How Kings Are Selected. Sabbath Afternoon 10/19/2019

Many people are at a loss to understand why things have become so toxic in the secular realm over the last few years. And many others erroneously believe that God’s jurisdiction only pertains to those who believe in Him. But this is not the case for God holds jurisdiction over secular, as well as spiritual leaders.

It is not necessary for one to believe in God for Him to have jurisdiction over him or her, for all souls are His, both by creation and redemption. In particular, those who bear sway in the secular realm do so at the discretion of God, not of man. Some may vote and others may protest, and at other times, rulers may come to power through conflicts and wars, but at the end of the day, it is God who always rules in the affairs of men.

The fact is that God’s will often gets accomplished using the natural processes we are accustomed to, so on the surface, it may seem as if the craftiness, and money injected into political maneuvering is what produces results, but this is not the case. In all and through all, God is working behind the scenes to get His will accomplished. Several passages teach us this sobering truth. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his.

21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.

Daniel 4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Thus, in certain instances, secular rulers may come into power by peaceful means, but at other times they may come into power through violence, and war, but God is still working in the background even though the methods employed by men may not be scriptural. This fact has perplexed many people who erroneously believe that God is restricted to using only Biblical means and methods.

In the case of Cyrus, God permitted him and guided him to go to war with Babylon, so that the kingdom was overthrown when it was time to pass on the scepter and the method employed in doing so, also had its origin with God. Even before birth, Cyrus was being groomed to conquer Babylon, so that the purposes of God could be fulfilled.

The wisdom, the methods, the unfolding situations which accommodated the conquest, all had their origins with God, but to the secular mind, it seemed to be an arbitrary coming together of unfortunate events, but in all and through it all God was at work, hidden from view. Let’s read:

Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

Then, after all the intricate and extensive planning was done the human agent accomplished God’s will and Babylon was overthrown in the dead of night. But poor, frail mortals often take the glory for what God has ordained or accomplished through human instrumentalities. The scriptures seek to correct this erroneous mode of thought, to the intent that we may know that God still sits on the throne. Let’s read:

Psalms 33:8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

11 The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

13 The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.

16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

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

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand.

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

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

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

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

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

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

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

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

18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

Thus, the selection of kings, rulers, and presidents is the product of God, even though He works through the various systems established on earth. Now, as stated before we must be careful in understanding this matter, because we should not always expect that things would go in a godly manner just because God selected a king or ruler.

Nebuchadnezzar was selected by God, as the Bible confirms, but he tried to roast the three Hebrews when they would not bow down to graven images. Saul was selected but he set himself in array against the plainest commands of God, and ended up going to a witch, instead of to the Lord. And in the book of Numbers, the future of kings and nations were laid out, many years in advance.

This brings us to pharaoh, the king of Egypt who sat upon the throne after Joseph had died. According to history, this particular pharaoh was groomed by his instructors to hate and oppress the Hebrews, and thus, when he came into power, he carried out that which he was prepared for. But in the narrative that pertains to him he speaks very proudly as if he does not even acknowledge the existence of God.

But God explains to him through Moses that indeed, it was not by the capricious unfolding of events, nor even by the cunning and planning of his instructors that he came into power. It was the providence of God alone, why he sat upon the throne at that time, so that a specific segment of sacred history could be implemented at a specific time.

So, the question is: “Why would God install a proud rebellious pharaoh, who would not only afflict the Hebrews, but would set himself in direct rebellion against God’s revealed will? Why would God choose a stubborn person, instead of one who will go with the flow? The answer is that God could use man’s stubbornness to accomplish His purposes.

Thus, at this time, a king who would be naturally stubborn would be the best pick to fit the schedule. God would not deliberately make him stubborn, but He will use his natural stubbornness to accomplish His will. Judas was not forced to betray Christ, but his natural greed was employed in bringing God’s purposes to pass.

Thus, kings and rulers, politicians and regular folk often fulfill God’s will any which way; some often cooperate willingly, while others cooperate in a stubborn manner, but at the end of the day, God’s will is accomplished one way or another.

In other words, the time for the deliverance of the Hebrews had now come, and one way or another, pharaoh will let them go. He could cooperate with God or he could rebel against God, but at the end of the day, the Hebrews are leaving, period. Let’s read:

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Exodus 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

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

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

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

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

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

And concerning God’s will, of using that stubborn pharaoh to let His name be proclaimed throughout the earth, the sacred record teaches us that God’s will was accomplished, for many nations, who had heard of the plagues, and utter discomfiture of the Egyptians, had that unfortunate experience etched into their memories permanently, and never to be forgotten. Let’s read:

Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

1st Samuel 6:2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to the ark of the Lord? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.

6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?

Similarly, in our day, kings and presidents are once again, set up by The God of heaven to accomplish His purposes. Like pharaoh, they may be proud and boastful, or they may be stubborn. They may not seem to be godly at all, even though God installed them, but we are not to become perturbed or upset because at the end of the day, it is God’s will that is being accomplished.

At the end of the age Christ is scheduled to appear, to take the reins of control from secular rulers, and in preparation for that cataclysmic event there are certain developments which must take place first. Therefore, specific presidents and rulers who would manifest specific traits of character will be selected for the accomplishment of God’s purposes, so as to facilitate the soon return of Christ. Let’s read:

Purpose # [1]

All earth’s inhabitants must be given an opportunity to choose or reject Christ.

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.

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

28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Purpose # [2]

The mark of the beast (The mandatory system of worship) must be set up, to draw the line between those who will serve God, and those who won’t.

Revelation 13: 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.

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

18 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.

Purpose # [3]

The false system of worship and its advocates must be judged by the very nations who subscribed to the religious dogma.

Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Therefore, as we see with our own two eyes, and hear with our own two ears, many unprecedented occurrences across America, and across the globe, let us not lose hope and worry, as do those who do not know these things, but let us look up with the eye of faith, knowing that our redemption draws nigh.

A sacred obligation also rests upon the shoulders of those who know of, and believe the revealed will of God, for there are millions and billions of persons who are yet to be enlightened concerning all these things. Let us then work diligently towards this end while we still have the freedom and limited time to do so, for we must remember that Christ’s second coming will take place as a thief in the night.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of the blessed hope, and our duty to live in readiness each day. Let’s read:

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

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

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

God Bless!

Beware Of Cute Doctrines. Sabbath Afternoon 10/12/2019

A “Cute” doctrine is one that appeals to the carnal nature of man, provides an easy way out of God’s revealed will, and does not call for self-denial in any way. It is also cunningly constructed so as to incorporate one or more scriptures, to try to give it credence, and it has the effect of lulling its subscribers into a false sense of security.

In other words, cute doctrines offer the best of two worlds, for they permit people to do as they please, while expecting to enter God’s kingdom. Eternal life is guaranteed to all, regardless of one’s choices and actions and the name of Jesus is often used as a sort of umbrella, to give a veneer of righteousness.

Many cute doctrines have been concocted over the years with the sole purpose of indulging the people in what they want, not what they need. Especially in our day, when divergent forms of Christianity have emerged and where anything and everything is now huddled under the banner of Christ, we are warned in the scriptures not to subscribe to smooth words, which will subject the adherents to the most serious disappointment.

The word of God must not be twisted and turned, or deliberately taken out of context to suit what the masses of people clamor for, for those pastors and evangelists who engage in such activity are giving the people erroneous concepts of God, and because people usually act on what they believe, the actions and lifestyles which follow such teachings, draw the people further and further away from God’s ideals.

We are warned in the scriptures to be vigilant and sober, for the enemy walks about seeking whom he may devour. Thus, in every instance where any cute doctrines are disseminated, we would find that the same Bible is used in such a manner as to justify the erroneous teachings, and once preachers read the so-called verification from the scriptures it becomes etched into the minds of those who desire smooth things.

The following are just a few examples of which we are referencing, and we will discover that the many, divergent forms of doctrines in Christendom today, are for the most part certified with scriptures, when used to suit the clamors of the masses. To put it in plain words, if people want to do wrong, there will always be a scripture that seems to support it.

[1] The cute doctrine of eating anything, clean or unclean.

Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

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

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

1st Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

[2] God’s law has been nailed to the cross, and therefore it is no longer obligatory upon men.

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

[3] The Sabbath is no longer the sacred day of rest.

Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.

Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

[4] The natural immortality of the soul.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: more-over the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.

[5] Once saved always saved.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my

Father's hand.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This particular doctrine of once saved always saved, which was concocted in the depths of hell, proposes to guarantee eternal life to all those who have been saved by God’s grace. But the issue is not whether we are saved, but rather, are we continuing to be saved. All of the Hebrews were baptized, and saved, but their after-history demonstrated that this would not continue to be the case with the majority of them.

After being saved, it is incumbent upon us to submit to the daily process of obedience, by which growth in righteous, and spiritual maturity take place. Even when the genuine work of The Holy Spirit is being accomplished in our lives, we are not guaranteed salvation, if we do not continue in The Lord. In fact, here’s what the Bible has to say on the matter. Let’s read:

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame.

1st Peter 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

1st Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Thus, with every false doctrine introduced to the masses, there are scriptures, misinterpreted, and perverted, taken out of context, to try to support the erroneous belief. In fact, as was stated before, almost every evil that men want to do, they would find a scripture that may, on the surface seem to support it.

Thus, in almost every instance where false doctrines are introduced, the Bible is used as the foundation. Now, some may be wondering why this is the case, if indeed it is God’s word. The same Bible gives us the answer. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:14 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.

These “ministers” here mentioned do not generally advise people to do bad things per se. In fact, they encourage good things that are not God’s will, and here is where the difficulty lies, for many people are at a loss to recognize them for who they really are.

Going to church regularly is a good thing, but there is a right way, and a wrong way to do it. Eating fruit is good, if we ask any dietitian, but there is a right way to eat fruit, as Adam and Eve later found out. Similarly, the one who stands in the pulpit with the Bible in hand isn’t necessarily a minister of God, as some will find out all too late. Let’s read:

[The story of redemption pp 24] Satan is a diligent student of the Bible and is much better acquainted with the prophecies than many religious teachers. He knows that it is for his interest to keep well informed in the revealed purposes of God, that he may defeat the plans of the Infinite.

However, the cute doctrine we are going to deal with today, is the one that teaches its adherents that God is too good to punish transgression. And as a direct result people go on sinning and sinning with no fear of consequences. God’s great mercy is held up to the multitudes as a sort of weakness on His part, that precludes any justice from being served.

But before we unpack this cute doctrine, there are some things we need to be aware of. God starts off as King and Creator of the universe in Genesis [1], He transitions to The Savior in the gospels, and He returns as King and Creator in Revelation. The three angel’s messages were designed and intended to prepare us to meet the King, not the Savior.

It is true that God takes delight in mercy, and He is not pleased when people perish, but His grace and kindness in no way inhibits the execution of justice when it is warranted. What we’re now seeing in the public square currently is that people in high places are sinning without apparent impunity, and because justice is deferred, men are emboldened to go even further. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Thus, those who present a one-sided God of mercy and grace, with no justice, are preparing people to meet a savior of their own choosing, and who the cap fit will wear it. Let’s read:

[G.C 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. 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.

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.

Thus, the cute doctrine that teaches its adherents that God is too good to punish transgression, that His great love for us effectively precludes Him from administering justice, is a false doctrine that has to be corrected by the scriptures for mercy and grace do not invalidate justice in any way shape or form. Let’s read:

Leviticus 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.

2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

5 So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled.

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

8 And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

There are several important points for us to note in this narrative. Aaron had led the Hebrews into gross idolatry, instead of standing up for the right, even if it may have cost him his life. At that time, he had manifested a very pliant and gentle attitude, which had garnered for him the sympathies of the people.

This was in stark contrast to Moses who manifested righteous indignation at the sight of the “carnival” that was taking place at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Moses in his hot anger had broken the law of God to pieces but Aaron’s demeanor was much more palatable to those who had sinned, and in their minds, Aaron was the better. Let’s read:

[P&P pp 323] Aaron endeavored to make the people responsible for his weakness, but notwithstanding this, they were filled with admiration of his gentleness and patience. But God seeth not as man sees. Aaron's yielding spirit and his desire to please had blinded his eyes to the enormity of the crime he was sanctioning. His course in giving his influence to sin in Israel cost the life of thousands.

And Aaron’s pliant attitude also led him to overlook wrongs in his sons and like Eli his offspring, he made the fatal mistake of believing that his sons would eventually outgrow their natural tendencies to evil.

Therefore, instead of exercising parental authority, according to God’s order, He allowed serious evils to grow and strengthen, until they lost all sense of holiness, and became incapable of differentiating between right and wrong.

Thus, over a period of many years, his sons, Nadab and Abihu became ripe for destruction, and the way in which judgement was executed against them is a signal to us that God is no respecter of persons, and the narrative should be studied very carefully, lest some, inadvertently suffer the same fate, while they erroneously believe that God is too good to punish.

God is not in the business of reversing the results of every wrong that has been committed. The doctrine of free grace, whereby nations, and individuals are let off the hook after deliberately indulging in sin for many years is false and will cause disappointment to its adherents. It is in very rare instances that God will intervene to entirely reverse the laws of cause and effect.

If He was to continually do this, then the teeth of the law would be extracted, and persons would be led to sin with impunity. Forgiveness is guaranteed to all who confess, repent, and forsake, but in the temporal realm, the effects of a sinful course will usually have to be borne by the transgressor, at times for many years. 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.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In our day we are seeing with our own two eyes, and hearing with our own two ears, some of the worst sins, and wrongs taking place. Lying is the signature characteristic of satan, and yet, lies are being told on a daily basis. Inhumane practices are being practiced, and every type of fraud, scandal, and injustice is being done.

Also, the constitution of the United States is being challenged for its constitutionality, and to many it may seem as if God is asleep or has left iniquity and sin to run unbridled without impunity. All of this will soon come to a screeching halt for even though God may extend mercy and grace for many years, there comes a time when He will say, “Thus far and no further.

It is of critical importance then for us not to be deceived as to what is transpiring across the land. When the red line is crossed in heaven, God will act as He has done in times past, and retribution for sin that has not been confessed and forsaken will begin and not cease until the claims of the law have been satisfied.

Therefore, those who currently believe that God is too good to punish will be alarmed at the severity of His judgments, and because of this, persons are counseled to cultivate balanced views of God. He is merciful and just at the same time, but He will in no case spare those who persist in sin. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that confirms this.

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

22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

God Bless!

How Faith Is Tested. sabbath Afternoon 10/05/2019

It is often easier to speak of faith when things are going good, but it’s when things begin to go down- hill, or when obedience becomes uncomfortable or difficult, that our faith is tested. Some Christians do well in sunny days, but when the rains descend and the floods come to beat upon that house, some fall and stumble.

And thus, the question for each of us personally is whether we will continue to obey God when the going gets rough. It is not always easy to obey God, for there are times in our Christian experience when logic may pull us in a different direction, other than what God has said. At other times the magnetic pull of family and friends may cause some to negotiate God’s word, and thus put them at odds with Him.

It is for this very reason that God told Abraham to leave the associations of native country to go into a strange land, because the situation in a foreign land would be more favorable to spiritual development, and growth than in the place where customs, and culture would have exerted a negative influence.

It is the same reason why He took the Hebrews out of Egypt, because the dire influences of idolatry had imperceptibly infiltrated their thoughts, and, being constantly surrounded by evils and temptations, the environment in which they lived would inevitably take a toll on their faith. Let’s read:

Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.

23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

Exodus 8:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

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.

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

It is not God’s will that our faith should be tested unnecessarily, and constantly by the environment we live in, for undue tests can do more harm than good. There are times in our experience when God would permit tests to come our way, but wherever possible, the best environment for spiritual growth should be sought out, because tests are intended to refine, not to destroy. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Again, in His providence, God has led some of us to leave our native country, because if we were to stay where we grew up, the fire water, and the pudding, and the festivities of the place might be too strong for some to resist, and thereby our faith would be tested unnecessarily. In all of our studies, we should seek to learn the ways of God, for they will help us to better understand Him, and cooperate with Him.

However, wherever we may find ourselves, we can be assured that our faith will be subjected to tests sooner or later, and we should understand that this occurs primarily in difficult situations. It has to be demonstrated whether or not we will continue to obey God in the most trying circumstances, for it is then and only then that faith can be certified.

Whenever General Motors, or Ford are looking to release a new Camaro or Mustang, they do run the engines in stressful conditions, and then the car is taken to various test sites, where it is put through the wringer, and subjected to crashes at different speeds to see if the quality of the product would withstand the necessary rigors, before it’s certified.

If the vehicle fails to perform as it should, and if the testing reveals certain flaws, then it is returned to the manufacturer’s facility for correction, and then it is retested again, so that finally, when the stamp of approval is placed on the hood, the certification process would have proven successful.

Similarly, each one of us would be put through the wringer on various levels and at various test sites to see if we would be certified because faith that is not tested cannot be trusted. It was only after Abraham had survived the most rigorous test, at one of these sites that God certified His faith.

Prior to the test with his son Isaac, Abraham was taken to the site where marriages are tested. In that instance, Abraham failed, because he made some illegal adjustments at the request of his wife. It is one thing to commit adultery, but it’s another thing when the offer to do so comes from one’s spouse. Let’s read:

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

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

Furthermore, the laws of the land back then had made provision for certain adjustments to God’s law, in cases where one’s wife was barren. What was Abraham to do in this instance? He had the promise of God at his back, he had the letter from the doctor confirming that Sarah was infertile, and now he has an offer on the table from his own wife to commit adultery.

It’s not to say he volunteered the suggestion, and furthermore, he had been trying to have children the biblical way with Sarah alone for many years, but it was not happening. What was he to do? Will he continue to obey God, or will he buckle under pressure at the test site?

We all know the story of his failure, and because of this he needed to be returned to the manufacturing plant for inspection, and correction, and then he would be retested. He would be taken to a different test site, where much more rigorous testing is done, before he can be certified. Let’s read:

Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt(Test) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

A very interesting commentary is written by the servant of The Lord pertaining to this test and the consequent certification that took place at the test site, Moriah. There is great need for us as Christians living in these last days of earth’s history to know and understand as much as possible, the ways of God. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 148>151] Abraham was tempted to believe that he might be under a delusion. In his doubt and anguish he bowed upon the earth, and prayed, as he had never prayed before, for some “confirmation” of the command if he must perform this terrible duty.

He went to the place where he had several times met the heavenly messengers, hoping to meet them again, and receive some further direction; “but none came to his relief”. Side by side the father and the son journeyed in silence. The patriarch, pondering his heavy secret, had no heart for words. His thoughts were of the proud, fond mother, and the day when he should return to her alone.

That day, the longest that Abraham had ever experienced, dragged slowly to its close. While his son and the young men were sleeping, he spent the night in prayer, still hoping that some heavenly messenger might come to say that the trial was enough, that the youth might return unharmed to his mother. But no relief came to his tortured soul.

The loving thing about God is that He will only allow tests that we should be able to bear because Toyota Corollas need not be tested as rigorously as would a Mustang. This is the very reason why Sarah was not taken to the same test site as Abraham was because God knew she was a Corolla as far as obedience and faith were concerned. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

This is not to say that Sarah wouldn’t have her own trials, but her testing would be commensurate with what she was expected to endure. We should also understand that there are different types of test sites. There are test sites where persons are tested on conflict resolution. Then there are marriage test sites where husbands and wives would be severely tempted to deviate from God’s ideal.

There are monetary test sites too, where Christians are put through the wringer to see if they would be found faithful when they have little or nothing. The test site of ridicule, scorn, and love of approbation did Peter in, when it became most unpopular to be associated with Jesus. Satan deals in both ridicule and flattery, and at such test sites some Christians are known to stumble big time. Let’s read:

Matthew 26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.

74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Again, there is the test site of anger management, a place where some are found wanting. It was at this test site that satan was permitted to tempt Moses to the core, for on previous tests, he had observed that cracks had begun to appear. First, it was with the spontaneous killing of the Egyptian taskmaster, then with the breaking of the Ten commandments that were written on stone. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

Thus, a list of the more prominent test sites are given in the Bible, so that we may know what will come our way sooner or later. The points that are listed there represent the various temptations and tests that we may have to contend with, but if we do not put ourselves unnecessarily in harm’s way, God is able to keep us from falling. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

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.

It was determined that satan would be permitted to pull out the rug from under Job’s feet to see if he would continue to serve and obey God. Prior to this, things were going pretty well with Job and his entire household, a fact that satan himself acknowledged when the issue of his faithfulness came up.

Thus, he was permitted to be taken to a test site where the material things of earth would be pitted against one’s love for God. To serve and obey God when we are flush with blessings is one thing, but when or if they are removed, some renege on their commitment to be faithful to God. Let’s read:

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

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, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

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

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

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

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

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

And now, having survived this first brutal test, he is permitted to be taken to another infamous test site, one where one’s health and well-being would be sorely tested. It is one thing to serve God when one is in good health, and the radiance of life could be seen on one’s brow.

But when one’s body is riddled with cancers, and unbelievable pain becomes one’s daily lot, with the drugs and painkillers losing their sting with every use, a person’s faith can be severely tested, and the temptation to give up hope and throw in the towel can be real. In Job’s case, a sudden onset of painful boils and blisters began to affect him, and his skin, once clear and radiant became full of sores.

Would he now throw in the towel in frustration, or will he continue to obey God when the going gets even rougher? Added to this, his own wife turns on him, the one who should be encouraging him above all others, now joins satan in making his situation even harder to bear. Will he survive the test, or will he buckle under pressure? Let’s read:

Job 2:4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Most of us will never be put through the wringer as Job was, for this was an isolated instance where the integrity of The Lord was called into question in the public square. And indeed, it was a vital point that needed to be addressed in public, for the question was raised that God’s people may have been bribed to serve Him.

This question must of necessity be settled once and for all, because if God has to bribe us to serve Him, then we would be obeying Him for what He has and not for who He is. God could only accept the pure service of love; which is based upon our intelligent understanding of His character, for if we serve God for only what we can get out of Him our faith is vain and it would be signally overthrown at one of those infamous test sites.

In the not too distant future, our faith in God will be severely tested. As we see with our own two eyes, the proliferation of all kinds of evils, we should be reminded that the Bible predicts that there will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. Of that time, the prophets of The Lord were inspired to pen the following cryptic words. Let’s read:

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

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

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

[L.D.E pp 260] The people of God are not at this time all in one place. They are in different companies and in all parts of the earth; and they will be tried singly, not in groups. Everyone must stand the test for himself. The faith of individual members of the church will be tested as though there was not another person in the world.

[G.C. pp 621] The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger, a faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.

Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer. All who will lay hold of God's promises, as he did, and would be as earnest and persevering as he was will succeed as he succeeded.

Let us then use the various trials and adversities that come our way from time to time as practice. Let us not buckle under pressure, nor give up our faith in God when troubles and temptations come. Instead, let us fight the good fight of faith, laying hold on the arm of omnipotence, and trusting God in every adverse situation, for if we keep our heads lifted to the skies, from whence comes our help, we will live victoriously, and would be certified by the angel of revelation 7.

We thus close with two passages of scripture which should encourage everyone to be faithful in every situation. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:26 And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

God Bless!

How Jacob God Paid. Sabbath afternoon 09/28/2019

The history of Jacob’s interaction with Laban, in the keeping of his flocks, and the renumeration Jacob received, and how he received it, contains a whole lot of instruction for us in our day, when unions are on strike for better wages and working conditions, and when greed and covetousness are too often the order of the day with corporations and those under their employ.

Inequities, and injustice at the work-place and the habit of draining workers of every ounce of energy for the lowest possible salary is one of the signs of the last days. The reason for this is that as people cast off the restraint of the Spirit of God, every evil trait of character will be developed and displayed, including covetousness which is the basis for all sin.

The rich often covet the labor, and productivity of the poorer classes, and the poorer classes, in turn, often covet the resources and wealth of the rich, so that a never-ending cycle of greed is set in motion. These traits of character are referred to in both the old and new testaments, as signs that the coming of Christ is near. Let’s read:

James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Isaiah 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

15 And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

This phenomenon is nothing new because from the times immemorial the working classes of earth have been trodden underfoot in many instances. Case in point was the treatment of the Hebrews in the land of Egypt after Joseph died, for they were expected to produce much, for little or next to nothing, and this at the urging and brutality of those in charge.

This is the reason why God said He would spoil the Egyptians when the Hebrews left , for there were a host of gross injustices taking place for many years. The Hebrews were forced to build treasure cities, and other buildings at the command of pharaoh and the work was to be done in the burning sun, with no shelter, and with the taskmasters urging them on at every turn with beatings and brutality. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor.

14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.

Exodus 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof.

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus, saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore, have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore?

In the case of Laban, and Jacob, who was under his employ the same spirit of avarice and injustice now appeared, and because of this their family relations got strained, to the point where it was necessary for Jacob to leave. Laban, whose grasping spirit was the motive force behind the fraud then practiced would change Jacobs wages whenever it would fatten his own pocket.

Principles were disregarded, his word was not held sacred, and contracts and agreements entered into with Jacob would be dissolved with no compunction of conscience on Laban’s part, because all he was concerned with was increasing his material wealth, very much the same as what took place in Egypt. Thus, the history of Laban’s treatment of Jacob and how Jacob eventually got paid, should be studied. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favor in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me anything: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.

32 I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.

On the surface it appeared as if Laban agreed to the proposal, but because his actions speak louder than words, what transpired next represents a deliberate intent on his part to squeeze the most out of Jacob for less than the least. In plain language, he desired Jacob to work for free, something which as Christ’s servants we should not encourage, except it be for the kingdom of God, or in charitable situations. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:35 And he (Laban) removed that day the He goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

He did not consider that his own daughters would be on the receiving end of his injustices, seeing that they were married to Jacob, and he did not even leave a few speckled sheep, crumbs as it were for Jacob; instead he removed every animal Jacob could ever claim as his own.

This ultimately set the stage for what happens next, for Jacob could not reasonably be expected to work for free especially given the rigors and responsibility that were incidental to that type of work. Yet in the narrative there are things Jacob should not do as a Christian, for there are lines in the sand that should never be crossed, even when injustices take place.

The unfolding situation should be followed closely and understood within the context of God being the ultimate arbitrator of any wrongs done to His own people by others. There are times when, because of His grace, He might let things slide for a while, but at other times when inequities become extreme, He will intervene. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ring-straked, speckled, and spotted.

40 And Jacob did separate the lambs and set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-straked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves and put them not unto Laban's cattle.

41 And it came to pass, when-soever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Genesis 31:10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me.

Now folks, there are some pretty troubling aspects to this narrative which beg further inquiry. First of all, it must be stated, that after careful investigation it seems as if what Jacob did with the various trees, which all produce nuts, did not have any bearing on the conception process which followed. This is as far as we now know, even though the process did involve several specifics.

Indeed, there are levels of science about which we know nothing, as is manifested multiple times in the books of Leviticus, and Exodus, which detail several specifics in dealing with the disposition of leprosy. However, for the time being, we should stay within the limits of what we do know.

It is obvious that God intervened by a dream, and in the most literal sense, in exponentially multiplying Jacobs flocks to remove any superstitious inputs on the part of Jacob, if we can call them superstitious. The greater point is that God often works through the human agent, to accomplish His purposes, even though the human side of the equation may contain flawed methods.

In this case, the gross injustices done to Jacob were being addressed, and as such, God, who has entire, and supreme jurisdiction over the affairs of men, saw it fit to right the wrongs that were being done. We must be careful, in our understanding of who God is, and His ways of doing things, so that we do not limit the extent of His power and jurisdiction.

But even though God got involved in the situation it is not a certainty that He approved of, and ordained everything that Jacob did. For instance, when Jacob deliberately orchestrated that only the feeble cattle become Laban’s, and the stronger ones be his, that could have been a form of rendering evil for evil, or it could have been God’s way of requiting Laban for his evil ways, using Jacob’s flawed methods.

There are times, when God is working through the human agent, when everything may not come out perfect, and humanistic thoughts and methods may intrude into God’s providences. However, in His role as The ultimate arbitrator, whatever He allows, then falls under His direct jurisdiction, and we as mortals, are not to balk at Him, nor question His dealings.

There are things Nehemiah did that may not square with certain principles in the Bible, yet God allowed him leverage to do them. David, Moses, and several other prophets of God were at times allowed to do things which may seem un-christlike to some of us, but because He rules in the affairs of men, we must be humble and teachable in our assessments of His providences.

God permitted the Egyptians to be “spoiled” for the injustices done to the Hebrews. But He went a step further and gave His people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians which means He caused their requests for gold, silver, and precious jewels to be looked upon favorably by those who had worked His people for years, without just compensation.

Thus, in both the instance of Jacob, and in the same situation with His people in Egypt, God showed that He will deal with matters of injustice sooner or later and while we as Christians should always take the high road, forgiving those who trespass against us, and not rejoicing when our enemies may fall, yet in God’s own time, justice will be done. Let’s read:

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

As we approach the end of time, we will see with our own two eyes, and hear with our own two ears grievous miscarriages of justice, and we ourselves, just like the Hebrews of old, might be required to make brick without straw. We will see the grossest and most inhumane treatment of peoples, and we may be cut to the heart at the apparent impunity of the wicked. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 145>146] Those who live during the last days of this earth's history will know what it means to be persecuted for the truth's sake. In the courts, injustice will prevail. The judges will refuse to listen to those who are loyal to the commandments of God. In cases where we are brought before the courts, we are to give up our rights, unless it brings us in collision with God. It is not our rights we are pleading for, but God's right to our service.

Let us then not take it upon ourselves to multiply cattle in the gutters with hazelnut and chestnut trees, but let us rather go to God in prayer that He may direct us as to what course of action to pursue, for He is merciful but also just. We therefore close with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to do right in similar situations such as Jacob’s. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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

21 Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.

God Bless!

God's covenant Of Protection. Sabbath Afternoon 09/21/2019

Living in an evil world, where strife, and conflicts, man-made and natural disasters occur so often, it is important for us to know of, and understand God’s covenant of protection. After any major disaster the question always arises that if God is alive, why does such and such tragedy take place. And if He sits on the throne of the universe, why doesn’t He protect millions from catastrophe.

These are complex questions with complex answers and although the Bible does not give us the reason in every situation, yet great light is shed upon issues which pertain to God’s covenant of protection. The promises of God are claimed by many, far and wide but it’s important to know that with many promises there are preconditions.

Thus, as we review both the old and new covenants, we should do so with a humble and teachable spirit for whatsoever is written in those covenants is what will take place in the lives of those who voluntarily enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. This is not to say that God does not care about the other multitudes of people, for Jesus died to save all.

But just as there are special privileges in a marriage, based upon vows made at the altar, just so, there are special promises made to those who enter into a covenant relationship with Christ. But there are several greater issues to be considered when trying to understand the issue of protection, of which a list of some of these will follow next.

[1] We are living in an evil world, and because of the sin problem, disasters will occur. Sin produces collateral damage, and therefore in many instances of tragedy, the innocent may be involved. Because of the sin of Adam, all his posterity suffer collateral damage, for we are here for just a brief moment, and before you know it, we wither and die as a flower.

Thus, those who had nothing to do directly with Adam’s original decision to sin, do suffer the after-effects of transgression. Millions of people across the world are suffering as a result of the trade war with China, yet on a personal level some may have had nothing to do with the decisions, either directly or indirectly, that were made.

The same is true of the sin problem, some will get hurt in the process. Even Christ suffered collateral damage on the tree, and therefore, we should think it no strange thing if innocent folks suffer at times. The good news is that salvation through Christ also produces collateral benefits to those who may have nothing to do with Jesus. Let’s read:

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression.

[2] There are consequences to actions and decisions taken by persons. There are the laws of sowing and reaping which must run their natural course in most cases, and thus, our expectations should be held in subjection to those natural laws. If we sow good, it is likely that we will reap good, but if we sow evil we should not expect to reap good. 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.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Deuteronomy 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, forever.

Isaiah 24:4 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.

[3] God takes no delight in the destruction of beings He has created, yet He does retain the prerogative to permit such things to happen, according to His discretion. There are a few times when, on account of unbridled iniquity, He had to put a check on sin, but for the most part, destruction is the work, or by-product of evil angels.

Therefore, we should seek to understand as best as possible the difference between what God does and what He permits. Because of God’s great love, He has granted to all created beings the freedom of choice, which can be used for choosing good or evil. Thus, calamity and tragic loss often occurs because of our choices, and God should not be expected to reverse every consequence of wrong actions on our part.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Russia caused considerable damage to the planet, and we are still reeling from the fallout of the Fukushima meltdown in several, different ways. Seafood was and is still being adversely affected by the Deepwater Horizon which caused millions upon millions of gallons of oil to spill into the Gulf.

These disasters with all of their aftereffects on man and the environment were permitted by God, but He is in no way liable for the tragedies or the results of man’s choices. If persons continue to pollute the atmosphere without restraint, and if we continue to burn the Amazon rain forest, terrible catastrophes will certainly follow and God may or may not permit them.

Let mortal man then be very careful about how they blame God for any and everything, because God has made no promise to backstop every wrong or error man makes, especially when, for the most part he is rejected by the masses.

Most of the tragedies and conflicts we read of in the old testament, where God’s people were involved, had to do with God’s response to provocation by the enemies of His people, and thus these instances must be understood in context. Many nations like the Philistines the Amorites and the Moabites were bent on wiping Israel off the face of the earth.

Therefore, in many instances, God responded to the provocations by doing what any good parent would do. Case in point was the unprovoked attack by the Amalekites, as the Hebrews journeyed from Egypt. In that instance they were not prepared for war and the Amalekites took advantage of them.

Thus, in response, God directed Moses, and Joshua to fight, as He would work through their efforts, but even then, God did not destroy the Amalekites until a few decades later. Thus, throughout history, God’s judgments against nations, and individuals have always been tempered with mercy. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:8 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

1st Samuel 4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

1st Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction.

On the other hand, most of the destruction and disasters that have taken place upon the earth can be traced back to the work of satan, his angels and his human agents. With him, no difference is made as to who is on his side or not, for he is a murderer from the beginning.

After Saul had faithfully done his bidding, and went to the witch of Endor for guidance, satan rebuked him for disobeying God, and instead of helping him, sought to finish him off the next day. Thus, he is the destroyer who wreaks havoc upon individuals and nations in the overwhelming majority of cases. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

17 And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David.

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day.

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

[G.C pp 589>590] While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power.

He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast.

Thus, seeing that we are in pretty bad shape down here on this planet, it would be well and wise for us to study carefully, God’s covenants of protection in the Bible. The first covenant made between God, and Abraham, included protection, and would only be granted in response to faithful obedience to His laws. Let’s read:

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

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

But when Abraham violated God’s law by marrying Hagar, God did not prevent that family feud which ensued. The alienation that occurred was the law of sowing and reaping running its natural course. Thus, God’s covenant of protection is predicated on our obedience to His voice.

The covenant that God made with the Hebrews also included promises of protection, which were to be granted in response to faithful obedience. These promises and their prerequisites were plainly stated so that none would have cause to misunderstand. If the Hebrews would walk circumspectly in the ways of God, then His protection would cover them.

But if not, they would be exposed to many disasters and calamities. These adverse circumstances would not happen all at once in most cases, but if there was deliberate sin, or repeated rebellion over an extended period of time, then the negative results would kick in. Let’s read:

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

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

7 The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

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

16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

Now, it is worthy of note, that as it stands currently, God has entered into no such agreement with any nation on the earth. The new covenant written in Hebrews includes promises of God’s protection to persons individually, to those who have voluntarily entered into a covenant relationship with Christ, to obey His laws and commandments, but as a nation, no such guarantees are made. Let’s read:

Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Those who would be covered under God’s covenant of protection must, like Abraham and all the faithful down through the ages, walk in obedience to God’s laws and statutes. They must endeavor through the power of the indwelling Christ, to live in accordance with the principles, and laws of God’s kingdom, for anything short of this would be a fairy-tale version of God’s protection.

This does not mean that no adverse situation would affect the righteous, neither does it mean that we would be free from adversity, or from the effects of storm and rain. Those who embrace God’s covenant would find a sure refuge in Jesus, and they would be covered by God according to His will, when things go south, because they have voluntarily placed themselves under His direct jurisdiction.

Being covered by your insurance company does not guaranty that you won’t have any accidents, just as being covered by God does not provide immunity from disaster or adversity. Coverage offers a backup plan, and that is why the following passages were written for our understanding. Let’s read:

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.

Thus, as a multitude of disasters, hurricanes, wars, tumults, tornadoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis are on the uptick, increasing in frequency and intensity, as a woman in labor pains, Christ invites everyone not to seek for mere human solutions, but to find a refuge in Him while the window of opportunity is still open.

Now, whilst our Great High Priest is wrapping up His work in the heavenly sanctuary, and now, as God’s Holy Spirit is gradually being withdrawn from the earth, let us seek shelter in Christ by appropriating His new covenant, for when probation closes, God’s protecting care will only be upon those who are in Christ, while all others will have no shelter. Thus, we close with a scripture that certifies this promise. Let’s read:

Isaiah 4:5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.

6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

God Bless!

The Ways Of God. Part [3] the Distribution Of Gifts. sabbath Afternoon 09/14/2019

The first segment of The ways of God had to do with the fact that God is a God of order, and that perfect order is followed in heaven. This characteristic must be cultivated in those of us who serve in different ministries, because orderliness must run as a golden thread throughout the fabric of Christianity. Those ministries that are run by mere feelings, or that are done sporadically will fail of producing meaningful results for God’s kingdom.

Well directed effort, and consistency on the part of those who serve, will place folks in a position where God can use them efficiently. Therefore, when once an individual realizes his or her gift, a commitment to serve faithfully should be made to the Lord first and then to the church, and community at large, as the Lord directs. But in no case should sporadic or haphazard service for God be done. Let’s read:

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

1st Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

One of the main reasons why some Christians suffer from burn out is because too few in the church try to do too many things, and as a result, a plethora of inefficient ministries are held by some. The fact is that there is only so much one can do in twenty-four hours, and therefore, if we spread ourselves too thinly, we will inadvertently dishonor God.

One the other hand, The Lord forbids complacency, by which some members only expect to be served, with no meaningful contribution to God’s kingdom being done. There is no such thing as a Christian without a gift, and thus, it behooves us to find out what our gifts and talents may be, and through the power and guidance of The Holy Ghost, use them to lead individuals to Christ.

Now, it is true that there will always seem to be a shortage of willing persons to serve in the various offices of the church, and some may feel pressured to extend themselves over and beyond the call of duty. We should try to avoid this snare, and only take that which would be done willingly, decently, orderly, and consistently. The cup that is full to the brim can be quite difficult to carry.

In the formation of the early Christian church, it was discovered that the apostles were expected, by the new converts to do everything, but this would soon become a problem, as their ministry of evangelism would suffer. Thus, very early up God directed them to distribute the ministries to such as would render faithful service, so that each person could stand in their God-given lot. Let’s read: Let’s read:

Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Thus, the disciples who were called to preach the gospel would not be bogged down with the serving of food, and those who could cook would not be bogged down with preaching. Every person would be able to do their God-given part with efficiency and joy, for they would not be cumbered with what they were not called to do. This template for every ministry should be followed so that the church can run like a smooth running, well-tuned engine.

But for us to take on too much on our plate as far as ministry is concerned would cause us to be running here and there continuously without any time for us to be re-energized by The Holy Spirit, and before you know it we may be doing things in our own strength and following where God did not lead. Overwork is no virtue, for it can cut short our usefulness in the kingdom of God.

Therefore, in the church, God’s ways of doing things must be followed if we are to work in harmony with the Holy Spirit. In heaven, there are specific angels who do specific things. There are those that excel in strength, there are those who are charged with the monitoring of the four corners of the earth. Those who specialize in plagues, those who are watchmen for God’s people and those who specialize in praise.

Furthermore, there are angels whose sole work is to double-check every angel that passes in and out of the gates of heaven, so that no “undercover agents” would not enter. Then there are supervising angels, given the task of overseeing the various companies of angels who are to report their work to him. But there isn’t a single angel in heaven who tries to do everything, no not one. 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.

Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

2 And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.

[C.E.T pp 97] There is perfect order and harmony in the holy city. All the angels that are commissioned to visit the earth hold a golden card, which they present to the angels at the gates of the city as they pass in and out.

Therefore, God’s church on earth should know and follow His ways, for just as perfect order is followed in heaven, human agents are to operate in the same way. This manner of doing things was stipulated by Christ, and the distribution of gifts in the church by The Holy Ghost was to facilitate the smooth, orderly operation of all ministries.

No one is to think of themselves as being everything to everyone, and collaboration is to be encouraged, for the church is not to be comprised of disorderly, independent elements, working at odds with each other. On the contrary, the church should be known as an indivisible whole, consisting of many members who are working together in unison for the building up of God’s kingdom.

Every contribution is important, and none is to be despised, because from the least to the greatest, everyone should be viewed as contributing to the great commission given us, and as a result of the various ministries, souls would be won for Christ’s kingdom.

Those who are blessed with talents and gifts are to use them to the best of their God-given ability, and they are to constantly seek God for wisdom to make their service more efficient. Those who can sing, let them sing, and those who can pray, let them pray, those who can preach let them preach, and those who have a knack for identifying needs and helping others, let them do so in the fear of God. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

Thus, it is important for persons to identify their gifts, so that they can be used in cooperation with Christ. God scarcely ever gives someone a gift for doing that which they do not like to do. If this were the case, then church members would always have to be propped up by praises, encouragements, and verbal support of others.

But when God gives persons gifts, it is often what the human agent enjoys doing naturally, and thus He sanctifies, and empowers them for use in His kingdom. Their motivation would not depend on the approbation of men, for their energy and gifts come from the same source.

Peter loved to talk, and it was observed that he said things when nothing needed to be said. Even when Peter had nothing to say, he would still speak, for it was his undiscovered gift being manifested. Yet, it could have been misunderstood by some as Peter being too talkative. Let’s read:

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

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

5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

Yet on the day of Pentecost, after Peter’s gift was realized, sanctified, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, it was the same talkative person who first opened his mouth to preach. It’s very often the case that what some may view as odd, or out of place in others, may actually be a gift from The Holy Ghost, just lying dormant for the time being. Let’s read:

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

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.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words.

We should understand also that there is a God-given purpose for each gift or talent distributed. These abilities and endowments were not given for personal advancement, personal enrichment or personal aggrandizement, as is currently the case with too many preachers today. Gifts and talents are given for the edification of the body of Christ.

In other words, if one discovered that he got the gift of preaching, and then begins planning to do church from a profit-making perspective, that gift would be perverted to suit selfish purposes, and as such it will become a curse rather than a blessing to others and would ultimately lead that gifted person to preach smooth words, and cute doctrines, designed for itching ears.

Again, there are many current singers on the charts, and billboards, who had their beginnings in church, but after they realized that their gift could be used for making money, it was perverted to suit selfish or evil purposes. If any talent, or gift is not being used for “gathering” it will be used for “scattering”.

But wherever God-given gifts and talents are being used as God designed, positive results will be seen. People would be edified, and encouraged to obey God, souls would be converted to Christ, and there will be a general upward trajectory from the use of the gift. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

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

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

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is also important for gifts and talents to be used efficiently, in a manner that will produce the most amount of positive results and for the longest time possible. As such, persons will have to have a plan, praying to God for guidance, and committing to His service on a continuum. Do not bite off more than you can chew properly.

Slipshod actions are to be strictly avoided, and that which has been committed to God should be held as sacred. There will be times when discouragement will set in; in other instances, persons may say and do things to annoy or frustrate. Let us never forget who has called us to serve, and who has blessed us with these talents in the first place, for if we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will keep us from burnout.

Let us then seek to discover, everyone his or her gift and talents, and let them be used for the up-building of Christ’s kingdom, in harmony with all the working principles outlined previously, and Christ’s blessing will attend every effort made in the right direction. We end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to service. Let’s read:

Matthew 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

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

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

God Bless!

The ways Of God. Part [2] Strategic Placement. 09/07/2019

The United states of America currently has about thirty-eight military bases around the world which are strategically stationed, so that if disturbances or conflicts arise, personnel would be readily available. The military personnel did not just happen to be in these strategic places, they were placed there after deliberate planning, based on intelligence.

These bases, scattered throughout the middle-east, Europe, and other places also serve the purpose of keeping in check renegade elements who otherwise might be prone to give trouble. Thus, a stabilizing effect is often achieved in the respective regions where these facilities are to be found.

In the spiritual warfare God has also positioned His people in strategic places upon the earth, so that a stabilizing effect can be achieved. Thus, if conflicts and disturbances in the spiritual realm, or in nature should arise His people would already be in position to carry out His will where needed.

If indeed we are being led by The Spirit of God, then the places where we work, and the neighborhoods where we live, and the businesses that we own did not just happen by accident, because it was based upon intelligence, and deliberate planning why the providence of God placed us where we are living and working currently. Let’s read:

Psalms 139:1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Thus, it is of critical importance that we know why we were placed in such and such a place, and even more important, that we fulfill the primary mission for which God placed us there, for this also is a part of understanding the ways of God. Daniel did not just happen to be in the lion’s den, and the three Hebrew boys didn’t end up in a furnace in Babylon by chance.

Again, Joseph did not choose to go down in Egypt, neither did the hatred of his brothers force him to go there. It was all a part of God’s greater strategic planning and placement, so that His good purposes might be fulfilled in due season. Therefore, we owe it to ourselves to find out why we are where we are.

The answers to these questions can be found in the scriptures, for our primary mission in this world is not to make money even though we must work. The main reason God has placed us where we currently are is to spread the gospel, the good news of His salvation, and thus, every other temporal concern lies downstream of that great commission.

This should not be viewed as a mere suggestion or a good idea, it is the command of God to all would-be followers of Christ, for we were not saved by God’s grace to enjoy the great benefits of salvation all by ourselves; we were saved to serve and to call others to God’s kingdom. That is God’s primary purpose in placing us strategically wherever we may be. Let’s read:

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. Amen.

Christ’s promise to be with us till the end of the age was given in the context of our fulfilling that great commission, and wherever it is not being fulfilled, His presence with us is not promised or guaranteed. Some Christians may not have understood this, and as a direct result, their focus was on making a living, and on retirement.

Furthermore, in scattering His people strategically throughout the earth, it is God’s will that we be as salt which seasons food, so that the effects of His grace and His righteousness could be sprinkled near and far, even permeating neighborhoods, cultures, our educational curriculum, and every other aspect of living, wherever we are placed. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

So, let us recap briefly what was stated in the first segment of “The ways of God”. Knowing God, and knowing about God are two completely different things for when one comes to know Him personally, he, or she will inevitably practice whatsoever they have seen or heard of Christ, for wherever Christ is known to dwell in one’s heart by faith, good works are bound to follow. It cannot be otherwise.

Knowing about God however has to do with a mere superficial, or theoretical knowledge of Him, which never produces any influence, or fruit of real worth.

In such instances, a bare-bones sort of Christianity, which produces only robotic works of righteousness is the result, in so much that there might be much talk about God, much reasoning, much argument on religious topics, but the motive power of The Holy Ghost is conspicuously absent.

Thus, it is critical for us to understand the ways of God through strategic placement. When God called Abraham to leave his friends and family in UR of the Chaldees to go to a strategic place, it wasn’t so that he could find better pasture for his flocks. That by-product would follow, because the blessings of God are upon the spiritual and temporal aspects of life, but material benefit was not God’s main purpose.

God’s will in relocating Abraham in Canaan was so that he could win as many souls for God’s kingdom as possible. And Abraham stepped up to the plate by fulfilling his appointed station in life. Therefore, wherever God has strategically placed us, let us all never forget this primary purpose. Let’s read:

Genesis 12: Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou

shalt be a blessing.

3 And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

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

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

5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

[Conflict and Courage pp 49] The life of Abraham, the friend of God, was signalized by a strict regard for the word of the Lord. He cultivated home religion. The fear of God pervaded his household. He was the priest of his home. He looked upon his family as a sacred trust. His household numbered more than a thousand souls, and he directed them all, parents and children, to the divine Sovereign.

But in our day, it seems as if the cares of this world, and the desire to procure wealth, has replaced the God-given purpose for which we were saved. Many are now consumed with investments, and money-making, to the point where the great commission has become secondary, or something we engage in when we have nothing else to do.

With many professed followers of Christ, making a living, and making money takes precedence, which consumes our best energies. This very sad reversal of priorities was predicted by Christ, so that we may avoid the snare of being commercially minded. Let’s read:

Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

However, God would have us understand that His strategic placement of His people in the earth often involves more than just spreading the gospel. Salt is not only used for seasoning food, it is also used as a preservative, and therefore, in placing us where we are, it is God’s purpose to also preserve life, in the most literal sense.

The ways of God, what He does and why He does it should be understood by all, as much as is possible. There have been times when God would not permit destruction in certain places for the sole reason that some righteous persons were living in the area.

Were it not for this strategic placement, certain cities and provinces that have passed the boundaries of their probation would be subject to terrible destruction. Especially in our day, when the forces of nature are scheduled to become more renegade it is of great importance, that as the “Salt of the earth” we do not lose our savor.

Whenever there are un-resolvable problems on the job, or in the neighborhood, some Christians might tend to point fingers at sins and evils that are taking place in others. But while this may be true in some instances, the problem might also be with the “salt” which has lost its preservative quality.

Jonah had temporarily lost this preservative characteristic when he chose to disobey God. It’s worthy of note that on that ship, he was not the only person indulging sin, for the other passengers were not without faults either. But Jonah, who had been strategically commissioned to Nineveh, based on intelligence, was not fulfilling his appointed role, and therefore, he inadvertently caused harm and loss to other people. Let’s read:

Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them.

7 And they said everyone to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So, they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

15 So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

But in another instance where one righteous man was in the neighborhood, the lives of many persons would have been spared, if they had followed on to repentance. The ways of God are to be found in His merciful dealings with multitudes, for He takes no delight in destruction. But He often uses his people as strategic channels of blessing to those who may not know any better.

When God said to Abraham “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” He was referring to Christ who would come of Abraham’s seed. But for his part, Abraham must choose to be a channel of the blessings God was to give. Abraham was to be the salt in his neighborhood, looking out for both the spiritual and temporal good of the citizens of the area. 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?

26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

Abraham comes all the way down to ten righteous persons, and he asks again, if there are to be found only ten, will mercy be dispensed. Then the answer is given, if only ten righteous people are located in Sodom, the entire city will be let off the hook. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:32 And he said let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

In our day many of us have become obsessed with the cares, and temporal concerns of life. The very purpose for which God had called us has been too often sidelined by material pursuits, and bit by bit, almost imperceptibly, we have lost our first love, and have traded the great commission for monetary commission.

As a result, many persons who do not know God are inadvertently exposed to harm and danger, both in the spiritual and temporal realm, and thus, it will be found in the day of final accounts, that some of the tragedies and losses incurred in some areas can be traced back to lukewarm Christians who have lost their savor. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore, hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

[The desire of ages pp 306] Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God's blessing flows. Were those who serve God removed from the earth, and His Spirit withdrawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation and destruction, the fruit of Satan's dominion.

Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence, in the world, of God's people whom they despise and oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are worse than unbelievers.

Let us then as followers of Jesus hit the reset button in our thinking; let us re-prioritize that which Christ has given us to do primarily, and let us all allow the grace, mercies, and blessings of God to flow freely through us to others in our neighborhood, and on the job, and everything else that pertains to this life will fall into its rightful place. We’ll end with verses of scripture which state exactly this. Let’s read:

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

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

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

God Bless!

The Ways Of God. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 08/31/2019

Many people become bewildered or frustrated with God, if they have prayed for help and guidance in a matter but things did not turn out the way they had expected. In many instances these disappointments could be traced back to our lack of understanding of the ways of God, which often causes folks to harbor unrealistic expectations of Him.

Others erroneously believe that He is unpredictable, and thus, when some of us pray, it’s with a question mark hanging over our heads, about whether God is going to answer or not. Thus, many persons live the Christian life with uncertainty, as if the ways of God cannot be known.

But while God is omniscient and knows everything, and while His ways are infinitely higher than ours, yet it is possible for us mortals to know Him. If this were not the case, then our relationship with God would be a vain experience, riddled with doubts, and unanswerable questions.

God desires us to have an intelligent understanding of His character which in turn will cause us to run the Christian race with a steady, and even tread. At the same time, our confidence in God will build with an increasing knowledge of His ways so that we may view Him as being dependable, and consistent, One who can be relied upon in good times and bad.

Now, there are certain passages of scripture, which on the surface may seem to suggest otherwise, but these must be understood in context, for when the various verses are studied line upon line, there will appear a golden thread of consistency, so that all who would, may come to know Him.

Indeed, a relational, hands on knowledge of God is at the heart of Christianity, being the essence and stability which so many are in need of. Therefore, in getting to know Him, we must study His ways, what He does, how He does it, when He does it, and why He does it, wherever such information is revealed in scripture, and also in His providential workings.

Wherever possible, persons who endeavor to seek to know God and His ways should study the truths written in Bible, for several passages teach us that God can be known, and they also give assurance that He will be found of them who search for Him diligently. Let’s read:

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jeremiah 9:23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord.

However, at least in some instances a different take on the same matter of knowing God is raised in the scriptures. But before jumping to any erroneous conclusions, we should seek to understand the very context in which those words were uttered, for in one instance they were spoken by one who had an indistinct view of the ways God, and for which he was later rebuked. Let’s read:

Job 11:1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

Job 42:7 And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

In another passage we read that the ways of God are past finding out. Such passages should not ever be understood to mean that as Christians we are to live in limbo, thinking that God is capricious in His ways. The misunderstandings of God referred to in the Bible primarily pertain to those who have not known God personally, for when taken together the Bible passages explain themselves perfectly. Let’s read:

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

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

18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

1st Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

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

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

Therefore, we who are living in the 21st century, are cautioned not to repeat the same errors of the past, by which many persons claimed to know God, but in reality, only had a superficial knowledge of Him. In the book of Hebrews, we read that after forty years of experience, the majority of God’s people still did not know Him. Let’s read:

Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they

have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

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.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

Thus, there are some fundamentals about God that we should understand. In this segment we will seek to address a few basics, then we’ll move on to some practical illustrations which would help us to better understand what God does or permits, and why it is that certain experiences occur.

[1] God is a God of order.

Everything that God does, pertaining to heaven and earth is done in an orderly manner. Nothing is left to chance or mere feeling, for feelings will fluctuate, whereas principle is eternal. Thus, for starters, the ways of God are characterized by consistency, and perfect order. Confusion, disorder, and untidiness are all products and derivatives of evil angels. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

John 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

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

Deuteronomy 23:12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad.

13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee.

14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore, shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

Acts 10: There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius.

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

4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him;

5 Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.

6 He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest.

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

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

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

Some may have wondered why in both instances in Acts, The Lord, and the angel from heaven sent to Cornelius wouldn’t divulge the information needed, but instead, put the persons in question in contact with an ordained messenger of God.

That is because order and protocol is being followed because wherever a prophet, or messenger of God, or an ordained person has been established among His people, God speaks His will through that person primarily. Hence the reason why our references are to be taken from the Bible primarily, for it’s written, holy men of God spoke as they were moved by The Holy Ghost.

This brings us to the experiences of Moses and the Hebrews, for God had specified that Moses was to be the human channel through which His will for the people would be made known. Information and instructions would be disseminated from The Lord through Moses, and from Moses to the people, just as it was with Jesus, Saul, and Ananias, the angel Peter and Cornelius. Let’s read:

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

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.

Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.

4 And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation.

5 And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam.

6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Therefore, Moses being God’s chosen vessel, their murmurings against him would be an affront to God who sent him in the first place, and as the Hebrews continue to falsely accuse Moses they would trigger experiences which demonstrate the ways of God in His dealing with similar situations.

There will be both negatives and positives that will accrue as a direct result, and the way in which the difficulties are resolved will teach us some valuable lessons in the ways of God, if, and when problems arise in our own experience. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the Lord, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?

3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

8 Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

This attack by Amalek was a direct result of the murmuring of the Hebrews. Continual complaining for no valid reason will often cause our defense to depart from us for murmuring effectively opens the door to great temptations. On the other hand, the attitude of praise and thanksgiving will often dispel darkness and forces the enemy into retreat. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever.

This particular instance occurred at a time when the Hebrews were surrounded and vastly outnumbered by their enemies, who were hell bent on wiping the entire nation off the face of the earth. Did the Jews have reasonable cause for grave concern? Yes, they did; but instead of dwelling on the ominous clouds before them, and instead of indulging the “why me” syndrome, they took a different route of praise, and thanksgiving, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

Here it is again. The Lord is teaching us how to fight to win, how to surmount difficulties, instead of the tendency to grovel in our misfortunes. God never proposes to us that the road will be easy, but He provides a never-failing Refuge in Christ, if we will be humble and willing enough to access Him when difficulties arise. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

Whenever we are in difficulty, or whenever we face seemingly insurmountable problems, an attitude of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving to God will trigger a multitude of blessings and deliverances, if like Paul, Silas, and the Hebrews in Jehoshaphat’s day we do not dwell on the negatives. Let’s read:

[Messages To Young People. Pp 53] Satan cannot endure to have his powerful rival appealed to, for he fears and trembles before Christ's strength and majesty. At the sound of fervent prayer, Satan's whole host trembles and when angels, all-powerful, clothed with the armory of heaven, come to the help of the fainting, pursued soul, Satan and his host fall back, well knowing that their battle is lost.

Exodus 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek.

11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

In this instance, some of the Hebrews were actually lost to the Amalekites whenever Moses’ hands were let down. Real people died as a result, which is one of the sobering truths we need to understand about the ways of God. Let none be deceived into thinking that their problems, and enemies will be defeated without prayer.

As Moses lifted his hands to the sky, just so we too must lift our hands to God in prayer whenever the enemy comes in like a flood, for this is when God will lift up a standard against him. But the human tendency is to try to go it alone, without God, and the sure result is that “Amalek” will prevail if we do not pray for help. Let’s read:

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

It’s a delusion to think that we can beat back the forces of the enemy without help from God. In one particular instance the angel Gabriel had to call for reinforcements from heaven as he battled satan for 21 days without success. Then, we who are mortals, who were made lower than the angels should never even think of fighting battles on our own because failure will be the result. Let’s read:

Daniel 10:2 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

20 Then said he, now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia.

Let us then not fail to know, and understand the ways of God, for the things that are written in the Bible are there for our admonition and instruction, especially as we will have to fend off numerous and determined attacks against our souls in these last days. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that will enable us to live victoriously each and every day. Let’s read:

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

God Bless!

Tit For Tat Laws. Sabbath Afternoon 08/24/2019

The strict administration of justice often appeals to man’s carnal nature, whereas the dispensation of mercy to one’s enemies goes against our natural grain. And it is easier hold grudges than to let go and let God. It’s not that there is anything inherently wrong with our sense of justice, but the Bible shows us a better way of dealing with our fellow men, instead of pursuing justice to the letter.

There is a strictly fair way of dealing with others and then there is a royal way of interacting with others. The reason why God instructs us to choose the royal way is because this is what He delights in, because it is an integral part of His character. However, mercy does not cause God to be insensible to strict justice, for the two characteristics are perfectly blended in His Person, into one indivisible whole.

And we must always remember that when God sent Jesus to die for us, God did not deal with us fairly, He dealt mercifully, and therefore, having saved us from the consequences of our own sins, He asks us to do the same in our dealings with individuals who may have wronged us. These instructions in no way make us blind to justice; instead, it allows mercy to be one of the preeminent traits of character, just as it is with God. Let’s read:

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

7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

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

Psalms 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

If God was to deal with us only from a strict sense of justice, we would all be dead men, for the wages of

sin is death, and nothing but human life can atone for sin. But, by sending Jesus to die on the cross, He was able to blend mercy with strict justice, so that the requirements of the broken law could be met, while at the same time He could save us from the consequences of our actions.

Thus, the ruling trait of character which motivates God is love, from which springs His mercy, kindness long-suffering, and a delight in seeing the repentant sinner go free. To take pleasure in knowing that a wrongdoer is pardoned, is essentially another level of Christianity, to which too many are foreigners. It is one thing to breathe a sigh of relief when justice is being served but it is another matter to rejoice when mercy is granted.

Therefore, as we study the Tit for Tat laws written in the Bible, it should be from a perspective of being merciful, even in situations where showing mercy may seem wrong. Indeed, when mercy is granted to the undeserving, the one who was wronged must of necessity absorb at least some, or all of the cost, and there are times when we’ll discover that mercy can be quite expensive.

It is not natural for the unconverted heart to show mercy, and therefore, as we study, we should keep in mind that we must allow God to dwell within us, so that grace, mercy, and long-suffering may come from our hearts, and not merely the ritualistic, rigid form that savors more of regret or resentment. Let us remember that God not only shows us mercy, He takes pleasure in doing so.

The tit for tat laws were given to the Hebrews after they were freed from Egyptian bondage, and even though it wasn’t God’s ideal, yet it represented, at least in kindergarten form, the beginnings of some sort of justice, whereby fair judgments could be administered in governing the people. Laws of strict justice must be written, because mercy, even when it is enjoined upon persons, is optional.

Some may choose to show mercy, while others may not, but justice between fellow citizens, neighbors, and friends must be written down as a road-map for judges to follow. In most cases, the Hebrew judges were not left to dispense mercy at their discretion, because there would be great temptation to show favoritism. This is one reason why it was necessary to write the laws of justice in stone, as it were. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 16: 18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Numbers 35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

This last passage is important for it delineates in no uncertain terms, that when innocent life is taken by a person, he must pay with his own life, or else the land would suffer as a direct result. But, in dealing with His people God demonstrated that there is a royal and merciful way to deal with the very same situation. Mercy could be granted by God, because Jesus Christ would absorb the natural backlash on the cross.

This administration of mercy has perplexed some to the point where they are tempted accuse to God of injustice, or favoritism in some instances. But this is absolutely not the case, because there was some provision for mercy included in the instructions that were given to Israel. The provisions always included the sacrifice of innocent life pointing us to the great fact that Christ would pay for all the injustices done. Let’s read:

Leviticus 4:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:

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 and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.

15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord.

20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.

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.

26 And the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

There are times when God’s mercy was granted to an individual, and it may seem to some that such a person got off free. But there is no such thing as free mercy, because every sin and injustice would be reconciled in Christ. Thus, the legal basis for the administration of mercy is Christ. At times, persons may have borne some of the cost, but at the end of the day, it’s Jesus who bears the brunt of our sins.

In the case of David, when he sinned by ordering the death of Uriah, the cost was partially deflected to the child of the adulterous relationship, yet, he himself avoided death because he complied with the provision upon which mercy is granted. In the 51st Psalm we read of his confession, and his plea for grace, and because his repentance was genuine, he was accepted by God. Let’s read:

Psalms 51: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

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

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

9 Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities.

But even with the death of his newly born child, we must not conclude that absolute justice was served, for the letter of the law specifically states that David and not the child should suffer. Thus, the remaining penalties that were due, were transferred to Christ on the tree, and thus, David, together with all of us could be saved in God’s kingdom if we repent and turn.

These are the reasons why we read certain passages of the Bible which demonstrate the strict justice of God. At times some people may wonder if it is the same God of mercy who delights in love that caused His wrath to fall so heavily upon His own Son.

Bolts of lightning seemed to be hurled against Christ on the cross, and the weight of our sins upon Him resulted in tremendous mental anguish, that caused Him to die of a broken heart, long before the other two thieves passed.

Let us then beware, lest we fall short of His grace, and the same recompenses become our lot, for if we neglect so great salvation and mercy, there will be nothing else He could do to save us from the full consequences of our sins. God’s grace and mercy is free to all, but very expensive to Christ. Let’s read:

Zechariah 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

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

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

Therefore, seeing that mercy was provided at such a cost, with Jesus suffering the recompense for our deeds, let us turn to the royal law, the royal way of dealing with those who may have done us wrong. A man owes a king a certain sum, the king, like all of us, tries to collect on his debt, but the man doesn’t have the wherewithal to pay, so, he asks for mercy and mercy is granted, full and free. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

pay thee all.

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

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

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

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

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

32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.

There are several important issues to be observed from this parable.

[1] The unmerciful debtor had good intentions, for he planned to repay the debt. The only problem is that he couldn’t. Let’s read:

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

Thus, he went out, and in a desperate effort to collect all that was owed him, he tried to make up the sum that he owed to the king. He either forgot, or didn’t really believe that mercy had been freely granted him. This attitude often stems from a heart of distrust, because if we truly believe that God has forgiven all our debts, there will be no need for us to try to repay God.

[2] Nothing was wrong with him trying to recover that which was owed, because the king in the parable had also made attempts to collect on his debts. Let’s read:

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

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

The problem is the way in which the unmerciful debtor tried to shake down his fellow man. If one is owed a debt, there is nothing wrong with trying to collect, but there are certain things we must not do, in our efforts at recovery, certain lines we shouldn’t cross, as Christians who represent Christ.

We are a spectacle unto the world, unto angels and to men, and thus, if we adopt un-Christlike methods or practices, we thereby cause folks to view God in the same light. In the parable, Christ says that the unmerciful man took the other by his “throat”.

God would have us understand there are many, and different ways, we too may try to take our debtors by the throat. Some may launch a flurry of harassing phone calls late at night, with verbal assaults, when debtors need to sleep. Some resort to threatening legal action; and others may even stalk the one who owes, at home, at work, and even at church.

And there are some others who may even resort to violence. All of these actions constitute taking one by the throat, for the unforgiving spirit which drives the various deeds is what God is against. There isn’t anything wrong per se in the pursuit of strict justice; all God is saying is that if we choose that route, He will have to deal with us in the same currency, for justice begets justice, and mercy begets mercy.

[3] When mercy is to be granted to one, a conscious decision must be made to absorb some, or all loss. Let’s read:

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

When it was determined that there was no other way for us to pay our debts to God, Jesus made a deliberate, conscious decision to absorb the entire debt, and thus, the king in the parable made that decision too.

There are times when Christians would be severely tempted to adopt tit for tat methods in dealing with perceived, or real injustices. No one should expect that showing mercy will always come naturally, for Christ must be formed within us, in order for such decisions to come from the heart.

Therefore, Christ’s emphasis to us is not so much on the doing, as on the being. Yes, it will call for stern self-denial in some instances, and yes, it may hurt, or may cause some to be financially compromised, for mercy carries a cost, yet, to show mercy is God’s royal way, and we too should be willing to follow in His footsteps. This method of dealing with injustices is enjoined in several passages of scripture. Let’s read:

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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

21 Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good.

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

2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

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

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you.

In what some refer to as The Lord’s prayer, we ask God to forgive us “As we forgive our debtors” which means that we ourselves state the terms by which we expect to be treated. But many do not know the extent or importance of this prayer, and that’s why many who claim to believe in Jesus may still be in an unforgiven state.

If we put a limit on our forgiveness of others, God will also put a limit on His forgiveness to us. If we allow forgiveness to be open-ended, mercy will be open-ended towards us. And if we draw a red line in the sand which others should never cross, a similar red line will be drawn in our sand which we should never cross.

That is exactly what the phrase “As we forgive our debtors” means. Therefore, we are encouraged to take the high road, to live according to the royal law, and to always keep in mind, the sacrifice that was made by Jesus to set us free, because, in the contemplation of his great act of mercy that we can never repay, our own dealings with our fellowmen will reflect our gratitude for the cancellation of our debt.

We therefore close with a gentle reminder that God says what He means, and His words to us on these matters will be fulfilled exactly as they are written. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

God bless!

The Centurion. Sabbath Afternoon 08/17/2019

One of the issues we will need to be reconciled to, as it pertains to the ways of God, is that He says what He means, and means what He says. In other words, when He gives us commands or instructions, He expects them to obeyed in entirety, for partial obedience is not accepted in His sight. Moses had found that out on the way back to Egypt, when he was stopped by a holy angel, for not circumcising his son, according to God’s instructions.

The children of Israel found that out too when they went out to gather the manna God had provided. At that time, it was instructed that they should gather one omer for one man, but because some of them were probably dieting, while some others may have thought it should be buffet style, some gathered more, and some gathered less. But their final tally sheds light on the importance of exact obedience. Let’s read:

Exodus 16:16 This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.

17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.

Good intentions are no excuse for not following the instructions of God either, for if good intentions are not followed up with obedience, they are useless. When king Saul spared Agag and brought back the best of the sheep and the cattle, contrary to God’s express command, he offered what some describe as an excuse with good intentions, for he stated that his plan was to offer sacrifices to The Lord.

But as we read further in that narrative, we discover that God couldn’t accept him because any deviation from God’s express will is not acceptable to Him. He says what He means and we should do all within our power to comply with His instructions, because this is where faith and works converge. Indeed, partial obedience is one of the great flaws in contemporary Christianity. Let’s read:

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

11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.

13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.

14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek.

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

The same issue of exact obedience surfaced when Paul met certain disciples who had been baptized unto John’s baptism. In this particular instance, they had actually obeyed to the best of their knowledge, because John was as kosher as you could get, but they were ignorant of Christ, and the Holy Ghost in the processes of conversion and salvation.

What happens next is an object lesson to us in how we too should comply with God’s instructions to us in any and all matters. After Paul explained to them clearly the requirements of God, they obeyed, and the rest is history, for they then received the gift of the Holy Ghost, not before. 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.

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.

6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them.

This leads us to our case study involving a man by the name of Cornelius, who according to God’s own testimony was doing everything right, as far as he knew. He was benevolent on a consistent basis, he was always praying, and he was devout, meaning that he was living according to righteous principles and laws, to the best of his ability. In addition, he used to invite his friends, neighbors, and family to listen to God’s word. Let’s read:

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

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

24 And Cornelius had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

But there was something Cornelius needed to do in addition to all these good things, and God saw it fit to send an angel from heaven to make him aware of that one missing link. God had approved of what he had been doing so far, for it was being done from the heart, in sincerity, but even sincerity does not make void God’s instructions. Therefore, he is to be informed as to the missing link. Let’s read:

Acts 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming into him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

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

This is a very high rating given to Cornelius, by the estimation of God, for if one’s prayers and deeds are memorialized before God, then it means that not only is he accepted in God’s sight, but that he has gone over and beyond the call of duty. There is one important issue however, which Cornelius does not know about, and if he would be saved in God’s kingdom, he will need to obey everything that God has required.

God who is rich in mercy, and who winks in times of genuine ignorance, would not leave a single stone un-turned with Cornelius, of which he is not aware. In other words, there is only one more piece to the puzzle that must be put in place, so that Cornelius would be in perfect compliance with instructions in given by God, pertaining to salvation.

Was he doing the right thing previously, and was he accepted by God? The answer is yes, for the Bible says so. However, doing the right thing, and being accepted by God does not release any person from complete obedience. Therefore, Cornelius would be directed to Peter, who will inform him of what he must do. Let’s read:

Acts 10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.

6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou ought to do.

7 And when the angel which spoke unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

We notice in verses seven and eight that Cornelius hurried to obey the angel’s instructions, because no sooner had the angel left, than he commissioned a retinue to depart for Joppa. When God speaks to us, or instructs us in a certain course of action, it is of the utmost importance that we hasten to obey, for delay and hesitation can lead to questioning, and questions can lead to doubt, and doubt can lead to noncompliance.

One of the most successful snares of the devil is to tempt us to put off for tomorrow that which should be done today. He tempts us with procrastination on a host of issues, ranging from diet, and exercise, to paying of debt. Very many people who put off an exercise regimen for the 1st of January, when New year’s resolutions are made, stumble and retreat only after a few months.

In many cases, this phenomenon occurs because what should have been done today was put off for a future date. Hence the reason why the Holy Ghost says, “Today” if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, because when it comes to our salvation, today is always the right time.

God has set everything in motion to accommodate obedience on the part of Cornelius. Peter is warned not to call what God hath cleansed unclean, so, on the following day Peter himself hastens to obey, for delay can derail God’s plan for Cornelius. Let’s read:

Acts 10:23 And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

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.

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; who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; 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.

38 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, whom they slew and hanged on a tree.

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 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. 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.

God had sent Peter for two main reasons: [1] To let Cornelius know of Jesus Christ the Savior. And [2] To baptize Cornelius, for he was already accepted by God, and was doing the works of righteousness. The missing link in the golden chain of obedience was baptism, for even though Cornelius was born of the Spirit previously, he needed to be born of water, in accordance with the teachings and instructions of Jesus. 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: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

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.

Now, it is true that there are many persons who will be saved who had never had the opportunity to be baptized, and many others will be in God’s kingdom who only got sprinkled, for that is all they knew. The times of ignorance and lack of opportunity God will wink at, but all those who have the opportunity to be baptized should do so without delay, for even though the baptism of Jesus stands for all who did not have a chance to do so, yet it’s necessary for us to follow in His footsteps. Let’s read:

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

The tenor of the Bible pertaining to our salvation is to seize the moment whilst the door of opportunity is still open. In all of God’s gracious overtures, and calls to service, immediate action is to be observed. This pattern can be seen in too many instances for us to reach any other conclusion. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Matthew 4: 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him.

Acts 10:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Acts 16: 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.

The jailor, and his household were baptized after only one Bible study, for they saw the need to seize the golden opportunity without delay. Therefore, if anyone has believed in God, and may have heard the word; if any like Cornelius has been praying to God always and has been doing genuine works of righteousness from the heart;

If, like Cornelius, some may have been inviting one’s friends and neighbors to hear God’s word, but have not been baptized yet, let them not hesitate, for it is the will of God that His Holy Spirit be poured out in copious measure upon all who would believe, and be baptized. We thus close with an exhortation coming from God, to whomever it may apply. 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.

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.

God bless!

Believe His Prophets. Sabbath Afternoon 08/10/2019

After the fall of Adam and Eve, God no longer spoke face to face with human beings, for if He was to do so, instantaneous death would be the only natural result. Therefore, He communicated with man in a variety of ways, sometimes using angels, His Spirit, or prophets. Anytime and every time we may come across in the scriptures where God spoke to man, it was never face to face, even if the Bible says so.

This fact must be made abundantly clear up front so we may understand the study in context. There are at times supposedly conflicting statements made in the scriptures, but when studied line upon line, they are always in perfect harmony. So, let us reiterate this fact again: Since the fall of man, God has never once spoken face to face with anyone. Let’s read:

Exodus 33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

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

12 And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

17 And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.

12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.

15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:

16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air.

Thus, after man sinned, the primary means of God communicating with us was through His prophets. These servants were not without faults themselves, but they were conduits through which God’s will was to be revealed. And therefore, their word come to us as it were the voice of God. Indeed, the entire canon of scripture was written by chosen servants of God, with the only exception being the law of ten commandments. Let’s read:

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.

Thus, it is imperative that we understand certain things about the prophets sent to us by God. Let the Bible speak for itself on this matter, for it is of grave importance especially as we have entered a new era in the history of the world, in which the 2nd coming of Christ looms large, and the prophecies pertaining to His return will become all the more urgent.

[1] Up until the time of Moses there wasn’t Bible or scripture written anywhere for reference purposes. God spoke through His prophets, and it rested with those who heard to believe or not to believe, for at its core, believing is a choice every person must make. Let’s read:

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

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

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

This was not a public announcement whereby God summoned the inhabitants of the earth and spoke directly to them. He spoke through one who was known among the people to be a God-fearing man, and it rested with the people to believe him or not. Indeed, the entire plan of salvation is structured in such a way that only believers could be saved. Let’s read:

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.

Consider very carefully what is being said; for one hundred and twenty years there was no way for the antediluvians to corroborate or verify that God had indeed spoken to Noah. Contemporary science back then could not support his prediction, for there was no historical precedent to base such an apparently wild conclusion upon. And there was no scripture for them to double-check his prophecy. Let’s read:

Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

6 But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground.

It was only during the final week of their existence that God gave to the antediluvians some evidence that seemed to support what Noah said, but even then, it was not any angel, nor God who spoke anything directly to people to certify the prophecy of Noah.

God gave to Noah the exact time of its fulfillment, which Noah then disseminated to the people, and some public evidence was also given to the masses, designed to appeal to their intelligence, and then, the choice to believe was left with each person. Let’s read:

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

2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

5 And Noah did according unto all that the Lord commanded him.

The reason why we are spending so much time on this first point of belief, is because now that we may have the scriptures at our fingertips, the same issue arises, for we would have to believe the Bible for it to have any meaning in our lives. The issue of belief is not so much about the source of one’s facts and the corroborating research done to set the truth in stone.

It has more to do with a disposition to believe, for there are some people living on this planet who will never believe, regardless of how much irrefutable evidence might be presented. Indeed, a plethora of undeniable facts do not cause people to believe. In the case of pharaoh, incontrovertible evidence was piled one upon the next until he buried his firstborn and yet for all this, he refused to believe. Let’s read:

Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

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

Nothing that God did, or said through Moses, and one million plagues would not make pharaoh into a believer, for belief must first pass through the gate of choice, and if one chooses not to believe there is nothing God can do for such a person.

Pharaoh, and Nebuchadnezzar were two peas in a pod as far as pride, and defiance of The Lord were concerned. But beyond that they diverged, and parted ways, for Nebuchadnezzar surrendered to God when undeniable evidence was presented. But pharaoh chose to believe alternate facts. This leads us to our second observation pertaining to God’s prophets:

[2] God reveals His secrets through His prophets. They may speak or they may write, yet because God sent them their words carry equal weight.

Neither Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or Joseph ever wrote a single word in the scriptures, yet their word carried weight, for it was God who spoke through them. In all of the information, and predictions of the coming plagues on Egypt, not once did God speak personally to pharaoh. In other words, by believing Moses, he would be believing God. Let’s read:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

2nd Chronicles 36:15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place.

16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

“No remedy” means that there is nothing else God can, or will do, if persons choose not to believe His prophets. Miracles, angels, friends, and family, and even a personal visit from The Holy Ghost wouldn’t make a person believe. After Lazarus was raised to life in the presence of the unbelieving Jews, they still chose not to believe. Hence the reason why the next passage is so important. Let’s read:

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

[3] Previous information, and instructions given by God can be superseded by later prophets at God’s discretion.

Exodus 21:23 Thou shalt give life for life,

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

This information, and instruction was given under inspiration to Moses, and he thus delivered it to the people. But even though it came from God, it was not His ideal, but was justice in kindergarten form, not being blended with mercy. And therefore, as His people matured spiritually over the years, He sent other prophets with information to supersede those previous instructions. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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.

Thus, the role of God’s prophets, and the weight of their words are clearly seen in both the old and new testaments, which leads us to our case study. Paul has been ordained a prophet of God, on the road to Damascus, he has preached the gospel fearlessly to Jew and Gentile.

And because of this he has gotten into trouble with the authorities, and is currently a prisoner, bound in chains with other prisoners and he is scheduled to appear before Caesar. The group would need to sail many days before reaching their destination, and on their way, they would have an important encounter with God, through His prophet. Let’s read:

Acts 26:1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.

2 And entering into a ship of we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia.

3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

This courtesy was granted to Paul, because Julius, the centurion had some inkling that he was at least a godly man, this being established during Paul’s previous appearance in the courts of king Agrippa. Thus, when a potentially life-threatening situation arose, Paul spoke under the inspiration of God, and it would be left up to Julius, and the other mariners to believe or not. Let’s read:

Acts 26:7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, Paul admonished them,

10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

After giving this prediction, what follows constitutes the most common reasons why people choose not to believe God’s prophets. It is worthy of note that Paul in this instance did not say “The Lord told me”. All he said was “I perceive” yet his word was as the voice of God speaking to those sailors. But, as was stated before, three common factors often tend to foster unbelief in the human mind.

[1] The experts. Let’s read:

Acts 27:11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

It is often the case that the experts will be in direct contradiction to the prophets of God, since worldly wisdom or science as we know it, does not take into account the supernatural.

Whatever cannot be explained from scientific points of views is generally rejected as being irrational, and thus it was that experienced sailors, and weather forecasters were preferred above the voice of one who was on his way to face trial. Science and Noah could not be reconciled, and historical precedents failed to support his prediction of a flood, therefore he was regarded as a fanatic, and folks believed the experts instead.

[2] Popular majority opinion.

Acts 27:12 The “more part advised” to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice.

This means that the majority of sailors, and jailors agreed that Paul’s warning was not to be believed. In Noah’s day, it was not the majority who believed,

but rather a remnant out of a remnant. As a general rule of thumb, the ways of God are often found in the opposite direction of the popular majority.

[3] An inconvenient truth.

Acts 27:12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in.

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

The prophets of God aren’t usually sent to prophesy any smooth things, for obedience and belief often incur some level of inconvenience. Staying put will be uncomfortable for the travelers, and so they preferred to risk it all for the sake of convenience.

In Noah’s day, it was an inconvenient truth that was spoken, because it would mean uprooting from the norms of everyday living, relinquishing property, and sharing room and board with wild animals; an inconvenient truth indeed. However, just as it was with Noah, it also happened with Paul. Let’s read:

ATS 27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

17 And, fearing lest they should fall into the quick-sands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

Another dangerous storm is brewing on the horizon even as we speak, and true to His character, God is sending us prophets to warn us of things to come. These warnings are to be found in the Bible, and in the writings of Ellen G. White, and just like it was in Noah’s and Paul’s experience, it’s up to us whether to believe or not.

The evidences of this coming storm are all around us, for God permits evidences which appeal to our intelligence, but He does not force any person to believe. The general unsettled state of our nation, and the world at large, speak volumes to the truths written in the Bible and through His prophet, sent to our generation. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.

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.

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.

[The Great Controversy pp 622] It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. Though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, “as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”

While many are promising better days, with less violence, hate and bloodshed, while some may be promising to reduce the federal debt, and while others may be hoping for healing, tolerance, and unity across the nation, God through His prophets, cautions us not to bury our heads in the sand, for the prophecies pertaining to the last days will be fulfilled to the letter, whether we believe or not.

We therefore end with a passage that encourages us to believe, and to take commensurate actions, and make wise choices as we look forward to the 2nd coming of Jesus. Let’s read:

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

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

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

God Bless!

Does God Take Too Long. Sabbath Afternoon 08/03/2019

One of the major stumbling blocks to exercising a living faith in God is that we often believe that He takes too long to fulfill His promises to us. We read of promises of health, of good gifts, and of rewards for obedience, but sometimes we find ourselves in a period of waiting, and watching, and waiting. Then, before you know it, the strength of belief begins to get chipped away.

When appropriating the promises of God and their fulfillment, there are several important factors for us to bear in mind. God always sees the end from the beginning, and therefore He is able to plan and execute His plans with pinpoint accuracy. His plans know no haste or delay, for in the fullness of time His promises will be realized.

Again, there are other issues to consider about His promises, because it is not always the case that the fulfillment may do us good at such and such a time. For instance, if Joseph was brought down to Egypt and placed on the throne, without doing some jail-time, where he learned critically important lessons in justice, and where the spoil-child attitudes were consumed in the furnace of trial, he may not have ruled with wisdom and discretion.

Therefore, even though it was God, who by dreams showed him his future work, and the preeminence he would be given over his brethren, yet, in wisdom God saw fit to first prepare him for the fulfillment of the promise, for there are times when God is ready and able to bless us, but it is not always safe to do so prematurely, lest we misuse the blessings or turn our backs on Him. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;

9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.

11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

There are some questions that we must address if we are to live confidently, with a settled frame of mind, trusting in God without getting frustrated and not murmuring about His timing, and also avoiding the tendency to worry ourselves out of His hands.

Question [1]: Is our obedience to God’s commands based on promised reward? And if so, will there be a change in our obedience if there is a delay in the fulfillment of His promises.

Question [2] What would we consider a reasonable time-frame for the fulfillment of His promises, after all the prerequisites have been met?

Question [3] If the promises made to us do not get fulfilled in our lifetime, is God then a liar? Take for example:

Psalms 34: 17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Question [4] Are there other factors that can affect the fulfillment of His promises, such as the speed of our obedience, the attitudes we harbor, or external forces that are rigged against our souls?

Question [5] Why are some promises fulfilled as in a moment while others seem to be long delayed?

Question [6] Does God ever take too long?

Let’s just say here, that there are some promises which always get fulfilled instantly, because God is mostly concerned about our salvation. This is the reason why He sent His Son, and thus, whenever we repent and confess our sins in sincerity, the promise of forgiveness is fulfilled instantly, no exceptions. Let’s read:

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

However, in other instances, the promises in the scriptures are given to us without any specific time frame for their fulfillment, and they are designed that way for particular reasons [1] So that we may exercise faith in God. [2] That we may allow Him to exercise His discretion in the administration of ways and means. [3] So that God may fulfill them to us in the fullness of time, which is always the right time. Let’s read:

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

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

The Lord does not say exactly when the windows of heaven would be opened, but He does say that they will be opened. What then should we consider a reasonable timeframe for the windows of heaven to be opened after the prerequisites have been met? Right after returning tithes? Two days later? Or one month? Or one year?

In addition, should our motivation for obedience to this command be based on the reward or should we do it because it is right? Would we continue to obey and believe, even when the promises seem to fail or when human logic, science, and historical precedent may whisper serious doubts to the contrary. Let’s read:

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, Fear not Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?

3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Again, no specifics are given for the fulfillment of the promise, and therefore, the question is asked again: What should be a reasonable time frame for the fulfillment of the promise? One year, two years, ten years or twenty. How long should Abraham and His wife Sarah realistically continue to believe obey and wait, especially since her biological clock pertaining to pregnancy has stopped ticking many years ago?

Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase:

10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Once more, no time frame is given for the filling of our barns, but they will certainly be filled, for God cannot lie. The problem some folks have is with the timing of the fulfillment, for many Christians believe God takes too long. Therefore, the waiting period in the interim seems difficult to bear, and the more we are impatient, the more vulnerable we become to plan “B”.

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.

What causes many of us to stumble is God’s timing and discretion, because there are times when the promises of God seem to be fulfilled in an instant, and at other times we may not see sun nor stars for many days. The real issue is whether the motivation behind our obedience is reasonable expectation, or if we will continue to believe and obey when, and if nothing seems to be happening.

So, let’s dig deeper into these issues of reasonable expectation, timing, and discretion as it pertains to God. Nebuchadnezzar has arrayed himself against the God of heaven, and he endeavors to force God’s servants to bow down to his graven image, against their will. They are in an emergency, for the fires of persecution have already been kindled, only waiting for fresh victims.

But the three faithful Hebrews are standing tall, for they are confident that their course of action meets God’s approval. First of all, they have the promises which clearly state that those who dare to interfere with God’s people will meet with retribution. The mega promises were given with pre-conditions, and as far as they know, all those conditions have been met. Let’s begin with the preconditions. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

Zechariah 2:8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior.

The three faithful Hebrews also have precedent to stand on, because they remember clearly, the time in the scriptures when God’s servant was facing the wrath of a certain king, and the God of heaven was not slack, to repay the king to his face. In fact, there were scores of dead bodies scattered abroad when everything was said and done. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 1:3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

4 Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?

6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?

8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.

14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

15 And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

Thus, armed with obedience based on their love of God, historical precedent, and the promises of God, the three Hebrews could face the danger before them with confidence; and their expectation of deliverance would be reasonable, for they obeyed the commands of God to the letter and it was their obedience that had triggered the rage of the king Nebuchadnezzar. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews.

9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever.

10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar;

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

Based upon the promises given in the scriptures, it was reasonable for the Hebrews to look forward to deliverance because God has specifically stated that obedience to His commands will result in blessings of protection especially when the lives of His people are in danger. The question some struggle with is: When will the deliverance come? Before they are thrown in the fire, or after they are thrown?

But as we read further, we discover that the three Hebrews were managing their expectations in ways that allow God to exercise His own discretion in the matter. In other words, here they have the promise at their back, they have a clear conscience because of obedience, and they have historical precedents, but they leave some wiggle room, just in case God may see it fit to act differently in this particular situation.

The timing for the fulfillment of the promise is also left up to God, because the deliverance could come either before or after the fact, or it may not come at all in their lifetime. The tendency to try to hold God to His throat in the fulfillment of promises He has made, is not good, for it usurps the discretionary prerogative of God in this or that situation. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

The three Hebrews were delivered instantly, and we rejoice with them, but has anyone ever read Fox’s book of martyrs? In the fullness of time, and as God sees fit, are indispensable elements to the exercise of living faith, or else, the obedience that is based solely on expectation will shudder, and collapse on the brink, if or when expectation isn’t realized.

Nothing is wrong with reasonable expectation that is based upon the promises made in the Bible. But we should allow God the room to have discretion in the fulfillment of any promise, or else, if we try to hold Him to an ultimatum we will discover that very severe temptations will be spawned as a result, and these in turn could shake or destroy our faith.

John trembled on the brink in prison, because his expectation wasn’t realized. Thus, it’s important for us to serve and obey God, not merely because of reward or promise, but because we love Him, and it is the right thing to do.

When we do this from the heart, we will find that many promises would be fulfilled in our lives, for God desires the service of love only. Therefore, we end with a brief history of those faithful who have gone before, so that we may be encouraged in our own personal experience. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

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.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

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 mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

God Bless!

Who Is My Neighbor. Sabbath Afternoon 07/27/2019

In the current environment we’re living in, where vitriol, hate speech, lying, and cruelty have become the order of the day, it has become necessary for us, especially professed Christians, to revisit some of the fundamental teachings of Christ, especially as it pertains to the treatment of others, for whenever any harm or injustice is done to persons, it is felt in the Person of Christ.

This fact must never be lost sight of, for there is a tendency, both nationally and individually to isolate ourselves from the sufferings of others, for reasons which have no foundation in the scripture. It’s much better for one to not affiliate himself or herself with Christianity, than to misrepresent the character and purposes of Christ, because this causes would-be converts to stumble.

Thus, the study today is of particular importance, in light of what is on display across the nations of the earth. Self-preservation has become the ruling law with many persons, and mercy, truth, kindness, and willingness to bear the burdens of the less fortunate have been supplanted by a spirit that seeks its own benefit, and is willing to trample upon other people to have the first and highest place.

This spirit is foreign to the Spirit, and character of Christ, because in all that He says and does, there is to be seen a noble benevolence, genuine goodness, and a willingness to put the interests and well being of others before Himself. The very purposes of God are thus encoded throughout the scriptures, so that none should err concerning who God is. Let’s read:

1st John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

James 2:8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:

9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

When the love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of Christians, and other persons, there is no picking and choosing as to who is our neighbor, because wherever we go and whoever we may encounter, a uniform kindness and benevolence without bias will be manifested. There is no qualification for God to love us, and there should be no qualification in our esteem of others.

For instance, when Abraham saw three strangers coming towards him, at high noon, they instantly became his neighbors, for their apparent need of food and drink made them neighbors. Therefore, prompted by the Spirit of God, and motivated by an apparent need, Abraham “Hasted” to bring relief to his new-found neighbors, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Abraham didn’t ask them what country they came from, nor did he inquire of their religion. He did not see the strangers as a risk to his family or to himself, even though he had not the faintest knowledge of their character or mission. All Abraham focused on was their apparent need, and for that reason they were accounted as neighbors.

Thus, it is against the backdrop of these, and other passages that we’ll begin our study for today: “Who Is My Neighbor” For starters, the scriptures teach us that “My neighbor” is not restricted just to persons living next-door or on our street. The term neighbor according to the scripture, refers primarily to those who are in need, and therefore, the familiar faces, and close proximity are not the only considerations.

The term neighbor is much more far-reaching than locales, and acquaintances, because it transcends borders, ethnicities, and all of the other man-made qualifications which effectively stymie our better impulses. Thus, it was that the question was put to Christ for final resolution, and we would do well to study His response, for it not only deals with one’s qualification as a neighbor, but it also deals with the treatment of such persons. Let’s read:

Luke 10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering, said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right this do, and thou shalt live.

29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

The previous verse tells us two things about the person asking the question: [1] He tries to justify himself. And [2] He apparently does not know who his neighbors are. That’s a pretty sad condition to be in, for if one does not know his neighbors, it means that he most likely does not know God. Thus, the reply coming from Christ will address both the questioner, and all current and future neighbors. Let’s read:

Luke 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

The priest and the Levite in this true story represent professed believers who should be representative of the knowledge and character of God. They were supposedly familiar with the laws which reflect the principles of God’s kingdom, and which were to be etched into the very fabric of their daily lives.

But alas, we behold a callous disregard for suffering humanity. The priest was not even interested, and the Levite’s curiosity didn’t morph into compassion when he saw firsthand the plight of the man. When the love of God resides in one’s heart, compassion translates into practical deeds of kindness where it is needed, and thus, there was a serious disconnect between the profession and practice of the Levite. Let’s read:

Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Like Abraham, the Samaritan did not inquire as to the man’s ethnicity, country of origin, or religious beliefs. He didn’t ask whether he was in the country legally, nor did he require identification before he helped the man. All he saw was a fellow human being, battered and bruised, and therefore, without stopping to consider his own safety or man-made qualifications, he at once begins to treat him as a neighbor.

Several important accommodations were made by the good Samaritan that we would do well to pay close attention to:

[1] He provided healthcare. Let’s read:

Luke 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine.

Whenever we come across people who are in need of the basic necessities of life, it becomes our moral obligation to provide, even if it costs us, for we see in the story that the Samaritan willingly funded all that pertained to the stranger’s well-being, including health care.

The compassionate treatment of strangers is a big deal with God, and indeed, it is a thermometer of our profession of Christianity. This sacred truth is embodied and is enjoined in several passages of scripture. Let’s read:

Exodus 23:9 Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.

34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Just Wondering about Sodom!)

One of Christ’s main methods of reaching people, was that he would often address their health issues first, before doing Bible studies. Thus, the Samaritan was indeed a representative of Christ. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Luke 6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him and healed them all.

[2] The Samaritan provided food, shelter clothing, and transportation. Let’s read:

Luke 10: 34 And he went to him, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Not only did the good Samaritan provide shelter, and transportation to the shelter, but he ministered to his neighbor’s needs in a personal way. According to the story, he stayed the night with his neighbor, providing food, clothing and shelter, and making sure that he was on the road to recovery, before departing on his journey.

This kind of compassion would require rescheduling since the Samaritan was not expecting the situation he came across. But he didn’t think twice to put his personal itinerary on hold, so that his newly-found neighbor could be well taken care of. Self-sacrificing love, and the willingness to bear another’s burdens is one of the most treasured attributes we should cultivate.

[3] He provided for any future needs that became incidental to helping his neighbor get back on his feet. Let’s read:

Luke 10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Hear the word of The Lord now, these three basic essentials of good neighborhood are fast becoming a scarce commodity in our day, where “Me-first” philosophies have done violence to the principles of kindness and benevolence. In the estimate of God, true greatness is demonstrated in a willingness to serve the greater good of others, for this is the example set by Christ.

When it came time for our salvation, Jesus did not just stay up in heaven and command angels to do all the dirty work. Instead, He rolled up his sleeves and got soiled, got bruised, and beaten in the process, towing the line until we were rescued from sin. By becoming one of us, He showed that whatever it may take, whatever it may cost to save life, He was ready and willing to do. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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.

Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There we have it before our faces. Pride, boasting, self-centeredness, and me first philosophies are all anathema to humility, and true greatness, in the estimate of heaven, because the love of God in the heart can be condensed into one simple mantra: God first, others next, self, last.

A dark cloud has now engulfed many nations, for selfishness is stifling every good impulse, crushing out the very humanity we were invested with by God, and supplanting brotherhood with otherhood. Thus, the time has now come for us to hit pause, to do some serious soul-searching, to see if the tenor of our lives is personal survival, and protectionism.

Let the nobler traits of character, such as courtesy, benevolence, mutual respect for all persons, and a willingness to help the helpless, as was manifested in Christ, be cherished, and cultivated in practical ways, for the habitual manifestation of these traits will cause a new, and brighter day to dawn in the hearts of millions. We close with a few passages of scripture that we will do well to memorize. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

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:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

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:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

God Bless!

The Call Of Isaiah. Sabbath Afternoon 07/20/2019

Isaiah 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

This first passage shows us that it was God who had called Isaiah to the prophetic ministry to preach and to teach, to reprove and exhort the Jews, at a time of near national apostasy. The people had adopted the idolatrous practices of the heathen nations, and their methods, principles, and customs had become tainted by affiliation with paganism in its many, and varied forms.

Thus, the cultural, spiritual, and social effects could be seen across the land. The lifestyles of the nations had become so intertwined with the religion of the Jews that currently there wasn’t any real distinction between them, and as a sure result, the land itself was now suffering the adverse effects of the curse the people had incurred. Let’s read:

Isaiah 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates, they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

It was God’s purpose that this situation should have been the other way around, where the surrounding nations would be influenced by the Jews, where His laws, principles, and methods would be on display for all the world to see, and thus, the nations would conclude that the religion of the Jews was superior in nature and they too would desire to be like God’s people. Let’s read:

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

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

But as is too often the case, the practices, and the customs of those nations exerted a much greater influence over the Jews, than they exerted over the nations, and thus, it was for this reason that it had now become necessary for God to commission the prophet Isaiah to the ministry of reconciliation, as it were.

God has always encountered much greater difficulty in taking Egypt out of His people than in taking us out of Egypt, and therefore, the ministry of Isaiah was needed. But even Isaiah had his own problems, because at the outset, we observe that he, like so many others whom God has called to serve, had a misconception of his own true condition. Let’s read:

Isaiah 1:4 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

5 Why should Ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

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

7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

One thing becomes immediately obvious, as Isaiah begins to preach, he is observed to be speaking in the second person, by which he employs pronouns such as: your, they, and ye. This suggests to us that Isaiah views the problems and the sins of Israel as something that pertains to others, not to himself, for he does not employ words such as we, us and ours.

And even though he may like many of us, have been affected by the syndrome of self-righteousness, yet, it was God who called him to the prophetic ministry and who fitted him with the wherewithal to speak forth the words of truth and soberness. God does not call any of us to serve because we are perfect, but despite of our imperfections, for if He was to wait for perfect people to preach the gospel, the world would be lost.

All of the disciples were unconverted when they were called to preach, and God used them in mighty ways, despite their imperfections. James and John had bad tempers, Peter was hasty, and impulsive, and had seeds of revenge in him, and all the twelve were seeking the highest place, for there wouldn’t be any arguments about high positions wherever converted hearts converge.

Then again, David had penned hundreds of sublime psalms in his earlier years, and God used him to slay the giant, yet his imperfections were manifested in his rendezvous with Bathsheba, and in numbering the people, by which his self-exaltation took a toll on his faith, and on the children of Israel, who lost seventy thousand persons as a result.

Abraham had to overcome the habit of telling lies, under pressure, and Moses struggled with anger management, while Aaron succumbed to popular opinions, and Solomon, is described as being “The preacher” even though he amassed 1000 wives and concubines whereby his history became tainted.

But in each case, where the faults of God’s servants are to be seen, there comes a time when God takes the initiative to reveal to them their hidden defects, so that they may realize their true condition, and thus, better understand their dire need of Jesus, just like anyone else who they may be preaching to.

After Abraham had Hagar to wife, God appeared to him and said: “walk before me and be thou perfect” Peter understood himself like never before, after he denied Christ with swearing, and cursing, and after that rude awakening, the Bible says “He went out and wept bitterly”. Even Daniel, of whom nothing negative has been recorded, confessed his sins and iniquities, after God revealed Himself to him.

Thus, it was with Isaiah too, for although he had been commissioned by God to preach, yet he also would need a spiritual audit in God’s presence, so that he may realize his own fallen condition. God does not do this to embarrass or discourage His servants or any other individual for that matter, but the awakening is necessary so that we wouldn’t be deceived as to our own righteousness, and so that we can be prepared for even greater service. Let’s read:

Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the Seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar,

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

We observe that in his confession that Isaiah now speaks in the first person, including himself in the general multitude of sinners, and identifying himself with the sins of the people. Thus, he is humbled in his own sight, his estimation of himself falls to an all-time low, and by this experience, God is now ready, and able to load him up with divine power and energy, knowing that he understands as never before, his need of God.

This is exactly what took place with Daniel after the vision of the Most-High, after which he exclaimed, “My comeliness was turned into corruption, and there remained no strength in me”. Thus, through such experiences and revelations of God’s glory to us, we are prepared for a greater anointing of the Holy Spirit, for God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.

But it is important that whenever such revelations of God to ourselves take place, that we respond appropriately because, our course of action after such a revelation can determine our eternal destiny. Cain was granted such a revelation when The Lord revealed Himself to him and showed him the plague spot that needed to be addressed.

But instead of humbling himself under the audit of God, and confessing his sin like Isaiah and Daniel, he chose to encase himself in self-righteousness, and the rest is history, for he never ever again would be reconciled to God. By his own pride, he shunned the assessment of God and thereby slighted God’s grace when God stood ready to forgive and forget. 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. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

God is once more doing an audit, not of Abraham, Daniel and Isaiah, but of Laodicea, the Christian church of today, which is suffering from the same plague of self-righteousness, as in days of yore. The Christianity of our time prides itself on a knowledge of the scriptures, and yet the corresponding fruits of Christ’s righteousness are for the most part, missing in action.

Lies, fraud, miscarriage of justice, and respect of persons have become the order of the day, while millions are being denied the basic mercies which are to be expected of professed followers of Christ. The very same assessments which were given by God concerning Sodom and Gomorrah have now become fixed in the characters of many professed Christians. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me, therefore I took them away as I saw good.

In our day, the phrase “Our thoughts and prayers” has become repulsive to many people, and the mention of Christianity evokes feelings of hatred and distrust. Self-preservation has replaced the self-denial Christ called for, and protectionism causes many to turn a blind eye to the millions who are in need of the basic necessities of life.

Christ died to save human beings, and whenever we have a situation where animals, and pets are being treated better than humans, we can be assured that there’s a crisis on our hands. It’s now apparent that the essence of Christianity, and some of the very basic teachings of Christ have become foreign to so many who profess to know God.

For instance, the Bible teaches us that in the final analysis we won’t be judged by how many doctrines we knew, nor by how eloquently we expounded the scriptures. If what we preach is not in harmony with what we actually practice, then our profession of Christianity is a farce. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 25:41 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:

42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

In God’s assessment of our current forms of religion and righteousness, Laodicea, the contemporary Christian church has come up really short. A definite disconnect can be seen, between faith and practice.

And therefore, just like the days in which Isaiah lived, God is calling on us individually and nationally to take stock of ourselves, to do some serious soul-searching that we may not be deceived as to our true condition. It’s all written in the cryptic audit given of 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;

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.

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.

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.

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

It’s imperative that the assessments given by God, pertaining to us today be taken seriously, for even though some may preach the fairy tale gospel, and present a subjective God who sits submissively on the back-burner, waiting and hoping for us to make the first move, yet God will judge accurately, and will reward every person according to their works.

Let us then, like Isaiah, when he saw the vision of The Most-High, and realized his own failures; let us be quick to repent and acknowledge our errors, so that our sins too may be purged. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the latter rain will only be realized by those who have made thorough work of repentance, and thereby, prepared the heart to receive the fullness of God.

We end with a reminder that our preaching and doing must correspond, for Christianity to have any meaning in the lives of those with whom we come in contact. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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

God Bless!

Two Manner Of People. Sabbath Afternoon 07/13/2019

The Biblical record of Esau and Jacob shows us that there were many similarities between them, but the record also shows that there were stark differences in their characters, in their general attitudes toward things of eternal interest and in the way they valued the Gift of God in our salvation. Both children were made aware of the promise of The Messiah, and it was revealed to them that through their family line the Savior would be born.

But with Esau, that promise never resonated, and throughout his life, he never seemed to realize his own need of salvation. Jacob, on the other hand seemed to be consumed with the promise, and day by day, as he pondered on the prospect, it became all-absorbing, to the point where he was constantly on the alert for any opportunity to procure the gift.

Thus it was, that although there seemed to be many similarities between Jacob and Esau, the Bible says that they were two manner of people. This cryptic explanation of those prenatal struggles in Rebekah’s womb was given by God, not with the intent to set her children’s destiny in stone, but to reveal the real reason behind the disturbances between the two.

There are several discoveries in their life experience from which we can learn valuable lessons which can help us to better understand God’s interaction with men, and also to help us avoid some of the common misconceptions about our own salvation. Therefore, we will take a few observations from scripture, and we will extract sacred truths, which should help us on or journey toward the kingdom. Let’s read:

Genesis 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife.

21 And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord.

Lesson [1] Just because God may answer our prayer it doesn’t mean that everything will be guaranteed smooth sailing. Rebekah was wondering, if God has indeed answered our prayers, what’s the reason for this incessant turmoil in my womb. She, like many of us, probably thought that answered prayer would naturally translate into a trouble-free experience, but history shows that this is not always the case.

There are times in our own experience, when the answers to our prayers may seem to trigger a host of adverse circumstances but we are not to become bewildered or frustrated. In times like these we can, and should adopt the next lesson, for Rebekah went back to God for answers, as we also should, when in answer to prayer, things seem to go off the rails. Let’s read:

Genesis 25:22 And she went to enquire of the Lord.

23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

As was stated before, this prediction of God did not set the future of her two children in an iron destiny, from which they could not escape, and in which the freedom of choice would be removed. Each would have ample opportunity to weigh, and evaluate the promises of God, and each would be free to make a choice, uninhibited by any prophecy.

Adverse prophecies of God pertaining to individuals and nations, do not seal their destiny in stone. We make choices, and these are what determine our eternal destiny. In fact, if God has to let a prophecy fail, so that persons may be saved, He will permit it to fail, for Jesus died, not merely to fulfill prophecy but to save people. Thus, Esau’s eternal destiny was simply the result of those choices he had always made throughout his life. Let’s read:

Hebrews 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

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.

Some people have struggled with this truth, after reading what Paul states in Romans chapter nine, but what is there stated is in perfect harmony with other passages of scripture, which bring balance to the equation. And as we read, may God help us to do so without any preconceived ideas or biases, for what is written by Paul concerning Esau and Jacob was inspired by The Holy Ghost. Let’s read:

Romans 9:11 For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

We must be very careful in our interpretation of the previous passages, for God takes no pleasure in the eternal death of any person; on the contrary He sets in motion, extra grace and mercy where it is most needed. Thus, it is entirely up to the individual, or to the nation to respond appropriately because it’s our response to His grace that makes all the difference.

God does not force anyone to love and obey Him; He presents our sinful condition to us, He shows us our need of The Savior, but He never compels us to choose life. These choices rest solely in our hands, and if we choose wisely, power and grace would be given to enable us to love and obey Him. Let’s read:

Romans 5:20 But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is important however, for us to understand more of the similarities and differences between Esau and Jacob and what bearing they may have in the bigger picture. Both of them had the very same religious training and both were taught the laws of God from an early age. Both of them were polygamists, and at times both manifested human sympathy, with the genuine expression of emotion. Let’s read:

Genesis 29: 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

Genesis 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men.

2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.

Very noble traits of character were here manifested by Esau, for not only was he moved by human pity and compassion at seeing his brother with the little children, knowing that he would be their uncle, but he also demonstrated that he was not a grasping person, for when he was offered an abundance of flocks he refused, stating that he was content with what he had.

Yet, Esau is described as a “Profane” person in the scriptures. The question is why does God view him as being profane, when Esau did not practice fraud like his brother Jacob, and manifested compassion in tangible ways? It has to do with “Two manner of people”. There are those who would hear nothing about Christ and His sacrifice to save man, yet, who are at the forefront of social justice.

Some are moved with human pity at what is now taking place at the border, and many tears are shed at the revolting sight of the father, and his daughter who drowned, while crossing the Rio Grande. Yet, with some, the things which pertain to the kingdom of God, are of little or no interest. Thus, the mere manifestation of human pity by itself, is not a sure sign that one is intimately affiliated with God.

Cain was repulsed by the very thought of shedding the life of an innocent animal for sin, for he seemed to be moved with pity at the prospect. Instead, he brought fruit, and saved the life of an animal. Hitler was known for his efforts at championing the cause of animal rights, and he was an environmentalist. Yet, it didn’t seem like a big deal to slay millions of Jews, just as Cain had saved the lives of animals, but took the life of his brother.

In our day, a phenomenon known as “Good without God” is rapidly gaining traction. It is being displayed on billboards across the land and it is showing up on the placards of some protesters against religion and the concept is gaining traction among many who might display genuine compassion and concern for our fellowmen. Here is where there’s a difference in the two manner of people.

One group manifests genuine compassion for the unfortunate, and good deeds spring forth naturally in response to feelings of human pity. But, coupled together with these good tendencies, they realize their need of The Savior, who alone can fill the void in the heart.

This group gladly accepts God’s free gift to man in Christ, and in their estimation, God’s promise of a better world translates into having every temporal concern in subjection to the immortal inheritance. Let’s read:

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

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

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

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

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

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

The other group, however, manifests the same pity and compassion wherever it is warranted, but their deeds, aspirations, and emotions are often kept prominently in view. There is no mention of God whatsoever, and they couldn’t care less what Jesus did for us on Calvary. This group views the promises of God as wishful thinking without foundation, and therefore sees no need of A Savior. That’s why Esau is described as being profane, or godless. Let’s read:

Genesis 25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and a pot of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

The word “Despised” suggests that Esau felt a sense of relief by relinquishing the spiritual aspects of the birthright. He felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off his shoulders, for by selling it, he no more had to think about the laws, and instructions of God, nor would he have to contemplate any sacrifice for sin. Nothing could hurt God more, to the core, than for us treat lightly, what Jesus went through on Calvary to save us from sin.

Another problem which surfaced in Esau is the way in which his decisions were made, for according to the sacred record, he seemed to be motivated first and foremost, by what others thought of him. In other words, he was a creature of circumstance, so that wherever and whatever the popular thing may be at the moment, there he would be found, even if he were not fully convinced in his heart. Let’s read:

Genesis 28:6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

8 Esau, seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

9 Went unto Ishmael and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, to be his wife.

Now folks, there is absolutely a problem with this mode of thought and action, because according to the scriptures, his sole motivation for marrying this new person was so that he could please his parents. He would have children by her, and he would take the marriage vow, not because he loved her, but so that he could be in good favor with his parents. That’s a huge problem!

This mode of thought and action highlights another flaw in Esau’s thinking, and which is often reflected in the popular majority. Esau would do things, not because he necessarily loved, or believed in those things, but if by so doing he would gain the approval of men, he would be fine with it, whatever the cost.

In our day, the heathen practices of tattooing and body piercing have resurfaced and are scheduled to be in proliferation just before Christ returns. And many individuals are jumping on the band wagon, not because they are necessarily convinced, but simply because it is the popular, fashionable thing to do.

And just like Esau, once the compliments, and the admirations of man begin to flow, some are thereby induced to get even more tattoos, until the entire body is covered with ink. The words “Inkaholic” and addicted to ink have now become mainstream, and the practices have made inroads even into Christian circles. But it is always better to swim upstream, doing God’s will, than to swim downstream with the flow, where the popular majority converge.

There are millions who make choices and do things simply because it will secure the approval of others, and many people would have never gotten a tattoo, if it had not become the popular thing to do. But for us to do anything, simply because of the admiration of men means that we will go with the flow, where ever the flow may lead us, and thus, when the mark of the beast takes center stage, and becomes most popular, the habit of going with the flow will reach its zenith.

And the problem does not stop with tattoos, and body piercing; it extends to Brazilian butt lifts, and a host of unnecessary cosmetic surgeries and artificial implants into various parts of the body, the most of which are done with the single purpose of soliciting the praise and admiration of men. The phenomena has actually jumped by 98% just in the last 10 years.

Some may argue that such practices have nothing to do with righteousness, but the Bible teaches us differently, for God’s plan of salvation addresses all aspects of the entire person, including the physical body. Therefore, whatsoever we do in the physical will directly affect the spiritual, and vice-versa, as several passages of scripture show. Let’s read:

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

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

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

1st Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (If we let Him)

(Both the mark of the beast and the seal of God will be seated in the body, literally. Let’s read:)

Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.

Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

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

The forehead contains the frontal lobes, where decisions are made, therefore, let none be deceived into believing that there is not a close sympathy between the physical and the spiritual. Let’s read:

(Live Science) Damage to the brain's frontal lobe is known to impair one's ability to think and make choices. And now scientists say they've pinpointed the different parts of this brain region that preside over reasoning, self-control and decision-making. Researchers say the data could help doctors determine what specific cognitive obstacles their patients might face after a brain injury.

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

However, as was stated before, as a general rule of thumb, the destiny of every person is linked to the choices made, and since God does not coerce our choices, there is still hope for those who may have become enslaved to popular opinions and practices.

If for some reason we discover that we have latent Esau-like tendencies; if we find that there is in us, a burning desire to have the admiration and approval of the masses, and if we find ourselves not having much interest in spiritual things, there is still hope.

God does not condemn us for being who we are, but what He desires is that we seek the necessary changes by His grace, that will align our will with His and have us be found in Christ, who alone can cure the many imperfections and short-comings found in humanity.

If Esau had asked God to grant him the desire for spiritual things, if he had requested for himself a realization of his fallen condition, or if he had asked for the gift of repentance, God would have granted the request. Therefore, there is hope.

The election of God never predestines any person to be irretrievably lost, on the contrary the salvation of God through Christ, caters for any, and everyone who will believe, and act on their belief. Thus, we will close with a gentle reminder that God’s purpose in sending Jesus to this world is to save as many as would be saved. Let us never forget this. We 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.

God Bless!

Finding A Spouse. Sabbath Afternoon 06/08/2019

Those who may be looking for a spouse can derive precious instructions from the history of Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah, for the whole experience is fraught with important information relative to the union of two persons for life. It is often the case that one’s expectations may not be met in exactly the way planned or hoped for, and dreams can at times be different from reality.

Thus, since we find ourselves living in an imperfect world, our expectations should be managed in a reasonable manner with the understanding that all men and women are fallen, and thus, there would be room for growth, development, negotiation and adjustments because true marriage is a school from which one never graduates.

However, with the passage of time, most persons become more set in their ways, and one’s search may become more streamlined, because with life’s experiences at our back, we generally know exactly what we’re looking for. Therefore, the knowledge gained from an observation of Isaac and Rebekah, would provide helpful guidelines in one’s search.

Several passages from Genesis 24 will be studied, highlighted, and expounded upon, so that we may obtain a better knowledge of how God works in these matters, and thus, how prospective persons should cooperate with Him. The very first point to be observed, and one that is all-important, is the inclusion of God in all of one’s efforts and planning.

Earnest prayer, a humble dependence on Him, and well-directed effort coupled together with patience are of critical importance, since the decisions made are intended to be for life. God acknowledges our disposition to put Him in the driver’s seat, for it sets the stage for Him to work in our behalf, because He was consulted upfront. Let’s read:

Genesis 24: 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had,

3 I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.

7 The Lord God, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

Here we see that both Abraham and Eliezer were praying persons, for God figured prominently, both in their conversation and in their plans. And having consulted God’s will, and His direction, it was time for the next step of searching, because cooperation with God is an integral part of the exercise of faith in any matter.

Now, on the issue of cooperation it’s important that we do not succumb to fairy-tale concepts of God, by which no effort is made on our part. There is a song that says “Just believe, and it will happen”. But if we were to adopt these words, it will never happen. In every situation, where God worked in a miraculous manner for individuals, they were required to do all they could in the realization of the promises.

This vital principle can be seen in all of the miracles Jesus did, from the raising of Lazarus, to the feeding of the five thousand, from the healing of ten lepers, to the restoration of health to the impotent man at Solomon’s porch. Even the woman who touched the hem of Christ’s garment had to press through the crowd so that her faith could become reality.

Thus, it was also with Joshua and the Hebrews, as they endeavored to conquer Jericho. God had given them the promise, and it was by His power alone that the walls would be thrown down. But they all were required to march, and to blow their trumpets and shout because faith without works is very dead.

An important commentary is written on the relation between faith and works, and we would do well to grasp the essence of the concept, for it is scattered throughout spiritual, temporal, financial, physical, agricultural, and social pursuits. In other words, no worthy endeavor gets done without cooperation with God. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 509] Joshua had received the promise that God would surely overthrow these enemies of Israel, yet he put forth earnest effort as though success depended upon the armies of Israel alone. The secret of success is the union of divine power with human effort.

Therefore, in harmony with the exercise of faith the servant of Abraham sets out on his journey to look for a wife for Isaac. He did not just pray, and stay at home, for there were not any viable prospects at home. It is not accurate to conclude that the only men and women available attend your local church. In seeking for a spouse, persons can and should visit other churches where like-minded believers are in attendance.

Now it may not be necessary for persons to transfer their membership, but they can absolutely visit, for that is what Eliezer did, he visited other “churches” in which like-minded persons could be found. Again, some may have heard it said that there are scarcely any good Adventist men and women to be found for they all seem to be taken.

God categorically debunks that notion, for there are literally millions available. When Paul got frustrated in his efforts to find persons willing to accept Christ, he gave up in despair, and was about to leave, but God stopped him, and revealed that, in fact there were many prospects in that city. Paul couldn’t see them, but God knew who, and where they were. Let’s read:

Acts 18:6 And, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, speak, and hold not thy peace.

10 For I have much people in this city.

Another issue that should receive due attention is that of finances, for there are many who rush into marriage without careful thought or preparation. Ask anyone who has walked this road before, and they will tell you that marriage can be expensive.

Thus, in looking for a spouse, let due consideration be given to the issue of finances, and let there be proper preparation for the children who might be born, so as to avoid the pitfalls of under-funding or financial embarrassment. This is what was put in place early on, so that when Eliezer went in search of Isaac’s wife, he could “Afford” to look for a wife. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold.

That is about $6,700.00 in gold, at today’s current prices. But Eliezer didn’t stop there, for it was also important that Rebekah’s parents know that their daughter would be treated well, and not be wanting for bread.

As was stated several times before on this forum, God is much more practical and down-to-earth in His ways than many persons realize, and therefore, these things are written for those who come after, so that they may choose wisely. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban.

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, that he came unto the man.

31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord;

The earring, and bracelets represent the material concerns of marriage that shouldn’t be overlooked in one’s search for a spouse. Cute doesn’t pay bills, and a man is especially responsible for the financial well-being of his wife and family. There are cases in which two persons who are financially or materially compromised, have tied the knot, without any plan in place to fill the void.

This situation should be avoided wherever possible, for a continual lack of funds can cause undue stress and turmoil in the marriage. Financial security is not to be looked upon as something evil, for it prevents embarrassment, and it tends to lessen worry about where one’s next meal is coming from.

That’s why Eliezer went the extra mile to give some assurance to Rebekah and her family that she would be well-taken care of. Poverty is not a virtue, and those who are thinking of getting married would be well-served if financial planning is incorporated into their expectations and projections.

Realizing most of the common goals of life costs money, and therefore, it’s not a matter to be left on the back burner, with the vain hope that by some miracle, God will provide without any well-directed effort on the part of both. Especially is this true of the man, who in many cases is held responsible for the financial well-being of his household.

That is why Eliezer went over and beyond, to give some assurances to Rebekah and her family, that she will be well-taken care of in a land of strangers. It was not boasting on his part; it was good common sense so that Rebekah’s family would feel confident that she would not be restricted to eating at Burger king. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

Another vital point to consider in one’s search, is that of character, which must take preeminence over externals. Uniform kindness without bias, and a willingness to work diligently, are traits that would prove indispensable to the longevity of a marriage. Again, we are currently suffering from an epidemic of idleness, by which the precious hours are wasted online, whilst others have become addicted to the one-eyed monster.

But Rebekah was different, for it was seen that she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, and kindness to strangers was not something out of her purview. In fact, she was unconsciously fulfilling that which was to be written many centuries later by Solomon, as he outlined the character of a virtuous woman. His observations apply equally to male and female and go a long way in making married life a blessing. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac.

18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Last, but not least, it is often the case that when looking for a spouse, some may feel it necessary to indulge exposure of oneself. But when this is done, then the focus often turns to the externals, and the other weightier matters may be unattended.

Therefore, let decency characterize all interactions between prospective individuals, so that externals do not provoke irrational exuberance, and thereby throw caution to the wind. The principles, methods and standards which govern the secular world are not to be adopted by Christians, wherever there is conflict between truth and error.

Sensualism, and exposure figure quite prominently in dating, whereas with the Christian, a more sober approach is advised, for a person’s good character will tend to longevity, whereas mere externals may stumble when confronted with disease, hardship, or any of the other adverse conditions, which at times may crop up from nowhere. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail and covered herself.

1st Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;

10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

The rest of the marriage between Rebekah and Isaac is history, for they were indeed a match made in heaven. That is not to say that they did not have their own issues to deal with, for just as was stated before, marriage is a school from which persons never graduate.

There would be some hills to climb, and there would be some rivers to cross, there would be sunny days, and rainy days, and at times there can be famines, even with the best of financial planning, as Isaac and Rebekah found out. Yet, in all, and through it all, if God is at the center of the marriage, He will make the rough edges smooth, and the crooked places plain.

Whenever, and wherever God is consulted for guidance in marriage, and persons are willing to wait humbly, whilst putting forth earnest effort, the end result will be the best that it can be, for with God, all things are possible, as observed in the history of Isaac and Rebekah, as they sailed off into the sunset. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:63 And Isaac lifted up his eyes, and behold, the camels were coming.

64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her.

God Bless!

The Fullness Of Time. Sabbath Afternoon 06/01/2019

There are certain givens that we must understand about the way God fulfills His promises, whether it be on a personal, or on an international level. God dwells in eternity, but created beings are subject to the constraints of time, and because of this, it may at times appear that His promises have faltered. But God is, and has always been an one-time God.

What may seem like the frustration of His purposes on the part of satan or men, is actually incorporated into the greater scheme of things, so that His will is fulfilled in the fullness of time. Several occurrences in the Bible demonstrate this, so that we should be confident that the promise of His soon return would also be fulfilled in the fullness of time.

What we often interpret as a delay, is in many cases a result of our own doing, or the result of unbelief, hesitation, or stubbornness, but even then God who knows the future, has already incorporated into His planning every variable which would certainly occur and the final product is the fulfillment of His will in a timely and exact manner.

This aspect of God’s methods and ways isn’t nearly understood as it ought to be, and as a direct result, some fall into the error of questioning God’s ability to bring to pass, that which He has promised. Some others resort to mocking God as if there is restraint upon Him. Others go still further, and erroneously conclude that His promises are subject to science as we know it, and thus they limit Him in their minds.

But a close study of His word and His ways reveal a God who fulfills His purposes to the nanosecond, in ways, and at times of which we have not a clue. All the freedom of choice we have, and every assertion that we have situations under our own control will be seen to be folly, in the bigger picture, for God’s will is fulfilled in the fullness of time, with or without our co-operation. Let’s read:

Exodus 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast.

Here, it seems as if God’s promise is being delayed by the stubbornness of pharaoh, but The Lord has already included stubbornness into His plan, and in the fullness of time, pharaoh’s stubbornness would translate into the fulfillment of prophecy, while no coercion on the part of God takes place. God works through the regular thought processes of man, and thus His will is done. Let’s read:

Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

Again, prayer for guidance is offered in matters that will affect the life of the faithful. Isaac needs a wife, and God’s will is invoked, while on the human side of the equation, all the prerequisites for answered prayer are aligned. Thus, Eliezer prays confidently, and before he could say “amen” Rebekah appears, out of the blue, as it seems.

God orchestrated and planned the timing of Eliezer and Rebekah’s meeting with surgical precision. The time it would take for them to travel to the meeting place, the speed at which their donkeys trotted, and the length of Eliezer’s prayer have been calculated with uncanny precision, to the nanosecond and the result is perfect timing, in the fullness of time.

Yet none of them, including their animals have been coerced into doing, or saying anything. God worked through their natural thought processes, and their usual way of doing things to bring His purposes to pass, not in a sloppy, slip-shod manner, but with the exact timing that is characteristic of a God who does everything decently and in order. Indeed, it is a bit frightening. Let’s read:

Genesis 24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.

14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

Again, when Jesus prophesied that the cock would crow two times before Peter would deny Him three times, the prophecy was fulfilled at the exact time that it should. No coercion of the rooster was done, and Peter’s will was left entirely unrestricted, but at the exact time, both the rooster and Peter fulfilled the prophecy without any “collusion” with intent.

Come with me then, as we revisit the rooster in his tree. He has eaten his corn for the day, and has now retired for the night, but the distance between the porch where Peter will deny Christ and the rooster’s perch is of such that in the fullness of time Peter will hear the crowing. The timing, the location, and the distance are all exact, without any coercion on the part of God. Let’s read:

Mark 14:29 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.

66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.

72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

Again, that which happened to Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, and at Calvary was prophesied, and did not catch God off-guard because everyone from Judas to the disciples, from the priests to the soldier and even to the drink to be served up at the cross, all were prophesied, and catered for by God, and all individuals concerned would play their part without any coercion or coordination, in the fullness of time. Let’s read:

Psalms 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Matthew 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

Psalms 22: 17 They look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there.

Psalms 34:20 He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken.

John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs.

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

On the contrary, we find that in the case of Judas or Peter, Christ was actually warning them not to do that which was prophesied; but because God’s own knowledge of the future is 100% accurate, and since we all retain the freedom of choice, prophecies and freedom of choice often converge at the junction of fulfillment. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

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

The same issue of the fullness of time can be seen in the bigger picture which pertains to our salvation. After God made the announcement in Eden that the Deliverer would come and crush the serpent’s head, it was erroneously understood that the prophecy was to be fulfilled shortly. But it could only be at the time exact time and moment that the promise was to become reality.

Generation after generation of the righteous looked forward, and hoped, and the children of miraculous births raised the hopes of some that this one or that one would be the promised seed. But it was not the right time as yet, and God, whose prophecies know no haste or delay would fulfill His word at the time appointed.

In fact, up until the time when Daniel was given the specifics concerning the time of Christ’s incarnation, there was a certain amount of guessing on the part of satan, for even though he understood that Christ would one day break the yoke of bondage, yet he could not plan properly without a firm time-frame to work with, and as a result he resorted to firing scatter-shots, in the vain hope of hitting his target. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.

There are times when we too may not have a firm time-frame from God to work with, just like Sarah, and Abraham, and we may be tempted to also fire scatter-shots, hoping that something would stick. It is by faith that we ought to walk, and not by sight, trusting God, that true to His promise and His track record, He will come through in the fullness of time. Let’s read:

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

Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

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

Thus, it was that Christ was born in the fullness of time, not one minute early, and not one minute too late. The “Fullness of time” therefore means that the right set of circumstances must converge at the right time, in order that everything, and everyone concerned would “Click”. Let’s read:

[The Desire Of Ages pp 32>33] The prophecy of Daniel revealed the time of His advent, but not all rightly interpreted the message. Century after century passed away; the voices of the prophets ceased. The hand of the oppressor was heavy upon Israel, and many were ready to exclaim, “The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth.” Ezekiel 12:22.

But like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, God's purposes know no haste and no delay. Providence had directed the movements of nations, and the tide of human impulse and influence, until the world was ripe for the coming of the Deliverer. The nations were united under one government. One language was widely spoken, and was everywhere recognized as the language of literature.

At this time the systems of heathenism were losing their hold upon the people. They longed for a religion that could satisfy the heart. While the light of truth seemed to have departed from among men, there were souls who were looking for light, and who were filled with perplexity and sorrow. They were thirsting for a knowledge of the living God, for some assurance of a life beyond the grave.

To the masses of the people, death was a dread mystery; beyond was uncertainty and gloom. In “the region and shadow of death,” men sat unsolaced. With longing eyes they looked for the coming of the Deliverer, when the darkness should be dispelled, and the mystery of the future should be made plain.

There is another prophecy in the scripture yet to be fulfilled, and true to the evidences of sacred history, it will be executed in the fulness of time for many of the very same conditions which were current when Christ first came to earth, have now obtained across the entire globe.

Multitudes have become weary of religion, for they have seen with their own two eyes, and have heard with their own two ears, that many of the clergy, in whom they had trusted and confided have betrayed sacred trusts. Religion has now become a thriving business in most instances, and luxury has replaced humility in many prominent mega-churches.

Again, there seems to be political impasse in Britain and the United States, and in many other countries across the globe where the conflicting parties can’t seem to agree on anything anymore. The eyes of once revered public servants have become blinded, and the masses of people have had it with the lies, fraud, favoritism, and unwarranted violence in places which were once thought safe.

Again, right on our doorstep, and in many countries in the western hemisphere there are problems with migration, where nations are being flooded with so many people fleeing violence and poverty, that the authorities have run out of ideas on how to stem the tide. The systems of earth are literally peaking on every known front.

Then there is the problem of addiction, where we have become prisoners of our own devices. Opioid crises are draining resources of governments and communities, and the cure for drugs has become more drugs. Thus, we are now fighting fire with fire, and all we’re getting is more fire.

Again, numerous violent hurricanes and tornadoes are scheduled to cause havoc as sea levels rise, and the waters of the flood, which were once congealed at the north pole in the form of icebergs are melting at unprecedented rates, causing flooding in coastal areas, from Miami to New Jersey.

Thus, because we are fast running out of options or answers, the fullness of time has almost come for Christ to intervene once more in human history. It is true that the Bible writers have stated He is coming soon, and to many, it may seem as if His promise is delayed, but just remember one thing, when all of the predicted conditions converge, when the earth is ripe for His appearing, Jesus will come.

Contrary to popular teachings of evolution the earth is only about six thousand years old; thus, whenever the great clock of time points towards midnight and the time comes for the seventh millennium, Jesus is going to come, because six plus one equals seven, if we were to ask any mathematician. Let’s read:

Exodus 23:10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof.

11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still.

Leviticus 25:2 When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord.

3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

[The Great Controversy pp 659] For six thousand years, Satan's work of rebellion has “made the earth to tremble.” He has made the world as a wilderness and destroyed the cities thereof. For six thousand years his prison house has received God's people, and he would have held them captive forever; but Christ has broken his bonds and set the prisoners free. For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense. Since his fall his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection.

But he is now deprived of his power and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of heaven, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.

In the days of Noah God gave the antediluvians 120 years, and when that time expired, mercy and grace came to a screeching halt, and judgment against the nations was executed. It took place with precision to the very day, and thus it will be, when 6000 years will have expired, mercy and grace will again come to a screeching halt, and Jesus will come.

Let us therefore be wary of cute doctrines which put the 2nd coming of Christ far into the future, for the long-awaited event is very near, even at the doors. We therefore close with the certainty of the promise, with the hope that we will not take God’s grace for granted. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

God Bless!

The Sin Of Murmuring. Sabbath Afternoon 05/25/2019

In the tenth chapter of first Corinthians, the apostle warns us not to repeat the same errors made by the Hebrews, in their experiences with God, prominent among which was the sin of murmuring, a sin that is of common occurrence, even in our day. There was a tendency amongst the Hebrews to complain, and murmur about anything and everything to the point where they even found fault with their blessings.

God had emancipated them from the most brutal slavery in Egypt, and in lieu of this they should have been relishing their new-found freedom. Yet, as the sacred record shows, it didn’t take long after having come out of Egypt, for complaining to arise. First it was the charge that they were better off in Egypt as if God did them wrong by freeing them. Let’s read:

Exodus 14:11 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.

Then there was the complaint about water, even though God had promised to supply their need. The food also became a source of grumbling, and later on they complained about variety. As Christians, we are not to conclude that just because God has made a promise, we will never have to wait. We are living in an imperfect world, and as such, we should not expect everything to be smooth sailing all the time.

Jesus suffered hunger and thirst, and there were times when He had to flee for His life, just like any other human being. He didn’t accuse The Father of ill-treatment or unfairness, instead, He buckled up His shoes and prayed for grace to surmount every difficulty and emergency.

And having set the example for us, we should follow in His footsteps when the going gets rough. however, because of the “fast food” type of systems we have become accustomed to, very few persons are willing to wait anymore. Phrases such as call now, hurry, hurry and just click do not generally work in the spiritual realm for even though these words have become a main- stay of the now generation, patience is still to be an active ingredient in the Christian’s life.

Indeed, murmuring often displays a lack of prayer, for if one is in the habit of waiting upon God, he/she will have a much better understanding of His ways, and methods, than those who sit on the sidelines to grumble. In the book of Malachi, the same spirit of complaining is observed, when it came time for the return of tithes and offerings, for many looked upon the command as a heavy burden. Let’s read:

Malachi 3: 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

In fact, it is more blessed to give than to receive and the main reason why God as ordained the return of a portion of our income, is so that covetousness and selfishness may be rooted out of our characters, by the regular practice of giving. God does not need anything from any human being, for whatsoever we may bring as an offering is already His. Let’s read:

1st chronicles 29:14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

2nd Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Hence the reason why the admonition of Paul is so pertinent, especially in our day, where the spirit of murmuring has taken deep root in almost every sector of society. Even though many folks may not be aware, murmuring is a sin, and as Paul reviewed the history of the Hebrews, he beheld a pattern of unwarranted complaining, which shaped their after-history. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 10: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

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.

Many people may not know that what one believes will happen to them, often becomes reality, for our thoughts and expectations generally tend to be self-fulfilling prophecies. This is because folks generally make efforts towards what they expect, and what we do not expect, receives little or no effort.

Therefore, we should cultivate positive thoughts by dwelling on, and believing in the promises of God, letting the chips fall where they may, whilst hoping against hope, for wherever hope is lost, the energy and determination to move forward can be severely thwarted.

Harboring evil forebodings, and regurgitating the darker side of our experiences, are not conducive to health, well-being, faith and hope, therefore, we are encouraged to do like Paul, and so many others who surmounted disappointment and trial, trusting God to fulfill His promises in due season. Let’s read:

Philippians 3:13 This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

If someone has hurt you, move on from such an experience. If someone in whom you trusted has betrayed your trust, forgive and forget. If someone owes you money, and is avoiding you, write it off, and instead of rehashing the bitter experiences, you should count your many blessings naming them one by one.

This is what the Hebrews failed to do when they encountered difficulty, because, instead of reaching forward with the eye of faith and thus taking hold of unseen realities, they would continually revert back to the Egypt experience, and thereby, they became blinded by the past, instead of being energized by the future.

The Hebrews had erroneously anticipated that they would die in the wilderness, and by repeating this unfounded premonition, it actually came true, even though God’s promises had been given them to the contrary. Thus, it was by the continual repetition of their evil forebodings, and by refusing to embrace God’s promises, that the thought which began as a phantom, gave birth reality, and haunted them to the grave. Several texts bear this out. Let’s read:

Exodus 16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Exodus 17:3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Numbers 16:12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up.

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness?

Numbers 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

Numbers 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.

2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Thus, the darkness harbored, the unbelief indulged, coupled together with continuous murmuring, set the stage for the self-fulfilling prophecy to become a reality. One by one, group by group, they fell, until their ominous predictions materialized, and became etched in the pages of sacred history. Let’s read:

Numbers 26:64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

65 And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Now we turn to the core of our study, to show how the thoughts of murmuring and complaining often directly affect what happens in the real world. The disciples of Christ have just experienced a great day, for they have witnessed with their own two eyes, the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

It seems as if heaven had come down to earth that day, for they saw the little food that was offered to Jesus, multiply in real time, to feed the hungering thousands. Now they seek to make Him King, but for some strange reason, Jesus refuses. They press urgently forward, because they see this as their one and only golden opportunity, but Jesus wouldn’t have it.

And now, they, having been disappointed in their expectations, begin to murmur. They question why Jesus does not want to be made king, if the people are pumped up for the event. Then, this leads to other questions: why did not He deliver John, the Baptist, and why must His followers be subject to reproach and ridicule. Their thoughts were stormy, and it would affect the natural world. Let’s read:

Matthew 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

Contrary thoughts often produce contrary events in the natural world, because the spiritual and physical are much more closely intertwined than many folks realize. Our contemporary science teaches that the natural world is governed strictly by natural law and no other input, or cause can be attributed to those upheavals in nature, which often cost us billions.

This science that excludes spiritual factors is known to be profoundly false and flawed, because it is not supported in scripture. Every sin that is done, every lie that is told, every false oath that is taken, and every innocent life that is killed, produces some kind of ripple effect or repercussion in the physical world. In fact, natural law is located downstream of spiritual law. Let none be deceived about this. Let’s read:

Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, or knowledge of God in the land.

2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Genesis 4: 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Genesis 35:33 Ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood defiles the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile it is confusion.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things.

25 For the land is defiled, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants.

27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

Thus, the Bible teaches us differently as it pertains to the correlation between the spiritual, and physical and shows in many instances that the state of our minds can affect the state of the natural world, as the disciples are now finding out. They’re fishermen by trade and storms are nothing new, but this one seems to be different, for try as they might, they cannot bring their boat to shore.

Then, added to their predicament, they observe in the distance what seems to be a phantom, the grim reaper as they thought, coming to put the final nail in the coffin. They cry out in fear, for there’s no way out for them to run, and in the heat of the moment, murmuring gives way to panic. Let’s read:

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

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

[The Desire of Ages. pp 380>381]The disciples had that day witnessed the wonderful works of Christ. The memory of that precious, glorious day should have filled them with faith and hope. Had they, out of the abundance of their hearts, been conversing together in regard to these things, they would not have entered into temptation.

There are those in our day who follow the lead of the Hebrews by complaining and murmuring, when they should be pregnant with praises for all of the many blessings God continues to bestow, each and every day. If there’s food on our table, that’s a great blessing, and if we have a roof over our heads that’s another great blessing.

As we view those migrants on the border, many of them having to sleep on the bare ground, with little food or medical care, we who are privileged to have comfy beds and air-condition should have no reason for a mumbling word to escape our lips. Again, if we have jobs and, and are able to pay our bills, that is a blessing too, for there are those who would eagerly work for much less than some of us make. Let’s read:

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Again, if we are able to breathe freely, and if we are in good health, there is much to give thanks for. In fact, as a general rule of thumb, the blessings which God bestows on us each day greatly out-weigh any negatives, so that it is appropriate that praise, and thanksgiving should be our theme and song. But many people fall into the sin of murmuring at God for any perceived inconveniences.

Some complain about the heat in South Florida, so in response God may send rain. But no sooner than rainy season comes, some complain about flooding. Then God in His mercy may cause the temperature to drop to cool us down but there we go again with grumbling about a cold front. Some complain about the boss, the spouse, the kids, the car, the job, the traffic, and the lines at the grocery store.

What many of us may not realize is that the spirit of grumbling and murmuring often sets negatives into motion, which produce adverse situations, because, as we continue to dwell on the darker side of life, our minds, our thoughts, and our general outlook becomes gradually enveloped in an impenetrable cloud of darkness, by which, the many blessings of God can seem to be curses.

Now, we are not minimizing any real problems that some may have, and the Bible does not promise us a bed of roses; we are referring to the willingness to make lemonade of our lemons. In many instances, adverse situations which befall us are the result of harboring premonitions of evil, for whenever we anticipate evil, it is more than likely to come our way.

Therefore, through prayer, faith in God, and if we confess, the spirit of joy and praise will be made to replace the dark outlook on life some of us may be harboring. Let the sunshine of God’s love, and the promise of a brighter tomorrow, energize, and fill us with hope, for wherever faith in God’s promises is cherished, there will always be something good to look forward to. We end with a passage which will encourage us to think big. Let’s read:

Isaiah 61:The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, to comfort all that mourn;

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

God Bless!

Character Building. Sabbath Afternoon 05/18/2019

The view that when one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, that everything will go smoothly from that point forward, is an incorrect view, for although He has promised to be with us always, His leadership involves taking us through very difficult places, and experiences, that by our constancy, obedience, and steadfastness, sterling character will be built. It is described in the Bible as being a cross.

Good character is not the result of an accident, and thus, it is by trials that we are enabled to climb each rung of “Jacob’s” ladder. Therefore, for us Christians to expect only smooth sailing is a misnomer, for the gold of character is freshly minted in the fires of our life’s experiences and obedience is often developed, tested, and confirmed in the presence of opposing forces.

When Adam and Eve first fell into transgression, it was their distrust of God that led them to sin, and in our experiences the same thing often rings true, for it’s discovered that in very many cases our tendency to disbelieve God leads us into transgression. Thus, it is easy to obey God when things are going good, but when the clouds and rainy days come, when the storms of life unload on us, then it is manifested if we will really continue obey.

When things were going good for Job, obedience didn’t require much effort, for he was surrounded daily with blessings and prosperity. But when trials came, and he was tempted to curse God and die, he then had to make a deliberate choice to continue serving God. It is at times like these when a make or break moment often occurs, for God will strengthen but He never interferes with our freedom of choice.

When John was imprisoned in the dungeon he had to regroup and consider whether he would continue believing, and it was only when he decided to move forward with God that his faith is confirmed. Thus, the easygoing brand of Christianity that is subjective in nature, which only loves blessings but hates trials which develop character, often fizzles, and trembles on the brink when trials or temptations appear out of nowhere.

Some Christians balk at the idea of trials as if it were some strange thing that’s unique to our experience alone. But the Bible teaches us that God is deeply involved in the process, that has become necessary on account of sin, and therefore, because faith that isn’t tested cannot be trusted, every human being, including Jesus Christ, must pass through the fiery furnace, for faith and obedience to be made manifest. Let’s read:

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

2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Again, we behold Jesus as the cup of human woe trembles in His hand, in the garden of gethsemane. His own words at that time of trial reveal the severe internal struggles He experienced in His decision of whether or not to move forward with the salvation of man. Obedience at that time was never a breeze, as we also will find out, whenever tough choices to serve God need to be made. Let’s read:

Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.

Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

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

If Jesus is asking for prayer, we know things have to be pretty bad. Thus, whenever our turn may come, and we are faced with stark choices of whether or not continue obeying God, then it is that character is being confirmed, and if we do not renege on our obedience nor become impatient and frustrated at the process, we will become much stronger in faith, because when resilience is manifested in difficulty it produces conquerors.

Indeed, trial is not something we should eagerly look forward to, but we are all encouraged not to surrender our faith in God, whenever the going gets rough, because Christ knows what He is doing, and the rough edges, dross, wrinkles and all impurities in our character must needs be purged, if we are to be made mature representatives of The Highest. This is the work of character building that must take place in every true believer. Let’s read:

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Thus, it is that the experiences God permits us all to pass through, are the means whereby our faith is to be developed. The problem with many of us is that we often permit trials to break us instead of making us, for, like the easy-going Christians of our day, we like to hop on the deliverance band-wagon as soon as any storms arise, not considering that an ongoing work of character building is taking place.

Some of us don’t take the time to look at the larger picture to understand that Jesus died, not merely to forgive us, but to save us from our sins, and as such, the evil traits in our characters must be purged out. Some of us Christians may have very short tempers which flare up at the least provocation. With others, there is often manifested an argumentative spirit, that clamors to have the last word.

Others have a problem with snitching and gossiping by which several juicy tidbits of people’s personal business are dwelt upon with intense interest, while suppositions and forgone conclusions are added to the toxic mix. Then again, some of us like James and John, love to fight, and we cannot rest content until we get even with someone who has done us wrong.

Again, there is the character flaw of impatience, by which many Christians fall into the snare of making our own time-tables for God, and if for some reason His promises do not come through at a preset time of our own making, then we are ready to throw in the towel in the heat of the moment, and thereby make shipwreck of faith.

Therefore, circumstances that will test our patience, situations which would test our anger management, and conditions that would test our resolve to keep quiet when angry words fly left and center, would be permitted to come our way at different times in our experience.

But if by the grace of God, if by our free choice, and in cooperation with The Holy Spirit, we endeavor to keep moving forward with God, we will come forth victoriously at the end of the tunnel, after the trials of obedience are lifted. This takes us into the next segment of our Bible study: “They Will Kill Me”.

Abraham, whom God had called to be the father of the faithful, was living in Ur of the Chaldees. He was well established in the land of his forefathers, when lo and behold he receives a command to leave his hometown and country, to go to a place that he will be shown. This specific call did not come in the days of his youth when he would have time to regroup if things didn’t pan out.

It was given when he was seventy-five years of age, when most people would be concerned about their 401 k, their retirement, and medical bills. It is not an easy thing to entirely uproot from one’s base at the age of seventy-five let alone to go to a land in which there are hostile forces to righteousness. Therefore, in consequence of this major move, Abraham could have asked several pertinent and valid questions, if he was so disposed not to leave.

Will he have enough pasture for his flocks? Will he have a support system for himself and his family in a land of strangers, and would he be able to learn a foreign language at his age? Would he be permitted to return to bury any of the many other relatives he is going to leave behind? But in the face of all these logical questions, Abraham obeyed, and he left, not knowing whither he went. Let’s read:

Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families

of the earth be blessed.

4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

But not long after they left, evil forebodings began to appear, because the Canaanite was in the land. In just a short period of time a deadly famine began to overspread the land, to the point where Abraham was forced to relocate temporarily in Egypt, so as to spare his family and flocks the horrors of starvation.

Now, this is where it gets interesting, for the Bible explicitly states that God knows the end from the beginning, meaning, that in this instance, He knew in advance of the famine, He knew what decision Abraham would make in such a situation, and God also knew in advance, that Abraham would tell lies in order to protect himself from what he viewed as an existential threat from the Egyptians.

The question to be considered is “Why would God, in the full knowledge of the future, permit Abraham to go down to Egypt and lie. It is worthy of note that God in no way sanctions any type of falsehood, for He desires only truth in His servants. This particular situation did not take God by surprise, neither was it something He did not cater for, so the question is why would He permit this? Let’s read:

Genesis 12:9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

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

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

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

14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Thus, it was made manifest to Abraham something he may not have known about himself, but of which God was fully aware, and in order for him to see his need of victory over this character flaw, God would permit circumstances to accrue which will facilitate the discovery of the evil trait. To speak the truth in easy instances is quite different to speaking truth in a difficult, or life-threatening circumstance.

But in each and every circumstance we may come across, God desires that we deal truthfully, and not tell any lies, for we are to be representatives of His character. The conclusions people draw about God depend a whole lot on what they see in those who call themselves Christians, and that’s why He says “Ye are My witnesses”. A witness is not merely a spectator but is to be a living reflection of what he or she has seen and heard of God. Let’s read:

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto

all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Thus, there may be some latent tendencies, some evil propensities in us that might still lay dormant at the moment, but which at some time or another we must be made aware of. Some Christians would tell lies only when they are under tremendous pressure, while others often use it as a natural default mode. David used it, Saul used it, Peter used it, and many in high places currently use it on a daily basis.

Recently, a Christian woman, single, and with five young children was stopped at an intersection by a trooper at an intersection on her way to work, for in her haste to get to her job, she ran a red light. After examination the officer found that she was driving with an expired license and asked her if she was in the country illegally.

Now, the community where she lived is not one of those sanctuary cities across the land where “Catch and release” is practiced. If she was to be truthful in this desperate situation she would confirm what the officer had suspected, which in consequence could lead to her deportation, and possibly separation from her kids, since they were U.S citizens. What was she to do in this instance?

Should she trust God and obey His laws on speaking truthfully in every situation, or should she resort to plan “B”? Should she like Abraham conclude that they will “kill” me, meaning that if she were to tell the truth she would surely face dire consequences. It is worthy of note, that in Abraham’s case, it was his own premonition of evil, that caused him to tell lies.

In fact, nobody was going to kill, Abraham, for he had been given the promises of God’s protection when he left Ur of the Chaldees. Therefore, his own conclusions were based on premonition, not on the promises of God. Sometimes, in our experience, we too may succumb to premonitions, gut feelings, or a hunch.

We often allow intuition, inkling, or our sixth sense to drive us to do or say things, which under a more favorable circumstance, may never be said or done. But God does not desire that we should live by gut feeling or instinct; He has given us mighty promises which, if believed, embraced, and acted upon, will clear the way for us to deal and speak truthfully in every situation.

There are times when it can be quite difficult to obey God, but the consistent practice of doing right will culminate in sterling character building when we are confronted with precarious situations such as those described previously. Our choices, and our decisions, and the repetition of good deeds do form habits, and they in turn form character, and we will often find that God will permit several opportunities for us to grow.

Some of these circumstances may be easy-going, while others may put us at the crossroads, but all in all, they are designed to refine the work of building sterling character, in those who are thus exercised. It is not the will of God that Christians should be made the sport of circumstances, and we should try by His grace to do right the first, and every time, for the trial of faith can become increasingly difficult with every passing round.

Therefore, let the good work of character building continue, let us, instead of buckling under those circumstances that test us, rather look at the bigger picture, for we are not living for the present only, but for the future. In lieu of this fact we will end on a note that should encourage us to stay the course with God, because all things work together for good to them that love Him. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

God Bless!

The Rich man And Lazarus Parable Explained. Sabbath Afternoon 05/11/2019

First why did Jesus teach in parables?

1. Mat 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Jesus spoke in parables to conceal the truths of the spiritual meanings to which He shared to His disciples.

2. Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

3. Psa 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

• Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

To start Jesus describes this rich man garments to be clothed in purple. As most of us know purple is symbolic for royalty.

4. Joh 19:2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,

5. Joh 19:5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

6. Exo 28:39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

7. Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

The rich man garments were symbolic of royalty and the priesthood. Is it true that they fared sumptuously in this figurative statement?

8. Rom 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

So yes they fared sumptuously taking in all the spiritual blessings in which God set for them and around them. They were rich in blessings.

9. Isa 43:10 “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen:”

10. Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

The Jews who were to be His witnesses, a “royal priesthood” who feasted on His blessings eventually despised the surrounding nations.

11. Rom 11:9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

• Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

• Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

In opposition to the rich man we now have a beggar named Lazarus. We will again look to Paul’s writings to see how he describes where the gentiles were before Jesus would take it upon Himself to give His life for the world.

12. Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

The Gentiles were beggars desiring to be fed the crumbs (Bread of Life) from the rich man’s table. Now in addition we see it written that dogs came and licked his sores.

13. Mar 7:24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

As we can see the heathens (dogs) are a description of the unclean Gentile surrounding nations. Yet they desired the spiritual blessings (crumbs under the table) from the Lord.

G2976 Λάζαρος, Lazaros, lad'-zar-os

Probably of Hebrew origin [H499]; Lazarus (that is, Elazar), the name of two Israelites (one imaginary): - Lazarus.

H499

אלעזר 'el‛âzâr el-aw-zawr' From H410 and H5826; God (is) helper; Elazar, the name of seven Israelites: - Eleazar.

God is helper, God is my help, One who God helps, God has helped, He whom God helps.

14. Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

• Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Let’s notice the beggar/Lazarus dies and is carried to Abraham’s bosom, but the rich man dies, and is buried. There is no burial for Lazarus.

What does His Word say about receiving the promises?

15. Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

16. Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

So Noah, Abel, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph etc… All died but never received the promise. Also to conclude that when we die we go to Abrahams bosom is just senseless.

In ancient customs one would give honor to a guest who sits closest to the host.

17. Joh 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

One of the disciples here reclined on Jesus bosom, as a show of closeness.

18. Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 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. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

This explains how we are now favored to be carried symbolically to Abraham’s bosom. Not by being by his descendant, but by Faith just as Abraham believed in God.

19. Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

• Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Is this verse now saying that his place of torment (hell) and Abraham place of abode with Lazarus in his bosom is in close proximity?

Hell = G86 ᾅδης hadēs hah'-dace

From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.

Hades has a meaning of “unseen”. So in this allegory we can now also see how the rich man (Jewish nation) would fall away from the promise of God, and truly become Unseen by God.

20. Hosea 2:23 declares … “and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

This Parable as we see is about a role of reversal of two nations.

21. Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Why is the rich man unseen?

22. Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Now what about the meaning of “being in torments” in verse 23?

Torments =G931 βάσανος basanos bas'-an-os

Perhaps remotely from the same as G939 (through the notion of going to the bottom); a touch stone, that is, (by analogy) torture: - torment.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/touchstone

Touchstone =

1. A hard black stone, such as jasper or basalt, formerly used to test the quality of gold or silver by comparing the streak left on the stone by one of these metals with that of a standard alloy.

2. An excellent quality or example that is used to test the excellence or genuineness of others: "the qualities of courage and vision that are the touchstones of leadership" (Henry A. Kissinger).

1. a criterion or standard by which judgment is made

2. (Earth Sciences / Minerals) a hard dark siliceous stone, such as basalt or jasper, that is used to test the quality of gold and silver from the colour of the streak they produce on it

The testing and proving of punishment is by the rich man demise. The transfer of the position he lost has become his torture. He just didn’t compare to the standard of genuineness.

• Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Can a drop of water cool ones tongue in a flame of fire? Would not this drop be absorbed before it reaches his tongue? This literal thinking is flawed. Sadly here the rich man is in great distress and is calling upon his forefather Abraham for salvation. His lineage was sufficient for him and his cry of prayer was not to God.

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

24. Joh 8:33 “They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man”

It is understood that Jesus alone is to be exalted.

25. Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

26. Act 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

What is this word here “tormented” in verse 24? “for I am tormented in this flame”

I am tormented = G3600 ὀδυνάω / odunaō / od-oo-nah'-o From G3601; to grieve: - sorrow, torment.

• Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Abraham calls the rich man his son! He is identifying him as one of his descendants. He explains to the rich man how things have changed, and the roles have been reversed.

27. Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

28. Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

A. In 70 A.D. the Roman army led by the warrior Titus came against Jerusalem. This was that terrible prophesied siege which Jesus fore-warned His people in Matt 24:15-16

B. The Edict of Expulsion of 1290. This is where all Jews were expelled from England in the year 1290 by King Edward I. It took 350 years before it was formally overturned.

C. In 1288, the first mass burning of Jews on the stake took place in France

D. 1481 began the Spanish Inquisition in Spain. French-Portugal

E. The Holocaust of Nazi Germany under Hitler.

F. Today the Jews are still being persecuted by the Muslims in the Middle East.

29. Act 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

His blood has ever since been upon that generation of people.

• Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

This passage here Jesus is thus expressing that there is no turning back when probation has closed. While His grace is offered grasp the opportunity. What is that great gulf fixed spoken about here between him and Abraham in verse 26? Disobedience! The self-righteous character of the rich man caused him to be separated from God.

30. Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

What seperates us from God? What causes us to be unseen by God? Sin!

31. Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Jesus here is feeling the separation of the Father as he is dying of a broken heart. He is taking on the sins of the World. The very sins you and I commit every day. Sin separates you from God….Why is this rich man in this place with grief?

32. Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

The day we die our thoughts perish, there is no more reward. There will be two classes at the very end. One who faithfully serves God: His wheat into eternity, or those who serve the world. They will be the tares being prepared for a fiery destruction. You can’t repent from the grave.

Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

In accepting his fate the rich man prays again to Abraham calling him his father. Notice he really leans on Abraham because of his lineage. Also notice it was like he was saying his brothers weren’t fully given evidence.

• Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Now let’s look at the 5 brothers.

Judah the direct ancestors/descendants of the Jews, was the son of Jacob by Leah.

33. Gen 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

How many brothers did Judah have?

34. Gen 35:23 The sons of Leah; 1.Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and 2. Simeon, and 3. Levi, and Judah, and 4. Issachar, and 5. Zebulun:

His Word has shown you that the identity of the rich man is symbolically the Jewish nation. Notice also the rich man is saying that the lack of being warned is why he is there. “lest they also”.

• Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Abrahams reply to his cry is that yes they have been fully warned. Proper Light was poured to them (brothers), but they by choice became blind. Evidence of truth was given, but they refused to listen, and became deaf in hearing.

35. Joh 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 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?

In Jesus earthly ministry we can see the blindness of the Pharisees and the Jewish leaders, as Moses did write about Him in (Deu. 18:15, 18).

36. Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

• Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

In their blindness this very statement showed to be true as Jesus last miracle to them was the raising of Lazarus of Bethany. Four days later after Lazarus was dead Jesus raised Lazarus, but just like pharaoh of the Old Testament they harden their hearts, and refused the Light of evidence.

37. Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Not only refused Him, but they sought to kill Him. (John 12;9-11)

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

39. Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

40. Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

It kind of reminds me that probation comes abruptly to those who seek self.

41. Luk 11:44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

• Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The law and the prophets is what God appointed for them for salvation. The parable concludes with this saying…As they did not listen to Moses and the prophets, why would they believe the witness of one that rose from the dead? The raising of Lazarus could not persuade them, or the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

42. 1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

43. 2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

There is no sin in being rich. Sin is developed when you forget God.

44. Mat 25:41 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:

Mat 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Mat 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

God Bless!