efforts to exert maximum pressure, and then one day, when she couldn’t take it anymore, she tried choking Joseph into submission, until he had to run for his life with the stalker in hot pursuit.

So yes, Joseph suffered and endured tremendous pressure to bow down, yet he stood firm as a rock, not making excuses or provision for the flesh, as too many in our day often do. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.

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

In another instance in history political pressure was brought to bear against Micaiah the prophet to tell king Ahab only what he wanted to hear. Everyone in Ahab’s orbit was agreeing with his wishes, and thus, social, political, and peer pressures were employed in order to get Micaiah to bow down.

But again, he refused, as did faithful Joseph. Let us say here that it will become more and more difficult to preach the unadulterated truth, as pressures will mount against the servants of God who do. Again, when entreaty and peer pressure did not work, the king resorted to the use of force as he jailed the one who refused to bow down. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 18:12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

13 And Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

25 Then the king of Israel said, take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

26 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 return in peace.

Again, as sacred history shows, severe pressure was exerted against Mordecai to bow down to Haman, a mere mortal man. Day by day, just as it happened in Joseph’s experience, pressure was mounted against the one who would not bow.

At first, entreaty was used, then political pressure and peer pressure were employed daily, to try and wear down the servant of God, but when Mordecai refused to bow down, the last resort was the use of force, as it has always been. That pattern of exercising, and increasing pressure, used by satan through human agents is particularly troubling, and must be thoroughly understood, for it almost always begins with entreaty, but always ends with the use of brute force. Let’s read:

Esther 3: 2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, why do you transgress the king's commandment?

4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

This is what took place with Aaron, who was facing the possibility of being stoned if he didn’t acquiesce to the demands of the people. Even though Aaron himself may never have worshipped the golden calf, in the most literal sense, the fact that he succumbed under pressure, means that he bowed. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

3 And all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

4 And he received them at their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, these be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 316>317] Such a crisis demanded a man of firmness, decision, and unflinching courage; one who held the honor of God above popular favor, personal safety, or life itself. But the present leader of Israel was not of this character. Aaron feebly remonstrated with the people, but his wavering and timidity at the critical moment only rendered them more determined.

The tumult increased. A blind, unreasoning frenzy seemed to take possession of the multitude. There were some who remained true to their covenant with God, but the greater part of the people joined in the apostasy. A few who ventured to denounce the proposed image making as idolatry were set upon and roughly treated, and in the confusion and excitement they finally lost their lives.

In this dangerous life-threatening predicament what was Aaron supposed to do? The heat of the furnace has been turned up several notches, persons who dare to stand for the truth are being slain, and that frenzied mob cannot be reasoned with. What was Aaron supposed to do? Let’s read:

Patriarchs & Prophets pp 317] Aaron feared for his own safety; and instead of nobly standing up for the honor of God, he yielded to the demands of the multitude.

The Lord would have us understand that there are various kinds of pressure brought against persons to buckle and bow. There is social pressure, and there is peer pressure, there is political pressure and there is religious and financial pressure.

Again, there is that type of pressure that emanates from threats against your person, where if you were to refuse to bow, your life can be endangered. In the case of Joseph, Mrs. Potiphar exerted much social pressure upon the young man, and when seduction and entreaty would not work, she resorted to brute force.

Hence the reason why, when Moses asked Aaron of what the people did to him, to cause him to buckle and bow, he referred to the immense pressure that was exerted against his soul which caused him to do the unthinkable. But at the end of the day, it was his own decision. Let’s read:

Exodus 32: 21 And Moses said unto Aaron, what did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

23 For they said unto me, make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 320] The great leader summoned his guilty brother and sternly demanded “What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?” Aaron endeavored to shield himself by relating the clamors of the people; that if he had not complied with their wishes, he would have been put to death.

In the not too distant future, the Bible again warns us that tremendous pressure to bow down to false gods, will be exerted, and this will be coming from all sides of the political and religious spectrums.

The pressure campaign is scheduled to begin with entreaty, peer pressure, financial pressure and the type of pressure that was exercised by the clergy in years gone by. Persons will be encouraged to make a deal, by exchanging their souls for some temporary gain, only if they will bow down.

As it was throughout history, the use of force will be the last resort after incentives and other sweeteners do not work. There will be tremendous pressure to bow down in order to retain your rights, and we can expect these pressures to be coming from unlikely sources.

The mark of the beast spoken of in Revelation is a pressure campaign to get the people of God to bow down to a false system of worship, and efforts will be made in the extreme, to starve individuals into compliance. But when these and other measures are exhausted, there will be only one more tool in the tool box, the use of brute force for this is the very last page of the playbook used by man’s mortal foe, through human agencies. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

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

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

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

Then the servant of The Lord lays out in a graphic manner, what kinds of pressure and arm twisting we should expect from frenemies and foes alike. This is none other than a wakeup call for us to renew our commitment to serving and obeying God first. Let’s read:

[G.C. pages 607>608] As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold, and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment-keepers. They’ll 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.

Blinded by Satan, the parent will exercise harshness and severity toward the believing child; the master or mistress will oppress the commandment-keeping servant. Affection will be alienated; children will be disinherited, and driven from home.

As the defenders of truth refuse to honor the Sunday-sabbath, some of them will be thrust into prison, some will be exiled, some will be treated as slaves. To human wisdom, all this now seems impossible; But, as the restraining Spirit of God shall be withdrawn from men, and they shall be under the control of Satan, who hates the divine precepts, there will be strange developments. The heart can be very cruel when God's fear and love are removed.

As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren.

The following steps are therefore necessary for you to know how not to bow, and they are outlined in a simple format, so that any and every one can make all the necessary preparations, in cooperation with the Holy Ghost.

[1] Let your decision to follow Jesus all the way be a well thought out decision, not based on emotions, feelings, or peer pressure from your fellow church members. Weigh the pros and cons very carefully, and then, take a firm stand for Christ.

Pay very close attention to the following passages, for the words were spoken by Christ in the context of what it means to be a disciple. Try your best not to get hung up on the radical nature of the passage, for it is indeed what is needed, if individuals are to learn how not to bow. Let’s read:

Luke 14: 25 And there went great multitudes with  him: and he turned, and said unto them,

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever dosn’t bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first and counts the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and isn’t able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, this man began to build and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassage, and desires conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

[2] Try by the grace of God to be a person of your word, meaning that a yes is a yes, and a no is a hell no. Sitting on the fence, indecisions, lukewarmness, and not being able to make up your mind would not help anyone to stand firm, in refusing to bow.

With some Christians you do not know if they are coming or going, for in some cases, when feathers are ruffled, or toes are stepped on, some become discouraged or angry because of the nature of the Christian experience.

As a Christian you will have some sunny days, and some rainy days. You will have some mountaintop experiences, and you will have valley experiences. The Christian’s life is not all a bed of roses, for roses do have some thorns in them. When a baptismal vow is taken, ask God to give you the strength, courage, fortitude, and endurance to stay the course with Christ until the very end, even if at times there may be ups and downs, with some bruises. Let’s read:

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

Revelation 3: 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Psalms 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

4….. “He that swears to his own hurt, and changes not.”

[3] Be humble enough to ask God for strength, and grace to run the Christian race, for it is not for the swiftest, or the strongest, but for those who learn the critically important lesson, that it’s not by might, nor by power, but by God’s Holy Spirit.

The Christian wins his battles on his knees, so if you are not in the habit of praying for strength to face the challenges and vicissitudes of life, it will just be a matter of time before the heat of the furnace will cause you to bow down, in some form or fashion.

Check out the following reading very carefully, for it echoes the statements made in Ephesians 6, where Paul declares that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] If one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God, and to trust to his own strength, he is sure to fall. Man is contending with foes who are stronger than he. It is impossible for us in our own strength to maintain the conflict; The tenor of the Bible is to inculcate distrust of human power and to encourage trust in divine power.

The pressure to bow down is scheduled to increase, and the arm twisting will be ratcheted up as the day for Christ’s coming draws near. Let us therefore be firm and immoveable in our convictions of truth and duty trusting in God for everything we need to make it to the finish line.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that would encourage us to ask God for help in times of need, for there is not a single person who has ever lived, who refused the pressure to bow down, on their own. That’s why Christ says emphatically that without me you can do nothing. Let’s read:

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

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

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

                                       God Bless!

Debunking Taboos about Sabbath And Sunday. Sabbath afternoon 06/28/2025

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

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

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

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

The seventh day Sabbath has always been, and will always be the memorial of God’s creation. It was so at creation, it was valid when Christ walked on this earth, and today, in 2025 the Sabbath is still fine and doing well. It will never be abrogated, deleted, and it will stand the test of time and eternity.

There is nothing that mortal man can do, and there is nothing satan and his minions can do to stop the original Sabbath from occurring and recurring every week, and in addition to this, there will always be a people upon the earth to worship God on His sacred day, and who will keep the memory of it alive.

The efforts being made by the man of sin to stymie the seventh day Sabbath is doomed to fail signally, and when the world, following in the footsteps of Rome, will seek to enforce Sunday as the official day of worship, there will be persons like the “Certain Jews” of ancient Babylon, who will never bow.

They may kill all they want, and they may attempt to starve persons into compliance, or they may remove all economic privileges, they may ostracize, criticize, penalize and disenfranchise but there will always be a faithful people upon the earth to worship The lord on His special day, and there is no one, and there is nothing that can stop it.

In the days of Mt Sinai, where many were seduced into bowing down to the golden calf, there were a faithful few who never bowed. In ancient Babylon, when Nebuchadnezzar instituted a false form of forced worship, there were a faithful few who never bowed.

Again, during the days of Ahab and Jezebel, when a deadly form of idol worship had spread across the land, there were at least 7001 faithful persons who never bowed. And during the dark ages, when Rome sought to extinguish the knowledge of the Sabbath, the Ethiopian Coptic church took up the slack, and there were many others who never bowed down.

This is what God says, and this is what He means as He declares that the Sabbath will remain, and exist throughout all generations, and into eternity. God says it we believe it, and that settles it. Let’s read:

Isaiah 66: 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

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

However, there are some taboos about the Sabbath and also about Sunday worship that must be made plain, or debunked where necessary so that persons who will be tasked with taking the final warning to earth’s inhabitants will have a clear understanding of the issues at stake, and thus, be equipped to give the trumpet a certain sound.

The reason why these taboos must be visited, and in some cases debunked is because there are things in the Scriptures that might not have been previously understood clearly. In addition to this, there’s a very serious statement, and caution made by the servant of The Lord, of which we all must be cognizant. Let’s read:

[Testimonies for the Church pp 707] I have been shown that many who profess to have a knowledge of present truth know not what they believe. They do not understand the evidences of their faith.

When the time of trial shall come, there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance.

And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe; but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness.

When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.

Hence the reason why it’s important for us to revisit the taboos which over the years, may have come to be understood as truth, when in fact they are not to be found anywhere in the Scriptures.

Taboo [1] There is absolutely nothing wrong with refraining from work on Sunday. Refusing to work on Sunday in compliance with the law of the state, and federal law, whenever it does occur, does not constitute a violation of God’s law.

In the fourth commandment, God says six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of The Lord your God. This does not mean that persons are commanded to work six days of the week.

It just means that we have six available days to do our secular work, but if a person does not have to work on Sunday, that’s not a violation of God’s law. During Covid, many persons had to work shortened hours and days, and there are many who work from 9 to 5 five days a week.

Therefore, if one decides to refrain from working on Sunday when the mark of the beast is upon the land and when the laws forbid secular work on Sunday, it will not be a violation of God’s law to stop working.

In fact, if I we are alive during that time, and one of the brethren were to come by us to do an oil change on Sunday, we will have to gently rebuke you. Paul says to rebuke sharply, but he also says elsewhere to rebuke with all longsuffering.

So, our gentle rebuke will go something like this: My brother, why are you so disobedient? You know full well that it is the law of the land now to refrain from working on Sunday. Why then are you disobedient to the king? Let’s read:

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

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

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain. for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that do evil.

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

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

[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. 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.”

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

[Last Day Events pp 139] Refraining from work on Sunday is not receiving the mark of the beast.... In places where the opposition is so strong as to arouse persecution, if work is done on Sunday, let our brethren make that day an occasion to do genuine missionary work.

If they should come here and say “You must close up your work and your presses on Sunday,” I would not say to you, ... “Keep your presses going,” because the conflict does not come between you and your God.

We should not feel it enjoined upon us to irritate our neighbors who idolize Sunday by making determined efforts to bring labor on that day before them purposely to exhibit an independence.

Therefore, the brother in question who would have come to do the oil change on Sunday, when the law of the land says no work should not be done, he will now have to go by Jiffy Lube instead. No love lost!

Taboo [2] There is nothing in the Bible, or the Spirit of prophecy that forbids anyone to preach, worship, or attend church services on Sunday.

Preaching on Sunday does not make that day holy. Not long ago we had an evangelistic crusade where the Pastor held church meetings on Sunday evening, as well as other days of the week. And, as far as we can remember, the Sunday evening meetings were very well attended.

The remnant people of God could hold meetings on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Holding religious meetings on any other day of the week, whether it be daytime or night time, is not a violation of God’s law.

Again, the same brother who had come for the oil change on Sunday, when the law of the land said no work must be done, may try to prevent us preaching or having religious services on Sunday. He may see something dangerous in what we are doing, but it may a be taboo that is driving his thoughts, and his actions.

And again, we would have to rebuke him gently by saying; Why are you so disobedient my brother? Did you read anywhere in the Bible where God forbids a preacher from preaching on Sunday? The Lord tells us to preach the word, in season and out of season, and on any day of the week, as The Holy Spirit will guide. Let’s read:

Acts 20: 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

[Last Day Events pp 140] Sunday can be used for carrying forward various lines of work that will accomplish much for the Lord. On this day open-air meetings and cottage meetings can be held. House-to-house work can be done.

Whenever it is possible, let religious services be held on Sunday. Make these meetings intensely interesting. Sing genuine revival hymns, and speak with power and assurance of the Savior's love.

Taboo [3] The keeping of the Seventh day Sabbath is not a winning ticket to heaven, all by itself. The faith of Jesus has to be included because the Sabbath day does not save anyone. It never has, and it never will, for salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone.

Even though the seventh day Sabbath is the point of faith especially controverted by the man of sin, and also by apostate Protestantism, the keeping of the Sabbath, all by itself, without Jesus in the midst, will never save a single soul.

It is true that God is calling the attention of earth’s inhabitants to His downtrodden law, so that we may worship Him in spirit and in truth, and yes, because the mark of the beast centers around a false system of worship, we have to focus on the elephant in the room, by preaching the Sabbath.

But in doing so, let us never forget that the 7th day, in and of itself, cannot save anyone, because it is the shedding of Christ’s blood that opens up to all, the possibility of having eternal life, and therefore it is a combination of the keeping of the commandments, including the Sabbath, and the faith of Jesus, that The Lord will be looking for.

The faith of Jesus will inevitably lead every sincere- hearted person to do as Jesus did, for He exercised implicit faith in God, but He also kept all of God’s commandments. Thus, a heavy emphasis on the 7th day Sabbath must not be allowed to crowd out the blood of Jesus. Let’s read:

John 14: 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Revelation 14: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

It is a solemn statement that is made that many of those who have kept the Sabbath in previous years will eventually take the mark of the beast whenever crunch time comes around, and the furnace heat is turned up several notches.

Remember sacred history, for those who lived in the days of Christ’s were keeping the Sabbath faithfully, while at the same time they were slaying Him. Also, the rich young ruler was a Sabbath keeper, but he refused the faith of Jesus, and the rest is history.

So, let us reemphasize the truths in the matter: Keeping the Sabbath, all by itself is not a winning ticked to glory. It never has been, and it never will be. Let’s read:

John 19: 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was a high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Matthew 19: 16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 And he said unto him, why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou will enter into life, keep the commandments.

18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 Honor thy father and thy mother: and, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, all these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

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

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

It becomes obvious that there are taboos about the Sabbath and Sunday that may have been cherished without any Scriptural basis, and therefore, we must now investigate thoroughly, what are the real issues at stake.

Question: What is real issue at stake that is being referenced in Revelation chapters 13 and 14?

Answer: The real issue has to do with the manmade attempts to try to transfer the sacredness of the 7th day Sabbath, to the first day of the week. This can’t be done, and therefore, anyone who believes it can be done, after the outpouring of the latter rain, will, by their choice, be sealing their doom for eternity.

When God instituted the Sabbath in Eden, the Bible says that He rested “In” and He rested “On” the 7th day so that it was His presence that He inserted into the Sabbath day that makes it holy. Let’s read:

Genesis 2: 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.

The same issue of God’s presence is true concerning the burning bush that Moses saw, for prior to that, Moses had known that spot as just a regular place. But, when God’s presence is inserted into the time and place, it becomes holy. Let’s read:

Exodus 3: 4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, here am I.

5 And he said, draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Joshua 5: 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?

15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Therefore, no man cannot transfer God’s presence to any other day, including Sunday, for if man can do so he will become greater than God, and this my friend is a non-starter. Hence the reason why the prophets point out the specifics of the issue, so that we may have it streamlined in our minds. Let’s read:

1st Thessalonians 2: 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there comes a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

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

Daniel 7: 24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

25 And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

Therefore, if anyone comes to the conclusion that a mere mortal man has the authority or the power to move God’s presence from one day to the next, that person will be designated as being deceived.

And if a change of heart and perspective does not occur, that person will eventually take the mark of the beast, because the number 666 is the number denoting man’s authority as being superior to God’s, or so they think.

Man was created on the sixth day of the week, and therefore, any system that has the three sixes at its core is representative of an attempt to eliminate God out of the human equation, and this is what will bring earth’s probation to a permanent, and irreversible close. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 133>134] When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges; Enforcing Sunday observance and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath;

The law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land, and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. It is at the time of the national apostasy when, acting on the policy of Satan, the rulers of the land will rank themselves on the side of the man of sin.

When Protestant churches shall unite with secular power to sustain a false religion, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution then will the papal sabbath be enforced by the combined authority of church and state.

When the state shall use its power to enforce the decrees and sustain the institutions of the church—then will Protestant America have formed an image to the papacy, and there will be a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin.

Thus, according to what is written both in the Bible and also in the Spirit of Prophecy, the real issue has to do with the attempts to officially authorize the transfer of the sacredness of the 7th day Sabbath, to Sunday, a regular working day, and the consequent enforcement, coercing the people to work over the sacred hours.

If any person, for mere economic reasons decides to bow down, by accepting the sign of allegiance to a man instead of God, then, satan will never force you to go to church on Sunday. He will gladly permit you to stay at home, once you have your clearance from the authorities to buy and sell.

In fact, the devil couldn’t care less whether you go to church on Sunday or on Sabbath because in Islam Sunday is not a sacred day neither is the Sabbath, as Friday is to some extent, a day for prayer in Islam.

Therefore, once a person decides that come what may, they are going to retain all of their economic privileges, no matter what the cost, accepting the mark will inevitably be the next move.

The issue at stake for the remnant people of God is not really about not working on Sunday, or about if you preach or attend religious services on Sunday. It is about whether or not you would bow down to the powers that be, by working on, or violating the holy Sabbath that has been given to us in God’s law.

The truths, and the issues pertaining to the mark of the beast and also to the true worship of God on His holy day should be clear cut in our minds, for there will be many side orders and distractions that would cause some folk to fret unnecessarily over a nothing burger, as the case might be.

The three Hebrew worthies actually came up to the dedication of nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, for they had been commanded to do so, but that in and of itself did not constitute a violation of God’s law.

The violations of God’s law would have occurred if they had bowed down to the graven image contrary to that which is clearly written in the Decalogue, if, under pressure, they had decided to go that route.

In closing, it is of critical importance for the you and me in the here and now to exercise and practice the faith of Jesus, by obeying God’s law, and trusting in Jesus implicitly.

The little bow wows which occur in situations where we choose to work in secular fields just for the sake of some temporary gain, will eventually place us in a compromised position where we will become quite vulnerable to the assaults of the devil.

To put it plainly, we will have to practice not bowing when things are going smoothly, so that whenever the heat of the furnace is turned up several notches, we would have been in the habit of obeying God in good times and bad.

The three Hebrew boys practiced not bowing on the issue of diet and foods, and since the Bible says that he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, they were primed for prime time when the big one came around.

Under no circumstances should you permit anyone to force you to do any secular work over the sacred hours, for if you do, you will become the sport of circumstances, and it will just be a matter of time before such persons buckle and fall.

God is willing and able to keep us from falling, but He does not bypass our freedom of choice to force us to do right. It’s always our own personal decision, and if we choose to willingly obey Him, He will grant us the needed strength to face any emergency.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which certifies this sacred truth and we hope and pray that all of us would be found faithful, even as disturbing developments are looming on the horizon. Let’s read:

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men.

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.      

                                    God Bless!

All Roads Lead To Revelation 13. Sabbath afternoon 06/21/2025

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.

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 Bible has given us great prophetic waymarks so that we might know where we are in the stream of time. We are living at a time when the unthinkable is becoming the new abnormal, and things that we thought of as set in stone are now being shattered to pieces in a very short period of time.

The prophecies pointing to the last days of earth’s history, must therefore be studied very carefully, for a correct understanding of them will shape choices and decisions that the Christian makes. For instance, if indeed prime time is at our doorsteps, we would need to be found in the latter rain mode of thought and action.

The latter rain mode is a completely different way of doing things where normal living and your everyday duties would have to switch gears, and give way to those activities you find in the book of Acts.

Thus, if as it seems, that indeed the stars are lining up, and the prophecies are becoming a reality, those who know what’s coming would need to have a very serious talk with God, as per regrouping, meaning that we will need God to direct our every move.

When ever any hurricane is churning in the Atlantic, with a predicted landfall in the United States, most insurance companies find it necessary to do things differently. Hence the reason why they stop writing new homeowner policies for the potentially affected areas, in anticipation of storm damage.

Similarly, if indeed the hand writing is on the wall as it seems to be, we will need to do things differently, in harmony with the urgency of the moment, which means that current modes of thought, and action together with our priorities will need to be revisited.

In our first passage the Bible tells us that the lamb-like beast will begin to speak like a dragon, and The Lord will have us understand that all roads are now leading to the fulfillment of that prophecy.

It is not happening in a vacuum, because the seeds were being sown for a number of years, and thus, what is taking place is just a culmination of actions and laws that have been paving the way all along, so that the necessary mechanisms for implementation of Revelation 13 could be put in place.

Therefore, before we outline in graphic terms what “All Roads” means, we must first understand what it means to speak like a dragon. The conscience of any nation is its legislature, and the laws that are made and enforced are the determinations and decisions that flow from the judiciary.

Thus, according to the scripture, whereas previously there was a situation where peaceful policies, justice, mercy and kindness manifested by the lamblike beast were the hall marks that made her a beacon of hope to many, the Scriptures are telling us that a radical change in her modus operandi is coming for sure.

To speak like a dragon means that the judiciary, and the legislative branches of government collaborate to bring about those changes that would make the founding fathers turn in their graves, because in Revelation 13, God reveals that religious liberty will one day come to an end.

In other words, the freedom to worship The God of heaven according to the dictates of one’s conscience will become a thing of the past and a false system of worship will be enforced upon the people, with the threat, and implementation of economic sanctions, following in its wake.

Hence the reason why Revelation 13 begins with the composite beast, meaning that we’ll need to study the characteristics of the kingdoms thus mentioned, to observe whether or not the very same modes of thought and actions are taking place in the here and now.

So, let’s start with the composite beast. From what is written, the composite beast characteristics found in those three kingdoms, are also to be found in the book of Daniel. That is why John saw a leopard-like beast, with characteristics of the bear, and the lion Let’s read:

Revelation 12:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having

seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

The leopard-like composite beast is without doubt a reference to the papacy, for it says that one of his heads was wounded unto death, which refers to the time in 1798 when the pope was taken prisoner by the French general Berthier, and later died in prison.

Daniel also makes mention of the Leopard when he saw in vision four beasts coming up out of the sea. The lion is the first beast which he saw, then came the Bear, then the Leopard, and after that a terrible nondescript beast with ten horns. Let’s read:

Daniel 7: 2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

5 And behold another beast, a second like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Then the unerring interpretation of the beasts in the vision is given, for the Bible specifies that they are kingdoms that would rule over the earth, beginning with ancient Babylon and ending with the last of the kingdoms mentioned in Revelation 13. Let’s read:

Daniel 7:16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So, he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

23 Thus he said, the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

Thus, the Lion, the bear, and the Leopard all point to the ancient kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece respectively, the first three of four kingdoms revealed by God to Nebuchadnezzar, and then came the fourth beast or kingdom, which refers to Rome. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep broke from him.

36 This is the dream and we’ll tell the interpretation thereof before the king.

37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

Thus, the composite beast of Revelation 13 will have characteristics of the other three kingdoms that are mentioned by Daniel and John. However, because of the constraints of time, we are now going to zero in on the first Kingdom of Babylon, because there are some chilling similarities that should be observed.

John says specifically that the composite beast of Revelation 13 had a mouth like a Lion, and since it is a fact that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, we must pin down the reason why he saw this feature in his vision.

The reason why this is so important is because John says that the lamb-like beast exercises all the power of the composite beast. In other words, the lion in the composite beast speaks, and the lamb-like beast also speaks, mirroring very closely what lion did and said.

The Lion in the vision is a reference to the kingdom of ancient Babylon, being the very first of the beasts Daniel saw, and then the interpretation was given to Nebuchadnezzar: “Thou art this head of gold.” Thus, we are going to focus specifically on Babylon, the Lion.

Question: What was Babylon famous for?

Answer: It was famous for its buildings, its hanging gardens and its false system of worship, instituted by Nebuchadnezzar, and enforced by the king and the judiciary.

Nebuchadnezzar himself was a great builder, and he took great pride in adorning his palaces with gold. That’s one of reasons why the Scripture says: “Thou art this head of gold.” So, we will make that our first point. Nebuchadnezzar was a great builder, and he also loved to adorn his palaces with gold.

It is stated by Herodotus that an abundance of gold embellished the kingdom of Babylon, from the very throne Nebuchadnezzar sat upon, to the table, and altar. And the robes of the Babylonian priests were interlaced with gold. So yes, Nebuchadnezzar was a great builder and he loved a whole lot of gold.

But the Bible also reveals that Nebuchadnezzar also loved praise and adoration by his subjects, and thus, in harmony with his craving for praise, he instituted a false system of worship that he forced upon all the people of his realm, on pain of death to dissenters.

Nebuchadnezzar, all by himself, could never enforce the religious dogmas he instituted, and therefore he would need the help of the judiciary and those who enforce the laws of Babylon to do the ground work.

Therefore, those whom he invites to the dedication of the image would be of critical importance to the carrying out of his mandate. Pay very close attention to the list of invitees, because they are strategically selected, and they would play a major role in how the Lion, as well as the lamb-like beast speaks. Let’s read:

Daniel 3: 2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Therefore, in order for Nebuchadnezzar to exercise unlimited control in carrying forward his agenda, he must first have the personnel governing the various agencies under his direct control.

 The Bible leaves no room for error on this point, for as was stated, the king must of necessity include the Governors, the Judges, the Sheriffs and the captains of the military to help with enforcement, and last, but not least, he would also need the treasurers to be onboard.

 Here again are the most important governmental agencies the king sought to exercise direct control over, for if he could get them to cooperate with his agenda, the rest of the population would be forced to follow, and the false system of worship would be the law of the land.

The Governors, the Sheriffs, the Military, the Judges, and the treasurers. You are probably scratching your heads now, as you ponder Revelation 13, because the prophet John was shown in the vision, that the lamblike beast will be manifesting some of the same characteristics and actions as the three kingdoms.

And, from what is being clearly manifested on the world stage, it seems as if there are a whole lot of lions, bears, and leopards running around nowadays which means, that inevitably, all roads will lead to Revelation 13, sooner rather than later.

Several questions now need to be answered from the Bible, so as to give a broad and comprehensive picture of what is looming on the horizon. You will notice that all the invitees to the dedication have one thing in common, they all have enforcement authority.

Question [1] Why would Nebuchadnezzar need to have the treasurers under his direct control?

Answer: The treasurers could obviously play a vital role in the enforcement of economic sanctions on any dissenters to the false system of worship. Let’s read:

Revelation 13: 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.

Question [2] Why would Nebuchadnezzar need the Sheriffs and the military?

Answer: For the enforcement of his agenda on any who may disagree. The tendency to punish, attack or censure all those who did not agree with the king was a prominent characteristic of ancient Babylon. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:11 And whosoever falls not down and worships, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

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.

Again, nebuchadnezzar will need all the governors across Babylon to be onboard, for they were a vital link in the chain of command and in doing the king’s bidding, they would exercise jurisdiction over their specific provinces.

But the most troubling of all the invitees are those judges who showed up in support of their king. The reason why the presence of the judges should alarm us is because the judiciary represents the last line of defense in any government.

In other words, if something wrong is to be made the law of the land, the judges could present the most formidable roadblocks, and they can stall out, and derail the king’s desires, or they can acquiesce and be complicit in legalizing evils.

Thus, if Nebuchadnezzar the king wants to enforce his agenda, he would need the judges of the land to be onboard, and according to what is written, if they resist, they too would be made objects of his ire. It’s a no brainer.

What is even more worrisome is that the judges of the land apparently bowed down, for the immense pressure brought to bear against them caused them to cave in, lest they too become “friends” with the 3 Hebrew worthies, and thereby be on the menu.

One by one, the Governors, the Treasurers, sheriffs, the military, and Judges buckled under tremendous pressure, for their lives were hanging in the balance, and therefore, rather than stand up for right, they went the route of self-preservation. Let’s read:

Daniel 3: 3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then a herald cried aloud, to you it is commanded O people, nations, and languages,

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

6 And whosoever falls not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Again, it cannot be stressed enough that the judges are your last line of defense, for this was made manifest when persons in authority were then seeking to condemn Jesus Christ, to put Him to death.

They could not do so without a legal framework and thus, they turned to their last line of defense, found in the judiciary. What those officials were doing was dead wrong, but they needed the law on their side.

In other words, the trial must have the appearance of legitimacy and Jesus must be found in violation of some law of the land, in order for His condemnation to appear to have a legal foundation. Let’s read:

John 18: 12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,

28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover.

29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

31 Then said Pilate unto them, take you him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

John 19: 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Matthew 27: 24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see you to it.

Tremendous pressure was brought to bear against the judge, in this case, Pilate, hence the reason why when we read in Daniel chapter 3, that the judges also buckled under pressure we must be concerned.

In fact, it is because history is often repeated, why the Bible says that all roads will inevitably lead to Revelation 13. Persons must therefore observe if and when the same characteristics, or actions taken by the king of Babylon, may resurface at any time. Let’s read:

[G.C pp 442] The lamb-like horns and dragon voice of the symbol, point to a striking contradiction between the professions and the practice of the nation thus represented. The “speaking” of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities.

The prediction that it will speak as a dragon and exercise all the power of the first beast plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and the leopard-like beast.

Revelation 13 is therefore a precursor to the close of human probation, for whenever man worship takes center stage across the world, whenever the Judges, the Sheriffs, the Treasurers, and the captains of the Military are in lockstep with man worship, it will be time for decision making, as to who you will or will not bow down to.

The issue in revelation 13 and 14 is without doubt an issue of worship, and because worship is much more about obedience than praise, who we worship will make all the difference between life and death.

God is now sounding an alarm in His holy mountain, calling on all the inhabitants of earth to awake, as it were out of slumber, for there’s a particular urgency to the moment, and the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our eternal destiny. Let’s read:

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand.

It is now of critical importance that Christians the world over, and persons of different persuasions to know that the Sabbath, the sign of God’s creative power, is still valid, and all who are in the valley of decision are encouraged and strongly advised to do as Jesus did.

Jesus manifested perfect faith in God The Father by obeying all of His commandments, and since the term Christian means “Little Christ” all who name the name of Jesus Christ are invited to follow in His footsteps, by believing and obeying God’s laws.

Revelation 13 could be just around the corner, and persons should not wait until it is too late to make your move. The issues at stake are not so much the economic and the political as they are spiritual, for whomsoever persons decide to worship will affect their economic status downstream.

The only fortification against the last day events that are predicted in Revelation 13 and 14 is obedience to God in everything, especially the keeping of the Sabbath, which is the memorial of His creative work, and the exercise of an intelligent faith in Him.

Again, all roads are leading to Revelation chapter 13 as is manifested in the wars, rumors of wars and the utter dismantling of the norms, and systems persons have become accustomed to over the years.

The writing is already on the wall, together with the interpretation, so that all who so desire might make their calling and election sure. Do not wait for it to happen, before you make your move, so if you are a Sunday keeping Christian, a Buddhist an evangelical, an agnostic, or a secularist, God is calling you.

As the scripture says today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. The lamblike beast has now begun to speak like a dragon, the treasurers and the judges, the Governors and the military will be under tremendous pressure to bow down, and if persons are not shielded by Christ alone, there is no hope for you.

We therefore end with a passage of Scripture that will help us to navigate the new abnormal, for the things that are written in the Bible would certainly come to pass, even if persons may not believe it. Let’s read:

1st Thessalonians 5:2 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.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

                                  God Bless!

The Angel In The Sky. Sabbath afternoon 06/14/2025

1st Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

18 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

27 And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord.

The narrative speaks of a time in the history of the Hebrews, when David made a very grave mistake in numbering the people. The action was assessed by God to be sinful to the level of iniquity, even though many people might not know what is the big deal in merely taking a census at that time.

Because darkness has overspread the land and gross darkness has enveloped the people, individuals are becoming blinded to the seriousness of sin, and, in many cases, evils are not assessed as being such, to the point where many interpret good, as being evil, and vice versa.

When nations and people become desensitized by the repetition and fostering of sinful acts, there will come a time when there will be an angel in the sky, either literally or figuratively, to bring back a reality check that has for all intents and purposes been missing in action.

Therefore, as we go through the study, we will look for pointers, waymarks and lessons to be derived so that we can make practical application, adjustments and changes in our perspectives and practice where warranted.

The first verse of the chapter tells us that satan was successful in infiltrating the mind of king David with a thought, and a suggestion that were in harmony with David’s desires, and because the devil reasons along strictly logical modes of thought, the idea may have seemed reasonable to David. Let’s read:

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

Pay close attention to the nature of the temptation for it seems quite harmless, and in the interest of the nation. It’s not like with Bathsheba, where the devil took advantage of David as he was feeling the feelings, as one calypsonian put it.

This temptation was as simple and logical as it gets, for the infused thought is just to check and see how many soldiers you have in the army, and how many more are of fighting age so that David could order a conscription as he sees fit.

Later on in the narrative, what seemed to be logical and so harmless turns out to be a great sin and also iniquity. Thus, the question is: Why would such an action by the king, cause The Lord to be so greatly displeased, that in response, He sends an angel in the sky to destroy? Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21: 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go and number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore, he smote Israel.

8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

Before drawing conclusions, and vital lessons from the narrative, it is important to answer the question as to why God was displeased, and why the action David took is described as a great sin and iniquity.

By ordering the census, David was actually stealing God’s glory, by taking credit for victories gained by the power of God alone. Thus, by increasing the size of the army, he would give the impression that the strength of his forces was in numbers, and not in God.

Therefore, by attributing his former victories to the strength and size of his army, he virtually removes the God-factor from the equation, and when this is done, the credit for our accomplishments inevitably goes to the human agent. This my friends, is a great sin in God’s sight. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my

hand? And the Lord said unto David, go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

24 And let it be, that when you hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, you shall bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

25 And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

This victory was due to God alone as He sent forth His angels to rush the Philistines from the tree tops, and thus, whatsoever David did or did not do in this instance, pales in significance to what God did for him. In other words, the glory, or credit belonged to God alone.

Here it is again, as David faces Goliath, he knows he dare not tackle him, so as he had always done in the  past, he turns to God for help, and like clockwork,  his faith is rewarded.

It would have been totally impossible for David to take down the giant, for according to the narrative, Goliath was not only armed to the tooth, but he was also protected by state of the art armor.

Whenever God uses a person to accomplish a great work, that individual should be very careful not to attribute success to their own might and power, as if the victory were theirs. This is a form of stealing and must be avoided at all costs. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

Mechanics, jewelers, and engineers often rely on brass hammers to avoid damaging sensitive components. Their versatility and safety features make them a valuable addition to any toolkit, ensuring efficient and careful work across different applications.

Thus, brass will offer much better protection from any incoming missile or spear, for it would absorb a lot of the impact shock of steel or any other hard material. 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.

34 And David said unto Saul, thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock.

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that you come to me with staves? And the Philistine  cursed David by his gods.

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore, after many similar deliverances over the span of many years, for David to say go number the people, as if success was ever in numbers, caused God to be greatly displeased.

Taking God’s glory, or credit to yourself is what had caused Moses and Aaron not to enter the promised land, for when they said angrily, “Must we fetch water” they gave the people the impression that the miraculous works of The Lord were to be attributed to themselves.

And that’s a huge problem, for if they could exercise miraculous power to bring forth water from the rock independent of God, then, the logical conclusion is that they inherently possess supernatural power, of their own, something which no created being must ever claim.

And no sooner had they succumbed to the devices of satan, the response came from God, that they were not to enter Canaan. There are some difficult lessons we will have to learn, before the latter rain is poured out, for many will have to be divested of self, before the glory of God is seen upon them. Let’s read:

Numbers 20: 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

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

Whenever the latter rain is poured out upon all flesh God will again be using some of His servants to work miracles of healing, but that power to heal is never to be exercised independent of God, or to serve any selfish, personal purpose. Hence the reason why it is so important why we understand why God quickly announced that both Aaron and Moses would die.

Here is the same problem occurring again, where the tendency to take the glory of God’s miraculous work to themselves, caused The Lord to send back home 31,700 men, who otherwise might seem to have been motivated to do The Lord’s work.

Were they eager, yes, they were, were they willing, yes, they were, but the attitude of attributing the victory to the human agent, leaves Gideon with only 300 men, and the reason is given in the Scriptures, so that we will understand why God was displeased when David numbered the people. Let’s read:

Judges 7: 2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

The reason why we are spending so much time on the issue of stealing God’s glory, is because it could affect the answers you may, or may not get to your prayers. It is that serious, for if there’s a tendency in the individual to take credit for success and victory, your prayers could actually go unanswered.

In the case of Elijah, when he was at the top of Mt. Carmel, where, if he had failed, he would be torn in pieces, he relied entirely upon God, and his humble dependence bore fruit in an immediate answer to his single, simple prayer. Let’s read:

1st Kings 18: 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

But after a day of great victory, you have to be very careful, lest your head gets swollen, and you begin to think that it was something about you that gave you the victory. It is never about you and me, it has everything to do with God whether it be in spiritual or temporal lines.

Very often, after the Christian has experienced great mountaintop blessings, satan is waiting and drooling for you in the valley below, and like David, he might tempt us to go, “number the people.”

Thus, Elijah who had prayed only once for fire, had to now pray seven times for rain. So, the question is why? Why is it that The same God who answered him so quickly at first, now seemed to have gone blank on him? There has to be some valid reason why. Let’s read:

1st Kings 19: 9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am  left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

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

[R.H. May 26, 1891, par 8] The prophet did not give up in discouragement. He kept reviewing his life, to see where he had failed to honor God, he confessed his sins, and thus continued to afflict his soul before God, while watching for a token that his prayer was answered.

As he searched his heart, he seemed to be less and less, both in his own estimation, and in the sight of God. It seemed to him that he was nothing, and that God was everything; and when he reached the point of renouncing self, while he clung to the Savior as his only strength and righteousness, the answer came.

This tendency to steal God’s glory is what caused Nebuchadnezzar to eat grass for seven long years. The following excerpt is of critical importance to us, especially since we live in an age where persons are manifesting a very strong tendency to take the glory and credit of their accomplishments to themselves. Let’s read:

[C.O.L pp 349] It was Christ who gave to the builders of the tabernacle wisdom to execute the most skillful and beautiful workmanship. He said, “See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. God desires that His workers in every line shall look to Him as the Giver of all they possess. All right inventions and improvements have their source in Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working.

The skillful touch of the physician's hand, his power over nerve and muscle, his knowledge of the delicate organism of the body, is the wisdom of divine power, to be used in behalf of the suffering. The skill with which the carpenter uses the hammer, the strength with which the blacksmith makes the anvil ring, comes from God.

Daniel 4:30 The king spoke, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?

31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most-High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.

Thus, with the numerous examples there before us, let’s see what lessons we can learn from the story of David numbering the people have gone because, we have a funny feeling that one day soon, we in our day may soon see an angel in the sky, either literally or figuratively. Pay close attention to the lessons.

You will observe in the narrative that Joab was well aware of the sinfulness of David’s command, thus it was a well-informed decision that he made to move forward in obeying David. He was quite upset when he did so, but he did it anyway. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people a hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

Lesson [1] God honors deliberate, well informed choices persons make even if the choices are made with great hesitation and reservation. Even if you had second thoughts, or you were very upset when the decision was made, it still stands as a decision in the courts of heaven, once it was well informed.

Even though Joab hated the command given him by David, and even though he was greatly upset while he was doing so, it still counts as a solid decision in the books of heaven because he was well informed about what he was doing.

Again, when the children of Israel clamored for a king, they were not to be left in darkness about the bad things the king would do. All of the gory details were laid bare before them, so that their decisions would be made with a clear knowledge of what they were getting into.

Therefore, afterwards, when they would suffer from buyer’s remorse, and the oppression of their king would start to bite them, their deep regrets would not change the facts on the ground, and they were not to expect God to deliver them quickly from the well-informed choices that were made.

There are situations where because of a bad choice on the part of some individuals, irreparable harm is done, and no amount of confessing or handwringing will change the facts of consequence. You may have a genuine change of heart, but once the horses have  left the barn, damage will occur at some level.

Individuals, as well as nations, are responsible not only for good decisions, but also for bad ones when such choices are well informed up front. We must be very careful of harboring erroneous concepts of deliverance from God, for He respects all decisions that are made deliberately.

When the mark of the beast raises its ugly head across the land, persons will not be left in darkness as to the ramifications and consequences of their choices. In fact, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain is not given to coerce any person into refusing the mark.

The purpose of the latter rain is primarily to bring the truth in the matter, as well as the consequences of your choice to the forefront of your mind, so that none will make their decision blindly.

But, if after exposing the bare facts, a person was to still go ahead and receive the mark, God, as in times past, will respect your choice, even as you will have very deep regrets for having done so. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8: 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto  the Lord.

7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit. yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them  the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

11 And he said, this will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us;

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.

Having great regrets for making any well-informed decision does not negate the fact that you made it, and therefore, whatsoever the fallout might be, we would have to face the music, as it were. Adam was upset at Eve for eating of the fruit.

But when he himself ate of it knowing full well what he was doing, his deep remorse did not change the facts on the ground and thus, the fallout of that one fatal decision he would now have to face, grim and deadly, though it would be. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 56>57] Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to wander from his side. He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her.

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

This leads us to our second lesson:

[2] Very often, there will be collateral damage to persons and nations, who may not have had anything to do with a particular decision made by others.

1st Chronicles 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

14 So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

Some individuals struggle with the issue of collateral damage, for it seems to their minds that only those who were directly responsible should suffer for their choices or decisions. Therefore, there is something that we must be reconciled to, that the very nature of sin is to cause collateral damage.

Sometimes collateral damage occurs with the aiders and abettors, but sometimes it could also happen to persons who may have had nothing to do with the decisions made by others. This is just a fact of life in our fallen world, that we will have to be reconciled to, tough as it may be.

Joshua and Caleb were faithful, as they stood firm for the right when the other spies buckled and fell, but Joshua and Caleb had to wander in the deserts for forty years, the same as those who were guilty of rebellion.

One of the reasons God strongly cautions us not to sin is because sin has a ripple effect on others, some more, some less. These ripple effects often reach to the third and fourth generation, if indulged by those who come after in the line of succession.

Although many persons in David’s day did not like the idea of taking the census, yet some of them had cherished the same pride which often tends to steal God’s glory. Thus, by partaking of the same spirit as did David, they became guilty by association.

Not everyone at Calvary spat on Jesus or pierced His hands and feet, and not all who were present beat Him with many stripes. But the mere fact that many showed up in support of the priests, caused them to be part and parcel of the whole scheme, and they were accomplices in the abuse meted out to Christ.

Therefore, collateral damage results in many cases, to persons who may not have been directly involved with the decision making. Jesus suffered collateral damage as a result of Adam’s sin, and throughout the history of the world, nations as well as persons have had to confront the same reality.

Billions of animals perished in the flood, and yet it is a fact that they never did anything wrong. And there are many children who have died in Gaza, who were never directly involved in October 7. And yes, many who died on 9/11 had nothing to do with terrorism.

This leads us to our third lesson:

[3] Whenever bad decisions have been made, and a reversal of fortune is desired, there must be a deep soul searching, accepting of responsibility, and true repentance including turning away from the choices that were made. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his and stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

17 And David said unto God, is not it I who have commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

18 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

26 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

27 And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.

In our day, if individuals desire a change of fortunes, there must be deep soul searching and turning away from the perspectives and deceptions that too many have indulged. The Lord is merciful, and He takes no pleasure in our afflictions, but we must never try to rush Him into undoing the mess we got ourselves into.

There came a time in the narrative when the angel in the sky was commanded to put away his sword, but the timing of deliverance is entirely up to God, and we are not to get all riled up, and upset with Him if we feel He isn’t moving as fast as we would like.

It takes time for truth, mercy, justice and retribution to do their appointed work, and therefore, if folks have made well-informed bad choices, we should be willing to wait on The Lord for His mercy to be made manifest.

In the mean time we will have to bite the proverbial bullet, and we’ll have to hunker down in deep soul searching, but at the appointed time, God will hear and answer the prayers that are being lifted up in sincerity and truth.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should help us to look beyond that which is seen to that which is eternal, for tribulations will not last forever, and the time is coming soon when God will make wrongs right. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12: 11 Now, no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

                                   God Bless!

The Two Types Of Doomsday Preppers. Sabbath afternoon 06/07/2025

2nd Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

It’s not a matter of if, it is a matter of when. Those prophecies about doomsday in the above passages are real, when viewed from a scriptural perspective. The predictions might not play out exactly as some in the secular world expect, but they are going to occur nevertheless.

The world is currently in a bad state of agitation and uncertainty. Even persons who may not understand Bible prophecy have a premonition that upheaval of no ordinary character could be just on the horizon.

As individuals and nations across the earth observe the accelerated deterioration of society, which, up until recently, many had thought impossible, many are beginning to think twice, as they witness the unthinkable taking place before their eyes.

It’s all there in the Scriptures, for the Bible prophets have been saying for centuries that the unthinkable is going to happen, as we draw closer to the coming of Christ. And now that those troubled waters are lapping at our doorsteps, many have had cause for concern.

The question is, now that we know for certain that the prophecies will be coming our way, what should we do to survive. This question haunts the minds of secular individuals, as well as many within Christian circles.

Whatever comes, and however it comes, one thing is certain, most if not all persons will want to survive and because of this we must first observe what the apostle strongly advises, as it pertains to prepping.

The Writer strongly advises persons to focus their attention on three things. [1] Godly conversation. [2] Holiness. [3] Looking for and hasting unto the coming of The Lord, meaning that believers are to assist in preparing the world for the big one.

We are sad to announce that the preparations that are mentioned in the Bible are not being considered by most people, either because they do not know or because the Biblical form of prepping does not fit in with the popular world views on survival.

The natural human instinct when we know trouble is coming is to do all we can to prepare. Floridians will tell you that come June 1st, its all about getting your survival strategy in place, complete with MREs, flashlights and battery powered radios.

In the Midwest, where tornadoes are notorious for wreaking havoc, you must have a safe room in your basement ready, so that when those siren warnings start to blare, you can take cover underground.

That’s all well and good, but this what the Bible says is heading our way will require a much different kind of preparation. No amount of reinforced steel, guns, concrete, and bullets will suffice, for Daniel declares it to be a time such as never was since there was a nation.

This means that there is no precedent, or script to follow, except persons were to believe, and receive the instructions given in God’s word. This is the one and only way to survive doomsday.

What is strange about what is scheduled to head our way is that both Christians, and unbelievers, in most cases, will admit that they know something ominous will take place. They may not be able in all instances to put their fingers on the fine print, but most people would agree that a day of reckoning is coming.

For this reason, there are basically only two types of preppers living in the world today. Therefore, we’ll examine the modes of thought, and action by both, then we will show from the scriptures, the only kind of preppers who will survive, and what you must do to be prepared.

Recent developments at home and abroad tell us in no uncertain terms that the world is heading for a disaster of epic proportions because the oppression, the senseless killings, the unending wars, and utter intransigence of political parties cannot and will not go on forever.

When situations reach a boiling point where man is unable to bring about sensible and lasting solutions, God steps into the picture and when He does, those who prepped according to the recommendations in the Bible, will be mighty glad they did so.

Let no one be deceived by smooth talking soothe sayers. Wars have always occurred throughout the history of the world, and they will continue to take place in various places, in increasing frequency and intensity, as the Bible clearly states, until God brings all wars to a permanent end.

War began in heaven, and it will take Someone from heaven to stop wars, and that Person is Jesus Christ. From time to time well intentioned persons might have arisen, claiming to have the know how to stop world conflicts.

But much to their chagrin, other battles flared up elsewhere and some found themselves putting out one fire when ten more were started. Even satan, in his appeal to the heavenly angels, proposed to bring in a better order of things, but again, he also failed miserably.

The reason for this is that peace and tranquility are products that originated with God, and therefore, if efforts are made, outside of the principles and laws of God, to bring wars to an end, all such efforts are bound to fail. In other words, no Jesus, no peace. Let’s read:

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

18 And my people (Those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord, Savior and King) shall dwell in peaceable habitations, in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

Therefore, it is both a no brainer and a non-starter in one, for if one tries to bring about peace, while at the same time indulging in oppression, wickedness, fraud, lies, injustice and cruelty, peace will remain a figment of your imagination.

In other words, satan must never be given a seat at the negotiating table, whenever it comes to making peace because the very principles of his kingdom go directly contrary to the work of righteousness, and therefore, in a nutshell, not happening. Let’s read:

Revelation 12: 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God, day and night.

[The Desire of Ages pp 435] Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same.

Thus alienation, discord, and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force.

Every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a stepping stone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.

[Great Controversy pp 498>499] Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe. He claimed that it was his own object to improve upon the statutes of Jehovah.

He reiterated his claim that angels needed no control but should be left to follow their own will, which would ever guide them right. He denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty, and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of law. That, freed from this restraint, the hosts of Heaven might enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state of existence.

We are sorry to say that persons have used their freedom of choice to make a very grave, and fatal mistake, and there will be much collateral damage that would occur as a result, because the laws of sowing, and reaping follow each other like clock- work, with an unerring accuracy.  Let’s read:

Galatians 6: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Thus, when the prophets write about doomsday in the Scriptures, persons are to understand that it’s a culmination of evils, oppressions, wars, tumults and bloodshed, and lies, that would have pushed earth’s inhabitants over the cliff. And from what is currently taking place, we are very close to midnight.

Some individuals have adopted the world view of survival and have prepped, or are prepping for what is to come. In harmony with their survival instincts, more and more individuals and families are thinking of investing in bunkers and off the grid mechanisms, in order to survive the terrors of the last days.

The doomsday prepping industries have surged to unprecedented levels, to the tune of over 11 billion dollars and counting, for an unspoken fear, together with uncertainty has gripped nations, and therefore, in sheer panic, many are choosing to stock pile food, water, guns, and a whole lot of bullets, just in case.

These items, together with many other survival kits are now being stored in underground shelters. For instance, here are just a few examples of what we are speaking of. Below, you will see steel-reinforced bunkers, stockpiled with essentials to supposedly last many years.

However, there is one aspect of doomsday survival, that most secular preppers have never taken into consideration. That is the spiritual aspect. The Bible tells us that evil spirits and demonic activity will play a major role in any doomsday scenario and thus, the question is, how will persons deal with that singular phenomenon. Let’s read:

Revelation 12: 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

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

How then are secular people going do deal with this aspect of doomsday, especially since demons aren’t visible to the naked eye? For the proper analysis we must turn to the scriptures because one of the main focuses of bunkers and underground shelters is that of reinforced steel, or concrete.

After Jesus was resurrected, He sought entrance to the room where His disciples were in hiding, but the room was locked. Jesus then came through the wall, and by doing so, He scared the daylights out of the disciples, for no amount of concrete, steel, rock, or wood can stop Him. Let’s read:

Luke 24: 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them.

36 And as they thus spoke, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

That was Jesus, but what about angels? Do they also have the ability to pass through solid matter such as your reinforced steel and concrete. According to the Bible, nothing stops them from forcing their way in. Let’s read:

Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.

4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thus far, we have given you examples of the power of holy angels and of Christ, but what about satan? does he also have the power to pass through steel and reinforced concrete? According to the Bible, no amount of steel and concrete can stop spirits from entering, and causing mayhem. Let’s read:

John 13: 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He arose from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spoke.

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, what thou doest, do quickly.

28 Now, no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this unto him.

It becomes obvious that secular doomsday preppers are ill-prepared for what is coming hence the reason why the God of heaven strongly advises folk against going that route. It will fail miserably, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers but against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places. Let’s read:

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

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

Furthermore, the Bible, as well as the servant of The Lord instructs individuals, and families never to start stockpiling food and other items in prepping for the big one. Doing so shows a lack of faith in the God of heaven who has promised to take care of His people during that terrible time. Let’s read:

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.

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

[E.W pp 56] The Lord has shown me repeatedly that it is contrary to the Bible to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble.

I saw that if the saints had food laid up by them or in the field in the time of trouble, when the sword, famine, and pestilence are in the land, it would be taken from them by violent hands, and strangers would reap their fields.

Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God, and He will sustain us. I saw that our bread and water will be sure at that time, and that we shall not lack or suffer hunger; for God is able to spread a table for us in the wilderness.

Therefore, the correct way for preppers to survive is to study the history of Elijah, because doing so will furnish a wealth of knowledge, and instruction that is becoming more and more relevant and applicable to those who are living in the here and now.

Elijah was directed by God to go tell Ahab that there will not be dew nor rain for over three years. Then, in obedience to God, he embarks on his journey, he passes through the gates unannounced, he passes the security guards, and walks right up to the king to deliver the fearful message.

In any other circumstance, Elijah would have been a dead man for doing so, because no one could even think about getting that close to an earthly monarch without prior vetting, and security clearance. Thus, Elijah manifested a total dependence on God for his security, something that many of us are yet to learn. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

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

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

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

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

[Prophets & Kings pp 120>122] The prophet set out at once and traveled night and day until he reached Samaria. At the palace he solicited no admission, nor waited to be formally announced.

Clad in the coarse garments usually worn by the prophets of that time, he passed the guards, apparently unnoticed, and stood for a moment before the astonished king.

Elijah made no apology for his abrupt appearance. A Greater than the ruler of Israel had commissioned him to speak; and, lifting his hand toward heaven, he solemnly affirmed by the living God that the judgments of the Most-High were about to fall upon Israel.

“As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand,” he declared, “there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”

It was only by the exercise of strong faith in the unfailing power of God's word that Elijah delivered his message. Had he not possessed implicit confidence in the One whom he served, he would never have appeared before Ahab.

Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, the message of impending judgment fell upon the ears of the wicked king. But before Ahab could recover from his astonishment, or frame a reply, Elijah disappeared as abruptly as he had come, without waiting to witness the effect of his message. The king made diligent inquiry, but the prophet was not to be found.

Again, in obedience to the word of The Lord, Elijah heads out to the brook Cherith, where his total and complete dependence on God alone continues. The Bible says that God commanded the ravens to feed him there.

However, Elijah’s total dependence on God must not be limited to food, drink and protection. Every other necessity which pertains to life was included in the package. If Elijah were to get sick, he would need no Medicare advantage, because The Mighty Healer is at his side.

When he needed to bathe himself, water was right there, and whenever the temperature at the brook would drop precipitously at night, God regulated the temperature also, so that the drastic changes in cold and heat which can produce fevers would not affect Elijah. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

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

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

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

We are seeing a recurring theme surfacing over and over again, so now, we have to stop and consider, in the context of surviving doomsday. You will notice that in addition to total dependence on God, Elijah is also obeying everything God tells him to do, and he does it without questioning.

Let us repeat so that everyone will hear correctly: You will notice that in addition to total dependence on God, Elijah is also obeying everything God tells him to do, and he does it without questioning.

This means that exact obedience to God is one of the important keys to surviving doomsday. Here are a few excerpts from his experiences thus far, which brings obedience prominently into view. And there are others forthcoming to cement obedience as an indispensable component to survival. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17: 5 So, he went and did according unto the word of the Lord.

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

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

10 So, he arose and went to Zarephath.

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

2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab.

1st Kings 18: 17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that  troubles Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

In other words, Elijah is saying to Ahab that the real problem is a lack of obedience, and until that single component is addressed and corrected, you could forget about surviving doomsday.

The lesson for you and me in the here and now is the same as it was with Elijah and Ahab, for if you want to survive doomsday, your prepping must of necessity include those two important components: Total dependence on God, which is faith in Him, and exact obedience to His every word.

Therefore, instead of arguing, and fighting over your Medicaid and Social security benefits, we should be weening ourselves off of these systems, wherever we can, so that total dependence on God will not be only words, but deeds. 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.

Any doomsday prepping which does not have these two components at their core will be shattered, and will make such preppers vulnerable to the assaults of evil spirits which you cannot see with your naked eye.

It cannot be stated enough that Elijah obeyed God in everything. He obeyed The Lord on the issue of his security, he obeyed God in the keeping of all His commandments, he obeyed The Lord on the issue of diets and foods, and he obeyed God in delivering the straight unadulterated truth to the king and his people.

Those saints who belong to the Remnant church are to follow Elijah’s lead, in that they too must render exact obedience in everything, in order to survive doomsday. In prepping, not one stone must be left unturned, and if there are changes to be made in perspective and in practice, the time is now, and the place is here.

Now is definitely not the time to be playing church, because the writing is already on the wall, and the interpretation has been given, so that all preppers may position themselves intelligently in Christ.  

In closing, we must deliver the goods as plainly as possible; the you and me, together with all would-be preppers, must now seek to be found in Christ, for if He is not a part of the equation, your prepping will find you totally unprepared. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

                                    God Bless!

Beware Of The Chair. Sabbath afternoon 05/31/2025

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

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

According to the above passage, the Christian’s life is supposed to be a balanced portfolio, in which the spiritual, and mental aspects of life are in sync with the physical, the social and financial. All are referred to in our opening passages as being essential to the health and wellbeing of the Christian.

Wheresoever there is an imbalance between one or more aspects you will end up with adverse results, some more, some less, and if the imbalance is not addressed and corrected, the entire person will be affected adversely, and your days on planet earth will be numbered.

While it is good and important for us to work, work is not all there is to life, for all work and no play can prevent you from enjoying what you worked for in the first place. Therefore, the wish that we prosper and be in health will call for us to do that which is needed to bring these aspects of our being into line.

Ever so gradually and almost imperceptibly we have moved from a lifestyle of activity, to one where we have to think seriously about physical exercise. The days when persons would get up in the morning and do manual labor, are, for all intents, and purposes in many cases, over.

For instance, back in former years during the time of the industrial revolution, some men would be seen going to work in factories and others could be seen working in the agricultural sector. Some would be found working on the assembly lines at Ford or GM while others had some type of trade.

In fact, in the 1800s there were about 80% of men working in the agricultural sector. Today it is only 2% and it is very unlikely that most men will now leave their well-paying office jobs, and sedentary lifestyle to return to working the soil, where their hands will get dirty and they will be sweaty all day. Basically, not happening.

Other persons had their share of physical activity as some would knead and bake bread, wash clothes by hand, they would do the dishes, hang clothes out to dry in the backyard, and then press out the clothes.

Others would go to the grocery, where they would have to walk up and down the aisles to find stuff, all the while pushing their grocery carts, activities that required some level of physical exertion, and much movement, to be accomplished.

But one by one, the cards fell, as washing machines were introduced, then came the dish washers, then came cars, computers, cell phones, work at home, shop at home, Door dash, Uber eats, drive through laundries, and online shopping.

In addition, we hardly have to walk to the television or stereo, because Alexa is right there beside us on demand. And you can forget about sweeping floors, because Rhumba and other gizmos have taken up the slack.

You can also forget about cleaning the pool because Beat-bot and other water robots have replaced the manual labor formerly needed to keep your pool clean.

So basically, almost everything we used to do that would have involved some sort of movement, and exercise has, or is being replaced by automation so that our physical activity has now dwindled, almost to the point of no return in some instances.

In years gone by, individuals could be seen going to market with a big basket of fruit or provisions being balanced on their heads as they walked for several miles, in order to get their produce sold. This action exercised, and strengthened their neck muscles, and greatly aided in blood circulation.

But those days have been replaced by the likes of Instacart and others, where you can sit in your chair, order online, and have items delivered to your front door. And even then, there are services available currently where they will actually open your front door to make the delivery.

Thus, for all intents and purposes, you do not have to remove from your chair to do most of the things which required some form of movement in former years.

As a direct result those essential duties which had in former years required some level of physical activity to be done, could now basically be done from your chair, your mouse, and your cell phone, in most cases.

This is not to say that persons are to go back in time, we are just observing the gradual diminishing of our physical activities, to the point where in some cases you have to think long and hard before you can get moving.

In other words, whereas in times past folks would move and exercise without even thinking about it, just by going about your everyday chores, now you have to be very intentional about physical exercise, or else it could very easily fall through the cracks.

As a direct result, the statistics are showing a steady increase of various diseases, ailments, and adverse conditions corresponding to that steady decline of physical activity and movement.

And if things were to continue the way they’re going we might be looking at a situation where most of us would be having some adverse health issue to deal with which will inevitably cause persons to be more and more dependent on big Pharma. Let us take a look:

 Centers for Disease Control ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 21 — February 29, 2024 Gabriel A. Benavidez, PhD1; Whitney E. Zahnd, PhD2; Peiyin Hung, PhD3; Jan M. Eberth, PhD4.

An estimated 129 million people in the US have at least 1 major chronic disease (eg, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, hypertension) as defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Five of the top 10 leading causes of death in the US are, or are strongly associated with, preventable and treatable chronic diseases. Over the past two decades prevalence has increased steadily, and this trend is expected to continue.

An increasing proportion of people in America are dealing with multiple chronic conditions; 42% have 2 or more, and 12% have at least 5. Besides the personal impact, chronic disease has a substantial effect on the US health care system.

About 90% of the annual $4.1 trillion health care expenditure is attributed to managing and treating chronic diseases and mental health conditions.

This is not the way God originally intended it to be, and even though we might be stuck at the computer because of the job, we must make an effort, and we should take the time out to do something in shoring up our physical activities wherever possible, for the deleterious effects can stack up pretty quickly.

Hence the reason why the Bible study for today is titled “Beware of the Chair”, for in many cases, the chair has now become one of our worst enemies. This phenomenon was greatly accelerated during the Covid pandemic, as working from home became the norm, because of the virulent nature of Covid.

As was stated before, almost everything that needs to be done, can now be done from your chair, using a mouse and a cell phone. We refer to them as the three amigos, for it is an undisputed fact that they currently dominate almost everything that we do.

The purpose for incorporating physical exercise into your regimen is not merely to be fit and look cute. It is so that we can render to God the most amount of useful service, for the longest time possible. In fact, everything that the Christian does should have the gospel commission as the main objective.

This is what Moses did, as he would often climb the mountain to meet with God. The physical exercise needed to do mountain climbing, brought all of his physical powers into play, and the results are there before us, to encourage both the elderly and young in our efforts to get moving. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan.

7 And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

[P & P pp 463] Moses stood before the people to repeat his last warnings and admonitions. His hair was white with age; but his form was erect, his countenance expressed the unabated vigor of health, and his eye was clear and undimmed.

The idea that as we get older, we must inevitably succumb to conventional wisdom on aging, must now be investigated thoroughly. The God of heaven isn’t a conventional God, and therefore, it behooves us to check in with Him to find out His thoughts on the matter.

If we were to obey God by following the instructions given to us in His word and in the spirit of prophecy, men and women could have children well into their golden years, and vigor will not greatly wane as the years go by.

Yes, it is true that with the passage of time you will gradually diminish, for that is the way of the world, no one is questioning that fact, however the aging processes could be greatly slowed down.

Therefore, we will be focusing our attention on the issues of movement and exercise, as a way to help mitigate some of the perils that are incidental to modern living.

We are living at a critical juncture in earth’s history, where the guard rails are being either torn down or upended in various ways. In addition to this it is now becoming increasingly difficult to trust information because it is coming from increasingly questionable sources.

Thus, the remnant people of God should grab the bull by the horns, and start doing what we should have been doing for many years now. A host of the current diseases and afflictions can be mitigated or greatly reduced if we were to incorporate exercise and regular movement into our daily regimen.

On of the perils that afflict men, especially those of African descent, is that of prostate cancer. Diabetes and issues pertaining to your heart, together with high blood pressure are also taking a toll. Therefore, we must take the time to observe the scientific data on the impact of exercise, on persons suffering with these issues.

The information given will be coming from reliable sources such as the John Hopkins institute of health, Harvard school of Medicine, and our own prophet, through whom God has given much of the info that has now been adopted by persons in the fitness and wellness industries. Let’s read:

               Urologist Michael Johnson, M.D:

Several studies suggest that men who take part in regular physical activity are less likely to develop prostate cancer or die from the disease. But why? “Most likely, it’s not just the exercise that counts — it’s the subsequent weight loss that also makes a difference,” explains Dr. Johnson.

“Studies have linked obesity with particularly aggressive forms of prostate cancer, and separate research has also connected weight gain with an increased risk of recurrence in men who have already been treated.”

To reap the benefits of exercise, you should start slow and make a commitment. “It’s much better to keep a consistent routine than to burn yourself out with a high-intensity schedule and quit,” says Dr. Johnson. For a good balance, “find an activity that you enjoy doing,” he suggests.

                   Harvard Health Medical School

For people who have diabetes—or almost any other disease, for that matter—the benefits of exercise cannot be overstated. Exercise helps control weight, lower blood pressure, lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, raise healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthen muscles and bones, reduce anxiety, and improve your general well-being.

There are added benefits for people with diabetes: exercise lowers blood glucose levels and boosts your body's sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance.

All forms of exercise—aerobic, resistance, or doing both (combined training)—were equally good at lowering HbA1c values in people with diabetes.

Resistance training and aerobic exercise both helped to lower insulin resistance in previously sedentary older adults with abdominal obesity at risk for diabetes. Combining the two types of exercise proved more beneficial than doing either one alone.

People with diabetes who walked at least two hours a week were less likely to die of heart disease than their sedentary counter- parts, and those who exercised three to four hours a week cut their risk even more.

Women with diabetes who spent at least four hours a week doing moderate exercise (including walking) or vigorous exercise had a 40% lower risk of developing heart disease than those who didn't exercise.

These benefits persisted even after researchers adjusted for confounding factors, including BMI, smoking, and other heart disease risk factors.

.

Again, just because your parents and grand parents may have suffered with diabetes, cancers, and high blood pressure it does not necessarily mean that all the children who come after are inevitably bound to suffer from the same ailments.

Persons must be very careful of adopting philosophy that is strictly science based, without incorporating the God-factor, via information and instructions that are given by inspiration of God.

In many cases persons will find that children are not actually bound in an iron destiny, from which they cannot escape, as it pertains to many of the issues branded as being generational, or as running in the family.

In other words, just because something runs in your family does not mean that you will inevitably have no choice whatsoever in the matter. This truth is of critical importance as it would set the stage for us to make the meaningful reforms and changes where in times past, our progenitors may have erred. Let’s read:

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

2 What mean ye that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

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

In other words, The Lord is saying to the you and me in the here and now to consider your ways, for if it is the case that one’s family is plagued with particular health issues, God desires that you reason carefully from cause to effect, and by His grace, make all the necessary changes to encourage a different, and a better outcome wherever possible.

But to throw in the towel up front, and reason that you absolutely have no choice but to walk the same road that your progenitors trod, will be to surrender potential victory, even before the battle has begun. Thus, by thinking inevitability, you most likely will go on to become the servants of big Pharma.

 For instance, if you observed that your parents led a sedentary lifestyle, and were addicted to the chair, the mouse, and the cell, the three Amigos we spoke about earlier, those who come after should make a U-turn, and determine never to submit to the three amigos.

When God created Adam and Eve, He put them to work in the garden of Eden, where their limbs, and bones, muscles and tendons, together with all their arteries and blood vessels could be exercised.

And even after man fell by transgression, the toils and labor required to work an increasingly stubborn soil would cause him to exert much more energy and effort, but the upside is that the manual labor thus required would go a long way in maintaining good health and longevity as well as mitigating the many perils incidental to our fallen human nature.

Hence the reason why, even after man sinned, you will find that individuals lived for hundreds of years, and it was only because of the constant and the deliberate violation of physical, and spiritual laws, that we gradually declined to three score and ten. Let’s read:

[Christian Education, pp 68] There is an intimate relation between the mind and the body; they react upon each other. In order, to reach a high standard of moral and intellectual attainment, and to secure a strong, well-balanced character, the laws that control our physical being must be heeded.

Both the mental, and the physical powers must be developed. Such a training will produce men of strength and solidity of character, of keen perception and sound judgment, men who will be an honor to God and a blessing to the world.

Therefore, in our efforts to get moving again there are a few pointers that would greatly help us on our journey. They are outlined below in simple format, and if adopted, would go a long way in reversing, or in slowing the advance of many physical issues folks suffer with.

                          [1] Be consistent.

One of the issues we face in adopting any exercise regimen is that of consistency. We start and stop too often, so that the benefits of exercise are not given the needed time in order to materialize. Therefore, rather than start something that you cannot finish, it will be best to think and pray about it carefully.

Then after careful planning, you can come up with a strategy that works best for you. However, the most important part will be doing it regularly without fail. Every little bit of movement counts, and combining strength training and aerobic activity produces the best results.

If you decide that twenty, or thirty minutes every day is all you could practically spare, then do it faithfully, because if you incorporate it as a lifestyle change, your body would respond in the positive in most cases.

Persons who succeed in their endeavors are always those who do what they do consistently, and if you were to do your exercise regimen long enough, and consistent enough, you will succeed in your goals.

[2] Never wait for the beginning of the new year.

Individuals who wait until the new year to start their exercise will most likely fail in their efforts, for if you keep putting off for another day, that which should be done today, procrastination would in most cases take a heavy toll on you.

It is stated that the devil needed a strategy that will work best in bringing down persons. Some demons suggested this, some suggested that, and finally one came up with the idea of causing persons to put off for tomorrow, that which could and should be done today.

Bingo! It then became one of the most successful temptations ever deployed. The physical benefits of movement, and exercise do not begin with the new year, so there is not a valid reason to wait until then to start.

[3] Consult with a doctor whose advice should not go contrary to “It is written” where applicable.

This is of critical importance, for there are times when advice given by well-meaning professionals is not in line with Scriptural instructions. Especially is this the case on the issue of diets and foods, thus the instructions given should align with a thus saith The Lord.

[4] Start light, and gradually increase.

There is no reason to start huffing, and puffing the moment you begin training. The proven principle of gradualism works both in the spiritual as well as the physical realm. The race is not for the swiftest, for the Tortoises often win, where the Cheeta fails.

If you decide to incorporate aerobic and strength training, as is highly advised where warranted, it is best to start with what you can do comfortably, and then gradually increase the physical challenges. This will give your body time to adapt and heal properly, so that you will avoid burn out and fatigue.

[5] Proper warm up and stretching is a must.

It is important not to rush into the peak of training, before sufficient warm up and pre stretching, as this will preempt damage to your bones, muscles, and tendons. Remember the principle of gradualism and try to incorporate it into everything you do, for it is a time proven strategy for success in everything.

In addition, try not to neglect your extremities, for some persons suffer with blood flow issues, and in the elderly especially, you want your blood flowing throughout the entire body, including your fingers, and toes.

[6] Get sufficient rest and time for recovery.

Here is where many persons fall short, because in many cases we may not get sufficient rest at night. The habit of staying up late to watch this or that show, can, and will reverse much of your efforts at leading a healthy lifestyle.

Successful weight loss in particular is closely tied to getting sufficient sleep, as is proper recovery after doing your exercises. Remember the three amigos will get to you if you let them, therefore a holistic approach to health will be needed if persons desire success.

In closing, there is a tendency to slow down your exercise, and movements as you get older, but the opposite should be done, for you need to exercise and get moving, the older you get. You will want to play with your grand kids, and yes, you will want to live life to the full.

Most of all, as Christians we should do everything to the glory of God, meaning that the issue of exercise should translate into long years of service to God, in the building up of His kingdom, for The Lord is well pleased if persons can avoid aborted service in His cause on account of health issues.

This isn’t always possible, but every Christian should work diligently towards that end, for it leads us to consider the last passage with which we will close.

Psalms 91: 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

                                     God Bless!

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.