Crunch Time Prophecies. Part [2] Sabbath Afternoon 03/21/2020

There are promises made in the Bible that point us to God’s miraculous care, provisions, and protection during the crunch times ahead. And these promises should be believed, embraced and expected for God can always be trusted to fulfill His word. In particular, the following passages in Isaiah would be pertinent to that time when all earthly supports will be cut off from the remnant people of God. The mark of the beast will have engulfed the earth, and the faithful who remain after the dust has settled, would be living by faith alone. 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.

But before we delve into our study there are a few things we must understand about God, and the way He works in behalf of His people. God’s miraculous power must never to be requested to do that which we can do for ourselves. God does not work unnecessary miracles, for what ever He does, there must be a good valid reason for doing so. God provides food for the sparrows, but those birds better get themselves out of their nests, and search diligently for the food He has provided or else, themselves and their young ones will starve.

God provides food and grain for man, but he better not sit down at home during the day, playing video games and surfing the internet, expecting Amazon to ring his doorbell with Jeff Bezos’ groceries. Like the sparrow, man must work for his daily bread by the sweat of his brow, just like everyone else. When it came time to feed the five thousand, the lunch of a little boy was summoned and the blessing of Christ made it multiply. Jesus, who is the Creator of everything, could have called millions of peanut butter sandwiches out of thin air, but He does not do this when there are resources readily available.

The current practice of some contemporary pastors and televangelists, of offering unconditional healing to persons who make no effort to help themselves, or turn from soul destroying habits, is a diabolically opposite method to the way in which God operates, for throughout the Bible, cooperation between God and man in all things is to be clearly seen. The crippled man, who was carried by his friends to Christ first ended up on the roof of the house where Christ was teaching.

Then he encouraged his friends as they removed the tiles, and dismantled the roof, digging a big gaping hole in the home-owner’s roof, so that he could be let down. The woman with the issue of blood had become very weak, on account of the amount of blood she had lost over the years, and beyond the shadow of a doubt, the reserves of iron in her body had been severely depleted. Yet she struggled on through that throng of people, being pushed this way and that until she was barely able to touch the hem of Christ’s garment.

Then, in response to her faith and earnest efforts, Jesus did what she could never do for herself, and the rest is history. Faith without works is dead, and therefore, it would be futile for us to study the Interim Period, without first understanding some fundamentals about the way in which God manifests Himself to help us. In the seven years of plenty, God expected Joseph, and all the Egyptians to make well-directed efforts to try to provide for the crunch time that was on its way.

God provided the sunshine, and rain, and food in abundance, but the human agent would have to harvest and store the temporal blessings supplied. Thus, Joseph built numerous cities, and warehouses to store food for 14 years until the Bible says he had to stop counting. Extreme efforts on the part of the human agent are required, and then we are to trust God to take up the slack, all the while, praying, and hoping, and working, and believing all things.

Now, without the luxuries of refrigeration, and air conditioning, it must have been a serious challenge to preserve those vast supplies of food and grain for such a long period of time, without them spoiling, and thus he trusted to the miraculous power of God to take up the slack, after he had done his very best. The promises of God are sure to those who believe and who act upon their belief. But for us to sit down on our lees, claiming Christ’s promises, and looking for miracles without any effort on our part will lead to very great disappointment.

In everything that pertains to the sustenance, and well-being of man, both in spiritual and in temporal matters, cooperation with God is an absolute must. Any doctrine or teaching to the contrary constitutes a very serious delusion. Overcoming sin will require a desperate struggle on our part, if we would be victorious. That is why the Bible tells us to fight the good fight of faith and Paul exhorts us to mortify the deeds of the body through the power of the Holy Spirit, and James tells us to resist the devil, because there will be no “fleeing” without resisting.

That which we have no power to do, like providing sunshine and rain, and power to overcome God will supply, but anything, and everything else we could do for ourselves must be done to the maximum. We should never ever forget this. God fought for Gideon and his men, but they had to fight long, and hard, as if the victory depended on them alone. In fact, they came close to fainting with hunger, yet they pressed on, trusting in Christ, and cooperating with Him. Let’s read:

Judges 6:11 And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely, I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Judges 8:4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

[LT pp 117] The Lord wants us to do our work that He has given us to do with energy and perseverance as if success depended wholly on our efforts, and to look to God, and trust in Him, as the One who could make the work a success by His power working with our efforts.

principle will lead folks to exhaust all available supplies, and resources, before expecting Christ’s miraculous intervention. The current practice some have of claiming promises when there are resources and opportunities available at our fingertips is quite contrary to the way in which God works. Therefore, let us with a humble mind and teachable spirit trace the movements of God, as He provided for His people as they headed to the earthly Canaan for those experiences are to be carefully studied as we prepare for the heavenly Canaan. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month; 2 And there was no water for the congregation, and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people chided with Moses, and spoke saying; 5 Wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed or of figs or of vines or pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

Water is an absolute necessity, especially so, in the desert where one’s need of fluid is expected to go up exponentially. God knows this more than we do, for He made us and therefore, the question is: Why would the miraculous stream that had supplied the Hebrews previously, suddenly cease to flow? The water ceased to flow, because there was other water that could have been accessed and therefore, the miraculous water God had always supplied, now became unnecessary. Wherever there are available resources, and opportunities, God’s supernatural power is not to be solicited or expected. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 2: 2 And the Lord spoke unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. 4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore. 6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. 7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.

Again, when the Hebrews were just about to enter Canaan, the manner ceased to fall, and the stream of miraculous water ceased to flow, because they were entering the land of milk and honey, where there would be food and drink in abundance, and therefore, unnecessary miracles ought not to be expected. Let’s read:

Joshua 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. 11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Now that we have understood this important fact of exhausting available resources, so that unnecessary miracles are not expected, we will now turn to our study of the interim period, that time which elapses between the institution of the mark of the beast, and when all earthly support will finally be cut off from God’s remnant people. Of that cut-off time, the Bible specifically states that food and water will be provided for the faithful, so that there will be no need to worry. In other words, when the faithful can no longer buy or sell, God will step in to take up the slack. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. 17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

But, before such miracles take place, the remnant would have learned by experience that God would only step in to take up the slack when it’s absolutely necessary to do so, and therefore He has sent to us instructions on how we ought to prepare for that interim period. Let’s read:

[L.D.E pp 99>100] The physical surroundings in the cities are often a peril to health. The constant liability to contact with disease, the prevalence of foul air, impure water, impure food, the crowded, dark, unhealthful dwellings, are some of the many evils to be met.

Raise Your Own Provisions

The Lord desires His people to move into the country, where they can settle on the land, and raise their own fruit and vegetables, and where their children can be brought in direct contact with the works of God in nature. Again and again the Lord has instructed that our people are to take their families away from the cities, into the country, where they can raise their own provisions, for in the future the problem of buying and selling will be a very serious one.

We should now begin to heed the instruction given to us over and over again. Get out of the cities into rural districts, where the houses are not crowded closely together, and where you will be free from the interference of enemies.

Now, there are other statements written by the pen of inspiration, which may seem, on the surface to contradict the statements we just read. But when studied closely, they would appear to be in perfect harmony because they were written under the inspiration of The Holy Ghost, Who never makes a mistake. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 56] The Lord has shown me repeatedly that it is contrary to the Bible to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble. I saw that if the saints had food laid up by them or in the field in the time of trouble, when sword, famine, and pestilence are in the land, it would be taken from them by violent hands and strangers would reap their fields. Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God, and He will sustain us. I saw that our bread and water will be sure at that time, and that we shall not lack or suffer hunger; for God is able to spread a table for us in the wilderness.

So, let’s understand the two statements, instructing us as to what course of action to pursue, when the time comes. The mark of the beast which will deny all commercial activity to those who refuse the false form of worship, will not begin at its most stringent level, for this is not how satan works. There are different stages to temptations, and thus, in the implementation of the national Sunday law, the use of force will be the last resort, after bribes entreaties, promises of promotion, offers to wipe out personal debt, and peer pressure have failed. Let’s read:

[G.C. pp 607] Some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith.

When Balak wanted Balaam to bow to his demands, he first used briberies of silver and gold, promotions to great honor, and social pressure by sending more high-ranking government officials. When these had failed, then he threatened Balaam’s own life; that’s because satan never employs force upfront when bringing temptations. He much more prefers that individuals and nations bow by their own choice, but if they choose not to, then he has no problem whatsoever of employing the use of force.

That’s why in times past during the dark ages, Christians were first asked to recant their faith and if they refused, then the burning stake was employed. The three Hebrew worthies were not at first cast into the burning fiery furnace. They were first given more than one opportunity to bow, but after they steadfastly refused, then the use of force was the next and last step. Again, we reiterate this fact, that the devil hardly ever uses force at the outset. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

Numbers 24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honor; but, lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honor.

Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

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. 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.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

When Joseph was being tempted by Potiphar’s wife satan did not move upon her, up-front, to grab him in a choke-hold. The devil first employed entreaties, enticements, nagging and solicitations to wear poor Joseph down. But when these failed to deliver the desired result, the use of force was at last resorted to, and the wife of Potiphar used “kung fu” to force Joseph’s hands. Let’s read:

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

10 And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Therefore, that interim period we keep referring to is very similar to the period of time which elapsed between the solicitations by Potiphar’s wife and the time she resorted to use force. The implementation of the mark of the beast will begin quite mildly and will be touted as being absolutely necessary for the greater good of humanity. This will take place for a while, while the screws are being gradually tightened down, and then stringent measures against all dissenters would be gradually increased, until it ripens into the use of brute force, which is referred to in Revelation. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

During this time, between its initial implementation and the use of force, the faithful will have to live off of the produce they have grown in obedience to the instructions given. Then as the heat of the furnace is turned up several notches, resulting in the use of force, God will step in to provide miraculously for His people. Currently, there are long lines at various stores, and once filled grocery shelves have become quite bare. Then there are some essential products that have become quite scarce, and others are not so readily available.

While it is not necessary to horde, yet if we see that there are problems looming on the horizon, and if we see the wolf coming, it will be contrary to faith and good common sense, for us to sit back on our lees, claiming God’s promises, while not making any effort to mitigate the situation. Remember that cooperation with God in all things is a scriptural teaching, and thus, wherever we could make an effort to provide for ourselves, we should do so.

The widowed woman of Elijah’s day was out and about, gathering sticks so she could make bread for herself and her household as the famine put the nation of Israel in an iron grip. Claiming God’s promises is good, and always to be encouraged, and praying without ceasing is highly recommended. But, without well-directed effort on the part of those who claim to believe, we would be exchanging reality for fantasy because faith without works is dead.

In preparing for the interim period, let us always remember that practice makes perfect, meaning that our cooperation with God in both spiritual and temporal matters is a must. We therefore close with a passage of scripture which encourages us to act with wisdom and discretion. Let’s read:

Proverbs 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.

God Bless!

Crunch-Time Prophecies. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 03/14/2020

For many years God has been giving us practical and down to earth instructions pertaining to godly living and how we may live in readiness for Christ’s return to this earth. He has sent us His prophets to warn us of things to come and to instruct us on how we may exercise wisdom and prudence based on knowledge of future events.

The wealth of information given to us throughout the Bible, and also through God’s end-time prophet will come in very handy, and useful as we enter the un-chartered waters referred to by Daniel, and the other prophets. When God sees fit to disseminate information to His believing children, He expects us to take note and act accordingly.

The phrase “Crunch Time” refers to those adverse situations that are permitted to cause individuals and nations to do serious soul-searching on account of violations indulged, such as took place in the days of Joshua when Achan’s actions brought the nation of Israel to its knees literally. At that time, it was discovered that one man and his family were responsible for the terrible losses which were incurred, and the collateral damage which was done to the morale of the people.

Thus, as we study part 1 of Crunch Time Prophecies, it is important for us to believe God’s word, and to act accordingly. Faith without works is dead and because of this, the information given out this afternoon is intended to make us aware that there are root causes, and also corresponding effects for things that are happening, and that are predicted to happen across the world.

The Bible teaches us that the curse causeless shall not come, and thus, before we fall into the snare of questioning God’s love for the human family, let us review some of the prophecies that are given in the Bible, and some of the reasons behind those cryptic predictions. We will highlight, and them explain as we go along.

[1] Before all is said and done and before the current dust settles, some persons will have to eat a whole lot of grass, just like Nebuchadnezzar, because, as the Bible teaches us, pride goes before a fall, and a haughty spirit before comes destruction.

For purposes of this Bible study “Grass” will refer to those humbling experiences God brings at times, on the human agent when we deliberately lose sight of our dependence on Him. Throughout human history, the general tendency when God exalts a person to a high position, is that we become puffed up, and we come to think that we do not need God’s advice, nor His instructions and counsels anymore.

Thus, it was with Solomon, thus it was with David, with Saul, and with so many other Bible characters whose egos and pride became inflated to the point where they forgot that God rules in the kingdom of men. David and Solomon were humbled tremendously in the eyes of their subjects, after their pride led them to disregard God’s laws, instructions, and warnings. In Nebuchadnezzar’s case a strict regimen of grass, and herbs was instituted, so that he would never forget that God rules as sole Sovereign. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. Belteshazzar answered and said; 20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation.

22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. 23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; 24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most-High,

25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.

Nebuchadnezzar had a serious “I” problem, for he came to think that he alone was the most important person in the world, because Babylon was the world leader of all nations back then, being represented as the golden kingdom of the image in Daniel 2. But whenever, and wherever pride is fostered and indulged, when God sends us warnings, reminding us to be humble, and whenever the human agent loses sight of his dependence on God, he would be made to eat grass, a whole lot of grass!

This crunch time prophecy, given and fulfilled to the king of Babylon was well-intended to be a beacon of warning to every world leader that is brought upon the stage of action through the providence of God, whether they be secular or spiritual. One does not have to be a Christian, in order to come under the direct jurisdiction of God.

Kings and princes, prime ministers and presidents, queens, judges, senators and lords of all stripes are to understand that they serve at God’s discretion, and as such, a humble dependence on Him is the best and safest course to pursue, for according to the apostle James, they will run into stiff resistance from God when they become puffed up. Let’s read:

James 4:6 Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 1st Peter 5: 5 Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Poor Nebuchadnezzar lost sight of the fact that it is God who sets up kings and leaders in the temporal realm, and therefore, God had to humble him into remembering that he reigned by God’s discretion alone. Whatever we do or accomplish in this life is done by the mercy and power of God, a fact that secular and religious leaders alike must never lose sight of, and which ought to be sacredly enshrined in the hearts of all those who are called to serve.

God, as His custom is, gave the king of Babylon time to repent, time to reform and change course, but as usual, God’s mercy was taken for granted, and was misinterpreted as weakness, just as it is today. Thus, after one year of grace the “crunch-time” prophecy was fulfilled, just as Nebuchadnezzar the king was in the midst of his boasting. Let’s read:

Daniel 4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the of my majesty? 31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

The same sin of pride is what the Bible pinpoints as the foremost reason for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, because wherever pride is indulged, it will result in the downfall of persons and nations. The letter “i” stands at the center of the word pride and it’s at the center of the name lucifer for pride is a derivative of lucifer, whose indulgence of pride caused him to be expelled from heaven. Let’s read:

Isaiah 14: 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most-High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

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.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

[2] The reason why everything in the world seems to be peaking and bursting at the seams is because the earth is approaching its climax, which will usher in the reign of The Lord Jesus Christ.

The earth is not millions of years old, as is currently taught in secular schools of learning, for according to scripture, and the information given to us by God through His servant, it is approaching the 6000-year threshold. Hence the reason why things seem to be spinning out of control on multiple fronts.

Throughout the Bible, repeated over and over again is the principle of 6+1, beginning with creation, week and on through those instructions given in the Pentateuch. Follow closely the information below, for the interpretation is correct, and isn’t private by any means. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 2:1 Thus, the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Exodus 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

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.

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

Leviticus 25:3 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. 5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

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.

20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia. 21 To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate, she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Leviticus 26:34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. 35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

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.

Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. 27 For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

Those last words of the previous verse are critically important, for they specifically say that a full end of the world would not be made during the time of the sabbatical rest which Jeremiah was shown in vision. This needs further explanation and for that we must turn to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

[The Great Controversy pp 659>660] 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.

Even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of Satan; and alone with his evil angels he remains to realize the effect of the curse which sin has brought. 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.

[3] Occurrences in the natural world, weather related events, and the distress of nations, with no resolve in sight, all portend the soon return of Christ. These events were particularly outlined in those crunch-time prophecies which point to that period of time, just prior to Christ’s return. They are being fulfilled even as we speak, and will continue to be fulfilled even if persons refuse to believe. Let’s read:

Luke 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

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

[4] The current Corona virus which has single-handedly shaken up the sporting industry, stalled production lines, and which has rattled the stock market, is just the tip of the iceberg.

According to the scriptures, there are new diseases, viruses, pestilences, and plagues which will soon be coming upon the face of the earth, with increasing intensity, severity, and frequency, just as the birth pangs of pregnancy increase in severity, those labor pains which herald a woman’s delivery.

Some of the “pestilences” referred to in Matthew, and Luke are diseases, viruses, and deadly bacteria that are being experimented with in those secret laboratories of nature; not only by human beings, as some conspiracy theories might suggest, but more directly by fallen angels. These are then introduced to the human family via disobedience to God’s laws. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 590] 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.

[5] The promises given to us in Psalms ninety one were specifically intended for the last days, when these pestilences are scheduled to proliferate. Thus, it is extremely important for those who know better, to be walking in obedience to all God’s laws and instructions on health, and all other matters, for the promises are made to the obedient. 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.

This one, and other prophecies which foretell God’s protection over His people during these troublous times, were written with the understanding that it is imperative for us to live up to all the knowledge, and truth shed upon our pathway. God has given to us gold diamonds and pearls in the form of the health message, and it’s now up to us to make adjustments and reforms where necessary for as we have been stated many times before, God is much more practical and down to earth in all of His instructions to us, than many Christians realize.

Let us take for example the following prophecy that is written for the remnant people of God, who will be living upon the earth when the promises of His protection would be fully materialized. Observe the word “Protect” in the context of what is being said. Let’s read:

[Councils on Health pp 434] When the third angel's message is received in its fullness health reform will be given its place in the councils of the conference, in the work of the church, in the home, at the table, and in all the household arrangements. Then the right arm will serve and protect the body. Currently, it is advised that we wash our hands with soap and water often, that we do social distancing, and there are restrictions on large gatherings, which will ultimately include religious meetings.

All of this is well and good and represents cooperation on our part to try to mitigate the spread of the virus. But we have to let you know, that with all of our good efforts, it is ultimately the mercy of God that will cover and protect us in these last days, for the promises were given to assure us of His presence when things begin to go downhill.

Therefore, as we close off this first installment of crunch time prophecies, it is fitting that we end with some of the passages which foretell of God’s care, and protection during perilous times. Obedience to all of His revealed will is necessary because He does not bless or sanction willful disobedience.

It’s not all bad news, but it is very important for all who are willing, to have a meaningful relationship with Christ, so that when the angels see the blood on our doorposts, they will be pleased to pass over, just as in the days when God’s people were soon to be delivered from pharaoh. The rest of Psalms 91 should be carefully studied and contemplated, for it represents, in a nutshell, the adverse events that are to be unfolded, and the counter measures God will put in place, over and about every sincere believer. Let’s read:

Psalms 91:2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most-High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

God bless!

How To Raise Godly Children. Part [1] Sabbath Afternoon 03/07/2020

Raising godly children in 2020 presents far greater challenges than in former years, because although the instructions in the Bible have not changed, yet, in our day, children have more ready access to evil, which is literally at their fingertips, and parents now have to be doubly vigilant and proactive in an effort to raise them according to Biblical standards.

Also, there are certain laws of the land which have hamstrung the sincere efforts of parents, and when juxtaposed with the teachings of evolution, and the alternative lifestyles which have become mandatory in some school districts, we have a toxic mix on our hands which often counteracts the sacred teachings and principles of the Bible on these matters.

Thus, those who try to raise their children in this day and age, will have very severe challenges, and conflicts to deal with, and they will have to spend a whole lot of time on their knees, not only praying to God for guidance and direction, but also, that the forces of evil that have been put in motion, will not confuse the tender consciences of the young and restless.

Nothing is worse than growing up without a sense of right and wrong, and the current tendency to put evil for good and light for darkness is taking a toll on the moral compass of our children, so that what we understood as being wrong and inappropriate in the years gone by, has now become fashionable.

Not long ago it was unthinkable that an openly gay person could run for president of the United states, but it is now evident that this mode of thought, and feeling is being viewed as ludicrous in many circles, to the point where economic boycott together with accusations of hate will be hurled at those who dare to stand up for truth.

Therefore, it’s against these potent forces that have been put in motion, it is against these headwinds of change, that parents in our day are tasked with the challenge of raising godly children to be useful men and women of society, candidates for heaven, and moral lights in our world. It will not be an easy task for parents by any stretch of the imagination, but the grace of God is given to every parent who sees their need and asks for help.

Great care and planning must take place in deciding to have children in this day and age and even before they are born the work of raising them begins. The habits, and diet of the mother will affect the unborn child either for better or worse, so it would be much more preferable to get a head start even before and during pregnancy.

We are what we eat, and therefore, whatsoever the mother puts into her stomach would ultimately be transferred to the unborn child. The umbilical cord is mainly a means of transfer, not merely a filtering system, so that if booze, coffee, drugs and feverish foods are ingested by the mother, the baby will be adversely affected.  

On the contrary if the mother monitors closely what she eats and drinks during pregnancy, making sure to eat only wholesome foods wherever possible, it will go a long way in making good blood in the baby. This fact is not only scientific in nature, it is a biblical teaching. Let’s read:

 Judges 13: 2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

3 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the  woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. 5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

 Manoah and his wife were apparently faithful in the discharge of duty as it pertains to diet and food and from the Biblical record, they seemed to have given Samson godly instruction that would serve to help him later on in life, when he would get into trouble.

But the friends Samson was permitted to associate with early on in life, exerted a telling influence, later on in his experience, and this affiliation molded his choices, preferences and tastes. In other words, the efforts made by godly parents will be counteracted by the influence of ungodly friends, in most cases.

The natural tendency of our fallen nature is to track in a downward trajectory and thus, it seems harder to swim upstream with god-fearing friends, who will encourage right-doing, than downstream where the popular majority converge, and where anything and everything goes.

We are all social beings, and influence has a ripple effect, especially on the minds of children who are generally inexperienced in discerning between right and wrong. Evil habits and vices are often suggested and shared amongst peers, and with some children the effects can be long lasting and devastating.

Many a problem, or bad habit, that is manifested in some adults can be traced right back to the friends they were permitted to have when young. At times, some may recover, but in other instances the habits thus derived and indulged can become very difficult to shake.

Parents are thus under the most sacred obligation, to closely monitor the associations of their children. It is too often the case that the young, and restless are left to make their own choices, but this should never be the case. Until the children reach the age of personal accountability, the onus rests squarely on the shoulders of parents.

Thus, there are many pitfalls, and errors in training that are to be avoided at all costs, if parents want to raise godly children for Christ’s kingdom. And it will be well worth the time and effort, if parents would carefully consider the following instructions, given in God’s word and also gleaned through experience.

[1] Pray without ceasing.

Parents who know better, should never attempt to raise their children without seeking God for Divine help, guidance, and direction from the Bible, and through the ongoing efforts of The Holy Ghost, for wherever this is attempted without Christ, serious errors will be made, one way or the next.

The Bible teaches us that children are an heritage of The Lord, and since they are His, both by creation and redemption, it is only fitting that parents pray without ceasing for their children, so that the forces of evil that are already arrayed against their young souls could be neutralized, at least to some degree.

This is what the faithful in times past did, and the results are before our faces so that we may follow where God led them in days of yore. Job prayed, and Abraham prayed, and the parents of the three Hebrew boys prayed, so that their children would do the right thing, even in difficult circumstances. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

 Job 1: 1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Mark 10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

[2] Beware of temper tantrums.

When children throw a temper tantrum, to try to force the hands of parents on some wrong desire they may have, the parents should never ever give in, to the demands thus made. Love must always be balanced with firmness for this is where many make serious mistakes in the training of children.

We reiterate again, kindness must be balanced with firmness on the part of both parents. Children must not be led to regard one parent as a savior, and the other as the devil. Both parents ought to present a united front, so that whatsoever good the mother says concerning training, the father will say too.

Jesus Christ is presented in the Bible not only as The Savior, but also as a Judge, meaning that He is kind, and very merciful but He also carries a big stick. The tendency to succumb to every demand or desire of the children without reference to their eternal well- being is described as hate, and not love in the Bible. Let’s read:

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

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

Proverbs 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction.

12 For whom the Lord loveth he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Worst yet, at such times when a child may throw a temper tantrum, one parent should never appear to sympathize with the child, while the other remains firm, because children are quick to discern cracks in the united front all godly parents should maintain. And when those cracks begin to appear the children will most likely press their cases, all the more, until their clamors are granted.

In other words, parents should never be bullied into subservience through a multitude of tears or screaming. Let the child know that such demonstrations will be entirely fruitless in producing results.

If there is a disagreement between parents on how any problem pertaining to training is to be handled, such disagreements should never surface in front of the children for this will inevitably weaken the force of instructions when given. In other words, parents may disagree all they like in private but never in the presence of their children.

 [3] Beware of comfort foods.

Be very careful in handing out comfort foods, where in order to stop children from crying, they are given sweets, candies, and other articles of food, for they would grow up with the habit of resorting to eating whenever they are depressed, or, are being faced with difficulties and challenges.

Sweets often produce sugar highs, and sugary highs produce peevishness, and therefore, in many cases the crying will only be exacerbated after the high is gone. When children cry, they are almost always asking for attention for some issue they are having, and therefore pacifiers and comfort foods will treat only the symptoms, not the cause.

Foods and drinks will play a critical role in whether the child will be strong or weak, whether they will have a good constitution, or whether they will be subject to every disease and virus that comes their way. Thus, food should never be offered as a means of pacifying the child.

[4] Love must be manifested in word and deed.

The saying, monkey see monkey do is true, because whatever characteristics the children view as being actively manifested in their parents, would in most cases be reproduced in their own lives. Love begets love, and it is of critical importance, that whether in times of celebration or discipline, the children know that they are loved by their parents.

This one characteristic will make all the difference and would make it much easier for the children to open up to parents about difficulties and problems they are dealing with. Training of children isn’t only about don’ts, it also about do’s, and therefore love must be reinforced as a pillar in training.

Kindly words, and deeds in friendly tones, physical interaction with children, and compliments where warranted, go a long way in encouraging them to do right. Rigid discipline without love often offsets the good that can be done otherwise and therefore, the springboard of all our actions, as parents, should be love.

Especially should the children see genuine love and concern being manifested in both parents towards each other, for this will increase a sense of security, and would most likely be reproduced in their own experiences, later on in life.

[5] Beware of social media.

This last one is huge, because very many children nowadays, know how to google before they can even say their abc’s. The internet can be used for much good, but just like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, bad things are often interwoven with the good.

The five senses are the avenues to the soul, and all parents should be aware that deep and permanent impressions will be made on the minds of children when they spend hours and hours surfing without any supervision.

By so doing, seeds of pornography and other vices are driven home to the mind and would ultimately spring up and bear fruit accordingly. And since by beholding we become changed, parents are to be cognizant of what their children may be seeing and hearing and doing on social media.

Personal information should never be given out, if it is not warranted, and the practice of sexting should be strictly forbidden, because there are now virtual stalkers who are constantly on the lookout for the weak and vulnerable. Parents should also be aware that there are also virtual bullies, who often try to shame or pressure the child into submission.

Therefore, we say again, in the most solemn and grave manner possible, “Beware of social media”.

Even though the child may clamor for access, even though their peers may be allowed to surf without restraint by parents who may not know better, and even if tremendous pressure is brought against the parents to yield to the child’s demands, let godly wisdom and discretion rule the day.

It’s better to save than to surf, and if parents know that the horses will be let out of the barn when the unrestrained use of the internet is permitted, then let them be firm and kind in putting any necessary backstops or restrictions in place, because parent’s accountability to God is not changed by google.

In closing off this segment, we will like to encourage all would-be, and current parents of children to be resolute, to have a plan, and to be consistent and firm in the training of your children, for they are the leaders of tomorrow and if we do our part faithfully, trusting in the mercies of God, He will cooperate with our efforts to produce the desired results.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that we would do well to keep in mind, as we face the enormous challenges of raising godly children. Let’s read:

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

                                   God Bless!

Diseases, Causes, and Cures. Sabbath Afternoon 02/29/2020

One day it will be discovered that every instruction, and law God has given to the human family is given with our best good in mind, for God lays no burden, or prohibition on us that is not well-intended. When we read of diseases, their causes, and their cures in the Bible, and in secular history, it reminds us of our sacred duty to find out what the scriptures have to say on the matter.

Some have erroneously concluded that dietary laws, as well as the ten commandments given in the Bible are a restriction on our liberties, when in fact, they were given to protect our liberty, longevity, and our health. Thus, our freedom of choice is not a license to depart from God’s laws, because, being a free moral agent comes with great responsibilities, and serious choices with consequences.

There are laws of cause and effect, laws of sowing and reaping which in many cases are allowed to run their natural course. God’s grace and mercies to the human family are not given to reverse the effects of a willful disregard of either physical or spiritual law, for if He were to constantly deliver us from a wrong course of action His instructions would be rendered useless.

Therefore, in times of grave national crisis, in times of personal danger from diseases, viruses and every other form affliction, God desires that we take time to reason soberly from cause to effect to find out if there are any contributing factors on our part and if there are any, repentance, and a permanent change of course will be required.

As a general rule of thumb, diseases are the result of violations of God’s instructions, and then there are spin-offs or ripple effects that often impact the innocent, and future generations. True cures, on the other hand, will involve a return to godly principles where applicable, with God’s mercies being applied at His discretion. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. 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.

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

Another cause of diseases occurs in the invisible world, where fallen angels are actively engaged in experimenting with the secrets of nature, and then, the human family is engaged through disobedience. The Corona virus is directly linked to a violation of dietary law, as is the Ebola virus, which has not yet been eradicated entirely.

Therefore, even though our current understanding of science may not acknowledge these facts, yet we will one day have cause to consider what the Bible states on this matter, because the frequency, and intensity of the occurrence of diseases, and viruses will finally cause scientific cures to fail, and if folks were to continue disregarding God’s instructions on these matters, dire consequences will be inevitable.

The Bible explicitly states that when satan was given permission he brought disease upon Job, thus giving us unmistakable evidence that devils have ability to wreak havoc through disease when permitted. This fact is often disputed by science, but God’s word is the truth. Let’s read:

Job 2:7 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.

But throughout the history of the world, the mercy of God has shielded the human family from the dire consequences of our choices and actions, to a large extent. This fact is not generally acknowledged by the secular world, and therefore, God is calling our attention to things in His word that have been too long despised. Thus, as we get closer to Christ’s second coming the word of God states that the protecting angels which stand on the four corners of the earth will cease the work of continual protection, this in response to the stubborn resistance of man. 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.

[The Great Controversy. pp 589>590] Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. He will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. 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.

The Biblical instruction on addressing the problem is not merely to find vaccines or drugs, but a change in our actions that will facilitate God’s intervention, if He so chooses. In many instances, our health-care systems work on the periphery, dealing mainly with symptoms, and not addressing the root cause. God’s way of dealing with diseases and viruses is to go to the source because prevention will always be better than cure.

It is quite preferable not to have the Corona virus, than to be cured from it. That is why, God has given specific instructions in His word, so that His miraculous power would not have to be engaged unnecessarily, because of presumption on our part. The following therefore are some of the dietary laws given in the scriptures, to help us avoid most of the afflictions we now suffer from, which almost run the entire gamut, with few exceptions, ranging from cancers, diabetes, sudden cardiac arrest, and blood disorders, compromised immune systems, viruses, and a host of other diseases and afflictions.

In particular, God has instructed the human family not to eat blood, in any way shape or form, for it is a known fact that doing so compromises health to a great extent. Then there are forbidden foods which must never be ingested, for if we do so, the laws of cause and effect will produce diseases that will take out millions of people.

Therefore, as we study from His word, the laws and instructions pertaining to healthful living, let us try to cultivate a humble and teachable spirit, so that His mercies may shield us in times of peril. In some instances changes will have to be made on our part, but if that be the case, it will be for our best good. Let’s read:

Leviticus 7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Wet markets are places where the blood of animals often comes in direct contact with human beings, for when a person purchases a live animal for his or her consumption, it is often slaughtered on site, in the presence of the purchaser. At such markets one can purchase almost anything, including rats, frogs, snakes, snails, civets, and a host of other forbidden creatures which should never be ingested. The Corona virus jumped from animals to humans at one such market, and the dire results are what we are seeing today.

Most people would never have imagined that the eating of forbidden foods could be the cause a stock market collapse or the shutting down of major businesses and schools worldwide. Disney theme parks have been deserted, highways are virtually empty, car parts are becoming scarce, face masks are scarcely to be found, lay-offs are coming, and the world now stands on the brink of a pandemic as well as a possible recession all because of eating forbidden foods.

In fact, Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross as a result of eating forbidden foods. Think about it! That’s why we have said again and again on this forum, that it began with food and it will end with food. The fall of man began by eating of forbidden foods, and earth’s final crisis will also involve food. Those who obey God will be fed by God, and those who obey man will be fed by man. Its that simple!

However, there are other dietary laws that must be brought to light, so that all would have opportunity to make changes where necessary. God is practical, and very down to earth in His instructions, and if we be willing and obedient, He will cooperate with our efforts to do the right thing. Let’s read:

Leviticus 3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

Leviticus 7:24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. (Under no circumstances) 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Many have mistakenly taken the phrase, “Cut off from his people” to mean something that God does to such individuals. But it has been discovered that the words “Cut off” refer primarily to the laws of cause and effect, whereby a disregard of God’s instructions is permitted to run its natural course. If folks were to drink a deadly poison they would die and if persons were to jump off of a cliff they should expect to have a lot of broken bones, or even death.

God does not have to “do” anything in particular for such a person to reap the consequences of their actions. That’s why the laws given to us in the Bible, are not arbitrary prohibitions or counsels, but were given so that we would not be subjected to unnecessary trial and tribulation. Certain animals and insects, certain birds and fish, together with shrimp, oysters, crabs, lobsters, and every other crustacean, should never be ingested, for they will do their dirty work in the human body.

And what is worse than eating them is eating them raw, for the dirty work is increased a hundredfold. Uncooked meat in any form, rare steaks, and sushi, which are considered delicacies, will in fact take us further than we are willing to go, and would cost us more than we are willing to pay. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.

We now turn to an example of disease, cause, and cure as demonstrated live in the scriptures. A man has been disabled for a number of years, and he has tried to procure healing on many occasions, only to meet with utter failure and disappointment. Then one day, the great Physician, even The Lord Jesus Christ meets him and makes him an offer of a lifetime. He asks the man if he wants to be healed, the man then relates his plight, and Jesus grants to him a new lease on life. Let’s read:

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

That is all well and good, because the Bible teaches that God delights in mercy. However, there is work for the man to do, and there are radical changes to be made in his life, in his habits and in his choices, for his affliction was a result of his sin that had run its natural course. And now, with the new lease on life given to him by Jesus alone, he would need to do some serious soul searching, to see where he had done wrong, and he must make the necessary changes, if he really wants God’s healing to last.

Otherwise, like many of those metastatic cancers in our day, he will fall back into retrogression, instead of remission and this time it wouldn’t be stage four, but stage five, six and seven. Let’s read:

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus finds him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

In other words, if it was some forbidden things he had been eating, if his cholesterol had peaked at a dangerous level of 540 on account of eating oysters, or if he had an amputated leg because of gangrene caused by extremely high blood sugar, then he will have to take the necessary steps to change both his habits and his lifestyle. If he does the right thing, his sickness will go into permanent remission, and he will relish the healing Christ gave him.

But if he does not take all proactive steps to change his ways the disease will come back with a vengeance and this time he won’t be able to pray and reasonably expect God to heal him. The well-being of the human body, together with the preservation and fostering of good health is linked inextricably in most cases to what we eat, how we eat, and when we eat.

Eating late at night, before going to bed will trigger a plethora of dire, adverse consequences which will often result in heartburn, indigestion, and insomnia, with nightmares! Instead of reaching for those antacids at Walgreens and CVS, God is teaching us to go to the root cause, and if like the disabled man in Christ’s day, we make the needed changes in habits and lifestyle, God can be trusted to cooperate with our efforts, uniting our weakness with His omnipotence, to produce desired results.

Very many diseases are preventable, and godly cures are still possible, but we must be willing to follow wherever God leads the way. We therefore close with three passages of scripture which should bring some balance to the equation and would help and encourage us to live the best life possible for as long as possible. Let’s read:

Psalms 103: Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Health and diseases are inextricably linked to what we eat in most instances) 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.

Isaiah 1:18 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. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

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

God Bless!

The Problem With Problems. Sabbath afternoon 02/22/2020

One of the deceptions that have been urged upon the human family is that serving Jesus brings more problems in one’s life than folks would otherwise have. Nothing can be further from the truth, for if one does not believe in Jesus he/she will have their own problems and if one is a Christian they also will have their share of problems too. Any which way, whether we serve Christ or not, we are going to have some type of problem.

In fact, let us here say unequivocally that when one is serving God, they generally tend to have less problems than if they were not. In fact, the essence and purpose of Jesus inviting us into a covenant relationship, is so that we can have much less problems. In very many cases, when some Christians complain of problems, the root cause has often been proven to be disobedience to God’s will, and in some other instances the problem may have been self-induced. There is something called unnecessary temptations, where, by carelessness or callous disregard of God’s instructions we might bring trouble upon ourselves. Let’s read:

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.

Christians will have problems just like anyone else, but the difference is that we have a sure Refuge in Jesus we can always turn to anytime of day or night. On the contrary, if persons are not in Christ, they’re at the mercy of circumstances, which could pile up and overload us pretty quickly. In times of danger, in times of difficulty and in times of sickness, when doctors have thrown in the towel, and given us up to die, we can still turn to the Great Physician who has a proven track record of enabling His believers to beat the odds in so many instances. After the woman with the issue of blood had been wasted by disease, it was Christ who restored her.

We should never succumb to the deception that it is vain to serve God. It is not; therefore, it’s with great solemnity and certainty that we declare to you, that it is always better to serve Christ, for the abundant life He came to give stands in stark contrast to a life without hope and without a future. Think about it for a moment; if we only had this life to live for, with all the diseases and problems which plague us from time to time, then some may verily conclude that it’s not worth it.

But, with Christ, the abundance of eternal life begins even while we are still on earth. In obedience to God’s wise instructions, we receive a whole lot of additional physical, and spiritual rest and we are given the best instructions on diets and foods and instead of insurance, we have assurance. Folks without God plan to die, but those who are in Christ plan to live, and to top it all off Jesus gives to us His own righteousness, and the hope eternal life.

The notion that serving God puts individuals at a disadvantage on any level or causes satan to tempt them unnecessarily is simply not true. Persons will be tempted, regardless of whether they serve God or not. In fact, it is very often the case that after one has chosen the service of satan, he snuffs out their life prematurely, and many “stars” die young. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

On the contrary, it is a blessing to serve God, for a covenant relationship with Him always results in a life where the negatives are overshadowed by the positives. Several passages in the Bible state this truth, and we would do well to make adjustments to our thinking on these matters where necessary. Let’s read:

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

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Proverbs 3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. 24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Persons who view the Christian life as a heavy yoke, in comparison with unbelievers, do not know what they are doing, because, when put side by side it is like night and day in contrast. But sadly, very many have fallen for the distortions suggested by satan, and as a result, the blessings God intended bestow become elusive. 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. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

The problem with problems is that they do not go away by worrying over them, but by dwelling on our difficulties, whether real or imaginary we will often cause them to loom a lot larger than they really are, and by doing so, we risk losing sight of the blessings sitting at our front door. It is quite possible that Job could have gotten out of his predicament earlier than is recorded, if his focus would have been removed from his present plight. In fact, whenever we may encounter problems, we should seek to help someone, instead of brooding over our dilemma, for according to the Bible, this mode of action is what triggered the turning point in Job’s experience. Let’s read:

Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Again, after Joseph was incarcerated for refusing an advance by Potiphar’s wife, he could have indulged in complaining against God, for not delivering him for doing the right thing. But Joseph did not do this. Instead he busied himself with ministering in the jail where he was, and his service to others became a stepping-stone for his ultimate release. Let’s read:

Genesis 40: And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. 3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. 6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. 7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly today? 8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

Therefore, instead of dwelling on our problems, let us seek to find out the root cause in many instances and we will seek for scriptural solutions, so that we do not worry unnecessarily, because worry changes nothing. Which leads us to our study for today.

The Problem with Problems.

Question: In most cases, what is the problem with many problems which causes us to have additional problems?

[1] Coveting what other people have. After careful examination, we discover that one of the primary causes of problems is covetousness, the sin which lies at the foundation of all other sins. It was this trait of character that caused the downfall of many angels, and it has had detrimental effects on the human family, ever since the fall of our first parents. Eve fell on covetousness, and Cain slew Abel by the same trait. Polygamy has its roots in covetousness, and Joseph ended up in jail because someone was not content with her spouse.

Saddam Hussein went to war with Kuwait because of covetousness, and some politicians often mangle each other, in their desire to have the highest place. And in the lives of everyday people, covetousness has become a mainstay of society, where it is even considered to be legal and necessary. The housing crisis which led to the great recession of 2008 had its roots in covetousness, and the very concept of credit and lending by most financial institutions is based on the same principle.

When people run up their credit with the hope of filing for bankruptcy, and when giant companies go under, because they artificially inflated their stock prices, such as Enron did, the root cause is always covetousness. Bernie Madoff made off with billions because of covetousness. Slavery is a result of covetousness, as is the trade in blood diamonds. False advertisements, which often exaggerate benefits of products, while hiding the negatives in small unreadable letters are the result of that underlying problem.

Families are torn apart, and churches are divided because of covetousness. The sin of adultery has its roots in covetousness and even the current opioid epidemic across America, by which painkillers, and other drugs have been marketed to the unwary, and by which millions of people have now perished, is a result of the habit of coveting. The rich often covet the labors of the poor and the poor often covet the wealth of the rich and because of this, covetousness is now permanently woven in to the fabric of the entire human experience.

Thus, in most cases, the underlying problem with problems is the sin of covetousness, and if it is not ratted out, and overcome in our experience, it will cause many to fall and stumble. It must therefore be identified for what it is, and resolutely overcome by the grace and power of Christ. Let’s read:

Psalms 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For, all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

The constant chastening Asaph was experiencing was most likely self-induced, because the more he coveted the rich and famous, the more he lost sight of God’s many blessings. On the contrary, if he had been contented and happy serving God, counting his blessings and naming them one by one he would not have time to dwell on what his neighbors have, or didn’t have. God is A Spirit, and the attitudes we cherish toward Him make all the difference in the world. When we complain and murmur because of discontent clouds will arise on the horizon out of thin air.

But when a spirit of praise and thanksgiving for what we have is cultivated, God often fills our cup to overflowing for there are always a million and one blessings to be thankful for. Covetousness, and a spirit of discontent effectively stymies praise, and is largely responsible for very many problems, both Christians and non-Christians suffer from. Credit card debt that is spiraling out of control is largely due to what is referred to as legal covetousness.

Then comes the debt collectors with the proverbial baseball bat, and those harassing phone calls with threating letters that interfere with our sanity. Even the Lotto is based on covetousness, but if we learn to be content, and to wait upon God’s blessing, our peace would have been like a river. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

[2] The spirit of Competition.

Covetousness often leads persons to indulge in the spirit of competition, where the highest place, and the biggest prize becomes the motive desire of the ones who seek to be first. As Christians, we should do our very best in everything, not merely to be in first place, but rather to honor Christ, to whom all glory is due. You can be best, without being first. Let’s read:

Mark 9: 14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

(Major Embarrassment) This means that after saying “we command you in the name of Jesus to come out of him” the devils mocked the disciples, by tossing the lad onto the ground, and this, being done in the public square was certain to cast serious doubt on the power of Christ, and the validity of His kingdom. The pharisees had already accused Jesus of being a usurper, by working miracles under the auspices of Beelzebub, and now, here they have the apparent proof they were looking for.

The Bible does not say whether the disciples had tried more than once, in order to save face, but one could only imagine how their countenances must have reflected their shame and humiliation. Later on, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him a valid question, as to what could’ve been the cause of their failure, since they had been given power by Christ Himself to cast out devils. The problem was not a lack of God’s power, it was something deeper that had short-circuited the divine power through them. It was the spirit of competition. Let’s read:

Mark 9:28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? 34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

Gaining the victory over covetousness, and all of the other attendant sins it often spawns, begins with an acknowledgement of the problem in our lives, and this, coupled with confession and prayer for divine help, prepares the way for God to show us where it occurs in our lives, and how it can be avoided, and ultimately conquered. We should pray that God will grant us a contented spirit that is willing to wait on Him for His blessings to be realized in our lives, for in the fullness of time whatsoever blessing is to come our way will come our way.

All we have to do by God’s grace is to wait upon Him, and we will find that many of the issues and problems incurred by many are unnecessary. In closing, let us try to cultivate a humble spirit, one that is not fascinated by the glitter of this world, but rather takes hold of unseen realities, through the mighty promises of God, and we will soon discover that many of our problems will vanish. We close with two passages of scripture which encourage us to wait upon God. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

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

God Bless!

Religion And Politics. Sabbath Afternoon 02/15/2020

God has repeatedly emphasized in His word that a union of church and state will be disastrous to those who seek to mix the toxic brew. The reasons for this is clear, because the principles, and the methods of worldly kingdoms are diametrically, and diabolically opposed to God’s kingdom and therefore, because two can’t walk together unless they be agreed, one will succumb to the next, sooner or later.

This is the reason why early on in the establishment of the Jewish nation, The Lord declared that Israel is not to be reckoned amongst the nations; meaning that they were to be governed under different laws, and a different Ruler, than the surrounding nations. This in turn would present a marked contrast, in so much that the heathen nations would come asking about the wisdom of the God of Israel. Let’s read:

Numbers 23: 9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

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 therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely, this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

But in our day, there are efforts underway to try to force a union between church-craft, and state-craft, and thus, according to the Bible, such a union would ultimately culminate in the mark of the beast, by which a particular form of false worship will first be urged, and then forced upon the masses of people. Throughout the ages, all the kingdoms of this world have come upon the stage of action through the use of force, bribery, fraud, and wheeling and dealing, a fact that is manifested in sacred and secular history, and is described in the Bible as the boisterous winds which have strife as their main component.

Poisoning was often employed by would-be rulers, hence the reason why cup-bearers were so crucial to the very existence of kings. That’s why pharaoh had to hang his chief baker in the days of Joseph, and in other instances kings would be assassinated by their own family and friends. All of these occurrences and methods have been recorded in the scriptures. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 32:1 After these things, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself. 17 He wrote also letters to rail on the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So, he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.

2nd Kings 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 32 And he lifted up his face to the window and said, Who is on my side? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So, they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

Thus, in most instances, the principles and methods of the kingdoms of this world are at great odds with God’s kingdom. God employs truth, while men use lies. God offers forgiveness, the rulers of this world employ revenge. God uses love, while rulers employ hatred. Rulers indulge greed, while God encourages contentedness, Kings foster pride, contrary to that humility which God enjoins. Then there is the use of force, versus gentleness, and self-centeredness versus otherhood.

That’s why Jesus stated unequivocally that His kingdom is not of this world, else would His servants fight. In fact, there’s a trend that is now snowballing in very many countries across the world, where rulers have, by their principles and methods, bankrupted countries. Venezuela has one of the world’s largest reserves of oil, and yet the economy has been brought to ruins by the ruling classes.

Doctor Eric Williams, who once ruled the oil-rich countries of Trinidad, and Tobago once boasted that he could give to every citizen a million dollars cash and still have plenty of reserves. But alas, even Trinidad is now straddled with debt, in the amount of 10.15 billion U.S dollars as of 2018. Hence the reason why God cautions against trying to mingle religion with politics, for persons would often be brought into difficult situations that would seem to make compromising godly principles, the only option on the table.

If a person does not have sterling character that is rooted in Christ, he or she will be forced to compromise, sooner or later, for tremendous pressure will be brought to bear on any who refuse to bow. When satan offered to Christ the kingdoms of this world, he did so on the condition that Christ would “bow”, meaning that in some way, fashion or form, Jesus will have to compromise righteous principles, to procure fame, fortune and glory. And that’s why the following passages of scripture are all the more important, as we’re now heading into un-chartered waters, according to Revelation. Let’s read:

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (The answer is no)

2nd Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Thus, the Bible vividly portrays some of the pitfalls that would certainly occur, whenever religion, and politics are mingled. There will be great pressure to depart from the great principles of righteousness, and if one refuses, then revenge and back-stabbing will be the result. Standing for right can cost a man his position; but yielding to pressure to do wrong is often rewarded with promotion.

This is what Balak, the king of the Moabites tried to do through Balaam, who was once a true prophet of God. Satan, through Balak offered to Balaam some of the kingdoms of this world, on condition that he bow to political pressure to curse God’s people. He then proposed promotions, great financial rewards, and honor as the inducements for Balaam to depart from the strict path of integrity. Let’s read:

Numbers 22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me. 17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more.

Those same political pressures were also brought to bear on another prophet but with a totally different outcome. The king of Israel had surrounded himself with yes-men who would approve anything the king desired, regardless of whether it was good or evil. Their main motivations for doing anything the king would ask, was money, position and power. Not one of them would say anything contrary to what the king desired, and thus they became mere puppets instead of honest advisors.

Even when the nation was at grave risk, and the king’s existence was in danger, they would say yes, and therefore, by choosing policy over principle, the king himself was brought to an untimely demise. As we review the case study in question, very grave and important lessons would be highlighted, so that we may understand our responsibility to stand for the right under all circumstances. When a professed Christian is called by God to serve in political arenas let them understand clearly the responsibilities that go along with such a calling, because their faith will be severely shaken and tried. Let’s read:

[1] The Problem Of Yes-Men.

1st kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

These prophets were the king’s so-called advisors, who, being on his payroll, were expected to always agree with the king’s wishes. But being a yes-man is a dangerous thing, because one’s scruples and one’s better judgement will inevitably be sacrificed on the altar of fame, fortune, and power. True Christians are commanded by God to stand for righteousness, even if there are dire consequences in store.

In other words, choosing to do right should not be based on any guarantee of protection, favor or reward. We must do right simply because it is the right thing to do. The results are to be left in God’s hands, but one’s stand for righteous principles must be unwavering under all circumstances, regardless of the fallout.

[2] We should not hate truth because we may not agree with it.

1st Kings 22:7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him? 8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.

Against the numerous timeservers in Ahab’s service only one prophet was true to truth, and duty. Thus, we must not expect those who stand for right to be in the majority; they will always be the minority, for it is easier to go with the flow downstream, where vacillating timeservers often converge, than to swim upstream where sterling character and backbone is needed. Throughout sacred and secular history, it is those who live by principle who are in the minority, and thus it will ever be.

The truth may not always be agreeable to us, and in certain instances, it may even cause us some level of discomfort. However, it is the truth, and the way we our react to it is what makes all the difference. One should not be opposed to fact or truth, for our only safety is in reacting positively to it. After the resurrection of Lazarus was streamed live in the days of Christ, those who had conditioned their minds to hate truth became bewildered by the facts, and instead of humbling their hearts before God, they sought to stone both Christ and Lazarus. It is therefore a dangerous thing to hate truth, or to hate the messenger of truth. Let’s read:

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Isaiah 30:9 This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord. 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

2nd timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.

[3] Political pressure to do wrong must always be resolutely resisted.

1st Kings 22: 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah. 13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them and speak that which is good. 14 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.

Political pressure to do wrong is what drove Pilate to deliver Jesus to be crucified, because he saw that his position and power would be endangered, if he were to follow the voice of conscience. Even after his own wife warned him to the contrary, because of a dream she presently received, the prospect of losing his status as governor caused him to buckle, and thus he sold his soul for position. Let’s read:

Matthew 27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

John 19: 12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

In the case of Micaiah versus the other 400 yes-men we see that a true Christian makes a deliberate, and firm decision to speak and deal truthfully. Popular, majority opinions are often found to be contrary to the wisdom of God, and even though all of Ahab’s advisors supported him in what he desired, yet the Bible commands us not to follow in their footsteps, for God has not called us to be popular but rather to be peculiar. Let’s read:

Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.

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.

[4] There is the possibility of revenge, for doing right.

1st Kings 22:15 And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? 17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. 26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city. 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction.

We are living in an age where it is becoming more and more dangerous to stand for the truth, and for righteousness. Lifestyles, and marriages which are forbidden, and practices which the Bible proscribes cannot be spoken against today, without possibility of retribution, revenge, and monetary boycott. When John told Herod that it was unlawful to have his brother’s wife because that was an “alternative” lifestyle, both were deeply offended, and Herodias then and there sought to revenge herself for those truths spoken by John.

Potiphar’s wife sought to put young Joseph in jail, as revenge for him not bowing to the romantic rendezvous she had proposed. Jezebel sought revenge on Elijah, after he signally dismantled the false forms of worship that had led Israel astray, and Nebuchadnezzar sought revenge on the three Hebrew worthies, by throwing them into the fire, because they would not succumb to political pressure to bow down to a graven image.

Thus, contrary to the easy-going type of Christianity that’s popular today, the Bible teaches us that there will be revenge, sought upon those who take a firm stand for right. That cross-less type of Christianity, which chooses the easy way out will go up in flames when political and religious pressure, with revenge, is instituted in the final conflict. According to the Bible, tremendous pressure will be brought to bear on all, to adopt principles and laws that are diabolically opposed to Christ.

Therefore, it is during this fearful struggle between good and evil that the truly righteous will shine forth as the sun, for they will not bowing for any reason. As we end, it is of critical importance that we should understand the grave import of what is now passing before our very eyes. The clouds of disturbance and tumult are already on the horizon and everyone will be forced to choose between right and wrong, good and evil.

Let’s start now, by doing that which is right in any and every situation because, by the grace of God, practice will make perfect. We therefore end with a quote, coming from the pen of inspiration that is relevant and pertinent to that which is currently transpiring in high and low places across the land. Let’s read:

[Education pp 38>39] “The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.”

God Bless!

Resolving Difficulties Between Brethren. Sabbath Afternoon 02/01/2020

From time to time, difficulties and disagreements arise among church members, and very often those situations are not handled in a Christ-like manner, which then leads to alienation, and ongoing feuds that can hamper our prayers. Families can be torn apart, brethren end up hating other brethren, and in some cases, there is cold formalism, and a settled uneasiness manifested against those who may have done wrong. In the days of Christ there arose a division among His disciples, and were it not for the intervention of Christ, the peace that He came to give would have been prematurely shattered.

Misunderstandings, and suspicions gave rise to backbiting and wounded pride sought revenge for perceived hurts that were done. God’s will is that all of us who have entered into a covenant relationship with Jesus, should be in one accord, and even though we are still living in an evil world, yet it is still possible for us to have peace and brotherly love in our hearts.

The unity that exists in the courts above is the very essence of Christianity, and should be earnestly sought for, even at great cost to ourselves. Therefore, the turmoil and unrest that is percolating in the political realm should not produce a trickle-down effect in the followers of Christ because, as it is written in the scriptures, Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, else would His servants fight. In other words, we should esteem the unity of brotherhood as being of far more value, than the violations that may occur among ourselves from time to time.

Charity, kindness, and a forbearing, forgiving spirit should characterize our actions, our intents and our purposes, because the very atmosphere with which we are surrounded often produces ripple effects far beyond our immediate sphere of influence. Thus, several passages of scripture clearly delineate God’s will as it pertains to fostering and maintaining the peace of God among brethren and we should all earnestly seek for it, for, if as brethren we can’t get along down here, we certainly would not get along up there. Let’s read:

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Every person who has given their life to Christ is a member of the Royal family, and as such, is in a very special sense attached to God. Therefore, when one is hurting Jesus feels it directly, and where there are unresolved difficulties between brethren efforts are to be made so as to produce a friendly resolution as quickly as possible.

The following therefore is the sacred history of one volatile situation that could have blown up amongst the Hebrews, but the reactions implemented served to diffuse the misunderstanding. Therefore, several valuable lessons can be learned and implemented where difficulties among us may exist. We will read the narrative first, and then we will extract some of the important points to consider. Let’s read:

Joshua 22: 10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. 11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan.

12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them. 13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.

15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, and they spake with them, saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have built an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord? 18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel against The Lord , that tomorrow, he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God. 21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,

22 The Lord God of gods, he knows, and Israel shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it. 26 Therefore we said, Let us now build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:

27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord. 30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them.

31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord. 33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God and did not go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.

Several common mistakes are made by some of us in the handling of difficulties, misunderstandings or problems, and they will be outlined and highlighted from the various passages, with the intent that all of us should consider carefully, how to resolve issues. We will start with the most common errors that are made, and then we will move on to the resolutions. [1] Rushing to premature conclusions without knowing the facts in the case. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spoke with them, saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the Lord, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the Lord? 18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord? and it will be, seeing ye rebel today against the Lord, that tomorrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.

Those words that were used up front demonstrate a very common problem we may have in dealing with difficulties. Instead of thoroughly researching all the facts in a case some tend to draw hasty conclusions about the intentions and motives of others. But it is always better to give them the benefit of the doubt; it is always better to err on the side of caution, rather than rush to judgment on matters we may not know or understand with certainty.

There are thousands of persons now sitting in some prisons who have been incarcerated wrongfully and there are about 167 who have been cleared from the death row, according to the innocence project. In cases where wrongdoing has been suspected by someone, let there be an unbiased, and thorough investigation of all available facts, before persons are proscribed.

The love of God dwelling the heart will move us to always place the most favorable construction upon the motives and actions of others, until more might be known in the case; then, even if we are proven right in our conclusions, the default setting should be mercy. Love can be costly at times, for it is this same element of character which caused Christ to die for us on the tree. Let’s read:

Romans 5:6 For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

[2] Incorrect reading of one’s intentions, which in many cases God alone knows. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to. 11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

It is true that the building of another altar would’ve raise some eyebrows, but before making judgment about their intentions, it would have been right for them to be given a chance to explain their motives. A questionable action can sometimes be justified, if the motive is upright. Many years ago, someone was knocking on his own front door late at night, seeking to be let in by one on the inside. But the person on the inside had put on the safety latch and was fast asleep. So the man on the outside climbed on top of the roof to get to the window where the other was fast asleep.

But a neighbor downstairs had been awakened by the constant knocking, who then drew a long shot-gun, and pointed at his neighbor to shoot him, for he could not recognize him in the dark. In his haste he almost did the unthinkable, and he assumed that it must be an intruder, for who else would be on a rooftop so late at night? Similarly, questionable actions can be justified in certain instances, where the intention is upright.

Under normal circumstances, the plucking of corn on the Sabbath day in the fields would have dire consequences, but if it was being done because of sheer hunger, as the disciples were on a missionary journey to save souls, then the motive makes the questionable action acceptable. In some instances, only God can read one’s motives and therefore, we should reserve judgment on the intentions of others, when we don’t know for sure.

[3] Acting hastily in the heat of the moment without the facts, especially when it’s hearsay. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

Great caution must be exercised on hearsay, for a rumor can take on a life of its own as it is passed from person to person. We are at a crossroad as a nation, where there is a deficit of truth, and thus, we must beware of rumors and hearsay. Many such rumors about the current Corona virus, are being spread over the internet, and there are now some websites that peddle in conspiracy theories alone.

Therefore, before taking action against one another as brethren let all the truth in the matter be known, because, if the Hebrews had gone to war against their own brethren, many innocent lives would have been lost. The Bible therefore cautions us against impromptu actions without a clear knowledge of the facts. Let’s read:

Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Proverbs 18:13 He that answers a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

John 7: 44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. 45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 50 Nicodemus saith unto them, 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 53 And every man went unto his own house.

On the contrary, the prudent handling of a difficult matter amongst brethren could smooth the way for a peaceful, and friendly resolve. God is well pleased, and satan is signally defeated when those problems that spring up among church members are diffused in a Christ-like manner. In the case of the building of the altar, we observe that the accused listened patiently, while ulterior motives were attached to their actions.

They did not blow up at once, against their brethren because they were being wrongfully accused. Instead, they listened to the accusations and waited their turn to explain their actions, and even in their reply, we observe that they were careful to strike a conciliatory tone, rather than use harsh words that would act as gasoline upon the flames.

How often have there been rifts, schisms, and hurt feelings that have resulted from a rude answer. It is important for us as Christians, to maintain our cool, to keep our composure, even when false accusation is flying left and right. Rueben and Gad referred the matter to God for Him to judge rightfully, and we also, should be humble and willing enough to let God exonerate us in those situations where false accusations may have been leveled against us. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of Israel, 22 The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knows, and Israel shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it.

26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him, and that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord. 29 God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle.

It is a fact that love and kindness, begets love and kindness, and the oratory currency in which we deal will go a long way in determining outcomes. Truth must never be spoken in harshness, for this manner of speaking often tends to negate those very truths spoken. When the accused responded respectfully, the accusers also followed suit, and responded in like manner. Let’s read:

Joshua 22:30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord.

When difficulties may arise in board meetings, and church councils, when intentions and motives are impugned, let us all follow the example of Christ in diffusing volatile situations, by the use of courteous words and tones. Even though we may have fallen on this point in times past, yet the grace of God will be given to us, that we may live victoriously, if we are willing to try. We therefore end with a few passages of scripture which will help us to keep peaceful resolutions to difficulties in view. It will not always be easy for us to implement, but practice makes perfect, and God will help us in every emergency, if we walk by faith. Let’s read:

James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, 20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Psalms 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

God Bless!

How To Stop Lying. Sabbath Afternoon 01/25/2020

Lying lips have now gone viral, and it has become so widespread in our culture, that it is now regarded as being the norm by millions of people. Because there are prominent persons in high and low places, who do not shrink from unleashing a barrage of lies on a daily basis, those who are under their jurisdiction are now more inclined than ever to follow in their footsteps.

Lying has now become fashionable and acceptable in political circles, it has taken deep root with many defense attorneys, it has permeated the advertising industry, and with the average John Doe, lying, in many cases is now viewed as being legal, right, and necessary. Therefore, many have fallen from grace individually, nationally, and even politically, when it comes to lying lips. The dictionary describes lying as the telling of false statements or untruthfulness.

But this definition is not capable of capturing the full extent of the issue, for according to the scriptures, lying runs the entire gamut, from habitual lying, to alternate facts, acting out lies, to facial expressions that convey misleading sentiments, to those who just tell lies for no reason, even when there may be no benefit to themselves, or to others. Therefore, in order to understand the magnitude of the problem we must address it as God does, for He is a Spirit and any and every type of lying will not be acceptable in His sight.

He is a God of righteousness and truth, and He desires us to deal in His currency. On the contrary, all lies have their root in satan, for he is the author of falsehood in any form even when it may seem to be adopted for good purposes. In other words, there is no such thing as a good lie, even though people of faith in times past have used this currency on some occasions.

God used Rahab, Abraham, and Peter, to accomplish much good, but not once did He move them to tell any lies, because several passages in the scriptures address this issue so as to make God’s purposes, as it pertains to lying, as clear as crystal. Let’s read:

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Deuteronomy 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 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.

Psalms 15: 1Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. 4 He that swears to his own hurt, and changes not.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and sorcerers, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The servant of the Lord gives us a broader view of the subject matter, so as to make it practicable and applicable to all circumstances, in which falsehoods are being told. The intentions of the heart are also brought into the equation, for lying does not refer only to the words and actions, but also to the intent of one’s heart. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 309] False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood.

The previous, highlighted statement is so weighted that it demands a further explanation, because, by extension, it implies that a person could be guilty of lying, even if the opportunity to carry out the lie did not actually materialize.

Several years ago, a would-be bandit planned to rob a certain bank on a particular day, so he went about laying his plans. He did thorough surveillance of the premises in question, and he observed that early in the morning before the bank’s doors would be open for business, was the best time to strike. So, he got his ransom note ready, which stated that $20,000 from the till should be handed over. He also purchased a black face mask and on the day in question, he made his way to the location only to discover that a police vehicle was parked near the premises, because an officer had stopped briefly to make an early morning deposit.

On seeing the trooper, the bandit decided not to move forward with his plans but would instead wait for another day when the situations would be more conducive to robbery. Question: As far as The Lord is concerned, did the bandit rob the bank? Answer: Absolutely! And in the books of record in heaven a specific robbery for $20,000.00 is recorded against his name.

Even if he did not go so far as to purchase the face mask and the other gear needed for the robbery, if he had made a firm decision to rob the bank, crime would have been recorded against his name in the books of heaven. That’s because sin occurs not only at the action stage, but previously in our minds, if a determination to sin has been deliberately made. The sinful action is therefore a byproduct of what has already been decided upon, only awaiting the opportune moment to materialize.

This sacred truth about the weight our intentions carry, can explain previously unexplained passages of scripture, when other folks got hurt as a result of wrongdoing by others, in some instances. Case in point is when David presumed to number the people, against God’s will, and against Joab who remonstrated at the very thought of numbering. In this instance, David had instigated the sinful act, but others participated in his sin by their consent, and support, and therefore 70,000 of Israel perished by the plague even though, they did not actually give the directives. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.

16 And David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

In verse 17, David refers to those who died in the plague as being sheep, but in actuality, not a single sheep perished with the 70,000. David was a sheep and he did not perish, for he manifested the most prominent characteristic of sheep. At the onset of their Christian experience, love isn’t the most important characteristic of sheep, for love is always a by-product of the indwelling Christ, and ultimately it will be developed and manifested in all who are real sheep. John was not always loving and kind, for himself and James went privately to Christ to ask for the first place in the kingdom.

But when Christ called them to His ministry before they were converted, they “Listened”. The most prominent characteristic of sheep is that they “Listen” when The Master speaks, and they follow where The Master leads. In fact, a real sheep may not always agree with the Master in everything He does, but at the end of the day, they Listen. On the other hand, there are those who may do a lot of charitable works, but they do not listen to the Master’s voice when He speaks.

Many will say in the day of final accounts that they had done many good loving deeds; and in response, Jesus does not really dispute their claim, but He never got to know them, because they would not listen.

Let’s read: John 10: 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Thus, when The Master spoke clearly to David in his conscience, showing him the great wrong that was done, he “Listened” and he followed where The Master always leads …. to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let’s read:

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

But those who perished in the plague had chosen to retain their original purposes and intentions; thus, when the same Holy Ghost who pricked David in his conscience, came to them they refused His gracious overtures and would not listen. Thus, even though they were not the original instigators, and did not give out the directives, they were judged by their intentions, by clinging to, and participating in the same spirit of national pride.

That’s why the servant of The Lord states that it is an intention to lie which constitutes falsehood. The action does not need to be carried out for it to be registered in the books above as sin, and this fact is clearly stated in the Bible.

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

Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man.

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

The servant of God continues: “By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, and every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbor's reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or tale bearing. Even the intentional suppression of truth, by which injury may result to others is a violation of the ninth commandment.

Then there are other branches or variations of lying that are often swept under the rug, such as acting a lie, primary and secondary reasons for lying and lies that stem from genuine fear. Then there are what is referred to as alternate facts or half-truths, such as when Abraham said that Sarah was his sister. Sarah was indeed his half-sister, but she was primarily his wife. Thus, a half-truth is really a full lie in God’s eyes.

Again, lying can occur by evading direct questions, pertaining to truth, and answering other questions that were not asked to escape telling the truth, and telling lies through accolades, applause, or censure. Satan deals in both applause and heckling as a form of lying, so buyers beware. The unadulterated truth alone, and nothing else is only what is acceptable in God’s sight.

Recently, a solemn and very sacred oath to God was taken by some public servants, with their hands on the Holy Bible, to deal truthfully in the current trial. But it’s yet to be seen if truth will prevail or whether prevarication and lies will rule the day. At this point we all should be reminded, that it is a very solemn thing, and it could be even dangerous for anyone to swear an oath before God and then renege on it for invalid reasons. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore, let thy words be few. 4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? Matthew 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

This brings us to our main study for today, because a series of premeditated lies were related to Joshua by the Gibeonites, who were driven by fear to utter falsehoods and to act out lies with the hope of them preserving their lives. The reason why we would use this encounter is because it demonstrates what is commonly practiced in various forms by persons. The city of Jericho had just been taken by Israel, and the city of Ai had fallen too, from whence came the giants and thus, the Gibeonites calculated that their turn would be next.

So, driven by genuine fear, they then concocted a toxic mix of lies, including words, actions, and apparent exculpatory evidence which was strategically designed to confirm what they had been saying. Let’s read:

Joshua 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work cunningly and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up. 5 And old shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. 8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

Two direct questions were asked by Joshua: [1] Who are you? And [2] From whence come ye? But the Gibeonites refer back to their default setting, and render what is a deliberately vague answer so as to mask the truth. The true answer would have been to say “We are Gibeonites, and we live next door”. But having set out on a lying course of action at the first they now felt it necessary to continue their line of reasoning, lest their lies be disclosed, and Joshua take vengeance on them for uttering such brazen falsehoods.

This often takes place when persons embark on a course of lying, because, when probed with deeper questions, they feel boxed in, and believe that they have no choice but to continue their lies. Let’s read:

Joshua 9:9 And they said unto him, “From a very far country” thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan. 11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.

12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Brethren, it is always better to speak the truth, for lies, by nature, present unsubstantiated variables through which many holes can often be poked. For instance, the ambassadors claimed that they came from a “Very far country” and as evidence they pointed to their shoes and garments that had grown old by reason of the very great journey they claimed to have made.

But if their shoes were made of genuine leather, as they most likely were, then it would have taken many months, if not years, for those shoes to wear out, and if so, then there would be no reason for them to be afraid of Joshua, because they would be located so far away that his conquests could not be an issue. But they succeeded in pulling this one off on Joshua, and for obvious reasons. Let’s read:

Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. 15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore unto them. 18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. 21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live.

For us to overcome lying in all of its various forms, we will need to start with an acknowledgement of our sins, where warranted, because confession and permanent change will not take place if we do not admit to God that we have a problem. This is what David did as he humbly reviewed his own course of action in his sin with Bathsheba. Let’s read:

Psalms 120:1 In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. 2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. 3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

Psalms 51:1 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. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Next, we will have to make a deliberate choice, and decision to be truthful. God does not override our freedom to choose, for this is something we must do for ourselves. Yet, His grace is promised to all, to empower us to put our decision into practice by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. The choice is ours, but the power to do comes from God alone. Let’s read:

Philippians 2:12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

1st John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

The next steps in obtaining the victory over lying will consist of continual practice, because practicing the truth makes perfect. Through the grace and the providences of God, we would at times, be brought into situations of varying intensity that will afford us opportunity to practice. Then we may even be brought into those difficult circumstances, where speaking the truth may cost us dearly, but we must endure the trial of our faith by God’s grace.

God’s grace and power will rise with every emergency, and by faithfully choosing truth over falsehood, the time will come when truth will become first and second nature to us, whilst lying would become extremely offensive. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to shoot for the stars, when it comes to being truthful, and God will bless our choices and efforts by His grace in the right direction. Let’s read:

Ephesians 4:21 If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus. 22 That you put off the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor.

God Bless!

Praying For Healing. Sabbath Afternoon 01/18/2020

It is the revealed will of God that all people should prosper and be in health, with the prosperity of the soul being commensurate with the temporal aspect of life. Longevity and good quality of life for as long as possible is well within the realm of possibility in the majority of cases and God has seen fit to give us laws and instructions on how we may lead lives that are free from disease to a large extent.

But it is true, that try as we might, we may still get sick, and thus, praying for healing becomes an issue, especially when there might be contributing factors beyond our control. It’s always good to turn to God, for Jesus is described in the scriptures as the mighty Healer, The great Physician, and the One, who alone can heal all diseases of the body, mind and spirit. But before we delve into prayer for healing, there are certain things we must come to grips with, so that we can pray intelligently and expectantly.

Our freedom to chose plays a huge role in health, and especially in developed countries, where resources are much more available, our choices could make a big difference in our health, and in our prayers for healing, when sickness does occur. As a general rule of thumb, any doctor will tell you that prevention is better than cure, and the same is true when it comes to praying for healing. In other words, God prefers not to exercise His miraculous power directly, if He doesn’t have to, and therefore He encourages one and all to choose wisely, when it comes to the preservation of life.

Eating, and drinking certain things will get you sick, and will compromise health unnecessarily; and even though God may have mercy on us in such instances He much prefers that we exercise good wisdom and discretion based upon available knowledge that can be found both in the scriptures and in the prophetic writings of His servants. Also, the various journals of medicine can provide rich resources on how to care for the human body, in ways that will honor and glorify God. Knowledge on healthful living is virtually at our fingertips today, so that for the most part, we are without excuse.

Back in the days, when Jesus walked this earth, He went about healing all the diseases of the people in a wholesale manner, where anyone, and everyone would come for miraculous healing, whether they had obeyed, or disobeyed the then-known laws of health. And the scriptural record says, “He healed them all. Let’s read:

Luke 6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, 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.

But those days are for all intents and purposes over, for since that time, God has caused a flood of light, and information to be shed upon the world, in the areas of medicine, diets and foods, so that His direct miraculous healing, as a general rule of thumb, isn’t to be expected anymore as in the days of Christ. He still performs direct miracles, but generally not on a large-scale basis as it was heretofore.

In fact, there is such a thing as unnecessary miracles where the supernatural, miracle-working power of God should not be solicited for things we can do or things we can avoid. Many years ago, a good friend of mine was in a predicament, and needed urgent help. A gentleman had brought in his new truck for work, but afterwards, for some unknown reason it refused to start. Hours went by until it was quite late, and therefore I was called to see if there was something I could do to start the engine.

It was now about 10 pm and the gentleman was not in a gentle mood, for none could figure out the problem. On arriving at his business, I opened the hood and there in front of me was the brand, new Ford engine, supercharged and squeaky clean. I shook my head, and started to pray for a miracle, for as far as I was concerned there was nothing for me to do. The situation was then put to the Lord in prayer, asking for a miracle, and The Lord heard and answered immediately, for after saying amen I went over to the vehicle, turned the ignition key, and the engine roared to life.

The owner of the vehicle literally flew out of the office where he was waiting and I was eagerly asked what had I done. The reply given was that the God of heaven alone had started the engine in response to prayer, for in this instance, where all that could be done had been done, God saw fit to exercise His supernatural power, and the rest is history.

However, if for some reason, my friend called me to put some air in his tires, which is the simplest of all automotive work, God would be pretty taken aback if I was to ask for a miracle, for here is something I am well able to do and therefore, supernatural help cannot be reasonably expected to do, that which I could easily do for myself. Similarly, there are unnecessary miracles, where in some circumstances it is well within our purview to take proactive, and preemptive measures to stave off disease.

God therefore expects us to do our very best, and then, if persons were to hit a roadblock in the process, God can be confidently petitioned for His miraculous intervention. But for us to call upon God to grant miracles for any and every cause is contrary to the way He works, for everything good that is to be accomplished, is done in cooperation with God, wherever possible. Thus, we are under a sacred obligation to do the best we can by His grace, and if for some reason beyond our control we may run into difficulty, then God can be petitioned to take up the slack.

Now, we have doctors, nurses, and physicians and dieticians who are often used as instruments in His hands to accomplish His good purposes in healing the human family. Advances in science, and a much better knowledge of the human frame has resulted in a wealth of information that is readily available, so that our choices can be well-informed.

Thus, whenever it comes to healing in our day, we are now required, wherever possible to reason from cause to effect those actions which breed reactions, and also, whatever precautionary measures may be taken by ourselves to foster good health, longevity, and thereby avoid the many sicknesses and cancers that are taking an unnecessary toll on persons. When God predicted through the prophet Daniel, that knowledge would be increased, He was thus referring to all types of knowledge, in the spiritual and temporal realm even though our understanding of the scriptures would take precedence.

Therefore, to whomever much is given, much will be required, and as such, direct miracles from God, are no longer the default setting, but rather, when current knowledge has failed in delivering results. In other words, the knowledge He has been pleased to give us is to be used preemptively in ways that will enable us to avoid disease, wherever and whenever possible. But there are certain practices that must be avoided when they go contrary to His counsels and there are certain medicines employed today which might not square with His instructions.

We should remember here that the symbol for healing is the serpent on a staff, and therefore, we should expect to find that intermingled with godly knowledge, another kind of alternative knowledge will be available, of which God does not approve.

This leads us to the core of our study this evening, in which we will examine two examples of healing sought by two kings in the Bible, one after the godly sought, and one after the devilish sort. We will also examine the driving factors behind the choices of each king, and we would seek to learn all of those pertinent lessons and instructions, God will have us be cognizant of, especially as it pertains to praying for healing. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 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.

2nd Kings 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

4 And it came to pass, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. 7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

Here we have two kings facing death on account of medical conditions that had deteriorated seriously. Both are in dire straits, but one turns to the god of Ekron, while the other turns to the God of heaven. Critically important lessons concerning prayers for healing, and pertaining to how we should go about seeking help are thus outlined below. In cases where we are in dire straits medically, our first move should be to turn to God in prayer. Even if He does not employ a direct miracle, He can guide the hands and minds of human agencies to bring about healing according to His will.

2nd Kings 20:2 Then he (Hezekiah) turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

But Ahaziah chose to go a different route, for he preferred the god of Ekron over The God of Israel, which shows where his confidence was centered. Where we go, and who we go to for healing could affect our prayers, for there are currently certain practices, with which God will have nothing to do. And if anyone who knows better, presumed to take such a route, any prayers for healing will be short-circuited.

The god of ekron has its modern-day equivalent in those practices such as hypnotism, clairvoyancy, so-called faith healers, and remedies which include the permanent altering of one’s mind. Professed faith healers, in particular, have become very popular in our day but many persons do not know that in most cases, God has nothing to do with it. That’s because in many instances God is petitioned for unnecessary miracles.

In our day, whenever and wherever God’s revealed instructions on prevention and cure are not disseminated to the people, where miraculous healing is offered en-masse, regardless of the habits indulged by persons, there we may be certain that it is the god of ekron at work. Earnest prayer for miraculous healing will involve a level of soul-searching to see if we have deliberately or inadvertently contributed to the cause. Then, if we are at fault, confession of sin, and determination to change one’s course of action must be decided.

In other words, if a person came down with cancer from eating forbidden foods, prayer to God will only be answered according to His will, if that individual purposes to change. But where miraculous healing is prayed for, to fix problems we have no intention of addressing, the answers would be coming from Ekron, not from God. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

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

Again, prayer for healing must be accompanied with proactive steps in the right direction, because God often works in collaboration with our efforts. There are times when a change in diet may be necessary, and there are times when natural remedies are to be used, as was the case with Hezekiah, but in most cases, the human agent will need to act upon his or her prayers. Let’s read:

John 5: 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Thus, what Jesus essentially said to the man is that he should carefully consider his ways, reason from cause to effect and take all necessary steps to avoid any relapse, such as happens when former cancers can come back with a vengeance. In our day currently there are two prominent kinds of cancers which often affect many individuals living in the western world. Breast cancers, and prostate cancer are the two leading culprits that afflict many persons, and therefore, this evening we will petition God to intervene according to His good will with the understanding that a permanent change in lifestyle, and habits should be the end goal.

Hereditary risk factors may be beyond our control, in certain instances, for if there is a family history of a particular kind of cancer, genetics can play a role. But those things we can do to help the situation, to stave it off if possible, are what we should focus on. Remember, it is cooperation with God through our intelligent choices and action, that can make the big difference.

Last June, when I contracted food poisoning from a restaurant, the doctor sat me down, and explained that in the healing process, I would have to follow a particular dietary regimen to facilitate those efforts made by his team. I would have to adopt the BRAT diet, and I would need to avoid direct sunlight for some time. But his dietary instructions were given to me in the middle of mango season, when our trees were now laden with fruit.

But if I desired to be healed I would need to cooperate with his instructions, so that the recovery could take place. Thus, as I looked out of my window at those juicy fellows, and saw the squirrels feasting, I needed to exercise self-control in not departing from those dietary instructions given me. Similarly, when we pray for healing, any pertinent instructions that are to facilitate recovery and maintain healing will need to be followed faithfully for that is how cooperation with God, in praying for healing usually takes place.

On October 26-2015, the World Health Organization declared processed meat to be some of the main causes of cancers, and classified it as a carcinogen. In addition it mentioned other red meats such as pork, beef, lamb, and goat as culprits to watch out for. More than twenty experts from ten countries had reviewed more than 800 studies to come to their conclusions. They found that eating approximately one hot dog of processed meat every day increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.

For red meat, there was evidence of increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. They then went on to state, and reiterate that a diet high in vegetables, whole grains, and fruit, together with regular exercise each day and avoiding tobacco products can help people lower their risk of getting many types of cancer.

Avoiding the use of alcoholic beverages in any form, and avoiding excesses in salts, fermentations, and refined sugars will go a long way in helping us in our battles against cancers and diseases of all sorts. Thus, when we pray for healing, God desires that we pray with the understanding, in that all of the relevant instructions, and choices we could put in place should be implemented, so that whenever He chooses to couple His supernatural power with our efforts, a restoration to health and longevity will be the sure result.

We therefore end with three passages of scripture which demonstrate God’s good purposes toward us, if we wish to cooperate with Him in fending off the diseases that are largely preventable and also in the restoration of those who are currently in need of healing. Let’s read:

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

Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

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.

In this last verse, we see beyond the shadow of any doubt that God’s renewal of our youth and health is inextricably tied to diet and foods. Therefore, let all those who have ears to hear, be wise, and make the necessary changes where warranted.

God Bless!

Praying For Protection. Sabbath Afternoon 01/11/2020

The Bible is full of promises of God’s protection that are granted to the human family. There is a generic form of protection which blankets all of humanity, in which God takes personal interest in every living person, and every beast of the field. But with this form of protection some people will fall through the cracks, either inadvertently, or by their deliberate violation of natural or spiritual law.

Because of our freedom of choice God will not force persons to obey Him, and therefore, by our choices we can cut our own lives short, or in other instances we may extend our lives to the fullest according to the allotted time God has pre-ordained for us to live upon the planet. Three passages of scripture teach us these important truths. Let’s read:

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.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Then again, there is a special form of protection by which God grants to His believing children angels of heaven, which encamp around those who fear Him 24/7. Were it not for God’s special protection over His people, the righteous would have been entirely eradicated from the earth long ago, and thus, even though we do not praise, and thank God enough for His mercies which are new every morning, angels never cease their watchful care over His people, day and night.

This truth is also sacredly enshrined in many verses of scripture, with the intent that we should always be mindful and thankful for God’s never-failing care. The very fact that we are currently doing Bible study in a peaceful environment, is due the protection of God alone, and nothing else. Let’s read:

Psalms 34:7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Genesis 32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

2nd Kings 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

And there are several other promises, and passages which tell us of God’s care for His people, and even those who do not serve Him. It is solely because of the mercies of God why we are not consumed, and therefore, the following scriptures are being given to reinforce in our minds, the sacred truth that God cares and protects the human family, some more, some less. Let’s read:

Psalms 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Proverbs 21:3 There’s no wisdom or understanding nor counsel against the Lord. 31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle. but safety is of the Lord.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

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.

Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord 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. 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.

And we can go on and on and on… “But”we must be aware that there are certain things, certain activities and certain choices, and actions that can, and do often short-circuit God’s protection, and it is one of these short-circuits which we will study this evening, for we are facing very volatile situations at home and abroad which have the potential to spiral out of control very quickly.

Therefore, when it pertains to God’s special care and protection over His people, strict obedience to all that we know is right is absolutely important, for God does not bless disobedience. We should never mistake God’s mercies as an endorsement of sin in any way shape or form, for even though He may show mercy, deliberately choosing a wrong course of action can expose our vulnerabilities. This sacred truth is also written in the scriptures. Let’s read:

Numbers 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor. 19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

On the contrary, when God’s people begin to walk contrary to what they know is right, and when this is done deliberately, the protection of God can be short-circuited, and then it is that satanic agencies can run riot, up to the point where God says thus far and no further. This is a critically important truth for all to understand. 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. 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 723] Heretofore God's providence had preserved David against all the plottings of his enemies, and had been directly exercised to restrain Saul. But David's transgression had changed his relation to God. The Lord could not in any wise sanction iniquity.

He could not exercise His power to protect David from the results of his sin as He had protected him from the enmity of Saul. His claim to respect and obedience from his sons was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent, it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house. His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interpose to prevent the result. He would permit things to take their natural course, and thus David was severely chastised.

This leads us to our study for this afternoon, on the issue of God’s protection. The Hebrews were flush with the victory God had given them over Jericho, and specific instructions pertaining to the spoils had been given several times, so that God’s purposes in the matter would be clearly understood. They were commanded not to appropriate anything for themselves, for the city of Jericho was accursed.

Everything within the city was to be burnt with fire, except that which God had stipulated to be used for the sanctuary. But one lone individual disobeyed and thus short-circuited the protection of God over all those who did not pray. As we study the sad history of this one incident, we will highlight certain important points, of which we should be cognizant. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:1 “But” the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing.

The word “But” is a conjunction that is used to introduce a phrase or a clause that contrasts with what has already been mentioned. For instance, a man won the lottery, “But” he lost everything, or he lived like a king “But” died like a pauper. So, because the word “but” is used to mark a stark contrast with what was mentioned previously, we must of necessity read the last verse of the previous chapter, for this will shed great light on something that often occurs in the Christian’s life. Let’s read:

Joshua 6:27 So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

Great failures often follow great victories. After our mountain-top experience, many devils are often to be found waiting in the valley. Especially should we be vigilant and humble after God has done us some great favor, for it is then that we are most likely to become self-confident, boastful, proud, arrogant, or presumptuous. It’s then satan would often tempt us to go out on a limb without God.

It was after Peter walked on water that he began to sink, for he took his eyes off of Christ who alone had empowered him to do the impossible and he looked back with pride upon his fellows. Again, it was after the miracle of feeding the five thousand that severe storms rolled through almost engulfing the disciples upon the water. Therefore, we reiterate, “Great failures often follow great victories, for it is after your mountain-top experience that many devils are found waiting in the valley”

Joshua 7:1 But Achan, the son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.

We must pose two direct questions to ourselves: What is the accursed thing? and in our day are there any accursed things currently in our homes or on our persons? The answer to these two questions could affect our prayers for protection, either for good, or for evil according to the next 3 passages. Let’s read:

Joshua 6:18 And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. 26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

Acts 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Again, the question is asked: “Are there any accursed things in our homes, or on our persons? Pornographic literature, videos, movies and any and all types of sexting. Literature on horoscopes, palm reading material, talismans, specific rings, bracelets and amulets that are believed to possess magical powers, all magic books, and information on casting spells. Good luck charms, all genies, and anything that is marked in the Bible as being accursed. Any or all of these are accursed and should not be found on our persons, or in our possession, or in our homes, and here’s the reason why. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water. 6 And Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

There is a common human tendency to blame God whenever things go wrong, instead of searching our own souls to see if we have contributed in any way to the adverse circumstances that have gathered on our doorstep. Whenever signal failures attend our way, it’s then a good time to do some serious soul-searching to see if maybe, just maybe, we have not followed all of God’s instructions in the matter. Let’s read:

Joshua 7:10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

It is of critical importance that all of the proverbial ducks that we know of, be in a row, so that nothing on our part will hinder God’s protecting hand from covering us. If there is anything out of place in our lives, or if we know of deliberate, cherished sins, let us clear the way by confession, while we still have opportunity to do so, for in earth’s final conflict that is heading our way, The Lord will only be covering the obedient.

For many years, the mercies of God have attended the righteous, and to a large extent, those who do not serve Him; but a day is coming, when there will be a tectonic shift under our feet, when the forces of evil that are now restrained, will be let loose, and all who are not in a covenant relationship with God will be unsheltered. Let’s read:

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

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

Mark 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains. 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

Question: Why did the devils specifically ask to go into the swine? Answer: They asked to go where an atmosphere of deliberate disobedience to God’s express command was being fostered and therefore the vulnerabilities of the people who owned the herd was exposed. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. 8 The swine, because it divides the hoof, yet chews not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass.

Devils do not eat swine, they thrive on atmospheric conditions that are conducive to evil, and therefore, wherever known sin is being practiced or cherished, there the presence and power of evil spirits will be felt. In fact, it was only because of the mercies of Christ why the owners were not cast over the cliff with the swine. One day it will be discovered that the overwhelming majority of cancers, tumors, and ailments that the human family suffers from can be traced right back to the those forbidden foods, outlined in the Bible. Together with the practice of eating blood in any form, they constitute the lion share of all known illnesses.

Therefore, The Lord solemnly declares, to all who would listen, that any known sin that is cherished, and any forbidden indulgence that is consciously being practiced will adversely affect our prayers for His protection. When Moses was on his way to do battle against pharaoh and his magicians, an angel of God blocked him with a sword drawn in his hand in a threatening manner. That is because Moses had only one duck that was not in a row, but that one duck would be sufficient to short circuit God’s protecting care. Let us read:

Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go.

Let no one listening this evening be deceived by any smooth-talking preachers, who custom design their sermons to soothe itching ears. Obedience to all of God’s commandments, all His instructions, and all that He has been pleased to reveal as truth or duty is the only course of action that will suffice to cover us in the day of trouble. We close with a solemn revelation coming from the pen of inspiration. Let’s read:

[Early Writings pp 270>271] I saw angels of God hasten to the assistance of all who were struggling with all their power to resist the evil angels and trying to help themselves by calling upon God with perseverance. The company of guardian angels around them had been doubled, and they were clothed with an armor from their head to their feet. Their countenances expressed the severe conflict which they had endured, the agonizing struggle they had passed through. I asked what had made this great change. An angel answered, “It is the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the loud cry of the third angel.”

But all of our ducks must be in a row.

God Bless!

Let Us Pray. Sabbath Afternoon 01/04/2020

Now more than ever, those who name the name of Christ should be engaging in regular, earnest prayer, because it is obvious, even to the casual onlooker, that we have entered a very dark place in history. Truth is being exchanged for lies on a daily basis in high and low places, and the god of this world has blinded the minds of men and women who were once regarded of as having some sort of character.

The present condition of our world has been aptly described by several of the Bible prophets, who in vision, beheld the very things we’re seeing with our own eyes, and hearing with our ears. These must be the times which God warned us of, in the final days before Christ would return, and thus, Christians the world over would need to pray like never before. Let’s read:

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. 11 We look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

13 In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. 14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

Thus, because these things are now occurring in the present tense, and are only scheduled to get worse with the passage of time, a solemn duty rests upon all to pray, not only for personal victories, but also for the gospel, that it be carried to the ends of the earth, and for souls who are going down into Christ-less graves every day.

Prayer is like the breath of the, soul without which we cannot survive the mortal conflict against every internal, and external foe which seek to uproot us from God’s kingdom. Just as we cannot live without breathing, we cannot exist as Christians without a vibrant and consistent prayer life. Thus, whenever we permit our prayer life to fall into disrepair, it will be just a matter of time before we are overthrown.

It is virtually impossible for anyone of us to maintain victorious Christian living without prayer, for we are battling foes that are stronger than ourselves, and the only way to live like a conqueror is for us to be connected to the only Conqueror, even The Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, those who do not pray regularly, in sincerity, are just a spiritual accident waiting to happen. Even Christ, who never knew sin, saw the necessity of a continual connection with The Father, for the victory in behalf of humanity could only be won by depending on God.

Thus, He set us the example to pray consistently, so that we may be able to put the knowledge of the Bible into practice, by intelligent choice coupled together with Divine power through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Nothing else will do, and no other method that we may employ will suffice, even if we might be versed in a theoretical knowledge of the truth, because the victory in Jesus is not so much knowledge based as it is relationship based. In other words, knowing the scriptures without knowing Christ personally, is like taking the husk without the kernel.

Whenever the citadel of the soul is left vacant for a while, devils will seek re-entry, and there would be no inherent power in ourselves to resist them. Our knowledge of the truth is not sufficient to save from sin, because truth must be coupled together with its Author for it to have any efficacy. Jesus made this cornerstone truth of the gospel abundantly clear so that none of us need to stumble, or walk darkness. Let’s read:

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

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

But too often prayer is regarded too lightly, and it is approached in an irreverent or careless manner and no thought or preparation is done, either externally or internally before entering into a season of prayer as if it were just another item on our to-do list. Care must be taken to pray regularly, at times and places that are set aside for that specific purpose. The following therefore are scriptural pointers and examples that would grant us clearer insights into how we should pray, and if we seek to adopt the instructions given, God will be pleased to honor us with His abiding presence at all times.

[1] The time of secret prayer, a specific time. Cooperate prayer as a body of believers is good and not to be neglected, but it will never take the place of personal, private time with God. There are things that only God should hear privately, and therefore, it is necessary for us to pray regularly, at appointed times, specifically and deliberately set aside for that sole purpose. Let’s read:

Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Psalms 5:1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up.

Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsts for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land.

The word “Early” occurring in the previous passages as it pertains to specific times set aside for personal prayer, is primarily referring to prime time, or the very best of our time. This would differ from person to person since there are persons who may work at night. Regular personal prayer should not be left for times when we know we would be exhausted, and would not be able to focus on God, or what we are saying.

Jumbled words and half uttered sentences that are incoherent do not generally honor God, except in such cases like Hannah, who became so distraught that words could not be found to express her inner-most feelings. When, on account of habitual inadequate rest, our minds go in and out of concentration, and we find ourselves forgetting, and then remembering what we came to pray about, then we know for sure that we are not giving God “Prime-time”.

The habit of falling asleep while praying does not do honor to The God of heaven, for if we were to do so in the presence of an earthly monarch, we would be escorted out. Thus, the word “Early”, as it pertains to regular personal prayer, should be understood in the context of giving God the very best of our time, when our energies have been replenished, and we can think and commune clearly. Let’s read:

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.

Malachi 1:11 From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it; 13 And ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 14 For I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Again, as it pertains to our regular seasons of prayer that are set aside, it is best to do so when there are not a multitude of noises and other distractions that are taking place in the house. When the children are crying, and pots and pans are clanging in the house, or when the smell of cooking food wafts on the air, or the television, or music is blaring, then we know that such times are not the best for prayer.

Therefore, we should choose such times for prayer when there is the least possibility of interruption or distraction, when God alone would be the focus of our attention. God must be approached and treated in a manner that is commensurate with His Great Person and high office.

[2] The place of secret prayer, a specific place. A special place should be set aside or designated for regular personal prayer, wherever it is possible, for God is a God of order. Moving from room to room, from the bedroom to the bathroom, or from the living room to the patio is not the best plan, if and where it can be avoided.

In speaking about personal prayer, Christ instructed us to resort to our “Closet”, a specific place that is designated for that purpose. When Abraham called on the name of the Lord, he often did so at specific places, where his sheep would not be bleating in his ears, nor his dog barking to distract him, but rather, at the special place, where God and God alone was to be his focus. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Genesis 12:7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there he built an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and there he built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.

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 made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Jacob also followed in the footsteps of Abraham by setting aside specific places dedicated to prayer and worship. This is because the human mind naturally regurgitates memories and recalls specific incidents that are associated with specific places. That’s why, whenever one returns to their native land, a flood of memories of their past experiences immediately come to mind. Let’s read:

Genesis 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

The same practice of meeting regularly with God at a specific place was mandated when Moses was to meet with God on a regular basis. It’s not that God is restricted to anyone place, it’s because the mood, the experiences, and the memories, associated with a specific place are conducive to putting our minds into a frame of prayer.

When dating, couples often go to specific places to share their love, and those places, together with the words there spoken, and the experiences enjoyed together are forever etched into their memory. And later on in life, if for any reason, they were to return to that special place, a flood of memories will then sweep over them. Similarly, our regular place of communing with God should be special. Let’s read:

Exodus 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Exodus 29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. 43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

[3] The type of prayer: Repeating specific prearranged, prepared prayers, or mantras are not the way secret prayer should be done. Neither is it necessary to repeat God’s name over and over again. In the model prayer given by Christ, He addresses The Father only once, not that we are restricted to that number, but it is not necessary to address God numerous times in private prayer. In other words, the instruction of Christ is encapsulated briefly in the following passage. Let’s read:

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

When a person speaks to his or her friend, it would be considered quite unusual for one to mention the person’s name over and over again in the very same conversation, and therefore, it is not necessary to address God multiple times, for Holy and reverend is his name. Let’s read:

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knows what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 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: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

[4] What to pray for: Every sincere prayer receives an answer. There is no such thing as The Lord not hearing or answering the earnest prayer of His people. This one is huge, because many prayers that are offered are actually misguided, according to the Bible. There are certain things we should know and understand about communing with God, and they are clearly outlined in the following passages. Let’s read very carefully:

2nd Chronicles 7:12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

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.

1st John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

John 16: 23 Verily, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

As a general rule of thumb, the way must be cleared for our prayers to ascend to God’s throne, meaning, that if there are any known sins, or errors that have been, or are being committed, these must first be repented of, confessed, and forsaken in our minds before any other request can be made. This is of critical importance, for there are some who make petitions without first searching their own souls. Let’s read:

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

Proverbs 28:9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Again, when prayer is offered, it should not always focus primarily on ourselves, and what we desire, but rather on God’s will for our lives, and for others. The interests of God’s kingdom, and the souls for whom Christ died should be of utmost importance. But for every prayer to focus on our own personal troubles, grievances, or concerns, is misguided, for then we become the center of attention, and not God and others.

When Job was sick, he at first tended to dwell a lot on his misfortunes, and for a time he became pretty absorbed in thinking why me. However, it was when his focus was removed from himself, and he began to pray of his friends that the deliverance he sought was granted. Therefore, we too are not to focus too much on our own plight but instead, we should be willing to pray earnestly for the benefit of others. Let’s read:

Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

As we face unprecedented times in the history of this earth, and as clouds of conflict are gathering on the horizon, we will need to pray much more, and earnestly, for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, so that man’s history of tumults, wars, and troubles may come to an end. We therefore end with this short statement of fact which should remind us of the importance of prayer.

More prayer, more power. Less prayer, less power.

God Bless!

Lessons In Obeying God. Sabbath Afternoon 12/28/2019

The essence of the entire gospel can be condensed in a nutshell, in that the work of regeneration, that is accomplished through Christ, centers primarily on The Holy Ghost being given to those who believe, so that we may be empowered to obey God. Our love to God is manifested, not merely by empty words or praise, but by obeying Him because of an intelligent understanding and appreciation of His character. Fair words and flattery do not impress God, nor is He pleased with obedience that is partial, rational, or subject to humanistic modes of reasoning.

When God instructs us in His ways and His law, He expects that His every word will be carried out to the letter, in a cheerful, understanding spirit. Thus, whenever praise is coupled with obedience, it is accepted, for if He had to choose between praise and obedience God would choose obedience any day. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

John 14: 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

1st John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

However, in our day, a very disturbing trend has obtained in Christianity, where there is much talk about faith, without the corresponding works of obedience. Again, there is partial obedience, or a sort of compliance that is based on convenience alone, and for these reasons, it has now become necessary for those of us living in this generation to understand clearly the issue of obeying God.

In the unfortunate history of Uzzah, we may read clearly the important issues pertaining to obedience which must be understood by all, and especially the last generation of believers who will face the final conflict against the dragon and his agents. Nothing but exact obedience to God’s word will do. Let us repeat, nothing but exact obedience to God’s word will do. God had given the Hebrews explicit instructions for the transportation of the sacred ark, which housed the laws of God and the Shekinah glory.

Whenever it was to be moved from its place, certain ordained persons were to carry it on their shoulders and they were forbidden to even look on it, on pain of death. This is because the immediate presence of destroys sin, in those who know right from wrong, and thus, the instructions given for the transportation of the sacred chest was given to the children of Israel in a most solemn manner, so that the consequences of any deliberate violation thereof, would be clearly understood by all. Let’s read:

Numbers 4:1 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: 5 And when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them everyone to his service and to his burden. 20 But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

However, after the ark was returned from Philistia, it was placed in the house of Abinadab, and there it remained for twenty years, until David decided that it was time for it to return to its rightful place. Thus, with great joy and expectation, David, together with thirty thousand of his men went to fetch the ark. It is worthy of note that David took thirty thousand of Israel to go, for thirty thousand were slain when the ark was taken by the Philistines.

All goes well, and with great joy and rejoicing, they make their way home, when suddenly, the ark was shaken by the oxen, as if it was about to fall, and in what some people might consider a natural, reflex reaction, Uzzah stretched forth his hand to prevent it from falling. What happens next is where we will begin our study on obeying God.

Several important pointers will be highlighted, and several phrases will be focused on, so that whatever may be our current understanding of obedience, we will be instructed in the ways of God as it pertains to this very essential, and indispensable aspect of Christianity. Let the Bible speak for itself. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6:1 David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baal of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.

3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8 And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me? 10 So David would not remove the ark of the Lord unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obededom, and all his household. 12 And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

As was stated before, several important points will be highlighted, so that all who are listening should have clearer insights into the issue of obeying God, and how it does affect our relationship with Him.

[1] It was a joyous occasion, for according to the Bible, “David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments.”

It is always good to be joyful at the presence of God and it is good to celebrate whenever God has done great things for us. Just remember this, joyfulness does not make disobedience acceptable in any way, shape, or form. This coming week millions the world over will be celebrating another new year, and with grateful hearts we will reminisce on those blessings God has bestowed all year through.

Just remember this, that in the heat of the moment and in the joy of celebration, obedience to all that we know is right, is still required. There is a right, and acceptable way to celebrate, and then there is a wrong and forbidden way to celebrate. Whatever we do, let us make sure that our celebrations meet with God’s approval in all things.

[2] “Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, for the oxen shook it”

Here it would seem to many individuals that there was a good reason to disobey, because Uzzah was apparently trying to save the ark from falling. This is one of the more common temptations to sin, where reason, rationalization and so-called common sense may seem to warrant a departure from the explicit commands of God. But, in such a case as this where God has repeatedly stated that the ark should not be touched, the right thing to do will be to let it fall and break into pieces, if God would permit that to happen.

The tendency to disobey on rational grounds is what has led many to trample on God’s holy day, because a multitude of “Good” excuses and reasons for non-compliance are now being offered. But sooner or later the curtain will be lifted, and it will be seen that God means exactly what He says, and nothing else. When Christ was on this earth, He taught us by precept and example that it is lawful to do “Well” on the Sabbath day.

However, in our day, that word “Well” is being stretched to the limit and currently encompasses almost any and every work that can be construed or misconstrued into being something good. Thus, any and every type of work, from gas station attendants to cooks, from garbage collectors to the banking sector, from insurance companies to the electrical grid, and a multitudinous variety of goods and services are now all huddled together under the umbrella called “Well”.

But just to be clear, the scriptures declare that God changes not, and the sanctity of the Sabbath has in no way been depreciated, revoked, altered, or even annulled to adapt to the changing circumstances of life. What was commanded us on mount Sinai is still valid today, and applies equally across the board to every living person. In other words, times may have changed, but God has not. Let’s read:

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

[3] “God smote him there for his error”

There are some who may be inclined to endorse sin on certain grounds as being excusable, but The Lord labeled uzzah’s sin an error. The wages of sin is still death even though the gift of God is eternal life, for the offer of eternal life does not guaranty that the transgressor will be let off the hook. Judgment may be delayed for some time, because of God’s great mercy, but sooner or later, those who continue in sin will reap whatsoever has been sown. Let’s read:

Exodus 34: 5 And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

[4] “David was displeased”

The reason why David was displeased is because in this instance he thought God had acted unfairly, for after all, as David thought, Uzzah was only trying to prevent the ark from falling, and therefore he didn’t agree with how God responded. This is a critically important point for all would-be Christians to be cognizant of, for it is not everything that God does we may agree with, even thought it’s good if we do.

Obeying God should not be predicated on agreeing with Him, on the contrary, it should be based on our acknowledgement of His Sovereignty, and when this is clearly understood and practiced it then opens up the way for us to understand God’s ways, what He does, and why He does it. But for persons to base their obedience solely on agreement with God will run many into serious difficulty sooner or later.

Those who defer obedience until they agree with all God does will never obey, for there are numerous examples in the Bible where God’s commands, and His way of doing things often conflicted with man’s ways of reasoning. This truth is clearly stated, and is exemplified in the scriptures, so that we may not be snared by the agreement-based type of obedience. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For example, one day, after fishing all night, Jesus instructed Peter to let down his net into the sea for a catch. That particular time of day was actually the worst time to go fishing, and to Peter, who was a seasoned fisherman the command seemed to be an illogical one. In fact, by his response, Peter demonstrated that he did not really agree with Jesus, as to the rationality of the command, however, Peter acknowledged the sovereignty of Christ, and based upon that alone he obeyed, and the rest is history. Let’s read:

Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

Again, the centurion in Christ’s day understood the concept of obedience based on Jesus’ sovereignty, and that is why he petitioned Christ to only speak the word, and his servant would be healed. In this instance Jesus marveled at the man’s understanding of faith and obedience, which then stood in marked contrast to others, who had trained their minds to obey, only when they agreed with God. Let’s read:

Matthew 8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Thus, after David rolled the whole experience over and over again in his mind with a humble, teachable spirit, he correctly came to the conclusion that God was right in what He did, for an express command was disobeyed. In addition, it was observed that the household of Obed-Edom, to whom had been committed the ark, was blessed tremendously, for blessings, both in the temporal and spiritual realm will always accompany obedience to God’s word. Let’s read:

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

[5] “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah” We left this one for last, for it has to do with one’s knowledge, understanding, an awareness of right and wrong, and the responsibilities that go along with such knowledge. The two following passages need to be carefully considered, for they bring to light the sacred truth, that an intelligent Being was residing in the ark, none other than the great God of heaven. Let’s read:

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. 11 And the ark of God was taken. 1st Samuel 5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

2nd Samuel 6: 1 David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David went with all the people that were with him to bring up from thence the ark of God. 6 And Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

The Philistines, who had not known of any of God’s requirements in the transportation of the ark, took it up with uncircumcised hands and transported it for several miles, touching, and handling it with no visible sign of God’s displeasure. But Uzzah who had known better, is described as committing an error, and accordingly, he perished because of it. When the knowledge of God’s requirements shines radiantly in our consciences, our duty to obey that which we know is increased an hundredfold, for to whom more is given, more will be required.

But if persons erroneously believe that the knowledge of God’s will renders obedience optional, then we will find out too late that this is absolutely not the case. Even though we are free moral agents to choose either right or wrong, God often has mercy on those who do not presently know better. But when folks commit sin against the knowledge of His will, they place themselves in an attitude of presumption, or rebellion, and adverse consequences are sure to follow. Let’s read:

Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

One of the reasons why God called Adam first, after both he and Eve had eaten of the forbidden tree, is because Adam was more guilty than his wife, for he sinned in the full knowledge of what he was doing, with a clear understanding of all the consequences. But Eve was less guilty, because she was under the deception of the serpent. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 2:14 Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Those who minister in the word cannot do certain things, and cannot go to places where others may go without any compunctions of conscience, for the study of God’s word causes the truth of His laws to shine radiantly in their consciences, and because of this, what will be sin to them, might not be held as sin against those who do not know better. Therefore, as Seventh Day Adventists, we are under much greater scrutiny, and responsibility for those sacred truths we espouse, than are other nominal Christians who might not know better.

While they may be judged on the law of conscience, we will be held to a much higher standard, for to whom much is given, much will be required. Therefore, in closing, let us always remember that we are approaching an era in earth’s history where strict, and exact obedience to God’s word will be our only safety, because probationary time is being granted to us to prepare us for graduation to it is spoken. But first we must major in it is written. We close with a passage of scripture that will explain what is being referred to. Let’s read:

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? 23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

God Bless!

Desperation Temptations. Sabbath Afternoon 12/14/2019

The Bible cautions us of the devices of devils, which are set forth in scripture so that we may understand the pitfalls we must avoid. Prominent among these are temptations that presented to us when we get desperate for some reason. At such times, we tend to be more vulnerable than at other times when the conditions may be more favorable to obedience. Obedience to God should never be predicated on favorable circumstances, for our faith is not usually tested in favorable experiences, but in the grueling events that tempt us to the core.

It is at such times when we must make those deliberate decisions to keep moving forward with our commitment to God. Fair-weather Christianity has gained a lot of traction in our day and thus, when the rug is pulled out from under our feet, the mettle we are made of is often revealed. It is one of the devices of devils to create circumstances where it may seem illogical to serve God, or to continue waiting on Him, for His promise to be fulfilled. At such times, after a reasonable period of waiting, suggestions from the enemy begin to seem more attractive, and if things really get desperate, then many individuals are prone to go with alternatives that are contrary to God’s revealed will.

This has taken place over and over again in times past, and in our experiences today, it is too often duplicated. Therefore, whenever our backs are against a wall, and there seems no way out of our predicaments, we should be on high alert, because the enemy, as a roaring lion, will be on the ground prowling, seeking to improve on the opportune moment. Especially is our faith to be strong, and resilient by trusting in God, and having made a firm decision to be faithful no matter what, so that whatsoever may transpire, we will not turn to the right hand or left.

In other words, we all must decide individually, that there is never any valid reason to disobey God, for if we make that decision in our minds, and we put our implicit faith in Jesus, half the battle is already won, and the next half will just be to wait it out. When in Revelation 14, the Bible speaks of the patience of the saints, it is primarily referring to the action of waiting it out. “It” being the final conflict. Thus, there are certain things we should never do, even when we are under tremendous pressure and stress.

For example, in the U.S military, there are certain things soldiers should never do, even when they may be in grave danger, or stressful conditions, because existential threats should not be permitted to alter one’s code of conduct. Therefore, soldiers are never to be creatures of circumstance, never. Here are just four of the many creeds governing a soldier’s behavior and actions at all times, and in all circumstances whether the conditions be favorable, stressful, dangerous, and even if unexpected delays, with no specified time frame are encountered.

[1] I will always place the mission first. [2] I will never accept defeat. [3] I will never quit. [4] I will never leave a fallen comrade.

Many examples of desperate temptations are given in the Bible, but one stands out more than the rest, because it involved actual obedience to a certain extent on the part of the human agent. Abraham and Sarah are promised a child in their golden years and for all intents and purposes it seems to be quite improbable, according to conventional thinking. They wait and they try to have a child, and they try and they wait to have a child, all the while trusting in God who first gave them the promise.

If we try to lock God down to a specific time-frame for the fulfillment of His promise, we will stumble in our faith sooner or later. Even when He has given us a specific time for fulfillment, He still reserves the right to exercise discretion in the matter. If there is a delay for some unknown reason, we will have to trust God, that He knows what He is doing.

Indeed, there are times when adverse conditions may develop during the waiting period, and it may seem to us that certain negatives could have been avoided, had God come through when we thought it was prime time. Even then, our faith should not stumble, for “All things” work together for the good of those who love God, and “All things” can include delays.

Thus, Abraham and Sarah exercise their faith in the interim period, whilst their biological clocks kept on ticking, until one day, Sarah became so desperate in her expectancy, that she succumbed to one of the doctrines of devils which was at the time supported by the laws of the land.

Abraham also bought into the strategy, and excused disobedience on the basis of unexpected delays. This ploy is often used by devils to tempt us to a wrong course of action, especially if we have waited on the Lord for the fulfillment of His promise to us. Plan “B” essentially refers to anything else other than God’s revealed will, no matter what the reason and excuse might be. Thus, a son was born to Hagar and Abraham, the repercussions of which are still being felt even today.

On the other hand, we have another example of a desperate situation, which turned out differently. Mary and Martha have their brother suffering at home and they send to call Jesus, if haply He might come to save him from death. Christ receives the solemn message and He determines to go but again there is a delay. Precious minutes, and hours go by, but Christ gets delayed by the throngs of people presently seeking Him. Time is running out on Lazarus, and the situation worsens into desperation, yet Mary and Martha continue to cling tenaciously to their belief that Jesus will show up in time.

In their desperation they refuse to turn to the pseudo faith-healers of the day; they won’t permit Lazarus to be pushed down on the ground by some preacher. With them, it’s Jesus or nothing, period. Hours turn into days, they approach the inevitable cliff, and they go over, for Lazarus finally bites the dust, gives up the ghost and dies. Jesus now gets a chance to go, but by the time He arrives, Lazarus is already dead, and as far as Mary and Martha are concerned the golden opportunity has now passed, “BUT” Let’s read:

John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

What many Christians may not have realized is that the trial of our faith often includes some element of delay to see whether we will let go of God, or if we will let go and let God. Thus, it was with the Hebrew people in the wilderness, who encountered delay in entering the land of milk and honey. So, it was with some of the disciples of Christ who expected Him to set up His kingdom right there and then. Daniel encountered delays and Joseph encountered delays; Hannah encountered delays, and the great disappointment of 1844 also included an element of delay.

And on to our day, where we may encounter delays in finding the right person to marry. We may encounter delays in obtaining healing from some disease, or in being financially emancipated from plastic. Whatever the delay might be, and whatsoever the reason might be, the bottom-line question for us is whether we will surrender our faith in God when we get desperate. Will we adopt plan “B”, or like the saints of Revelation 14, will we just wait it out?

In other words, when Christians are looking for, and expecting the fulfillment of God’s promises to us, is there some predetermined threshold point we have set in our minds, at which we will either turn back, succumb to plan “B” or fall for the alternatives the devil often peddles in place of the genuine? What will we do when we get to desperate temptations? There are several ways and means to deal prudently with desperate temptations. The following is a list of important pointers to consider:

[1] Satan cannot force anyone to sin, by falling for his substitutes to God’s will. He can solicit, he would heckle, he would entice, and he will reason logically against faith, but he is never permitted to force us to sin. 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. Psalms 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

[2] Deliverance is often just around the corner from one hasty, desperate move. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue.

[3] Predetermined timelines for the fulfillment of God’s promises, on the part of the human agent, almost always sets us up for a fall. Much better to leave the fulfillment open-ended, for God is always on-time, always. Let’s read:

Psalms 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.

[4] Wait on God, He knows what He Is doing. There is a big difference between waiting while grumbling and waiting while praising. Our attitude makes all the difference. 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.

[5] Where it is warranted, avoid making important decisions when in a desperate frame of mind. In most cases where this occurs, the decisions thus made breed regret. In closing, let us try to avoid the snare of desperate temptations, for there is no need for us to worry ourselves out of the hands of Christ. God has given us His promise that He will be with us always, and His word is as good as gold. Let us therefore seek to exercise a childlike faith in Jesus, knowing that He always knows what is best for His children. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

God Bless!

Starting And Stopping. Sabbath Afternoon 12/07/2019

One of the primary reasons why we may seem to be sticking in neutral or reverse, as it pertains to doing anything worthwhile, is because we start and stop, but do not see our goals through to the very end. Whatever is worth accomplishing, whether it be in the physical or spiritual realm will have to be done consistently if success is to attend our efforts. God’s people are to be a people always on the move.

Ministries in the church often begin with a big bang, but after a while, the enthusiasm, energy, and drive often fizzles, and the good purposes that could have been accomplished in collaboration with God, often vanish into thin air. The problem, in most cases is that we started and stopped, for some reason or another.

At the beginning of every new year, resolutions are made, and we get pumped up, energized, and full of enthusiasm to start our exercise program, but that’s until about April or June, when the other issues and concerns take a toll, and before you know it we may miss one or two days, then a couple weeks, and by this time next year, our exercise regimen is entirely off the table. The problem in most cases is the start and stop syndrome.

The same phenomenon occurs with diets and food, when in the heat of the moment we take a pledge to eat right. Our freezers are emptied of forbidden things, Jenny Craig and Oprah stimulate us and we begin to see the results we once thought impossible but that’s until birthday parties, weddings and other social events come along.

Bit by bit we begin to slip up, and before you know it the twinkies, doughnuts and big mac’s beckon to us at every turn, and the diet plan which began in earnest falls flat on its face. The problem in most cases is that we started and stopped. In fact, the habit of starting and stopping is solely responsible for the overwhelming majority of failures in life, both in the spiritual and temporal realm.

The same syndrome of starting and stopping can be traced to proper spending, saving, devotional time, church building, sleeping, and almost every aspect of our living experience that requires consistency. But starting and stopping, and restarting over, and over again tends to blunt our morale over a period of time, and if we do not address this issue, we may sink down into despair over our repeated failures.

Then, the time will come when we’ll doubt our own resolve to do and dare, and before you know it, the joys of life, in accomplishing anything worthwhile, will seem more and more far-fetched. Then comes depression, regret, and a lack of will to challenge any difficult situation, or to reach for new horizons. God’s will is that a continual growth by His grace, and a forward motion in life be the purpose and the practice of His people. God not only promises a long life to those who serve Him, He also promises a long quality of life, so that we may render the best, and longest service possible, whilst we can.

But to do so we must overcome the tendency, and habit of starting and stopping. This will call for stern discipline on the part of believers, but God’s grace, when united with human effort, can accomplish a lot more than we can imagine. The motive power to continue doing that which God has instructed us to do, and anything that is worthwhile, is available to us through the power of Christ.

Yet, we should be humble and willing enough to ask God for such things as resilience, courage, fortitude, and the relentless pursuit of perfection. God never condemns us for failures, but He desires that we tap into His omnipotence, to get the energy and power to carry on. His power is promised to every believer, and may the force be with you. Let’s read:

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

There are several examples in the scriptures which demonstrate the effects of starting, and stopping, when something upright was to be achieved. As we observe these instances, let us remember that they were written for our instruction, with the hope that we would chart a right course for our feet and make any corrections where necessary.

The problem of never-ending hostilities suffered by the Hebrews was largely the result of starting, and stopping, for they began to drive out, and conquer the nations which God had given into their hands, but after a while they lost steam, got comfortable, and refused to carry God’s purpose over the finish line.

As we read, we will see that the problem of starting and stopping is pervasive, for nearly all the tribes of Israel suffered from the same syndrome. Like many of us at the beginning of the new year, they started off with a bang, but as time passed by, their energy waned, and they allowed latent foes to reside in the territories given them by God. Let’s read:

Judges 1:27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns.

28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute and did not utterly drive them out.

29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them and became tributaries.

31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:

32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.

33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

Judges 2:1 And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Lord spoke these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

The start and stop syndrome again affected those in the days of Haggai the prophet, for they had begun to build the temple, but just as before, they had lost steam halfway, and left off doing that which was to be accomplished. God called them back to the work for if He had not intervened, it would have been left to ruins. Let’s read:

Haggai 1:2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, this people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.

3 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

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

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

However, the habit of starting and stopping can be overcome, just like any other tendency, because the grace of Christ in the soul is available and is given to those who ask, so that we may live victoriously. The Bible gives us very helpful hints, and instructions so that we may kick the habit of starting and stopping once and for all. The following are some helpful hints.

[1] Find out from the scriptures whether the goal is worthwhile and upright.

Deuteronomy 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land.

Deuteronomy 6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee.

Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

[2] Take The matter to The Lord in prayer.

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

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

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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

[3] Sit down and count the cost soberly, and practically.

Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

[4] Make a pledge to God and to yourself.

2nd Timothy 1:12 I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error.

[5] Renew your commitment, and strength daily by tapping into God’s omnipotent power.

Isaiah 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Will power, resilience, fortitude and courage are all characteristics that are found in Christ, and thus, as Christians, we are to be beneficiaries of both His power and character. If we desire something good, we will have to ask for it, for God will not intrude on our freedom of choice arbitrarily. There are things in the spiritual realm that are given only in response to fervent prayer. Let’s read:

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Be not motivated by mere feelings, because feelings often fluctuate and vanish, so that the promises and pledges that were made in the heat of the moment, fall flat when the euphoria of the moment is gone. A well-thought out plan, together with the cost of implementation must be made before even thinking about beginning anything worthwhile.

Especially is this true when it comes to serving God. for The Lord cannot work through instrumentalities who cannot be depended upon, or who will allow His service to be left up to chance or feeling. When doing ministry, there are days when we will not feel good, and at other times we may get discouraged. God’s work has to continue uninterrupted, when we feel good and when we feel bad.

On several different occasions Moses and Aaron were threatened with stoning, the people accused them of things they never did, and put their actions and intentions in a false light. But at every turn, we read that they fell upon their faces before the Lord, meaning that they sought both the power, and will to carry on from God.

Serving God faithfully and consistently, even when the going gets rough will develop a soldier-like form of thinking, which is ready to fight the good fight of faith, on sunny days, and rainy days. This in turn will develop a character of consistency that will in most cases, run as a golden thread throughout the fabric of our experience. Let’s read:

Exodus 17:3 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.

Acts 5:40 And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Again, the recuperation time after hiccups should be as short as possible, with the end goal always in mind. There will be times when it may be virtually impossible to be consistent for a while, such times as when sickness, disability, injuries, or some other emergency may put us on hold for a period of time. But if the goal is worthy, we should be back in the game as soon as possible.

Sustainability in achieving worthy objectives over the long haul will call for sacrifice and discipline and therefore, we should take all the necessary time to roll the plans over in our minds, taking them to The Lord in prayer. Then, if He gives us the go-ahead, we should humbly ask Him for will-power and energy to sustain the venture over many years, as the case might be.

In closing, let none of us faint or be weary in well-doing for in due time we will reap if we faint not. Even though we may have started and stopped over and over again, remember that the battle will only be lost if we refuse to try again. The righteous falls seven times, but he doesn’t stay down, he gets back up again and fights relentlessly until he is victorious.

We therefore end with two passages of scripture that will greatly help us in overcoming the start and stop syndrome. Let’s read:

Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Ecclesiastes 5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

God Bless!

Understanding God's Favor. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/30/2019

The favor of God is unmerited by fallen beings, yet it is manifested in His people, some more, some less according to nuances in attitudes, and a willingness to obey Him. Several persons in the Bible enjoyed the favor of God upon them, and these examples, and the situations in which they occurred should be fully understood by those who desire God’s favor upon them and their families.

Joseph was favored by God, even though he was sold into slavery in a foreign land. After all his tears and soul deep searching he turned to the God of His fathers, and there in Egypt, he served and obeyed God with a cheerful spirit. The favor of God was bestowed upon him, even though, like everyone else he had to surmount difficulties, problems and challenges of his own.

The favor of God upon Joseph also notably resulted in collateral blessings to Potiphar’s household, for God’s favor is not minuscule in nature, but it often overflows to those with whom we interact. In fact, whenever a true Christian meets or greets another person, some sort of blessing should rub off on the other person.

It may not always be financial or temporal blessings but it may be something related to one’s health, or something spiritual in nature such as godly counsel, encouragement, or friendship, but whatever it may be, the one who is in Christ will in most cases be a blessing or help to others. Let’s read:

Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple;

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

In Joseph’s case the favor of God translated into a host of material and spiritual blessings for Potiphar, his family and his business because not only did God prosper them for Josephs sake, they also had a god-fearing example before them continually, so that the knowledge of the true God was diffused. Let’s read:

Genesis 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

6 And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.

Job also was well favored by God, even though he too had his trials and temptations. Difficulties in life do not determine or restrict God’s favor, and those occasional periods of doubt and discouragement do not adversely affect it, but how we approach those negative circumstances will make all the difference. God’s favor upon Job was so extensive, that even satan was forced to take notice. Let’s read:

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

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.

Daniel also was favored by God, which had a direct effect on his interaction with the chief officials in

Babylon, who otherwise would not be friendly to him. That’s because the favor of God upon one, will inevitably affect another, and will often smooth the rough edges, and subdue stubborn hearts, which otherwise would appear obdurate, uncooperative, unfriendly, or even rude. Let’s read:

Daniel 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

Daniel 1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

For this celebrity chef to risk death in order to please Daniel, speaks volumes to the favor of God upon His people, for it affects situations, people, and outcomes for the better. Some may not have known this, and that’s why we must understand God’s favor. Let’s read:

Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

But the more the Bible is studied it becomes clearer and more evident, that the attitudes we cherish and cultivate, the dispositions that we foster play a huge role in affecting our favor with The Lord. Harboring a cheerful spirit, dwelling on the blessings of life, having a positive attitude of living faith in God, and being resilient when facing difficulties, all go a long way in making our lives on this earth much brighter.

On the contrary, grumbling and murmuring about real, or phantom troubles, dwelling on difficulties, refusing to count our many blessings, and allowing the challenges of life to stifle the spirit of praise and thankfulness, puts our minds and our outlook on life in a cloudy vein of thought and action, that has an adverse effect on almost everything we attempt to do, even affecting God’s favor upon us.

Every person is surrounded with an aura that would affect those with whom they come in contact. That aura can energize, encourage, and strengthen, or it can deter, limit, restrict, and discourage. When we cultivate faith in God, it doesn’t mean that we won’t have problems, but if we trust God with a cheerful, and thankful spirit, He will show us many different ways to find resolutions.

In fact, having a positive outlook on life, despite our problems is one of the remedies for several health issues as recommended in the Bible, because when the attitude is right, it opens the door to blessings and deliverances which would not otherwise have occurred.

Now, if you find that we are dwelling a whole lot on attitude of late it’s because we are, for our general attitude in life can make or break, it can strengthen or discourage, depending on Who and what we may choose to focus on. This is one of the reasons why Christ did not do many miracles in a certain place, because the attitudes of the people had restricted Him greatly. Let’s read:

Mark 6:4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country;

5 And he couldn’t do no mighty work there, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

It’s not because He did not want to, it’s because He simply couldn’t, all because of the atmosphere of unbelief that was being cherished by people in that area. Therefore, the Bible instructs us in hundreds of passages about the effects of our attitudes, and how it affects God’s favor upon us, either for the better, or adversely. Let’s read:

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Isaiah 61:1 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;

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.

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

Psalms 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Then you have the flip-side by which God’s favor can be adversely affected because of the wrong attitude cherished. It makes a very huge difference!

Deuteronomy 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee and shall pursue thee and overtake

thee.

46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed forever.

47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies.

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.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

[Colporteur Ministry pp 67>68] Every soul is surrounded by an atmosphere of its own, an atmosphere charged with the life-giving power of faith, courage, and hope, and sweet with the fragrance of love.

Or it may be heavy and chill with the gloom of discontent and selfishness, or poisonous with the deadly taint of cherished sin. By the atmosphere surrounding us, every person with whom we come in contact is consciously or unconsciously affected.

[Test. Vol 6 pp 43] When the grace of God reigns within, the soul will be surrounded with an atmosphere of faith and courage and Christlike love, an atmosphere invigorating to the spiritual life of all who inhale it.

Thus, the favor of God must be understood in the context of the commensurate attitudes that should be manifest in His people. God had promised favor to His people, so that wherever they went, and any individuals they interacted with, would be affected, in one way or the next. 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 do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice

of the Lord thy God.

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

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

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

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.

8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

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.

13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.

Of particular interest are verses seven, and ten of the previous chapter, for it speaks specifically of the enemies of God’s people being afraid of them. The favor of God would thus subdue obstinate nations, and kings, or, conversely, those who were willing to accept of God’s grace would be blessed. Let us read again:

Deuteronomy 28:7 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.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

This favor of God was demonstrated in real time when the spies were sent to Jericho, in preparation for the victory that God would give to Israel. That nation, having now passed the boundaries of God’s forbearance, would not have courage to fight, and yet, if there was anyone in that city that would be susceptible to God’s grace, they would partake of God’s favor too. 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.

8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

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.

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:

13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have and deliver our lives from death.

This fact about God’s favor upon His people is what makes the next instance so interesting, for Moses and the Hebrews approach a certain king and ask him for a reasonable favor, but for some reason he refuses blatantly, and prepares himself for battle if needs be. Even though they plead respectfully with the king, somehow, he is only manifesting a defiant hostility, and thus the question is “Why”. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us:

15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:

16 And when we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border.

17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.

18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.

19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

It becomes apparent that God’s favor upon Israel had somehow vanished at a time when they were expecting to be favored. The question is why; what could have taken place in their relationship with the Lord, that would cause His favor to dissipate into thin air? For the reasons, we only have to read the preceding verses of the same chapter. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:3 And the people chode with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?

5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 422] The encampment of Israel at Kadesh was but a short distance from the borders of Edom, and both Moses and the people greatly desired to follow the route through this country to the Promised Land; Had the people, when brought into trial, trusted in God, the Captain of the Lord's host would have led them through Edom, and the fear of them would have rested upon the inhabitants of the land, so that, instead of manifesting hostility, they would have shown them favor.

But the Israelites did not act promptly upon God's word, and while they were complaining and murmuring the golden opportunity passed. When they were at last ready to present their request to the king, it was refused.

Even though some may not be aware of this, the favor of God is inextricably intertwined with the right attitude, because God is a Spirit, and where there is a cheerful, contented spirit that avoids the urge to murmur and complain, there, the favor of God will be manifest when coupled with obedience.

It is of critical importance then, for us to avoid the habit of complaining. There is always much to be thankful for, because even though we may not be where we would like to be, let us always remember that there are those who are much less fortunate than ourselves, and who would eagerly take up our garbage and make the best of it.

This past Thanksgiving, millions across America sat at sumptuous tables and partook of God’s bounties, with many left-overs to spare. In another part of the world people woke up to a breakfast of mud-cakes and water, and they dined with a cheerful spirit. We should always be mindful of the many opportunities and privileges granted us, and be thankful for God’s unmerited favor.

We therefore close with a passage of scripture, and a quote from the pen of inspiration that will enable us to cultivate right attitudes, and a much brighter outlook on life. Mountains we may climb and rivers we may cross, but in all things there is always much to be thankful for. Let’s read:

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.

[TDG pp 305] Talk hope and faith and thanksgiving to God. Be cheerful, hopeful in Christ. Educate yourself to praise Him. This is a great remedy for diseases of the soul and of the body.

God Bless!

Think Big! Sabbath Afternoon. 11/23/2019

The blessings of God being bestowed upon us can be turned into a great success, or failure because of our attitudes. Success for the Christian depends not so much on the amount of blessings received, but of the use we make of them, because God will grant us opportunities, but success has to do with what we do with those opportunities.

Some individuals, through diligence, dispatch, and wise management will make a million dollars out of mere pennies, and others, because of indolence and mismanagement will reduce a million to pennies. In most cases it is the attitude that we manifest which determines success or failure. One’s scant resources should not prevent us from exercising intelligence, ingenuity, or sound wisdom.

Some persons are blessed with multiple talents and gifts, and yet, these blessings remain unused for the most part. Then again, some are given one, or two talents, and by their attitude the gifts are multiplied a hundred-fold. Thus, in all that God bestows upon His people, He requires that Christians think big, not limiting or measuring our potential by conventional standards, but through faith in God, we are to reach for the stars.

As a general rule of thumb, our faith in God, and our concepts of His abilities, determine to a large extent what He can and will do for us. If we harbor a small concept of God, His blessings upon us will generally be commensurate with what we think. However, if we do not think restrictively of Him, we open up our hearts to receive much, for with God, nothing shall be impossible.

The following therefore are little snippets of truth pertaining to our attitudes in life which determine success or failure.

[Christian Service pp 238] Many who are qualified to do excellent work accomplish little because they attempt little. Throughout His life on earth, Jesus was an earnest, constant worker. He expected much, therefore, He attempted much.

Genesis 39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

[Conflict and courage pp 74] The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph's care was not the result of a direct miracle; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the divine blessing. Joseph attributed his success to the favor of God; without steadfast, well-directed effort however, success could never have been attained.

[Christ Object lessons pp 331] Christ has given us no assurance that to attain perfection of character is an easy matter. A noble, all-round character is not inherited. It does not come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ.

God gives the talents, the powers of the mind; we form the character. It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies. We shall have to criticize ourselves closely and allow not one unfavorable trait to remain uncorrected.

2nd Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

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

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

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

Christians who really believe in God should always be growing, expanding, developing, and climbing Jacob’s ladder one rung at a time. In other words, if we were to think big, next year will not meet us in a stagnated position, where we were this year. There are new goals, higher heights, newer horizons, and challenges to surmount.

Thus, if we adopt a large, broad platform thinking we will find that output will increase dramatically, both in the spiritual and temporal realm. Enlarging our borders not only pertains to material pursuits; it also pertains to growing God’s kingdom, because, whatever attitudes we manifest and cultivate in the temporal realm, will also be translated in spiritual matters.

Character does not change with situation, place, or circumstances; instead, it runs as a common thread throughout the fabric of our experiences. A striking example of thinking big is given in the experience of a widowed woman, who ran into financial difficulty after the death of her husband.

Like many of us, the creditor was at the door, and the demand was made for payment or “else”. In her utter desperation she turns to God for help through the prophet Elisha, and what follows next is to serve as a scriptural instruction on thinking big.

Several spiritual lessons pertaining to our attitudes, our methods, and our concepts of God are given in the narrative, with the hope that wherever we may see ourselves falling short, we would buckle up our shoes and start to run. So, let’s lay the groundwork for the study by observing a few important pointers.

[1] Whenever we are in a difficult situation, the first step is to seek God, but we should bear in mind that our attitude would often make a huge difference in the outcome. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

Proverbs 3:4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

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

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

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

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

[2] Deliverance and blessings often begin with what we have at our disposal, because God often utilizes resources that are available, and He would multiply them, if we cooperate with Him. Thus, it was with the five barley loaves and two fishes that furnished food for thousands. God could have provided the raw material, but He usually doesn’t do this when any resources are available. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.

[3] The size and the extent of the blessing is entirely in the woman’s hands. God has promised, He stands ready to work, but the size of His blessing will solely be dependent on the woman’s capacity to receive. God encourages her to think big, and not to limit His power, but He will not force her into thinking big.

Her faith must take hold of unseen realities, and the only limit will be what she believes, and thinks that God can and will do. In other words, we cannot out-think God’s blessings, for whatsoever the size of the blessing we may come up with, God could come up with more. If the widow was to borrow a hundred vessels, she will receive one hundred vessels worth of blessing.

But if she were to think big, and borrow a million vessels, she would then receive a million worth of blessings; it’s entirely up to her, the ball is entirely in her court. Now, there is a big difference between faith and greediness, therefore the two should not be mixed up.

Faith in God, in instances such as this, occurs when one doesn’t put a limit on God; greediness is when one can never be satisfied. God through His prophet encourages the woman to think big, because this is her golden opportunity.

With this one chance, she could retire with a huge nest egg, or by thinking small, she could become a slave to debt again. From here on out, it’s entirely dependent on her attitude, her faith, and her belief in the power of God. She could ask Elisha for help this once, or by her attitude she could be coming back again and again for help.

As a matter of fact, as far as God is concerned, this one blessing could be a one-time deal of a lifetime, that will not only solve her present problems, but it could cover her food, rent, medical bills, and college tuition for her sons, in the future, with vacations in Europe, or at Disney world. It’s all up to her because whatsoever she thinks, and believes, is what God stands ready to do.

Many Christians might not have known this about God, and as a result some have imposed finite and humanistic limitations on what God can and will do. To such Christ says, be it unto you according to your faith, or, by changing our attitude we can realize big changes in our blessings. It’s all up to us. Let’s read:

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundant above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us,

21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus.

2nd Kings 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

Neither God, or Elisha tells the woman how many vessels to burrow, for she isn’t given any specific number; all that is done, is that she is encouraged not to think small. “All thy neighbors” means every single neighbor she could think about, even those in the home-owners association who often snitch on other neighbors, and with whom she may not get along.

The words “Burrow not a few” also drives home the point that she should think big. God stands ready to work, Elisha has done his part by instructing, and encouraging her, but her faith must close the deal, either in an itsy-bitsy manner, or in spectacular way. The onus is now on her, for if anything falls short in this blessing, the fault will not be with God. Let’s read:

2nd kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

5 So she went from him and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

In the privacy of her home the woman and her sons fill bottles upon bottles of oil, and they all relish the moment, as they witness first-hand, the miraculous power of God being exercised in their deliverance. All goes well until finally, they reach the last bottle, and here is where our Bible study begins. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

Obviously, there was room for more blessings, but when the widow finally realized what was actually taking place, the supply of vessels ran out, and thus, according to the measure of her faith, God dealt to her His blessing. Now, if for some reason she had ten thousand more bottles, the oil would still be flowing.

Very often in our Christian experience, God stands ready to do and bless much more than we expect, but our narrow views of His power effectively puts a limit on what will take place. Therefore, one of the most critical lessons for us to embrace is that we ought to think big, in our understanding of God.

Little concepts of God often breed little blessings, whereas great ideas of God breed great blessings. Saul and the other Israelites were harboring minute concepts of God, that is why Goliath could shake them down day after day as they cowered in fear. David on the other hand seemed to be eager for the opportunity to take down the giant, because he had trained his mind to always think big when dealing with God.

Same situation, same giant, but different concepts of God result in success or failure. It is true that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so as we observe David and Saul’s attitude, let us learn our lessons well. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17:23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25 And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that is come up?

26 And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

However, there is something much deeper to the narrative of the widowed woman, that deserves our utmost attention. What Elisha said to the woman up front is just as important as what he did say after the fact, and as we read, questions may arise in our minds that would demand an answer. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Question: Why did not Elisha tell her from the onset that this one blessing was to take care of herself and her children for the rest of their lives? Why not divulge this critical piece of info, upfront, so that the woman could realize the extent and the seriousness of this onetime act?

It is quite possible that if she had known of this up-front, she would have rented one of those big U-Haul trucks and filled it with vessels, because she would be looking at a blessing that was to take her to her grave. So again, we ask the question: why was that critically important piece of information withheld until the woman had made her move?

Answer: If Elisha had told her upfront that the blessing would be for her lifetime, then her actions would be based on fact, not on faith, because in most cases more information almost always results in the exercise of less faith.

Those who indulge the habit of clamoring for more and more information about God and His promises, usually act only when every risk and obstacle is removed. Thomas demanded more information and was later reproved by Christ for doing so. Let’s read:

John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

After the day of Pentecost the name of Thomas goes into oblivion because it’s never mentioned again in the scriptures. Thus, we have a lesson for all time, that the exercise of faith is not so much knowledge-based, as it is an attitude and a choice, even though knowledge is essential.

The Bible speaks of some folks who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. The same disposition of skepticism was manifested in the days of Christ when the leaders demanded of Him a sign. They would not believe, nor exercise that child-like faith in God, because doing so bruised their ego.

Even when Christ gave them indisputable proof of His Divinity, by raising Lazarus, they responded by desiring to put both Christ and Lazarus to death. Thus, an excessive amount of information can often stymie faith in God. So the question is, how much information and evidence we need before we believe?

When, like the widow woman in the story, God has promised to do great things for us, let us not encourage doubt and skepticism, but let us rather take hold of the arm of omnipotence, for as we have stated over and over again, God is a Spirit, and therefore an attitude of belief on our part is much more pleasing to Him, than the “Thomas” disposition that keeps on demanding proof.

Let us then take God at His word, and be not faithless, but believing, for He is faithful who has promised, and will bless us abundantly if we think big, and when He sees we can handle it. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that encourages us to always exercise a living faith in God. Let’s read:

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

God bless!

Building Bullet-Proof Marriages. Sabbath Afternoon. 11/16/2019

In the Bible, marriage was ordained and given to us by God as one of two sacred institutions which were to be perpetuated throughout the entire history of mankind. The other, being the Sabbath, was given for the well being of the human family, and when they are incorporated together they have the effect of fostering longevity, stability and the general good of all society.

After Adam was created, God saw fit to provide him a female wife, with the intention that the two were to share in all of life’s experiences and would grow and mature throughout the process. Children were to be born as a result of the sacred union, and as a direct result, the stability of homes, communities, and nations would rest squarely upon the proper adherence to God’s order.

One wife for one man is God’s ideal, and as the children would grow, love and learn in such a stable environment, they too would go out from home to form families of their own. They would thus pattern their marriages and families according to what they had seen, and heard at home, and so, society would be built upon a sure foundation.

But, over a period of time, the sacred institution has taken several fatal bullets from visible, and invisible forces, to the point where it is currently dragged in the dust, and children are becoming more confused on mother’s, and father’s day. Thus, now more than ever God’s ideal for marriage is to be respected and restored and honored in the lives of all those who are called by His name, wherever it applies.

There are several concepts and philosophies that were introduced over the years which have caused catastrophic damage to marriages, and these have been so cleverly introduced, that millions have had their thought processes insidiously invaded, and are now calling good evil and evil good.

This is because the arch-enemy of God and man is a deliberate, and protracted worker, who utilizes the principles of gradualism to introduce theories, and concepts that are entirely foreign to God’s order, in a manner that may seem to appeal to logic, and the greater good of man. But wherever and whenever we depart from God’s ideal, we will suffer adverse consequences, both locally and nationally.

For instance, throughout the first years of human existence, male with female was the indisputable order of the day, even though the original plan God gave began to be perverted through polygamy. So, even though the sacred institution was scarred by men having a duplicity of wives, at least it was then understood that males should have females. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Genesis 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

But then, alternative relations began to be gradually introduced beginning with women with women and men with men, to our day currently where we are facing a plethora of options which God would not even recognize or endorse. So how did we get here? It’s the principle of gradualism at work, and before you know it, anything and everything goes.

Today, marriage is reduced and distorted to include any designation man may come with, for we were given one male and one female in the beginning, but now we have morphed into, gay, lesbian, queer, non-binary, trans- sexual, bisexual, and those who adopt a fluid status that can change from one day to the next, according to how one may feel in the morning.

The principle of gradualism has also been employed in heterosexual marriages by which various theories and escape routes have been adopted, some by law and others by the clamors of the popular majority. Thus, in our day, when the marriage institution has become clouded and hardly discernable, it is high time for those who know God to build and maintain bullet-proof marriages, wherever it applies.

This will call for a humble and teachable spirit, and a willingness to follow God’s order, God’s instructions and His principles, which were written for our good. To begin with, our minds would have to be rewired by the written word of God, wherever an invasion of our thought processes might have occurred.

In the days of Christ, a question was posed to Him, which demanded a firm and prompt answer. It had to do with plausible or commonly accepted reasons for one spouse separating from another. That same question is still being asked today, and for that very reason, we should begin building our bulletproof marriages by addressing that question. Let’s read:

Matthew 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

In our day, marriages are being dissolved for some of the most trivial reasons, and millions do embark upon their journey with the thought that if it does not work out as expected, there is always an escape route in “Every cause”. Thus, this mode of thought represents an invasion of our thinking, and in order to build a bullet-proof marriage, that option of one leaving for any trivial reason must be taken off the table permanently.

Even though there are valid cases where dissolution may be warranted, our general thinking should not include a plan “B”. Instead, it is God’s will that the “Lock the door and throw away the key” mentality be adopted. If separation must inevitably take place it should be coincidental, not viewed as an ongoing option to be used whenever things don’t go right.

The Bible teaches us that marriage is likened unto the relationship Christ has with His church and Jesus does not leave His church for any trivial reason. As a matter of fact, He promises to be with us always, to the end of the age, and therefore, if we pattern our marriages after the similitude of Jesus’ relationship with the church, we should be willing to follow in His footsteps. Let’s read:

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled.

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Once the decision and the choice has been made to stay in the marriage no matter what, [Barring those scriptural reasons for dissolution] the next issue will be how to deal with troubles when they arise. If the option of separation is harbored then the necessary attempts at resolution, and the painstaking efforts to cultivate the relationship may not be made.

Thus, assuming that the decision is made to stay in the marriage, and work it out, we would need to follow the instructions God has given in His word. It is of critical importance for us to deal always in the currency of heaven, especially when and if troubles arise. Both parties should seek God for wisdom and discretion in dealing with bumps in the road.

Issues will arise from time to time, for we are fallen beings, and we live in an imperfect world, yet the way in which spouses seek to resolve problems can make or break the relationship. There are certain methods to be avoided under any circumstances. Then again, there are attitudes and methods to be cultivated, which will go a long way in fostering longevity and happiness. Here are a few. Let’s read:

[1] Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

27 Neither give place to the devil.

Allowing the sun to go down, while harboring anger means that spouses would part for bed, without a resolution to differences that have arisen during the day. This will inevitably give satan time to work on a person’s mind, churning the matter over and over again, whilst adding perspectives, and presumed intentions that may have never really existed.

Now, while it is good and advisable to take some time to think and pray before we address some volatile issue in the marriage, we should not wait too long to resolve or speak, for with every passing moment, damage is often being done, alienation may be deepening, and the devil is kept busy.

One of the ways the devil intrudes into marriages when the going gets rough is to tempt one or the other spouse to involve a third party, such as in-laws, and outlaws. Great care must be taken when spilling the beans to those outside the marriage, for if and when the leak is discovered, it often fosters bitterness, resentment and retaliation.

Here is where the wisdom of God is greatly needed, because in our relationships with each other, when difficulties are to be resolved, the scriptures always recommend privacy, as opposed to publicity, since issues that are resolved in the public square often trigger other deeper problems than before. In most cases, if God is at the center of the marriage, issues can be resolved privately. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

[A.H. pp 177] There is a sacred circle around every family which should be preserved. No other one has any right in that sacred circle. The husband and wife should be all to each other. Never should either the husband or wife in sport or in any other manner complain of each other to others, for frequently indulging in this will end in trial with each other and perhaps estrangement.

The home circle should be regarded as a sacred place, a symbol of heaven, a mirror in which to reflect ourselves. Friends, and acquaintances we may have, but in the home life they are not to meddle. A strong sense of proprietorship should be felt, giving a sense of ease, restfulness, and trust.

[2] Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Contrary to what many Christians may think about the matter, “corrupt communication” can often be things that are true. Not because something is true means it must be said. Wisdom is the result of the proper application of knowledge, and thus, there are things that are best left unspoken, even if they are true.

On many current television shows, spouses go on air to spill the beans about their most private lives, and as a result, arguing and bickering in the public square often takes place. In many cases, what they said about each other might be true, but it becomes corrupt communication, by the undue exposure of the matter to those who had no business listening.

The faults and shortcomings of either spouse must never be unduly disclosed outside of the marriage, because stories, and sensitive information have a way of taking on a life of their own, as they are repeated from one to the next. In addition, the love of God in the heart will lead us to exercise sound discretion, as to the timing of what we must say.

This is critically important, for words spoken out of season in a sensitive situation may do more harm than good, even if one’s intentions were upright. In a manner that is conducive to growth, and in the fullness of time is how Christ deals with His church, when speaking that which we need to hear, for He does not disclose that which may be inappropriate, that will cause one or more to stumble. Let’s read:

John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.

Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

[3] 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Tit for tat methods of dealing with problems that arise in the marriage should be strictly avoided, for your wife or husband is your best friend, not your enemy. Even though it may take time for wounds to heal, yet concerted efforts should be made, not to deter, but to encourage healing.

Even repeat offenders should not be excluded from gracious overtures, for this is how God forgives us in Christ. This is not to say that repeated errors are to be encouraged, but the general attitude should be

to forgive, restore and grow from a bad experience, rather than the attitude of three strikes and you’re out, for Christ deals mercifully with us. 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.

Now we move on to the positives that are to be encouraged. Mutual respect, kindness, courtesy, cleanliness, and a general attitude of seeking the happiness and best good of each other, should be cultivated. The spirit of so-called independence that is fostered by certain feminist movements has not always been conducive to longevity in the marriage, for even though some good is accomplished, yet in some aspects attempts are made to try to dismantle God’s order.

Doing things together, making decisions and taking actions together, socializing together, talking often together, sleeping together, rejoicing and weeping together, praying together, worshiping together, eating together, shopping together, and planning together, should be the preferable attitude that is cultivated in the marriage.

Some spouses lead single lives while still married, under the same roof because in some instances one may feel having independence is a manifestation of liberty. But when we look at the way the Godhead operates, we discover that everything that is done is accomplished in tandem with each other. The Holy Spirit doesn’t go rogue on Christ, with no regard for His feelings, and The Father also does not exercise autonomous authority without Christ.

A close symbioses is always exercised, even in the minutest detail, so that at the end of the day, what the Son does, it’s just as if The Father, or the Holy Ghost did it. The spirit of independence is one of those concepts that have been introduced into the marriage institution, and in many cases has resulted in single parent families.

Even in dealing with His church, God seeks to call us to the table, where everything is done mutually. It is the spirit of independence that caused the first sin, in heaven and it was the spirit of independence that caused Eve to think that she could handle any issue on her own. It is the spirit of independence which causes us to think that we can live victoriously all by ourselves without God to sustain us.

In fact, the mantra “Good without God” which is a phrase often lauded by atheists, hearkens back to that same spirit of independence. Therefore, even though our individuality must remain intact, yet it is God’s will that we pattern our marriage relationship after what the Godhead does, and encourages each spouse to do to make the marriage bullet-proof. Let’s read:

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

John 5: 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

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

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.

Finally, whatever may be the current situation in one’s marriage, let’s always remember that mutual love, and consideration for each other will go a mighty long way in smoothing the rough edges, and will serve to make the marriage relation a happy experience, instead of one filled with regrets. Let us then follow the counsels and exhortations found in the Bible, for they were given for our best good. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13: 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

God Bless!

The Unpardonable Sin. Sabbath Afternoon 11/09/2019

The unpardonable sin occurs when there is nothing more that can be done to save a person. The Holy Spirit is the only Agent that can facilitate any true repentance, and once He takes leave of a person, it then becomes impossible for one to repent. There is no more reserve power for salvation, and there is nothing more God can do, when the work, and the Person of the Holy Spirit is rejected.

God respects our freedom to choose and whenever that freedom is continually exercised in rejecting God’s merciful overtures to save, our choice finally becomes set in stone, and becomes permanently irreversible. In very many cases, individuals may be permitted to live after such an event takes place, but additional years do not change the fact. Thus, wherever it is possible, this grievous sin should be avoided.

Now, it is important for us to understand that there are several different triggers, that set in motion the unpardonable sin. A persistent rejection of light and the continuous quieting of one’s conscience, when wrongs and sins are brought to our attention. Then, there is the habit of deliberately crediting the work of the Holy Spirt to satanic agencies and there is the practice designating evil as being good.

Also, the habit of sinning deliberately, after one has been made aware of the truth, will cause the voice of conscience to gradually go dead. All of these, or any combination thereof will eventually bring folks to the point of no return, for it is not so much that God stops speaking, it’s that we stop listening. Thus, several passages of scripture caution us against any of these indulgences which could result in the sin of no return. Let’s read:

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

2nd Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

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

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.

King Saul was given ample opportunity to do right, but on several occasions, he either disobeyed the voice of God, or offered partial obedience. Like all others, he was not expected to render service that’s acceptable to God without the wherewithal to do so and therefore he was given the Holy Spirit to enable him to do right. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 11:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

When the Holy Ghost is given to a person, He then enables him or her to put good choices into action, but throughout one’s lifetime the freedom to do good or evil remains intact. Force is rarely used to coerce the will, hence the reason why we see in the scriptures, where at times holy men may have fallen into sin.

It’s not that persons did not have the Holy Ghost, it’s just that He respected their choices, for a person, having the Holy Spirit dwelling within, does not prevent anyone from sinning.

Thus, it was that Saul, being loaded with The Holy Spirit would on many occasions, make choices that he was consciously aware, were contrary to God’s will. And, having thus indulged in willful sin after he had received the Holy Spirit, his choices culminated in permanent rebellion, which becomes incurable, and ultimately ends in destruction.

Several opportunities were granted him so that he could redeem the time if he would, but Saul often got angry when reproved, and he came to hate the prophet Samuel, for showing him his sins. The Lord speaks to us through His word, through ordained prophets, through the pastors and elders who have been selected by Him for that purpose.

He also speaks through His Spirit in our consciences, and through His providences which are designed to appeal to our intelligence. Sometimes, God tries to reach us through sacred song, as He did with Saul, when David would play skillfully on his harp.

At other times, God may speak through a friend, a co-worker, or even a neighbor. In some extreme circumstances He may use donkeys to reach us, but no matter how God tried, Saul just would not listen. Thus, it reached a point where it became useless to try to redeem him, and he was finally left up to the other leader he had chosen. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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.

Again, the unpardonable sin occurs when we credit the work of God deliberately, as being that of the devil, and that against the most conclusive evidence to the contrary. When the truths God would have us know are brought home to our consciences with unusual clearness, and when we cannot bypass and reason away the truth, but yet say it is from satan, then there’s nothing more God can do to save us.

The human conscience is naturally distorted, so that we cannot of ourselves distinguish right from wrong perfectly. Therefore, The Holy Spirit is imparted to enlighten the conscience and bring the truth of God home to our minds. When this is done, and we then call that work as coming from the devil, we do insult to The Holy Ghost, and if this is done over, and over again, the voice of God will go silent in our minds.

This is what was occurring when Christ was casting out demons from a certain man, and the Jews who witnessed the event with their own two eyes, and who were convinced in their heart that God was at work, then made a conscious decision to call it the work of Beelzebub. Christ then issued a warning that is echoed by Isaiah against putting darkness for light, and light for darkness. Let’s read:

Matthew 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

This same stubborn refusal of the truth was also the undoing of many of the Hebrews in the wilderness, after God gave them conclusive evidence that they were in the wrong. On one particular occasion, the people had been deceived by Korah, into believing that Moses and Aaron were usurpers, and that it was mismanagement on their part that had delayed the entrance into Canaan.

Even though they well knew that this was not the case, the matter ripened into open rebellion, and was brought to The Lord for final resolution. God then showed by His providence, who was right and who was wrong, because Korah, Dathan and Abiram who were the leading men in the rebellion, were destroyed from among the congregation in what can only be understood as the direct judgment of God.

At this time the general congregation who were not the instigators, were allowed to see with their own two eyes the unnatural demise of those who set up themselves against the leaders of God’s choosing. It was an irresistible interference from heaven which was designed to appeal to the conscience, and in response to the judgment, the people fled in terror. Let’s read:

Numbers 16:26 And he spoke unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

27 So they got up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.

30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them.

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

35 And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Thus, the congregation was given time to change their attitude. The main rebels were gone, and now if the people would reason intelligently from cause to effect, they would clearly see that they had been misled, and the right thing to do would be to repent by acknowledging that they were wrong, and asking God to forgive by renewing a right spirit in them.

But they deliberately chose not to do this, for they spent the night grumbling about what had recently transpired, reasoning that Moses, and Aaron had been the cause of the untimely deaths of really good men. This attitude would put them on a fast track to the unpardonable sin, for there is nothing else that God could do to convince them.

The same stubborn resistance of clear evidence was also manifested in pharaoh, who would not listen to God, to Moses, or to the Holy Spirit’s appeals to his conscience and intelligence. Pharaoh wouldn’t even listen to satan, for he had gone so far, and so long in the rejection of truth that even his magicians could not reason with him. When a person wouldn’t even listen to satan, then there is no hope for him or her.

Thus, as the Hebrews rejected every evidence that God gave, and as they deliberately chose not to believe what they had seen and heard, the voice of conscience went permanently dead, never more to be reawakened. Whenever this occurs, a person is rendered permanently incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong, for by their own choice they have closed the door to reason. Let’s read:

Numbers 16:41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.

42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 405] Notwithstanding they had had the most convincing evidence of God's displeasure at their course, in the destruction of the men who had deceived them, they dared to attribute His judgments to Satan, declaring that through the power of the evil one, Moses and Aaron had caused the death of good and holy men.

It was this act that sealed their doom. They had committed the sin against the Holy Spirit, a sin by which man's heart is effectually hardened against the influence of divine grace. There is no reserved power by which God can work to convict and convert the sinner.

Thus, it is of great importance that those of us who have been granted opportunity to be saved in God’s kingdom, not follow in the footsteps of those who committed the unpardonable sin in times gone by. The following, therefore, are several pointers which would guard against us taking that fatal step.

[1] Whenever we hear the voice of God appealing to us to turn from our wicked ways, and when God gives us clearest evidence that we are in the wrong, let us not fight against The Spirit. Let’s read:

Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

Hebrews 3:14 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, as in the provocation.

[2] Cultivating skepticism and unbelief is anathema to faith and will result in the unpardonable sin if a deliberate choice to the contrary isn’t made. 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.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

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.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

[3] Continual indulgence in sin, against a knowledge of the truth, will culminate in the sin of no return, because every sin committed contributes to the deadening of one’s conscience. Let’s read:

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.

[4] A persistent, and deliberate rejection of the Holy Ghost would result in demon possession by default.

Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

An interesting commentary is written pertaining to demon possession by default. One does not have to deliberately invite the devils in, for them to take up residence in a person’s heart; they squat by default whenever God’s Holy Spirit is rejected. No man can serve two masters, so it is either one, or the other who will be in control of a person’s mind, and if it’s not Jesus, the default setting of demon possession is the only other option on the table. Let’s read:

[D.A. pp 324] Unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion.

We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.

We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

We therefore end with two scriptural exhortations for us to make the best of God’s gracious efforts to save us, because “TODAY” is always the best time to receive Christ. Let’s read:

Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

2nd Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

2 For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

God Bless!

Attitude Makes A Difference. Sabbath Afternoon 11/02/2019

There are very valid reasons why we keep on saying that God is a Spirit. Man often looks on the outward appearance, judging and assessing things, situations and circumstances according to what can be seen or observed. But God looks on the heart, meaning that our innermost thoughts, feelings, and dispositions are brought into the equation when determinations are to be made for selecting individuals to fulfill His will.

Even when assessing the value, and worth of one’s decisions and good deeds, the spirit that motivates the person is of much more importance than is the very deed itself. Intention must be followed up by concrete actions, but a willingness to do God’s will is the very first step in acceptable obedience. One can actually do right things and be rejected of God if the heart and mind really isn’t in the matter.

A woman and her three young children are driving through a school speed zone at 15 m.p.h. which is the limit here in the sunshine state. She knows and understands the dangers that speeding in a school zone can bring, and she willingly obeys the rules of the road. It’s an intelligent, and willing decision that is thus made by her.

An executive on his way to work is also driving at 15 mph but he is running late, and he is frustrated and furious because he must stay within the speed limit, yet, he also obeys the rules of the road. As far as God is concerned, the executive is actually driving over the speed limit, because the spirit that drives his actions is toxic. His attitude is not right, for if he had his way he would be stepping on the gas.

Lip service, without the right attitude, constitutes a form of flattery, and that’s why we are encouraged to serve God in spirit first, and then in truth. Again, in the final judgement, when assessments are to be determined, the spirit, attitude, and thoughts which drove our decisions and actions will have very much to do with our eternal destiny. Let’s read:

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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

There are times when obstacles present themselves to certain individuals, and their natural outlook may be one of foreboding. All the negatives that can and may occur are stockpiled and dwelt upon until what was actually a mole hill becomes a mountain. But at times, others may be presented with the very same problems, but instead of seeing obstacles, they see only opportunity.

Our general attitudes in life have very much more to do with our success or failure, than the adverse or favorable situations we may find ourselves in. In fighting life’s battles, there are those who would, by their attitude, turn troubles into blessings, but with others, blessings are turned into troubles no matter how favorable the circumstances may be. Thus, in most instances, attitude is the determining factor.

Joseph turned his troubles into great blessings by not dwelling on the wrongs that were done to him without cause. He could have succumbed to the why me syndrome, or he could have sunk down into a deep depression, knowing that he was only trying to do what is right, when wrongs came knocking at his door. Attitude made all the difference.

David saw an opportunity to defeat Goliath, where Saul and the other men of Israel cowered in fear. It was Goliath’s sheer size, and arrogance that caused them to be intimidated but it was the same size and arrogance that motivated David to challenge him. It was the same adverse situation, and obstacle which faced them, but Saul saw failure, while David only saw opportunity. Attitude makes all the difference.

God could use David to do great things, because he had a childlike faith and trust in Him. Not only could David be used to take down Goliath, but bears and lions also trembled in their boots, because the same fearless, trusting attitude was manifested on many different occasions. Even though he faltered a few times, yet his general attitude, and outlook on life made a huge difference.

There are those with talents and gifts, which are left dormant for their entire lives, while there are those who have very little, who by their attitude alone will turn anything to gold. Some will obey God, when it is convenient to do so and only when every obstacle has been removed. Others need little convincing, to act upon His word. Attitude makes the difference.

After Jesus ascended to heaven, Thomas’ name is mentioned only once, in the book of Acts, and we do not read of any significant instances of faith in action because he cultivated an attitude of unbelief. In contrast, Peter who in faith and obedience had walked upon water, is mentioned 63 times in Acts and beyond. Attitude makes the difference!

Question: What caused the difference? The answer is attitude, because Thomas stubbornly refused to believe when his fellow brethren told him that they had seen The Lord. These were not false prophets, for Thomas to think that they were lying, but were his fellow-disciples who had hung out with Jesus on so many different occasions.

And therefore, he had no valid reason to believe that they will concoct such a far-fetched conspiracy theory, as to say Jesus was raised, and even if he did not believe their report, at least he knew by his own experiences with Christ, that such an event could take place, because Jesus had raised more than one person to life while he was with them. But, for all of this, Thomas still would not believe.

As was stated before God is a Spirit and our attitude often makes all the difference; thus, when the time came for Jesus to visit His disciples, it would be very interesting to hear what He has to say, and whom He will address first. As we read, we will understand why our attitudes are of great importance to God.

John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Some people need a whole lot of explanations and evidences before they believe, while others harbor a childlike faith which is ready and prompt to act as soon as God would speak. Some people accomplish much because they attempt much, while others will accomplish little because they attempt little. It’s our attitude makes the difference!

The huge differences that our attitudes make was demonstrated in the healing of the blind man who had received his sight from Jesus, even before he knew who Jesus was. Even though Christ initiated the healing process, it was his attitude and speedy obedience that contributed to a large extent, to his healing.

As we read the narrative in this first example, we’ll observe his attitude, for this is what makes a huge difference in whether God will do great things for us or whether we will live average lives. God grants us opportunity, but success depends on what we make of it. Attitude makes the difference!

While many valid, and reasonable questions could have been asked, the man bypasses all man-made reasoning, and obeys, and the rest is history. As a matter of fact, the very simplicity of the situation is a stumbling block to some, while it is a blessing to others. Let’s read:

John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

In very many instances in life, it’s not the situation that needs to be changed, it’s the attitude. Success depends not so much on situation, location, or on favorable circumstances, but on attitude, for if one was to cherish a living faith, not dwelling on real or imaginary doubts and problems, many difficulties would disappear as if they were phantoms. Let’s read:

[C&C pp 92] Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, “Go forward.” We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit.

Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, “Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly” but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.

Thus, we turn to our main course, in the experience of Gideon and the people who volunteered to fight the Midianites who had come up against Israel. In response to his call, thousands responded readily, but the attitudes then harbored by some were not right, and they were asked to return home. Let’s read:

Judges 7:2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

It’s not that there were too many people, there were too many of a certain type of people.

God could have used the many thousands who had responded, but because He is a Spirit, and attitudes mean a whole lot to Him, He could not use most of them. In other words, a few with the right attitude would be much more effective than thousands with the wrong attitude. Discouragement, faithlessness, fear and cowardice are contagious elements in the spiritual realm, so, in this instance the more would not be the merrier. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 14:6 Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.

Judges 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

Even though it seemed as if only the brave ones had remained, yet their attitudes will prevent God from working through them. They were not like minute-men, eagerly awaiting God’s command to advance. Most of these who remained would manifest a sort of laissez-faire attitude; they would be found either texting, or casually surfing the internet, when there was a national emergency on hand.

They would stop at Starbucks, or Dunkin Doughnuts on their way to fight the Midianites, and whilst they slowly sipped coffee, they would be found chatting unconcernedly about the news of the day, from the economy to impeachment, and therefore, by their attitudes it was manifested that their minds were not up to the task at hand, and that is why God refused to use them. Let’s read:

Judges 7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

Hear the word of The Lord now. Character is often tested by the simplest means for it’s the little things in life that make a big difference. Whenever a living faith in God is cherished in the heart an indomitable spirit would be seen. The Spirit of God does not deal in defeat, but only in victory, and therefore, all who sincerely espouse the name of Christ are to live like conquerors.

Attitudes of sloppiness, tardiness, unbelief, a lack of attention to details, untidiness, presumption and all rebellion should be put away. In their place we can, and should cultivate habits of obedience, diligence, belief, dispatch, kindness, courtesy, faithfulness and a humble teachable spirit, for wherever a conscious dependence on God is cherished, victorious living will be the only result. Let’s read:

Many whom God has qualified to do excellent work accomplish very little, because they attempt little. Thousands pass through life as if they had no definite object for which to live, no standard to reach. Such will obtain a reward proportionate to their works.

[C.O.L pp 331>332] Remember that you will never reach a higher standard than you yourself set. Then set your mark high, and step by step, even though it be by painful effort, by self-denial and sacrifice, ascend the whole length of the ladder of progress. Let nothing hinder you.

Fate has not woven its meshes about any human being so firmly that he need remain helpless and in uncertainty. Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers, not your hindrances.

We end with a passage of scripture that should help us in developing and cultivating the right attitudes, if we were to trust in God fully, asking Him for grace to live victoriously each day. Let’s read:

2nd peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

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

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

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

God Bless!

My Will Or Thy Will. Sabbath Afternoon 10/26/2019

There are things that represent God’s ideal will for us and there are other things which represent His secondary will, which is often a result of us insisting on our own way or complaining of God’s ideals. It is always best for us to have God lead in His own way, and we follow humbly on, trusting His goodness and wisdom, and His power to bring to pass the good He has purposed to do for us.

But if we insist on implementing our will, God often respects our freedom of choice, and grants us what is not for our best good. As a result, serious evils or adverse situations may arise which otherwise would never have occurred, if we had waited patiently on Him. At such instances some retreat into a why-me syndrome, not duly considering that it was our own will that was super-imposed in such and such situation.

This has occurred so often that it needs to be seen for what it is, because those who will live through the final conflict must be living in God’s ideal will, not our own. It is one thing to be tempted, for we know that we will be tempted, but it is another to invite unnecessary temptation. Satan will do what he always does, but we should never encourage or help him in his nefarious work.

When God says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, it means just that and nothing else, however we often do carry heavy, and unnecessary burdens that God never intended because of the choices we have made contrary to His wise instruction. In fact, if we were to ask God in humility to lead and guide us, we will often discover that life will be much less challenging than it currently is.

Unnecessary diseases, unnecessary divorces, and unnecessary disturbances and arguments do often erupt because we chose my will over thy will. Thus, as we study the ways of God, it will be well for us to cultivate a humble heart and a teachable spirit, for those whom God will lead, must first be willing to be led. In fact, if we were to let go and let God, we will find that His ways are the very best. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

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

Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Proverbs 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.

2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.

4 So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

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

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

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

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

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.

Especially in our planning and decision-making, we should seek to involve God up front, and hurried or spontaneous actions should be avoided wherever possible, because God’s will is not usually found in spur of the moment actions. God is a God of order, and therefore we should understand that all of His counsels are well-thought out.

There are several examples in the Bible of “my will” being imposed upon God and some instances it may seem as if my will was actually the better, and more sensible thing to do at the moment. But when we look further down the road, we will discover that in many instances, what God permitted was never His will, but He respected the freedom of choice, and

let some plan for themselves. Let’s read:

[1] Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian.

2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.

7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

But the excuses begin to fly left, right and center, as they often do with us. First it was a sense of his own insufficiency, then it was the issue of how he would certify God’s name to the people when asked, then again it was the unfounded premonition of unbelief on the part of the Hebrews. Then it was the issue of him not being eloquent.

With every new excuse, God provided assurance that the so-called obstacles would be taken care of, but try as He might, God couldn’t convince Moses that it was best for him to go alone, in Jesus name. Thus, for one reason or another Moses’ will in the matter was respected by God, because He honors our freedom of choice. Let’s read:

Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

12 And He said, Certainly I will be with thee.

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

Exodus 4: 10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

Several miracles were given as evidence to pharaoh and the Hebrews, so as to convince Moses that God would be with him. But after all of this, after Moses had run out of excuses, and still refused, God finally gave in and gave him Aaron to go with him. As we read the narrative, one has to wonder whether God would have ever chosen Aaron, or if he was a last resort of sorts. Let’s read:

Exodus 4:14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

It could very well be that God saw trouble brewing down the road with Aaron’s influence, why He had hesitated so long before going that route. It was a true statement that Aaron could speak well, but he also had characteristics that would put the Hebrew people in very grave danger, and thus cause three thousand of them to be slain. All this might have been avoided if “My will” didn’t impose upon “Thy will”.

[2] Moses and the seventy elders.

Here we go again! Moses is facing a stubborn and complaining people who are bent on insurrection. It is taking a heavy toll on him, his patience is wearing thin, and in frustration he begins to plan for himself. Instead of trusting in the arm of Omnipotence, his faith stumbles, and he believes that God has made a mistake in making him the leader alone.

Thus, in the heat of the moment, a spontaneous suggestion is made, and it is granted in response to the freedom of choice. To the surface reader, it may seem logical for others to share the burdens Moses was carrying, so that he wouldn’t prematurely wear out. But as far as God is concerned, the suggestion is a mistake, and would culminate in apostasy in the future, but the human agent does not see this, and again, “My will” is suggested over “Thy will”. Let’s read:

Numbers 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

11 And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father?

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, “whom thou knowest” to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 380] The Lord hearkened to his prayer and directed him to summon seventy men of the elders of Israel—men not only advanced in years, but possessing dignity, sound judgment, and experience. The Lord permitted Moses to choose for himself the most faithful and efficient men to share the responsibility with him.

Their influence would assist in holding in check the violence of the people, and quelling insurrection; yet serious evils would eventually result from their promotion. They would never have been chosen had Moses manifested faith corresponding to the evidences he had witnessed of God's power and goodness.

[3] This leads us to our third and final example: The people clamor for a king, against the revealed will of God.

1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Samuel then shows the people in graphic terms what the results of their decision will be, how they would suffer great loss because of their choice, and how their families and finances would be adversely affected, and yet for all this they insisted that they must have a king. So, what does God do? He grants them “My will” instead of “Thy will”. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8:16 He will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No; but we will have a king over us;

20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.

This reminds us of the words of that favorite hymn:

“Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pains we bear,

All, because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer”.

It is worthy of note, what the bible says, pertaining to this specific instance, where my will was super-imposed over thy will, and the Hebrews insisted on having a king. Let’s read:

Hosea 13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.

11 I gave thee a king in mine anger and took him away in my wrath.

Thus, the pulling and tugging between “God’s will” and “my will” continues to this very day and can be seen in the many troubles some have brought upon themselves. God presents His ideals, which are the very best for us, but like the Hebrews of old, we do insist on having our own way and in many instances we endeavor to plan for ourselves. Here’s what the Bible has to say on the matter.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 29:1 He that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

A good relationship with God depends much more on our attitude, and on a willingness to obey and let God lead, than many Bible studies and sermons. If a humble and teachable spirit is cultivated, if we were to cultivate a sense of our own inefficiencies, and a sense of God’s omnipotence and intelligence, we will be spared much unnecessary hearth-ache, and worry and most of the problems we now suffer with would never have come our way.

But the issue of freedom of choice is often allowed by us to be used in a manner that we know God will not approve of. We consider ourselves as free moral agents with the freedom to make intelligent choices and not as the beasts who are governed strictly by mere instinct. But we should always remember that in Noah’s day, the animals with instinct went in first while the most intelligent, with freedom of choice stayed out.

In the tsunami that ravaged Indonesia in 2004, it was discovered that most of the animals with their God-given instinct, had fled to higher ground, while tens of thousands of people perished below. Thus, our attitude towards God plays a very huge role in whether or not He will guide us in our decisions.

God does not force His ways upon anyone, neither does He coerce the free will of persons, but we can rest assured, that if we were to acknowledge Him in all our ways, with the attitude of being content with how He leads, blessings will take the place of curses and resolution will take the place of many problems we now suffer from.

In the book of Matthew, we have often read of the “Beatitudes”, which delineate the right attitudes we should cultivate in our relationship with God. In fact, the word itself means supreme blessedness, or exalted happiness, if we were to follow the teaching there given. But verse 5 of Matthew 5 is of critical importance, because it sets the stage for a workable ongoing relationship with Christ.

Faith in God is a must, but genuine faith is exercised when a humble spirit is present. It took humility for Noah to believe that a flood would come, when, for all that was known back then, that belief of his was not based on intelligence. It took a humble spirit to exercise that faith of Abraham when He was told by God that his posterity would number in the millions, even thou his wife was barren.

Thus, in every instance where genuine faith is to be exercised, a humble attitude, is necessary, for God can only lead those who are willing to be led. Many passages teach us this important “Be” “Attitude”. Let’s read:

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

Psalms 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Isaiah 40: 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

If in our walk with God, we would seek to cultivate a humble, teachable spirit, then the sky would be the limit for what God will do for us, in us, and through us. Let us then use our freedom of choice to choose “God’s will” and not “My will” for whenever this is done, our lives will be made a whole lot easier than those who insist on “My will”.

Therefore, we close with a quote from the pen of inspiration, and a passage of scripture that should both caution and encourage us in being humble. Let’s read:

[Humble Hero pp 313] Many who profess to claim the Lord’s promise talk about Christ and about the Holy Spirit, yet they receive no benefit. They do not surrender their lives to be guided by the divine agencies. We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us. But many want to manage themselves. God gives the Spirit only to those who wait humbly on Him.

Luke 22:41 And he kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.

God Bless!