The Other Jesus. Sabbath Afternoon. 09/09/2017

The Bible brings to light the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, and who the four gospels, and indeed, the entire Bible centers around. But the scriptures also teach us that there is an imposter, masquerading as Jesus, and who is revered, and worshiped, even more than the real Christ. The word “Anti-Christ” means literally, in the place of Christ, and therefore, it’s necessary that we understand the stark differences between the two.

The concept of worship covers much more than lip service, praise, and adoration; in fact, worship has much more to do with whom we obey, than whom we sing praises to. Thus, by this standard, the Jesus of the old, and new testaments, is far less known, and is even less popular than the imposter. So, for starters it’s important to establish from the Bible that there is indeed an active imposter. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 
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.

2nd Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 
11 And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

So here are some of the stark differences between Christ and the imposter, so that everyone may be enabled to make intelligent, well-informed choices. Four main areas of living will be represented in the different approaches offered by both.

[1] The real Jesus requires obedience to all of His commandments, from persons desiring to have any meaningful relationship with Him. But the imposter doesn’t require obedience, for his concepts are not based on law, but on emotions, feelings, unbridled desire, and no restraint. Let’s read:

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

1st John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Genesis 26:5 Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

[2] The real Jesus requires repentance and a turning away from sin, in order for our prayers to be heard, and answered. But with the imposter, repentance isn’t needed, because prayers are answered, whilst persons continue to live in violation God’s laws, and principles. This is where the false prophets of today are raking in millions, for they offer healing to those who continue to violate the laws of health. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

This passage in Psalms is of critical importance for us today, so that we may know the huge difference between prayers that are answered by Christ, and petitions that are answered by the imposter. If any person is living in deliberate, or conscious rebellion against the God of heaven, and their prayers seem to be answered, then we may know for certain that it was the imposter who responded to their request. The request from the witch of Endor confirms this.

[3] The real Jesus requires self-denial as an essential ingredient to our growth in grace, which means that there are certain activities, and behaviors, the true Christian will not indulge in. With the imposter, any activity, and any behavior is welcome, for with him, liberty is license, and personal desire is the one and only standard for right and wrong. Let’s read:

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

Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 

Someone may be wondering what is the “Cost” that Christ is referring to. The cost refers to those soul-destroying habits, activities, and indulgences which were hallmarks of our previous lives. For instance, the clubbing, the dance-hall, the intemperance, the promiscuous activities, the weed, the liquor and the “Moonshine”; all of these must be renounced, so that our service, and our relation to Christ be not tainted with deliberate sin. 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. 
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 
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.

[4] The real Jesus offers eternal life on condition of obedience, but the imposter offers life without it. This is where our first parents fell, and this is where so many continue to fall, as millions of people buy into the doctrine of natural immortality. That’s how Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson, supposedly ended up in heaven, even though both of them died of a drug overdose. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Thus, because our current educational teaching of evolution, and because our science has essentially eliminated the God-factor from the equation, the way has now been prepared for the multitudes of earth’s inhabitants to receive the imposter as God, and the real Jesus as the false. Therefore, we turn to the scriptures to discover how such a great deception, can be palmed off as genuine. 

Pharaoh is told by Moses, that God says to let His people go, but he refuses time, and time again, for in his mode of thought, God does not exist. And the men of learning in Egypt back then, and pharaoh’s scientists, magicians, and most, if not all his school teachers, believe that an intelligent God is non-existent, and in His place, they have set up idols, teachings, and concepts that are direct derivatives from the imposter. Charles Darwin was not the first, or the only person to introduce evolution, for those atheistic philosophies, and concepts existed back in Egypt, in the days of pharaoh. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 
2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

Thus, after Moses had pled with Pharaoh to obey God’s commands, and he stubbornly refused, The God of heaven had to bring plagues upon the land, to bring pharaoh to his knees. During the visitations, certain modes of thought, and action by pharaoh begin to emerge; these should be studied carefully, since they are being repeated in our day. Science as we know it, seeks an explanation for everything, so when undeniable, supernatural phenomena arise, for which there is no scientific, logical explanation, or precedent, then the natural thing for man to do, is to credit such occurrences to God.

But pharaoh will not give in so easily, because for him to admit that there is an intelligent quotient behind the plagues, will have serious implications for his belief system, his educational system, and ultimately, his scientific systems. Thus, in order for him to avoid acknowledging the God-factor, he will seek in vain for some sort of explanation to quiet his stubborn conscience. Let’s read:

Exodus 7:20 And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 
21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 
22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said. 

The first plague comes and goes without a change in pharaoh’s attitude. But the second plague of frogs forces him to ask for help from the same God he declared to be non-existent. The same thing is repeated in our day, for after teaching our kids the theory of evolution, then when we are in difficulty, we turn to the very same Creator-God we declare to be non-existent, for help. Let’s read: 

Exodus 8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 
7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. 
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord. 

The contest has grown closer now, for we observe that although the magicians, to all appearances, have brought up frogs, yet they cannot get rid of them, so when their backs are against a wall, they turn to the God of heaven. But the fourth plague is different in nature, for God introduces the elements of deliberation, purpose, differentiation, specificity, exact timing, and detailed planning, elements which can only point to a Superior intelligent God at work behind the scenes. 

Up until now, Pharaoh had been crediting all the supernatural occurrences to higher science, or to global warming. But now, he cannot do so, for if a swarm of flies begin to pick, and choose whom to bite, then it cannot be global warming anymore. Let’s read:

Exodus 8:20 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 
21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. 
23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.

But the third plague is the one which most concerns us, for it exposes a serious flaw in how conclusions are often drawn, pertaining to the supernatural, for even though, in this case, pharaoh’s conclusion was correct, yet it isn’t always the case that God is to be credited for every type of destruction.  Let’s read:

Exodus 8:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

If an unexplainable event occurs, for which science has no answers, it does not necessarily mean that the real Jesus is behind it, for God is not the only invisible intelligence at work in the world. When Job was battered with tragedy after tragedy, the events and disasters which unfolded were not because of global warming. It was the direct production of the Imposter. 

The tornado which came from the desert had nothing to do with green-house gases, or warm water temperatures; it was spawned by satan, who is described as the prince of the power of the air. But because we have eliminated the element of superior intelligence from our science, then, like pharaoh, we are continually searching for scientific explanations for supernatural events. Let’s read:

Job 1:12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. 
13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 
14 And there came a messenger unto Job and said,
18 Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead. 

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. 

Whenever science is forced to acknowledge the intelligent quotient in supernatural phenomena, the natural human tendency is to credit such actions to the work of God, especially when scientific research or precedent are absent on the matter in question.  If a poor individual was to pray, and ask for financial deliverance, then upon opening his eyes, a being clothed in shining garments of light was to hand him a lotto ticket, that person should not conclude or say that it was doubtless “The finger of God”.

Like pharaoh, many of the institutions of higher, or lower learning have eliminated the God-factor from the human equation, because the multitudes have been educated to believe in evolution. But if we trust in Darwin, then when natural disasters strike, we will have to ask Darwin for help, since according to his theory, The Creator of the heaven and the earth is non-existent. 

And like pharaoh, many philosophers are loathe to acknowledge the involvement of intelligence in the operations of nature, because, to do so will have tremendous ramifications upon all our educational systems. It means that we will have to burn many of our textbooks as rubbish, and it will mean that the earth is not billions of years old, as is currently held by the overwhelming majority. It will also mean that the current methods of carbon dating are flawed to some extent, and deductions and statements of our geologists will have to be revisited.

So rather than do this, we continue to refuse the evidences being given, and like pharaoh of old, we continue to search for answers in science. But the days are coming when no scientific explanations will be acceptable, on account of the supernatural work to be done by the impostor, and when they begin to occur, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest will conclude that it must be “The finger of God”. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 
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.

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 
25 Behold, I have told you before.

[G.C pp 624] As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.] 

The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air., “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. 

In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.” [Acts 8:10.]

Thus, the question for us today is, how can we be shielded from this terrible delusion? And how may we know the difference between the true and the false? It begins with a love for the truth, and the willingness to serve the real Jesus objectively. In other words, accepting Christ as Lord, and Savior includes being obedient to His word, His written and spoken word, His principles, instructions, and laws, because the notion of being a Christian, yet doing whatsoever we desire is a misnomer, and will ultimately lead its adherents into Neverland.

Therefore, in closing, it’s necessary to give a gentle reminder of what’s at stake in the closing scenes of earth’s history, for although Christians should not keep the commandments to be saved, yet, Christ has not saved us to continue in deliberate violation of God’s law, for Jesus came to save us from sin, not in sin. Let’s read: 

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 
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.

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

Partial Obedience. Sabbath Afternoon. 09/02/2017

After the fall of Adam and Eve, their first two boys were born, who turned out to be widely different in character, in practice, and ultimately, in destinies. Cain, who was first, introduced a subjective religion, and he stands at the head of every deviation, from a thus saith The Lord. But Abel who came after was of an entirely different character, for he chose to serve God objectively, meaning that his will, his way, and his ideas and opinions gave deference to whatever God said, and required. 

Thus, the various forms of religion today are divided into only two groups, those who serve, and worship God objectively, and those who attempt to worship Him subjectively. However, for the purposes of this Bible study, we will focus primarily on Cain’s brand of religion, since it is by far the most prolific existing today, and which God is seeking to rescue earth’s inhabitants from.

The religion of Cain has at least three fundamental principles, and elements at its core, which must be exposed, and understood for what they are.
[1] Self-righteousness.
The doctrine, and the practice of self-righteousness began with Cain, who contrary to what many folks believe, was quite a religious person. Cain built an altar, he believed in bringing offerings to God, and he showed up for worship service on time, just like his brother Abel.

But there was only one problem, he attempted to serve God according to his own opinions, and as a result, he rendered only partial obedience. When we deliberately omit, or overlook, or disregard any one of God’s requirements in particular, then we are following in the footsteps of Cain, and any deliberate, partial obedience, is equivalent to total disobedience in God’s sight. 

King Saul, Judas, and most of the Hebrews rendered partial obedience deliberately, and most will be lost eternally. Similarly, in our day, there are millions of Christians who vouch for placing in public areas, the Ten commandments, while at the same time some are found to be disregarding some portion of the decalogue. A person who speaks the truth, who is faithful to his/ her one spouse, but who indulges in covetousness will be lost forever just like Bin Laden, if they do not repent. In fact, God prefers that we obey Him in entirety, but if not, He prefers total disobedience. In other words, to straddle both sides of the fence is particularly displeasing to Him. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

1st Corinthians 10:1Moreover, 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.
Whoever attempts to be righteous, outside of the parameters God has ordained, will find himself, or herself destitute of God’s grace, if repentance isn’t done, for our own goodness, and our sincerity will never atone for conscientious obedience to God’s revealed will. In fact, being zealous, and devout, or being religious does not automatically translate into being righteous, because righteousness cannot, and does not originate with fallen man. Thus, whenever we deliberately omit any stipulation God has given, whilst at the same time we obey others, then the syndrome of self-righteousness becomes evident.   Let’s read:

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

This leads us to the second undergirding principle involved in Cain’s worship:
[2] Substitution.
All false religions have substitution of God’s will as a core element. This substitution may be paraded in sincerity, and the worshipers may feel, that having given God what they think is their very best, then He ought to accept it.  

Substitutes may come in the form of doctrines, or in the form of preachers who may specialize in smooth things, or in the form of a substitute day of rest, and in the form of counterfeit principles for living. But one thing is certain, substitution will be found to be a core principle, around which any false religion will revolve. This is what constitutes one of the primary problems with the contemporary Christianity of our day, because the principle of substitution is to be observed throughout the ranks of many Christian churches, ministries, and organizations. 

When the two brothers came with their offerings to God, Abel brought a lamb, in harmony with what God had specified, but Cain came with the fruit of the ground, something which God had not required nor ordained, and the rest is history, because the Bible states that God had no respect unto Cain’s offering. Similarly, if we bring “Fruit”, instead of a lamb, The Lord cannot accept it, even if it is organic. And if we bring Sunday, instead of Saturday, God cannot accept it, for it is not aligned with His will, nor His specification. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

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.

This second point is of critical importance to fellow earthlings, especially as we are already in an era of unprecedented disasters, as predicted by Christ in the gospels, and by the prophets, throughout the old, and new testaments. If we expect God to have “Respect” unto our prayers, and offerings, we can’t not be found deliberately trampling upon one of His precepts, for by so doing, our supplications, and our prayers are rendered null, and void. This is the very inconvenient truth shining in a dark place, and one which will be discovered all too late. Let’s read:

Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded. 
25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: 
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Last, but not least, is the third principle, which is always the result of indulging the two former ones.
[3] The use of force.
Whenever, and wherever, true and false religions exist side by side, the latter will ultimately turn on the true sooner or later, because the truth becomes an annoyance, to those who are averse to Christ’s righteousness. The disposition to eliminate those who are following truth and duty, is the inevitable outflowing from the first great rebel. 

Abel was not interfering with Cain’s worship, for he acknowledged his brother’s freedom to choose. But Cain, on the other hand was not so disposed, for he interpreted Abel’s obedience as a constant reproof of his own evil doings. Therefore, he saw that the only way to quiet his disturbed conscience, was to resort to the use of force, by killing his own brother. The first murder on planet earth took place over the issue of worship, and the very last murder to take place will also be over worship. Let’s read: 

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. 
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 
9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 

Revelation 13:12 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. 
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. 

Thus, we are constrained to turn to the scriptures, to understand one of the fundamentals principles of our relationship with God. Any relationship with The Lord can only occur on His terms, not ours. In other words, God stipulates the parameters, and we either choose to agree, or renege, as the case might be. When we rebel deliberately, we often forfeit His protection, and our choices can, and will produce a level of collateral damage.

The city of Jericho is about to be taken by the army of The Lord’s hosts, but before this occurs, specific commands and instructions are given to govern the actions of the people, both before, and after the unusual conquest. Now, it’s of critical importance for every particular to be followed exactly as God has instructed. Thus, because God teaches us by repetition, we will choose an unusual text to begin the narrative. 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.

God does not leave the “Remembering” up to us, who are so prone to forget, so at every opportunity, He seeks to remind us of the sacred day. Thus, His instructions to us are tailormade, coupled together with significant experiences that will be etched into our memory. The following passages also include the inevitable results of explicit obedience to God’s will, as well as the dire effects of partial obedience, as both were manifested in Achan. Let’s read:

Joshua 6: Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 
2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. 
3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 
4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 
5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. 
6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, 
and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord. 
8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 
10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. 
11 So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 
13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rearward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. 
15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 
16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. 
18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

So far so good, for Achan, together with the rest of the Hebrews had followed God’s commandments explicitly, and the inevitable results could only be success, and victory. But after such a mountaintop experience, Achan descended into the valley of sin by rendering partial obedience, which resulted in collateral damage through the loss of life, in 36 men who had nothing to do with his sin, and in the loss of his entire family, who had collaborated to some extent in the plot. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. 
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 
3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few. 
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. 
6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 
8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? 
10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 
11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. 
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

In our day, there is also an “Accursed thing” in our midst, which is causing the multitudes to render a partial obedience, and which, as in Achan’s case, will result in catastrophic loss of life. The Sabbath day, the 7th day of the week, is now trampled upon by most of earth’s inhabitants, and instead, a man-made blessing has been pronounced upon the first. 

And even though many sincere Christians have been taught by their spiritual, and political leaders that it is right to revere, and honor Sunday, yet that day of rest is representative of the “fruit” which Cain first brought to worship God, and just as in Cain’s case, The Lord will never have any respect unto such an offering, even if it is organic! 

Thus, in closing, The God of heaven is appealing to our consciences, for us to choose right over wrong, good over evil, and righteousness over sin, while we still have opportunity to do so, for what took place in Texas is just the tip of the iceberg, according to the Bible. Let’s read:  

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear what The Spirit of God is saying to the churches. 

                                                                       God bless! 
 

God's Grace made Simple. Sabbath Afternoon 08/26/2017

If the plan of salvation was made by A Perfect God, who alone possesses omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence, and if, in spite of all this, there are loopholes, whereby sinners can fall through the cracks, then folks may well conclude that it is an imperfect plan. But this is absolutely not the case, for God’s plan for our redemption caters to all, and takes into consideration, every variable, and every unexpected circumstance that may arise, so that no one needs be lost, for any reason.

In other words, whatever may be our situation, we are covered by His grace if we believe, and if we are willing to let The Lord reign supremely in our hearts. More than this, even those members of the human family who are mentally disabled, and those who may be physically challenged, or incapacitated, to them too is the grace of God revealed, for the Bible clearly states that whosoever believes on Jesus will be saved. Period!

It is often the case that the grace of God is cluttered by a host of man-made rules and regulations, mired in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, and before you know it, the simplicity, and all-encompassing nature of God’s salvation gets buried beneath stipulations, formats, and ceremonies which God never intended. Hence the reason why the Bible study for this afternoon is titled “God’s Grace Made Simple”, for God seeks to remind us of the simplicity of the gospel, especially since He is now on the last leg, of the long running marathon of grace, to save as many who so desire.

Therefore, The Lord desires that we think outside the box, and not limit His power to save, to those rites, ceremonies, symbolic activities, and all ideal circumstances, and requirements which are indeed required by the scriptures, for Jesus has the final say in any person being saved. A person is saved by grace through faith, and not of ourselves, and thus, God’s grace is overarching, and complete, so that no one may feel left out for any reason. Let’s read:

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and made higher than the heavens.

The following stipulations are therefore given in the Bible, for anyone desiring to accept Christ as his/her Lord and Savior:

[1] Believe.  Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

[2] A willingness to follow Christ wherever He may lead us in the Christian experiences and teaching. A knowledge of the Bible is progressive, and therefore it is not necessary for us to know everything before we accept God’s grace. There are millions who have been baptized for many years, who still do not even know, or understand a whole about the scriptures,
yet, if they continue to believe, and submit to God each day, they will be saved in His kingdom.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. 

[3] Baptism by The Spirit, and by water. Any person who desires to accept of God’s grace through Christ should be baptized by The Spirit, and by water. The baptism by immersion is a symbol representing the new life in Christ, but it is the Spirit of God working upon the heart first, that should lead anyone to the rite of baptism. This could prevent the syndrome
known as “Wet devil”, which so often plagues those evangelizing efforts, where the focus is primarily on numbers, as opposed to quality. Let’s read:

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 

Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

However, there are many believers who are wheel-chair bound, many are now in jail, and others live in places where it is dangerous to be called a Christian. Thus, our concepts of God’s grace should transcend every variable, and non-idealistic situation that may or may not arise. There are many examples of such situations given in the scriptures to demonstrate to us that Christ is not restricted by ideal situations, or any stipulation that is written. Human life is of more value in God’s sight than rites, ceremonies, formats, and stipulations.

Therefore, whenever, and wherever it will become necessary to override these essentials, in order to save a person, God will do it. This understanding of God’s grace is of critical importance for those who look forward to, and are preparing their hearts for the outpouring of the “Latter rain”, which is to be given to earth’s inhabitants just prior to the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. Let’s read:

[L.D.E 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.

This leads us to the core of our Bible study today, in which we will unpack one situation which unfolded sometime after the day of Pentecost. Paul has now passed through the coasts of Ephesus, and comes across twelve disciples who believe, and he inquires about their reception of The Holy Ghost. Let’s read: 

Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Now, this is very serious stuff, given that one of the stipulations for entry into His kingdom, by Christ, is baptism by The Holy Ghost. So, it is necessary for us to exercise great caution in our understanding of their answer, for their reply does not necessarily mean that they did not have the Holy Ghost. One’s knowledge of who the Holy Spirit is, and His work upon the heart, isn’t an absolute necessity for him, or her to be saved, neither is it a determining factor in whether such a person has a portion of the Holy Ghost. 

Indeed, the Holy Spirit is currently working in the hearts, and minds of many millions of people, who as yet, have no clue about who He is, nor the extent of His work. God’s grace made simple reaches much higher than the formal knowledge of the intricacies we so often dwell upon. Let’s read:

John 6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. 
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 

[The Faith I Live By. pp 52] The Holy Spirit is a free, working, independent agency. The God of heaven uses His Spirit as it pleases Him; and human minds, human judgment, and human methods can no more set boundaries to its working, or prescribe the channel through which it shall operate, than they can say to the wind, “I bid you to blow in a certain direction, and to conduct yourself in such and such a manner.”

From the beginning God has been working by His Holy Spirit through human instrumentalities for the accomplishment of His purpose in behalf of the fallen race.... The same power that sustained the patriarchs, that gave Caleb and Joshua faith and courage, and that made the work of the apostolic church effective, has upheld God's faithful children in every succeeding age. The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. 

Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

For these disciples to have come this far by faith, in being baptized unto John, who was the forerunner of Christ, it means then that they were being led by The Holy Ghost in the first place, and as such, were granted a portion of God’s Spirit, without their prior knowledge. John was ordained of God, these folks believed, and were baptized, and if for some reason they had died before Paul had met them with this important bit of information, they would absolutely be saved in God’s kingdom, because salvation is not so much “Knowledge-based” as it is faith-based. So let us read of the unrestricted work of The Spirit:

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.

Numbers 11:25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!

Acts 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, 
and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 

In other words, this was only one Bible study, and they were ready for baptism, because The Spirit of God had been working in their hearts, long before Paul and Silas were incarcerated. In fact, if we will receive it, this was the real reason why God caused them to be incarcerated, for there were potential candidates for heaven, working in the Roman prison system. 

This work by The Holy Ghost, on the jailor, and his family was being done in a protracted way, without any fanfare or noise, and the jailor and his family had not a clue as to what was taking place silently in their hearts. Let’s read again very slowly so we may learn our lessons well: 

[Ye Shall Receive Power. pp 15] The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8, RSV. The wind is heard among the branches of the trees, rustling the leaves and flowers; yet it is invisible, and no man knows whence it comes or whither it goes. So with the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. The Spirit can no more be explained than can the movements of the wind. 

A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or to trace all the circumstances in the process of conversion; but this does not prove him to be unconverted. By an agency as unseen as the wind, Christ is constantly working upon the heart. Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. 

These may be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the Word from the living preacher. Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus. By many this is called sudden conversion; but it is the result of long wooing by the Spirit of God, a patient, protracted process.

Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. 

Let’s be very careful again with their speaking in tongues as first proof of the Holy Ghost’s presence, for the Holy Spirit was given in measure to each of the twelve disciples, long before they had spoken with any tongues on the day of Pentecost. When a person speaks with genuine tongues, that’s not a conclusive evidence that this is the first time they may have received a portion of The Holy Ghost. Let’s read:

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 

Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

In closing, the time has fully come for us to humble our hearts before God, that we may surrender any preconceived ideas about His grace, and let us not be found clinging tenaciously to written formats, if, and when God is ready to move at lightning speed. Thus, in harmony with this counsel, we close with a critically important passage of scripture: 

Romans 9:25 I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 
28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study and, understanding of His word.
                                                                    God Bless! 
 

The Person Of God. Sabbath Afternoon 08/19/2017

Christ seeks to have a personal, and knowledgeable relationship with each of us, that is not restricted to the laws, and instructions given in the scripture, for even though these are important, yet they cannot replace knowing Him as a person. In other words, a knowledge of God’s revealed will, does not always translate into a knowledge of God. There are many Christians living today, who can expound on great themes of the Bible, who can give deep insights in Greek and Latin, but yet, may not know God on a personal level.

Then again, there are many who may love the laws of God, and many others who may appreciate the counsels He has given on diets, and foods, but who may not have known Him on a conversational, or an intimate level. There are thousands of vegans living today who are atheists, and there are many more individuals, and corporations, that return a faithful tithe, yet Jesus is to some of them as a stranger, or as “The unknown God”. 

Therefore, the purpose of the Bible study today, is not to study God through teachings and laws, but to know Him as a person, so that our relationship with Him may not be distant, but intimate. Thus, for this reason there are some fundamentals about God we must address in the bigger picture: 

[1] God is a Person. He is not a set of instructions, or laws, or Bible verses, or a diet; He is a person.

Genesis 5:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years.
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

Exodus 33:11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
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. 
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

These passages we have just read speak to us of a deep relationship with God, on a level that is not based on good, or charitable works, as a means of knowing Him, or as proof that our relationship with God is intact. In fact, the Bible brings to view many charities, and individuals who have done real good, but would be found destitute of salvation at the last day, for their knowledge of God was only through a practice of good instructions, not on any intimate level. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. 

[2] In the beginning there was no Bible. In fact, the scriptures did not begin to be written until Moses had fled Egypt, which was several millenniums into this earth’s history. This means that any, and all of the instructions, or communications of God to man, came by word of mouth, and as such, were just as valid, if not more, than after the scriptures were written. Let’s read:

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

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?

[3] The much preferable manner of communication with someone who we hold dear, would be by word of mouth, as opposed to writing or texting. Many, if not most of us will choose a phone call, where we can hear a loved one’s audible voice, instead of a more impersonal form of communication such as writing. This is also true of God as A Person, for He yearns to converse with us throughout the day. In fact, the following passage clearly demonstrates His preferable means of communication. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Exodus 19:9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord. 
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us,
and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

[4] Conviction of conscience does not necessarily depend on what is written. Joseph was convicted of righteousness, and sin long before any written laws. And of Abraham, The Lord declared that he kept His commandments, laws, and statutes, although none of them were in written form at this time. Let’s read:

Genesis 26:2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, 
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries. 
5 Because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. 
8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, 
9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

[5] In the beginning, God spoke with man by His voice, and as we draw near the second coming of Christ, when The Holy Ghost is to be poured out in copious measure, His voice will again be heard. If our relationship with God gets restricted to “It is written” alone, then we may not discern His voice when the relationship moves to “It is spoken”. Let’s read: 

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 
30 When thou art in tribulation, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 
31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee.

Thus, we move into the core of the study, which takes us back to some events which preceded the Jerusalem conference, after the day of Pentecost. Peter goes up to pray, and whilst on the rooftop, a vision is given him, and he hears the voice of God speaking to him, teaching him truths that startles the daylights out of him. Let’s read:

Acts 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. 
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. 
17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,
18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 
19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 
21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 
22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. 
23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 
24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he
 had called together his kinsmen and near friends. 
25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. 
28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 
29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? 
30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 
31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 
32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 
33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. 
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 
36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 
39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did. 
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 
43 That through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
46 Then answered Peter, 
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not
be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. 

This revelation of the grace of God to all men, had greatly startled the circumcised Jews who were with Peter, because through this singular incident, which came via the voice of God, many centuries of their written tradition were signally overturned. This in turn would cause a serious problem with those who had been taught to live solely by “It is written”, for there was no scripture, or prophecy to substantiate what had just taken place, as it pertains to the rite of circumcision, mandated by God Himself. Let’s read:

Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

The believing Pharisees had no problem whatsoever with the baptizing of the Gentiles; the problem they had is that what was written in the scriptures, was being disregarded in a manner that was contrary to what had been taught, and practiced for centuries, with the approval of God. On the other hand, the one thing that is conspicuously absent in Peter’s defense is scripture. In other words, he is basing his action of baptizing the Gentiles, without the rite of circumcision, solely on what was spoken by God’s voice, and nothing else. 

Peter has no scripture to back up his course of action, as it pertains to the rite, which by the way, was given in a very strict, and decided format. The believing Jews on the other hand, had several passages of scripture to validate their point, and therefore, this is what was causing the heated arguments. 

To put it plainly, the issue became a question of what ultimately has more authority, “It is written” or “It is spoken”? The following are just a sample of the scriptures that were brought by the believing Jews to prove that Peter was in error. All of these written references they brought were line upon line. Let’s read:

Genesis 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 
9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. 
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Joshua 5:2 At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 
3 And Joshua circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 
4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: 
5 All the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

Luke 1:57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.

Luke 2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Question: Now, if all the patriarchs and prophets, including Joshua, David, Abraham, John, and Christ, were all circumcised, according to what is written in the scriptures, how are the Pharisees to believe that by God’s voice alone, such an important rite is to be overthrown, especially since it wasn’t written, nor predicted anywhere previously? Should they agree with Peter’s explanation, or should they stand upon that which is written, since all scripture is given by inspiration of God? It’s a very serious question indeed!

An employee at Walmart does his work faithfully, according to the written protocols that have been put in place, and instituted by the CEO, Carl Douglas Mc-Millon. One day, Mr. Mc-Millon, pays a visit to the store where that employee is working, and after some observations, orders the same employee to perform several of his work-related actions in a different way. Which one do you think will have more weight in the employee’s mind? The written protocols, or Mr. Mc-Millon’s voice? 

And we too, where we work, are to follow those written protocols, and company guidelines, that have been instituted to govern our conduct on the job. But if the boss requested us to do things a bit differently, outside the norm, our employer’s word should obviously take the preeminence over what is written in the company’s employee’s manual. 

Abraham was following protocol, until God asked him to do something differently, something that is nowhere written in the commandments, or laws given to govern our conduct. Therefore, when the command to kill came from the mouth of God, it took Abraham by surprise, yet, he would have been registered as being disobedient, if he had then chosen to stick with what is written in the manual. In fact, you would not believe who was encouraging Abraham to follow the manual. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 148] The command was expressed in words that must have wrung with anguish that father's heart: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, ... and offer him there for a burnt offering. He was commanded to shed the blood of that son with his own hand. It seemed to him a fearful impossibility. Satan was at hand to suggest that he must be deceived, for the divine law commands, “Thou shalt not kill,” and God would not require what He had once forbidden.

One day soon, after The Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh, we too may have to choose between “It is written” or “It is spoken, and although we try by the grace of God, to give you a scriptural answer for any and everything on this forum, the time is coming, when, in answer to your questions, we may only be able to say, “The Lord has spoken”. A very serious issue indeed! Let’s read: 

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.
11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
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: 
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. 

This passage teaches us in no uncertain terms, that just prior to His 2nd coming, Jesus is going to make a last-ditch effort to save as many people as possible, and as such, He may so choose to overturn some of the written protocols we have observed for many years. Whatsoever we may think about the Bible, or about our relationship to Christ, just remember this one thing, that God is a Person, and as such, His spoken word will take precedence over that which is written, whenever He sees necessary. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 209>210] There is to be in the Seventh-day Adventist churches a wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but it will not move upon those who have not humbled themselves before the Lord, and opened the door of the heart by confession and repentance. In the manifestation of that power which lightens the earth with the glory of God, they will see only something which in their blindness they think dangerous, something which will arouse their fears, and they will brace themselves to resist it. 

Because the Lord does not work according to their ideas and expectations they will oppose the work. “Why,” they say, “should we not know the Spirit of God, when we have been in the work so many years?” The third angel's message will not be comprehended, the light which will lighten the earth with its glory will be called a false light, by those who refuse to walk in its advancing glory.

As a follow-up to this bible study, we are going to  now submit two passages from the Bible for your consideration, and contemplation in preparation for next week’s Bible study. Let’s read:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? 
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Acts 19: And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Question: If for some reason these disciples had died before Paul met them, would they be saved when Jesus comes, seeing that they were baptized unto John only?

                                       See you next week, God willing. God bless!
 

Handling Opposing Views. Sabbath Afternoon. 08/12/2017

The willingness, and the ability to deal effectively with opposing views, is of great importance to the stability, and unity of the church, for throughout history, the church of Christ has suffered through schisms, which were often triggered by divergent viewpoints on matters of doctrine and practice, and even today, there are, and continue to be a lot of derivative organizations, splinter groups, off-shoot churches, and ministries, which have come about as the direct result of the inability to handle opposing views in a Christlike manner.

The doctrines of the Bible are given so that our faith may be guided in right paths, so it is important that unity isn’t purchased through compromise. Yet it’s a fact that even within our own borders, our personal opinions may not be in uniform harmony with what the Bible teaches, and thus, the question becomes, at what point do these differences warrant a split in the brotherhood of believers.

For example, some believe that The Holy Spirit is not the third Person of the God-head, and that the doctrine of the trinity is unscriptural. Others believe that women should be ordinated, whereas others may beg to differ. Again, the issue of dealing with the lgbtqrstuvwxyz community, is another point on which different views are held. And we can go on and on, to the role that diet plays in the Christian’s life, the validity and role of Ellen G. White’s writings, the issue of dress, the issue of music, etc.

One thing we must never forget is that satan is not bothered about what issue causes disunity, for if he can bring about a state of disaffection, using wrong ideas, he certainly will, but he is just as content to use right opinions, or interpretations to drive a dividing wedge in the community of believers. So, there are a few principles we should hold dear, as Christians, so that the differences which arise from time to time can hopefully be resolved, in the way Jesus would.

[1] The Spirit of God must be allowed to reign in our hearts supremely, so that God’s presence could be diffused throughout the body of believers. This first, and most important point is where all hope of unity must of necessity begin, for wherever God’s Spirit is absent, the prospect of true unity becomes wishful thinking. Let’s read:

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please
God. 
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 
3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 

[2] Christians who are united in The Spirit, will also be willing to let Christ have the last word. In other words, whenever differences of belief arise, Biblical truths can be sought out to help in the resolution. It’s not so much about our personal opinion, as it is about what God has to say on the matter, because The Holy Ghost gives to Christians the willingness to surrender preconceived ideas, when they are not in line with the scriptures. Let’s read:  

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

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

2nd Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

[3] The unity of the brotherhood in Christ should supersede any differences in understanding, except in cases where false doctrines are deliberately held on to tenaciously and are being disseminated to the other believers. In some instances we will not agree exactly, on every single point, but our love for one another will lead to a forbearance that overrides differences. In the days of Christ, many of the Jews held erroneous views of the Messiah and the nature of His kingdom. Many also held divergent views on the resurrection, while most of them were mired in salvation by works. 

Yet, as far as Christ was concerned, this constituted no grounds for tearing the church apart, for every effort should be made to preserve the unity, while erroneous concepts are corrected in love. When the disciples faced the prospect of returning tithes and offerings to the synagogue, where, as Christ put it, a den of thieves was residing, He instructed them not to leave the church, but to return their dues to the treasury, and thus, make a difference. And so were all His other instructions, on matters with which He did not agree. Let’s read:

Matthew 17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 
25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their
 works: for they say, and do not.

Thus, in His instruction to us through the apostle Paul, The Lord stresses unity, not merely uniformity, which leaves wiggle room for those who may not yet be in a state of mind to receive all of the sacred truths we have embraced, from the Bible. And there are some of us who may take longer than others to understand some of the central themes of scripture, as it pertains to salvation. Until such time, The Lord desires that we be united, be patient, and tolerant with those with whom we may disagree. 

Especially in the remnant church, should the spirit of unity, and forbearance be manifested, for this is what Christ envisioned, and prayed for, as He was preparing for the last great conflict with the powers of darkness on the earth. It is true that unity cannot come at a price of compromise with error, but even when erroneous doctrines do surface, the way we deal with the erring one, decides to a great extent, whether we will foster longevity and stability of the church, or whether we will cultivate division, and anarchy.

In dealing with opposing views, God is much more interested in the godly manner in which the error is supposed to be handled, than who may or may not have a valid point. All of Christ’s disciples, including John the Baptist, had harbored incorrect views and interpretations concerning things that were actually written, and indeed, it took quite a while for Jesus to make the necessary corrections. 

But in doing so, Christ tried to avoid division in His family of believers, esteeming the bond of unity, of far more value, than the corrections which needed to be made. In fact, anyone who claims to have a perfect understanding of everything in the Bible is a liar, plain and simple, for the path of the just is as a shining light, which shines more and more until the perfect day. In other words, the revelation of truth and the understanding of truth is progressive, and takes place at different speeds with each member. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages. pp 215>216] Like the Savior's disciples, John the Baptist did not understand the nature of Christ's kingdom. He expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and as time passed, and the Savior made no claim to kingly authority, John became perplexed and troubled. And now from his dungeon he watched for the Lion of the tribe of Judah to cast down the pride of the oppressor, and to deliver the poor and him that cried. 

But Jesus seemed to content Himself with gathering disciples about Him, and healing and teaching the people. He was eating at the tables of the publicans, while every day the Roman yoke rested more heavily upon Israel. To the desert prophet all this seemed a mystery beyond his fathoming. There were hours when the whisperings of demons tortured his spirit, and the shadow of a terrible fear crept over him. Could it be that the long-hoped-for Deliverer had not yet appeared? Then what meant the message that he himself had been impelled to bear?

Thus, we enter the core of our study, in which we will observe a serious division arising amongst the newly minted body of believers. This division is of such intensity that it could threaten both the unity and sanity of the early Christian church, and which, if left unchecked, will be used by satan to split the church into different factions. It’s worthy of note that the issue at point is a “Right thing”, based on Scripture, but which can be used by the enemy of righteousness to suit his own goals. Let’s read:

Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 

Instead of signally dismissing the views held by the Pharisees, it will be much better for us to give due consideration to their concerns, for their belief was based on what is written. Similarly, when there are differences of belief, or conviction amongst us, we should be willing to give the opposing views a fair shake, with a humble frame of mind, knowing that we also may be harboring erroneous views.

The Star of this argument, and its resolution is none other but Christ, for as we observe how the matter is handled, we will see that everyone leaves from the negotiating table with a piece of the pie, while the core principle of unity is preserved. Only Christ can do this through His Spirit. If a Gentile believes that he should be free from the rite of circumcision, he is free to do so. However, if for some reason he wants to play it “safe”, according to what is written, he is also left free to follow his convictions. 

But if, on the contrary, the Pharisees decide to cling to their custom, because it is written, they too are free to do so. The same thing goes for the issue of diets and foods in our community, for one believes that he should eat “Herbs”, whereas others may not be so convinced. Christ desires that we preserve the unity of the brotherhood, and allow everyone to be persuaded in his/ her own conscience, because part of the genius of Christianity, is that it allows us all to choose. Let’s read:

Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren,
8 God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. 
22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely.
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner, 
28 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and
from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Question: What if there’s no resolution? If after the deliberations by the conference, and the back and forth between valid points, we still cannot come to a consensus, is the next step to form a church of our own, with members who are in agreement? And do the rest of members who are on the opposite side of the issue now become “Babylon”?

Answer: Look at Jesus, and at Martin Luther. We should never take it upon ourselves to sever our connections with the church, because of opposing views. Instead, if it comes to a boiling point, we are to wait until we are excommunicated, for in that way we will be following the instructions Christ gave to all Christians. Let’s read:

John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues. 
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

Oxford University Press:
On January 3, 1521, Pope Leo X issued the papal bull: (“It pleases the Roman Pontiff”), which excommunicated Martin Luther, a German theologian and monk who had been causing the Roman Catholic Church no end of trouble since 1517. With that, the Pope cast Luther out of the Catholic Church—and thereby helped spur the development of the Lutheran church and the Protestant Reformation.

The trouble had begun back on October 31, 1517, when Luther sent his 95 Theses, protesting several Church practices and doctrines, to the Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg. By the next summer, Church authorities began to call Luther’s views heretical, though it took three years before Leo X moved formally against him. On June 15, 1520, he issued the bull stating that 41 sentences in Luther’s 95 Theses were heresy.

1st Corinthians 1:10 "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you".... 

Paul is here hoping for the ideal situation, where all Christians can agree on the fundamental truths, and teachings of the Bible. However, history teaches us that this is not always the case, and because of this, the unity of the brotherhood should be preserved, even when it includes those with opposing views. So, we close with words of timely counsel, coming from the servant of The Lord. Let’s read:

[D.A pp 296]  "The apostles differed widely in habits and disposition. These were brought together, with their different faults, all with inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil; but in and through Christ they were to dwell in the family of God, learning to become one in faith, in doctrine, in spirit.

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".... 

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not, Neither give place to the devil. 

                                                                      God bless! 
 

Righteousness By Faith. Sabbath Afternoon. 08/05/2017

We should be very careful of harboring a protracted view of righteousness by faith, for there are many who stop at the point of belief, without going on to the other important phases. Believing that Christ is our righteousness, and that His sacrifice on Calvary is sufficient for our salvation is important. But those facts must be translated into everyday experiences of life, permeating our decision-making processes, and affecting everything we do, how we think, and how we draw our conclusions, both in the temporal, and spiritual aspects of life.

In other words, righteousness by faith is more a way of life, rather than a mere belief. It’s a perspective which focuses squarely on the merits of Christ, His attributes, His obedience, His righteousness, word, power, and His abilities, to the point where we lose sight of our accomplishments, and credit everything to God alone. This perspective effectively hides the human agent behind the shadow of the cross, so that only Christ is seen and heard. 

It seems as if the disciples had experienced difficulty in understanding this principle, which prompted the questions, and responses, as Jesus conversed with them. The apostle Paul, also repeatedly addressed the same issue, for it is central to the application of the gospel, in real time, and in literal ways, and it affects every aspect of a Christian’s life, to the point where it becomes much more than an intellectual assent, but more like the motif by which we live.  Let’s read:

John 14: 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father,
and it sufficeth us. 
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? 
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

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.

For this reason, we are going to focus more on the practical aspects of righteousness by faith, since, for the most part, the theoretical aspect is accepted by most of Christendom. Thus, it is in order that we do a brief synopsis of the concept, so that the ways in which it is applied can be made more, plain. After Adam sinned, God instituted the plan of salvation, which involved a sacrifice, by which reconciliation to God would be made possible. In addition to the sacrifice, A Substitute Head for the human family was ordained of God, in Christ, who would pick up the broken pieces of our existence, where the first Adam left off.

Christ’s perfect righteousness, His obedience, and His innocence would then be given as a free gift to all who would receive Him as Lord, and Savior. The plan was laid before the foundations of the earth, even in eternity past, before Adam was created, and thus, there was, and is no human input, either to augment, or to improve on the plan of salvation. We may accept it through our freedom of choice, or we may reject it, but it always was, and still remains an entirely free gift. Let’s read:

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
12 Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were
made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 
20 But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

Justification is by faith, and sanctification is also by faith. From the beginning of our Christian journey, to the very end, whatsoever we may do, think, and say, should all come under the umbrella of faith, for righteousness by faith produces literal results, the bulk of which are both manifested, and experienced in the temporal realm. This understanding is what is largely absent from contemporary Christianity, for many Christians view righteousness by faith merely as a theoretical belief, and not as a way of life.

Thus, the practical applications, such as obedience, and trusting in God fully, remain on the backburner, and that is one of the main reasons why the power of God seems to be largely absent in the lives of so many. After dealing with the meaning of faith in the book of Hebrews, Paul immediately delves into the many ways, and experiences which come as a direct result of believing and understanding, the doctrine of righteousness by faith. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. 
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 
28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. 
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. 
32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. 
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection: 
36 And others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging, yea, of bonds and imprisonment: 
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 
38 They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Therefore, after expounding extensively on the very literal applications of righteousness by faith, Paul then summarizes it all by declaring that whatsoever we do, must of necessity stem from faith, or else it is sin. Let’s read:

Romans 14:23 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Question: How then, does righteousness by faith translate into the temporal issues, decisions, and actions of life? There are three basic answers:
[1] By believing in God: 
Believing in God is the beginning point, for nothing take can place without first believing. Last week, a particular Payless shoe store was scheduled to close permanently, and as a result they had a sale with 70 to 80% off. I just happened to be passing by, when a  small voice said go take a look. 

When I went in, I saw shoes that previously sold for $50.00, going for 8 or 10 dollars, so I immediately started to buy those items I’d always needed. After I was done, I went home and related the good news to my wife, and the rest is history, for she too went in the following day, and got a few items that still remained. 

The savings she got began with believing, for if she did not believe, nothing was going to happen. The same thing goes for experiencing righteousness by faith, for the first step is believing, which opens up the gateways of unlimited possibilities, countless blessings, and eternal life, in and through Christ. It is important to note that this first step is not optional, but mandatory, and essential, for anyone to access the Righteousness that comes through Christ alone. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe.

Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

But believing, in and of itself is not sufficient, if we do not allow the work of God’s Holy Spirit to take place in our hearts. This is where so many Christians in our day are stumbling, for millions claim to be of faith, but the corresponding work God desires to do in us is not allowed. In fact, the book of Revelation, which specifies what is the “Everlasting gospel” for our generation, focuses our attention squarely on works, to offset the imbalance that has thus been created by the doctrine of “Only believe”. 

We look in vain, throughout the entire content of the three angel’s messages, to see if those words “Faith” or believe occur even once; but for some reason, they are conspicuously absent. In fact, the word “Faith” occurs only after, in verse 12, where it is directly coupled to works, the work of keeping the commandments of God. Let’s read:

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. 
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The reason why the words “Faith” and “Believe” are nowhere to be found in the three angel’s messages, is because righteousness by faith never leads one to trample on God’s law, as is the case with so many contemporary “Believers” of our day. Therefore, the messages are tailor-made to specifically address the areas in which we are deficient. 

In the pharmaceutical world, Xarelto is used to treat blood clots, but is not recommended for diabetes. Similarly, the “Everlasting gospel” was given to treat the specific deficiency of lawlessness, masquerading under the umbrella of righteousness by faith. Thus, even though nominal Christianity is currently dead focused on faith in Jesus, The Lord is declaring to us unequivocally, that disobedience is never a by-product of righteousness by Faith. Never!

On the contrary, a nominal profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, without allowing Him to do the corresponding work, amounts to righteousness by presumption, the counterfeit of faith, which satan has introduced to the Christian world, and which currently stalks the land unrebuked, to a very great extent. In other words, there are very few pastors, televangelists, and Bible workers who are teaching, or preaching “The everlasting gospel” for our generation. 

Thus, if a contemporary, believing Christian, who has already accepted the righteousness of Christ by faith, was to ask the all-important question, “What lack I yet”, the preferred response will be “Keep the Sabbath day holy”, together with all the other nine commandments, for this constitutes the essence of the messages to be given in our day. Which leads us to our second instruction on how righteousness by faith applies across the board. 

[2] Live in obedience to whatsoever God says. The power of The Holy ghost is given to believers with the specific intention of enabling us to obey, not to trample on God’s precepts as some teach. In other words, The Holy Spirit empowers Christians to feed the poor, to help the homeless, and to tell others of God’s saving grace, but primarily, to obey God’s commandments, not to be saved, but because we are saved. 

This sacred truth is as a light shining in a dark place, for very many sincere persons have been deceived by smooth-talking, money-laundering false “Profits” Let’s read:

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. 
32 And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

[3] Consult His revealed will in His word, in every matter, before making any move. It’s important for us to pray in every matter, so that God may guide us with wisdom and discretion. But God will never fault a person for sincerely obeying His word, even if he/she may not have had a full understanding of the truth in question. For instance, some of the early believers had no clue as to who The Holy Ghost was, and the important work He was to do in their hearts. Furthermore, some were not aware of Jesus Christ being their Savior. 

Yet, in their ignorance, they were baptized, thus signifying that they followed truth as best they knew how. However, when greater light came, the same believers were baptized again. This instruction is very important for the many millions of sincere Sunday-keeping Christians, who sincerely love the Lord, but who may have been fed false doctrines inadvertently. 

When the light of the validity of the 7th day Sabbath dawns on one’s conscience, in many instances, it will be appropriate for him, or her to be rebaptized, thus publicly demonstrating his/her faith in one of the central truths in the Bible, which pertains to our worship of God in His capacity as Creator. Let’s read:

Acts 19:1 And, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

In closing, it’s important for us to remember that the overwhelming majority of God’s true people are to be found in Sunday churches, and as such, we should be always ready and willing to lend a helping hand in the understanding of present truth. Thus, we close with a gentle reminder for all. Let’s read:

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 
20 But wilt thou know, that faith without works is dead? 

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

                                                                 God bless! 
 

The Nature Of Christ. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/29/2017

When we come to study the scriptures, we should not approach it with a view of causing the Bible to conform to our own ideas and opinions. Instead we should allow the word to inform our understanding, guiding our thoughts, and concepts, and be willing to give up preconceived ideas as may be warranted. In so doing, we will be searching the scriptures in an objective manner, not subjectively.

Especially must this be the case, when it comes to such a delicate matter as the nature of Christ, for one miniscule error, can open the floodgates to a host of erroneous theories, and speculations. Thus, it is fitting that the counsel of God be heeded as we proceed. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:5 Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

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

Thus, in our study of the nature of Christ, we will not approach it from a perspective of curiosity, but instead with a purpose of making God’s plan for our salvation as plain as possible, so that we may harbor clear concepts of truth and duty. In the Bible, there are two Adams presented, one was created at the beginning of this world’s history, and the other was born incarnate to the virgin Mary. There are stark similarities, and stark differences between them, of which we must be cognizant. Therefore, we will use the scriptures to inform our understanding.

We begin with the similarities:
[1] Both Adams were made sinless. When the first Adam was created, there was no taint of sin in him, and when the second Adam was made incarnate, there was no taint of sin in Him either. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

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.

[2] The First Adam had the freedom of choice, and the second Adam also had the freedom of choice.

Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 
6 Who, 
7 Made Himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

[3] Before the fall, the first Adam did not have any propensity to sin, because he was created sinless, and God was his Father. The second Adam also was made without any inclination to sin, for He had God as His Father, in whom there is no sin. This is where some Christians stumble, by thinking that because Jesus was not predisposed to sin, as we are, that it was easy for Him to overcome. But nothing can be further from the truth, for when Jesus took on the liabilities of human nature, it had already suffered about 4000 years of deterioration, making the force of temptation exponentially greater.

When we speak of the liabilities of fallen human nature, we are referring to those natural biological urges in their most acute form, such as tiredness, hunger, thirst, etc. It is not a sin to get hungry, but the way in which we satisfy our hunger, determines whether we do so in a sinful manner or not. We can satisfy our hunger by working for our daily bread, or we can steal from the grocery to do so. When Christ suffered from excruciating pangs of hunger, He was tempted to satisfy that biological urge in a manner that would be contrary to God’s will. 

But instead of delivering Himself by a miracle, He “Suffered” being tempted, and showed us that it is better to deny ourselves wrong foods, than to be satisfied with that which is forbidden. That is how the full force of satan’s temptations were leveled against Christ, and the Bible tells us that He suffered being tempted. 

But Jesus also set before us the way in which we can overcome like He did, for in every temptation, He trusted God the Father to keep Him, just like we should. But if we were to conclude that temptation exerted no force against Him, then the system He gave us for overcoming becomes useless, and if so, then we will believe that overcoming sin is simply impossible. We should be very careful about the conclusions we draw about the nature of Christ.

The differences:
[1] The first Adam was human, but the 2nd Adam, Jesus Christ was fully God, and fully man at the same time. However, Jesus voluntarily made His divinity subject to the will of His Father, so that He could be a full partaker in our suffering. This point must be clearly understood, for at no time in His life on earth, did Christ ever use His divinity to minimize the force of temptation. Let’s read:

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

[2] After Adam sinned, he was not able to pass on to his posterity, the sinlessness with which he was made, for one cannot give what one doesn’t have. Christ on the other hand was sinless, for God was His Father. This point is of critical importance for us to understand, for being sinless never prevents any person from being tempted, nor does it prevent one from sinning. Furthermore, being sinless does not mean that a person will not need to pray for help in resisting temptation. Let’s read:

Hebrews 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

The question is often asked, “Could Jesus Christ have sinned? The answer is absolutely yes. Adam was sinless before he fell, satan was sinless before he fell, and the evil angels were all sinless before they fell. Christ was no different, for His sinlessness did not place Him beyond the reach of temptation, nor did His holiness inhibit His freedom to choose. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Luke 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

Ezekiel 28: 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

[3] The way in which Jesus was tempted was by way of the five senses, through which we navigate and interact with the outside world. When Adam, and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, all five senses were, opened up as gateways to the soul, and that’s how satan’s temptations asserted their power against human nature. In fact, it will be extremely difficult for any person, who is blind, and deaf, and who is deprived of the senses of touch, taste, and smell, to be tempted, for our five senses are the avenues to the soul. Thus, in all of Christ’s temptations, at least one of the five senses were involved. Let’s read:

Genesis 3: 1 Now the serpent was more, subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

John 19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. 
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. 

Matthew 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

[4] The first Adam had his system fine-tuned, with with his natural biological urges well balanced, very unlike the fierce pangs of hunger we experience at times. In the beginning, Adam ate when he knew it was time to eat, and there was always an abundant supply of food at his disposal. But gnawing pangs of hunger, with gas, as we know it was unknown. How do we know this? In the earth made new, the fine balance God created us with, will be restored. Let’s read:

Isaiah 49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. 

Christ on the other hand, had to overcome those temptations on appetite, after human nature had suffered over 4000 years of deterioration. This is one of the reasons why Jesus was at a disadvantage, when compared to the first Adam. He also had to restrain Himself from using His divine power to save Himself from difficulties. As finite beings, we do not have that option at our disposal, and that’s why we can never be tempted like Christ was.

John 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.

John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. 

Now that we have gone through some of the main similarities, and differences between the 1st and 2nd Adam, it’s important for us to understand how that knowledge translates into a saving relationship with The Lord Jesus. As we stated previously, Adam’s fall rendered him totally incapable of passing on to his posterity, the sinlessness with which he, as the head of humanity, was endowed at creation.

Thus, his sin and his guilt were passed on as a “gift” to all who came after. It is very important for us to grasp this truth, for if our understanding of sin and guilt is that it is action based, then we would be in danger of understanding the righteousness God as being action-based also. There are several passages of scripture which do address the issue of guilt and sin by default, so it’s necessary to let God’s word speak for itself in this matter. Let’s Read:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Question: Who is included in the word “All”? All means all, and includes every individual, every child, and every cute baby who is born into this world. It is also inclusive of those who were still-born, and even those who died prematurely during pregnancy. The seeds of rebellion were passed on from Adam to all his posterity, and therefore there is something such as a cute little rebel, for even though babies are not cognizant of the fact, they too share in Adam’s sin and guilt, or else they are innocent, and if so, they are not eligible for salvation. Several passages of scripture bear out this central truth. Let’s read:

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.

One thing is certain, God will never ever “beat” an innocent man. Even though he may be unaware of God’s will, yet he is guilty. In the Bible, guilt is not tied to such variables as the age of reason, or one’s knowledge of right or wrong. It is a state of being we are all born into, which does not necessarily require any action on our part. As descendants of Adam, we are born with all the seeds of rebellion lodged in our genes, and thus, it is not necessary for us to do anything per’ se, for us to sin, and be guilty. 

The basic concept can be extrapolated from the writings of Paul, in which he declares that Levi paid tithes in Abraham whilst as yet Levi was unborn in his father’s loins. It is worthy of note that, in fact, Abraham was not the biological father of Levi, nor were Levi’s parents yet born, let alone dating, when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizidec. So we owe it to ourselves to understand exactly Paul is speaking of, as he writes under the influence of the Holy Ghost? Let’s read: 

Hebrews 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. 
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. 

To fully understand what is being revealed here, we must first understand what the word “Loins” mean. “Loins” refer us to Abraham’s D.N.A, his genes, and ultimately, his sperm. All of these definitions are wrapped up in the word, “Loins”. Here are the two critically important definitions of the word, loin and the term D.N.A:
Loin
loin/Submit
noun
The region of the sexual organs, especially when regarded as the source of erotic, or procreative power.

DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information, the fundamental, distinctive characteristics or qualities of someone, especially when regarded as unchangeable.

Thus, the Holy Ghost is hereby declaring that Levi participated in the act of paying tithes by default, a fact that transcends Levi’s choice, or his actions in the matter. The problem is that Abraham did not only do right things, for he did a few wrong things too. Question: Are those wrong things to be equally credited, and transferred from Abraham to Levi, as the right things were? Let’s read:

Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Romans 3: 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 
12 They are all gone out of the way, there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Similarly, we sinned in Adam, and we are guilty by default, for just as Adam gifted us with sin, and its guilt, just so Christ gifted us with righteousness and innocence. One is a good gift, and the other is a bad gift, but one thing is certain, neither of the gifts are to be regarded as being action based. A woman is pregnant with her unborn baby, but she has a habit of drinking alcoholic beverages. Her unborn child is therefore made a participant in her sins by default, by-passing the baby’s freedom to choose in the sin, and thereby rendering her offspring’s awareness, knowledge, and other variables, irrelevant to the fact that she is a drinker.

In fact, if a trooper were to stop her, while she was driving under the influence, the officer will take her down to the county jail, with her baby, and both will be incarcerated. The same thing goes for each of us who were found in Adam, we were all booked, and taken down to the county jail, and when we came before the Judge, we were all found guilty in Adam. 

Thus, the guilt of humanity is based on the fact that our progenitor sinned, not necessarily on actions we may take later when we reach the age of reason, for a lack of knowledge does not absolve a person  of his/her guilt. Let’s read: 

Leviticus 4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; 
14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin. 
22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; 
23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: 
27 And if any one of the common people sin
through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, for his sin which he hath sinned.

Leviticus 5:4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. 
5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: 
17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

Psalms 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born.

Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

[S.G Vol 1 pp 193] I saw that the slave-master would have to answer for the soul of his slave whom he has kept in ignorance; and all the sins of the slave will be visited upon the master. God cannot take the slave to heaven, who has been kept in ignorance and degradation, knowing nothing of God, or the Bible, fearing nothing but his master's lash, and not holding so elevated a position as his master's brute beasts. But he does the best thing for him that a compassionate God can do. He lets him be as though he had not been.

[Faith and works pp 88] Adam sinned, and the children of Adam share his guilt and its consequences; but Jesus bore the guilt of Adam, and all the children of Adam that will flee to Christ, the second Adam, may escape the penalty of transgression.

The understanding of these passages, when taken together as a whole, brings out the beauty, and the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice for us, for if we are not sinners, and if we are not guilty, we do not stand a chance. In other words, there is no legal premise to save an innocent person, because those who are not guilty do not need forgiveness. Here’s why. 

Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

We close with a passage from the book of Galatians, which cautions us not to forget the great, and the complete sacrifice made to save us, and at every step of advance, to remember it is always all about Jesus. Always!

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 
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 of his word.
                                                                  God bless!
 

Living By The Invisible God. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/22/2017

One of the main reasons why we often find it hard to exercise faith, is because we keep looking at the human agent, instead of concentrating our focus on Christ. In all our experiences, whether they be trials or victories, the human agency is always to take a backseat in preeminence, and in all our calculations, and in our understanding, God should be first, and foremost in our minds. Whenever we focus on what man can do, Christ becomes little in our minds, and because of this, every daunting problem, difficulty, challenges, and obstacles, tend to loom larger, and often seem insurmountable.

As a general rule of thumb, our faith in what Christ can and will do should be open-ended, without any limits, and without tethering mere finite solutions,
to the potential outcome. In other words, when we become seriously sick, the power of God to heal and deliver should not be dwarfed by our understanding of medicine. When taking a math examination, our confidence should not rest solely upon how much we can cram, but rather on God’s ability to bring to our remembrance, that which we have studied. 

In our efforts to live a healthy life, to lose weight, or to diet properly, we should not limit the power of God to the mere use of certain ordained foods, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, and grains; for although He instructs us to use them, and great benefits will certainly accrue in obedience to His word, yet when His power is brought into the equation, those same benefits will multiply exponentially. In other words, our primary focus should not be on the veggies, but rather on the God of the veggies.

And the same principle of looking past the human agent, and focusing on Him who is invisible, also applies to soul winning. Success in evangelism is never about the preacher, or his tact, skill, charm, charisma, wittiness, education, experience, talent, energy, or his commanding demeanor. Neither is it about magnificent edifices, expensive pipe organs, or the amount of money spent in advertising. While all of these may have a part to play, the only reason why anyone will surrender to Christ is because of the work of The Holy Ghost, without which, the part that the human agent plays would have no salvific value. 

Even that favorite hymn that we love to sing, which says “I surrender all” is actually a nonstarter in the spiritual realm, without the power of God, because if Christ is absent, we cannot even surrender. Christ grants unto us the gift of repentance, through the agency of His Holy Spirit, without whom, we cannot even feel sorry for sins committed. Esau, and Judas both tried repentance without God, by focusing on the human agent, and the rest is history, for Esau was never able, of himself to repent, and the other committed suicide. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; 
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

When treating upon the same the issue of living by the power of The Invisible God, the apostle Paul cautioned the new believers to look past the human agent, and thus acknowledged the miniscule part a preacher, or evangelist plays in the bigger picture. He therefore describes the tendency of looking to human agents as being carnally-minded. Let’s read: 

1st Corinthians 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 
7 So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

The servant of the Lord also takes up the strain, by emphasizing our need of looking beyond the human agent, for whenever, and wherever this habit exists, there will be a noticeable lack of God’s miraculous power being displayed on a continual basis. And if the tendency is cultivated over, and over again, the concept of limitless possibilities becomes phantom to our minds, resulting in microscopic views of God, and a creeping fear of facing challenges. When the Bible says that the righteous are as bold as a lion,
it refers to our trust in God, not in man. Let’s read: 

[Christ’s Object lessons. pp. 82] Whenever man accomplishes anything, whether in spiritual or in temporal lines, he should bear in mind that he does it through co-operation with his Maker. There is great necessity for us to realize our dependence on God. Too much confidence is placed in man, too much reliance on human inventions. Immeasurably inferior is the part which the human agent sustains; but if he is linked with the divinity of Christ, he can do all things through the strength that Christ imparts.

Whenever we cultivate the tendency of looking to human agencies, we will apply the same mode of thought on the flipside, when it pertains to trials, and aggravations, conceived, and implemented by our invisible adversary. In other words, the devil often moves upon the human agent to carry out his dictates; but those who have become accustomed to looking on the instrument, will only see a person trying to annoy, while the invisible agency remains hidden.

Thus, we come to the study of certain highlights of Moses’ experiences in Egypt, and beyond. We begin with his birth, which occurred at a time when the morale of the Hebrew people was pretty low, since they were suffering under the hand of pharaoh who was in opposition to God, and who issued the harsh, inhumane edict of commanding every male Hebrew child to be slain. In fact it was satan who was behind that edict, but many Hebrews only saw the human agent, and because of this, their faith had grown quite dim.

Moses was born at this time, but his parents who ever had God before their faces, looked past the pharaoh on his throne, and beheld the Omnipotent God who rules in the affairs of men. Thus it was that their ideas, concepts, decisions and actions became molded by what God could do, not what a pharaoh could do, and that makes all the difference. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. 

There are certain developments, certain decisions and actions currently being taken, which may cause us grave concern, and many have become fearful of the future, and what lies in store for God’s people. God bids us not to look at man, but to look to Him, who rules in the affairs of men. As a matter of fact, whatever is done by the human agent, whether for or against God, is actually incorporated into His will, and produce outcomes that are in line with what he had already planned to do. 

When Christ was being crucified, the priests and elders thought that they finally got revenge for what they viewed as an affront to their authority. But under closer investigation, God’s plan for our rescue was being fulfilled to the letter, and instead of signal defeat, a triumphant victory for the entire universe was accomplished. 

When the mob cried for Jesus to come down from the cross, it was actually satan begging Christ, in a last-ditch effort not to die, for he feared the dead Christ much more than the living Christ. But on that day, throughout all the back and forth, and mocking and scourging, many folks, even of the disciples only beheld the human agent.

[Prophets And kings pp 499>500] In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and counter-play of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.

Thus it was, when Moses came to the age of reason, he also followed in the footsteps of his parents, by looking past the human agent, and focusing his gaze on Him who is invisible. And this mode of thought ultimately shaped his world view, and every other consequent decision he would make. Some of these decisions may seem downright stupid, in the eyes of a secular mind, but to those who choose to live by the Invisible God, his decisions were intelligent and full of wisdom. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. 

And over, and over again, throughout Moses’ life experiences, we’ll observe the same core principle resurfacing. In times of danger, when threatened by pharaoh’s army, in crossing the Red sea, in tackling the strongholds of Jericho, in dealing with internal insurrection, in the uplifted serpent, in obeying the command of God to be in Mount Sinai for 40 days without any food, in all of these instances, Moses continually looked past the human agent, instead focusing on Him who is invisible. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Exodus 14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. 
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. 
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
In fact, the major fall which Moses took, in striking the rock, occurred when he focused on the human agent, instead of the Unseen God, as he had been accustomed to. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 
11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 
12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

This brings us to a critically important question: “What is entailed in living by the Invisible God?”
Answers:
 [1] We must be willing to do whatsoever He bids us do, even when it is contrary to the popular majority opinion. God has called us to obedience, never to popularity, and thus, our commitment to serve, and to follow His directions must transcend mainstream ideologies, scientific research, or dogmas coming to us from religious or secular authorities. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God.
32 What thing so-ever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

[2] We must be willing to wait upon God, for His purposes know no haste, nor delay. It is often the case that satan’s temptations assert their power over us, when we are put in the waiting mode. It is during such times we tend to become restless, and uneasy, and a restless frame of mind often becomes fertile ground for doubt, and wherever any doubt is encouraged, our minds become a breeding ground for alternative methods, and plans, which prove to be always contrary to God’s will.

Abraham was severely tempted whilst in waiting mode, and he succumbed. King Saul was severely tempted in waiting mode, and he also succumbed. And in many instances, we too become vulnerable to the assaults of satan, when we are bidden by the Lord to wait. The young, and the restless become impatient while waiting on God to provide Mr./Mrs. Right. 

During the waiting period, satan comes along with an alternative who seems to have the blessing of heaven, and before you know it, your proverbial knight in shining armor turns out to be the devil in disguise. That’s why the following instruction is of critical importance to every Christian living today. 

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

[3] We should never allow human agencies to cause Christ’s power to be dwarfed in our understanding. This is of critical importance as we face tremendous difficulties ahead. When we are bombarded with bad, or fake news, we are not to focus on what man can, or will do, but instead we are instructed by the Lord to “Look up” for our redemption draws nigh. Let’s read:

 Hebrews 13:5 For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 

[4] Trust His promises. The often murmurings and complaints of the Hebrews, and the sins that were the consequential result, can be summed up in the sacred history recorded by David, whilst he wrote under the influence of Holy Ghost. And very many of our own problems with health, with cherished sin, with discouragement, with the fullfilment of our fondest dreams, with reaching our fullest potential, with our finances, with evangelism, with our church building, programs, with forgiveness, and with a wide range of other temporal, social, and spiritual issues, can also be traced back to the same root cause, which affected the Hebrews in years gone by. Let’s read:

Psalms 78: 10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law.
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them. 
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. 
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an  heap.
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the Most-High in the wilderness.
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? 
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 

And there are several vivid examples of those who limited the power of God in various ways, and for various reasons. Those who went out in search of food on the Sabbath, limited the power of God in preserving that which was kept over from Friday. Those who retreated in times of national danger, because of the supposedly superior strength, and size of the enemy, limited the power of God to save by few.

Those who sided with the spies, when God already promised them the goodly land of Canaan, limited the power of God in battle. Those who had withheld their tithes and offerings, limited the power of God to provide. Those who did not believe the second temple could be built, limited the power of God to restrain Tobias and Sanballat.  Those who turned to wizards and magicians in times of health crises, they also limited God’s power to heal and restore. 

Then there are those who limited God’s power to save to the uttermost. Those who trusted to their own strength, and those who stumbled at the food God ordained for them to eat. Those who trembled at the presence of Goliath, who shook his steroid-laden fists at Israel. Saul, who discouraged David from fighting the giant. Those who turned to the witch of Endor for advice, and those like Achan who hid stolen stuff in the earth, under his tent. 

And the list goes on, and on, and on. One root cause keeps resurfacing, “They limited The Holy one of Israel”…. Which leads us to our closing statement coming from the pen of inspiration. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 72] In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, “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”…

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

The Final Conflict. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/15/2017

The final battle to be waged on this planet has to do with the laws of God versus those laws of men that run contrary to God’s revealed will. A person does not necessarily have to be an atheist, or agnostic, if he/she does not subscribe to the commandments of God. All one has to do is to not align his, or herself fully, with the kingdom of light, and by so doing, the choice will be made against God’s kingdom. Indeed, there are millions of professed Christians today who may live, and work ignorantly under the auspices of the kingdom of darkness, while thinking that they are doing God service. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This distinct possibility, and fact, is raised in several other passages of scripture which demonstrate how folks may think they are serving Christ, when indeed they may be working directly against Him, and thus, it is necessary to address some of the fundamental issues connected to the great controversy, that has been taking place, even before the creation of our world, and which will soon culminate in every living person deciding either for, or against Christ. We will study some of the disturbing questions and answers pertaining to the spiritual battle for our souls, with the hope that the concerns raised, will finally be put to rest.

The Bible tells us that war began in heaven, because of the persistence of one created being, choosing to live contrary to God’s wise order. The indulgence of pride quickly opened the door to jealousy, jealousy gave birth to alienation and discord, then discord finally pitted the two opposing factions against each other, since it became impossible for them to live together anymore. Therefore, a substitute form of government, and a substitute system of ideologies, principles, methods, and beliefs were established, and offered as a viable option to any who chose to believe that God’s way was, and is not the best for created beings. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most-High.

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The earth was not yet created when this battle took place, but instead occurred sometime after, when God decided to follow through on His plans to bring another planet into being, with a brand, new line of creatures, namely man, together with animals, fish, birds, creeping things, and vegetation. However, the decision made by the Godhead, to create a world in
which, there might be a possibility of sin, causes many people to stumble, and raises a plethora of other questions, that have plagued the minds of those who may not have investigated the issues.

Thus, we will address some of these concerns in a question, and answer format, to make the issues pertaining to the past, current, and final conflict, as plain as we possibly can.

Question # [1] Why didn’t God destroy satan and his evil angels immediately, after they had sinned?
Answer: If God had immediately eradicated sin with the use of force, He would be utilizing a principle which lies at the foundation of satan’s government, and which never produces lasting peace or security. To immediately destroy those with whom there was a disagreement, would cause the loyal ones to serve God out of fear, and any relationship which has fear as its basis, will disintegrate sooner or later, for as the Bible says, “Fear hath torment”. 

The use of force was employed during the dark ages to stifle out Christianity, but instead it caused it to multiply exponentially, making it one of the world’s greatest religions. Since the early nineties, we have employed the use of force, in various forms, and in different degrees, to try to stamp out the cancer of terrorism, but instead, the movement has grown to become a worldwide phenomenon, affecting even those in the higher echelons of society, as well as the intellectual. 

Bin Laden came from a wealthy, well-respected family, and many of his followers are well educated, and therefore, the mere use of force cannot settle the matter permanently. Never! Hence the reason why the principles of God’s kingdom stand in very stark contrast to the principle of subduing enemies through force, because, as was stated before, when we fight fire with fire, all we would get is more fire. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Even when God destroys sin at the last day to put a permanent end to it, He will only do so after the lost, as well as satan and his angels have agreed that the best thing for them is to be destroyed. Let’s read: 

Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 

Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

When Jesus was being arrested by the priests and the mob, Peter resorted to a satanic principle, and Christ immediately recognized his action as such. In other words, Peter attempted to fight fire with fire, but Christ’s principle in this, and similar situations, is not to resist evil, but rather to do good wherever possible, to those who might be seeking to do us harm. Therefore, we are presented with the stark difference between God’s principles, and satan’s own. Let’s read:

Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

The angels who had not fallen did not understand fully, the issues which were at stake, neither were they aware of the natural consequences of satan’s form of government. Therefore, the only way that the universe could be put on a permanent basis of security, was to allow the two opposing methods of government to run their natural course, so that all created beings could make an intelligent, informed choice. It was only at the cross that the holy angels fully understood the issues at stake, and it was only then, that satan and his angels were forever barred from approaching the gates of heaven. Let’s read:

John 12:30 Jesus answered and said, 
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the
prince of this world be cast out. 
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

The same situation with the unfallen angels, that of unveiling the principles, and methods of the only two forms of government, has been on display for centuries on our planet, and like the angels, we too will have to make intelligent, well-informed choices. On the one hand, we have jealousy, covetousness, greed, hatred, alienation, violence, lies, retaliation, and pride wreaking havoc across the spectrum of nations. 

Then, on the other hand, we have the principles of Christ’s kingdom on display, in the persons of His saints, where love, mercy, justice, peace-making, truthfulness, forgiveness, patience, contentedness, humility, and non-violence are to be the ruling traits of character, in those who claim kinship with Christ. And it is through the demonstration of these two opposing views, with their natural results, that all the world will be brought to the point of decision, to choose Christ, or to choose the other option.

Question # [2] Another question that has haunted the minds of many people, even among Christians, is “Why did God go ahead and create the human race, if He knew there would be the risk of Adam, and Eve choosing to sin? 
Answer: God proceeded with our creation because it was a good thing to do, and the risk of evil should never prevent anyone from doing good. It is often the case that children walk contrary to that which is good, by indulging in sins such as adultery, clubbing, drugs, and drinking. But the risk of their choosing to do evil should not prevent us from having children, for doing so is a good thing. 

It was more than reasonable for God to proceed with our creation, knowing that we would sin, for He had already planned a way to rescue us. We too know full well that our children can, and do get sick, but because we have the right medicines available, the risk of their sickness does not faze us. Thus, in the case of Adam and his offspring, rescue was not an afterthought, but was a well-laid plan for our redemption, to be implemented as soon as it was necessary. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

That word “Whosoever”, means whosever, and includes such persons like the thief on the cross, who stole his whole life, and did not have the way, the means, nor the opportunity to restore fourfold, as the scriptures require. Whosoever includes the woman taken in adultery, persons like Peter, who are impulsive in nature, others like Matthew who worked for the IRS, and those like Paul, who before his conversion, persecuted Christians relentlessly, yet, when confronted with that important decision, chose to accept the remedy offered us in Christ.

Whosoever also embraces the current president of the United States, all the members of congress, the steel workers in the rust belt, the rich managers of Silicon Valley, the drug addict on the street, those who are suffering from the opioid epidemic, those who have inherited, and cultivated tendencies to evil, all politicians, all county workers, all prostitutes, and every creed and race can find an equal place, in the provision made for our rescue. Thus, it was quite reasonable for God to go forward with our creation, because the perfect plan for our redemption had been put in place, just in case. Let’s read:

John 5:37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing. 
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

Question # [3] Another question often raised in the great conflict of the ages, is whether God’s law has been given for the benefit, or the hurt of all created beings. In other words, if through the grace, and power of God, anyone was to choose to follow the teachings and instructions of God’s word, will that person be benefitted, or will they suffer loss as a result?

Answer: For almost 6000 years, the idea has been floated that serving God puts one at a disadvantage, and because of this, His laws have been seen, more from the prohibitory side, rather than the freedom side. On the one hand, satan’s kingdom of darkness offers us the freedom to do whatsoever we please, whenever we please, and however we please, with no limitations, or instructions, or laws to followed. God on the other hand, gives instruction, and laws that are designed to foster the health, and well- being of man. Let’s read:

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

This is especially true of the God-ordained day of worship, which contains the principle of cyclical rest, as opposed to a continuous round of activity. And it is over these two opposing principles that the final conflict will be fought. In the beginning, after God created the earth, He rested on the 7th day, and was refreshed. In like manner, He instructed us to keep the 7th day Sabbath holy for the very same purpose, for when we follow the principle of cyclical rest, we are brought into harmony with two other critically important aspects of our being, breathing and our heartbeat, both of which have the same principle of cyclical rest at their core. 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.

Exodus 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 
17 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 

Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

But a substitute day of rest was introduced many centuries ago, and with the passage of time, has come to usurp the place that the original Sabbath had in the hearts, minds, and culture of many. It is worthy of note that the principle of cyclical rest is also embraced in the teachings of those who espouse Sunday, as the day of rest. Let’s read:

                                            Catechism of the Catholic Church
                                                                Article 3
                                                 THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work. 90 The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.91 The sabbath is for the Lord, holy and set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on behalf of Israel. 

2172 God's action is the model for human action. If God "rested and was refreshed" on the seventh day, man too ought to "rest" and should let others, especially the poor, "be refreshed." 96 The sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. It is a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.97 

2173 The Gospel reports many incidents when Jesus was accused of violating the sabbath law. But Jesus never fails to respect the holiness of this day.98 He gives this law its authentic and authoritative interpretation: "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath."99 With compassion, Christ declares the sabbath for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing.100 The sabbath is the day of the Lord of mercies and a day to honor God.101 "The Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath."102

Therefore, for all intents and purposes, the previous declarations seem to capture the basic concept of cyclical rest, enjoined in the 4th commandment, so there’s only one major difference, the day on which we choose to rest. As it stands, the majority of the Christian world rests on Sunday, while there’s only a minority which rest on the 7th day. Now while it is good to understand and practice the concept of cyclical rest, the day we choose to do so makes all the difference, for the 7th day sabbath is the only day that was blessed and sanctified by God. 

No other day of the week carries such designation, and therefore the question of sovereign authority versus a human invention will usher in the final conflict, in which each individual will deliberately choose to obey God or man. This final conflict is what the scriptures warn the inhabitants of earth about, for it is scheduled to draw a distinct dividing line, between the true and the false. 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. 

To this time we are now hastening, as evidenced by the rapid and unique developments of the last two years, both in the religious and secular realm, and thus, the Lord is calling upon all sincere Christians in every denomination, to consider carefully to whom our allegiance is given, because our eternal destiny hinges on whom we choose to obey. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to be ready, for the time is short. 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 be sober.  

                                                                       God bless! 
 

Procrastination. Sabbath Afternoon 07/08/2017

Procrastination is often referred to as the devil’s tool, for by tempting us to put off for another day, that which should be done immediately, he gets us to miss out on golden opportunities. The tendency to postpone present duties will also be observed in other areas of our lives, because whatever we may cultivate as a trait of character, whether it’s good or bad, will also run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our life experiences, and could, if not corrected, cause us to put off our day of salvation. Some folks think that God will always wait until they are ready, but the Bible teaches something entirely different. Let’s read: 

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…

The core principle being highlighted in the passage above, is that of availing ourselves of the present opportunities, given by us God, so that we may be saved. And it also warns us against procrastinating, which as stated before, will affect everything we do, if the habit is cultivated. In fact, whatever needs to be done, whether it be spiritual, or temporal, and is being repeatedly postponed for another day, will become more and more difficult to accomplish, and costlier with every missed opportunity.

There are many undeniable examples all around us which will demonstrate how procrastination causes unnecessary heartache, and adverse difficulties, which in turn produce feelings of deep remorse and regret. Let’s observe the tendency from a few well- known examples: 

[1] The National Debt:
Every administration, over the last 50 years, which has taken control have tried to reduce spending but for different reasons, the national debt has always, consistently ballooned, when measured at the end of their tenure. We just keep kicking the can down the road, with the hope that one day, it will vanish, and the same tendency can be observed in millions of households across the land, since most people do not rise higher than their leaders. 

But as stated before, procrastination becomes more costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome. That’s just the nature of the beast!

Lyndon B. Johnson: Added $42 billion, a 13 percent increase from the $312 billion debt at the end of JFK's last budget, FY 1964.
Richard Nixon: Added $121 billion, a 34 percent increase from the $354 billion debt at the end of LBJ's last budget, FY 1969.
Gerald Ford: Added $224 billion, a 47 percent increase from the $475 billion debt at the end of Nixon's last budget, FY 1974.

Jimmy Carter: Added $299 billion, a 43 percent increase from the $699 billion debt at the end of  Ford's last budget, FY 1977.
Ronald Reagan: Added $1.86 trillion, a 186 percent increase from the $998 billion debt at the end of Carter's last budget, FY 1981.
George H.W. Bush: Added $1.554 trillion, a 54 percent increase from the $2.8 trillion debt at the end of Reagan's last budget, FY 1989.

Bill Clinton: Added $1.396 trillion, a 32 percent increase from the $4.4 trillion debt at the end of George H.W. Bush's last budget, FY 1993.
George W. Bush: Added $5.849 trillion, a 101 percent increase from the $5.8 trillion debt at the end of Clinton's last budget, FY 2001.
Barack Obama: Added $7.917 trillion, a 68 percent increase from the $11.657 trillion debt at the end of George W. Bush’s last budget, FY 2009. And right now, the staggering figures are north of 19 trillion, 800 billion, and is increasing at a rate of $27,762.94 per second, or about 1.5 billion each day, based on the past 6 months.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

[2] The nuclear crisis with North Korea:
The current dilemma we find ourselves in did not happen in a vacuum, for there were periods, when positive, remedial actions could have been taken to rein in the rogue state, but for various reasons, the golden opportunities were passed by, with the hope that somehow, the problem will be resolved with time. But alas, here we are today, with a very real threat of a nuclear showdown, all because of that tendency to procrastinate.

(CNN) Here’s a brief look at North Korea's nuclear capabilities and the history of its weapons program. In 1985 North Korea signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
1993: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) demands that inspectors be given access to two nuclear waste storage sites. In response, North Korea threatens to quit the NPT but eventually opts to continue participating in the treaty.

1994: North Korea and the United States sign an agreement. Among other stipulations, North Korea pledges to freeze and eventually dismantle its old, graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in exchange for international aid to build two new light-water nuclear reactors.
2002: January 29 - US President George W. Bush labels North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil" in his State of the Union address. "By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger," he says.
October - The Bush Administration reveals that North Korea has admitted operating a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the 1994 agreement.

2003: January 10 - North Korea withdraws from the NPT. February - The United States confirms North Korea has reactivated a five-megawatt nuclear reactor at its Yongbyon facility, capable of producing plutonium for weapons.
April - Declares it has nuclear weapons.
2006: October - North Korea claims to have successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. The test prompts the UN Security Council to impose a broad array of sanctions.
2007: February 13 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for an aid package worth $400 million.
September 30 - At six-party talks in Beijing, North Korea signs an agreement stating it will begin disabling its nuclear weapons facilities.
December 31 - North Korea misses the deadline to disable its weapons facilities by the end of the year.
2009: May 25 - North Korea announces it has conducted its second nuclear test.

2013: February 12 - Conducts third nuclear test. This is the first nuclear test carried out under Kim Jong Un. Three weeks later, the United Nations orders additional sanctions in protest.
2015: May 6 - In an exclusive interview with CNN, the deputy director of a North Korean think tank says the country has the missile capability to strike mainland United States and would do so if the United States "forced their hand."
2016: September 9 - North Korea claims to have detonated a nuclear warhead. According to South Korea's Meteorological Administration, the blast is estimated to have the explosive power of 10 kilotons.
2017: July 4 - North Korea claims it has conducted its first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, that can "reach anywhere in the world."

The current president of the United States claims to be unpredictable, when it comes to revealing what he will do in defense of this country, because, as he says, it’s not wise to let the enemy know what you are planning to do. Well guess what? The current leader of North Korea has been often proven to be quite unpredictable too. Thus, when we have two unpredictable world leaders with their fingers on the nuclear trigger, we might be possibly looking at the final episode of the Wild, Wild, West with John Wayne as cheer leader!

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

But the problem of procrastination also affects us on a personal level, for it is not only a national, or federal problem, it occurs over, and over again, in many different ways, which leads us to our third example.

[3] Clutter:
The garage did not get cluttered overnight, for it took a long time for it to be chuck full of unwanted items. For years we may have planning to clean and tidy it once and for all, but through procrastination, we kept kicking the can down the road, until we are now almost banished from our own garage. And as was stated before, the continual postponing often costs us, for we may have bought many items at the local Home depot, which were lodged somewhere in the garage, but we just couldn’t remember where they were to be found.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

[4] Health and dieting: Do you know how long we have been planning to start exercising, and dieting, but for many varied, and valid reasons we just keep putting it off for another day. Maybe it was the kids, work, studies, church duties, or maybe we were just not motivated. Maybe we had planned to start on New Year’s day, but for some unknown reason, our enthusiasm just waned, and we postponed it for a more convenient season. The bottom line is that we never got to it, and whilst we continue to delay, the cost increases, and damage is being done.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

[5] Church building programs: Do you know how often the church building programs, for several churches have been postponed, for various valid reasons? Year after year passes, the enthusiasm of the congregation goes high, and then low, and in the process, some members may move on. But for some reason, the project is put off for another day, all the while God may have been ready to move at the opportune time. The cost of materials increases as the years slip by, and the project may become more daunting, but again and again, it is put off for another day. 

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

Thus, we move into the core of our study, in which we will observe two examples, one positive and one negative, by which we may learn lessons of critical importance, on how to avoid the snare of satan’s favorite tool, procrastination. We’ll begin with the negative one. Moses sends twelve spies to search the land of Canaan, to bring back a detailed report, and the products of the country, so that the people could be encouraged to trust in the promise of God, that they would inherit the land.

God is ready and waiting, because the opportune moment is now, but ten of the spies begin to speak evil of the place, after confirming that it is flowing with milk and honey. Joshua and Caleb try their best to still the people, and encourage them to go take Canaan immediately, but the ten spies continue to dwell on the obstacles, the giants, in the land, and they deliberately give voice to their own personal fears, thus causing the multitude to dwell on the negatives, instead of the positive commands and promises of God. 

Satan has a field day, using his favorite tool of procrastination, by causing them to dwell upon darkness, and because of their unwarranted fears, the project is aborted, and put on hold for another day. However, even though Joshua and Caleb were ready to move forward right away, this particular project required community effort, because God had promised the land to all the Hebrews, not just Joshua and Caleb. 

Now, if the ten spies did not agree on the feasibility of the undertaking, they should have at least kept quiet, and let it move forward, without throwing cold water on the people’s enthusiasm, since God had already confirmed the land to the Hebrews by a solemn promise. But they encouraged the people to postpone the venture, and the delay would carry a heavy price both in time and in lives lost. Let’s read:

Numbers 13:17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them,
18 See the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 
19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad. 
20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean. 
25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel. 
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the
and whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land saying, it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

There is something such as an opportune time with God, that’s why the Bible says that Jesus was born in the fullness of time, meaning at the opportune time, not one day late, and not one day early. It is often the case, when God is ready to do great things for us, our hesitation, delay, and indecision causes us to miss out on the golden opportunity, and it is true that opportunity often only knocks once.

By dwelling upon the difficulties before them, they lost sight of God’s omnipotent power, and this then caused them to put off for another day, that which could, and should have been done immediately. And as was stated before, the delay caused the same project to become much more difficult and risky, and costlier, in terms of human life. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 389] When men yield their hearts to unbelief they place themselves under the control of Satan, and none can tell to what lengths he will lead them. Revolt and open mutiny quickly followed; for Satan had full sway, and the people seemed bereft of reason. They cursed Moses and Aaron, forgetting that God was witnessing their terrible outburst of wrath. Then their feelings rose against God: “Wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Thus, they accused not only Moses, but God Himself, of deception, in promising them a land which they were not able to possess.

Numbers 14:20 And the Lord said, 
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers.
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land.
34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 
40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat
them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised: for we have sinned. 
41 And Moses said, 
42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 
44 But they presumed to go up.
45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

Whatever traits of character we cultivate, they will run as a common thread, throughout the fabric of our life experiences. Procrastination in paying off our debts, will also translate into procrastination in matters of health, as well as issues pertaining to our salvation.

 For instance, when the Holy Spirit appeals to our conscience, showing that it’s time to give ourselves to Christ, there is no valid reason for any delay, but instead, we should find the nearest pastor, and the nearest body of water and be baptized. This prompt attitude stands in stark contrast to that manifested by the Hebrews, as is demonstrated in the example of the jailor, who got baptized “Today” when he heard the voice of God speaking to his soul. Here was his golden opportunity, and rather than let it slip, he rises to the occasion, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. 
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

Whatever we know we should be doing, whether it be in the temporal or spiritual realm, it is not good to put it off for another day, for as the song says, “Tomorrow might be too late”. Thus, we end our study with the passage of scripture, containing the warning against procrastination in every area of our lives, and we will close with a gentle reminder of the adverse consequences that are incidental to the indulgence of this habit. Let’s read: 

Hebrews 3: 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called  today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
15 Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

The antediluvian world also suffered from the habit of procrastination, for Noah had faithfully preached and given them warning of the coming destruction, but for some reason they kept putting it off. Let’s read:

[P&P pp.97>98] As time passed, with no apparent change in nature, men whose hearts had at times trembled with fear, began to be reassured. They asserted that if there were any truth in what Noah had said, the men of renown the wise, the prudent, the great men would understand the matter. The period of their probation was about to expire. The ark was finished in every part as the Lord had directed, and was stored with food for man and beast. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people.

With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most, gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark. A noise as of a rushing wind was heard and lo, birds were flocking from all directions, their numbers darkening the heavens and in perfect order they passed to the ark. 

Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient. The world looked on in wonder, some in fear. Philosophers were called upon to account for the singular occurrence, but in vain. It was a mystery which they could not fathom. But men had become so hardened by their persistent rejection of light that even this scene produced but a momentary impression. 

And the rest is history, for they never went in!
Procrastination becomes more, costly with each missed opportunity, and the issues which need to be addressed, become much more difficult to overcome.

                                                                God bless! 
 

Miracles, Healing, And Fraud. Sabbath Afternoon. 07/01/2017

With the health-care crisis looming so large on the horizon, the prospect of alternative forms of healing may appear to be more of a viable option to many, and because of this, there are a few instructions we should observe, if we would not fall victims to the devices of the enemy of righteousness. Many folks have now turned to televangelists, spiritual healers, and soothsayers, because they may not be able to afford proper care, and in desperation, some often pay whatsoever is required of them in exchange for healing. 

Desperation often makes people vulnerable, and it has opened the door for many to be deceived, and taken advantage of, and because of this, it has now become necessary to make a very clear distinction
between the true and the false. Before proceeding, it is necessary for us to first understand the reasons why we are where we are, how we got here, also, the scriptural solutions to the ballooning problem. 

Drugs have many different uses, and are employed when surgeries are being done, for anesthesia, for sedatives, and for the treatment of some diseases. However, the continual use of drugs produces some side effects which are often overlooked by doctors, and patients alike, for if we were to carefully read the warning labels on many prescription drugs, we will discover side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, hallucination, suicidal thoughts, rashes, drowsiness, and a host of other negatives.

And the apparent benefits are often outweighed by the adverse side effects, some of which tend to be long lasting. Thus, a history of the development of the problem of drug addiction is in order. Let’s read:

[2SM pp 451>452] When drugs are introduced into the system, for a time they may seem to have a beneficial effect. And the disease, which the drug was given to cure, may disappear, but only to re-appear in a new form, such as skin diseases, ulcers, painful diseased joints, and sometimes in a more dangerous and deadly form. The liver, heart, and brain, are frequently affected by drugs, and often all these organs are burdened with disease, and the unfortunate subjects, if they live, are wearily dragging out a miserable existence.

(CNN) By Sonia Moghe.
Updated 6:41 AM ET, Fri October 14, 2016
Why are opioids so addictive?

(CNN) The abuse of opioids, including prescription painkillers and drugs like heroin, is something the United States has struggled with since before the 1900s. But it's a problem that keeps coming back. To understand how we got to this current epidemic, let's take a look back. Early 1900s: Morphine, and the creation of pain management.

Civil War veterans whose injuries were treated with morphine were among those hooked on opioids at the turn of the century. But "drugs were already on the scene and being consumed at alarming rates long before the start of the war," said Mark A. Quinones, a scholar who studied drug abuse during the Civil War. In 1898, the Bayer Co. started production of another opioid, heroin, on a commercial scale.

 From its first clinical trials, it was considered a "wonder drug," and its use spread as addicts discovered that its effects could be amplified by injecting it. Kimberly Johnson, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment said that in the early 1900s, there wasn't much known about these poppy derivatives. Drugs like heroin were used as cough suppressants. 

"They are effective pain relievers, and that's what they were being used for," Johnson said. "There weren't many other options." World War II was a turning point for physicians treating pain as doctors worked to treat severely injured soldiers. Anesthesiologists opened "nerve block clinics" in the 1950s and 1960s to manage pain without having to resort to surgery, according to a history published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003.

By the mid- and late-1970s, when Percocet and Vicodin came on the market, doctors had long been taught to avoid prescribing highly addictive opioids to patients. But an 11-line letter printed in the New England Journal of Medicine in January 1980 pushed back on the popular thought that using opioids to treat chronic pain was risky. In it, Jane Porter and Dr. Hershel Jick mentioned their analysis of 11,882 patients who were treated with narcotics. They wrote that "the development of addiction is rare in medical patients with no history of addiction."

Jick told the Washington Post in 1977 that less than 1% of patients he studied died from a reaction to the drugs. Patients with terminal illnesses started being treated more with prescription opioids, and doctors and researchers wanted to look at treating patients with chronic pain. Six years later, a paper by pain-management specialist Dr. Russell Portenoy chronicled 38 patients treated with opioids for non-cancer pain. 

He concluded that "opioid maintenance therapy can be a safe, salutary and more humane alternative" to surgery, or to not treating a patient with chronic pain. The studies created a discussion in the '90s around making pain treatment a priority for all patients. "People started talking about pain as the fifth vital sign," Johnson said. Purdue Pharma started testing OxyContin as a long-term painkiller in 1994, and it went on the market in 1996. In the early '90s, the number of painkiller prescriptions filled at U.S. pharmacies increased by 2 million to 3 million each year, according to a National Institute on Drug Abuse study. From 1995 to 1996, the number of prescriptions jumped by 8 million.

In 1998, Purdue Pharma created a video promotion called "I Got My Life Back." It followed six people who suffered from chronic pain and were treated with OxyContin. The company distributed 15,000 copies of the video to be used in "physician waiting rooms as a 'check out' item for an office's patient education library."

"They don't wear out; they go on working; they do not have serious medical side effects," a doctor featured in the video said. "So, these drugs, which I repeat, are our best, strongest pain medications, should be used much more than they are for patients in pain." A year after the video came out, the overall number of opioid painkiller prescriptions filled jumped by 11 million. 

Purdue Pharma took out ads for OxyContin in medical journals across the nation in 2000. Seven years later, the company and three of its executives would be charged with misbranding its drug and downplaying the possibility of addiction. Three executives pleaded guilty, and the company settled with the U.S. government for $635 million.

Making pain treatment a priority came to the attention of the Joint Commission, a nonprofit that sets standards and accredits hospitals and medical centers. The group created this standard in 2001: "Pain is assessed in all patients." Medical centers and their doctors were required to examine their patients' pain levels. The Joint Commission printed a book in 2000 for purchase by doctors as part of required continuing education seminars. The book cited studies that claimed, "There is no evidence that addiction is a significant issue when persons are given opioids for pain control." 

It also called doctors' concerns about addiction side effects "inaccurate and exaggerated." The book was sponsored by Purdue Pharma. Portenoy, the doctor who wrote one of several studies that claimed there was little risk of addiction in using opioids to treat chronic pain, spoke out about his own role in the epidemic. "Clearly, if I had an inkling of what I know now then, I wouldn't have spoken in the way that I spoke. It was clearly the wrong thing to do."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that immediate-release opioid painkillers such as oxycodone and fentanyl will now have to carry a "black box" warning about the risk of abuse, addiction, overdose and death.

However, The Lord does not propose to fix any and every problem the human family might be afflicted with, especially those problems which are brought on by a continuous, deliberate violation of natural law. Healing from Christ is most often on a case by case basis, with the fundamental elements of true confession, repentance, and our willingness to turn away from harmful indulgences, playing a vital role. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

Thus, as we embark upon our study, the following are a few important observations, relating to our healthcare system:

[1] Our health-care system in its current form, isn’t sustainable, for it does not sufficiently replenish the money which is used to fund it, and any system that does not replenish itself is doomed to fail, sooner or later. Our congressmen, on both sides of the aisle may be doing their best to solve the problem, but they will encounter headwinds at every turn, since there are fundamental concepts of healthful living that must first be adopted at the grassroots level. 

[2] The opioid epidemic is the result of our drug dependency, for many drugs put in motion a deadly chain of circumstances, which can often lead to an addiction of some kind. It is worthy of note that America consumes about 80% of all the drugs manufactured world-wide, as is evidenced by the following statistics given out by the CDC.

Physician office visits: 
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 2.8 billion Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 74.2%

Hospital outpatient department visits:
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 329.2 million Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 72.5%

Hospital emergency department visits:
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 296.7 million Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 80.4%

[3] Unless prevention is incorporated as the main element in our healthcare system, finding solutions will be the equivalent of searching for a needle in a haystack. Christ’s method of healing always focuses primarily on prevention, with natural remedies, and miracles being the last resort. In other words, we will have to take responsibility for our choices and actions, wherever this is possible, and warranted.

In our day, many spurious miracles, and claims of healing have been introduced, some, for hire, some for purchase, and some for donations. Thus, it is very important for us to understand that there are genuine miracles, as well as counterfeit works of healing, because for every good thing God has given to us, satan has a counterfeit waiting in the wings, and some have gone to great lengths to make a profitable business of the issue. Therefore, it is now imperative that certain cautions be given out which should raise a red flag, and guard our minds against satanic ploys.

[Red flag #1] Any miraculous healing that involves payment, or money of any kind is a fraud, period. This point must be clearly understood, because in our day, a plethora of so-called healing items, such as green prosperity handkerchiefs, blessed salt, and holy water, are now for sale, bringing in millions from unsuspecting victims. In addition, the sale of anointing oil, for folks to receive The Holy Ghost is a  fraud, comparable to, if not much worse than the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. And just like with Bernie, those who peddle such items have "Made off" with millions, from the needy, the greedy, and the vulnerable. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses. 

The example of Paul:
1st Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 
12 Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 
15 I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die. 
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

(CNN) By Sam Stringer.
Updated 3:03 PM ET, Mon March 16, 2015
Creflo Dollar is hoping a few folks will see fit to bless him. The minister, known for being a prosperity preacher at his Atlanta-area World Changers Church International is seeking "200,000 people committed to sow $300 or more (to) help achieve our goal to purchase the G650 airplane." 

The figures were presented Friday in a nearly six-minute video on the Creflo Dollar Ministries website and total more than $60 million needed to buy the Gulfstream G650, which goes for a reported $65 million. "The G650 is the biggest, fastest, the most luxurious, longest range, and most technologically advanced jet -- by far," according to the site.

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 

1st Kings 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. 
7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 
8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 
9 For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 
11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak.
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place. 
18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 
19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 
20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back: 
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee, 
22 Thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. 
24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 
26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord.

[Red Flag # 2] Wherever there are mass invitations for healing, promoted by ministers, televangelists, and faith healers, be very, very careful, for it’s most likely another fraud. If a sick person desires healing, he, or she exercises their faith by sending for the “Elders”. But if the elders presume to offer healing services, individually, or en-masse, without being asked, it signals to us that a counterfeit is likely on the way. Let’s read:

James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Acts 19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

The solutions:
[1] We need to make sound choices, and decisions in fostering good health. This will include the use of the God-ordained diet of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and grains, wherever this is possible. We will also need to incorporate the laws of health, such as regular exercise, adequate rest, sufficient water, not eating between meals etc. God’s miraculous power, in our behalf, is manifested when we do all we can do, to work in harmony with the guidelines given. Let’s read:

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

[2] Change habits and practices where necessary, for it is in our power, to a great extent, to forestall a host of preventable ills and diseases. This will also include adopting God’s system of healthcare, which focuses more on prevention, rather than cure. Let’s read:

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 
6 When Jesus knew that he had been now a long
time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 
9 And immediately the man was made whole.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

[3] Do not open the door to sinful health-destroying habits, for they will cost us more than we are willing to pay, and they will keep us longer than we are willing to stay, and the take us further than we are willing to go. Living by faith in God does not happen by chance, nor does our entire dependence on Him occur in a vacuum overnight. Thus, it is necessary that we wean ourselves off of man-made systems of health, that are contrary to God’s order, for He is willing and able to heal and restore according to His will, all those who trust in His mercies. 

We close with an important quote, and passage:
[C.D. pp 73] When the third angel's message is received in its fullness, health reform will be given its place in the church, in the home, at the table. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body.

Psalms 103:2 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. 

                                                                  God bless! 
 

Modern Superstition. Sabbath Afternoon. 06/24/02017

Superstition, like many of the ancient spiritual arts has taken on a modern veneer, cloaked in doctrine, philosophy, and practices that have now become a mainstream-phenomena, being quite acceptable to the popular majority. But God has not called us to be popular, but to be peculiar, and because of this, we may need to examine ourselves, our ideas, and actions, to see if there are any forms of superstition being harbored inadvertently. 

God does not condemn anyone for what we may, or may not have done in ignorance, but He is saying to us that many of the common forms of superstitious practices, have no value whatsoever, and will lead us to do things that are contrary to his revealed will. Thus, we must begin our study with a definition of the word: …. Superstition: 
A widely held, but unjustified belief in supernatural causes, leading to certain results of an action or an event, or a practice based on such a belief.

There are three points we need to establish first, in order to lay the foundation for the presentation on modern superstition.
[1] Doctrines, whether they be true or false, affects what we believe, and what we believe directly affects what we do.
If a person believes that when we die we all go to heaven immediately, then that person’s actions will reflect their belief, in doing whatsoever they feel to do, with little regard to right or wrong, for in their minds, the end result is supposedly heaven. 

Thus, the following list of well-known personalities are widely believed to be in heaven currently, even though some of them died during a drug overdose: Prince, Whitney Houston, and Michael Jackson. And as though that were not enough, believe it or not, even Darwin is buried in Westminster Abbey, the church where prominent Christian men like Isaac Newton are buried.

[2] Every false doctrine is a lie, and every lie has its origination in satan, for he is the father of lies, and thus, wherever falsehoods are being habitually told, believed, and practiced, it is a sign of the working of evil spirits actively engaged in the work against our souls. The following excerpt is taken from a blog we did one year ago, after the nation officially upended the sacred institution of God-ordained marriage. At that time it was stated that great spiritual darkness had come upon the land, and as a direct result of our actions, millions of evil spirits were let loose nationally and internationally. Let’s read:

Bro Mac (Facebook)
August 26, 2016 ·
Short commentary on 1st Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry".... The meaning of the word rebellion is, "The action or process of resisting authority, or control".... When God has made plain His will to us, and we deliberately choose to defy His word, then we are in a state of rebellion, which according to the Bible, is the equivalent of Voodoo. Let's take for instance the following revelation of God's will in the plainest terms: Matthew 19:4 "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? What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder".... If we knowingly defy this sacred ordinance of God, then we are practicing witchcraft, hence the reason why millions of evil spirits have been let loose across the land, resulting in an election cycle that defies both logic, and precedent. It's that simple. Think about it! God bless!

However, no one should expect to see red devils running about in their backyards with pitch forks, shoveling skulls and bones. Instead, what we should look for is the evidence of their increased activity, in the words and actions of those who are under their direct influence. Most people may have never seen termites at work; however, here in Florida, we see unmistakable evidence of their presence by their droppings. Let’s read:

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

[3] Every false doctrine has a specific purpose, and is tailormade to lead persons to eternal destruction. 

2nd Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 

The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul will produce superstitious actions, such as prayers for the dead, and intercessions for those who have died. This also includes purgatorial works, and many indulgences of all sorts. What we will discover as we study is that this false doctrine has in itself spawned a host of superstitious beliefs and practices, ranging in effect from fear, to unreasonable expectation, to unsubstantiated hope of eternal life, in addition to a host of unnecessary practices, which cost time, and money. (If The Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed).

Take for instance the rituals folks must go through, in preparation for the burial of a loved one who was a practicing Hindu. Traditionally, the body should be preferably washed by family members, and close friends. Whilst washing, the deceased’s head should be facing southward. A lighted oil lamp, as well as a picture of the deceased’s favorite deity should be kept by the deceased’s head. For the “holy bath” the body is washed in a mixture of milk, yogurt, ghee (clarified butter), and honey or in purified water. 

While the body is being washed, mantras should be recited, and once the body is sufficiently cleaned, the big toes should be tied together, the hands are placed palm-to-palm in a position of prayer, and the body should be shrouded in a plain white sheet. 

Buddhism, Rastafarianism, Hinduism, Catholicism, and certain strains of Christianity, all hold that one common doctrine, that life continues after death. Thus, it is important for us to address this current form of superstition, to find out what God has to say on the matter. In doing so, our most cherished beliefs may be subjected to a wakeup call, however, that’s just the nature of truth; it brings us back to reality. Let’s read:

Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 

Those two words, spirit, and ghost are often greatly  misunderstood, and should be made plain before we proceed…. 

Strong's Concordance:
pneuma: wind, spirit. Original Word: πνεῦμα, ατος, τό
The Greek word used for spirit in this passage is “Pneuma”, which simply means air, or wind; not some abstract entity floating away to Neverland. And just in case some people may not know what “Pneuma” means, here’s an advertisement from your local Home Depot, selling an assortment kit of “Pneumatic” tools for $98.44.  HomeDepot.com - Home Depot Power Tools‎. 
       
Again, Strong's Concordance: … ghost
psuchó: to breathe, blow, to make cool. 

In addition, Jesus Himself declared, after He was resurrected, that He had gone nowhere over the Sabbath hours in the tomb, but was resting just like any other human being like Lazarus, or like those thousands who died on 9/11. No disembodied soul or intelligent entity went to heaven at death, for all remain in their graves, undisturbed, until they are called forth by The Son of God. This important fact must be understood, especially in the context of the exchange between Christ, and the thief now turned Christian, on Calvary. Let’s read:

Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, 
Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

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. 

Thus, by a single stroke of false doctrine, the enemy of righteousness has effectively destroyed in many minds, our need of the Savior, and the impetus to choose good over evil. This raises a very important question on the doctrine of natural immortality: What is satan’s purpose in disseminating such a widespread belief in life after death? And to those who will cling to it, what would be their resulting actions. We remember that statement made earlier, that doctrines affect what we believe, and what we believe affects what we do.

Answers: [1] If natural immortality was inherent in human nature, we would have no need of Jesus, who came to give us eternal life. Let’s read:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1st Timothy 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, and before Christ Jesus. 
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and  Lord of lords; 
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto. 

[2] If natural immortality was inherent in human nature, then we would not need the gospel, God’s law, nor any absolute standard of right and wrong, for whatsoever we do would have little bearing on the afterlife. This belief would then open up the floodgates of evil on an unprecedented scale, for the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping would suddenly become irrelevant. Let’s read:

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

In closing, it is the will of God that these truths be thoroughly investigated, for our hope of eternal life hinges on our acceptance or rejection of them. It is not the will of God that any person should perish in ignorance, and therefore, the following passages of scripture are being given, to remind us that there is no such thing as natural immortality, and there is no need for all the superstitious practices associated with it. Instead, we are reminded that everyone will appear before God, to receive his or her just dues, whether it be good or evil. And the determinations of the judgment will dictate who gets eternal life, and who will not. Let’s read: 

2nd Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, 
8 Harden not your hearts. 
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

                                                                     God bless! 
 

The Issue Of Self-Righteousness. Sabbath Afternoon. 06/10/2017

In the third chapter of Revelation, The Lord points to the sin of self-righteousness as the main spiritual plague upon Laodicea, the last Christian church to exist before His 2nd coming, and thus it behooves us to do diligent searching of heart to see if and where this malady may exist, or lurk in the shadows. This problem arises because we may not be aware of our true condition, or otherwise, may not be cognizant of the potential for us to sin, because of the latent elements of evil in human nature.

When in the upper room Jesus had warned Peter of the danger he was facing, and the potential for him to fall, he became offended, for in his mind he could not see himself as committing such a despicable act. It’s worthy of note, that in the same discourse Jesus did not even mention the possibility of him cursing, and he himself never envisioned the likelihood of him using any four-letter words, for at this time he was an ordained preacher, working miracles, and giving Bible studies.

The speech of the disciples at this time was pure, to a large extent, for they had all been touched by the grace of Christ, and the restraining power of The Holy Spirit was upon them, for one of the very first things The Spirit does for, and in true Christians, is to remove the tendency, or the habit of using curse words, wherever such tendencies, and habits may exist. Therefore, for Christ to allege that Peter could potentially do such a low thing really irked him, and triggered a very emotional, but sincere rebuttal on his part, his pride being deeply wounded. Let’s read:

Mark 14:27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
29 But Peter said unto him, although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 
31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Like-wise also said they all.

Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 
33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 

[D.A. pp 712] The disciples of Jesus were noted for the purity of their language.

The reason for their self-confidence is that they had real facts to back it up for they were not in the habit of cursing, and some may have never cursed before, but under the right circumstances, elements of evil can be made manifest, of which we had no clue of their previous existence. Maybe, in Peter’s past, he may have “Almost cursed”, but someway, somehow the actual words may have never came out. We do not know. 

What Christ sought to do was to make him aware of dangers he knew not of, latent tendencies that can cause havoc when sudden aggravation is triggered. And by so doing, Christ was implying that a call to prayer was in order, so that Peter, and the other ten disciples could resist temptation preemptively. But if a person does not accept the diagnosis of The True Witness, he/she would not seek the necessary help, and remedies, to brace for the determined assaults of the evil one. This is the problem with Laodicea. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
 
Thus, the question is, how does someone repent of, or ask for help with some sinful tendency they have never, or “Almost” done. Believe it or not, there are many Christians like ourselves living today who may have almost cursed, because of a sudden irritation, or unforeseen situation which came upon us with no warning. There may have been times when we “Almost” cursed, but somehow, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the evil words were stayed from our lips. 

A Christian carpenter was once doing some wood work, and whilst hammering away at one nail, he missed the target, and thus, the blunt force of the hammer flattened his thumb. The words that first came to his mind were not “O Lord”. Again, you and I may have come across some unexpected situation, by which a driver deliberately, or inadvertently cut across our path, forcing us into the oncoming traffic with horns blaring, and other endangered, ticked off drivers shouting expletives.

In the heat of the moment with adrenaline flowing, and the blood close to our skin, the first words that come to mind, are not usually “God bless you!” But our problem may not be cursing, but we may have almost gotten angry, or we may almost have committed adultery. Whatever the almost sin may be, The True Witness of Revelation is calling us to pray preemptively, for the Christian always wins his battles on his knees, in the audience chamber of The Most-High. 

And from there he goes out to the battle, being strengthened with might and power through The Spirit, and assured of victory, even when sudden temptations arise. But it all begins with accepting the diagnosis of The True witness, for if we say we are not sick, we will not see our need of medicine. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Ezekiel 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. 

A very important commentary is written by the servant of The Lord pertaining to Peter’s fall, and the sobering lessons we should all learn from his experience. No matter how sincere our conversion, we are not beyond the reach of temptation, and if we see in ourselves the tendency to almost sin, in certain areas, then we should go to God in prayer, beseeching Him to keep us from falling, for He is well able to make the weakest Christian strong, and to enable us to live victoriously from day to day. Let’s read:

[C.O.L pp 155] Peter's fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Never can we safely put confidence in self or feel, this side of heaven, that we are secure against temptation. 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.” Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12.)

In the lessons from Peter’s experience, and also in the exhortation to Laodicea, Christ gives to us the assurance that those who fall upon The Rock, will be broken, and healed, for He does not leave us with the diagnosis alone, but provides the remedy in Christ. This assurance can be clearly observed in the following two passages. Let’s read:

Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Revelation 3:20 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. 

When, by the grace of God we are cleansed from all unrighteousness, the first words upon our lips, in times of severe, sudden temptation, will only savor of blessings, not cursing. We will not almost curse, nor will we almost sin, because these habits and tendencies would have been cut out by the roots, through the grace and righteousness of Christ. Thus, if we are shaken upside down, inside out by sudden temptation, only God’s goodness and character will be revealed. Let’s read:

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

[G.C. 622>623] Now, while our great High Priest is making the atonement for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Savior be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foot-hold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of himself, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” [John 14:30.]

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

In closing, we encourage every Christian, and every person to take a good long look at what Christ is saying to us in our day, and wherever we may see the tendency to almost sin, let us not trust to our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ, for He will sustain and strengthen every person who believes in Him. This leads us to our last passage of meditation for today. Let’s read:

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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

Righteousness By Faith. Sabbath Afternoon. 06/03/2017

The doctrine of righteousness by faith is specifically pertinent to the Laodicean church in our day, for it’s the reason why Christ describes self-righteousness as one of the main problems we harbor, preventing us from understanding our destitute condition, and consequently, our need of His own righteousness, given as a free gift to all who believe. God did not send Jesus into this world to condemn anyone, but rather to save everyone who is willing, but in order for that to take place, it is first necessary for us to understand our dire need of The Savior. 

Persons who aren’t aware that they are sick will not go visit the doctor, for doctors are primarily needed where there is sickness present. Thus, in our study of righteousness by faith, it would be necessary for us do some preliminary work, in observing why we are in such great need. In the book of Revelation, Christ outlines the main issues we need to address, so that His righteousness can be imputed, and also imparted on a continuing, daily basis, so that we may be brought to perfection in Him. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

To be lukewarm means to be straddling both sides of the fence, with one foot in the church, and the other in the world. There must be some underlying cause for this grave condition, for it’s the very same predicament the rich young ruler found himself in. When probed by Christ he had stated unequivocally that he had kept all the commandments from his youth, but yet, some unknown, unexplainable void still existed deep within his heart. Then, as it is now, Christ seeks to provide both the correct diagnosis, and the remedy, so that we may avoid the same casualty. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. 
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

Therefore, with these strong words of counsel, and encouragement, we owe it to ourselves to find out why Jesus speaks to us in the way He did, and what must be done to begin to address the situation. In His recommendations to Laodicea, Jesus mentions “Eye-salve”, implying that we need to take a good look at our true condition, before we are ready to understand the importance of His righteousness. The following therefore, are a few important points we must address:

[1] Sin, as far as God is concerned, is not so much a matter of one’s actions, as it is a state into which we are born. In other words, a person does not have to do anything wrong, in order to be declared a sinner. All one needs is to be born.

This point lays the foundation for understanding the extent of the sin problem in all persons, and should prepare the way for us to receive of God’s grace. A person is not morally neutral at birth, for the image of God was seriously defaced in Adam, and because of this, all of his posterity are born with the bias to sin. Fallen human nature, with all of its liabilities such as hunger, thirst, and weariness, does not constitute sin in God’s sight; it is the inherently, inevitable, predisposition to sin that makes all of us naturally opposed to God, and His law. Let’s read:

Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Psalms 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

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

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

[Selected messages 1, pp 321] The human family have all transgressed the law of God, and as transgressors of the law, man is hopelessly ruined; for he is the enemy of God, without strength to do any good thing. “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7).

[2] The implication of the doctrine of neutral morality at birth, is that the command of God to king Saul, to slay the Amalekites, including infants, would have been something wrong, by slaying the innocent. It is of critical importance for us to get this, for there are many Christians who may secretly accuse The God of the old testament as being cruel and unjust. This mode of thought was reflected during Abraham’s conversation with Christ, as the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was being discussed. Let’s read: 

Genesis 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

1st Samuel 15:2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. 
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

[3] Guilt is not a feeling, it is a state, regardless of a person being aware of wrong, or right. We should not wait to “Feel” guilty, before we accept the word of God, as it pertains to our natural state.
Leviticus 5:17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

These passages are not being presented to make anyone feel bad, they are being presented to show the matchless grace and righteousness of Christ, in giving us His own righteousness as a free gift, for if we are not guilty, we would not need a Savior, and if we do not need the Savior, then we do not stand a chance. There is a disturbing phrase often posted on billboards across the land, which reads: “Good without God”. The previous passages will serve the purpose of correcting that slogan to read “Good, God”. 

[4] The righteousness of Christ is not so much about right actions, as it is a state of being. In other words, when we understand that Christ’s righteousness is a free gift, that fact will eclipse our own efforts to try to save ourselves by good works. Instead, the good works will be the natural outflowing of the internal work being done by The Holy Spirit, in sync with our freedom to choose. 

In consequence, our confidence and assurance of eternal salvation will be placed in Christ alone, and His perfect righteousness, and sacrifice, instead of our own performance, which is often riddled with shortcomings, and flaws. There are many Christians who carry a heavy burden unnecessarily, because this sacred, and important truth may not have been fully understood, so let’s say it loud, and let’s say it clear: Christ’s righteousness is a free gift given to every believer, distinctly separated from our own efforts in that direction, yet, enabling us to live and do according to His good pleasure. Let’s read:

Romans 3: 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

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.

Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 
12 And the law is not of faith. 
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Now, let’s go into the main crux of our study for this afternoon. There are three main problems we may encounter in our souls when pondering the decision to accept Christ’s righteousness by faith: [1] The Simplicity. [2] The glory. [3] The freeness. The simplicity, because it requires something as abstract as believing, the glory, because we cannot take the credit for any righteousness, and the freeness, for the gift of Christ’s righteousness cannot be paid for, or earned.

These three issues surfaced in the experience of Naaman, who like the rest of us, was afflicted by the leprosy of sin. He hears the good news of the potential deliverance in Israel, and in faith, he now begins his journey to the promised land. But when he arrives at the house of the prophet, there are several issues pertaining to simplicity, which cause him to become offended. 

Elijah is not impressed with his motorcade of black Cadillacs, and does not even come out to formerly greet him as a renowned general, with glowing mention of the long list of his accomplishments, as is often the case when certain renowned speakers are being introduced from the pulpit. 

In addition, Naaman would have preferred if Elijah came out speaking in tongues, jumping, prancing, and rolling on the ground, then, lifting his hands towards heaven, he would touch his forehead, and he, Naaman, would then fall to the ground frothing at the mouth, only to be caught and revived by the elders, waiting in the wings. Or maybe he would have preferred to do some great thing, like 1,000 push-ups, or climb Mt Everest three times. It’s all too simple for Naaman.  Let’s read:

2nd Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 
11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 
12 So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

This leads us to the third issue which is so often a stumbling block to acceptance of God’s free gift of Christ’s righteousness, the “Freeness”, for we may attempt to pay for our salvation with contributions or good works, very much the same like Naaman. In the case of the prodigal son, he offered to work as a form of payment for His father’s gift of kindness. In some instances, very much church activity may be done as a sort of credit towards our salvation, and the great numbers baptized, or the very many food baskets given out, might be viewed by some of us as warranting a return as earned credits. Let’s read: 

2nd Kings 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 
16 But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. 
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 
26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? 
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

The simplicity of God’s remedy, the free gift of His righteousness, and the glory that goes to God alone, is often an offense to proud human nature and thus becomes a stumbling block in the hearts and minds of many. Just like Naaman, we may prefer to do some great thing, so that we can take credit for what is accomplished, or we may think that the process of just looking unto Jesus is way too simple. 

When the Hebrews were instructed to look upon the brazen serpent, so that the venomous stings they had incurred would be neutralized, many of them were not convinced by that simple process, and as a result many died whilst redemption was only one look away, as the song says, “Just one look, that’s all it took”, yet some would not believe. Like Naaman they would have preferred to do some great thing, so that the credit for what would be accomplished would go to the human agent. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 430] Moses was divinely commanded to make a serpent of brass resembling the living ones, and to elevate it among the people. To this, all who had been bitten were to look, and they would find relief. He did so, and the joyful news was sounded throughout the encampment that all who had been bitten might look upon the brazen serpent and live. Many had already died, and when Moses raised the serpent upon the pole, some would not believe that merely gazing upon that metallic image would heal them; these perished in their unbelief. 

Yet there were many who had faith in the provision which God had made. Fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters were anxiously engaged in helping their suffering, dying friends to fix their languid eyes upon the serpent. If these, though faint and dying, could only once look, they were perfectly restored. 

Whatever our understanding of the plan of salvation may be, let it never be said that the glory,  the simplicity, and the freeness caused us to stumble, while eternal life was all the while, well within our reach. This exhortation leads us to our final passage of meditation for today:

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection….

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

                                                                    God bless!
 

The Best Lawyer In Town. Sabbath Afternoon. 05/27/2017

In our current judicial system, a good lawyer can make all the difference, for in many cases, he/she may succeed in persuading the judge, or the jury, to let the guilty go free. One such prominent case was the trial of O.J Simpson, in which it was alleged that he murdered his then wife, Nicole. Those who were alive at that time will remember the video of that all white Ford bronco, racing through the streets of California, and followed by a bevy of police cars, as he entered the freeway. If he was guiltless, as was later proven in court by his lawyers, then, we do not know what he was running from. 

There was much overwhelming evidence to convict him of the crimes committed, but because he had a team of “good” lawyers He was ultimately declared guiltless, and set free, after one of his lawyers used a simple glove to overthrow the preponderance of evidence to the contrary. The words then used still ring in our ears today, “If it does not fit, then you must acquit”. Millions around the world watched in horror, and great dismay, as the presumably guilty one walked free, hugging his lawyers with tears of joy, whilst the grieving family looked on in disbelief. 

The Bible teaches us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and since no guilty person may pass through the pearly gates, we all will need A Good Lawyer who can present our individual case in such a way, as to show us guiltless, even though we have committed many hundreds, and thousands of infractions. Therefore, in this Bible study, we will pay a visit to the heavenly courts, in the most holy place, to see how our personal cases are now being decided, and the arguments being presented by The Best Lawyer in town, even The Lord, Jesus Christ.

To begin with, there are a few pointers we should be aware of, the first being that the Bible states that all who are born into sin, have a public defendant given them at birth so that all legal issues pertaining our salvation, needing resolution, can be promptly, and efficiently taken care of. So, this is the very first point, one which is the very best news that ever fell on human ears:
[1] We have The Best lawyer in town. And we are encouraged to make the most of His services, even whilst human probation is drawing to a swift, and final close. Let’s read:

1st John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

This passage leads us directly to our second, very important point:

[2] Everyone is born guilty.

It is not necessary for us to do anything wrong per se, in order to be guilty, for guilt, as it pertains to a person, is a state rather than a feeling or action. In other words, we are found guilty by association, at least, having the genetic code of rebellion passed  down from Adam, to all who came after. This point must be clearly understood by all, and accepted for what it is, for if it is rejected for any reason, it will effectively preclude the next point. Let’s read:

1st John 1:8 If we say that “we” have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.

Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

If we believe we have not committed any wrongs, infractions, or sins, then we would never consider ourselves as being guilty, and thus, we will not see our need of The Best Lawyer in town. This point is of critical importance to those who believe in the “Once saved, always saved” theory, by which it is alleged that our initial acceptance of Jesus Christ, makes us totally invincible, thus rendering our salvation as a secure, onetime deal. This theology should be utterly rejected, as it is found to be most dangerous to the human soul, and to any prospects, or hopes of eternal salvation. Let’s read:

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.

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.

[C.O.L pp 154>155] Peter's 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. Everyone should be taught to cherish hope and faith; but even when we give ourselves to Christ, we are not beyond the reach of temptation. God's word declares, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” Daniel 12:10. Only he who endures the trial will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12.)

[3] Christ is not only The best Lawyer, He is also the Judge, who will have the last word, on whether any person is guilty or not, and consequently saved or lost.
There shouldn’t be anything more desirable, than for us to have both The Best lawyer, and the Judge, wrapped up into one inseparable package, for then we are literally guaranteed a favorable outcome, if the scriptural prerequisites are met, no matter how grievous our sins, and our wrongs in the past may have been. The Bible is specific, when presenting Christ as Advocate and Judge. Let’s read:

John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

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

This leads us to the fourth point:
[4] There are two aspects of the judgement presented in the Bible, and the stark difference between the them should be clearly understood.

The first is found in the book of Daniel, chapter 7, in which the prophet is shown the scenes of the first phase taking place. As we read, we will observe that absolutely nothing about is mentioned about any human being, for this particular scene is about handing the keys, and the authority of the kingdom over to Christ, after He became “The Son of man” during His incarnation. This is a different aspect of the judgement, than the one in which all cases of every person will be decided. 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 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.
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.

[G.C pp 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.

Thus, the next aspect of the judgement is the one in which it will be determined, who will be staying, and who is leaving. At this next juncture, the books of our records are carefully examined, with all the good, the bad, and the in-between. It is at this judgement that The Best Lawyer in town will show His true colors, because, according to the Bible, He is scheduled to exonerate all who have ever believed in His ability to save to the uttermost, and who, through their faith and obedience, have demonstrated that they are very grateful for both His sacrifice, and services.  Let’s read: 

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in
his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 
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: 
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This leads us to our fifth point: 
[5] Heaven will be a place of surprises. 
As the Best Lawyer assesses the characters of all who have believed on Him, and as the books of record are opened in the heavenly courts, things that we thought were hidden from friends, family, and foe, are now disclosed with unerring accuracy, and then it will be revealed that very many people who had not formerly accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, will be saved in God’s kingdom. 

On the other hand, there will be those who were once prominent proponents of the word, who were looked upon by the masses, as being spiritually impeccable, but who will be lost eternally. Now, the question is “Why?” Why would so many who have attended church regularly, and who have preached to others, be eternally lost? While some, who may not have had a knowledge of the Bible be saved? This delicate question must be answered by the word of God alone. Let’s read:

Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 
15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

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

[G.C. pp 483] As the books of record are opened in the Judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted names rejected. 

When anyone has sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of, and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” [Exodus 32:33.] And says the prophet Ezekiel, “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, ... all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned.” [Ezekiel 18:24.]

All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of Heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.

This leads us to our sixth, and final point:
[6] It’s important now that we accept Christ as our Advocate, while probation still lingers, because the rapid, disturbing developments here at home, and abroad, tell us in unmistakable terms, that the heavenly tribunal is wrapping up its session. We should try our best to avoid the snare of Tomorrow, by which we may put off our day of grace for some future time, when we know that tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Take for example the latest suicide bombing in Manchester, of which it is reported that many young adults, and teenagers were among the casualties. As these youths were preparing to attend that concert with Ariana Grande, they had not the slightest idea that it would be their last day on earth. As they put on their makeup, and dressed up in their best, they probably thought that life’s usual round would continue. But lo and behold, some were snuffed out of their life experience so prematurely. 

Now, if this were the end of it all, it would be bad enough, but alas, they too would have to face the Judge of all the earth, for His is the very next face they will see. He alone knows what their eternal destiny will be, but for those who are still alive, God is sending out an urgent appeal, for us to make the best of His sacrifice, and Advocate in our behalf. Which leads us to our closing passage, and quote. Let’s read: 

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in
any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; 
15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

[G.C. pp 491] The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state—men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men.

“Watch ye therefore; ... lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” [Mark 13:35, 36.] Perilous is the condition of those who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments, it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” 

                                 May God add His blessing to the study of His word.

                                                                   God bless! 
 

The Problem Of Lying Lips. Sabbath Afternoon. 05/13/2017

We are now living in an era where falsehoods, and lying every hue, has become the order of the day. And because the multitudes do not usually rise any higher than those who have jurisdiction over them, a cascading, trickle-down effect has now taken root, to the point where it does not seem to bother our consciences anymore. Whereas before, some folks would recoil in horror when blatant lies were being spoken, many people are now quite content to sit and listen to falsehoods with an eager interest that is quite alarming.

However, the Bible teaches us that “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his delight”. Yet, lying has become an integral part of our culture, from the highest echelons of society to the beggar on the street corner, from fraudulent advertisements, to fake news, the practice has now reached epidemic proportions, and it has now been incorporated as a mainstay to our society. In many cases, lying is now considered a vital and important asset to achieving success. 

Not only are these falsehoods being told by some, recycled by others, and regurgitated by the news media, but many are now living a lie, both in the spiritual, and temporal realm. Accountability, and authenticity are rare commodities, and the truth, in any form has now become an endangered species. 

In addition, several very adverse by-products of the phenomena are now on display, for wherever the spirit of falsehood is indulged, injustice, cruelty, and a callous disregard for each other will become the order of the day, as the prophet Isaiah outlined, as he referenced the last days of earth’s history. Let’s read:

Isaiah 59:9 We wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 
10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 
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.

When it was repeated several times on this forum, that the real tragedy of June 26th, 2015, was that millions of evil spirits had been let loose across the land, we were not implying that people would begin to see fallen angels showing up in their backyards, because that is highly unlikely, just yet. What will be seen instead are the evidences, and by-products of their presence, which must inevitably include lies of every shape, and color, for this is the currency evil spirits deal in, according to the Bible. Let’s read:

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, we have one Father, even God. 
42 Jesus said unto them, 
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of
your father ye will do. 
He abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 

Therefore, it’s now necessary for us to have a clear understanding of what constitutes falsehood, how it can, and should be avoided, and how we may work in harmony with The Holy Spirit, so that truthfulness can become second nature to us. We will also take several examples of the practice, so we may better understand how we are all affected by it in our own personal experiences. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 

[Patriarchs & Prophets. pp 309] False speaking in any matter, every attempt, or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. 

All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor's reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment.

Two very important words stand out in the above excerpt, of which we should be cognizant, for very many people may not understand or recognize this brand of lying for what it is. The two words are “Evil Surmising”. So let’s ask Mr. Webster for the correct interpretation of these words:
Sur·mise
verb
gerund or present participle: surmising
sərˈmīz/
To suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it. "He surmised that something must be wrong"
Synonyms: guess, conjecture, suspect, deduce, infer, conclude, theorize, speculate, etc.

Now, there are obviously many different forms of lying, and even though we cannot address each, and every kind, because of the constraints of time and space, yet we will study a few of the more common forms, in which lying is displayed.

[1] Exaggeration: Whenever any matter is blown out of proportion, and wherever additional phantom details are added, there we have a manifestation of lying lips. For example, when the twelve spies were sent to spy out the land of Canaan, they all began to recount their experiences truthfully. But when the two faithful ones, Joshua and Caleb suggested that they go up at once to take possession of the land, the unwarranted fears of the other ten drove them to change their tune, and to greatly exaggerate the difficulties that existed. In addition, they began to add some phantom details, which were figments of their own imagination. Let’s read:

Numbers 13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 
26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 
28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 
33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Exaggeration also takes place in our day in several different forms, but it’s accepted as being the norm, and is almost expected as a business practice. When vehicles are taken to some mechanic shops, or the dealerships, the work that needs to be done is often blown out of proportion and greatly exaggerated so as to justify substantial increases in cost. Let’s take for example a simple request for a general check up on your favorite Ford or Chevy. 

Old Betsy came in working just fine, but because a “general” check-up was requested, a long, extensive laundry list of must dos, is sometimes suggested, often with the warning, that if the work is not done immediately, Betsy will blow up on your way home. Thus, old faithful has just been diagnosed as an I.E.D instead or your faithful daily driver. This is a form of exaggeration and according to the Bible, is recorded in the column of “Lying lips”. 

[2] Business Lying: False advertisements which may claim that certain products deliver you guaranteed results, when this is not the case, is a form of lying. This form is particularly prevalent today, and is too often indulged by industries, and corporations alike. When the good that a product delivers is touted in clear, understandable language, only to be followed by an individual rapidly rattling off a barrage of its negative side effects, like an auctioneer, so that it’s impossible for us to understand; this too is a form of lying. 

Again, tradesmen, and businesses should not take down-payments for work, and not show up at the appointed time. Neither should inferior materials be used, without the prior consent of the consumer, to increase one’s profit margin. For example, Chinese drywall should not be used in place of much better materials, when the consumer has paid for durable goods and services. 

Companies, as well as tradesmen should not try to get out of fulfilling warranties for work done, or for goods and services rendered, by referring to those “Fine prints” in the contract, that a person needs a powerful binocular to see. Payments for goods and services should be mutually agreed upon, prior to the work being done, and not afterward. In other words, to wait until a company has done it’s work, to inform them that one does not have their funds ready for payment, is a form of lying, and should not be practiced by anyone, let alone Christians.

 [3] Lying in relationships: Husbands and wives should not have differing agendas when interacting with their children, where mom or dad may say or do things secretly with the kids, which they know the other does not approve of, or has not mutually agreed to. Christian parents should provide a united front to their children, and wherever there are any disagreements, then these should be resolved first between husband and wife, but never privately with the kids, and one spouse, with the other being left out of the loop.

Again, husbands and wives should not have in their possession, private email servers, where phantom online visitors of the opposite sex may visit in the wee hours of the morning. And spouses should not become nervous or upset, if the other finds their phone by accident, for neither should have anything to hide. Truthfulness, openness, integrity, honesty, and total access should be characteristics cultivated within the marriage. But lying, of any, and all sorts should be avoided like the plague. Let’s read:

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

[4] Acting a lie. Several examples of this common form of lying, are given in the scriptures. When Judas greeted Christ with the words “Hail Master” he was acting a lie, for he was currently engaged in the nefarious work of backstabbing. When Ananias and Sapphira came to church, greeting the brethren with a holy kiss, and singing songs of praises, they were acting a lie, for they had deliberately planned to swindle God of His dues. 

When Peter was in the court of Caiaphas, mingling casually with the people who had arrested Jesus, and listening to the vulgar jokes about Christ, then seeming to laugh with the mob, he also was acting a lie. When he resorted to swearing and cursing, in order to prove that he was not a Christian, he was acting a lie. When young Christians try to party more than the people in the world, to try to prove that they are on the same page with them, they too are acting a lie, because they are dancing against the pricks of conscience. 

And lying can take some strange twists and turns for those like David, who tried in vain to extricate his person from looming difficulties, after he had done the unthinkable, and had sinned with Bathsheba. He tried first to encourage her husband Uriah to go home and sleep with Bathsheba, so that the time frame for the child’s birth would raise no questions. That apparent interest in having Uriah see his wife was a lie, and it did not work, because one lie often leads to another.

Next he tried drugging Uriah with alcohol so that he could sleep under the influence, S.U.I, if you please. But that also did not work because for some strange reason, Uriah refused to go to his house. And now, as all hope of extrication seemed to be fast fading, David resorted to something which he may not have done under different circumstances, he made his faithful soldier, Uriah, the bearer of his own death sentence, after which he sent for his wife, and hastily got married, so as to force the time frame for the child’s birth into nine months. 

This also did not work, for there is a God in heaven, and even though we may conceal our activities from all mortal eyes, yet the Bible tells us that everything we do is not only open and naked unto God, but is also being recorded live, whether it be day or night, or in between. Let’s read:

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

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.

[G.C. pp 486] Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned, and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God. He may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or in the darkness of night; but they were open and manifest before Him with whom we have to do. Angels of God witnessed each sin, and registered it in the unerring records. Sin may be concealed, denied, covered up from father, mother, wife, children, and associates. 

No one but the guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong; but it is laid bare before the intelligences of Heaven. The darkness of the darkest night, the secrecy of all deceptive arts, is not sufficient to veil one thought from the knowledge of the Eternal. God has an exact record of every unjust account and every unfair dealing. He is not deceived by appearances of piety. He makes no mistakes in his estimation of character. Men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all disguises, and reads the inner life.

In closing, The Lord desires that we deal in the truth only, the currency of heaven which bears His name and superscription. If we have to think first before speaking, or acting truthfully, then, truthfulness has not yet become second nature, which means that we need special grace from God, so that if we were shaken inside out, and upside down, the truth only, and nothing but the truth will come out. Which leads us to our last passage of meditation:

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those 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.    

                                                                     God bless!
 

Christ, Moshiach, & The 12th Imam. Sabbath Afternoon, 05/06/2017

There is a popular delusion, held today, in high and low places, which not only shapes U.S policy, but has paved the way for the global deception, Christ, and the apostles warned us of. And there are now a plethora of end-time prophecies, interpretations, and predicted events, which in some instances have sparked doomsday fanatics, and bunker builders by the thousands. In our study today, we will set forth the truth about end time events, as they pertain to the 2nd coming of Christ, in a very simple question, and answer format.

Most Jews believe that the long-looked for Messiah will appear in Jerusalem, for they generally believe that Christ was a mere prophet, not the Messiah of the old testament prophecies. But most protestant Christians believe that the Messiah came 2000 yrs.  ago, and are now expecting His return in the city of Jerusalem. This is one of the main reasons for the intense interest in having a U.S embassy relocated within its precincts.

What’s also very disturbing, in the same breath, is that the 12th Imam is also expected to soon make his appearance in the middle east, and that’s one of the main reasons for the never-ending tensions in that part of the globe. And while we are not here to vouch for any of these interpretations, the popular belief is actually based on the scripture, which has been misunderstood, in much the same way as the Bible prophecies which pointed to Jesus, as being the Messiah were, back then. Let’s read: 

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses  rifled.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5 And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

Question: is that prophecy going to be literally fulfilled in that region of the earth? 
Answer: Yes. Absolutely. That’s what the Bible says and that’s what it means in the most literal sense.
Question: So then, what’s the problem with the current popular interpretations?
Answer: The problem with current contemporary interpretations is timing, for when the scripture is studied carefully, it will be discovered that three appearances for Christ were scheduled, the first as Messiah, the 2nd as King, and the third as Judge. As it stands currently it’s one down, and two more to go. 

When Christ incarnate came to this earth, that was His first coming of which many of the old testament prophets pointed to, and to which John the Baptist added His verification, under the direct power of the Holy Spirit. But the verification was not left up to mortals only, for God The father Himself, as well as The Holy Spirit, certified Christ’s first coming as being the one in which His role as Messiah, would be forever sealed. Let’s read: 

Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 
11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in the blood of grapes.

Isaiah 53: 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he
opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 
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. 
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 

Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. 
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

The previous passages do cover beyond all doubt, Christ’s first coming as The Messiah, but as stated before, His second coming as King is also distinctly outlined in the scriptures. This 2nd appearance is the one that is looming on the horizon, and which will permanently close off human probation for every person who has ever lived upon the planet. Thus, it is extremely important that we get this one right, because if we miss this train, the next stop will be hell, literally. 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. 
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

1st Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

This last passage in Thessalonians has one distinct feature, which sets it apart from the prophecy in Zechariah, because the phrases “Caught up in the clouds”, and “Meet The Lord in the air” clearly show that Christ’s feet will never touch the earth at this time, for He will remain in mid-air, while His people are gathered from the graves, together with those who will be alive at His 2nd coming. The prophecy in Zechariah however stands in stark contrast, to the information just given. Let’s read again.

Zechariah 14:3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5 And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

This passage in Zechariah represents Christ’s third coming, in which He will execute those judgments written against all who have despised the day of His grace. This is the reason why Zechariah says that He Lord will go out and “Fight against those nations”. When Jesus Christ comes the second time, He is not coming to fight. It is only at His third coming that he will execute judgement on the wicked. This third coming is certified in scripture, as being the last and final one, which will usher in His reign on the earth. Let’s read:

Revelation 20:5 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. 

During this period of one thousand years, the earth will exist without inhabitants, because the cities of the earth, and the nations thereof, will have been destroyed by the second coming of Christ; not just because Jesus did so, but because the destruction is the incidental collateral damage resulting from the sheer power brightness of His coming. Then, after He leaves for heaven, with His saints, the earth will remain desolate, until He makes His third and final entry. The earth in its decimated state is described thus by the prophet Jeremiah. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord.
27 For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

Revelation 20:7 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. 
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are.

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Therefore, a very serious question arises, pertaining to the popular expectation, that Christ, Moshiac, and the 12th Imam will soon appear in the east. Question: Could it be that a counterfeit of all three persons is now being prepared to fill out those expectations, and if so, how can we distinguish between the true and the false?

Answer: Any teaching which prepares people for a temporal reign upon the earth as it is, will feed into the deception that is to unfold globally. For every good thing God has given the human family, satan has a counterfeit waiting in the wings, to ensnare
the careless, and the unwary. 

This is a fundamental principle by which he always operates, that’s why we have the good news, and we have fake news. God has given us true religion, and satan has introduced the false. We have a true day of worship, and there is a counterfeit. God has given us His ideal in diet, but we have fast foods. God ordained marriage was instituted in Eden, but lo and behold we have alternative marriages. And the counterfeits do not stop there, for they have also reached into the arena of the gospel, the Spirit, the prophets, and even Christ Himself. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, 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.

Thus, the word of God must speak clearly for itself. Satan will make his appearance on the earth in the form of a being of dazzling brightness, never before seen by mortal eyes, and according to the Bible, the popular expectation of Christ, Moshiac, and the 12th Imam, will culminate into one universally accepted, composite Christ, who will feed into the desires of all who have rejected truth. 

Satan’s counterfeit will be easily distinguished by the following features: [1] His feet will touch the ground, for he will walk the earth, even as Christ did 2000 years before. [2] His appearances will occur in different parts of the earth, since he does not possess the singular ability of omnipresence. Thus, if anyone hears on CNN, Fox news, or MSNBC, or any other news outlet for that matter, that Christ has come, we may know for sure that it isn’t Christ, but is the counterfeit Jesus has warned us of, over, and over again. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 
25 Behold, I have told you before. 

2nd Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work. 
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 

[G.C pp 624] As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.]

The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air., “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered.

He heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.” [Acts 8:10.]

Many years ago, while on tour in New York city, our band members needed to get to a certain location in Manhattan, but for some reason, we took the wrong train, and ended up in the Bronx, about 3:00 am in the morning, after playing at another venue. As soon as we came up out of the train station, we were greeted with a barrage of gun shots, a gentle reminder, that taking the wrong train could cost us dearly. 

There is another train leaving for the “Bronx”, in the spiritual sense, and it seems as if the majority of the world’s inhabitants are boarding. That’s why The Lord speaks to us distinctly in our day saying, make certain you’re on the right train, because taking the wrong one could put your lives in jeopardy. Which leads us to our closing passage for meditation:

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 
                                  May God add His blessing to the study of His word.  
                                                                  God bless! 
 

The Ghost On The Water. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/29/2017

It is often the case, when God is just about to do for us something great, He may appear to our minds as an adversary, instead of a Deliverer. Just when help from Christ is on the way, our minds often interpret His providences as a harbinger of evil, instead of a sign of good things to come. When Joshua, and the children of Israel were just about to enter the lands of the Canaanites, where giants, such as Conan the barbarian were waiting for them, he went alone by himself to pray, to ask God for both guidance, and deliverance, from their surrounding enemies who were bent on their destruction.

But lo and behold, Christ, who had come down in person to deliver His people, appears to him as an armed warrior, with His sword drawn in His hand as if about to have an encounter, prompting him to ask the important question, “Art thou for us, or against us?” Let’s read:

Joshua 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 
14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? 
15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. 

Again, when God was just about to deliver the Jews from the tyranny of Pharaoh, His providences had seemed to their minds as an omen of evil, so much so, that they began murmuring, and complaining to Moses. God, in His providence, had permitted that deranged pharaoh to pursue the Hebrews, with the intention of wiping out the entire army, but as the Egyptians were seen to be in hot pursuit of the Jews their faith gave way, and God seemed to them as an enemy, not a Friend. Let’s read:

Exodus 14:8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel. 
9 The Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. 
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
11 And they said unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. 
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.

Again, when the disciples were battling with the billows on that stormy night, and had given up all hope of ever reaching land, Christ, who was on the shore, beholding with intense interest, all that was taking place, began His journey across the waves, with the sole purpose of rescuing the disciples. But as they see the figure approaching them, they cry out in fear, for as far as they could see, here was a ghost, coming towards them on the water, to put a  final nail in their coffin, as the grim reaper often does. Let’s read:

Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Thus, the all- important question to be answered is, why is it, when Christ is just about to deliver, or do some great thing for His people, why does He often seem to be a ghost upon the water? This question, and the accompanying reasons must be thoroughly understood by every person who will live through the difficult days that are just ahead, described in the Bible as the time of trouble, such as never was, since there was a nation. 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. 
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Thus, in order for us to understand why we so often misinterpret God’s providences, as if something bad is going to happen to us, we must begin our study with the reasons given in the scriptures, because Matthew tells us what happened, but he does not tell us why the incident went down the way it did. For this additional information, we must turn to the book of Mark. Let’s read:

Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea.
49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 
50 For they all saw him, and were troubled.
51 And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 
52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Question: What does the miracle of the loaves have to do with their inability to correctly interpret such an event as took place. And what does Mark mean when he says that their hearts were “Hardened?” And the introspect question for us is, could it also be, that our hearts are also hardened, preventing us from understanding God’s good purposes for us. Is Christ at this time appearing to our minds as The Redeemer, or the grim reaper?

To address these concerns, we must study closely, the exposition given on the same incident, by the pen of inspiration, for it will shed great light on why, God’s deliverances often appear to our minds as an omen of evil. Jesus has just dispersed the multitude and after sending His disciples away on the boat, He goes up into a mountain by Himself to pray because the people, as well as His disciples, had just entirely missed the object lessons given through the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Let’s read: 

[The Desire Of Ages. pp 379] When left alone, Jesus “went up into a mountain apart to pray.” For hours He continued pleading with God. Not for Himself, but for men were those prayers. He prayed for power to reveal to men the divine character of His mission that Satan might not blind their understanding and pervert their judgment. Their long-cherished hopes, based on a popular delusion, were to be disappointed in a most painful, and humiliating manner. 

In the place of His exaltation to the throne of David they were to witness His crucifixion. This was to be indeed His true coronation. But they did not discern this, and in consequence strong temptations would come to them, which it would be difficult for them to recognize as temptations. 

Without the Holy Spirit to enlighten the mind, and enlarge the comprehension, the faith of the disciples would fail. It was painful to Jesus to see that their conceptions of His kingdom were, to so great a degree, limited to worldly aggrandizement and honor. For them the burden was heavy upon His heart, and He poured out His supplications with bitter agony and tears.

In this first reading, the prophet addresses the issue of a popular delusion, being one of the main factors which prevented them from correctly interpreting Christ’s mission, the miracle of feeding the people, and the ensuing events which took place on the lake. There is another popular delusion, held today, in high and low places, which not only shapes U.S policy, but has paved the way for Christ to again appear as a ghost, not as king of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 

Most contemporary Jews believe that the Messiah will appear in Jerusalem, hence the age-old conflict over that piece of real estate. And most protestant Christians also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will make His appearance in the city of Jerusalem. This is the reason for the intense interest in having a U.S embassy located within its precincts. What’s also very disturbing, in the same breath, is that the 12th Imam is also soon expected to make his appearance in the middle east, and that’s one of the main reasons for the never-ending tensions in that part of the globe.

And while we are not here to vouch for either of the interpretations, this popular belief is actually based on the scripture, which has been misunderstood, in much the same way as the Bible prophecies which pointed to Jesus as the Messiah were, back then. So here it is, for those who may not have known. Let’s read: 

Zechariah 14:1 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled.
3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 
5 And the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

We will address the correct interpretation of this prophecy in next week’s study, but it is necessary to show the similarity between the ancient delusion, which “Hardened” the disciples’ hearts, and the modern-day delusion, which is hardening the hearts of Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. However, of more importance is the state of mind, which was being cherished by the disciples, after witnessing the miracle of the loaves and fishes. 

They murmured and they complained to each other about The Lord, until great spiritual darkness had enveloped their minds, thus severely inhibiting their ability to see spiritually, and correctly interpret what was seen. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages. pp 379>380] The disciples had not put off immediately from the land, as Jesus had directed them. They had left Jesus with dissatisfied hearts, more impatient with Him than ever before since acknowledging Him as their Lord. They murmured because they had not been permitted to proclaim Him king. They blamed themselves for yielding so readily to His command. They reasoned that if they had been more persistent they might have accomplished their purpose.

Unbelief was taking possession of their minds and hearts. Love of honor had blinded them. They knew that Jesus was hated by the Pharisees, and they were eager to see Him exalted as they thought He should be. To be united with a teacher who could work mighty miracles, and yet to be reviled as deceivers, was a trial they could ill endure. Were they always to be accounted followers of a false prophet? 

Would Christ never assert His authority as king? Why did not He who possessed such power reveal Himself in His true character, and make their way less painful? Why had He not saved John the Baptist from a violent death? Thus the disciples reasoned until they brought upon themselves great spiritual darkness. They questioned, could Jesus be an impostor, as the Pharisees asserted?

They were in the midst of troubled waters. Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves. Until the fourth watch of the night they toiled at the oars. Then the weary men gave themselves up for lost. 

Jesus had not forgotten them. The Watcher on the shore saw those fear-stricken men battling with the tempest. Not for a moment did He lose sight of His disciples. With deepest solicitude His eyes followed the storm-tossed boat with its precious burden; for these men were to be the light of the world. As a mother in tender love watches her child, so the compassionate Master watched His disciples. When their hearts were subdued, their unholy ambition quelled, and in humility they prayed for help, it was given them.

At the moment when they believe themselves lost, a gleam of light reveals a mysterious figure approaching them upon the water. But they know not that it is Jesus. The One who has come for their help they count as an enemy. Terror overpowers them. The hands that have grasped the oars with muscles like iron let go their hold. 

The boat rocks at the will of the waves; all eyes are riveted on this vision of a man walking upon the white-capped billows of the foaming sea. They think it a phantom that omens their destruction, and they cry out for fear. Jesus advances as if He would pass them; but they recognize Him, and cry out, entreating His help. Their beloved Master turns, His voice silences their fear, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.”

Very important spiritual lessons are given to us in this experience, for one error cherished in the heart can dramatically affect our interpretation of events in our lives. The same holds true for the mindset we cultivate. If we train our minds to look on the darker side of life, dwelling on the negatives and hurdles in the way, our interpretation of events will tend to be foreboding. But if we cultivate a cheerful, resilient spirit, our general interpretation of events will tend to be along lines of hope. 

Believing that Jesus is the Son of God, carries with it very much weight, for it’s not merely an intellectual acknowledgement, but is also a deep understanding and an acceptance of some basic facts which come with the title. For instance, if we believe He is the Son of God, then He must possess omniscience, and that means He knows the end from the beginning.

And since He knows the end from the beginning, then He must have known that a storm would arise on the lake that night. And if we believe that God is good, then Jesus Christ would not deliberately put His disciples in harm’s way to be destroyed, for He already stated that He came not to kill, but to save lives. And since He always has our back, as He has clearly stated over, and over again, then, if there’s a ghost coming towards us upon the water, it must be none other than The Holy Ghost.

Now that we have seen how the thoughts we may cherish, or the errors we may harbor, can adversely affect our interpretation of events, it is now fitting that we should end with a quote from the pen of inspiration addressing the issue, as well as verses of scripture, which encourage us to think, and behave as conquerors. Let’s read:

Patriarchs & Prophets. Pp 293>294] 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. 

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. 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
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 enable us to believe. God bless!
 

Wrong, But Not Guilty. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/22/2017

This evening we will address the issue of discretion, as it pertains to the laws God has given us to live by, and how this issue is used in some instances to save lives or to illegally alter God’s laws as the case might be. Christians should be very careful not to change what God has clearly stated, in order to adapt to a particular circumstance, even when it may become necessary to violate that which is written. The issue of discretion therefore must be studied carefully so as to avoid a pharisaical indifference to the needs of humanity, on the one hand, while indulging a form of irreverent liberalism on the other.

There are instances where a person, or individuals did that which was wrong, but were designated as guiltless in the sight of God, because of a particular circumstance, or because God had commanded it. In other instances, some presumed to do the very same wrong, and were pronounced guilty, and that is why we must know the difference. Still, in other cases, God permitted wrongs to be done, because the human race was in its infancy, and needed time to adapt to the ongoing revelation of His will.

His permissive will should never be mistaken for His ideal especially after abundant knowledge has been given. For instance, in the days of the Hebrews wine or alcoholic beverages were permitted, not because God endorsed its use, but because of the clamors of the people, and because it was common practice in those days. Thus, God permitted its use until a fuller revelation of His will, and the adverse consequences of drinking were made known. So, those who thus drank, like Noah, David, and Lot, did that which was wrong, but were not guilty, because sufficient light and instruction had not yet been given on the issue.

But now, in the 21st century, with all of the relevant information pertaining to the adverse effects on our minds and bodies, as well as the laws against D.U.I, those who were guiltless in times past, would in our day be guilty for indulging in the very same practice. As light, and knowledge becomes more available to us, God expects a corresponding adherence to what He has clearly stated in His word. Let’s read:

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 
23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. 
24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: 
25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: 
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.

Some may question why God did not give them the information about alcoholic beverages back then, so that they could be correctly informed as to the dire consequences that accrue, and so that they might be able to make intelligent choices. The word of the Lord to us today is, don’t even go there, for He has caused abundant knowledge to be shed on our way regarding certain articles of food and yet most of us disregard His instructions, even with science to back up His word.

In other instances, God permitted the Hebrews to have slaves, not because He endorsed the practice, but because it was prevalent and socially acceptable in those days. So what God did was to introduce just laws and principles governing their management, so as to mitigate the unfair, and cruel treatment which had become so pervasive. In fact, the American civil war was a judgment from God upon the land, as a direct rebuke to the practice of slavery, but under no circumstances was slavery His ideal will, as is shown in Christ’s first declaration in the temple. Let’s read:

Luke 4:18 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.

Again, there are instances where God gave direct command to do that which is inherently unlawful, but because the human agents were enacting the decrees of the Most High, they were guiltless. But for someone in our day to use such instances as a precedent to carry out the very same acts, would be not only presumptuous on their part, but they will be guilty of sin in God’s sight. When God told Saul to smite Amalek, He was giving him the all-clear to kill, an act that is directly contrary to God’s moral law, but because the directive came from God, Saul was guiltless.

This past week, one death-row inmate was put to death in the state of Arkansas for crimes committed many years ago. The persons who thus carried out the execution were acting upon the directive of the judiciary, and therefore, are not guilty of murder, even though the act of killing itself is contrary to the letter of the moral law.

These issues, have become stumbling-blocks for some, and thus, must be clarified from the word of God, so that we may have a clear charter for action. Our study will therefore be focused on Matthew 12, in which an incident occurred which then prompted Christ to clarify the issue of discretion, and also His prerogative to make or break rules, whenever He sees fit. 

The disciples were on a missionary journey with Christ, when they became hungry, so as they were passing through the fields of ripening grain, they plucked and freely ate of the produce, an action, which under different circumstances would be proscribed. But the Pharisees saw it as a flagrant violation of the letter of the law, and they raised a remonstrance about the incident to Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. 
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day.

Very serious and important issues pertaining to the implementation of the laws of God are raised here.  
[1] Should God’s law be amended to cater for those instances when, like David, a person’s life may be in danger? For instance, in David’s case, he was very hungry, but could not be seen anywhere in public, because a nationwide warrant for his capture was in place. Thus, in the circumstances, he requested for personal use, that which was holy, since apparently, he had no other choice. 

The tithe also is holy, and like the stipulations with the shewbread, is specifically reserved for certain purposes designated by God. Now, if for instance, a mother, and her three young children became very hungry, and all she had was her tithe set aside to be given into the treasury, does that experience with David, and the shew bread therefore give her a legal precedent to spend the tithe on groceries by Publix, for herself and her family, since life is more valuable than the tithe? 

Would she be wrong, but not guilty? And is there an unwritten code of conduct, to be implemented only when cases of real emergency arise? If for instance, David’s case was to be used as a legal precedent for similar situations, then, would the floodgates of our individual discretion be opened? It is worthy of note that David did not presume to take the shewbread without asking the priest’s permission, therefore the onus was on the priest, not on David. Which leads us to our next point: 

[2] When does discretion take precedence over the written law, and who determines what discretion is. Here in the sunshine state of Florida, the speed limit on most highways is 55 mph. But from time to time emergencies arise such as unexpected childbirth, or accidents, in which an individual may be grievously injured, with life threatening injuries. Should Florida law be amended to cater for these, and many other instances, and should the determination of a “Real emergency” be left up to discretion of each citizen?

To answer these pressing questions, the response of Christ should be studied closely, for if it is left open- ended, there is a possibility, and the likelihood that grave changes to God’s moral law would be made, all in the name of discretion. Thus, we should begin to understand the import of Christ’s candid answer, by the designation of each example, for it will shed great light on the immutability of His law. In the two cases, He specifically states that what was done was wrong, but the persons in question were guiltless.

If one was to be caught speeding at 100mph, in a 55mph zone, because a relative, or a child of theirs was experiencing a heart attack, the trooper may or may not let the person off the hook, because of the obvious emergency. However, he is duty bound to correctly designate the act of speeding for what it is. But because of his compassion, or his discretion, he dare not say to the speeding driver that what he was doing is right. Absolutely not, for then he would be presuming to interfere with the very foundation of the Florida statue. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Now, having dealt with the issue of designation, we must move on to the issue of discretion, for here is where it can get quite tricky. Discretion, in specific instances is never to be left up to the individual, but should come as a directive from the God of heaven. This principle applies even in cases where our own judgment may seem to suggest that a violation of the letter is warranted. Let’s take for instance, one valid question that was posed to us by a listener, a couple weeks ago.

A man entered the home of a woman, obviously bent on stealing, or doing her harm. The lady then pointed a gun at the intruder, upon which he then hurriedly made his escape, and the rest is history, for to all appearances, the woman in question did the right thing. Now it’s a good thing that she did not actually kill the intruder, however, the question arises as to whether or not it would have been okay to take the bandit’s life, acting upon her discretion. For answers, we must turn to the word of God to see what Christ do in a similar situation. 

On several occasions, Jesus’ life was threatened, but in each instance, His response was in the currency of heaven. At one time, after a soul stirring sermon that stepped on the toes of His hearers, He was then taken to the brow of a precipice, to be thrown over, but he refused to respond in kind, and instead was hustled out by holy angels, because as far as He was concerned, His life was always in His Father’s hands, and thus, whatever befell Him, would be in accordance with God’s will. This is what living by faith really means. Let’s read:

Luke 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 
25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 
26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. 
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.

Sounds as if Christ used His supernatural power to disappear from the maddened throng, and if so, He employed some level of self-defense, or self-preservation in the process. Really? Let’s read:

[The truth About angels. Pp183>184] Angels of light were in that assembly, watching with intense interest the decision of the hour. Angels of Satan also were on the ground to suggest doubts and arouse prejudice. From unbelief sprung malice. That a man who had sprung from poverty and a lowly birth should dare to reprove them, filled the hearts of the Nazarenes with hatred amounting to madness. The assembly broke up in confusion. The people laid hands on Jesus, thrusting Him from the synagogue and out of their city.

All seemed eager for His destruction. They hurried Him to the brow of a steep precipice, intending to cast Him headlong from it. Shouts and maledictions filled the air. Some were casting stones, and dirt at Him; but suddenly He disappeared out of their midst, they knew not how, or when. Angels of God attended Jesus in the midst of that infuriated mob, and preserved His life. The heavenly messengers were by His side in the synagogue, while He was speaking; and they accompanied Him when pressed and urged on by the unbelieving, infuriated Jews. These angels blinded the eyes of that maddened throng, and conducted Jesus to a place of safety.

But the next example puts the icing on the cake, for it is quite difficult to avoid seeing the implementation of the issue of discretion, as it is demonstrated to be His singular prerogative. The law of God says explicitly, “Thou shalt not kill”. But there are those who believe that individual discretion, especially in cases of self-defense, might be warranted. Thus, to clear up the issue once and for all, Christ gives us a living example in real time. Let’s read:
John 18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. 
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

[The Desire Of Ages. pp 694] Standing in advance of His disciples He said, “Whom seek ye?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am He.” As these words were spoken, the angel who had lately ministered to Jesus moved between Him and the mob. A divine light illuminated the Savior's face, and a dovelike form overshadowed Him. In the presence of this divine glory, the murderous throng could not stand for a moment. They staggered back. Priests, elders, soldiers, and even Judas, fell as dead men to the ground.
The angel withdrew, and the light faded away. Jesus had opportunity to escape, but He remained, calm and self-possessed.

John 18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. 
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
 
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

The real issue for us as Christians, now living in a troubled and dangerous world, is whether we are willing to live in harmony with God’s law, no matter what the cost. And if so, whether we are willing to trust our lives, and property, entirely into the hands of the Almighty God. Therefore, in lieu of these and other introspect questions, it is in order for us to end with two passages of scripture which speak volumes to the fact that we too, can live and walk by faith, even as Christ did, and by doing so, we may safely navigate the snares of personal discretion in each emergency or trial. Let’s read:

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

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. 
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

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

                                                                         God bless!
 

The Winds Of Strife. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/15/2017

At present, there are at least 15 ongoing conflicts throughout the world, with no end game in sight for most of them. Since the early nineteen nineties the war in Iraq took its toll on men and women in both the United States and Iraq, and from that time till now we have been sucked into conflict after conflict across the globe. Then, at the beginning of the 21st century, with the onset of 9/11, we responded to that terrible tragedy, which unfolded in New York city, with the hope of permanently crushing out the ideology of terrorism.

But it was discovered that it is much easier to bomb wicked men, than their thoughts, and philosophies, which continue to live on, and cause havoc, even to this present day, and try as we might to extricate ourselves, it seems as if we are just becoming more entangled in the snare of international conflicts. It’s because the concept of war did not originate with mortal man, and it will never be eliminated by any human being, because it has its foundation, and its beginnings in lucifer, the author of all wars. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
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.

Thus, it is now necessary for us to trace the history of war from its beginning, to better understand how and when it will all end. War began with the seed of covetousness, cultivated and cherished in the heart of Lucifer, who sought for himself the highest place in heaven. The name Lucifer, and the word sin both have something in common, in that the letter I is at the center. Thus, any created being who has as their motto “ME first” will be wearing the cap of him who first started war. 

The very thought of not being first in heaven did not sit well with Lucifer, and therefore, the evil thought churned over, and rankled in his mind, until it began to find expression in complaints, murmuring, open accusations, and character-assassination of God and Christ. But satan did not stop there, for many of the angelic hosts were so insidiously influenced by his misrepresentations, that one third of them joined in the rebellion, until the evil had metastasized into an open conflict between those who were loyal to God and those who sided with the arch-rebel. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

Thus, when satan, and his evil angels were finally evicted from heaven, their ideologies, philosophies, discontent, and their covetousness were passed on to our first parents, after Adam, and Eve had both succumbed to his temptations, to disobey God, and question His wisdom and goodness in withholding the tree of knowledge, good, and evil from them. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the rest is history, for this was the beginning of all conflicts on our planet, the beginning of all fake news, recriminations, blame games, finger-pointing, self-justifications, “Me first” philosophies, and yes, wars, and rumors of war. Whenever any created being has “I” as his or her center, war, and all that it entails then becomes inevitable. Let’s read:

[D.A pp 435>436] The desire for self-exaltation had brought strife into the heavenly courts, and had banished a multitude of the hosts of God. Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus alienation, discord and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.

Genesis 3:9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 
13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 

Thus, we see the beginnings of the tendency to not take responsibility for one’s actions, but rather to blame any and everyone else for the errors we may make ourselves. In their response to God’s inquiry, Adam, and Eve displayed one of the fundamental character traits of satan, the habit of blaming others for one’s faults. Adam cast the blame on God for His making Eve, for he insinuated that if she had never been created, he would not have eaten of the tree.

Eve then blames the serpent, and God indirectly, for if the serpent was never created, there surely would have been no temptation. And satan blames Adam, God, Eve, and even the tree, for if there was no tree to climb, he would not be in its branches in the first place; and if God did not create fruit, the possibility of that specific temptation would not have existed. Thus, the full blame, and responsibility for the fall of man is ultimately placed at God’s doorstep, without any of the guilty persons bearing responsibility. 

A very important commentary is written by the pen of inspiration, on the fallout after Adam and Eve’s sin, and it contains the essential links in a long chain of circumstances which always leads to alienation and winds of strife. Let’s read: 

[P&P pp 57] Soon the thought of his sin filled him with terror. The love and peace which had been theirs was gone, and in its place, they felt a sense of sin, a dread of the future. Adam reproached his companion for her folly in leaving his side and permitting herself to be deceived by the serpent. When the woman was asked, “What is this that thou hast done?” she answered, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” “Why didst Thou create the serpent? Why didst Thou suffer him to enter Eden?”—these were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin. Thus, like Adam, she charged God with the responsibility of their fall. 

The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it was indulged by our first parents, as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they try to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, or upon God—making even His blessings an occasion of murmuring against Him.

This brings us to our day, where the winds of strife, and the threat of war looms large on the horizon, and where nations are angry with one another, and with their own people, for no apparent reason. The relative security, and tranquility we enjoy here, in the U.S.A, is not due to the genius, skill, or wisdom, of any of its leaders, for we have all inherited from Adam, a disposition to make war. 

If someone, or another nation interferes with us for any reason, our natural instinct is not to humbly bow out, but to retaliate, even when we know there might be very adverse results, and consequences. Take for example the following episode with Jacob, and his sons, after Dinah had been defiled by one of the Canaanite princes. Let’s read:

Genesis 34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. 
7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.
24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. 
25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. 
26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. 
27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. 
28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 
29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house. 
30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

Genesis 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Thus, as was stated before, the relative security, and tranquility we enjoy in the U.S.A, is not due to the genius, skill, or wisdom, of any human being, for we are all born with the propensity to fight. Peace in our neck of the woods, is due rather to the direct interposition of God in our behalf, who has His holy angels stationed at the four corners of the earth, exercising their restraining power over the minds of mad men, until such time that the saints are sealed in their foreheads. 

As soon as this work is finished, the earth will be plunged into those scenes of bloodshed, strife, and unimaginable chaos, described by Bible prophets, the likes of which humanity has never ever seen. Let’s read: 

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 

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. 

Isaiah 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. 
3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled. 
4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. 
5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 
6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 

Luke 21:25 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.

The distress of nations mentioned by Christ in the book of Luke, not only refers to wars, and rumors of war as we are now witnessing; it also includes many famines, pestilences, as well as the utter inability of human beings to solve our most pressing problems. Now, here is something for us to consider, as crisis, after crisis looms large on the horizon. Let’s read:
 
[G.C pp. 589] "Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God". 

In light of what is now taking place across the globe, there are three important instructions coming to us from Christ, as He wraps up His work in our behalf, in the heavenly sanctuary.
[1] We must present Christ, and the principles and laws of His kingdom, as the only viable solution to the problems of this world, for He, being the Prince of peace, is the only Person who can cause wars to cease. Let’s read:
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. 
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

[2] We must pray for our national, and international leaders, and we should encourage them to pray too, for every person has some level of skin in the game. In other words, we are not to be indifferent to the suffering of people in other lands, for no man liveth unto himself, and we are all connected by the great chain of humanity. Let’s read: 

1st Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all,  supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of  thanks, be made for all men; 
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

[3] We must preach the word by whatever means available, for we have very limited time to do so in relative peace. Instead of spending our time, and substance on riotous living, we should be doing all we can to advance the cause of Christ and truth, not only in our neck of the woods, but also globally via social media. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus spake saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

[4] We must live in readiness each day, for no one knows how soon Christ will finish the work in the heavenly sanctuary, thus bringing human probation to a permanent close. Whatsoever might eventuate today, tomorrow, next week, or next year, let it not be said that we were found sleeping on our watch, which leads us to our final passage for this evening:

Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

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