The Tower Of Babel And The New World Order. Sabbath Afternoon 05/28/2016

It is important for us to begin the study this evening by reiterating the fact that there is nothing new under the sun. In many instances we may trace back in the annals of history to find precedents for what is transpiring across the globe. That is the reason why the correct interpretation of prophecy is most often in harmony with historical occurrences for the sacred records of the Bible most often represent a microcosm of what will occur in the future. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 
10 Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, 
this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

In all instances, where prophecies regarding the near future are disclosed in the scriptures, private interpretations are strictly forbidden, for it is better to leave the word of God alone, rather than tamper with the sacred oracles, thereby leading others into false paths. Therefore, it’s important that we always employ the stipulated methods of interpretation in the scriptures, in order that we may draw right conclusions that are in line with God’s will. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Before we proceed, there are two very important observations to be made pertaining to the tower of Babel. These observations are certified in the Bible so that we may be certain of the outcome of the new world order.
Observation: [1] The builders and inhabitants of Babel were not the only people living on the earth at that time, for God has always had a remnant amongst men to perpetuate His truth and His laws to future generations, otherwise, righteousness would have been banished from the earth many centuries ago. Let’s read:

Genesis 10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 
5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. 
8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel”….. “in the land of Shinar.
 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou  goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah”……
20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. 
21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. 
22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 
30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. 
31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 118>119] For a time the descendants of Noah continued to dwell among the mountains where the ark had rested. As their numbers increased, apostasy soon led to division. Those who desired to forget their Creator and to cast off the restraint of His law felt a constant annoyance from the teaching and example of their God-fearing associates, and after a time they decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly, they journeyed to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the river Euphrates. They were attracted by the beauty of the situation and the fertility of the soil, and upon this plain they determined to make their home.

Thus it is of critical importance for us to know and understand, that the antitypical Babel will never succeed in engulfing every single inhabitant of the earth. Just as in the precedent, there were other people besides the Babel builders living on the planet during the erection of the tower, there will also be other people living on the planet, who will not have participated in the building, nor in the activities of the antitypical Babel. Right up to the very end of time, there will be a faithful remnant of God’s people who will stand unitedly, shoulder to shoulder, and who will never ever subscribe to the theology, or ideology of the beast. Let’s read: 

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Revelation 14:11 “And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Observation [2] The one world monarchy proposed by the Babel builders was founded on rebellion to God’s law, His word, and His implicit instructions. Thus we have an attitude of unbelief, and flagrant disobedience as a general undercurrent, driving the thought processes, and consequent actions of those who were averse to God and righteousness. The very same thing is being repeated in our day, and will eventually cascade into full-blown rebellion, as the new world order begins to take shape before our eyes, coming upon the stage of action and being implemented. Let’s read:

Revelation13: 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that  had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp 118>119]. Here they decided to build a city, and in it a tower of such stupendous height as should render it the wonder of the world. These enterprises were designed to prevent the people from scattering abroad in colonies. God had directed men to disperse throughout the earth, to replenish and subdue it; but these Babel builders determined to keep their community united in one body, and to found a monarchy that should eventually embrace the whole earth. Thus their city would become the metropolis of a universal empire; its glory would ommand the admiration and homage of the world
and render the founders illustrious.

The magnificent tower, reaching to the heavens, was intended to stand as a monument of the power and wisdom of its builders, perpetuating their fame to the latest generations. The dwellers on the plain of Shinar disbelieved God's covenant that He would not again bring a flood upon the earth. Many of them denied the existence of God and attributed the Flood to the operation of natural causes. Others believed in a Supreme Being, and that it was He who had destroyed the antediluvian world; and their hearts, like that of Cain, rose up in rebellion against Him. 

One object before them in the erection of the tower was to secure their own safety in case of another deluge. By carrying the structure to a much greater height than was reached by the waters of the Flood, they thought to place themselves beyond all possibility of danger. And as they would be able to ascend to the region of the clouds, they hoped to ascertain the cause of the Flood. The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its projectors and to turn the minds of future generations away from God and lead them into idolatry.

In addition to these two observations, there are also some similarities between the tower of Babel and the coming New world order. As we just read, there were different concepts and belief systems held by the Babel builders, for some were atheists, others believed in a supreme being, and still others didn’t have any specific system of belief. But one thing is certain, they all united their different beliefs under one universal banner of religion, in which each person was welcomed in with their discordant views, and given an accommodating seat at the negotiating table. 

Similarly, in the new world order, all religions will be
welcomed in, with the many diverse views, and will unite upon one central platform of antagonism to God’s law. This is the reason why the ecumenical movement has gained strength in recent years, and efforts are now underway to unite global religions upon common points of interest. The word Catholic means universal, and although many of God’s true people currently belong to that denomination, yet no rational thinking person can deny the fact that there are now studious, and deliberate efforts to harmonize the world’s great religions upon the central platform of “Love”, and other commonly held interests, such as global warming, social justice, and climate change. Let’s read:

 [1] One world religion. The word Catholic means universal. cath·o·lic
ˈkaTH(ə)lik/Submit
“All-embracing. synonyms:    universal, diverse, diversified, wide, broad, broad-based, eclectic, liberal, etc.
 
Joint Declaration of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia: Excerpts from Vatican radio.

It is with joy that we have met like brothers in the Christian faith who encounter one another “to speak face to face” from heart to heart, to discuss the mutual relations between the Churches, the crucial problems of our faithful, and the outlook for the progress of human civilization.
Interreligious dialogue is indispensable in our disturbing times. Differences in the understanding of religious truths must not impede people of different faiths to live in peace and harmony.

We are not competitors but brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as those directed to the outside world. We urge Catholics and Orthodox in all countries to learn to live together in peace and love, and to be “in harmony with one another”.

 
By Greg Botelho, CNN
Updated 11:00 AM ET, Tue January 26, 2016. 
(CNN)The leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the President of Iran met Tuesday at the Vatican, a face-to-face encounter that speaks to a changing geopolitical landscape and both men's significant role in it. Cameras captured Pope Francis and President Hassan Rouhani shaking hands and sitting down across from each other. "The parties highlighted the importance of inter-religious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting reconciliation, tolerance and peace," the Vatican said.

Pope to church: Be more accepting of divorced Catholics, gays and lesbians
By Richard Allen Greene, CNN
Updated 4:22 PM ET, Fri April 8, 2016.
CNN)Pope Francis put his shoulder to the doors of the Catholic Church and shoved them open a little wider Friday, calling for the church to be more tolerant in practice while not changing any official doctrines. He urged priests around the world to be more accepting of gays and lesbians, divorced Catholics and other people living in what the church considers "irregular" situations. The statements appear in a highly anticipated paper called "On Love in the Family".

And we can go on and on and on, but there is much more to be discovered as far as similarities between the tower of Babel, and the New world order is concerned. One key parallel is that there was one universal form of communication, by which the inhabitants of Babel could relate to each other. 
[2] One universal means of communication. In the typical babel, there was only one universal method of communication, for everyone spoke the same language. Let’s read:
Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 
6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

In our world currently, we are almost at the point of one universal method of communication, for with the invention, and development of cell phones, computers, radars, and satellites, we can now speak instantaneously to those in far off countries. And with the additional technology of translation apps, there is virtually no hindrance to the concept of universal communication. Let’s read:

iTranslate - free Translator & Dictionary App - Translate voice and text to English, Spanish & 90+ languages. This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad Updated: Apr 18, 2016
Version: 9.1.6
Size: 48.5 MB
Apple Watch: Yes
Languages: English, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish

It’s worthy of note that every operational device pertaining to universal communication, has as its fundamental denominator, electricity, hence the reason why the mark of the beast will not be difficult to enforce.

The literal, physical counterpart of the mark of the beast, will undoubtedly include some aspect of universal communication, and that’s why no man will be able to buy or sell, except they receive the mark in their right hand or forehead. When God was ready to bring the one world conglomerate to an abrupt and unexpected halt, He interrupted their communication system. Similarly, when the mark of the beast has been instituted, and is being enforced the same God who interrupted the communication system of Babel of old, will again interrupt our own communication system. Let’s read:

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

The technology is not in the distant future, but is here already, just awaiting the time set for general implementation. Let’s take a look: “Swedish office implants microchips in employees’ hands”.
The age old arts of tattooing and body piercing have been growing exponentially in recent years, and some people have wondered why these practices have now resurfaced on a national scale. That’s because the principle of gradualism is often employed by satan, by which he incrementally introduces a trend or practice that is directly opposed to the plainest teachings of the Bible. For instance, Eve was not tempted to eat pork or sushi, it was an apparently wholesome fruit, that was suggested, contrary to the command of God. Thus it will be with whomever continues with these practices, for it will not be a giant step from tattoos and body-piercing to microchips, if they are used, since the same scriptural violation is involved. Let’s read:

Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.

[3] The One world universal form of government is also scheduled to affect the area of food, one of our most basic necessities, and again, the principle of conglomeration, and world domination is observed to be taking shape in recent years. This week we saw a typical example in the takeover bid made by Bayer pharmaceutical, to buy out Monsanto, the world ring leader in GMOs. Let’s read:

The Associated Press. MAY 24, 2016, 4:57 AM EDT:  The deal would create a global giant in agriculture technology. 
Bayer wants to buy Monsanto for $62 billion, hooking up the German chemical and drug company with the St. Louis-based producer of seeds and weed-killers. The deal would create a global giant in agriculture technology touching much of global food production through the development of seeds and pesticides. Bayer, headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany, employs some 117,000 people worldwide. It makes pharmaceuticals, over the counter medicines such as Aleve and Alka-Seltzer, and farm chemicals.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/adoption-of-genetically-engineered-crops-in-the-us/recent-trends-in-ge-adoption.aspx
The genetic engineering of plants and animals is looming as one of the greatest and most intractable environmental challenges of the 21st Century. Currently, up to 92% of U.S. corn is genetically engineered (GE), as are 94% of soybeans and 94% of cotton. Cotton seed oil is often used in food products. It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves – from soda to soup, crackers to condiments – contain genetically engineered ingredients.

By removing the genetic material from one organism and inserting it into the permanent genetic code of another, the biotech industry has created an astounding number of organisms that are not produced by nature and have never been seen on the plate. These include potatoes with bacteria genes, “super” pigs with human growth genes, fish with cattle growth genes, tomatoes with flounder genes, corn with bacteria genes, and thousands of other altered and engineered plants, animals and insects. At an alarming rate, these creations are now being patented and released into our environment and our food supply.

Some may be wondering why the need for such information to be dispensed at this time. It is because the day of God is just around the corner, for most of the signs of Christ’s coming are already fulfilled. False prophets have overspread the land, distress of nations occurs as we speak, pestilences and superbugs are now surfacing, and there is the ongoing threat of global terrorism that will not go away, even though trillions of dollars are being hurled at the problem. So it seems as if we are at a breaking point, hence the reason why an urgent wakeup call is needed. 

In response it is very important for us not to sink our roots too deeply in this world, but like faithful Abraham, we should be looking for a city, whose builder and maker is God. There are those who are continuously advancing the idea of a return to national greatness, and while that may be a noble aspiration, yet the word of God tells us otherwise. It is therefore highly advisable, that our decisions be guided by a “Thus saith the Lord” rather than by the wishful thinking of those who are bent on rebuilding the antitypical Babel. We therefore end with a word of caution, coming from the scriptures, pertaining to the close of earth’s history. 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. 
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. 

                                                                      God bless! 

A Warning Against Demon Possession. Sabbath Afternoon. 05/21/2016

There are many people who deny the existence of a real devil, and there are others who believe that he is merely a figment of our imagination, representing the evil side of humanity. Especially is this denial of his existence to be found in both the scientific and intellectual communities, where a logical, scientific reason for everything is sought. But the scriptures teach quite the opposite, and especially in our day, when demonic activity across the land is scheduled to increase exponentially, we need to be very aware of the tectonic shift to the doctrines of devils, as the scriptures clearly warn us of. Let’s read:

 Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

There is one very important point for us to consider as we study this subject, and that is the fact that complete demon possession does not take place suddenly, for it occurs on an incremental basis. A long process unknown to the world takes place in the mind before a person, or a nation is brought fully under the control of evil spirits, but when it does happen, that individual or that nation is forced to do the bidding of satan, even when it is against their own will, for once he is in full control of the mind, he rules by force, and not by free choice as is the case with The Lord Jesus Christ. Hence the reason for the solemn warnings given in the Bible. Let’s read, and we will explain:
Matthew 12:43 “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man”…. [This means that every individual who is born on planet earth is assigned at least one evil spirit by the adversary of souls, and decisions we make, facilitate, or lessen their control over us. This solemn statement is certified by the prophet Isaiah, who confirms this inconvenient truth. The doctrine that teaches moral neutrality at birth is a false doctrine of devils which contradict the plainest teachings of the Bible on this point.

One holy angel is assigned to the children of those who believe, but that assigned angel does not take up residence in the heart. Only The Holy Ghost can do that, through our freedom of choice. In the case of parents who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Master, this assigned angel remains on the external, to protect and guide until such time that a conscious decision is made either for or against Christ. The temper tantrum exhibited by kids when their candy is interfered with for any reason, is not
the manifestation of the Spirit of Christ. Let’s read:

Isaiah 49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 
25 But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

[Messages To Young People pp. 51] Fallen man is Satan's lawful captive. The mission of Jesus Christ was to rescue him from his power. Man is naturally inclined to follow Satan's suggestions, and he cannot of himself successfully resist so terrible a foe, unless Christ, the mighty conqueror, dwells in him, guiding his desires, and giving him strength. God alone can limit the power of Satan. He is going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. He is not off his watch for a single moment, through fear of losing an opportunity to destroy souls. It is important that God's people understand this, that they may escape his snares.

Psalm 14:2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Matthew 12:43 “he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none”… There are millions upon millions of evil angels sitting on the sidelines, employed in generic evil work, such as stirring up strife, the production of sinful movies, terrorist activities, gambling, drunkenness and pornography. Millions of them are thus employed because they have either been evicted from their home by Christ, or their home has been foreclosed on by the death of the individual. Let’s read:
Mark 3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 
27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.

[The Great Controversy pp. 660] For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth, to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense. Since his fall, his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection; but he is now deprived of his power, and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of Heaven, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future, when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done, and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.

Mark 5:8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

Matthew 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 
Some people often wonder at the prospect of one person being possessed by ten to twelve thousand demons. The fact that it can, and does take place is not far-fetched, when we understand the concept of “My house”. At times we invite friends over to our house, and at other times relatives and friends may be invited over to stay for an extended period of time. The same thing takes place in the spiritual realm, where demons invite their fellows over, and often take up residence, since they were sitting on the sidelines anyway.

Matthew 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

There are many, even in the secular world who are at a loss for answers to explain the very tumultuous political environment we now find ourselves in, and it’s because of this, that a detailed explanation of what’s really going on is warranted. Thus, in order to better understand the scriptural warning against demon possession, we will use as our case study, the history of Judas, together with the Jewish nation at the time when Christ walked the earth, and soon thereafter. We will begin with the time when Judas came under the direct and complete control of evil spirits, and then we’ll work our way backwards to trace the cause. Let’s read:

John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 
22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 
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, That thou doest, do quickly. 
28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

This full possession of Judas’ mind did not happen suddenly, because demon possession takes place in increments, and never all at once. But because of a persistent and deliberate rejection of truth, anyone or any nation can become permanently entrenched in rebellion, to the point where there remains no more remedy. Throughout Judas’ entire experience with Christ, he seemed to be often at odds with The Lord’s agenda, and whenever his covetous spirit was reproved, he took deep offence to it, and he refused to confess and forsake his sin. 

Let’s take for instance, the occasion when Mary opened her alabaster box to anoint Jesus’ feet. At this time Judas raised a remonstrance against the supposed waste, and Jesus, in the most gentle and unobtrusive manner, sought to correct the evil. As a matter of fact, Christ did it in such a vague manner so as not to even mention, or implicate Judas by name. In the reproof administered by The Lord, He strategically uses the word “Ye”, which being plural, could apply to anyone, thus causing the real culprit to remain completely anonymous, so as to avoid any public embarrassment to Judas. Let’s read:

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. 
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Mark 14:6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 
10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 
11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 719] Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He saw that Christ was offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did watch.

From that time he expressed doubts that confused the disciples. He introduced controversies and misleading sentiments, repeating the arguments urged by the scribes and Pharisees against the claims of Christ. All the little and large troubles and crosses, the difficulties and the apparent hindrances to the advancement of the gospel, Judas interpreted as evidences against its truthfulness. He would introduce texts of Scripture that had no connection with the truths Christ was presenting. These texts, separated from their connection, perplexed the disciples, and increased the discouragement that was constantly pressing upon them. 

Yet all this was done by Judas in such a way as to make it appear that he was conscientious. And while the disciples were searching for evidence to confirm the words of the Great Teacher, Judas would lead them almost imperceptibly on another track. Thus in a very religious, and apparently wise, way he was presenting matters in a different light from that in which Jesus had given them, and attaching to His words a meaning that He had not conveyed. 

The same experience was duplicated in the lives of many of the Jewish leaders of Christ’s day. Evidence upon evidence was heaped upon them, undeniable miracles and truths, which they could not avoid were sent their way, but instead of yielding to the promptings of the Spirit of God, they stubbornly closed their eyes, and like pharaoh of old, refused to surrender to the truth. And thus, with the utter rejection of irrefutable truth and evidence, demon possession of the leaders of the nation increased, until they were brought under the full control of satanic forces. Let’s read:

John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, what do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

John 12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

The servant of the Lord makes a very pointed statement about the Jewish nation after their rejection of Christ. Bit by bit, and in ever larger increments, the leaders and people came to be directly controlled by demons, but this time no one was frothing at the mouth, or carrying on in a loud, ridiculous manner. Decent, briefcase carrying folks were now full possessed as they attended church regularly, whilst doing satan’s bidding each and every day. This is the dark abyss we keep referring to, into which we are now staring as a nation. Let’s read:

 [The Desire Of Ages pp. 256] The same evil spirit that tempted Christ in the wilderness, and that possessed the maniac of Capernaum, controlled the unbelieving Jews. But with them he assumed an air of piety, seeking to deceive them as to their motives in rejecting the Savior. Their condition was more hopeless than that of the demoniac, for they felt no need of Christ and were therefore held fast under the power of Satan. Let’s read:

Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 

That “Season” spoken of in verse 13, was short-lived and not spent in idleness, for the devil immediately went to J.C Penny’s, bought himself a suit and tie, and a decent pair of shoes, in preparation for the church services he would be attending shortly. He also stopped by your local bookstore to purchase himself a Bible, a Queen James bible, and headed for the synagogue to have fellowship with the many friends and associates he had there. Let’s read:

Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the
Spirit into Galilee”… 
15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 
 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, 
31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days. 
33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 
34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 
35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

[The Great Controversy pp. 28>29] For forty years after the doom of Jerusalem had been pronounced by Christ himself, the Lord delayed his judgments upon the city and the nation. Wonderful was the long-suffering of God toward the rejecters of his gospel and the murderers of his Son. The parable of the unfruitful tree represented God's dealings with the Jewish nation. The command had gone forth, “Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?” But divine mercy had spared it yet a little longer. There were still many among the Jews who were ignorant of the character and the work of Christ. 

And the children had not enjoyed the opportunities or received the light which their parents had spurned. Through the preaching of the apostles and their associates, God would cause light to shine upon them; they would be permitted to see how prophecy had been fulfilled, not only in the birth and life of Christ, but in his death and resurrection. The children were not condemned for the sins of the parents; but when, with a knowledge of all the light given to their parents, the children rejected the additional light granted to themselves, they became partakers of the parents’ sins, and filled up the measure of their iniquity.

The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus, they rejected the last offer of mercy. Then God withdrew his protection from them, and removed his restraining power from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen. Her children had spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the conquerors.

 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. There was no safety anywhere. Friends and kindred betrayed one another. Parents slew their children, and children their parents. The rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves. 

Uncontrolled passions made them tyrants. The Jews had accepted false testimony to condemn the innocent Son of God. Now false accusations made their own lives uncertain. By their actions they had long been saying, “Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Now their desire was granted. The fear of God no longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the nation, and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway.

This last statement is of such importance that we must read it carefully again. “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”. These two sentences should cause all to be gravely concerned, especially at such a time as this, when laws that are directly opposed to the principles and truths of God’s kingdom are being passed by the legislature.

For those who may not know it, the “fear of God” has to do with the enmity which God “Put” between the woman and the serpent in the garden of Eden. The reason why God had to put enmity is because it did not naturally exist after Adam and Eve sinned, and thus, if for any reason we provoke The Lord to withdraw His Holy Spirit from us, there will remain no animosity whatsoever, to every type of evil, and the things we now look upon as being terribly wrong, will then seem to be quite acceptable in our judgment, and we will indulge in evil as though there were tremendous benefits to be derived. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Genesis 6: 3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

When God’s Spirit was finally removed from the antediluvian world, they lost the ability to think of anything good, and this fact should serve as a stern rebuke to the doctrine of moral neutrality at birth. It’s important however for us to observe again, what is written concerning Judas, so we will better understand what is currently taking place in the nation. Let’s read again:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 719] “Yet all this was done by Judas in such a way as to make it appear that he was conscientious. And while the disciples were searching for evidence to confirm the words of the Great Teacher, Judas would lead them almost imperceptibly on another track. Thus in a very religious, and apparently wise, way he was presenting matters in a different light from that in which Jesus had given them, and attaching to His words a meaning that He had not conveyed.

The following is a sample of what is being referred to. Here we observe a well-known, and respected leader, who gives Bible studies each week, claims to be a devout Christian, and instructs others in the ways of God. The plainest teachings of Christ on the issue of marriage are being discussed, and he is asked what he thinks Jesus would do in our current environment of alternative lifestyles. Let’s keep in mind that with each rejection of scriptural truth, demon possession increases exponentially. Let’s first read what Jesus says on the issue.

Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder……. Now let’s take a look:

It is very important then that we follow the steps that are necessary, to avoid the unpardonable sin, which ends in full demonic control. 
[1] Never distort God’s word to be politically correct, or to court the majority opinion. Let’s read:

Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. 
Deuteronomy 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, 
or diminish from it.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

[2] We should make certain that our choices do not facilitate demon possession, by only choosing to think, act, and speak in accordance with that which is written. Whenever decisions are made based on pop culture or contemporary sentiment, those who thus choose are in very grave danger of being lost eternally. Our motto should be, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Let’s read:

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

[3] Christ must be invited into our hearts each day as an honored guest, and the Holy Ghost must be implored to take up residence within. When our souls are left vacant for any length of time, the squatters move back in, and when they do, it becomes very difficult, if not impossible to get them to leave. This last point is of the utmost importance, for only Christ can give us the energy and staying power to run the Christian race with a steady, even tread. Trying to be good without God is a fallacy that is the equivalent of putting demons in the driver’s seat of a one-way train that is headed never-land. Let’s read:

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

[The Desire Of ages pp. 323>324] When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan. 

But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

We end with a solemn plea for us to do wisely, by not putting off The Lord Jesus for tomorrow, because tomorrow might be too late. Let’ read:

Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.

                                                                      God bless! 

The Mark Of The Beast In Miniature Form. Sabbath Afternoon 05/14/2016

Even though many people, including Christians may not know it, the concepts contained in the mark of the beast have already begun to take deep root in our society, and it’s just a matter of time before the entire system is implemented nationally, and then on a global scale. The beast system, as mentioned in the book of Revelation is the method by which laws that are contrary to scriptural teaching, are urged upon the people, and where economic boycott in one form or another is the consequence of choosing to differ. 

In other words, when any popular, mainstream ideologies, or beliefs are not subscribed to, then the dissenters will be hit where it hurts, in their pocket books. And in the case of the mark of the beast, the issue is of course worship. Worship doesn’t merely involve going to church or bowing down, because the definition of the word primarily means to show reverence, adoration, or pay homage to someone, something, an ideology, or a concept. Therefore, it is imperative that we all understand the scriptural injunction against idolatry, which is false worship, so that it may be accurately identified for what it is today. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God”…..

[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. By misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men to conceive of him in a false character. 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 professedly wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists, the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological institutions, is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia. 

For instance, the theory of evolution is a form of idolatry, for it deifies nature whilst denying the existence if its Author, and it has now permeated the area of gender identity, by which a person can go to bed one night as a male, and “evolve” into a female by the next morning. Thus it is, the satanic principle of allowing our “feelings” to define and designate who we are as persons, is now causing a mass exodus from original birth identity. It’s worthy of note here that when God created man, Adam did not “evolve” into a male. As The Lord God put the particles of dust together on the ground, Adam was a lifeless male, before God breathe into his nostrils the breath of life.

The act of legalizing gay marriage is the equivalent of integrating idolatry into our constitution, and as the various issues, and ideologies connected with the LGBT movement become more entrenched into law, we will be forced to address the concerns both individually and collectively. And we are not to deceive ourselves into thinking that these problems are only external, pertaining to the political and secular world. Very soon, our own organization will be forced to confront the same issues, because enforcement will apply across the board. Let’s read:

Thus, we will find that the main concept inherent in the mark of the beast is to coerce agreement, or adherence to a form of worship, by means of economic threats. And we are already witnessing and experiencing the headwinds involved in the basic concept, which according to the scriptures, is scheduled to cascade into a full-blown movement, which will ultimately garner the support, and blessing of the legislature. Let’s read: 

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
18 Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Let’s take a few recent and current examples so as to confirm that the fundamental principles of the beast system are already being implemented. Let’s read:

Emanuella Grinberg, CNN Updated 8:06 PM ET, Fri May 13, 2016
“A joint letter from the Departments of Education and Justice went to schools Friday with guidelines to ensure that "transgender students enjoy a supportive and nondiscriminatory school environment," The letter does not carry the force of law but the message was clear: Fall in line or face loss of federal funding”.

ABC News: By SUSANNA KIM  Apr 13, 2016…
PayPal Drops Plan to Build $3.6M Facility in NC Because of Controversial Law.
Within the last two weeks, two major corporations announced they are pulling back plans to add a total of 650 jobs in the state. Deutsche Bank said on Tuesday it is freezing its expansion plans in Cary, North Carolina, in light of the law. Last week, PayPal announced that it's withdrawing plans to build a $3.6 million operations center in Charlotte that would have created more than 400 jobs. 

It's not just corporations that have taken a stance against North Carolina. Rocker Bruce Springsteen announced last week that he canceled his show in Greensboro, North Carolina, in protest of the law. Today, Ringo Starr canceled his concert that was scheduled for June in Cary.

By Sarah Aarthun, CNN… Ordering lunch just got a lot more complicated than deciding how to answer, "Do you want fries with that?" Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy sparked reactions that were swift and strong after he weighed in on same-sex marriage by saying his company backs the traditional family unit. Politicians from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke up. Supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage protested. And suddenly, the type of fast-food bag you carry could reveal your views on a hot-button social issue that has split the country.

Some proponents of same-sex marriage have decried Cathy's comments and called for a boycott of the chain, which had annual sales of more than $4.1 billion last year and has more than 1,615 locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C., with the strongest concentration in the Southeast. "How backward and ignorant ... how sad," CNN reader Joe Brown said. "No more Chick-fil-A for me. I am not in the stone-casting business as a Christian."

But at the local level, Chick-fil-A is meeting resistance from city officials in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney sent a letter to Cathy this week, telling the CEO in blunt terms to "take a hike and take your intolerance with you," and vowing to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting condemning the company.

What is sad about the issue is that some Christians may have inadvertently been drawn into the beast concepts and methods, on account of fundamental differences in ideologies, and belief systems with the secular world. As a result, some have adopted the current policy of economic boycott as a means of voicing their disagreement to same-sex marriage, and transgender issues. Thus, it is has now become necessary to lay scriptural foundations for sound judgment, and reasonable discourse on this matter, since it is scheduled to be at the doors of every Christian organization, in the not too distant future. 

If we were to go the route of boycotting persons and businesses, because of the position they have adopted on LGBT issues, then we will have put our own backs against a wall, without knowing it, for with each passing day, more and more companies and businesses are coming on board. Thus, if we were to build on the beast principle of economic boycott, then we will deprive ourselves voluntarily of groceries, goods, services, electronics, social media, sports, all apple products, and ice-cream, even before the issue of worship takes center stage.

 The list goes on and on, and is expanding every day to include such big companies as Aetna, Coco-Cola, CVS, Google, Pay-pal, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, The New England Patriots, The San Francisco Bay Giants, Ben and Jerry’s, E-Bay, CBS General Electric, Levi Strauss, Chase, Microsoft, American Airlines, American Express, AT@T, Capital One Financial, Comcast, Cigna, and DIRECTV, among 379 businesses and corporations. 

The genius of true Christianity is that it allows for freedom of choice, in matters both temporal and spiritual in nature. And since this freedom is a God-given gift to every human being, we need to be very careful in subscribing to economic boycotts in order to punish those with whom we may not agree. And while on the one hand, Christians do retain the right to disagree or refuse participation in ideologies that are overtly contrary to the teachings of scripture, yet there are basic human rights that cannot, and should not be denied to any person, just because of their sexual orientation.

In other words, the basic human needs such as food, raiment, shelter, and protection, such as is to be granted to every other citizen, should not be denied to those of alternative lifestyles, merely on the grounds of ideological or lifestyle differences. This is not a figment of our imagination, it is written down in the word of God, and fully exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 5: 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 sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil”.. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Proverbs 24:9 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

In other words, Jesus Christ is here cautioning us not to deal in the same currency as the beast, for if we do, even for so-called valid reasons, we too will become inextricably entangled in the snare of 666, which, as stated before, integrates the concept of financial persecution through economic boycotts, because of differences in beliefs. For us to better understand the godly concepts and methods to be adopted at such a time as this, we will need to examine an incident which took place in the land of Palestine many years ago. 

The nation of Israel had become weary of trusting in God, and because of the popular, gravitational pull of the surrounding heathen nations, they demand a king, knowing that this request will greatly displease the God of heaven, under whose wings they had been protected and sustained all along. Both God and Samuel voice their utter displeasure at the irreverent request, but at the end of the day, after the overwhelming majority of the people continue to clamor for that which is evil, God finally gives them their heart’s desire, even though He knows they will suffer tremendously because of their own choices. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 
10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king. 
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. 
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 
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, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. 
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king”…..

It is worthy of note that in this instance God did not institute an economic boycott on account of the sin of the people, for if there was any one who could have done so, effectively and immediately, it would have been God. Instead, after a vigorous protest against their course of action through the prophet Samuel, God finally allowed them to have their own way, with the natural results that would follow. 

The lesson here for us is that we should do as God would do in similar situations. If after several vigorous protests from the scriptures, against the evils of the day, the majority opinion insists that the people do wrong, then it is the positive duty of Christians to let the laws of the land prevail on a national and public level, at the same time standing on the principles and promises of God. Those of us Christians who are now up in arms against the LGBT issues of the day, and who are willing to institute economic boycotts to make their voices heard, will use the same methods to sustain their own course of action when the issue of worship takes center-stage.

Our only safe course at this time is in preaching the unadulterated truths of the Bible, whilst permitting each individual to choose for themselves. The use of force in coercing the conscience is a principle that has its origins with the devil, and we should avoid using the same methods to accomplish that which may be good. God accepts only the free, willing service of each person, and we also should respect the God-given freedoms endowed by our Creator.

There are man-made freedoms and rights, and then there are God-given freedoms and rights, and as Christians we should know the difference. If a man-made right conflicts with a God-given mandate then the Christian should subscribe to the scriptures, at the same time, recognizing the freedom of others to disagree with the scriptural standard. Each person must answer to God individually for the choices they make, but whilst we still live in an evil world, there are some issues and decisions we must leave alone. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which contains the principle to be applied at such a volatile period of earth’s history. Let’s read:

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.            

                                                                      God bless!

The Final Phase Of The Investigative Judgment. Sabbath Afternoon 05/07/2016

The investigative judgment which began in the autumn of 1844, is drawing to a close, and those who have known of its proceedings, should now be living in readiness, so that when each of our names are called, Jesus will be pleased to lift His right hand in exonerating us from the penalty of sin. Closely connected with the closing scenes of the judgment are a few solemn facts, of which we should all be aware, because, in our fast-paced world, where the gods of materialism, and fashion are stalking the land unrebuked, Christians and secular folk alike are in grave danger of forgetting what some may deem an inconvenient truth.

 [1] We will all be held accountable for our actions and decisions. Each individual must render an account in the judgment to The One who gave us our existence, and this solemn truth applies across the board, affecting believers and unbelievers, men and women of all faiths, creeds, and cultures, even atheists, agnostics, and all those who subscribe to pagan religions, and secret societies. None are exempt and none can escape the searching scrutiny of the Omniscient God.  Let’s read.

 2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
That nation being referred to is the first known atheistic nation, and it’s worthy of note that the pharaoh of Moses’ day adamantly declared that he had no respect nor reverence for the God of the Hebrews. But as the Bible clearly teaches, being atheistic, in no way, shape or form, exempts any person or nation from being judged by the God of the universe, for the Bible teaches that God is no respecter of persons, whether we believe in Him or not. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 
2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.
3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 
30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 
31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said. 
32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 
33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

This first, and very important point is especially applicable in our present day, for the doctrine of non-accountability to anyone but ourselves has gone viral. This is the reason why there is so much animosity towards the Bible and its teachings, for anytime and anywhere the principles of God’s word are brought to bear against prevailing sins, there is the tendency to raise the cry of being judgmental. And it’s because of this why the voice of reproof and instruction, as found in the Bible, have gone strangely silent for the most part. But there is soon going to be a great awakening, when each person must come face to face with the irrevocable verdict handed down in the judgment.

[2] The next important point for us to remember, even if we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, is that our sins are not blotted out until after a final decision has been reached in the courts above. Until such time, our sins are only covered by the blood of Christ, but it’s only after close scrutiny of our deeds and decisions, that our sins are forever removed from the heavenly records. This sacred truth should have the effect of causing us not to become weary of our vigil, nor careless, but on the contrary, should motivate us to live soberly and righteously in this present world. Let’s read:

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

The doctrine of “Once saved always saved” is one of the “doctrines of devils”, and has been proven to be particularly dangerous, since it does violence to the scriptural teachings on the blotting out of sins, by proposing to release its adherents from any future backsliding or renouncing of their faith and practice. All the records of our deeds, both good and evil are kept in the books of heaven, until our names are called in the judgment, and it’s then, and only then, that we are either permanently acquitted, or forever convicted. The writers of the Bible, under the inspiration of The Holy Ghost, have doubled down on this sacred truth, so that no one be misled by any fanciful teachings to the contrary. Let’s read:

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Ezekiel 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Exodus 14:30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 
31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.

[3] The issue of the mark of the beast will not actually “Determine” who among the living will be saved or lost. It will only “Reveal” who was saved or lost all along, for no one will then suddenly change from sin to righteousness, as a last ditch effort, merely to avoid the judgments which will be meted out to the beast and its followers. In the teachings of the Bible there is no such thing as a rush for the door. God’s people who are in Babylon will come out from her, because they are already His people, not because they become His people overnight.

They were sitting in spiritual darkness on the issue of the true Sabbath, but they followed the great Shepherd to the best of their knowledge, and when they hear The Shepherd’s voice on the issue of true worship, they will follow where He leads the way. Let’s read: 

Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

And now, having laid the foundation for the closing scenes of earth’s history, we now turn to the final
phase of the investigative judgment. We begin by observing the solemn announcement made in the courts of heaven as written by the prophet Daniel. The court is now called, the Judge is seated, and the books of record are opened. Let’s read:

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

[The Great Controversy. pp. 479] Thus was presented to the prophet's vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered “according to his works.” The Ancient of days is God the Father. It is he, the source of all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in the Judgment. And holy angels, as ministers and witnesses, in number “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,” attend this great tribunal.

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. 
15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

[The Great Controversy pp. 479>480] The coming of Christ here described is not his second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of days in Heaven to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, which will be given him at the close of his work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not his second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days, in 1844. 

Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies, and there appears in the presence of God, to engage in the last acts of his ministration in behalf of man, to perform the work of investigative Judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.

In the typical service, only those who had come before God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through the blood of the sin-offering, were transferred to the sanctuary, had a part in the service of the day of atonement. So in the great day of final atonement and investigative Judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period.

Thus, in order for us to better understand the final phase of the investigative judgment, it will become necessary for us to study the type, given in Leviticus chapter 16. The day of atonement has come, Aaron the high priest is preparing to enter the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, to make atonement for all of the sins committed by individuals and the nation throughout the previous year. Two live goats are presented before the Lord, and the Chosen one is to be sacrificed, and his blood brought into the most holy place. 

The other goat, Azaziel, stands idly by, awaiting extradition to the wilderness, where he will bear the sins of God’s people into a land not inhabited. It’s worthy of note that this scapegoat has no part whatsoever in the proceedings taking place in the Most holy place of the sanctuary. Let’s read:

Leviticus 16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

The Lord’s goat represents Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. And the reason why He is being offered as a “sin offering”, is because He is scheduled to carry our sin vicariously, not because there is any sin in Him. Let’s read:
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Leviticus 16:5 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering”… “and bring his blood within the vail”…. “and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins”…
17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place”…..

And thus it is, that after the atonement proceedings are finished in the most Holy place, after the sins of the people have been blotted out by the blood of Christ, that the scape goat is brought. All the sins that have been symbolically removed from the Most holy place are now placed upon the head of the scapegoat, and he is to bear them into a land not inhabited for a specified period of time. Thus it is, that when the antitypical day of atonement will have been closed, that Jesus Christ will place all of the sins of those who have been exonerated in the investigative judgment upon the head of satan, the antitypical scapegoat, and by the hand of a “Fit man” he will be banished to the earth, which at this time will not be inhabited, just as in the type. Let’s read:

Leviticus 16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 
22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Question: What were the beneficiaries of this great atonement supposed to be doing, whilst their sins were being blotted out? And the question for us is, what are we supposed to be doing, now that the work of Christ’s mediation in our behalf, is drawing to a swift and permanent close? Let’s read:

Leviticus 23:26 And the Lord spake”… “saying, 
27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 
28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. 
29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 
30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 
31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Question: What does ceasing from our own works mean? 

Answer: Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

There is a counterfeit gospel that has gained much traction in our day, by which earth’s multitudes are taught to only believe, without any corresponding works of righteousness. Thus, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been watered down to a mere profession of faith, whilst sinful practices of the darkest hue are masqueraded under a guise of pretended piety. This gospel has recently been given extra legs by some of the most prominent spiritual leaders of our day, with the ordination of bishops and priests who openly practice lifestyles and marriages that are not sanctioned by the word of God. 

And for this very reason, as a nation, we are now staring into a dark, moral abyss, from which there will be no escape or absolution, if repentance and concrete changes are not made pretty soon. Some may be wondering the urgency of the message for today; it’s because of a terrible and distinct dream I received during the week, which will be related just the way in which it was given. As a general rule of thumb, we are counseled in God’s word not to live by dreams or impressions, since they come from one of three sources, God, satan, our ourselves. However, this particular one is different, for it was given with startling clarity, and distinctness, and because it is in harmony with what the Bible teaches on the issue of the judgment, it matters not what is the source.

The judgment was set, and the Judge of all the earth was seated on His throne, and a brother was brought forth to face the record of his life, and also to hear the final verdict. As I stood beholding the proceedings, there was a long period of tense waiting, as the Judge reviewed the details of the man’s life. The person seemed nervous, and ill at ease, as the records were being carefully examined. Then finally, the Judge raised His eyes, and with a piercing look, did something that was totally unexpected. He reached for a box of Kleenex, and handed a few sheets to the man, whose record had
just been examined. 

Immediately, there was a terrible outburst of uncontrollable and bitter crying, for the man then realized that his probation had been closed, the harvest was past, the summer was ended, and he had not been saved. The dream quickly faded, I immediately woke up, and started thinking very seriously about the ramifications of what I had just seen: Who was the person seen in the judgment, and what application it may have for you and me personally? 

Only each individual could correctly answer that question, however it’s important that we not put off for tomorrow, what should be done today, for the time of the investigative judgment will soon be over. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reiterates this solemn truth, and it is the will of God that we do not take His grace and mercies or granted, lest we also be handed a few sheets of
kleenex. Let’s read:

Matthew 22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 
3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 
4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 
5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches. 

                                                                  God bless! 

The Revelation Of Jesus Christ. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/30/2016

The revelation of Jesus Christ must involve much more than mere name recognition, or an assent to historical, scriptural facts. It includes who He is and what He has done, and what He stands for, and an intelligent acknowledgement of Him as our Creator first, our Savior, and our King, in this specific order of priority, for where there is no recognition of a Creator, a Redeemer becomes unnecessary. This is the reason why the everlasting gospel, as given in the last book of the Bible deals squarely with the issue of worship, for many people worship Christ as Redeemer and Lord, but not as Creator. 

Thus it is that the entire Bible, from Genesis to the book of Revelation, is a continuous and increasing revelation of Jesus Christ, in His different roles, His different activities, and the different aspects of the gospel, which are pertinent to the different eras of history through which the human family have come. For instance, beginning with the very first verses of the first chapter of the Bible, the revelation of Jesus Christ begins to unfold. It speaks eloquently of Him in His capacity of Creator of the heavens and earth, and the following texts clearly demonstrate this first and very important point. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 

Anywhere we see those two words “God said”, in most instances it’s Jesus Christ being referred to, for He is The Word, and thus, the audible voice of The Godhead. This fact is also clearly stated and corroborated in many passages of scripture, so as to leave no wiggle room in our minds as to His preeminence. 

The reason why this first point is so very important is because some Christians in our day praise, and worship Jesus Christ, the God of the New Testament for His tender mercies and compassions, whilst the God of the old testament is sometimes viewed as being very strict in His dealings with us mortals. This erroneous view, the scriptures seek to correct, for the God of the Old and New testament is one and the same, Jesus Christ. Let’s read:

John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. 
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

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. 
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.
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

Now that Jesus has addressed His own statement of fact about who He is, we can safely move on to the revelation of Jesus Christ as it pertains to what He stands for. God’s people have always been on the move, because just as truth is progressive in nature, Christ also made known His will in different stages, and various increments, as His people were able to understand, and appreciate His wise, intelligent and good purposes towards the human family. 

The scriptures clearly state that the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more until the perfect day, therefore, in harmony with His method of incremental revealing of knowledge, God permitted His people to do things in times past that were absolutely not His ideal will. But then as time progressed, greater light concerning those issues was shed upon their pathway, and just as truth is progressive, the inhabitants of earth were required and expected to walk in the advancing glory of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Let’s take for instance the world renowned Bud light, Johnny walker black, red, red wine, and all other alcoholic beverages. Let’s read:

Genesis 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 
21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

Genesis 19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 
31 And the firstborn said unto the younger”….
32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him”…
33 And they made their father drink wine that night”…

Genesis 27:24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 
25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.

Deuteronomy 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.

Even though Christ did not sanction the use of these alcoholic products, yet He obviously permitted folks to ingest them. But by the third and fourth book of the Bible, Christ begins to reveal incrementally, that He is not in favor of the use of alcoholic beverages, and what He stands for on this issue begins to come down in clearer and clearer terms. Beginning with the priests and those who handle sacred things, His revelation on the issue of alcohol become plain, to the point where it is written down as a statute. Let’s read:

Leviticus 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations: 
10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.

Here Christ hints at the fact that one’s judgment becomes impaired with the use of alcohol, to the point where it becomes quite difficult to distinguish between the sacred and the common. But its only later on that He begins to reveal, in no uncertain terms, the adverse results of this age old habit of drinking. In the book of Proverbs, Christ lays out in the plainest language what becomes of the drunk, with the hope that the additional information about cause and effect will then cause earth’s inhabitants to reason soberly, and make those choices that are commensurate with sound judgment. Let’s read:

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Proverbs 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

Proverbs 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 
34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. 
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Thus, as God’s will was fully revealed, and the dire effects of drinking alcohol were greatly exposed, Christ required and expected that people cease and desist from the age old habit He once permitted, for now, they were to reason from cause to effect, and thus make those decisions which were in harmony with His will. And if for any reason, the inhabitants of earth were to persist in the same wrong course of action, as they had done, prior to receiving the additional information, then the same activity that was once permitted, now became a sinful one, and terrible judgments were leveled against both the participants and perpetrators alike. Let’s read:

Isaiah 5:11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 
12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. 
13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge”….
14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
The same method of incremental revelation of Jesus Christ also takes place in the arena of worship, for anciently, folks worshipped Him, albeit through the medium of idols and symbols. This He permitted for a time, but He soon began to correct the warped misunderstanding of the issue of worship. When Aaron made the golden calves, he did not tout the consequent celebration as idolatry, but rather as a feast to the Lord. Christ then made it very plain that what He stands for, and what the people did, was crisscrossed. 

And thus, after making His will abundantly plain by incremental revelations, He absolutely proscribes any counterfeit to the contrary, and ends in the book of Revelation with severe judgments against those who deliberately choose to do otherwise. Let us observe the pattern of His tolerance for a while, then making His will known, and then the adverse consequences which will befall those who persist. Let’s read:
Genesis 31:34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not. 
35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.

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 Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
Exodus 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 
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, To morrow is a feast to the Lord. 
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 

Acts 17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness”….

There is a false gospel being perpetrated now which has absolutely nothing to do with the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and it has now evolved to include such issues as global warming, income inequality, climate change, social justice, and many other such things, which are, in and of themselves good, but which do cause Christ to be shrouded in a maze of temporal concerns, so that the issues, the book of Revelation calls upon us to focus squarely on, is entirely lost upon the minds of the multitudes. This false gospel, together with the false Christ to which it points, was pointed out by the apostle Paul, with the hope that those who live in the last days of earth’s history would be enabled to distinguish clearly between the true and the false. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

We will now focus squarely on the revelation of Jesus Christ, as brought to light in the last book of the Bible, for this is the Jesus that we will all have to meet and answer to, one day soon. In order for any person to worship Christ as Creator, we will need to worship Him on the day that is set aside for that specific purpose, and there is one, and only one law in the Decalogue which clearly designates Christ in His capacity as Creator, and therefore enjoins the worship that is in harmony with that great fact. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 
9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 
10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The word “Worship” is mentioned no less than eight times in revelation chapters 13 and 14, and the next event to take place after the spiritual dust has settled is the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven. So no conscientious person who reads those two chapters can avoid the conclusion that the final issue to be decided on our planet, is not global warming, but worship. 

As a matter of fact, one of the reasons why we are now witnessing an unprecedented upheaval in the political realm, with no viable explanations for the phenomena, is because the issue of true worship is about to take center stage, and when it does, it will quickly wind down the probation of all of earth’s inhabitants, thus ushering in the new kingdom of glory, which the prophet Daniel spoke about. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth 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.

This is not rocket science folks; the deciding issue being spoken of in these verses is obviously one of worship. The repetition of the word worship draws our attention to two distinct groups of people, into which the entire world will inevitably be divided and thus it is our decision to choose whether to worship Jesus Christ as Creator of heaven and earth, or to worship the beast via the substitute day of rest, just so that we may retain our economic privileges. This final decision no one will be able to escape, hence the reason why the Bible presents an urgent plea to all of earth’s inhabitants. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation”….
11 “And they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

And then, after the issue of worship has been finally decided in the mind of each person; after the choice is made to worship Jesus Christ as Creator, or give one’s support to the dragon and the beast, via the substitute day of rest, then the next thing to occur is not long years of global peace and security, with no more climate change or global warming, but the ushering in of the 2nd coming of Christ as King, to render unto every man according to their decisions. Let’s read:

Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 
16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Jeremiah 25:32 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. 
33 And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. 
34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock”..

Excerpts from Pope Francis radio address, Vatican radio, August 15, 2015:  “We must never be slaves to work but rather its master.” Nevertheless, “We know that millions of men and women, even children, are slaves to work.  The obsession with economic profit and technical efficiency puts the human rhythms of life at risk” “Moments of rest, especially on Sunday, are sacred because in them we find God. The Sunday Eucharist brings to our celebrations every grace of Jesus Christ”. May we always recognize the family as the privileged place to understand, guide and sustain the gifts which arise from our celebrations, especially the Sunday Eucharist”.

In closing there is an important and urgent question we must ask ourselves: Could it be that we are on the brink of what John the Revelator spoke about, and if so, could it be that the counterfeit brand of worship is soon to be enforced, under various guises such as faith, family, and social justice? There are two, and only two clear choices before our faces, and our decisions on this issue will ultimately determine our eternal destiny. We therefore end with two passages of scripture, one which raises the prospect that many individuals who worship Jesus Christ only as savior, will be lost eternally, if no decided changes are made. And the next passage brings to light the sacredness of God’s original 7th day Sabbath, which according to the scriptures, will be perpetuated throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Let’s read: 

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. 
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

                                                                 God bless! 

Eighteen Years Of Silence. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/23/2016

In the Bible we read of Christ, from birth to about twelve years of age, and then for eighteen years, there is silence, until Jesus is presented as the Lamb of God at the age of thirty. During these eighteen years of silence a tremendous amount of activity actually took place, however, the Bible sums it up briefly by stating that Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. These few words speak volumes, even though many Bible students may have glossed them over. 

However, it must be noted here that between the ages of twelve and thirty, a whole lot of pressure is brought to bear upon our souls by the enemy of all righteousness, for his temptations against our fallen nature usually assert themselves in their severest forms, especially during those turbulent teenage years. And thus, we should never conclude that the three temptations against Christ in the wilderness, were the first forays of the devil against His soul.

This conclusion can be drawn from the Bible, which teaches us that Christ was tempted in “All” points, just as we are yet without sin. But many folks have stumbled over this statement of scripture, believing that Christ had an advantage over us in overcoming, and thus the logical reasoning that naturally follows that mode of thought, is that we cannot reasonably be expected to overcome, as Christ overcame, since some assume that He must have had an advantage. And as a direct result, many have given up all hope of overcoming, preferring to grovel in the liabilities of fallen human nature, instead of appropriating the victories that can be ours daily through Christ.

The subsequent overtones of these conclusions can be seen in doctrines which advocate for faith in God and in Christ’s righteousness, even as the believer continues to live in sin. And thus we have come to an era in Christianity, where faith in Christ has now become quite lopsided, with little corresponding growth in grace and practice, as the word of God clearly stipulates. 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.

Therefore, it is for the purpose of correcting these erroneous theories of Christ, that we now turn to Bible for answers, not only about His victories in the wilderness, but also about those eighteen years of silence which were referred to previously. There are a few fundamentals we need to cover first, before we can better understand Christ’s temptations and His victories in our behalf. 

[1] In accomplishing the singular act of incarnation, God did not do anything for Christ, which was not done in the first Adam, and since Adam could have sinned, and he did, then Jesus also could have sinned, but He didn’t. In other words, the first Adam was created without any bias to sin, and therefore, because Christ must pick up from where Adam lost, He too was made without any inherent bias to sin, for God was His Father, just like the first Adam. Let’s read:

Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

[2] The first Adam was created from the dust of the earth, while the Second Adam was made using the same processes we are all now subject to, but this was all done in love and mercy, so that thousands of years of degenerate human nature would fall upon the shoulders of Christ, thus making Him one with us. Fallen human nature is not a sin, it just means that the natural urges which occurred mildly, and were easily controllable in the first Adam, have now been thrown entirely out of balance, and because of this, we now experience bouts of extreme pangs of hunger, thirst, and sexual urges, which when we permit to run unbridled, result in a dire lack of self-control. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating and drinking, nor is it a sin to be given in marriage. The problem occurs when we take these inherently God given desires to extremes and indulge excessively in them contrary to God’s revealed will. Thus it is, that when a decision is made to participate in any of the aforementioned activities in a manner that is clearly against scripture, sin occurs. Gay marriage, shacking up without being married, one or two night stances, polygamy, marrying, and divorcing, and remarrying several times, for very trivial, unscriptural reasons, all become sin, for they are contrary to God’s ideal, given in His established order.

[3] These biological urges, in their disturbed and fallen state, are what set the stage for Christ to be tempted in all points like as we are, hence the reason why we are admonished in the Bible, not to allow these urges to cause us to make decisions that are not in harmony with the scriptures. Let’s read:

Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

[4] Being made sinless does not prevent a person from being tempted, and this statement covers all situations, including Adam, Christ, Eve, satan, and the millions of angels who fell with him. Let’s take for instance, the first Adam who was not created with any inherent bias to sin, but was tempted just like Christ, and he did fall. It is worthy of note that even in his sinless state, the power of temptation asserted itself against his soul, and thus it was with Christ, who chose to react differently. It all boils down to our God-given freedom to choose. Let’s read:
Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

The devil and the angels who fell with him were all created sinless, without any bias to sin yet they all fell, and thus, it would be quite erroneous for us to conclude that in the incarnation of Christ, God the Father put up invisible fences, and hedges around the soul of Christ, so as to insulate Him from the severest temptations. On the contrary, God pulled out all the stops, and permitted satan to hurl his best shots, and fiercest temptations against Christ, and the rest is history, because Christ came out victorious on every point. Let’s read:

[The desire Of Ages pp. 753] The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Savior in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Savior could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal.

Ezekiel 28:12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

[5] This leads us to our next logical observation, for according to the scriptural laws of science, both parents contribute to the makeup of their offspring. And thus the question is, what did The Holy Ghost contribute, and what did Mary contribute, so that Christ could be born sinless, with Him having one parent who was a sinner, and the other who was sinless. It must be noted here that Mary was not a mere surrogate for Christ without having any input, because she did bring something to the table. If this is not the case, then Christ could not be tempted in “All” points, like as we are. 

This then raises another very important scientific question, because many folks, including Christians, have erroneously excused Adam’s sin, believing that he had no other choice, but to follow his wife into never land. Question: If Adam had not sinned, and then had children by Eve in her sinful state, would his kids have been born with inherent propensities to sin, or would we all have been born with moral neutrality? In other words, can a sinless father and a sinful mom produce children who have no bias to sin? And if so what does that teach us about the male and female contributions to the make-up of their children? To get some answers we must turn to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 
22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

1st Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. 

9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 

These, and other statements lay the responsibility of transferring sinful propensities squarely at the feet of man, for Mary could make no contribution in that area whatsoever, hence the reason why Christ was not predisposed to sin, as we are. When we examine the nature of the fall in Eden, we see that Eve fell because of deceit, but Adam made a choice that was well-informed and deliberate, and that’s why sinful propensities came from through Adam to his offspring. Let’s read:

 1st Timothy 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

This brings us to the incarnation of Christ, where A sinless Father, is coupled together with a sinful mother, and no evil propensities can be transferred by the mother. If The Father were to do something in Mary that would have miraculously prevented a natural transfer of sinful propensities, then it would be considered by some as a shady deal, rendering Christ invulnerable, and not subject to the normal processes and liabilities we go through. In essence, Mary would produce a sort of righteous robot, who could not ever sin. Robots are the creation of man, not of God. And so we read of Christ’s incarnation as announced by the angel Gabriel. Let’s read:

Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest”… 
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

This level of science, not even the angel Gabriel could comprehend, that’s why the best description he could give was “That Holy Thing”.  As was stated before on this forum, the word Omniscience really consists of two distinct words, “Omni and Science, and therefore it is with reverence that the curtain is drawn aside for the believing members of the scientific community to investigate the vast treasures of knowledge and understanding which are revealed in Christ. Mary’s contribution to the process is fallen human nature, whilst the Holy Ghost’s contribution is the sinless characteristics of God the Father.

[6] Earthly fathers do play a very important role in the production of their children and because of this, several passages allude to the fact that the brunt of the responsibility for a child’s moral constitution, rests with the father. This sacred but solemn truth should act as a firm, restraining order against the reckless, and wanton indulgence in sin by men, for the powerful sinful propensities are transferred from father to son as a legacy. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:5 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.

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

1st Kings 22:51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 
52 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 
53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

And now, having gone through the fundamentals we now turn to the eighteen years of silence. We will take up the history of Christ from the age of twelve, what took place during those eighteen years, and immediately after, when He is revealed as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. Let’s read:

Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 
46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 
47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

From this point forward, up to the age of thirty, The Lord will be subjected to relentless temptations, for as stated before, it is during the teenage and young adult years that temptations are very fierce, and so difficult to resist. The Bible teaches us that Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin, so God will have us understand that the three temptations we read about in the wilderness, are not the first assaults against the soul of Christ. The devil followed Christ relentlessly during His teenage years, and Jesus had to overcome, just the same like we have to be victorious, by praying and trusting to the strength of The Father in heaven. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Thus it is, that from age twelve to thirty some of the severest temptations took place. He was tempted in all points, like as we are, which means that all the common enticements to sin, to which all are now subject, were brought to Christ on many occasions during His teenage and young adult years, “Like as we are”. Christ was tempted with girls, like as boys and men are, yet without sin. The town of Nazareth where Christ grew up had many females who were interested in Christ. Even the local church where He attended services had female members who must have been drooling over Him. And He had to watch His step at every turn, even in church, “Like as we are”. They came in all shapes and sizes, at all hours of the day and night, for different and apparently valid reasons, but Christ was just as relentless in resisting through the strength of God, as satan was determined in brings his temptations. Let’s read:

[The youth instructor #3] Christ's childhood and youth were scarcely noticed in the gospels. He was brought up in wicked Nazareth. The inhabitants were proverbial for their selfishness, avarice, fraud, deceit, and general wickedness. Christ, the Redeemer of the world, was not situated where the influences surrounding him were the best calculated to preserve a life of purity and untainted morals, yet he was not contaminated. He was not free from temptation. Satan was earnest and persevering in his efforts to deceive and overcome the Son of God by his devices. 

Christ was the only one who walked the earth upon whom there rested no taint of sin. He was pure, spotless, and undefiled. That there should be One without the defilement of sin upon the earth, greatly disturbed the author of sin, and he left no means untried to overcome Christ with his wily, deceptive power. But our Savior relied upon his Heavenly Father for wisdom and strength to resist and overcome the tempter.

Christ was also tempted on the issue of food, for the temptations on food are much stronger than those on sexual urges. As Christ passed through the town of Nazareth, the local Red lobster would be cooking up a storm, and the smell of freshly baked bread rolls, and deep fried shrimp could be picked up from a distance. Then the temptations to indulge appetite, contrary to Gods revealed will, would come to Him. And after a long day at work, tired and thirsty, neighbors and friends would invite Him to have a bud light or two, for social reasons, but He continues to resist the clamors of fallen nature. Let’s read:

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Proverbs 31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

These varied temptations continued through the eighteen years of silence, during which time satan had opportunity to hone his skills, in preparation for the big one that would take place in the desert. It’s worthy of note that of all the temptations known to man, he begins with the most irresistible- food. And God made certain that Christ would be in the most vulnerable position, so that His victory on this point will forever clear the way for satan’s sophistries on food, and overcoming would be permanently put to rest. As a matter of fact, if by the grace of God, we can gain the victory over food, all other subsequent temptations will lose their stranglehold over us, for as the Bible has stated on several occasions, it all began with food, and it will end with food. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 
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 proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

There are times in our Christian experience when we go through terrible ordeals over the issue of food, and of all temptations it is proven to be the most formidable and difficult to resist, especially at times when we are presented with so-called valid reasons why we should indulge appetite contrary to God’s revealed will. The grace of God, together with the victories Christ gained in behalf of the human family provide the power, and necessary incentive for every person to live victoriously each day. 

But if we subscribe to the idea that it is impossible for us to overcome, then we will be literally succumbing to defeat by agreeing with our arch-enemy in the false doctrine that we cannot overcome. Let’s read:

[The great controversy pp. 489] “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” [Proverbs 28:13.] If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. 

Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But Jesus pleads in their behalf his wounded hands, his bruised body; and he declares to all who would follow him, “My grace is sufficient for thee.” [2 Corinthians 12:9.] “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Let us then learn the pertinent lessons of self-denial from the life of Christ, His teenage, and young adult years, and on into manhood, and may we never forget that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of the sacred truth, that with God nothing is impossible, and therefore, we too can overcome, even as Christ did, for this is the whole purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.            

                                                                          God bless!

The Right Arm Of The Third Angel's Message. Sabbath Afternoon 04/16/2016

For very many years our church has advocated the health message, pointing everyone back to God’s original ideals, as it pertains to diet, health of mind and body, and the use of nature’s remedies. But now the time has come for the message to take its rightful place as the right arm of the third angel’s message, as the servant of the Lord has clearly stated. In fact, if we were to look up the phrase: Right arm of the third angel’s message, we will see it occurring no less than 57 times, and thus it is important for us to give it due consideration, since the voice of the third angel will be sounding much louder in the not too distant future. 

Now, some may be wondering why we have begun to place such a heavy emphasis on health on our
Face-book page, by putting up articles, pictures, and videos on a wide range of health-related issues such as exercise, foods and natural remedies. The reason is that many people do not know that God is always practical and down to earth in His instructions, and while many of us as Christians may be looking for a great miracle to occur to change our habits and our lifestyles overnight, the fact is that the means by which God will work to bring about change, is via the products and methods He has already ordained.

If someone needs to go to their doctor or physician for the treatment of diabetes, cancer, or heartburn, it will not bode well with the doctor for the patient to bring their own medicines, for the doctor is the one who stipulates what treatments and medicines are to be used in restoring health. Similarly, it will not bode well with Jesus if, in the restoration of health, that we bring to the table, those products He has not prescribed, for as stated before, it will be unreasonable for us to expect positive results if
insist that God works with products and methods we recommend.

For instance, Naaman, who was terminally ill with leprosy was told of Elisha the prophet in Israel, but when he arrived at Elisha’s house, he became pretty disturbed because the prophet did not come out in a show of spiritual exuberance, raising his hands to the heavens, and invoking God’s miraculous power in his behalf. Instead, the prophet told him of one of the simplest remedies you can find, water. God, the Physician, is going to cure Naaman, but the patient has to use only those products and methods which are stipulated. 

And even though the water and seven dips do not make any sense whatsoever to the patient, we must remember that in our own experience with doctors and medicines, the names of some of those drugs many people use also do not make any sense either, let alone being able to pronounce them. Thus, after much fretting and anger, Naaman finally took the plunge, and God worked through the agency of water to bring about healing.

The health message, which as stated before is the right arm of the third angel’s message, is to work in much the same way, with the implementation and use of methods, diet, and natural remedies, coupled together with prayer and faith. God’s omnipotent, healing power will be used through, and in harmony with what He has ordained, and nothing else, when the third angel will begin to sound in our day. What is worthy of note however, is that in the fifty-seven instances given, not one mention is made of either the first or second angel’s messages, but instead, every single reference is inseparably linked to the third. 

And so, the question is why? Why is the health message being directly linked to the third angel’s message, and not necessarily to the first or the second, even though it is good to preach it at any given time? It’s quite worthy of note that as stated before, this health message deals directly with diet, medicine, disease, its causes, and cures. And so the question is, what does the mark of the beast have to do with diseases, diets, and cures? For starters, we must read what the Bible specifies as the third angel’s message. Let’s read:

Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation”…

[Testimonies for The Church vol. 6 pp. 288] Again and again I have been instructed that the medical missionary work is to bear the same relation to the work of the third angel's message that the arm and hand bear to the body. Under the direction of the divine Head they are to work unitedly in preparing the way for the coming of Christ. The body has need of the arm in order to do active, aggressive work. Both have their appointed work, and each will suffer great loss if worked independently of the other.

[Testimonies vol. 6 pp. 327] When properly conducted, the health work is an entering wedge, making a way for other truths to reach the heart. When the third angel's message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.

Thus, the message must of necessity have some direct correlation to medicine, health and food, for all these are involved in medical missionary work. Whenever God is just about to do a magnificent work, satan introduces a counterfeit so that the lines of distinction between the true and the false may become quite blurred. Thus, we find it very interesting that a man-made system of health and medicine with drugs as a pillar, has recently become the law of the land, being mandated by the highest judicial body in the U.S, which may suggest that we might be much closer to the sounding of the third angel, than previously thought. 

When a person goes to the doctor because of some sickness or ailment, the doctor not only prescribes medicine, but also counsels his patient on what to eat, and drink. And therefore, many of the products and methods which are now implemented will be found to be directly opposed to God’s ways and means of achieving cures.
 
For years we have focused squarely on the Sabbath, as being one of the most controversial doctrines, the universal, and national rejection of which, will close the probation of this earth permanently. But from what we have read, it seems as if The Spirit of God is directing our minds to a closer investigation of the literal ramifications of the implementation of Sunday laws, for the mark of the beast will affect all commerce in the most literal sense, including, but not limited to the purchase of food and medicines, none of which we can do without. 

As it stands currently, most minds are programmed to decide and act along certain standard modes of thought, whenever there is a medical emergency, or any other health issue for that matter. For instance, if we get a cold or flu, most people automatically think of, and reach for a slew of cold remedies, or flu shots, without taking the time or the effort to see if these products are in line with God’s methods and stipulated materials. And if we were to get a headache we reach for the medicines most readily available at the local pharmacy. And if we were to get heart-burn and indigestion, after eating what we weren’t supposed to be eating in the first place, there we go again, with a host of antacids and so-forths. 
     

(CNN) 04/15/2016."Taking one of the most prescribed medications in the world -- proton pump inhibitors -- might dramatically increase a person's risk for kidney failure and kidney disease, new research suggests. The study was released Thursday in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Doctors prescribe proton pump inhibitors, also known as PPIs, to help people who suffer from regular heart burn, ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux. They are sold under the names Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix, Aciphex and others. About 15 million Americans have prescriptions for them, although people can get them without a prescription -- so the number who use them is likely much higher.

The mark of the beast will effectively and entirely bring all man-made food and medicines under its domain, and then it will be that those who have not accustomed themselves to living according to the God ordained methods and systems of diet and medicine, will certainly encounter serious difficulty when the carpet is suddenly pulled from beneath our feet. To adopt, live by, and trust in God and His ways takes time and does not happen overnight, for in the real world, it takes many, many years to trust in God entirely. The difficulty will arise because so many Christians have not made it a habit to trust in God solely, and because of this, it won’t be an easy matter to switch over from one mode of action and thought, to the other suddenly. 

Our preamble being covered, we now turn to the word of God to study the blueprints given, so that we may be instructed as to what will take place in the near future. We begin with the contest on Mt. Carmel, which mirrors what will take place with the modern day version of departures from the grand principles of God’s law. Already it has been taught for many years in some theological circles, that the law given at Sinai was for the Jews only, and as such has no bearing on post Judean Christianity. And with the repudiation of God-ordained marriage by the supreme court last year, there remains one, and only one more shoe to drop, before the third angel begins to sound with a loud voice. Let’s read: 

1st Kings 17:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? 
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 

The “Trouble” is a direct result of trampling on the commandments of God, for as stated before on this forum, the law of God is much more potent than all other natural or physical laws. As a matter of fact, the other laws of nature are entirely subservient to the Decalogue, and whenever it is interfered with, the other laws under its jurisdiction are thrown out of balance.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. 
We observe the ratio of true prophets to the false. In our day the very same situation has obtained, for there are thousands of false prophets, presenting fables and smooth things to itching ears, whilst the true prophet of God stands alone in single file.

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 

Every mountain has a peak, so it was at the height of Israel’s apostasy that the contest between the law of God and the laws of men took place, and history is scheduled to be repeated, according to the Bible. Hence the reason for the following text. Let’s read: 

Malachi 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb”… “with the statutes and judgments. 
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

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

In the final conflict to be settled soon, there will only be “Two opinions” to be decided on. The issue that will decide the eternal destiny of many billions of people, is the issue of worship, hence the reason why the book of Revelation specifies the issue. Its either Sabbath, or Sunday worship, for this is the last standing issue as it pertains to the law of God, versus the laws of men. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast”…
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life”…
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth 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.

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

1st Kings 18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 

This rain is symbolic of the latter rain, the great and final outpouring of the Holy Spirit to prepare all of earth’s inhabitants for the coming of The Son of Man. As the early rain was given at the inauguration of the Christian era, to cause the up-springing of the precious seed, just so The Holy Spirit is to be given near the close of earth’s history, to prepare all who so desire, to stand before The Son of Man when He appears. Let’s read: 

Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. 

James 5: 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

1st Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 
43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. 
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand”. 

[The Great Controversy pp. 640>641] The voice of God is heard from Heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming, and delivering the everlasting covenant to his people. 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. 

Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about half the size of a man's hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Saviour, and which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to be the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence they gaze upon it as it draws nearer the earth, becoming lighter and more glorious, until it is a great white cloud, its base a glory like consuming fire, and above it the rainbow of the covenant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror.

But, not long after the contest on Mt. Carmel has been decided, Jezebel issues a death threat to Elijah and he decides to flee for his life. It’s worthy of note that Ahab was generally kept in the shadows, being subservient to Jezebel, whilst the woman ran the show. Now, it’s worthy of note that both Ahab and Jezebel were national leaders, but the woman had the upper hand in executive orders, when the death threat to Elijah was issued. Soon, there might be a woman and a man running the show, both of whom are national leaders, but as in the time of the Elijah message, the woman will also have the upper hand, as far as executive orders go. Think about it! Let’s read:

2nd Kings 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. 
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 

It is at this point, after Elijah has been cut off from all commerce, that he depends upon God entirely for food and medicine, for in the mountains and the wilderness where he is hiding, there are no shops, or malls, nor any Wal-marts to be found.] Let’s read:

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Let’s recap carefully the nature and sequence of events, and then let everyone judge for themselves whether or not it is a blueprint. [1] The nation has departed from the laws of God. [2] Elijah is sent to proclaim a famine. [3] He then goes into hiding where his diet is changed from KFC to a non-flesh diet. [4] There is a national contest between the commandments of God and the laws of men. [5] Rain, which represents the latter rain is poured out in copious amounts at this time, and millions of people have turned to serve the Living God. [6] The woman, who is a national leader with executive powers issues a death threat to Elijah. [7] Because of this he flees to the mountains and wilderness. [8] Through the ministration of angels he is protected, and fed two meals, consisting of bread and water. 

[Maranatha pp. 270] In the day of fierce trial Christ will say, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over-past.” What are the chambers in which they are to hide? They are the protection of Christ and holy angels. The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies, and in all parts of the earth. 

I saw the saints leaving the cities and villages, and associating together in companies, and living in the most solitary places. Angels provided them food and water, while the wicked were suffering from hunger and thirst. During the night a very impressive scene passed before me. There seemed to be great confusion and the conflict of armies. A messenger from the Lord stood before me, and said, “Call your household. I will lead you; follow me.” He led me down a dark passage, through a forest, then through the clefts of mountains, and said, “Here you are safe.” 

There were others who had been led to this retreat. The heavenly messenger said. “The time of trouble has come as a thief in the night, as the Lord warned you it would come.” In the time of trouble just before the coming of Christ, the righteous will be preserved through the ministration of heavenly angels; but there will be no security for the transgressor of God's law. Angels cannot then protect those who are disregarding one of the divine precepts.

Observe the following: Two meals, Bread, Water, and Mountains. Then, speaking of the days of conflict that are just ahead, the prophet Isaiah says the very same thing, for there is nothing new under the sun, and as has been stated over and over again on this forum, God teaches by repetition. Let’s read:

Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. [Is it a mere Coincidence? Not so much.]

In preparation against that time, it’s important that we adopt specific modes of thought and action, so that when that day comes upon us unawares, we will not find it difficult to exercise unwavering faith and trust in God. 

[1] Spiritual preparation: The Great controversy pp. 621>622] Those who exercise but little faith now, are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of Satanic delusions and the decree to compel the conscience. And even if they endure the test, they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of trouble, because they have never made it a habit to trust in God. The lessons of faith which they have neglected, they will be forced to learn under a terrible pressure of discouragement. We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving his promises.

 [2] Physical preparation. The remnant are called to be living embodiments of the message they preach, with the God-ordained laws of health, diet, and medicine, being incorporated into our daily routine and experiences, so that when we open our mouths to present these sacred and solemn truths, people will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus. 

In closing, we encourage each and everyone to live in readiness, and as much as is possible, to align ourselves with the modes of thought and action prescribed in the Bible, because our probationary period on earth is given so that we may prepare for the finishing touch of immortality, when Christ comes to receive His own. Let’s read:

[Maranatha pp. 80] When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy, will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects, and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us.

Revelation 22: 20 Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 

Why Could We Not Cast Him Out. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/09/2016

The title for this afternoon’s study is taken from one of the more humiliating experiences of the disciples of Christ, as they were faced with a situation which could have greatly honored God, but which instead caused the kingdom of God major embarrassment. The whole situation began to unfold when a demon possessed boy was brought to the disciples, so that they could cast the evil spirit out. At this time, Christ was nowhere around, for He was descending from the mount of transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, and so, a multitude had gathered around the apostles to witness firsthand a miraculous exorcism, the likes of which had hitherto been performed by the disciples on several previous occasions.

The demon-possessed boy in this instance had been tormented from his childhood, and it was in utter desperation that his father had sought the help of Christ. However, not finding Jesus anywhere, the father turned to His disciples, who had been left at the foot of the mountain, and who had previously been given power over unclean spirits. Thus, in this situation, the disciples were to stand in Christ stead, doing what He would do in such a case.

But instead of a resounding victory for the kingdom of God, a signal defeat ensued, for after raising their hands towards heaven, and invoking the name of Christ in their behalf, the devils taunted the efforts of the apostles, and threw the child violently on the ground, in a show of utter disregard for the disciples who could not account for their sudden loss of Holy Ghost power. This defeat then caused many of the Jews, together with the scribes and Pharisees, who were always looking for a valid excuse to discredit the works and claims of Christ, to triumph for the moment, by reinforcing their argument that Christ’s claims to work miracles was a big fraud, and here before their faces was the undeniable evidence they long sought. Let’s read:

Mark 9:14 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. 
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 
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 teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

Not only had the cause of Christ suffered reproach as a result of this defeat, but the effect of the loss served the purpose of destabilizing the man’s faith, so that valid questions started to emerge in his, and everyone else’s mind concerning the truthfulness of Christ’s claims. And not only this, but being a public gathering, opportunity was now given for the rumor mill to start churning, and churn it did. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 427] Authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, had been conferred on the disciples when Jesus sent out the twelve to preach through Galilee. As they went forth strong in faith, the evil spirits had obeyed their word. Now in the name of Christ they commanded the torturing spirit to leave his victim; but the demon only mocked them by a fresh display of his power. The disciples, unable to account for their defeat, felt that they were bringing dishonor upon themselves and their Master. And in the crowd there were scribes who made the most of this opportunity to humiliate them. 

Pressing around the disciples, they plied them with questions, seeking to prove that they and their Master were deceivers. Here, the rabbis triumphantly declared, was an evil spirit that neither the disciples nor Christ Himself could conquer. The people were inclined to side with the scribes, and a feeling of contempt and scorn pervaded the crowd.

After Christ had arrived on the scene, and after evaluating the situation, He then answered the father’s plea for help, and with His word of power, drove the demons into never land, and thus the day was saved by the power of Christ alone. But then a lingering, and disturbing question still yet remained unanswered in the minds of the disciples… “Why could we not cast him out?” And this one question continued to bother them, until they sought for the answers directly from Christ, albeit in a private setting, because as fellow believers, we are never to lick our wounds in public view. And to the haunting question Christ gave this reply, stating that it was unbelief on their part which prevented them from expelling the demon, and thus secured for satan a moment of triumph. 

In fact, the evil spirit was able to get a restraining order against the disciples, based solely on their unbelief, and thus their sacred missionary work, which should have been advancing continually, was brought to a temporary halt, all through unbelief. It is therefore of the utmost importance that we investigate closely, what unbelief consisted of on this occasion, for there are very precious lessons to be learned and applied, and also there are serious pitfalls to avoid, if we do not desire to have a repeat of the same experience. The problem of unbelief in this instance consisted of “Position”, an age-old problem which still persists even in our day.
It all started when James and John, together with their mother, went privately to Jesus and requested that they be president and vice president in the new kingdom. Thus, in seeking for the highest place, they manifested that disposition which has been the cause of most controversies. After the other ten disciples got wind of the secret request, they too became indignant, for they could not believe the brazen nature of the two to make such a request. 

In addition to this, there were other more highly educated men amongst the twelve who could be much more adept at leadership and administration, therefore, for these two uneducated fishermen to presume to ask for the highest place in the kingdom savored of audacity to the highest degree. And to add insult to injury, the clandestine way in which the request was made, behind the others’ backs, caused strife and alienation which threatened their unity.

The cause of very many problems in governments, conferences, churches, and households, is that of “Position”. Indeed, the great controversy in which we are all involved today, and which has persisted for almost six thousand years began in heaven over the issue of “Position”. Let’s read:

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.

Matthew 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees 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.
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.

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 643>644] There was “a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.” This contention, carried on in the presence of Christ, grieved and wounded Him. The disciples clung to their favorite idea that Christ would assert His power, and take His position on the throne of David. And in heart each still longed for the highest place in the kingdom. They had placed their own estimate upon themselves and upon one another, and, instead of regarding their brethren as more worthy, they had placed themselves first. 

The request of James and John to sit on the right and left of Christ's throne had excited the indignation of the others. That the two brothers should presume to ask for the highest position so stirred the ten that alienation threatened. They felt that they were misjudged, that their fidelity and talents were not appreciated.

It was in this frame of mind that the disciples had attempted to cast out evil spirits, and they got a rude awakening, when they realized that the Holy Ghost does not operate on that wavelength. Satan understands this, hence the reason why he always insinuates himself under one guise or another, to bring in the spirit of alienation, for he knows all too well that successful missionary endeavors cease to exist wherever disunity is harbored for any reason, whether valid, or invalid.

This is certainly not what Christ had intended when He called together His disciples from all walks of life, just as He does today. We observe with interest that His call covers the entire spectrum of human activities, and professions, ranging from the quite uneducated, to the more intellectual, from the accountant to the more sophisticated doctor. All of these men would obviously have different tastes, mannerisms, cultures, and deportments, as well as very serious flaws in their characters. What we can describe as quite a motley crew, yet they were to dwell together in unity under the umbrella of Christ and His righteousness. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 295>296] All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them to His service. Even John, who came into closest association with the meek and lowly One, was not himself naturally meek and yielding. He and his brother were called “the sons of thunder.” While they were with Jesus, any slight shown to Him aroused their indignation and combativeness. Evil temper, revenge, the spirit of criticism, were all in the beloved disciple. He was proud, and ambitious to be first in the kingdom of God. 

But day by day, in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience. The Savior did not withdraw from them because of their weakness and errors. They continued to the end to share His trials and to learn the lessons of His life. By beholding Christ, they became transformed in character.

The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. There were the publican, Levi-Matthew, and the fiery zealot Simon, the uncompromising hater of the authority of Rome; the generous, impulsive Peter, and the mean-spirited Judas; Thomas, truehearted, yet timid and fearful, Philip, slow of heart, and inclined to doubt, and the ambitious, outspoken sons of Zebedee, with their brethren. These were brought together, with their different faults, all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil; but in and through Christ they were to dwell in the family of God, learning to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit.

 They would have their tests, their grievances, their differences of opinion; but while Christ was abiding in the heart, there could be no dissension. His love would lead to love for one another; the lessons of the Master would lead to the harmonizing of all differences, bringing the disciples into unity, till they would be of one mind and one judgment. Christ is the great center, and they would approach one another just in proportion as they approached the center.

Unity amongst fellow believers is of the most critical importance, for it determines whether or not the world will believe the message of truth Christ has given us, to give others. In other words, alienation amongst brethren effectively brings to a halt any effective evangelistic outreach, and according to Jesus’ own words, it certainly prevents the world from believing. Hence the reason why we must understand the dark arts of the adversary of souls who continuously seeks to introduce the spirit of disunity and alienation, for both valid and invalid reasons. Let’s read:

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

2nd Corinthians 2: 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

[The Great Controversy pp. 395>396] The prince of evil was losing his subjects; and in order to bring reproach upon the cause of God, he sought to deceive some who professed the faith, and to drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error, every failure, every unbecoming act, and hold it up before the people in the most exaggerated light, to render Adventists and their faith odious. Satan is “the accuser of the brethren,” and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of the Lord's people, and to hold them up to notice, while their good deeds are passed by without a mention. 

He is always active when God is at work for the salvation of souls. The prince of evil contests every inch of ground over which God's people advance in their journey toward the heavenly city. In all the history of the church, no reformation has been carried forward without encountering serious obstacles.

It’s important then for us to understand that each follower of Christ is in a different stage of spiritual development, and as such, we will have to make allowance for growth in grace, which actually takes place at different rates for each believer. Especially is this counsel relevant when there are many new believers coming in from protestant, evangelical, and Catholic churches, who may not have had the light we have had for many years. These new converts should not be fed with spiritual dumplings lest they choke and vomit, but instead should be fed with milk, as situation may warrant. In addition to this, the work of character building, conviction, and decision making on matters of conscience rests with each believer individually, and therefore, the conviction of one person should never be forced upon another, even if it may be with the best of intentions. Let’s read:

[Our High Calling pp. 91] God wants us to have an individual experience. I cannot work out a character for you, and you cannot work out a character for me. The gospel deals with individuals. Every human being has a soul to save or to lose. Each has an individuality separate and distinct from all others. Each must be convicted for himself, converted for himself. He must receive the truth, repent, believe, and obey for himself. He must exercise his will for himself.... Each must surrender to God by his own act.

The Lord does not desire that our individuality shall be destroyed; it is not His purpose that any two persons shall be exactly alike in tastes and dispositions. All have characteristics peculiar to themselves, and these are not to be destroyed, but to be trained, molded, fashioned, after the similitude of Christ. The Lord turns the natural aptitudes and capabilities into profitable channels. 

To every man God—not man—has given his work. This is an individual work—the formation of a character after the divine similitude. The lily is not to strive to be like the rose. There are distinctions in the formation of the flowers and in the fruits, but all derive their peculiar variance from God.... So it is God's design that even the best of men shall not all be of the same character. A life consecrated to the service of God will be developed and beautified in its individuality.

No Bible study which identifies problems amongst believers should be convened and ended without a providing a viable cure. Thus, it is important that we show from the word of God the one and only cure that will remedy these issues. Let’s read: 

1st Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

The Word “Longsuffering” actually consists of two distinct words; “Long” and “Suffering”, and thus, in harmony with its meaning, we should seek to adopt and practice in the real world by the grace of God, the scriptural principles that are involved. There are times when for the sake of unity, we may have to bear with situations which in our judgment might be less than ideal. This is particularly true in cases where there are grey areas in our beliefs, where God does not draw a distinct line either in the Bible or in the spirit of prophecy.

 We should not attempt to place red lines in the sand where God has not done so, for this is how the Jews of old came up with the doctrine of “A Sabbath Day’s journey”, together with a host of other binding rules and regulations, which placed unnecessary burdens on the necks of the people, and caused them to view God as being harsh and unfeeling. Thus forbearance is a must if unity is to exist amongst believers. Let’s read:

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp. 168>169] The heart in which love rules will not be filled with passion or revenge, by injuries which pride and self-love would deem unbearable. Love is unsuspecting, ever placing the most favorable construction upon the motives and acts of others. Love will never needlessly expose the faults of others. It does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but rather seeks to bring to mind some good qualities of the one defamed.  Love “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.”

 He whose heart is imbued with love is filled with sorrow at the errors and weaknesses of others; but when truth triumphs, when the cloud that darkened the fair fame of another is removed, or when sins are confessed and wrongs corrected, he rejoices. “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience such forbearance makes necessary. This love “never faileth.” It can never lose its value; it is the attribute of heaven. As a precious treasure it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.

May we ever seek to learn and practice the lessons of humility and brotherly kindness, so that the souls for whom Christ died, and who may be entrusted to our care, would not stumble at nonessentials, nor stagger at issues which are non-salvific in nature. May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. 

                                                                    God bless!

The Doctrine Of The Church. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/02/2016

The doctrine of “The Church” is one that must be thoroughly understood by all Christians, for it has a lot to do with where our focus, and interests are centered; whether on Christ, the family of God, and the great commission given to us as believers, or whether on buildings, and edifices. The modern phenomena of the “Mega-church” has caused thousands of would be Christians to lose their way, because there is the tendency to become lost in the maze of 10,000>20,000 plus congregants. 

And along with the mega-church often comes a shift away from the basic, fundamental principles of true godliness, because the buildings, the theatrics, the bling, and glamor inherent in many services all have the effect of drawing away our attention to the human and the earthly, instead of to the Divine and the heavenly. But this current state of things in our day is headed for an abrupt halt, when the testing times spoken of in the book of Revelation, will soon begin to unfold. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

 [Last Day Events pp. 180] Soon God's people will be tested by fiery trials, and the greater proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place.

In the days of Christ, even the disciples had fallen into the snare of undue admiration of the temple, and it required numerous concerted efforts on the part of Christ to turn back their attention from the temporal to the eternal. The pride and joy with which they revered the temple were encapsulated in their conversation with Christ, pertaining to the large granite and marble stones which had graced its foundations. 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. 

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, so it’s obvious that their hearts and minds had been deeply impressed by the extravagance, and magnificence of the buildings and architecture. It’s worthy of note that the “People” are not once mentioned in in their exclamations, for it’s evident that their priorities and focus had become caught up in the building itself, which was the pride and joy of every Jewish person then living. 

To substantiate this fact, we only need to observe the reaction of the Jews when Christ said He would destroy the temple and in three days, build it again. He was obviously referring to His death on Calvary, but just the very mention of interfering with the building was enough to stir indignation in the minds of the Jews. Let’s read:

John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

Mark 14:7 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 
58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

Mark 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

This leads us to our very first point on the doctrine of the church: 
[1] The church is not about buildings and edifices, or magnificent structures, it was, and should always be the worship and service of God, and about people, who comprise the church. Let’s read:

Exodus 25:1 And the Lord spake 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.

And then we move over to the New Testament where the same concept is reiterated, for nothing has changed as far as the church is concerned. It is supposed to be dead focused on Christ, His people, and the great commission given to all Christians, not on expensive, magnificent buildings or architectural achievements. Let’s read:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

1st Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

It was not the building Paul was persecuting, it was people. We read nowhere in the Bible where Paul sprayed paint on the temple doors to deface them, nor did he scrawl graffiti on its walls. The heavy emphasis on buildings and edifices, as is now the norm here in America, with mega churches of glass, and pipe organs made of gold, are symbolic of a tectonic shift from the spiritual to the temporal, and with this shift comes a very conspicuous void that is commensurate with the absence of The Holy Ghost.

[Last day Events pp. 148] Let those who desire to be refreshed in mind and instructed in the truth study the history of the early church during and immediately following the Day of Pentecost. Study carefully in the book of Acts the experiences of Paul and the other apostles, for God's people in our day must pass through similar experiences.

Thus it becomes necessary for us to pull together several passages of scripture, so that we may be able to trace as with a pen of fire, the early history of the Christian church, just before, and after the outpouring of The Holy Spirit. We begin with the Thursday night, just prior to the arrest of Christ. He is having the last supper with His disciples and there is in-fighting amongst them, right at the communion table, and in consequence there is alienation and bad feelings, right in the very presence of Christ.

Similarly, just prior to the time of the outpouring of the latter rain, we may expect an increased amount of in-fighting within the church body, for there must be a terrible sifting process whereby the wheat will be separated from the tares. In the precedent being used of Christ and His disciples, the “tares”…(Judas) will be separated from the “wheat”… the remaining eleven apostles. This ordeal which is about to take place accurately mirrors what takes place in the 7th chapter of Revelation, for out of the twelve original sons of Jacob, only one is missing, Dan, and because there is nothing new under the sun, and because God teaches us by repetition, eleven of the original apostles will remain whilst only one is sifted out, by his own choice. Let’s read: 

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an 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.

Of the one tribe missing from the original twelve sons of Jacob, Judas accurately mirrors the same characteristic of Dan, hence the reason why in his final benediction to his sons, Jacob, under the power of the Holy Ghost makes mention of what both Dan and Judas would do, blending with his prophecy, a sort of riddle, which juxtaposes Judas’ character with the salvation which was soon to be revealed in Christ. Let’s read:
 
Genesis 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. 18 I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.

Luke 22: 19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 
22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 
23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. 
24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 
25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 
26 But ye shall not be so”… 
29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 [The Desire Of Ages pp. 643>644] On this last evening with His disciples, Jesus had much to tell them. If they had been prepared to receive what He longed to impart, they would have been saved from heartbreaking anguish, from disappointment and unbelief. But Jesus saw that they could not bear what He had to say. As He looked into their faces, the words of warning and comfort were stayed upon His lips. Moments passed in silence. Jesus appeared to be waiting. The disciples were ill at ease. The sympathy and tenderness awakened by Christ's grief seemed to have passed away. 

His sorrowful words, pointing to His own suffering, had made little impression. The glances they cast upon each other told of jealousy and contention. There was “a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.” This contention, carried on in the presence of Christ, grieved and wounded Him. The disciples clung to their favorite idea that Christ would assert His power, and take His position on the throne of David. And in heart each still longed for the highest place in the kingdom. 

They had placed their own estimate upon themselves and upon one another, and, instead of regarding their brethren as more worthy, they had placed themselves first. The request of James and John to sit on the right and left of Christ's throne had excited the indignation of the others. That the two brothers should presume to ask for the highest position so stirred the ten that alienation threatened. They felt that they were misjudged, that their fidelity and talents were not appreciated. Judas was the most severe upon James and John.

When the disciples entered the supper room, their hearts were full of resentful feelings. Judas pressed next to Christ on the left side; John was on the right. If there was a highest place, Judas was determined to have it, and that place was thought to be next to Christ. And Judas was a traitor. Another cause of dissension had arisen. 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.

Not a week has passed since the last supper, but for some strange reason all the strife and in-fighting has suddenly ceased, for upon the first day of the week after Christ came forth from the tomb, the eleven disciples are found huddled together in the one room, with no one arguing or quarreling about who should be the greatest. Instead, in somberness and trembling they have now come together, and have put aside their differences, since they are convinced that they are faced with a common danger which will threaten their very existence. 

Their conclusions stem from the fact that Christ, being so badly beaten, bruised, humiliated, and crucified, their fate seems to them to hang in the balance, and as far as they are concerned it’s only a matter of time before the authorities smoke them out, and execute them just as they did to Christ. Similarly, all of the in-fighting which is now taking place in several churches, will come to an abrupt halt when we are faced with a common danger threatening our very existence. 

In times of peace lions and hyenas will hunt and kill wild deer and buffalo, because their instinct to kill each other for food is in their very nature. But when they are faced with the common threat of a raging wildfire, all killing, and all animosities will suddenly cease, because, like the disciples, they too become quite concerned for their lives, and they do not have the time nor the will to fight, whilst death is staring them in the face. 

The mark of the beast, which will strip us down to bare bones will be that common threat faced by all of Christendom, and the world at large, and thus, in the face of that common, mortal danger, all those who decide to remain faithful will come together as one, as a tightly knit unit, just as it took place with the disciples of old. Let’s read: 

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
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 causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

From this point forward in the disciples’ experience, (The period of fear and consequent unity), up to, and after the pouring out of The Holy spirit, the Christian church becomes dead focused on people, and new converts who, by the power of The Holy Spirit are joining the newly formed Christian faith by the thousands. The apostles’ focus is not now on buildings and edifices, for the Bible teaches us that persecution scattered the disciples, forcing them to flee, preaching the good news as they fled, and it was through persecution and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the gospel was then taken to every inhabitable place on the globe. 

Similarly, it will be through the outpouring of the latter rain, coupled together with persecution, that the last day believers will be impelled to carry the last message of God’s grace to a dying world. Let’s read:

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.

In our day, there is the tendency to put a heavy emphasis upon buildings instead of the people, and in so doing we run the risk of making a very grave error that was made by the Jewish people. After the Romans had besieged the city of Jerusalem in A.D 70, thousands upon thousands of Jews, instead of fleeing to the mountains as The Lord had counseled previously, fled to the building, in which all of their interests were centered, as if the building could save them. 

And as they gathered there hoping from protection from the invading forces, the building upon which they had centered their focus was set ablaze, and according to the famed Jewish historian, Josephus, blood flowed down from the temple steps like water, and the invading Roman army plundered and slaughtered without mercy, all those who had made the temple their refuge. Let’s read:

Luke 19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, 
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

[The Great Controversy pp. 33>34] Titus would willingly have put an end to the fearful scene, and thus have spared Jerusalem the full measure of her doom. He was filled with horror as he saw the bodies of the dead lying in heaps in the valleys. Like one entranced, he looked from the crest of Olivet upon the magnificent temple, and gave command that not one stone of it be touched. Before attempting to gain possession of this stronghold, he made an earnest appeal to the Jewish leaders not to force him to defile the sacred place with blood. 

If they would come forth and fight in any other place, no Roman should violate the sanctity of the temple. Josephus himself, in a most eloquent appeal, entreated them to surrender, to save themselves, their city, and their place of worship. But his words were answered with bitter curses. Darts were hurled at him, their last human mediator, as he stood pleading with them. The Jews had rejected the entreaties of the Son of God, and now expostulation and entreaty only made them more determined to resist to the last. In vain were the efforts of Titus to save the temple; One greater than he had declared that not one stone was to be left upon another.

The blind obstinacy of the Jewish leaders, and the detestable crimes perpetrated within the besieged city, excited the horror and indignation of the Romans, and Titus at last decided to take the temple by storm. He determined, however, that if possible it should be saved from destruction. But his commands were disregarded. After he had retired to his tent at night, the Jews, sallying from the temple, attacked the soldiers without. In the struggle, a firebrand was flung by a soldier through an opening in the porch, and immediately the cedar-lined chambers about the holy house were in a blaze. 

Titus rushed to the place, followed by his generals and legionaries, and commanded the soldiers to quench the flames. His words were unheeded. In their fury the soldiers hurled blazing brands into the chambers adjoining the temple, and then with their swords they slaughtered in great numbers those who had found shelter there. Blood flowed down the temple steps like water. Thousands upon thousands of Jews perished. Above the sound of battle, voices were heard shouting, “Ichabod!”—the glory is departed.

What is most worthy of note in this particularly dark period of Jewish history, is that every Christian who had not built their hope and faith upon the building, but upon the Lord Jesus Christ, fled, not to the church, but to the city of Pella, and according to the sacred record, not one of them perished, nor did any of their children who had just been born. Let’s read:

[The great Controversy pp. 31] 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. 

Upon the retreat of Cestius, the Jews, sallying from Jerusalem, pursued after his retiring army, and while both forces were thus fully engaged, the Christians had an opportunity to leave the city. At this time the country also had been cleared of enemies who might have endeavored to intercept them. At the time of the siege, the Jews were assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and thus the Christians throughout the land were able to make their escape unmolested. Without delay they fled to a place of safety,—the city of Pella, in the land of Perea, beyond Jordan.

Hear the word of The Lord now, the antitypical Titus is almost here, the Romans are again on the move, and in our day, a spiritual siege, far more dangerous and deadly than that of Titus is coming our way, yet many seem to be incognizant of it. And in our day, just as it took place back then, millions who have placed their trust and their focus in buildings and edifices, will be left without a refuge, when the carpet is pulled out from beneath our feet. At that fearful time, it will be made manifest whether we have built upon The Rock Christ Jesus, or whether we have built upon the shifting sands of buildings, and decorated places of worship.
It is now high time that we awake out of slumber, for now is our salvation much nearer than when we  believed. We therefore end with a most sobering passage of scripture which cautions us to center our hopes, aspirations, and faith, in The Son of God who died to redeem us, not in buildings and houses of worship, as is so often the case in our day. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. 

                                                                         God bless! 

Surviving In An Era Of Extremes. Sabbath Afternoon 03/26/2016

We are now living in an era of extremes, in which all the systems of earth are being stretched to their limits, with no resolution in sight, and thus, with the widespread rejection of Jesus, and His salvation in many circles, and with the many manifestations of evil and ungodliness now being witnessed on a daily basis, it becomes quite evident that we have only a few remaining moments of time to get our houses in order, so that we may not be swept off our feet as the scheduled shaking begins to exponentially intensify.

Starting with the weather systems, we see that the winter of 2014-2015 was the warmest on record, since records began to be kept in the 18th century. As was stated before, the violation of God’s moral law naturally results in the interference of natural and physical law, for God is the Author of both. Sea level rise is now taking place at an alarming extent, and officials in Miami Dade and Broward counties are now being forced to address, and reckon with the ominous prospect of land reclamation through unprecedented sea level rise, which according to the Bible and science, will threaten all the coastal cities of America, this as iniquity across the land deepens. Let’s read:

 By Mike Clary and Brian Ballou, Contact Reporters Sun Sentinel. Sept. 28 2015. 
Early Monday, the National Weather Service in Miami issued a coastal flood advisory for Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. Receding water in the morning left puddles and debris on many streets in the Las Olas Isles, Riviera Isles and Idlewyld neighborhoods. Mud and leaves covered many sections of Coconut Isle Drive. 
"It's the highest I've seen it," Angelini said. "But I'm not too worried because there's no storm." In Delray Beach, some roads looked more like lakes. Residents said it's common for the high tides to rise over the seawalls into the streets.

The winter of 2014-15 was the warmest on record worldwide, according to the state of the climate report released by the (NOAA)National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday. This tops the previous warmest winter of 2007 by 0.05 degrees Fahrenheit. Global temperature records are available for the period 1880-2015.

The American West Dries Up!
ALAN TAYLOR APR 2, 2015 21 PHOTOS IN FOCUS
Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown stood on a dry, bare hillside in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which would normally be deep under snow at this time of year, and announced an executive order aimed at dramatically reducing water usage statewide. The severity of the drought, now entering its fourth year, has already reached record levels in many places in California and across the West. Lake Powell, a reservoir on the Utah-Arizona border, is currently at 45 percent of capacity and is at risk of reaching the lowest level on record by September. California's snowpack, which generally provides about a third of the state's water, is already at its lowest level on record.

And then we have the dramatic rise of extremism in the Middle-East, across Europe, and right here in the continental United states. In days and centuries gone by, we often read of horrific crimes committed against humanity by the likes of such criminals as Hitler and the Roman emperors Nero, Domitian and Caligula. But these rulers all had one basic thing in common, in that they always sought to preserve their own lives, whilst doing great harm to others. But the violent brand of extremism in our day is one in which the perpetrators look forward to dying, which presents quite a unique and unprecedented type of challenge, for how are our soldiers, our law enforcement, and prosecutors alike, to combat a mindset that eagerly looks forward to death? 

And then there’s extremes in the political arena also, for every person you ask will attest to the fact that there has never ever been an election cycle quite like the one we are now witnessing, with cursing, and beatings, and fist fights, and punches occurring so often. And never in our nation’s history has the left gone so far to the left, and never before have the right gone so far to the right, so that there seems to be no middle ground for rational beings to take sides anymore. We are indeed living in an era of terrible extremes! 

And as if that were not enough, it seems as if the same extreme mindset has been permeating our churches, for anywhere you go, you can now find extremely liberal churches, where liberty is viewed as license, and where the highest moral standard is that of one’s feelings, emotions, or the ever variable standards of righteousness which can change from person to person. Then on the other extreme end of the spiritual spectrum, we’re now faced with ultra conservative churches, where the service of God has become lifeless and formatted, with no joy or gladness, and where a cold formalism has replaced the life-giving currents of faith, hope, and love. It is indeed evident, that we are currently living in an era of extremes!

But while we are not to vouch for conservatives or liberals, we must give the trumpet a certain sound, for in the not too distant future, the churches of Christendom, including the remnant church will be subjected to a terrible shaking that will result in a mass exodus from the truth, and therefore it is imperative that we give warning before it happens so that all who so desire, may position themselves intelligently and securely in Christ, The only One who can keep us from falling. 

In years gone by, Bible studies have been conducted in such a manner as to identify problems as well as workable solutions. But the very daunting challenge about that which is headed our way, is that we are now faced with the prospect that there may be no answers or resolutions, to the two extremes which will be developed. In commenting upon this very terrible ordeal the servant of the Lord, as well as the Bible prophets give a clear and distinct warning. 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.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 
16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children”…
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

Selected Messages 2:114 (1896). If Satan sees that the Lord is blessing His people and preparing them to discern his delusions, he will work with his master power to bring in fanaticism on the one hand and cold formalism on the other, that he may gather in a harvest of souls.
 [Last Day Events pp. 172>174] Divisions will come in the church. Two parties will be developed. The wheat and tares grow up together for the harvest. When the law of God is made void the church will be sifted by fiery trials, and a larger proportion than we now anticipate will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Even in our day there have been and will continue to be entire families who have once rejoiced in the truth, but who will lose faith because of calumnies and falsehoods brought to them in regard to those whom they have loved and with whom they have had sweet counsel”… The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out, the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. 

The Title of our Bible study for this afternoon is “How to survive in an era of extremes”, and in harmony with that solemn theme the Bible gives us a few pertinent instructions, which if we are diligent to follow by the grace of God, will go a long way in enabling us to emerge unscathed at the other end of the tunnel. 

[1] We must keep our eyes on Christ, never forgetting The one who bled and died to save us from sin. It is satan’s relentless effort to cause us to let go the hands of Christ for any and every reason. It is therefore imperative that during these trying times, that we focus on Christ, not on the variables nor the crucibles which may threaten our faith and our sanity from time to time. Let us then be aware that the heat of the furnace will soon be turned up several notches, and it will only be those who cling unflinchingly to Christ who will survive. Let’s read:

Romans 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses”… “let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

[2] We must study the word of God for ourselves, so that we be convinced of the truth individually. This point cannot be stressed enough, for there are too many who depend on others to explain the word of God to themselves. This is not to say that there’s no room for the teaching ministry, but The Lord will have us to understand that the onus is on us to dig deep for ourselves, just like the Bereans did. Let’s read:

Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

2nd Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

[Last Day Events pp. 70] When the time of trial shall come there are men now preaching to others who will find, upon examining the positions they hold, that there are many things for which they can give no satisfactory reason. Until thus tested they knew not their great ignorance. And there are many in the church who take it for granted that they understand what they believe, but, until controversy arises, they do not know their own weakness. When separated from those of like faith and compelled to stand singly and alone to explain their belief, they will be surprised to see how confused are their ideas of what they had accepted as truth.

[3] We must ask God to clothe us with the armor of Christ’s righteousness from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet. This last, but very important requirement is absolutely essential to us not being swept off our feet. The various pieces of the armor are to be found in the following passages, and it will be worth the while for us to put the entire chapter to memory, for we will need it in short order. Let’s read:
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 
11 Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

[Early Writings pp. 269>270] I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety, expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration fell from their foreheads. Now and then their faces would light up with the marks of God's approbation, and again the same solemn, earnest, anxious look would settle upon them.

Evil angels crowded around, pressing darkness upon them to shut out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the darkness that surrounded them, and thus they be led to distrust God and murmur against Him. Their only safety was in keeping their eyes directed upward. Angels of God had charge over His people, and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness.

As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a ray of light from Jesus came to them, to encourage their hearts and light up their countenances. Said the angel, “Look ye!” My attention was then turned to the company I had seen, who were mightily shaken. I was shown those whom I had before seen weeping and praying in agony of spirit. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. They moved in exact order, like a company of soldiers. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. Yet their features, marked with severe internal anguish, now shone with the light and glory of heaven. They had obtained the victory, and it called forth from them the deepest gratitude and holy, sacred joy.

Now brethren, it is with a solemn appeal that we will end our study for today. Now is not the time to play church, nor is it expedient for us to be having a superficial relationship with The Lord, centering our hope of salvation on formalism and ritual, when the essential elements of practical godliness are lacking. Hence the reason why we close with the following passage, and it is the will of God that as many who desire to be saved from the coming terrible ordeal, may take heed whilst there is still opportunity to do so. Let’s read:

Revelation22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. 

                                                                 God bless!

Beware Of False "Profits" Sabbath Afternoon. 03/19/2016

In our day, there is an overwhelming obsession with profit-making, and the pursuit of temporal gain has caused many people to stumble over the things that will one day perish. Now, although in the scriptures we are counseled by Christ to be faithful stewards in the management of unrighteous mammon, yet it is not His desire, that we accumulate “False Profits” using methods and practices that His word does not approve. However, it’s important that we harbor a balanced, scriptural view of business practices, for in the parable of the talents, the unfaithful steward was punished not because he had incurred any loss, but because he refused to multiply his God-given talents. 

The Lord in that parable had not suffered any loss whatsoever, because the unjust steward had kept his master’s goods safe and sound. But it’s not good enough for us to preserve our material blessings, as well as our God-given talents, in good and regular standing. God expects of us very large returns on His investments, therefore, as we review every year that passes us by, we should be able to trace from point A to where we are currently, a steady stream of improvements, additions, and multiplications in all things. 

For instance, if we were instrumental in leading two people to Christ last year, this year we should bring in no less than four. If our outreach efforts to the community was centered in one or two zip codes last year, God expects us to penetrate new frontiers this year, pressing the battle to the very gates of hell. But for us to be content with the status quo is a counterproductive mindset, and is rebuked in the words of Christ when He states that whosoever is not gathering with Him is actually scattering.

The same expectation applies to our finances too, for it is not the will of God that year after year after year should find His people debt-ridden, or worst yet, sinking deeper into the financial snares which satan sets for souls. As Christians we should be a people on the move, not backwards, nor stagnant, but rather in forward motion, facing new challenges and overcoming new hurdles, and penetrating new frontiers, and reaching for the stars. Never should the possibility failure prevent us from trying, for with God, all things are possible.

Those who will be translated to heaven without ever seeing death are those who through the grace and merits of Christ have maximized every God- given opportunity. They are representative of the full potential that can be realized in every line by the sacrifice made to restore us to perfection. And
thus, the servant of The Lord offers us counsel on the mindset which should be both cherished and cultivated in achieving those goals. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp. 331>332] Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. A noble, all-round character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies. 

We shall have to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. If you come to this decision, you will certainly fail of obtaining everlasting life. Remember that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress. 

Let nothing hinder you. Fate has not woven its meshes about any human being so firmly that he need remain helpless and in uncertainty. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances.

Thus it is, that with the correct objective in mind, we turn to the issue of false profits, because in our efforts to maximize, we must be very careful not to violate the rules of engagement. One of the points we should always bear in mind, is that God is a very practical, down to earth God, and thus, the blessing of The Lord upon the works of our hands does not preclude the possibility of any loss. On the contrary, the Christian must make allowance for some losses, whenever the situation might warrant it. 

The reason for this is that there are certain methods and practices employed by the secular world which we cannot adopt in preventing or retrieving losses. For instance, the Christian cannot lay in wait for a person who owes them cash, complete with a brand new machete from Home Depot. This cannot, and should not be done, for it goes contrary to the scriptural grain, neither should we be found calling our debtors in the wee hours of the morning, nor should we be making hundreds of harassing phone calls as is currently done by secular debt collectors. 

And if for some unavoidable reason, there arises a situation where outstanding debts owed cannot be retrieved in a Christ-like manner, we should have the capacity to let it go, without going under financially.  Some of us may not have considered this point previously, and as a result might not have made provision to incur any loss. Let’s read:

And as a result, if a job, or one contract goes sour, then we are faced with the dire prospect of having no food on the table, or running into the red. As Christians, God desires that we position ourselves intelligently in this world, so as to avoid as far as is possible, the various snares that are laid for the feet of the unwary, for we should not be ignorant of satan’s devices. Let’s read:

Luke 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Thus, our case study for this afternoon will be taken from the Laban and Jacob model, from which we may learn a plethora of very valuable lessons which can then be applied to real life situations. Let’s read: 

Genesis 31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me. 
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father. 
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 

Changing his wages ten times was not the problem, the problem was that the changes were made so that Jacob would earn less for the same amount of labor, for if the ten changes had always resulted in extra funds to Jacob, we would never have read of any such complaint by him. Thus, this action on the part of Laban, of trying to deliberately manipulate the recompense for Jacob’s labor, so as to maximize his own profits at the expense of his employee is what constitutes “False Profits”. 

Now, although we may not have considered it, the “False Profits” of Laban’s time are still in existence today, albeit in a new, recycled format, for there are many multinational corporations which have indeed adopted the Laban model towards their employees. And as Christians, we should never be found using similar methods, or practices, for the scriptures do issue a pretty stern warning against all who tamper with principles that are contrary to sound doctrine in these matters. Let’s read:
James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Donald Trump’s proposal to bring back millions of jobs to America from overseas, is easier said than done, for upon close investigation, it is observed that Americans wouldn’t stoop that low to work at the starvation prices that those in other countries are paid to build and produce the many products we have come to enjoy, right here in the land of the free. Let’s read:

China-India Wage Comparison: Posted on May 10, 2013 by Asia Briefing.
May 10 – UBS, a global financial services company, has recently published its exhaustive global summary of prices and earnings as part of a report released once every three years. Using their listed global benchmark of New York as a standard for comparison, we have extrapolated the data UBS produced on China and India regarding wages and salaries.

Car mechanics are defined as having completed an apprenticeship, having five years of experience and of approximately 25 years of age. New York based mechanics earn an average of nearly 25 times of what their counterparts in India make, despite Indians working a work week that is nearly 20 hours longer.
 Shanghai mechanics log into and out of work at roughly the same times as their New York counterparts for about 20 percent of their pay.
 

Gross annual income of building laborers: 
Building laborers are defined as single, unskilled or semi-skilled laborers aged 25. Laborers in India earned less than a quarter of those in Shanghai, making India the new go to area for low cost workers.
  

The workers in these poorer countries are no doubt grateful for the work, for they often have nowhere else to turn. And yes, it is true that they have also entered into legally binding contracts with their foreign employers, to work for starvation prices. However, in the sight of God, daylight robbery is taking place, for those who take advantage of the poor on account of their misfortunes are just as guilty in the sight of God as are Bernie Madoff and the CEO of Enron. 

An illegal immigrant who does not have a work permit may agree to do hard labor at a greatly reduced cost, and he may never say a word about being mistreated, because of the fear of being reported to the authorities, yet he suffers on in silence, whilst his employer may think he is doing him a favor. This also is a manifestation of false profits, and it is recorded in the books of heaven as grand theft. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 308>309] “Thou shalt not steal.” Both public and private sins are included in this prohibition. The eighth commandment condemns man-stealing and slave dealing, and forbids wars of conquest. It condemns theft and robbery. It demands strict integrity in the minutest details of the affairs of life. It forbids overreaching in trade, and requires the payment of just debts or wages. It declares that every attempt to advantage oneself by the ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of another is registered as fraud in the books of heaven.

Isaiah 59:12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; 
13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 
14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 
15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Malachi 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against”.. those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.
31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

That question of Laban’s presents another common problem with false profits, for he suggests gifts in exchange for hard labor. This is the reason why Jacob answered the way he did, because business, as it pertains to the employer and his employee is not about giving, but rather about earning, and as such the issue of just recompenses figures prominently into the equation, instead of a freewill offering that is subject to changing feelings and circumstances. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. 
34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

Jacob in this instance negotiates for himself not the thoroughbreds, but rather those that are speckled and spotted, leaving the best with Laban. But Laban is not content with this, even though he agrees to it, but instead goes about to set in motion, a ploy by which Jacob will end up working for him for free. To ask, or expect an employee to work for free is thus another manifestation of false profits. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. 
36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

But Jacob cannot be let off the hook entirely, for although The Lord blessed and multiplied that which he earned, yet there is a grey area which needs to be addressed, for it touches on the issue of retaliation for wrongs committed against our own person, when the problem of false profits arises. If for example, an employer is treating his employee unfairly, by systematically defrauding him, is it then God’s ideal will for Christians to continue to seek the best interest of that employer, or should we adopt subterfuge methods to bring back balance to the equation? Let’s read:

Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. 
38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. 
39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. 
40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle. 
41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. 
42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

The Bible teaches us not to respond in kind when we are treated unfairly, and even though in Jacob’s experience, his actions might be excused by some on the grounds of fairness, yet The Bible teaches us a more excellent way to deal with such problems. The following passages may not be easy to swallow, but it is the ideal will of God, and the remnant who live in these last days of earth’s history will be found living within the context of God’s ideals, not merely His circumstantial will. Let’s read:

Proverbs 24:29  Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 
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 sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

For reference purposes, the Christian employer will take several pertinent issues into consideration when he is determining the hourly or weekly rate of his employees. [1] He will first bring the golden rule into his transactions, and thereby will place himself in his employees’ shoes, to see if he would like to be treated in the same manner that he intends to deal with his employees. Let’s read:

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.

[2] A Christian employer will not merely seek to pay the minimum wage, if it is not commensurate with the average standard of living, or if it will make it virtually impossible for his workers to subsist on such an income. What is legal and right in the courts of the land, is often at great odds with the principles of the gospel, and thus, the issue of fairness, should always trump what might be legally permissible under Caesar’s law. Let’s read:

Leviticus 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him”….
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 
36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have”….
37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.

[3] False advertisements, in which goods and services are offered, but do not live up to the stated expectation must be avoided at all costs. In addition to this, any attempt to undersell one’s competitors for the sole purpose of increased market share is a violation of the law which states thou shalt not steal and as such is another manifestation of false profits.

In closing, the Lord would have us understand that His kingdom is not of this world, and even thou we have to put food on the table for our families, yet it is of the utmost importance that we live, not just for the here and now, but for the great hereafter. We end with a passage of scripture which outlines God’s ideal in some measure, for His people, and we hope and pray that we will become hearers and doers of the word. Let’s read:

Psalm 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 
2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 
3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 
4 “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 
5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word.     God bless! 

The Problem Of Being Unequally Yoked. Sabbath Afternoon 03/12/2016

The Bible study for this afternoon is based on one of the most misunderstood passages of scripture that teaches us as Christians not to be unequally yoked with those who have not yet accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. The teaching is most often applied to marriages with those who are not of the same faith, but the very concept contained in the principle is more broad-based than some may have previously thought. The principle also applies to our political affiliation, our various business adventures as co-partnerships where Christians and unbelievers would have an equal say in any decision-making.

God will have us to understand that Christ loves everyone, including unbelievers, and He died to save as many as desire to be saved, and because of this undisputable fact, the instruction given in His word pertaining to being unequally yoked, has more to do with a practical, commonsense approach to a delicate issue, which is fraught with both temporal and eternal consequences, rather than an arbitrary injunction against unbelievers.

It’s important then that we view the counsel given from God’s perspective, especially since the Bible teaches us that He always has our best interest in mind. The Lord never gives us instructions that will cause us harm or heartache, and often when His counsels seem to go against our modes of thought and action, it’s because the principles and methods we would normally espouse are usually not the best for us, thus, whenever we read the Bible, it should always be with the humble attitude of a learner in the school of Christ, rather than an attempt to force the scriptures to harmonize or to comply with our own personal views and preferences. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 14:6 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This is not the only passage of scripture which treats upon the same principle for there are several others which enlarge upon the concept, and explain why God strongly advises against it. Let’s read:

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Deuteronomy 7:1 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest”… 
2 “Thou shalt make no covenant with them”…
3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 
4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods”…

Now, it is true that in some isolated cases, The Lord has overruled for His own purposes of mercy, yet His unmerited kindness in one situation should not be viewed as an endorsement of a mode of conduct that is contrary to His revealed will. Solomon chose to go outside of the perimeters set, pertaining to marriage with unbelievers, and although the Lord had overruled in the first instance, yet Solomon mistook God’s mercy for license, and continued on in the same course, until he was bound in spiritual chains which almost cost him eternal life. 
Therefore, it is with solemn appeal that we now investigate from the scriptures, the two primary reasons why God advises us against any such move.

[1] The issue of different masters.
If a Christian and a non-Christian become married, then the one who has not yet yielded his or her life to Christ is under the jurisdiction of another master other than Christ, and this fact will often be the source of much pulling and tugging when certain important decisions need to be made. The passage in 2nd Corinthians which states that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believing one, does not change the fact that two masters are in control in the home. In other words, a Christian cannot force Christ to be his wife’s master through marriage, for each one must make that decision unilaterally.

 For instance, if a situation arises in the home, in which funds run short, and there is a decision to be made about whether to pay the mortgage note, or whether to return tithe, the unbeliever will in most cases vouch for the payment of the mortgage, for in their mode of thought it makes absolutely no sense to run the risk of default or eviction, just to honor God first. The Christian believer on the other hand, may view things quite differently, and may rightly conclude that giving to God His own first is the only sensible way out of such a predicament, because the believer’s mode of thought and action is based on God’s promises, not merely on logic. 

As a result, satan, the other “master” sits squarely on the shoulders of the unbeliever and reasons that the Christian’s decision in such a dire situation must be absolutely stupid, whilst the Christian believer decides that God’s promises are sure to be fulfilled in their due season. And thus it is, that because of these irreconcilable modes of thought, problems and differences of opinions will often arise when dealing with such sensitive and important matters. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes”..

For instance, a nation has fallen on economic hard times, because of a fearful departure from God. In the resulting recession, the gross domestic product takes a serious hit, and many families have fallen on hard times with millions losing their jobs, as well as their earthly possessions. One family in particular is hit very hard, to the point where both parents are out of work for months, and now they are reduced to their very last meal, after which they must shut their doors and die from starvation. But the wife is a believer, and she makes a decision that is almost sure to anger her unbelieving spouse, because she prepares the last bit of food they have, and gives it as an offering to God. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the”… “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. 
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 liveth, I have not a cake, but an 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. 
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 sendeth rain upon the earth. 
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. 
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

[2] The issue of obeying The Unseen God.
A non-Christian will generally have a problem with taking orders from a God whom they cannot see. The concept of The un-seen God constitutes one of the main stumbling blocks in a situation where two people are unequally yoked together in marriage, for it is quite difficult for an unbeliever to give their lives over to be governed by a Being whom they have never ever seen. Thus, to trust their lives to be directed by His laws, principles, and faith in Him will undoubtedly pose a series of daunting challenges. 

In the days of ancient Israel we get a clearer view of the magnitude of this second problem, because the mixed multitude, who had always been accustomed to worshipping visible idols, often became restless and quite turbulent whenever Moses, their visible leader went missing in action. No sooner had he departed on some journey up the mountain, than they began to clamor for visible gods, and this mode of thought and action was replicated throughout their entire desert experience, resulting at times in open revolt and rebellion. 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 wot not what is become of him.
4 “And they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Numbers 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. 
6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 
7 And they spake unto all the company”.. “saying, 
8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us”…
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones”….

But the next verses hit the nail on the head, for, as coming directly from the mouth of God, it puts the finger directly where the problem lies. It is not merely a butting of minds, but God points out what is triggering the stark difference between Caleb’s view, and the rest of those who have unbelieving minds. Let’s read:

Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. 
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 
23 Surely they shall not see the land”
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

The servant of The Lord sums up the mindset of the unbelieving multitude in a short statement which we will do well to ponder, in the context of being unequally yoked. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs and prophets pp. 293] “They were unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness the continual evidences of His power.

Now brethren, in view of the serious ramifications of being unequally yoked with unbelievers, we will end our study with two very important statements, which should help us as we consider these issues.
 Statement [1] Those who may be considering such a move at this time should be aware that God’s blessings cannot be invoked upon such a union, if we deliberately choose to disregard His counsels on this matter. Let’s read:

[The Adventist Home pp. 63] Never should God's people venture upon forbidden ground. Marriage between believers and unbelievers is forbidden by God. But too often the unconverted heart follows its own desires, and marriages unsanctioned by God are formed. Because of this many men and women are without hope and without God in the world. Those who are ruled by passion and impulse will have a bitter harvest to reap in this life, and their course may result in the loss of their souls. Those who profess the truth trample on the will of God in marrying unbelievers; they lose His favor and make bitter work for repentance. The unbelieving may possess an excellent moral character, but the fact that he or she has not answered to the claims of God and has neglected so great salvation is sufficient reason why such a union should not be consummated. 

Statement [2] For those who might already be in such a situation, the counsel of God is to make the best of it, for in no case should anyone conclude that divorce in such a situation should be eagerly looked forward to. Let’s read:
1st Corinthians 7:12 “If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. God bless!

When Doubt Becomes A Sin. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/05/2016

There are times in our Christian experience when we might harbor doubts and second thoughts about the promises God has made to the believer, and even though we do not benefit in any way from cultivating a doubting spirit, yet there are certain circumstances in which it may be pretty difficult to believe that God will save or deliver as the situation may warrant. 

However, it must be stated here that whatever the reasoning, the science, or the logic might be, the fact that The Lord has made to us several promises, which do cover all of the known, and unforeseen circumstances of life, should be enough to override any doubts or questions to the contrary, and thus it is good and right that we should always cultivate a disposition to believe God’s promises, regardless of what our reasonings may conclude. 

But there are times when doubt becomes a sin, for the history of God’s dealings with us in the past should provide sufficient evidence and assurance of His faithfulness, and thus, after many undeniable instances of Him coming through for us, doubting Him in new situations becomes unwarranted. The servant of the Lord writes a golden nugget on this point, and we should be cautioned and sobered by its implication. Let’s read:

[Testimonies vol. 9. Pp. 10] “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history.”

A recorded incident, involving the disciples of Christ in what appeared to be a life-threatening situation, provides ample fodder for our study, because their experiences in this instance caused them to doubt, and wherever doubt is manifested, faith and hope automatically take a back seat. Thus, as we review this incident, let us always remember this singular point as pertains to God’s deliverance and our own safety: 

Whenever we are beset by dangers or difficulties on every side, it is good and advisable to pray for help, however, our safety and deliverance depends not so much on our asking, but in the fact that God has promised to be with us till the end of the age. If a child is in imminent danger of being run over by a vehicle, the parents will naturally take the initiative in pulling the child out of harm’s way, whether or not the child asks. 

On a much larger scale is our relationship with Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us by His own precious blood. Our faith should rest squarely on the sacred promise that all things work together for the good of those who love God. His manner, and timing of deliverance may not be our first preference, but it’s always the best. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Mark 4:36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

There are several very important points to note in this incident, and it is the will of God that we never forget the pertinent lessons to be applied in our own experiences, when it may seem as if our own ship is sinking too.

[1] With Christ in the vessel it cannot sink.
This point is of the utmost importance. The storms of life may seem to present dangers, either real or imaginary, and our vessels may begin to fill with troubled waters, but if Jesus is in the vessel it’s not going down, period. It is one of the devices of satan to tempt us to believe that in some desperate and trying situations, we will sink, and this temptation often produces doubt. But God has given us a mega promise to override all such reasoning. Let’s read:

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour”… 
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 
5 Fear not: for I am with thee”…

This leads us to our next, very important point:

[2] Sometimes in our Christian experiences, it may seem as if Jesus is sleeping, especially is this the case when our prayer requests may not receive the immediate answers we often crave. In this instance, Christ was really in a deep sleep, for He was weary from the hustle and bustle of the day, but we must focus our attention on the line of reasoning to be observed in circumstances where it may seem to us as if Christ is asleep. If the vessel has to sink, it will have to take down Jesus with it, and Christ isn’t going down under any circumstances. Thus there is another promise to stop this mode of thought, (the belief that God is sleeping) dead in its tracks, for God never sleeps nor slumbers. Let’s read:

Psalm 121:I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 
5 The Lord is thy keeper: The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. 
7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 
8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

[3] It is not the will of God that our peace should be disturbed by external circumstances, for when this is permitted, doubt and fear take over, and doubt is the diabolical enemy of faith. Doubt often causes us to use methods and alternatives which prove to be more disastrous than our actual troubles. Take for example when David was being hunted by king Saul, he made his escape to Achish, king of Gath, for in his mind, he had been forsaken by God, and so he believed he had no other choice but to take matters into his own hands. 

In his desperation he saw no other way out than to go with plan “B”, by turning to the enemies of God for help. But when it was discovered by the pagan philistines that he was the one who had slain their champion Goliath, he started to sweat and dribble, for in his mind, he had now sealed his own doom. In other words, through fear and doubt, satan had succeeded in getting David to jump from the frying pan into the fire. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 20:1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, what have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 
3 And David sware moreover, and said”… “as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

1st Samuel 21:10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 
11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 
12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 
13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

[4] Often when beset with trials, temptations, or even life-threatening situations, we try to deliver ourselves by “Rowing” against the currents, and often to no avail. It is also true, that in many dire circumstances, we remember that Jesus is in the vessel, only after everything and everyone else has failed us. Jesus should be to the Christian, not a last resort after everything has failed, but the very first choice in seeking to circumnavigate difficulties. Let’s read:

Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. 
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, what meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. 
14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, we beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

[6] There is absolutely nothing to be gained by us worrying ourselves silly; not a single benefit, not a single solution, not a single remedial action, for worry constitutes one of those emotions that feed off of fear and doubt, hence the reason why it is antithetical to the cultivation and practice of living faith in God’s promises. In addition to this, worry often exacerbates volatile situations, driving us to make rash, hasty, or ill-advised moves. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 
29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Thus it is, that the history of God’s people down through the ages have provided both evidence and assurance, that The Lord is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or think, and therefore, we who are standing on the borders of the heavenly Canaan, should not now be doubting, and fearful, as if our faith does not have sufficient, reasonable grounds to stand firmly upon. Hence the reason why we close off this chapter in our lives with a miniature review of the past experiences of the Hebrews. Let's read:
[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 292>294] When they had been a month absent from Egypt, they made their first encampment in the wilderness. Their store of provisions had now begun to fail. There was scanty herbage in the wilderness, and their flocks were diminishing. How was food to be supplied for these vast multitudes? Doubts filled their hearts, and again they murmured. They had not as yet suffered from hunger; their present wants were supplied, but they feared for the future. They could not understand how these vast multitudes were to subsist in their travels through the wilderness, and in imagination they saw their children famishing. 

The Lord permitted difficulties to surround them, and their supply of food to be cut short, that their hearts might turn to Him who had hitherto been their Deliverer. If in their want they would call upon Him, He would still grant them manifest tokens of His love and care. He had promised that if they would obey His commandments, no disease should come upon them, and it was sinful unbelief on their part to anticipate that they or their children might die for hunger. 

God had promised to be their God, to take them to Himself as a people, and to lead them to a large and good land; but they were ready to faint at every obstacle encountered in the way to that land. But they were unwilling to trust the Lord any further than they could witness the continual evidences of His power. They forgot how their children had been spared when the destroying angel slew all the first-born of Egypt. They forgot the grand exhibition of divine power at the Red Sea. 

They forgot that while they had crossed safely in the path that had been opened for them, the armies of their enemies, attempting to follow them, had been overwhelmed by the waters of the sea. They saw and felt only their present inconveniences and trials; and instead of saying, “God has done great things for us; whereas we were slaves, He is making of us a great nation,” they talked of the hardness of the way, and wondered when their weary pilgrimage would end.

The history of the wilderness life of Israel was chronicled for the benefit of the Israel of God to the close of time. The record of God's dealings with the wanderers of the desert in all their marchings to and fro, in their exposure to hunger, thirst, and weariness, and in the striking manifestations of His power for their relief, is fraught with warning and instruction for His people in all ages. The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. 

God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan. Many look back to the Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring, feeling that they themselves would not have been so ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by little trials, they manifest no more faith or patience than did ancient Israel. 

When brought into strait places, they murmur at the process by which God has chosen to purify them. Though their present needs are supplied, many are unwilling to trust God for the future, and they are in constant anxiety lest poverty shall come upon them, and their children shall be left to suffer. Some are always anticipating evil or magnifying the difficulties that really exist, so that their eyes are blinded to the many blessings which demand their gratitude. 

The obstacles they encounter, instead of leading them to seek help from God, the only Source of strength, separate them from Him, because they awaken unrest and repining. Do we well to be thus unbelieving? Why should we be ungrateful and distrustful? Jesus is our friend; all heaven is interested in our welfare; and our anxiety and fear grieve the Holy Spirit of God. We should not indulge in a solicitude that only frets and wears us, but does not help us to bear trials.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture, if and when it is applied to our personal experiences, will effectively vanquish the spirit of doubt and fear. Let’s read:

 Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!

The Unity Of The Brotherhood. Sabbath Afternoon. 02/27/2016

It is of the utmost importance that the unity of the brotherhood amongst us not be broken for any reason, because the adversary of souls persistently seeks to bring in the spirit of disaffection and strife, for he knows all too well that a kingdom divided against itself will not stand. Hence the reason why we should all seek to maintain the bond of unity at all costs, being willing at every point in our Christian experience, to put aside our petty differences, so that we may focus more intently on the work of soul saving, to which we have been called.

There is a nature video entitled “The battle at Kruger” by Jason Schlosberg, which exemplifies the way in which Christians and all church members should stand united as one, both in doctrine, in practice, and in looking out for the best temporal and eternal interests of each other. The reason why it’s so important for us to cultivate a tightly knit community of believers is because the enemy of all righteousness seeks to isolate and discourage as many of us as he can, for whenever our unity is broken up, the vital power of the Holy Ghost then becomes a scarce commodity, as we will observe in one of the references given later in this study.

Thus, the following observations should be made when reviewing the Battle at Kruger, for the video contains very deep spiritual lessons, which we will do well to apply both personally and collectively, for none knows how soon these lessons may need to be implemented in the most literal sense.

[1] It is never advisable for any Christian to wander aimlessly in life, unmindful of the fact that we are in a serious war against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against wicked spirits in high places. This is the reason why the following text is so very important for us to remember. Let’s read:

1st Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

[2] Evil spirits often hunt for their prey in packs, combining well-coordinated effort and discipline to achieve their goals, very much the way in which a pride of lions, or a pack of hyenas would hunt. It is also to be observed that they often seek to isolate the weakest member of the herd, so as to bring maximum force and terror to bear against the youngest or the weakest. Let’s read: 

Mark 5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

[Testimonies vol. 1 pp. 301] Those who depart from the right are in serious danger now. They separate themselves from God and from the watchcare of His angels, and Satan, ever upon the watch to destroy souls, begins to present to them his deceptions. Such are in the utmost peril; and if they see and try to resist the powers of darkness and to free themselves from Satan's snare, it is not an easy matter. Satan and his angels are unwilling to lose their prey. They contend and battle with the holy angels, and the conflict is severe.

[3] Whenever the agencies of evil have succeeded in overthrowing a weak member of the faith, then it is our positive duty to muster our forces in a well- coordinated effort through prayer, and through the power of Christ, to rescue the one who is in grave danger. The enemies of Christ focus on uniformity, whereas we should focus on unity, for here is where our strength in Christ lies, since as the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall”. Let’s read:

John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

Judges 20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man”…. “unto the Lord in Mizpeh.
11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Thus there are very deep and important spiritual lessons to be learned from the following video, and we may soon have to put them into practice, literally. Let’s watch: … “The battle at Kruger”.

In the Bible is exposed the way in which evil angels work in harmony for the accomplishment of one common purpose. Because of sin, fallen angels are often to be found bickering, and fighting amongst themselves, for this is the natural outworking of sin, but when it comes to their main goal and purpose in life, that of seeking out prey and keeping their victims in bondage, they will immediately put aside their differences, and work together in harmony for the accomplishment of their one common purpose. 

The same method of operation is true of the current pontiff, who is studiously seeking to bring the many warring, and often fractured factions of Christianity, secularists, and political leaders to the negotiating table, for the final accomplishment of the long sought dominion over a one world religion, and one world government, under the auspices of Rome, which is referenced several times in the book of Revelation, chapters 13 & 14. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

This is the reason why we see the current leader of the roman church insidiously inserting himself into the political, as well as the religious arena, via such common interests as climate change, ecumenism, global poverty, and the extremely sensitive issue of immigration. There is without a doubt, a concerted, systematic, and deliberate effort now being made to influence all political decisions, and legislations around the globe, in both the secular and spiritual realms, which is what the Bible has so often warned earth’s inhabitants of, especially in the last book of the Bible. 

And for those who may not be cognizant of what is now taking place right before our eyes, the next few following examples will give us some insight into those efforts being made by the current pontiff, to consolidate all political and religious forces, being willing to put aside divides and differences for the accomplishment of the universal religio/political new world order. 

In other words, just as the lions in the video worked deliberately and in concert for the achievement of their one common goal, just so the current pope is dead set on building on the same principle, towards the very same end. But what is really sad, is that the same unity and oneness of purpose is often lacking in the ranks of the soldiers of the cross, hence the reason why the power of God is not manifested in our midst as it could and should be. Let’s read:
 
Mother Jones:  Pope Francis urges Congress to treat immigrants in “humane and just” way.
 In a powerful speech to a joint session of Congress Thursday morning, Pope Francis pushed the United States to confront several political issues that tend to divide Republicans and Democrats, including immigration, climate change, the Iran deal, Cuba, poverty, and the death penalty.

The Guardian: Flying back to Rome from a trip to Mexico, the pope said: “A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian.”

It’s almost certain that pope Francis has scripture to back up this proposal, for the Bible has lots to say about the treatment of strangers, and the very suggestion seems on the surface to be pregnant with mercy and compassion, but beware, be very aware. Let’s read:

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 Guardian: It is Pope Francis’s penultimate day in Cuba before heading to the US for his first ever visit to the country. Francis is credited with playing a key role in the easing of relations between the two countries”…

(CNN)The leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the President of Iran met Tuesday at the Vatican, a face-to-face encounter that speaks to a changing geopolitical landscape and both men's significant role in it. Cameras captured Pope Francis and Iran President Hassan Rouhani shaking hands and sitting down across from each other. The Vatican later offered a glimpse into what it called" cordial discussions" touching on the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear accord and "problems afflicting the Middle East." 

"The parties highlighted the importance of inter-religious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting reconciliation, tolerance and peace," the Vatican said. 
 
(CNN) Pope Francis, who has repeatedly called for an end to the death penalty, on Sunday proposed that Catholic leaders suspend the practice for a year to mark the Holy Year of Mercy. "I make an appeal to the conscience of all rulers, so that we can achieve an international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty," the Pope said in his Sunday address in St. Peter's Square. "And I propose to those among them who are Catholic to make a courageous and exemplary gesture: that no sentence is executed in this Holy Year of Mercy."

Pope: "Thou shalt not kill' has absolute value and applies to both the innocent and the guilty"

It sounds pretty good on the surface, but the only problem is that it is diabolically opposed to what the scriptures teach on the same point. It means that if Hitler and Bin Laden were living today, they would go scotch free after murdering millions of Jews, and thousands of Americans respectively. Hence the reason why the scriptures warn us of a deadly spiritual foe who will surface in the last days of earth’s history, resembling an angel of light in character, but beneath a veneer of supposed piety, will seek to muster and consolidate world powers and agencies thus bringing the people of earth to his knees. 

For anyone to call for the universal abolition of the death penalty under the pretense of mercy, with no regards to the innocent or the guilty, is to destroy the basic principles of justice, as it pertains to the deliberate shedding of innocent blood, and thus the person who makes this suggestion is one who seeks to take the place of God as the ultimate arbitrator of wrongs between earth’s inhabitants. In other words, what is being suggested is that God is unfair in the instructions He has given us on the very same issue, and thus the very authority of Jehovah is now being brought into question. Let’s read:

2nd Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Genesis 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require”… “at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 
6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Numbers 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 
16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 

Question: What is an example of “An instrument of iron” in our day? Let’s read: Kalamazoo, Michigan (CNN)
The man accused of killing six people and injuring two more in a Saturday evening shooting rampage in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was an Uber driver who picked up and dropped off passengers between shootings, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN. The source, who is not authorized to speak to media, said investigators believe Jason Dalton was even looking for fares after the final shooting of a nearly seven-hour killing rampage.

Thus according to the pope’s counsel, a person such as this, who manifested no regard for the sanctity of human life, and who had no previous grudges with any of his victims, must be permitted to live, with tax payers footing the bill for his food, clothing, and shelter, for as long as he lives. And all this is being suggested in an effort to coalesce the world around one common purpose, that of the one world form of religion and government embodied in concept of the new world order. Let’s read:

(CNN) Delicately dancing around centuries of theological tensions, Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba on Friday and pleaded for world leaders to protect persecuted Christians. In their joint declaration, the Pope and patriarch touted their historic conclave as an "indispensable" example of civility for a world riven by violence, poverty and sectarian strife. "We are not competitors but brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as those directed to the outside world."

Since his election in 2013, Francis has made concerted efforts to heal the breach between Catholics and Russian Orthodox Christians, telling Kirill in 2014:  "I'll go wherever you want. You call me and I'll go." The meeting is a diplomatic victory for Francis, who has made door-opening dialogue a prominent feature of his foreign policy.

There is a song that we often sing which goes like this, “Blessed be the tie that binds”, and for many years we may have sung that hymn without ever realizing the full meaning of the words. The “Tie that binds” refers to much more than potluck on Sabbaths, or the occasional social activities which many churches involve themselves in. It means looking out for the best temporal and eternal interests of each other, with each one willing to make whatever sacrifice is necessary, whether it be in time, money, or prayers, so that the one who is hurting may be restored, or souls who are in danger within and outside of the community of believers may be delivered. The apostle Paul puts it this way. Let’s read:

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in he spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Philippians 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 

The Bible gives us several literal examples of how the unity of the brotherhood should be cultivated and strengthened in real time, for it is not a mere  theory, to be held aloof, or separately from our everyday experiences, but should be applied in very practical ways. 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.
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.
12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

This is a perfect example of the doctrine of the unity of the brotherhood which is being spoken of today, because the believers were willing to put aside their differences, they laid aside their secular work, just to address a common threat and emergency, which had resulted in one of their number being taken prisoner by Rome. The united states army has special forces who will penetrate deep into enemy territory to rescue one of their own. This is not labeled retaliation, but is rather a code of conduct that is based on the sacred principle of no soldier being left behind. Now isn’t it important then that as Christians we have our own special forces, those who are willing to go deep into enemy territory to retrieve one of our own, when one of us have fallen and “Can’t get up”?

Thus The Lord would have us to understand that if one of our number should be taken in a similar manner, the whole body of believers should go after the perpetrators under the direction of Jesus Christ, praying with all supplication in The Spirit, and with a two edged sword in our hands, until the one who is in danger is rescued. This is not called retaliation, it is just the nature of battle. As was stated before, whenever a soldier or marine in the U.S army is captured by our enemies, the military sends in special forces to rescue the captured soldier, and in like manner, we should have special forces in the spiritual realm, who through the power of Christ will do the same according to His will. It all has to do with strengthening and maintaining the unity of the brotherhood. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 1:1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 
2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 
3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 
4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 
9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. 
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 
12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed? 
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed.

Mark 9:14 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. 
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 
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 teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 427] As the people on the plain caught sight of Jesus, they ran to meet Him, greeting Him with expressions of reverence and joy. Yet His quick eye discerned that they were in great perplexity. The disciples appeared troubled. A circumstance had just occurred that had caused them bitter disappointment and humiliation. While they were waiting at the foot of the mountain, a father had brought to them his son, to be delivered from a dumb spirit that tormented him.

 Authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, had been conferred on the disciples when Jesus sent out the twelve to preach through Galilee. As they went forth strong in faith, the evil spirits had obeyed their word. Now in the name of Christ they commanded the torturing spirit to leave his victim; but the demon only mocked them by a fresh display of his power. The disciples, unable to account for their defeat, felt that they were bringing dishonor upon themselves and their Master. And in the crowd there were scribes who made the most of this opportunity to humiliate them.

Pressing around the disciples, they plied them with questions, seeking to prove that they and their Master were deceivers. Here, the rabbis triumphantly declared, was an evil spirit that neither the disciples nor Christ Himself could conquer. The people were inclined to side with the scribes, and a feeling of contempt and scorn pervaded the crowd. But suddenly the accusations ceased. Jesus and the three disciples were seen approaching, and with a quick revulsion of feeling the people turned to meet them. 

The night of communion with the heavenly glory had left its trace upon the Savior and His companions. Upon their countenances was a light that awed the beholders. The scribes drew back in fear, while the people welcomed Jesus. As if He had been a witness of all that had occurred, the Savior came to the scene of conflict, and fixing His gaze upon the scribes inquired, “What question ye with them?” But the voices so bold and defiant before were now silent.

Some may be wondering what’s the meaning and purpose behind the study for this afternoon, and how does the issue of the unity of the brotherhood figure prominently into the current issues of the day. The Lord will have us to understand that our salvation is now much nearer than most Christians believe, and thus, because the time is short, Christ is preparing for a massive, final invasion of the kingdom of darkness, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and to set the captives free.

Therefore, He is now calling all soldiers of the cross to be girded with the whole armor God, from the crown of our heads, to the soles of our feet, and to become a tightly knit community of believers, who would preach the unadulterated word, in season and out of season, so that the last message of God’s salvation can be taken to a dying world. He is now looking for online and offline soldiers, special forces who would pray without ceasing, and true Christian workers who will use the sword of the Spirit both defensively and offensively, and the sure promise is given us, the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

This is absolutely not the time for us to be found bickering amongst ourselves, or tearing one another down, but just like the current pontiff is mustering his forces, putting aside all differences for the soon accomplishment of one common goal, we too must not be coming up short on our side of the fence, in finishing what God has given us to do. We therefore end with both a promise and a caution coming from The Captain of our salvation, even from Jesus Christ, to press the battle relentlessly against the kingdom of darkness, on each and every front, leaving the results of our labors with Him, and being careful to maintain the unity of the brotherhood, in the bond of peace. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 3:8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 
9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
10 Moreover he said unto me”… “all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. 
11 And go”… “tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. 
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 
24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go!

May God add His blessing to then study, and doing of His every word. God bless!

Avoiding The Sin Of Self-Righteousness. Sabbath Afternoon 02/06/2016

One of the most disturbing examples of the sin of self-righteousness can be found in the prayer of the Pharisee who went up to the temple to pray. This particular individual had apparently spent a lot of time evaluating others, and as he dwelt on the sins and faults of his fellowmen, and church brethren, he finally came to the tragic conclusion that he was quite righteous in comparison, and because of this, his prayer was of the “Trump” variety, recounting all of his good deeds before God, so as to warrant His favor.

Thus there are some critically important lessons for us to take away from his experience, for we should at all cost, avoid emulating his example. And as we study the various aspects of his prayer, we would see clearly that we all are in dire need of the grace of Christ. The following therefore are just a few of the deductions made from his prayer, and it is the will of God that we review them with a humble and teachable spirit, so that wherever in our lives, the same tendencies are mirrored, we can confess and forsake the sin of self-righteousness. Let’s read:

 Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Observations:
[1] Throughout his entire prayer, he never asks for forgiveness, because, as far as he is concerned, he never does anything wrong, and so God’s mercies are not needed. 

The sin of self-righteousness often manifests itself in a brand of thanksgiving that makes oneself the center of attraction, for it seeks to enumerate in great detail all the so-called good deeds that were performed during the week. It goes out of its way to keep a record of these good actions so as to portray oneself in the most favorable light before God and man. In contrast, the truly righteous tend to forget the good deeds they have done, for they are aware that their good deeds were performed through the grace and power of Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 
35 For I was an hungred, 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. 
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

A very interesting and important commentary is written by the servant of The Lord, as it pertains to all our good deeds, and accomplishments, both in
 the church, and wherever we may go. The fact of the matter is that if Christ were removed from the human equation, there won’t be any good deeds, for we do not have it naturally within ourselves to do any good. This solemn fact applies even to those who claim to do good without Christ, for they do not acknowledge His work in their hearts, yet His Spirit continues to strive with men. But when The Holy Ghost is finally removed from the equation, the Bible gives us a glimpse of what our world will rapidly descend into. Let’s read:

Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh”….
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.  
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

[Patriarchs and prophets pp. 717] The Bible has little to say in praise of men. Little space is given to recounting the virtues of even the best men who have ever lived. This silence is not without purpose; it is not without a lesson. All the good qualities that men possess are the gift of God; their good deeds are performed by the grace of God through Christ. Since they owe all to God the glory of whatever they are or do belongs to Him alone; they are but instruments in His hands. More than this—as all the lessons of Bible history teach—it is a perilous thing to praise or exalt men; for if one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God, and to trust to his own strength, he is sure to fall.

This leads us to our second observation from the prayer of the Pharisee.
“I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers”
[2] The sin of self-righteousness makes it a duty to keep strict records of the errors and shortcomings of others, for as the Pharisee prays, he seems to have a check list of the sins of the people. Thus a lot of his time is spent closely investigating the sins of fellow church brethren, and because of this he is effectively used by the adversary of souls as a ready conduit for bad news, as is evidenced in his prayer. This second aspect of the sin of self-righteousness is particularly disturbing, for it causes us to do satan’s dirty work of spreading, and exposing the errors of other brethren, instead of diligently seeking to hide a multitude of sins, as the apostle James indicates. 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 converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

The “Repetition of a Matter” was indulged by the Pharisee, and some may be inclined to excuse him on the grounds that his prayer may have been done in secret. But the scripture forbids this practice even when it is done privately, for God is a Spirit, and the malice and bitterness and tale-bearing encouraged in secret is just as offensive in His sight as the open-carry variety. Some Christians may not have been aware of this previously, and somehow may have inadvertently done that which is not right in God’s sight. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 10:20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

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 neighbour; I am the Lord.

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

[3] The sin of self-righteousness often brands the entire body of believers as hypocrites, just because of the errors of a few, which incites some to refer to the remnant people of God as “Those guys”. Thus all the good work that the General conference is doing throughout the world, and the many millions of people who have been helped by ADRA, are all tossed out because of the apparent unfaithfulness or real sins of a few. When in his prayer, the poor Pharisee refers to “Other men”, he thus included every church member, and all would-be candidates for heaven, judging the entire church body based on the sins of one person. This tendency often leads to serious divisions in the church, and is frequently the catalyst for establishing off-shoot churches. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

1st Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

[Christ Object lessons pp. 152] For each of the classes represented by the Pharisee and the publican there is a lesson in the history of the apostle Peter. In his early discipleship Peter thought himself strong. Like the Pharisee, in his own estimation he was “not as other men are.” When Christ on the eve of His betrayal forewarned His disciples, “All ye shall be offended because of Me this night,” Peter confidently declared, “Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.” Peter did not know his own danger. Self-confidence misled him. 

He thought himself able to withstand temptation; but in a few short hours the test came, and with cursing and swearing he denied his Lord. When the crowing of the cock reminded him of the words of Christ, surprised and shocked at what he had just done he turned and looked at his Master. At that moment Christ looked at Peter, and beneath that grieved look, in which compassion and love for him were blended, Peter understood himself. 

Let’s take for instance the following ideal given in the scriptures, as to how we should react to the injustice in certain forms against ourselves. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

If asked, we may tell others of what we would like to do in such situations, and we can presently quote a number of texts which demonstrate what should be done, but what we will actually do in such and such a situation, no one knows, but God alone, and thus the scriptures teach us not to put any trust or confidence in human performance, but rather to distrust ourselves, by placing our utmost confidence in what God can, and will do through us. Let’s read:

[Christ Object Lessons pp. 152]  He went out and wept bitterly. That look of Christ's broke his heart. Peter had come to the turning point, and bitterly did he repent his sin. He was like the publican in his contrition and repentance, and like the publican he found mercy. The look of Christ assured him of pardon. Now his self-confidence was gone. Never again were the old boastful assertions repeated. Christ after His resurrection thrice tested Peter. “Simon, son of Jonas,” He said, “lovest thou Me more than these?” 

Peter did not now exalt himself above his brethren. He appealed to the One who could read His heart. “Lord,” he said, “Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Then he received his commission. A work broader and more delicate than had heretofore been his was appointed him. Christ bade him feed the sheep and the lambs. In thus committing to his stewardship the souls for whom the Saviour had laid down his own life, Christ gave to Peter the strongest proof of confidence in his restoration. 

The once restless, boastful, self-confident disciple had become subdued and contrite. Henceforth he followed his Lord in self-denial and self-sacrifice. He was a partaker of Christ's sufferings; and when Christ shall sit upon the throne of His glory, Peter will be a partaker in His glory.

The good news is that the sin of self-righteousness is not altogether hopeless, for the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins. Yet there are certain pitfalls and snares to avoid in the Christian journey, so as not to succumb to this sin. The first, and the most important medicine that is required when treating the sin of self-righteousness, is for us to:
 [1] Behold Christ. 
By beholding His perfection, His purity, His flawless righteousness, and His great mercy in dying to save us from our sins, we will avoid falling into the snare of judging ourselves by merely human standards, which are seriously flawed. When we observe the perfection in Christ, our behaviors and actions pale in comparison, and thus we can never conclude that we are not like other men, as the Pharisee did.

[2] Believe the Bible testimony about ourselves.
The scriptural evaluation of all human beings in our natural state is not good and this inconvenient truth has often proved a pretty difficult pill to swallow. The scripture tells us that there is none that doeth good, nor is there anyone who naturally seeks after God, no not one. Thus, to someone who has been born into a Christian household, who, for many years have repeated their memory verses, and has been quite active in the church for as long as they can remember, it is quite a shock to find out that there is none that’s naturally good, no not one. 

As a matter of fact, the Hebrews often referred to their descendancy from the line of Abraham, as proof that they must have been born with some good in themselves naturally. And even in our day, Stevie Wonder has taken up the very same mode of thought and evaluation, as is evidenced in the song “Ebony and Ivory”, in which he declares that there is good and bad in everyone. But what does the scripture say? Let’s read: 

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 
37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 
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. 
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God”…

Thus the very crux of the matter is encapsulated in the following verses, and we would do well to read them with a humble and contrite spirit, for they do delineate, in terms that may not seem politically correct, our true nature, our real selves. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

Psalm 14:2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Isaiah 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

1st Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The question we must answer individually is, do we accept this scriptural evaluation of ourselves in our natural state, or do we much more prefer to go with the Stevie Wonder doctrine, that there is good and bad in everyone? If we desire to avoid the sin of self-righteousness, we will have to first accept the scriptural evaluation, and then proceed onto the next step, by beholding Christ. Thus it is with solemn pathos that we read the following quotation from the servant of The Lord, with the hope that we
harbor right concepts of the frailty of human nature, while at the same time taking hold of Christ, the Eternal and Perfect one, in whom all perfect righteousness and purity is centered. Let’s read:

[Christ Object Lessons pp. 154] The evil that led to Peter's fall and that shut out the Pharisee from communion with God is proving the ruin of thousands today. There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. Peter's fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Self-confidence led him to the belief that he was saved, and step after step was taken in the downward path, until he could deny his Master. 

Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. Those who accept the Saviour, however sincere their conversion, should never be taught to say or to feel that they are saved. This is misleading. Everyone should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ and know that He accepts us, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God's word declares, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. 

Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, I am saved, are in danger of trusting to themselves. They lose sight of their own weakness and their constant need of divine strength. They are unprepared for Satan's devices, and under temptation many, like Peter, fall into the very depths of sin. We are admonished, “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.” Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence on Christ.

It was necessary for Peter to learn his own defects of character, and his need of the power and grace of Christ. The Lord could not save him from trial, but He could have saved him from defeat. Had Peter been willing to receive Christ's warning, he would have been watching unto prayer. He would have walked with fear and trembling lest his feet should stumble. And he would have received divine help so that Satan could not have gained the victory.

It was through self-sufficiency that Peter fell; and it was through repentance and humiliation that his feet were again established. In the record of his experience every repenting sinner may find encouragement.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to put our entire confidence in Christ and His righteousness, not in ours, for Jesus is to be everything to you and me. Let’s read:

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. God bless!

Pharmaceuticals Versus Godly Methods Of Healing. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/30/2016

Pharmaceuticals have now become a billion-dollar industry, with millions of sub-scribers dependent on drugs and other synthetic products to find the relief they seek, from the many sicknesses, diseases, and   pains, with which the human family is now plagued. And many have become so drug-dependent that it has now become almost impossible to live without a plethora of pills, injections, and pain relievers. In addition to this predicament, our very mentality has also undergone serious changes, in that we often look to drugs as the only way out. 

Thus it is necessary for us to know that there are alternatives, and we owe it to ourselves to take the time to understand and to implement, as far as is possible, godly methods of healing. In order for us to work intelligently, and in harmony with godly methods of restoring health, we should study the way in which God works. Therefore, the following points should be carefully considered as we observe the differences between God’s ideals, and the over-dependence on pharmaceuticals.

[1] Man’s way of tackling health problems is mostly reactionary, meaning that our health-care systems focus intensely on cures, after illness has occurred. God’s method is primarily preventative, with the use of natural medicines as a back-up plan, and direct miracles of healing being the very last resort when all else has failed. In other words, The Lord generally prefers not to perform a direct miracle, if it can be avoided through preemptive measures. (See T.V ad on Tums)

In the days of Christ, we often read where He went about doing good, and healing all the diseases of the people, but those direct interventions of God’s omnipotent power have largely died away, since it was not His preferable method of doing things, but rather became necessary because of the ignorance of the people, pertaining to disease and its causes. Hence the reason why the health message for today focuses primarily on prevention, with cures, and all miracles being second and last resorts respectively.

[2] Even though it is never His ideal will, God does not dispense entirely with a scientific knowledge of good and evil, as it pertains to the use of drugs, for there are many cases where man may not be aware of any other natural alternatives. In other words, if in the treatment of a certain deadly disease such as Ebola or Zika, certain man-made, synthetic drugs are found to be effective, then it is our first duty to go to God in prayer to find out what His will is in such matters. 

[3] There is a very fine line between presumption and faith, and it’s the will of God that we know the difference. While we should not form the habit of drug dependence for every disease, or ache, and pain that occurs, yet we should manifest that wisdom and discretion born from above, that would lead us to take those necessary, unavoidable steps in prolonging a good quality of life, as far as is possible. This advice is to be of real value to those who may be prone to go to extremes on matters pertaining to faith, versus man-made cures.

For instance, if a nurse or health-care worker were inadvertently to become infected with the deadly aids virus in the performance of a blood transfusion, then the first thing to be done is prayer, by sending for the elders, for it was not a deliberate exposure. However, if the condition is not reversed, then the individual may choose to take the available drug treatments to preserve their immune system, even though there may be harmful side-effects. This does not mean that there is a lack of faith on the part of the affected person, it just means that where there are no known, natural alternatives, a person is free to choose to preserve life at a less than ideal level. 

In extreme cases such as this, the Christian is faced with some pretty tough choices, and there are some questions which we will have to confront on these issues sooner or later. For instance, in a situation as was just mentioned, if a direct miracle isn’t granted for whatever reason, should Christians reach for the inhibitors to the disease, which are just within their reach? Or do we make our wills and put our houses in order, preferring to die rather than to take drugs with well-known, bad side effects into our system? Will God be honored by death in such cases? Or is it His will that we try to prolong our lives using drugs with known, adverse side effects?

Take for instance the drug ZIAGEN, which is the brand name for Abacavir sulfate, a synthetic carbocyclic nucleoside analogue with inhibitory activity against HIV-1. Each tablet contains abacavir sulfate equivalent to 300 mg of abacavir as active ingredient and the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and sodium starch glycolate. The tablets are coated with a film that is made of hypromellose, polysorbate 80, synthetic yellow iron oxide, titanium dioxide, and triacetin. 

Question: What are the possible side effects of Ziagen? The caution is given: Stop using abacavir and call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of an allergic reaction from two or more of these specific side effect groups: 
Group 1 - fever;
Group 2 - rash;
Group 3 - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain;
Group 4 - general ill feeling, extreme tiredness, body aches. 
Group 5 - shortness of breath, cough, sore throat.
Abacavir may increase your risk of a heart attack. Some people may experience worsening of a previous medical condition (such as an old infection) as their immune systems improve, or develop new conditions because their immune systems have become overactive. This reaction may occur at any time (soon after starting HIV treatment or many months later). 

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: unexplained weight loss, persistent muscle aches/weakness, joint pain, numbness/tingling of the hands/feet/arms/legs, severe tiredness, vision changes, severe/persistent headaches, signs of infection (such as fever, chills, trouble breathing, cough, non-healing skin sores), signs of an overactive thyroid (such as irritability, nervousness, heat intolerance, fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, bulging eyes, unusual growth in the neck/thyroid known as a goiter), signs of a certain nerve problem known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome (such as difficulty breathing/swallowing/moving your eyes, drooping face, paralysis, slurred speech).

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: mental/mood changes (depression, anxiety). Changes in body fat (such as increased fat in the upper back and stomach areas, decreased fat in the arms and legs) may occur while you are taking HIV medication. The cause and long-term effects of these changes are unknown. Discuss the risks and benefits of therapy with your doctor, as well as the possible role of exercise to reduce this side effect.

Thus it is that a person who has contracted the aids virus is faced with pretty tough choices, and this predicament is not only restricted to this particular plague, for there are new diseases coming upon the stage of action, which will force us to address the issue of pharmaceuticals versus godly methods of healing. Let’s read:

 (CNN) The Zika virus "is now spreading explosively" around the Americas, the head of the World Health Organization said Thursday, calling the level of alarm over the disease "extremely high." "The level of concern is high, as is the level of uncertainty," WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan told her organization's executive board members. "We need to get some answers, quickly."
The mosquito-borne disease is now in "23 countries and territories in the region," according to Chan. While it's been around in some form for decades, alarms have been raised only recently about Zika's suspected connection with "birth malformations and neurological symptoms." "Arrival of the virus in some places has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome," Chan explained.

After being first detected in 1947 in a monkey in Uganda, Zika was most often found along the equator from Africa into Asia. Nine years ago, new cases popped up in islands in the Pacific Ocean. Last year, it made its way to the Americas -- with already devastating results.

The number of cases there has grown exponentially, prompting significant public health measures aimed at curbing it and protecting those most endangered by it, particularly women who could become pregnant or who already are. Chan called an emergency committee meeting to convene February 1 in Geneva, Switzerland, to talk about what health officials worldwide should do about the Zika virus.

In order for us to understand the very grave nature of the issues now at stake, as it pertains to godly cures versus pharmaceuticals, we would need to extract the sacred principles upon which Christ was victorious, both in the wilderness of temptation, and also at the cross. When satan came to Christ in the wilderness, he ingeniously began with the age- old temptation on appetite, because the work of restoration must of necessity begin where man fell. As was stated before, God is leading us from Eden back to Eden, and thus, the exit door from Eden, in the form of the tree of knowledge, of good, and evil must again passed be through on the return route, meaning that victory must begin where failure first started. 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 proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

If Jesus were to turn stones into bread, and partake thereof, like Adam and Eve, He would have suffered the very adverse effects of disobedience, and so He refused this temptation to sin. It is worthy of note that at this time, Christ was extremely hungry, to the point of death, in so much that all His physical features had undergone terrible changes as a result of not fasting. His eyes were sunken deep into their sockets, and His ribs were showing, yet He refused to eat food that was not ordained as God’s will.

Many Christians point to Christ’s experience and we often conclude that He did it, so that we won’t have to pass through the same experience. That’s all well and good, but the very same temptations are often brought to us with very different results, even when they occur on a much smaller scale. Again, on the cross, as Jesus hung between earth and heaven, the temptation on appetite is presented for the very last time. His lips are now parched, His tongue is now dry, for He has had nothing to drink for more than twenty-four hours. And in His humanity, He cries out for liquid to quench His thirst. Let’s read:

John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished”…. “saith, I thirst. 
29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 

The potion that was offered to Christ was also taken from the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, for it contained a concentrated amount of fermented alcohol that would undoubtedly act as an effective pain-killer. But with the good that will be done, also comes the evil, for it would impair His judgment and His reasoning powers, thus giving the adversary, the advantage. There are many pain-killers available in the pharmaceutical industry today, which do some good, and some evil, and the question for us to answer is, what do we do in a situation such as this, where like Christ, we may be suffering intense pain, and the only available option, is a pain-killer that contains elements of good and evil? 

A person has had a major operation, after which he begins to suffer severe pain, and it increases to the point where it becomes unbearable. His physician then recommends an epidural injection, which as advertised, does bring relief for several months. But after some time has elapsed, the pain returns with a vengeance, and this time around it has become so acute that, not only is a much higher dose of the pain-killer administered, but it is recommended by his doctor that he be placed on morphine drips.

The question is: What is God’s will in such situations? And the deeper question for us to address, as we consider this sensitive matter is, what are we to do if such a situation comes our way? Do we pray with an open mind, and a submissive spirit for God’s will to be done, even if it means expiration? Or do we cling to life with years of the recurring cycle of pain, medication, and more pain. In some cases, the first option may be the best route to go, however, God never forces His will on anyone, and because of this, the choice is ours. But these are just a few of those disturbing questions which must be addressed more sooner than later, for they are all inextricably linked to the health message which we preach. Let’s read:

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

It is quite interesting to note that the temptations on appetite which were brought to Christ, are the very two temptations that we must again face in our journey back to Eden, and even though many of us may not have understood the principles that are at stake, yet we are cautioned that those two will certainly be coming our way in the future, and so, probationary time is granted to all to prepare. Let’s read:

[The great Controversy pp. 621] The assaults of Satan are fierce and determined, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord's eye is upon his people, and his ear listens to their cries. “But it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace fire; their earthliness must be consumed that the image of Christ may be perfectly reflected. The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger,—a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.

In closing, it is has become necessary to present an inconvenient truth, for although many people may not know it, there are many new diseases that will be coming upon the planet, for which there will be no vaccinations or drugs, for they will be surfacing so fast, and so furiously that there won’t be enough time to do the necessary research to come up with cures. 

Then it will be, that all those who have fallen into the snare of running first to man-made drugs for every little ache, pain, fever, flu, and indigestion, instead of adopting the simple laws of health that have been available to us for so many years, will be tempted to continue running to man for help, since that mode of thought and action which has been cultivated for so long, will have put the essential elements of faith in God, and obedience to the laws of health on the back-burner. The mark of the beast actually represents a man-made mode of thought and action, which will ultimately encompass the three dimensions of our existence as mentioned in the 3rd book of John, including universal health-care. Let’s read:

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

The material, spiritual, and physical facets of our being are here included; two are already down, with only one more to go, and with the recent repeal of the sacred institution of marriage, there is only one more link in the chain that connects humanity to the heavenly world. When that last link is broken, all hell will break loose.

Learning to trust our health with God actually takes several years of practice in the real world, and thus Christ bids us to now urgently investigate what He has been saying all along on these matters, before the earth be smitten with a host of new diseases for which there will be no man-made remedies. This is not merely a good suggestion, it is a prophecy made according to what is written in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Pes·ti·lence definition:
A fatal epidemic disease, such as bubonic plague.

 And the reason for these fearful visitations is also given, so that Christians may position themselves intelligently, according to what is written.

Deuteronomy 28: 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.  

Let’s stop right here, for there currently exists great ignorance pertaining to the silent operations of the kingdom of darkness, in the context of the on-going spread of certain diseases. There are only two rulers contending for the supremacy of the human heart, and indeed the world at large, and though they are invisible to mortal eyes, yet our allegiance to one of the two powers determines to a large extent whose jurisdiction we will fall under. For instance if nations institute laws that are in harmony with God’s great rule of righteousness, then by so doing, they will be beneficiaries of God’s promise of protection from a host of dangers.

But if deliberate efforts are made to make His law null and void, then those same countries will by so doing come under the direct jurisdiction of the kingdom of darkness, which now possesses secret laboratories, from which proceed numerous viruses, diseases and afflictions which plague the human family. Thus it is, that when we read in the Bible that The Lord will do such and such, in response to presumptuous sin, it is merely demonstrating the fact that by deliberate rejection of Christ and His laws and institutions, the “other” ruler has taken over, hence the reason why so many adversities follow. In other words, The Lord is often pictured in the Bible as doing that which He allows, and thus we must exercise great caution and understanding when reading the following verses and quotations. Let’s read:  

[The Desire Of Ages pp. 324]  “Unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place.

Deuteronomy 28:27 The Lord will smite”… “with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:
58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book”…
59 Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Now, it is extremely important that we be clothed with the armor from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet, because what we are speaking of will take place in a very brutal, and unprecedented form, for as the nations have cast off the restraints of God’s law, including the sacred institution of God ordained marriage, then He is left no other choice but to give the guilty over to the leader they have chosen, a leader whose past-time is dealing in death. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp. 589]. Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. It is God that shields his creatures, and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. 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. 

Although many of us may not have known it, the servant of The Lord, Ellen G. white experienced a serious panic attack, when the deadly outbreak of Diphtheria hit very close to home, even her own children. And urgent decisions needed to be made, lest the children should be consumed in the deadly outbreak that was then sweeping the nation. The reason why we read of the after history of her sons is because she adopted the God-ordained remedy, and so said so done, for God works alongside the cures and remedies of His approval.

 This is the reason why God will be rising to meet the emergency on behalf of all those who have learned by experience to trust in Him. Thus, the following information is written for a particular reason, which we will one day find out the reason why. We close with a bit of history on the issue of pharmaceuticals versus godly cures. Let’s read:

[The Review And Herald Dec. 9, 1862] That fatal scourge, diphtheria, is in our midst, and many are dying of it. Helplessly physicians and parents reached out for means of combating the disease. [Jan 13 1863] The diphtheria has been raging throughout the country to an alarming extent, and seems, to a great extent, to baffle the skill of physicians. It is confined almost exclusively to children, and when once underway, death is almost certain to be the result. It will pass through whole towns, missing scarcely a family, and in some instances whole families of children have been swept away by it.

Across from the page in the Review that carried the reprint from Illinois, an item was published that the editors felt might help some stricken families: Cure for Diphtheria. A lady of Port Byron, Cayuga County, New York, cured six children (five of them her own) of diphtheria by the following remedy: “When the symptoms are first discovered, take Spanish flies, pound and mix with Venice turpentine, spread it on a piece of soft cloth, and bind it over the throat, which will raise a blister, and soon remove the disease from the throat.”

Span·ish fly- noun, plural: Spanish flies:
A bright green European blister beetle. A toxic preparation of the dried bodies of Spanish fly beetles, formerly used in medicine as a counter irritant and sometimes taken as an aphrodisiac.

There was anxiety in every home in Battle Creek. Would the dread disease strike and lay low some of the precious children? And then it happened! In the first week of February, two of James and Ellen White's three boys complained of severe sore throats and high fever, and they could hardly utter a word—undeniable, frightening symptoms. They had diphtheria.

Fortunately—in the providence of God, no doubt—there had come into their hands, an extended article entitled “Diphtheria, Its Causes, Treatment and Cure.” It was written by Dr. James C. Jackson, of Dansville, New York. How eagerly James and Ellen White read it. It made sense, and they immediately put its prescriptions into use, following every detail. The treatment called for was simple—employing only a washtub, towels, sheets, and blankets—but demanded diligent attention and earnest labor. In great detail Dr. Jackson pointed out the procedures that would bring relief and finally a cure. These were attained by the simple means we today call hydrotherapy—with proper baths, packs, rest, and fresh air, and above all, absence of anxiety. Jackson reported that over a period of years, while employing these means in hundreds of cases involving young and old, not one patient had been lost.

Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and the practice of His every word.

                                                                      God bless!

Scriptural Methods Of Weight-Loss. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/23/2016

There are now in existence many diets and exercise programs to choose from, and all claim to be ideal, however, God will have us understand that, while some of them may bring us some results, yet it is much more important that we be able to ask His blessing on our efforts, for whatsoever is not in harmony with scriptural doctrine and principle will be doomed to fail in one way or another. Especially is this the case where certain suggestions, coming to us from secular sources may tend to push us to extremes in our dieting, and exercise regimens. 

After a detailed review of some of the more popular diets, we have found that some of the foods, and some of the methods recommended, have indeed been taken from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil. Therefore, as we examine the various diets we must line them up with the knowledge God has been pleased to reveal through His word, and also from the pen of inspiration. One of the snares for us to avoid at all costs, is that of fad dieting, which as advertised, often promises us incredible results, and quick weight loss in just a few weeks or months.

As a general rule of thumb, the instructions of God pertaining to diet and exercise do not usually work in a hurry, for they are based upon the permanent life-style changes, which call for stern discipline up front, and consistency on an ongoing basis, until our practice becomes second nature. And as we thus endeavor to submit ourselves to the necessary disciplines, then God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, by bringing about gradual changes in our taste buds, and by also giving us the impetus, energy, and resolve to be consistent in our actions.

The following therefore are just a few of a plethora of diets which are currently popular with many here in America, and we will also observe the God-given knowledge either in favor of, or against them as the case might be. Let’s read:

[1] The south beach Diet:
Designed by a Florida-based cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, MD, who wanted to protect his patients from serious medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes, the South Beach Diet stresses the importance of controlling hunger by eating before it strikes. Dieters are urged to disrupt the typical "hunger-overeat-gain weight" cycle by cutting out carbs and focusing on lean protein, low-fat dairy, and good carbs — whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. While the first phase of the diet is strict, the third "Maintenance" phase is meant to be a lifelong eating plan that allows you to enjoy occasional treats while maintaining a healthy weight.

Now while it is true that the whole grains, fruits and vegetables mentioned in this diet, are in harmony with God’s ideal, yet the “dairy” part is not, for in many persons, the casein protein found in dairy is the cause for severe migraine headaches. Also, the principle of eating before we are hungry, in order to prevent over-eating is never to be adopted, for then we will form the wrong habit of eating before the stomach has completely dispensed with its previous work-load. 

In addition to this, the scriptural method of having appropriate portion sizes will take care of the age old problem over-eating, for the issue here is not primarily one of overindulgence because of being hungry; instead it is one of self-control. The method of fighting an evil habit with another wrong one has no scriptural basis, and should never be adopted by anyone, when facing challenges of weight loss.

Furthermore, it is never good to eat when we are not hungry, for then the digestive organs will be forced to violate the principle of rest which should be incorporated into any long-lasting diet program, and thus, the delicate work of efficiently breaking down any food we have ingested, will be severely impaired. Let’s read:

Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. 
17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. 
18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.

[This Day with God pp. 210] It is important that the digestive organs shall not be overtaxed. There are many who keep the stomach continually at work. Indigestion is the result of food taken into the stomach before the digestive organs have had time to dispose of the foregoing meal. Such a habit would produce disease, because the digestive organs would be overtaxed.

Weight Watchers:
Though the Weight Watchers system has evolved over the years, this flexible diet's tenets have remained the same: Eat a balanced diet, eat in moderation, and eat what you want. The diet uses a points system to track what you eat and provides motivation through local support meetings with weigh-ins (or dieters can attend "virtual meetings" online).

This system, like the south beach diet has some good in it, for it espouses the godly principle of
eating a well-balanced diet in moderation, but it also contains some evil, for it gives us permission to eat whatsoever we desire, a principle that is known to be diametrically opposed to the stipulations we have been given in the scriptures, as it pertains to clean and unclean foods. 

The freedom to eat “What we want” will inevitably include forbidden items such as pork, rare steak, oysters, and sushi (raw meat and fish). Even though these articles of food are popular with the masses, yet the word of God forbids them, for they are the cause of many strange and deadly diseases that have come upon the human family. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat”.. 
6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 
7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is
unclean to you. 
8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 
10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 
11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcasses in abomination.

The Mediterranean Diet:
If a dinner of fish and veggies with a glass of red wine sounds like an ideal meal to you, you may have found your diet match in the Mediterranean Diet. This diet includes the food staples of people in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece and Italy. With an emphasis on heart-healthy fats, those containing omega-3 fatty acids The diet is rich in seafood, nuts and legumes, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil, as well as red wine in moderation.

One staple of this diet is “Red wine in moderation”, but this again leads us contrary to what the Bible says, for even though the antioxidants found in red wine are often touted as a good reason for drinking it, yet the alcohol, and fermentation does harm to the body and brain. Because something good may be mingled with something evil, does not make it safe, on the contrary, it renders the product all the more dangerous, since it is likely to be consumed by those who are thus mislead. Furthermore, the very same antioxidants can be found in their purest form by ingesting the fruits from which the red wine was derived in the first place. Let’s read:

Proverbs 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 
32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 
35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Raw Food Diet: 
Advocates of the Raw Food Diet believe that cooking food and breaking down its enzymes leads to losing many of the food's nutritional benefits. Restricting food that is cooked or heated above 116 to 118° Fahrenheit, the plan allows you to eat as much as you want, as often as you want as long as it is raw and vegetarian. Though nutritionists praise the focus on fresh produce and the avoidance of processed foods, many say the diet is lacking in nutrients and is difficult to sustain.

The raw foods diet has become popular with many who are seeking alternatives to the refined foods, and the flesh meats that are known to be the cause of many cholesterol related illnesses. However, the scriptures do not teach us the principle of eating as much as we want, whenever we want, for even the eating of good food, can have adverse effects, if it is done intemperately. A person can do real damage to himself by drinking too much pure water. Thus the Bible teaches us the principle of “All you should eat”, not “All you can eat”. Let’s read:

Proverbs 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

The following therefore is a scriptural, dietary plan
that all may choose from, and it does not seek to stipulate amounts, nor does it restrict anyone who may not be in a position to access the products that are mentioned. There are places in the earth where it is virtually impossible to live on God’s ideal diet, and because of this, allowance has to be made for all those who may be in such situations. Take for instance, the clean meats and fish that are to be found in the 11th chapter of Leviticus, which are permissible; even though they do not represent the very best dietary plan, yet God makes allowances for those who cannot do any better, because of circumstances beyond their control.

It is important for us to remember that on the issue of diet, and weight-loss, different people will have different nutritional needs, and because of prior health conditions and allergies, and the availability of certain articles of food, some may be able to adhere to God’s ideal, whilst others may not be able to. We therefore present God’s ideal, since as was stated before, He is taking us from Eden to Eden, however, the choices are there before us, so that wherever possible, we may have good alternatives. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 4:9 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof and”… “shalt thou eat thereof.
11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.

Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast”…“eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: 
18 “Thou shalt eat the herb of the field.

Genesis 43:11 “Take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey”… “nuts, and almonds.

Numbers 17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

Because of the present condition of our world, organic foods are becoming more and more of a rarity, and even when they are available, may be out of reach to the average John Doe. Thus we should seek out those items that are easy to procure, and trust God’s goodness to take up the slack when we cannot do any better. Hence the reason why we emphasize the scriptural principles such as discipline, faith in God, adequate rest, lots of water, avoiding processed foods as much as is possible, and not eating between meals, nor late at night before going to bed. Whenever and wherever these and other sound godly principles are adopted, and coupled together with, regular exercise weight-loss will take place.  

In closing, it is of critical importance for us to be consistent, for one of the main reasons why many of us try and fail so often, is because of a lack of consistency by which the necessary disciplines pertaining to diet and regular exercise are left up to chance, or are otherwise controlled by the feeling of the moment. Success in anything good will not come without well directed effort coupled together with consistency, and therefore we must settle it in our hearts, that come what may, we will try by the grace of God to be disciplined enough, so that our efforts may not be in vain. We therefore end with a quote from the pen of inspiration, which should encourage us to keep pressing on until we realize our goals as it pertains to diet, exercise, and weight-loss. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp. 331>332] Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. A noble, all-round character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies. 

We shall have to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected. Let no one say, I cannot remedy my defects of character. The impossibility lies in your own will. If you will not, then you cannot overcome. 

Remember that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress. Let nothing hinder you. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances.

We close, not with a text, but with a theme song for our exercise program, and which can be our motto for this new year: 

Lord, I looked down the road and I wondered
And I wondered
And I wondered
Yes I looked down the road and I wondered
A long, long way from my home

So I buckled up my shoes and I started to run
I started to run, I started to run.
So I buckled up my shoes and I started to run
I started to run, I started to run.

M ay God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. 

                                   God bless!

The Glorified Body. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/16/2016.

In our study of the scriptures it is imperative that we all cultivate the attitude of a humble learner at the feet of Christ, being willing to be taught of The Lord, and never forcing our own ideas and opinions into the declarations of scripture. This means that the Bible must be studied objectively, and not subjectively, without the common impediments of personal bias, preferences, and even traditional injections of commonly accepted modes of thought. Thus it is, that in our study of the glorified body, great truths will be revealed in the Bible, and from the pen of inspiration, which will shed much light on issues and topics that heretofore were covered in mystery.

To begin with, there are certain specifics that are clearly established in the word of God, pertaining to the brand new glorified body which God will give to those who are saved eternally in His kingdom. There are very marked differences in this new body, when compared with the

mortal body we now have, and it is these differences which account for the permission of certain previously unexplained activities.

Fact [1] The glorified body can withstand extreme heat, friction, and the gravitational pull of earth. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 2:1 And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Matthew 17:3 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.

In order for Moses and Elijah to make that trip from heaven to earth, and back, they would have to travel at billions of miles per second, or more, hence the reason why Elijah could not take his man-made clothes on his first trip, for they would be consumed by the friction and excessive heat generated by the great speed. This is also the reason why on the first day of the week, when Christ came forth from the tomb, His grave clothes were found neatly folded, for as He was about to ascend to God The Father, the earthly material would be incinerated by the tremendous friction and heat generated by the speed of travel. In addition to this, it is obvious that the glorified body is not subject to gravity as we know it, or else they all would still be down here on this planet. Let’s read:

John 21:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

[The great controversy pp. 677>678]  All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar, worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe, and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation, suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity.

The space shuttle, of which we so often boast pales in comparison with the speed that the new, glorified body can withstand, for there are no inhibitions, according to the previous passages of scripture. Let’s read:

The three Space Shuttle Main Engines, in conjunction with the Solid Rocket Boosters, provide the thrust to lift the Orbiter off the ground for the initial ascent. After the solid rockets are jettisoned, the main engines provide thrust which accelerates the Shuttle from 3,000 mph to over 17,000 mph in just six minutes to reach orbit. As they push the Shuttle toward orbit, the engines consume liquid fuel at a rate that would drain an average family swimming pool in under 25 seconds generating over 37 million horsepower. This must be one of the biggest jokes in heaven!

Fact [2] The glorified body can adapt to other forms, depending on the needs of the particular situation, and as such, it has the ability to pass through solid matter, with no adverse consequences whatsoever. Let’s read:

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

1st John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

John 20: 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

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

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

1st Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

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

6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers,

 bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

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

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

9 And he went out, and followed him; and 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.

[The Great Controversy pp. 631>632]  In all ages, God has wrought through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of his people. Celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men. They have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of wayfarers. Angels have appeared in human form to men of God. They have rested, as if weary, under the oaks at noon. They have accepted the hospitalities of human homes. They have acted as guides to benighted travelers.

 They have, with their own hands, kindled the fires of the altar. They have opened prison doors, and set free the servants of the Lord. Clothed with the panoply of Heaven, they came to roll away the stone from the Saviour's tomb. In the form of men, angels are often in the assemblies of the righteous, and they visit the assemblies of the wicked, as they went to Sodom, to make a record of their deeds, to determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's forbearance.

Thus it is, that after we have done detailed research of a few specifics regarding the glorified body, we should now be prepared to do the Bible study for this afternoon, for there are some sticking points in certain declarations of scripture which we should now be able to address. One

of these issues is the undeniable fact that Christ ate clean meat, fish, milk, and butter, all of which are well known animal products, and which do not represent God’s ideal for our dietary needs. And it is a fact that this was done in His pre-incarnate, incarnate, and post-incarnate form. This issue has for several years caused a certain amount of disturbance in the minds of many Christians who have tried in vain to reconcile what seems to be an apparent disconnect between what God clearly states in His word, and what Jesus Christ did on several occasions.

 In the beginning, God gave man fruits, nuts, and grain as his ideal diet, and after sin vegetables were added. After the flood however, God permitted man to eat flesh foods which were already being consumed by most, so in fact, what actually took place is that God finally permitted us to do what man was already doing, but He then added stipulations against the eating of blood, and later on He designated some meats, and fish as clean or unclean.

 But the problem which we must now confront is the fact that on several different occasions, when the Hebrews had murmured in the wilderness for both flesh and fish, Christ, who led them through the journeying, obviously became upset, whereas He Himself ate the very things which the Jews had then murmured for. Therefore, the question is, why on the one hand Christ would be upset with His people for their requests, and then on the other hand, He would eat the very things they had murmured for? Let’s read:

Genesis 18:1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Luke 24: 36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

Beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is evident that Christ ate a number of items that are not consistent with God’s ideal will as far as diet is concerned, because we have seen for ourselves how on different occasions He ate fish, butter, milk, and meat, without experiencing any adverse effects. Some may endeavor to reason these undeniable facts away on the grounds that He, being God, can do whatsoever pleases Him, and then use His supernatural power to reverse, or prevent any of the known side effects of such a course of action. However, the action of the angels on several occasions is another matter entirely, for they are created beings, and from the references given, they too have consumed flesh on many occasions, without suffering any adverse side effects. Why have they done so, and how is it possible? Let’s read:

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

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

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

Question: What’s really going on? Because to many minds it may seem that these contradictory actions would most likely cast a shadow on the issue of health reform, and so, before we reach any wrong conclusions prematurely, it’s necessary for us to observe the various descriptions given to Christ in the following passages. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:8 “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Matthew 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

We are starting to get the sense that Christ is much more than Our Redeemer and King, for the previous passages also portray Him as a family Man, desiring the intimate fellowship and communion with members of the human family, of whom it was predicted, and who currently is a permanent member. Thus, in order for us to understand some of the actions of Christ and the angels on several different occasions as it pertains to their consumption of foods that are not on the ideal list given in Genesis, we will need to see Jesus in the context of a Father a Friend, a Brother, as made very plain in the foregoing verses, and thus we may put ourselves in His shoes.

Question: Is it true, that as fathers and mothers, as friends, as brothers, and as families, on social occasions, we ourselves have eaten things that we would not have usually eaten, but because of the family atmosphere we were in, we let it pass? And as friends, on social occasions, have we not also eaten when we were not really hungry, but because of the social gathering of friends and family, we made allowance for such occasions?

 Let’s take for instance the Christmas holidays, when friends and family, in-laws and outlaws, including uncle Willie came by, didn’t we consume ice cream, and cake, and candy, and a host of other food items which we would not usually eat under normal circumstances? And is it true that we were even willing to pay the price in the gym, just so that we could have a jolly good time with our family and friends? Well Jesus, is not only our Savior and King, but according to the Bible, He is also our Father, our brother, and our best Friend, and therefore, on social occasions, He does what any sincere father, or brother, or friend would do, by consuming items which are not on the ideal menu given in Genesis, even when he was not hungry, for spirits do not eat food as we do.

 It was the social atmosphere that drove the angels to partake heartily of Lot’s hospitality, for they were not hungry, and it was the social atmosphere with His disciples which caused Christ to partake of what was their common fare. If He were to provide at this time, a meal of fruits, vegetables, and salads, He would by so doing interfered with the social setting, very much the same way if we were to go out with some of our family to Red Lobster, and they were to order sushi or raw oysters. That meal would interfere, or “should” interfere with the social setting, for it’s not a part of our everyday diet.

God’s ideal will for us as far as diet is concerned is one that is free from the use of flesh foods, for as sated before God is taking us from Eden to Eden. However, in our sojourn here on this earth, the fellowship of the brotherhood is of much more importance, and is to be held as a sacred legacy in our interactions with each other, for by so doing, we will be able to help in very meaningful ways, the efforts to aspire to God’s great ideal. This is not merely a suggestion, but it is the explicit will of God, as the scriptures solemnly declare. Let’s read:

Romans 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

God is now taking His people on a journey from Eden to Eden, and as such, it would be well if we could cooperate with Him in the restoration of body soul and spirit. Hence the reason why the first chapter of the Bible contains dietary information for us, and the very last chapter of the Bible reiterates the information given in Genesis.

Let’s read:

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

[Letters and Manuscripts vol. 1 pp. 85] I saw two long golden rods on which hung silver wires, and on the wires most glorious grapes. One cluster was more than a man here can carry. And I saw Jesus step up and take of the manna, almonds, grapes, and pomegranates, and bear them down to the city, and place them on the supper table. Soon we heard his lovely voice again, saying: Come my people; you have come out of great tribulation, and done my will, suffered for me; come in to supper, for I will gird myself, and serve you. We shouted Hallelujah, glory, and entered into the city, and I saw a table of pure silver, it was many miles in length, yet our eyes could extend over it.

And I saw the fruit of the tree of life, the manna, almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes, and many other kinds of fruit. We all reclined at the table. I asked Jesus to let me eat of the fruit. He said, not now. Those who eat of the fruit of this land, go back to earth no more. But in a little while if faithful, you shall both eat of the fruit of the tree of life, and drink of the water of the fountain, and he said, you must go back to the earth again, and relate to others, what I have revealed to you.

Whilst we sojourn on this earth, let us therefore follow after those things which make for peace, and although God has given us His ideals in the scriptures, as far as diet is concerned, yet the fellowship of the brotherhood is to have preeminence at all times and in all places. We thus end with a few verses of scripture which confirm this sacred truth, and let us work untiringly towards that end. Let’s read:

1st Peter 2:Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 “Not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

                                God bless!

The Fountain Of Youth. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/09/2015

The fountain of youth has been a topic that has fascinated millions for thousands of years, and for good reason, because as far as we know, most of us human beings desire to live for as long as possible, and in the best physical condition that can be had. And there are several statements made in the Bible and written by the pen of inspiration, with which some of us may have been familiar, but have not certified through a thorough investigation of the scriptural concepts, and the principles of healthful living.

 It is never good for us to follow blindly without personal conviction, any plan for living well, for then our practice will be spasmodic at best, being subject to change with the fad and practice of the day. In addition to this, we should exercise great care in not allowing the wisdom of men to usurp the knowledge God has given us in His word, for whatever might be the current scientific research and discoveries, God’s knowledge of the human frame supersedes anything we may come up with, that may be contrary to what the scriptures teach.

Thus, the Bible study for this afternoon represents the first in a series of presentations on healthful living, and the information given out will be based on golden nuggets of truth gleaned from a careful, and very detailed study of scriptural statements, which in many cases may seem to defy logic, and conventional modes of thought and action on the issues of health, diet, and exercise. Not only were several peculiar passages of scripture examined, but we also used ourselves as “guinea pigs” so as to verify and ascertain what God has been saying all along. The following therefore, are just a few of these statements drawn from the Bible, and also

from the pen of inspiration. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

Deuteronomy 32:48 And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,

49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:

50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people.

Several deductions of interest can be drawn from these few verses, which when understood rightly can enable us to live for as long as possible, and in the best of health throughout our entire lifespan. It is not God’s ideal will that we should be sick, and if that is the case, then we must do all we possibly can to ascertain the causes, and to remedy, or put into practice, whatever instructions, laws, and methods God has been pleased to reveal to us, and then we are to trust His goodness to take up the slack, when and wherever He sees best. The first takeaway from the passage above is:

 [1] Moses, at age 120 years died prematurely. The scripture teaches us that it is appointed unto all men once to die, but it must be understood that by a wrong course of action we often accelerate that appointment. Indeed, most people living on planet earth do die prematurely, this according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 7:16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou

destroy thyself?

17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

[2] Moses did not die from natural causes, nor from old age, because the Bible gives the specific reason for the cause of his death. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:23 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying,

24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.

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

25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good

land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

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

27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

And lest we draw the wrong conclusion about the character and dealings of God with His earthborn children, He would have us to understand that the wages of sin is still death, and even though the gift of God through Jesus Christ is eternal life, yet in this life, the laws of cause and effect are allowed to run their natural course. And thus it was, on account of that sin at Meribah, that satan showed up for his payment in the form of Moses’ demise. Let’s read:

Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp. 478] Had not the life of Moses been marred with that one sin, in failing to give God the glory of bringing water from the rock at Kadesh, he would have entered the promised Land, and would have been translated to heaven without seeing death. But he was not long to remain in the tomb. Christ Himself, with the angels who had buried Moses, came down from heaven to call forth the sleeping saint.

Satan had exulted at his success in causing Moses to sin against God, and thus come under the dominion of death. The great adversary declared that the divine sentence—“Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19)—gave him possession of the dead. The power of the grave had never been broken, and all who were in the tomb he claimed as his captives, never to be released from his dark prison house.

These solemn statements raise additional questions for our consideration, for instance, if Moses had not sinned at Meribah, could it be that he would have lived many more years, without ever experiencing the natural processes of aging? And if so, could it be that those who will be translated to heaven in the last days, when Christ appears, will like Moses, not experience the aging processes which conventional wisdom states must come upon all men?

The real answer to these disturbing questions raises the prospect that many of us may be falling short of God’s glory based on a certain given life expectancy, whereas, an experience much more glorious may be right at our fingertips. Let’s read:

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

“These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

[Counsels On Diet and Foods. pp.47] If you pursue a wrong course, and indulge in wrong habits of eating, and thereby weaken the intellectual powers, you will not place that high estimate upon salvation and eternal life which will inspire you to conform your life to the life of Christ; you will not make those earnest, self-sacrificing efforts for entire conformity to the will of God, which His word requires and which are necessary to give you a moral fitness for the finishing touch of immortality.

But before we proceed, let’s first revisit the sacred statements made concerning Moses at the time of his death. If Moses is just about to die, and God is now asking him to climb a mountain several miles high, then it means that his natural force had not been diminished, which tells us that conventional wisdom on the natural processes of aging did not apply to Moses for some unknown reason, nor did his bones deteriorate as is commonly understood in the scientific community.

The scriptural statements made, pertaining to the profound absence of the normal aging process in Moses presents a predicament that cannot ever be explained, or rationalized away by using mere logic, because it is immediately obvious that a profound disconnect exists between our current modes of thought on this matter, and the sacred, insightful declarations of scripture. Let’s read:

[National institutes of health. Gov.]  The skeleton provides support and structure to the body. Joints are the areas where bones come together. They allow the skeleton to be flexible for movement. In a joint, bones do not directly contact each other. Instead, they are cushioned by cartilage in the joint, synovial membranes around the joint, and fluid. Muscles provide the force and strength to move the body. Coordination is directed by the brain but is affected by changes in the muscles and joints. Changes in the muscles, joints, and bones affect the posture and walk, and lead to weakness and slowed movement.

People lose bone mass or density as they age, especially women after menopause. The bones lose calcium and other minerals. Vertebrae also lose some of their mineral content, making each bone thinner. The spinal column becomes curved and compressed (packed together). The joints become stiffer and less flexible. Fluid in the joints may decrease. The cartilage may begin to rub together and wear away.

Question: If the foregoing declaration applies to all people without any exception or variables, how is it then, that God is asking Moses to climb a mountain several miles high at the age of 120 years, without any support or helper. And since the average age of Egyptian men at that time was between 30 to 50 years at best, how is it that Moses almost tripled that number, without any known side effects on his physical ability? It is obvious that something is not adding up, and the time has fully come for us to discover why.

 Furthermore, the case of Moses is not isolated,for Caleb, who was one of the only two faithful spies, also makes the same claim in his testimonials, for it is apparent that he too did not suffer at all from the natural aging process, for some unknown reason. Let’s read:

Joshua 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.

9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.

10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

We want to be certain about what we are hearing from the mouth of Caleb. Is he really saying that at the age eighty-five, he is willing to pick a fight with the giants in the land of Canaan, because he has not experienced any deterioration whatever in physical strength, nor in stamina for a period of 45 years? And if so, could it be that our current understanding of the aging process is partially flawed, because it is based on science which does not incorporate the scriptural knowledge, principles and instructions on health, into its analyses and conclusions?

Thus it is that we are confronted with a few basic questions for which we need to find answers. Was Moses and Caleb being sustained supernaturally, solely by the power of God, without any effort or input on their part? Or did they incorporate specific laws of health into their practice, thus cooperating with Divine agencies in the promotion of longevity, well into their most senior years?

And the deeper question for us living today in the 21st century will be, is it possible for us, like Moses, to greatly forestall the aging processes, if we were to discover what Moses and Caleb did? And if not, what is the real purpose of The Lord allowing such information to be written in the Bible. These and many other haunting questions are what drove us to investigate the information given in the Bible, so that if possible, we too can live for 120 years, without our natural force being abated, nor our eyes being dimmed.

 It is worthy of note that in the Bible, both God’s ideal and His circumstantial will pertaining to aging is presented, and it may be that the choice is ours, depending on which route we decide to take. Let’s read:

Psalm 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

If God intended that this statement should apply across the board, with no possibility of alteration through the implementation of laws and principles of health, then we must ask respectfully of those in our midst, who are currently in their nineties, what are you still doing here? It must be that this text applies in a generic format, based not on God’s ideal will, but rather on the results of the course of action taken by the multitudes. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,

4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low.

This again is generic information, pertaining to most of us who choose to follow conventional wisdom or instructions for healthful living. However, if by faith, and through cooperation with the Lord, we were to adopt the principles, methods, and instructions He has been pleased to reveal, then it is quite possible for this passage to never apply to us, and like our friend Moses, God may have to ask us to die. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs and Prophets pp. 378] God brought the Israelites from Egypt, that He might establish them in the land of Canaan, a pure, holy, and happy people. In the accomplishment of this object He subjected them to a course of discipline, both for their own good and for the good of their posterity. Had they been willing to deny appetite, in obedience to His wise restrictions, feebleness and disease would have been unknown among them. Their descendants would have possessed both physical and mental strength.

They would have had clear perceptions of truth and duty, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. But their unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God, prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard which He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings which He was ready to bestow upon them.

The following therefore begins a detailed account of what God did for Moses, and what he himself did in cooperation with God. And because the path of the righteous is as the shining light that shineth more and more until the perfect day, we will also include additional instructions coming directly from The pen of inspiration, with the hope that we may adopt and practice them in living healthier and longer lives.

[1] The first thing God did for the children of Israel, even before He changed their diet, was to put them on a most vigorous walking program, for God knows that daily exercise is critically important for staving off a host of ailments and diseases. This very simple aerobic activity goes a long way in forestalling many of the ailments and adverse conditions we so often suffer from, and it will do us well if we can start to incorporate this exercise, or something similar into our daily regimen. Let’s read:

Exodus 12:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,

2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

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

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

Exodus 14:20 And they took their journey from Succoth”….

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

And they walked and they walked and they walked, with some very conservative estimates putting their entire sojourn in the wilderness at approximately 16 to 23 miles on their days of travel, to accumulate several thousand miles of walking. This aerobic activity as given by God is nothing new, for even before man sinned, and ever after, God ordained that exercise should form a vital part of our daily regimen, so as to promote health and vitality, and also to prevent a number of diseases. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;

18 “And thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground”….

[Messages to young people pp. 232] Since the mind and the soul find expression through the body, both mental and spiritual vigor are in great degree dependent upon physical strength and activity; whatever promotes physical health promotes the development of a strong mind and a well-balanced character. Without health, no one can as distinctly understand or as completely fulfill his obligations to himself, to his fellow-beings, or to his Creator. Therefore the health should be as faithfully guarded as the character. A knowledge of physiology and hygiene should be the basis of all educational effort.

Article by The Washington post: 12/16/2014

Evidence continues to accumulate that physical activity can help hold off the changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's Disease, and perhaps the devastating symptoms of the disease itself. The latest information comes from researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, who looked at 317 late-middle aged adults and determined that those who exercised five times a week or more had fewer of the age-related changes in the brain that are associated with the disease, and did better on cognitive tests.

Age remains the single greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's, greater even than having the gene found in many people with the disease, the study confirmed. But "what we have shown here is that physical activity diminishes the deleterious influence of age," said Ozioma Okonkwo, an assistant professor of medicine at the school who led the study.

People who exercised had less accumulation of "beta amyloid plaque," the proteins that build up in the brains of people who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. They had less shrinkage of the hippocampus and less reduction in use of glucose in the brain, two other symptoms of the disease. And they had fewer neurofibrillary tangles, twisted fibers inside brain cells of people with Alzheimer's. When researchers tested the people who worked out, they did better on memory and visual-spatial tests.

As has been stated again and again on this forum, God is more practical and down to earth in His instructions and methods than many of us realize, and thus it will do us well to begin implementing the simple instructions on healthful exercise given for our best good. These practices coupled together with a living faith in God will ultimately put us on track to work in harmony and in cooperation with the Divine agencies, and if we become diligent and faithful in doing so, we will soon begin to reap the positive results, across the entire spectrum of our life experience.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture for our consideration, which will prepare us for the next round of instruction on healthful living, so that we may begin to drink from the fountain of youth. Let’s read:

Psalm 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

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

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!

Learning How To Wait Upon God. Sabbath Afternoon. 01/02/2016

One of our greatest needs as Christians is the trait of patience, as an integral part of our relationship with God, for many of us do stumble on this one point, which leads us into distrust of God, and bad consequences which are almost a sure result of not waiting upon Him. In the time of trouble ahead, this singular, important characteristic is pointed out as being absolutely essential, with the hope that we may now cultivate it throughout all of the many vicissitudes of our Christian experience. Thus it is, that a profound promise is made to all who by faith, choose to wait humbly upon God. Let’s read:

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

As a general rule of thumb most Christians have two main problems, which sometimes adversely affect our relationship with God, if allowed to run riot. The first is that we sometimes find that God takes too long in answering our prayers. If only we can get a definite time-table when we pray, so that the much needed answers we seek may come at an appointed time, then all may be well. But for us to wait for the answers to come in “The fullness of time”, where God will answer us at a time of His own choosing, hardly ever fits our bill. And from the days of Christ, down to our generation, the same problem has persisted in one form or another.

For instance, when Christ was about to leave this earth for heaven, the disciples asked Him for a specific time for His return, and for the ushering in of the long-awaited kingdom. And even before this, Christ was pressed for a time-table pertaining to the end of the world and His second coming. In the two instances however, Jesus refrained from giving any specific time, for He is too well acquainted with the undesirable results of giving specifics on time, as it pertains to His return, as well as certain other issues we may enquire about. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

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

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

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.

The fact is that if God were to reveal to us that He was coming next week, many of us may stop doing certain things that we already know we should not be doing anyway, and many of us may start to do the things we should have been doing all along. It is what we refer to as the Santa “Claws” mentality, by which kids are often taught to put on their very best behavior, in anticipation of Santa’s arrival, and after the euphoria of the moment has past, many often return to “Pouting”. In the year 1844, when over half a million Christians across America were expecting Jesus to return in the fall, drunkards suddenly became saints, and curse words were suddenly exchanged for songs of praise. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp. 368>404]

Wherever missionaries had penetrated in all the world, were sent the glad tidings of Christ's speedy return. Professors of religion were roused from their false security. They saw their backslidings, their worldliness and unbelief, their pride and selfishness. Many sought the Lord with repentance and humiliation. The affections that had so long clung to earthly things they now fixed upon Heaven.

Sinners inquired with weeping, “What must I do to be saved?” Those whose lives had been marked with dishonesty were anxious to make restitution. Often was heard the sound of earnest intercession. Everywhere were souls in deep anguish, pleading with God. Many wrestled all night in prayer for the assurance that their sins were pardoned, or for the conversion of their relatives or neighbors. For some weeks preceding the time, worldly business was for the most part laid aside. The sincere believers carefully examined every thought and emotion of their hearts as if upon their death-beds and in a few hours to close their eyes upon earthly scenes.

 After the passing of the time”… “a large class who had professed to believe in the Lord's soon coming, renounced their faith. Those who had based their faith upon the opinions of others, and not upon the Word of God, were now as ready again to change their views. The scoffers won the weak and cowardly to their ranks, and all these united in declaring that there could be no more fears or expectations now.

The same disposition is also prone to be replicated in our experience, if God were to give us a definite time for answers to our prayers. For instance, if a person were to pray to God for deliverance from his or her creditors, and God were to say in response, that deliverance will come on January 15, 2016, it is quite probable that between now and the next two weeks, that person will do all that he or she knows to be right, so as not to upset the answer to prayer. But if God were to say, in the fullness of time He will deliver, without giving any specific time-line, our behavioral patterns may or may not change, as it all depends on the depth of our relationship with God.

The next problem many of us have with The Lord is that He sometimes does not give us many details, as to a certain course of action to pursue, but instead He may choose to guide us on a day by day, pray as you go basis. Most people will prefer a long detailed plan of action, stretching many, many years into the future, but for us to look for the guiding cloud each day, often invokes feelings of restlessness, doubt and impatience. It is worthy of note, that if God were to always give us specific times, and the extensive details we so often crave, then we will not need faith, for we will be walking by fact, not by faith. Hence the reason why the following scripture is so very important for us to apply in our Christian experience. Let’s read:

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

Thus it is that our first lesson will be taken from the experience of Abraham and Sarah, to whom The Lord had declared that a son of promise would be born. No specific time was given up front and hardly any details describing how it was to take place were related to them. All Abraham knew is that one day, he and his wife Sarah were to have a son, and like the rest of us, he would need to wait for the fullness of time. But as is so often the case, when a period of waiting has passed, we often grow weary of the wait, and then it is that satan’s suggestions of plan “B” seem to be more and more plausible, for satan reasons along strictly logical lines of thought, whilst the Christian is required to hold logic subservient to faith, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Let’s read:

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless”…

3 “Behold, to me thou hast given no seed”…

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,…”he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

It’s important for us to observe that this passage is taken from chapter fifteen of Genesis, for the very first verse of the next chapter presents one of the more common errors made by the human agent, after The Lord made a promise to us. After waiting, and waiting, we become frustrated and then seek to fulfill His promises in our own time and way. Thus it is that as a general rule of thumb, we are in danger of making very grave mistakes, which then open the doors for satan to severely tempt us for many years to come, and often the decisions we make under such conditions become the catalysts for greater errors to occur. Let’s read:

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

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

3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

This one wrong move, made in desperation, proved to be just the beginning of a series of disturbances brought about by the enemy of souls, for up to this point, Hagar had been quite content to dwell in the tents of Abraham as a maid. But now, in her new role of Abraham’s second wife, she becomes quite assertive and arrogant, traits of character that had never surfaced prior to this close encounter with Abraham. And it is very often the case that certain undesirable character traits become apparent only after the fact, and the person who seems to be our knight in shining armor today, may very well turn out to be our worst nightmare tomorrow, but only after the critical decisions and actions have been taken. Let’s read:

Genesis 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp. 145] Abraham had accepted without question the promise of a son, but he did not wait for God to fulfill His word in His own time and way. A delay was permitted, to test his faith in the power of God but he failed to endure the trial. Thinking it impossible that a child should be given her in her old age, Sarah suggested, as a plan by which the divine purpose might be fulfilled, that one of her handmaidens should be taken by Abraham as a secondary wife. Abraham's marriage with Hagar resulted in evil, not only to his own household, but to future generations.

Flattered with the honor of her new position as Abraham's wife, and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud and boastful, and treated her mistress with contempt. Mutual jealousies disturbed the peace of the once happy home. Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah's earnest entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault. She desired to banish her rival; but Abraham refused to permit this; for Hagar was to be the mother of his child, as he fondly hoped, the son of promise. She was Sarah's servant, however, and he still left her to the control of her mistress. Hagar's haughty spirit would not brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. “When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”

This leads us to the next critical lesson we can take away from this experience: Satan’s counterfeit to God’s promises very often look like God’s will up front! But like the prophecy in Revelation, it may be sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the belly, when the adverse results begin to unravel. If God were to resurrect Abraham today, so that he could behold with his own two eyes, the results of that one fatal move, he may very well choose to go back into the grave, rather than face the music, which is currently laced with avant garde intonations, akin to the music score from a horror movie. Plan B, C, and D are all substitutes for God’s perfect will, and they never produce the desired results, because they emanate from the adversary of God and man.

The last lesson in waiting upon God, which we will discover, is that deliverance is usually just around the corner from a bad decision to go with plan B. for this next important lesson we now turn to king Saul, who fell into the snare of desperation, and made a critical move which was the beginning of his own undoing. At this time, Saul, and the armies of Israel were being threatened with annihilation by the philistines, who had amassed an immense army, to accomplish their goal. And Saul had been instructed by the prophet Samuel to wait for his arrival, so that the necessary sacrifice could be made, in order that God’s power, and presence would go before them, thus guaranteeing them victory over their foes.

Many Christians, in reading the experience of Saul at this time, have concluded that it was indeed a

regrettable move that was made by the king, but Saul actually did better than some of us do, for at least he waited for the specified time before acting. It is often the case that we are not even willing to wait for any specified time, and are thus tempted in desperation, to make decisions that could cost us dearly. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

If there was any person who had a so-called valid reason for adopting plan B, it would have been Saul, for he had indeed waited the specified time set by the prophet. The question then is, if God has given a specified time for the fulfillment of a promise, and that time seems to have elapse without the stated fulfillment, are we then at liberty to choose plan B, seeing that, like Saul, we may have fulfilled our end of the bargain by waiting? What was king Saul to do after obeying the instructions to wait? The answer to this very critical question takes us back to the title of the Bible study “Learning to wait upon God”. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed”….

12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever.

14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

There are three vital lessons in learning how to wait upon God, that can be deduced from the failures of both Abraham and Saul: [1] Desperation should never be allowed to drive us into disobedience. For instance, if we are dying of starvation, and the only option on the table is pork chops, which The Lord has specifically forbidden for human consumption, then we may pray and ask God for a miracle according to His will, and if He delivers, then that’s all well and good, but if not, it is much better to die doing God’s will, than to live in violation of His word.

[2] Patience must be cultivated through active exercise, for it is not an attribute human beings are

born with. Therefore, when expecting answers from God on a particular issue, we should have an open-ended disposition, so that God may work out things in His own time and way, which as sacred history has shown, is always done with our very best good in mind. Let’s read:

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him”…

[3] There are no known viable alternatives to God’s ideal will, therefore, as Christians we should avoid the snare of harboring last resort planning in our decision making processes whenever godly principle and human logic may collide. The decision-making processes of the Christian may often seem to the logical thinking mind as being extreme at best, and

quite radical at worst, but if we were to faithfully follow the teachings and instructions of God’s word, we will find sooner or later that they have been given in infinite wisdom, and the end result will always be in our best interest. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to wait, and continue waiting, until the good and perfect purposes of God are fulfilled in their due season. Let’s read:

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. God bless!