Beware Of Desperation. Sabbath afternoon 08/20/2022

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

One of the issues people have with God is that most of us find He takes too long to do what promised He will do. Even though God is fully cognizant of time constraints the fact is that we dwell in time whereas God dwells in eternity and because of this, the lapse of time between God’s promises, and their ultimate fulfillment may seem a bit hard to bear.

God’s purposes know no haste or delay and after He has promised to do something for His people we are to wait in expectant hope for the fulfillment thereof even if it takes much longer than we had previously anticipated. Whenever we indulge impatience with God, the temptation to go contrary to His revealed will seems more and more feasible with the passage of time.

In considering the pros and cons of obedience, and trusting in God, persons should understand this one basic fact in the spiritual realm, it’s that desperation always makes alternatives look more attractive. If things are going smoothly, the way we expect, then we are more prone to follow the script. But if our backs are put against a wall as in desperation, other alternatives suddenly seem more feasible.

As persons succumbed to panic buying during the last recent housing boom some folks were willing to buy homes without inspection, and one went so far as to purchase a home that was advertised as “the house from hell.” This particular home was listed in Colorado Springs, and promptly received multiple cash offers.

Under normal circumstances such properties would be immediately frowned upon, but as the housing crunch tightened its grasp around the necks of the prospective buyers, people became willing to settle for homes that were way below par. That’s because desperation drives persons to do, what they would not normally do under favorable circumstances.

As individuals became panic stricken at the thought that the former president could potentially win the most recent general election, some persons became increasingly desperate to oust him, even if it meant holding their noses and voting for the alternative on the ballot. With some persons, it came right down to the wire where their decision was “Anybody but Trump”

That’s because desperation often drives persons to consider alternatives which seem more attractive as persons go into panic mode. Satan understands this quite well, and he often tailors temptations to meet and cater to desperation in persons, where the right thing seems too farfetched, and wrong alternatives seem much more feasible in the given situation.

When Saul and his army became faint and hungry in battle, the Hebrews became desperate for food and they then did what they would not do under normal circumstances for they ate the meat with the blood, something that is strictly forbidden in the scripture, yet because of the gnawing pangs of hunger, blood suddenly seemed attractive. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 14:31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.

32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took

sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.

33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.

As we consider the plight of the Hebrews, we have to wonder if we ourselves would be driven to eat of forbidden foods, if we got extremely hungry, to the point of desperation, and if there was not anything else available.

As Christ became so emaciated with hunger, in the wilderness of temptation, satan attempted to take advantage of the situation as he had so successfully done with many human beings on several previous occasions. There is a saying that a hungry man is an angry man, but anger can result in irrational actions.

Again, Job’s wife more than likely was a God-fearing person, up to that point when satan was allowed to shake down everything they’d worked for over the years. As the heat of the furnace was ratcheted up for several notches, Job’s wife became increasingly desperate, and made a suggestion, which she would not have made under normal circumstances.

Again, the two women who had birthed children in the same location in Solomons day, brought their case before the king for resolution, after one of the women became so desperate, that she resorted to stealing the other’s baby, something she would not have done under normal circumstances.

Again, some individuals can become so desperate to get married that they will settle for someone who may not fit the bill. And as loneliness and aging take a toll, some go into a panic mode, only to suffer the proverbial buyer’s remorse after tying the knot. This is what took place with Samson, who believed that it was now or never, do or die, in marrying someone whom God did not approve of.

Under normal circumstances, Abraham most likely would not have succumbed to the suggestion that he should have a child by Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar, for he was a righteous man. But as they both grew increasingly impatient with the fulfillment of God’s promise, the alternative on the table looked more and more feasible.

If Sarah was not barren, and if she had not passed the age of child bearing, it is quite likely that there would be a stellar record of faithfulness to his wife, for there would be no logical or plausible reason to have Hagar, and Sarah would be furious with him if she got wind of even a thought in Abraham’s mind of such a rendezvous.

But as time passed by, and the stated promises of God began to fade into oblivion in their minds, the alternatives began to take on a life of their own and what would have once seemed as unthinkable and ludicrous, now seemed viable, and the only possible route for them to take.

What is amazing is that the alternative now began to be incorporated into God’s plans, in their minds, as if God had originally intended for them to go that route. That’s how far persons can go and that’s how deluded persons can become, when placed into a desperate situation. Let’s read:

Genesis 15: 2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

It’s not to say that Sarah and Abraham did not wait at all, they had waited, but the question is how long is reasonable for them to wait? One year, ten years, twenty years? And should we, in our experience put a threshold on patience, when waiting for a promise of God to be fulfilled in our lives?

Thus, impatience will often breed desperation, and desperation often drives persons to do that which, under normal circumstances, they would not even consider. A wife has to become pretty desperate for her to offer another woman to her husband; yet in this instance, the sheer length of time it was taking for the promise to be materialized, made polygamy seem as a viable option. Let’s read:

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

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

3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

Our first passage stated that we should wait on The Lord, but the passage does not include a stipulated time frame for waiting and as a result persons often would get impatient, and desperate, and do things which should never be done.

What should be observed, as we study the issue of desperation, is that there is always some adverse fallout when, in desperation, folks would reach for alternatives that are contrary to scripture. Always! 

Sarah and Abraham did not cater for the possibility of Hagar getting an attitude, because the deal was supposed to be restricted only to the issue of child- bearing.

But Hagar became proud, as she came to believe in her mind, that she was carrying the son of promise thus, the changes in her attitude produced a lot of bickering and arguments in Abraham’s home where peace and tranquility had previously reigned. Let’s read:

Genesis 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleases thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

[Patriarchs And prophets pp 145] Flattered with the honor of her new position as Abraham's wife, and hoping to be the mother of the great nation to descend from him, Hagar became proud and boastful, and treated her mistress with contempt.

Mutual jealousies disturbed the peace of the once happy home. Forced to listen to the complaints of both, Abraham vainly endeavored to restore harmony. Though it was at Sarah's earnest entreaty that he had married Hagar, she now reproached him as the one at fault.

She desired to banish her rival but Abraham refused to permit this; for Hagar was to be the mother of his child as he fondly hoped the son of promise. Hagar's haughty spirit would not brook the harshness which her insolence had provoked. “When Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”

This leads us to another instance in the scriptures in which desperation drove some wives to do similarly strange things. As Rachel wrestled with the fact that she couldn’t have children, she became increasingly frustrated, and she vented her exasperation with an unreasonable request that caused Jacob to question the viability of her petition. Let’ read:

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

Then as time went by, without any light at the end of the tunnel, Rachel became desperate to the point of suggesting that which she would otherwise have recoiled from. It is usually at such a breaking point, when devils would suggest things that would set in motion a chain of negative circumstances, which in themselves could become a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. Let’s read

Genesis 30:3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore, called she his name Dan.

7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.

8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

Note well, how increasing desperation becomes the channel through which polygamy then becomes the norm in Jacob’s household. At first, it was awkward, but by repetition, the evil becomes deeply etched in their consciences to the point where it doesn’t even disturb Jacob anymore.

But it does not stop here, as desperation continues to fuel all kinds of actions in the home that would have been unthinkable under normal circumstances as will always be the case when persons succumb to feelings of exasperation. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and would you take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.

In our own life experiences, we too would come up against situations that would put our patience to the test, and yes, like those who have gone before, we may become increasingly desperate, especially if we have been praying to God, but haven’t received any answer as yet.

There are important takeaways from the very many instances we observed earlier; lessons which should now be incorporated into our life experiences. First up is that we should never permit desperation to force us to do that which is unscriptural, because desperation does not make the wrong right.

When David resorted to lying, by pretending he was a mad man, he was spared the supposed wrath of the pagan king, who was presently alerted to the fact that David had slain their champion, even the ignoble Goliath. Fear had caused David to do what he did, but fear does not justify the use of falsehood in any way shape or form.

The maxim that the end justifies the means is one of satanic origin, for it proposes that the tail wag the dog’s head, if nothing else can be done. There is always something else that can be done, and it is to be found in the scriptures, by which man must live.

It ought to be a settled decision in our minds as we move forward, that whatever the situation may be, and no matter how grave and urgent, we would tow the line of following God’s instructions, even at the times when we need to hear from Him urgently and it may seem as if He isn’t answering.

It took a while for God to answer Job, in a situation when Job was really searching for answers. Yet God permitted days on end to pass by, without saying a word. At such times God’s ways and methods seem unfathomable to mortal minds, yet He still remains The On-time God that He is.

Joseph spent no less than ten full years in Jail, as he waited and hoped for deliverance. Yet, the scripture states clearly that The Lord was with Joseph, which means that the dross which needed to be removed from his character must be accomplished, before he could be trusted with the weighty responsibilities of being the second head of state.

Another lesson we can extract from the experiences of those who have gone before, is that desperation should not allow our faith in God to be shaken. This one is huge, for human frailty and unbelief can loom pretty large in the face of exasperation about the unknown.

As John sat in prison, he expected Jesus to at least come and visit him, for two very valid reasons, as far as John was concerned. [1] Because Jesus was his relative. [2] Because he, John was the stipulated forerunner of Christ.

Thus, as the days turned into weeks, and as weeks turned into months, John’s faith was severely tested to the point where he agreed to send some of his disciples to find out if Christ was the promised One Israel was to look for. These things are written in the scriptures so that we who study them may learn the important lessons of trusting in God against all odds.

Again, another important lesson we must take away from the scriptural examples of desperation, is that we must be very careful of becoming unreasonable when we are at our wits end. This is what Rachel did as she demanded of Jacob that he give her children.

Now it is true that we do understand her frustration but frustration should never be permitted to push a Christian into saying and doing irrational things. It’s at such times that we need to be very careful of any words that escape our lips, because in the heat of the moment, we might utter things we may deeply regret later on.

Waiting on God in faith has to be something that is open-ended, leaving the fulfillment of promises, or some intervention on His part, solely up to Him. It is one of the most difficult lessons we will all need to learn, as difficulties continue to multiply across the globe.

A few weeks ago, we raised the prospect from the scriptures, that a water fight is looming large on the horizon, and since that time things have only taken a turn for the worse, not only here in the U.S., but also in Europe and China, where manufacturing was forced into shutdown in two major production hubs because of the excessive heat and because of a dire lack of rain.

With the world, desperate times require desperate measures, but with the Christian, desperate times will require more faith in God especially as the book of Revelation points to a major crunch time coming in the not-too-distant future.

Let us therefore treasure those precious lessons of walking by faith, which God gives us from time to time, and let desperation be held subservient to truth and duty, for this is what will see us through any and every frustration we may find ourselves in.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should enable us to cultivate a calm, trusting spirit instead of desperation, in a world where everyone seems to be increasingly on edge. Let’s read:

Psalms 46: 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.

                                     God Bless!

Reversing Generational Curses. Sabbath afternoon 08/13/2022

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Generational curses are described as those adverse consequences for sin, passed down from generation to generation, because certain sinful practices by a person’s family have become deeply rooted in one’s family tree. Children, who are born to parents who have fostered, and practiced certain evils are prone to follow in the footsteps of their progenitors.

Generational curses are not generally what The God of heaven does to persons. The curse is located in the sinful act which, when cultivated and practiced for many years, can become etched in one’s DNA. It is just the natural law of sowing, and reaping that is allowed to run its natural course.

A gene is a unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring determines some of the characteristics of the offspring. The first five letters of Genesis spells the word Genes and indeed it is a book of beginnings, the beginning of good and evil, as it pertains to the history of our world.

God made Adam and Eve free moral agents to obey God, or to choose to do evil. Sadly, they chose the latter, and ever since that fatal day, our first parents lost the ability to transmit to their future offspring a disposition to naturally do righteousness, as per the working, undergirding principle in man’s nature.

The image of God wasn’t entirely effaced but it was severely distorted and as a result some persons may exhibit some semblance of right-doing in their life experience, but as a general rule, the tendency is to head downstream, some more, some less. Thus, for us to better understand the issues of generational curses we must get a grasp on the real gravity of the problem.

All children who are born, come with evil tendency and propensities built into their DNA, without any exception. The belief that a baby is born in a neutral state, with no inherent bias to any evil, is nowhere supported in the scriptures. It’s true, that as a child grows into maturity, choices ultimately determine their destiny but the issue goes deeper than choice.

Even though no one is coerced to do evil, The Bible would have us understand that sin became deeply ingrained at the fall, to the point that it can bypass choice and run along all by itself in automatic mode.

This sacred truth is to be understood by Laodicea in particular, if we are to come to grips with our dire need of Christ. If folks were to conclude that sin can only occur through conscious choice then we would most likely lean heavily on good behavior as a form of righteousness.

But if we were to understand, as the Bible says, that a DNA problem is also involved, then we would see our utter hopelessness, except we are redeemed in and through Christ. The rich young ruler in Christ’s day relied heavily on behaviors, for he asked what good thing he could do to inherit eternal life.

 In response, Jesus told the young man to keep the commandments, the answer that he was actually looking for, since good behavior was right up his alley. Thus, he responded with these words: “What lack I yet” meaning, that in addition to what I have been doing, is there something I could add to the list?

What he really meant is that if Christ was to tell him what to do, he could choose to do it on his own. Yet when Christ told him what needed to be done, the scripture says he went away sorrowful.

Some persons shudder as they pass those Brownies and Twinkies on the store shelf at Publix, and those Chocolates and Ice creams beckon others with their tantalizing flavors. And even though we know what is the right healthy thing to do, somehow our deep, inner cravings are often allowed to gain ascendency over conscious choice.

Thus, some children are born with a propensity for a sweet tooth and as they reach for candy, lollipops and sweets we may be wondering why they would gravitate to such foods. Often, that sweet tooth was handed down, as a legacy from one generation to the next that then culminated in a high probability of diabetes in kids.

In fact, many persons chafe at Adam for eating the forbidden fruit, which he knew would eventually kill him. Yet, throughout history, the human family has followed his lead in eating that which we know will eventually take its toll on us. Are we doing so only by choice, or are there genetic factors at play?

DNA is a self-replicating material that is present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes, and it is the carrier of genetic information. That the sin problem occurs on a DNA level, and not alone by conscious choice, could be observed in those experiences which had unfolded during Rebekah’s pregnancy.

As her future children fought against each other in her womb, they were not doing so by choice, for they had not been born as yet. There was not any conscious decision made to fight against each other. That was indeed a DNA problem that was occurring in the womb, before the other factors like choice, or evil example had effect.

And thus, a grave theological question arises as to whether the human agent is born with an inherent goodness or in a neutral state without bias to evil. Let us ask a hypothetical question, to address this issue:

If a set of quadruplets were to become stranded on  an uninhabited island just after they were born, will those children naturally gravitate to righteousness, or would they have fights and squabbles, just as we who have evil examples before our eyes every day do?

Do they necessarily have to come into contact with other evil persons in order to learn evil by example? Or would they do wrong without seeing or hearing it? Is sin a second nature problem, or is it solely the result of learned behaviors? This question must be answered from the scriptures, before we proceed. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Prior to this, there had not been any murder of any human being on the planet, for us to conclude that Cain was playing follow the leader. This was an act that came to life not only by choice, but because of the fallen nature inherited from Adam. Suicide, by choice was also transmitted to future generations, since, when Adam deliberately ate of the forbidden fruit, he knew that he would die.

Similarly in our day there are many things that we eat which we know will kill us eventually, but like Adam we still go ahead and eat them. In fact, if the surgeon general were to put a coffin, with a skull and two crossed bones on packs of cigarettes, folks would still smoke them, even though they know of lung cancers and a host of other debilitating effects.

Again, let’s go back to that scenario with Rebekah. The children had not yet seen or heard any evil, and they had not watched call of duty, or any one of the movies that promulgate violence, and yet, here they were, fist fighting in the womb, before they were even born.

Were those ongoing fights the result of a conscious choice on their part, or was it the result of our fallen human nature manifesting itself in capricious, and often random ways? Let’s read:

Genesis 25:21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

What is worthy of note is that they never stopped fighting up to the point of delivery, for even as the mother was experiencing labor pains, the continued fighting never abated. Let’s read:

Genesis 25: 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob.

That’s the reason why, when studying the issues of generational curses we must look deeper than mere choice, for genetic factors are also to be brought to bear on the issue. As David reflected on what he did with Bathsheba he was greatly surprised and greatly dismayed that he, who had written so many verses of scripture, could descend so low as to kill a man to hide his rendezvous.

In his repentance, he brings to light the fact that he was responsible for the deed via his own decision, but he also mentions the fact that he was born with evil propensities and as such, he appeals to the God of heaven to have mercy not only on his sin but also on his natural fallen condition. Let’s read:

Psalms 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that You may be justified when You speak, and be clear when You judge.

5 Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

And the prophet Isaiah, who writes extensively on the redemption that was to be wrought out by God through Jesus Christ, brings to light the depth of the sin problem. He alludes to the fact that it’s not only our choices, but it is a fallen condition we are born with, that makes the grace of God in Christ, all the more necessary. Let’s read:

Isaiah 1:5 Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

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

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

Some persons struggle with alcohol, and try as they might on their own, the habit seems very difficult to overcome. Now it is true that their own choices can put the responsibility squarely at their doorstep but can it be that the tendency to drink booze has been transmitted to them genetically via DNA. Let’s read:

[Manuscript 108] The Bible declares that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Tobacco and liquor stupefy the user. But the evil does not end here. Intemperate parents leave maladies as a legacy to their children.

 Legacy: The long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, that took place in the past, or in a person’s life.

[Manuscript 108] As a rule every intemperate man who rears children transmits his inclination and evil tendencies to his offspring; he gives them disease from his own inflamed, corrupted blood.

 Licentiousness and imbecility are transmitted as an inheritance of woe from father to son, and from generation to generation. This brings anguish and suffering into the world and is no less than a repetition of the fall of man.

Very many persons within the Christian community may not have understood the conundrum that sin brings from generation to generation, and because of this, their approach to salvation only touches the surface. When Christ said to Peter “Ye must be born again” He was not referring to a mere change in his behaviors.

Without true conversion which the indwelling Christ brings, not only Peter, but every other human being for that matter, would use their freedom of choice to foster and indulge evil tendencies and propensity that are lodged in our DNA, and therefore it is not a matter of merely changing behaviors; a new heart and mind must be installed into our persons by God Himself.

There are very well-behaved persons out there, in the secular world, who are Atheists, and who, as far as track record goes will beat many Christians hands down. Yet, vestiges of our fallen human nature will be manifest at some level and in different ways and situations, in those persons, sometimes without any warning whenever the right set of circumstances do converge.

The Bible states this truth unequivocally, so that no one be deceived as to the gravity, and depth of the sin problem in us. Yes, we can and must choose, but the problem goes much deeper than merely choice. Let’s read:

Romans 7: 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Romans 3: 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.

11 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that

doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

8 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Thus, as we seek to find out how to reverse those generational curses that have plagued us, it will do us well to read what the servant of The Lord has to say on the matter. One cannot put into reverse the problem, if it is not understood how one must move forward, in freeing ourselves from the generational shackles with which we’ve been bound. Let’s read:

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 306] “Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me.” It is inevitable that children should suffer from the consequences of parental wrongdoing, but they are not punished for the parents’ guilt, except as they participate in their sins.

 It is usually the case, however, that children walk in the steps of their parents. By inheritance and example, the sons become partakers of the father's sin.

Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites, and debased morals, as well as physical disease and degeneracy, are transmitted as a legacy from father to son, to the third and fourth generation. This fearful truth should have a solemn power to restrain men from following a course of sin.

Thus, the question looms large: How does a person reverse generational curses? The answers will be given distinctively and with clarity, so that we could live victoriously from day to day. First though, folks should never ever succumb to the doctrine of devils which says we have fallen too low, so that changes for the better cannot occur. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 18: The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,

2 What mean you by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, you shall not have occasion anymore to use this proverb in Israel.

14 Now, lo, if a man begets a son, that sees all his father's sins which he hath done, and considers and does not such like,

15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbor's wife,

17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.

19 Yet you ask, does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

In other words, the first step in generational curses being reversed is to use our God-given freedom to chose the good over evil. Choosing righteousness is not going to enable us to do righteousness on our own, but our choice opens the door for God to come in and do what only God can do; and that is to make us a new creature. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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

Generational curses do not bind anyone in an iron destiny from which persons cannot escape. We can absolutely escape, because the grace of God in, and through Christ has been given to force generational curses into reverse gear permanently.

In other words, the buck stops with anyone of us who will access the motive power to will and to do, which is found in Christ alone. Just because our two parents had diabetes, does not mean to say that we must inevitably be diabetic. Through Christ, we can, and should grab the bull by the horns, and do that which enable us to live victoriously.

Just because one’s parents loved ice cream does not mean that the children must inevitably be servants of Ben and Jerrys. If a lack of physical exercise was a contributing factor, then all the kids who come after should be exercise fanatics, watching their diets and foods closely, so as not to aggravate or facilitate the onset of generational diseases.

Breast cancer in one’s family tree does not mean a woman from that family has no other choice but to get breast cancer. Living victoriously would involve studying the history of one’s family, and looking for those red flags of behavioral patterns that fostered the growth, and development of cancer, and then, with Christ abiding in the heart, victory could be realized in very many cases.

The same thing goes for tendency and propensities which have become deeply etched into a person’s DNA because of generations of indulgence by one’s progenitors. As David’s son, Solomon should have studied the failings, and the missteps of his father, especially since he was the son of Bathsheba.

Then as he traced from cause to effect, the downfall of his father, he should have made a resolute, and a deliberate choice, never to walk in David’s footsteps on that point, ever. This leads us to the next pointer in reversing generational curses. We would have to cooperate with God for it to work. Let’s read:

Philippians 2: 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, 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.

Victory never falls into a person’s lap by accident. It takes diligence, stick-to it-iveness, and well directed efforts on a continuum, for any palpable results to be realized. As Joseph studied the history of Jacob, his father, with his four wives, and the multitude of troubles, arguments, fussing, and fighting that took place in his home, Joseph decided that the buck will absolutely stop at his front door.

Then, as he trusted in the power of God to do what only God could do, he also did all that he could do in order to facilitate the victory, and that is one reason why he ran like Hussein Bolt, when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him into sin. Sometimes, as men, we will have to be humble enough to run, in order to reverse a generational curse. 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….

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.

The next step in reversing generational curses is to study the word of God on a daily basis, so that the mind will be preoccupied with righteousness and victory, instead of evil tendencies and failure. The daily study of God’s word gives an active reference point in discerning between right and wrong.

Therefore, individuals who may endeavor to reverse generational curses without a study of the scripture on their agenda, will find out sooner or later that a deeply rooted tendency to evil can come back with a vengeance, after the routing process had begun.

A victory today does not necessarily mean a victory tomorrow, and what we may have overcome in the few months after baptism, does not atone for the conflicts that lie ahead. As thy days, so shall thy strength be, and therefore, we would need to be inoculated daily with the word, in order to vanquish some variant or strain of a generational curse. Let’s read:

Psalms 119: 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

[Patriarchs And Prophets pp 460] “Keep thy heart with all diligence,” is the counsel of the wise man; “for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23. As man “thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7.

The heart must be renewed by divine grace, or it will be in vain to seek for purity of life. He who attempts to build up a noble, virtuous character independent of the grace of Christ is building his house upon the shifting sand. In the fierce storms of temptation, it will surely be overthrown.

This leads us to our final pointer in reversing those generational curses that plagued us in former years. We will need to guard well the avenues of the soul.

 As we have stated time and time again, God is more down to earth and practical in His instructions to us than many persons realize. When endeavoring, by the grace of God to reverse a generational curse we should do all we can to avoid situations, and places that tend to fan those latent tendencies into life.

Persons who are struggling to overcome porn, are to try their best to stay as far away as possible from South Beach. The sights and sounds down there are only going to conjure up memories and propensities that would be contrary to victory.

Again, persons who are struggling on the point of diets and foods, are to be very careful with places that offer buffet style menus. It’s not all you can eat, it’s all you should eat. If one has difficulty with self-control and discipline, then, going to such a place that offers unlimited food, might prove too great a temptation.

 Again, persons who are struggling with anger issues or temper tantrums, should avoid places, or movies that would agitate such feelings. The wisdom that’s born of God, coupled together with our intelligence, purposefulness and deliberate decisions would pave the way for victory over most inherited or cultivated tendencies to evil.

 And if we were to cooperate with God, we will soon discover that most generational curses, can be put into reverse gear permanently. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that confirms this sacred truth, and it’s the will of God that victory over every besetting sin be a reality, and not a mere theory in the lives of all who will trust and obey. Let’s read:

Romans 8: 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

                                    God Bless!

Render Unto Gender Its Due. Sabbath afternoon 08/06/2022

2nd Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

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.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

It has been the policy of some in former years not to touch any hot-button issues of the day, for fear of backlash. That’s all well and good, but when we have issues of eternal consequence sitting right at our doorsteps, we are prodded by God, to give the trumpet a certain sound, lest the young and restless be swept into the ranks of the ungodly and thereby be irretrievably lost if they aren’t alerted to the evil.

That is what Paul was saying to young Timothy, who would soon be facing a barrage of oppositions, and suppositions, and who, because of his tender age, might be tempted to mince words, to soothe itching ears. While the truth is to be spoken in love, we are cautioned against watering it down to avoid conflict for by doing so we would do great disservice to the kingdom of God.

This is also an issue for us in our day, where we are observing that a precipitous downward spiral is on the move as far as morality and gender goes, yet it’s almost like if one has to walk on pins and needles to let the truth be known. But for those of us who may be overly concerned about reactions, the word of God has some pertinent advice for us. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor do you speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

The Sunday law will be a hot button issue, when it rears its head nationwide, and if our policy remains avoiding controversial topics, we will sink into what is described as oblivion and irrelevance, at the very time when God will need foot soldiers, to finish up the work of the gospel in all the world.

Very much confusion concerning gender now exists in the world today, much more than in former years and the issue has taken on a life of its own, and has metastasized into philosophies, indoctrinations and teachings that have done, and continue to do great damage to the minds of old and young alike.

Persons are being taught that it’s alright to be in a perpetually fluid state of gender ranging from male to female, and everything else in between, and the philosophy has taken deep root in our educational systems, by precept and example, so that the now generation is faced with a plethora of options that never existed in days of yore.

Added to this, on a national level, the perpetration of erroneous views on gender, is adding fuel to the fire, in so much that we currently have on our hands an epidemic of confusion which threatens the fabric of life, and society. Kids are not sure who they are anymore, and are being taught that the assumption of any designation on gender is theirs for the taking.

It is of particular concern that kids as young as five years old are being targeted with these philosophies for their young minds are like a sponge, and if these errors become etched into their consciences at such a young age, we are looking at a future generation that would make the people of Sodom turn in their graves.

Some time ago, one who identified as “They” was being treated at a hospital, and because of “their” chosen designation, the nurses could have become confused when it was time to bring “them” food. If it’s “They” then that could require the poor nurses to bring at least two lunches at noon.

That is how far we have fallen, where the English language has virtually run out of words to describe the multitude of genders that keep coming our way. One of the most successful devices of devils is to flood the earth with a dizzying number of options in everything from Bibles to gender, so that the people of earth would become utterly confused and totally disoriented.

For instance, there are currently more than 80,000 versions of the Bible available, from the King James version to the Queen James, and everything else in between. Then there are literally a million different tattoos now available, in so much that persons can become very confused as to which one to choose.

The same is true for gender designations, for after it morphed into what was then a four-letter acronym, it has now evolved into any and every variation one can think of, and it is not only limited to humanistic descriptions, because folks can now opt to be called a dog, or a cat or any other deviation that exists, or will come into existence.

“Otherkin” are persons who believe they are not entirely human, and therefore, identify as wolves, dragons or cartoon characters. Such persons are religious in their belief that they are trans-species, and as such can adopt a perpetually fluid state of identification, from one day to the next.

What is even more disturbing is that the philosophy has infiltrated the ranks of the remnant people of God, and pastors, and elders are now being forced to confront an inconvenient truth, that increasing numbers of young and old alike are now subscribing to the tsunami of erroneous views on gender.

Thus, the time has fully come for us to Render Unto Gender Its Due, meaning that the word of God is to be presented as the final authority on the matter so that persons can make informed decisions. It should never be said that we followed the multitude down a rabbit hole, in search of fantasy and delusion, and because of this we must allow the scripture to be its own interpreter.

When God created the human race, there were only two genders, male and female, and thus, from our first parents came all who lived after the fall, which is all of us. This sacred truth is stated unequivocally in the scriptures, so that none may be ignorant on this point.

We will deal with situations that developed later in the human family, after sin entered our world, but we must let the unadulterated truth be known up front. God created Adam and Eve as the progenitors of the human family that was to come and everyone who has ever lived, is and was a result of that stated fact in Genesis.

Like with marriage, diets and foods, the inhabitants of earth have made very difficult, and complicated, that which God has made very plain and simple and by doing so, we will discover that there is no end to the multiple deviations, as it pertains to genders or sexes. Let’s read:

Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

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

Genesis 2: 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Thus, God set in motion up front a process whereby the earth was to be populated, and the foundations of all society were laid according to His perfect will. Thus, whatever deviations may have come after the great fact of our creation violence must not be done to that which is written because God will never ever change that which He has spoken.

A male, as defined by the scriptures is one who has been born with reproductive organs pertaining to a man, and typically under normal circumstances, has the ability to fertilize female eggs. Thus, whatsoever a person may, or may not feel, should not alter that basic fact in any way shape or form.

How one feels, even if those feelings may be real or undeniable, should never be permitted to alter the great facts of distinction, given in the Bible. Feelings may be in flux, and erroneous indoctrination might take its toll, but the very least we can and should do is to allow the distinction as given by God to remain intact.

A woman is defined as one who is born with female organs, and the natural capabilities of bearing, and nursing children, under normal circumstances. It is not that complicated as modern philosophies would have us believe. There were times when women of the Bible were barren, and could not produce any children, but that did not change the fact that they were female.

Even in pagan cultures such as ancient Egypt, it was abundantly clear who a male person was, and thus, the process of identifying such was always along the scriptural lines stipulated from the beginning. Even in Sodom and Gomorrah those who had succumbed to their unnatural feelings did not allow their minds to distort in any way the first designations given by God.

When, in the heat of the moment they had banged on Lot’s door, they specifically asked that Lot should bring out the “Men” who had come in to visit. Then, when Lot offered them his daughters as a substitute they refused, but never in their wildest dreams did they mix up the two. They had made their choices, but in their minds, the differentiation was stark and as clear as day. Let’s read:

Genesis 19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter.

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Thus, even those men of Sodom, if they were alive today, would not recognize the plethora of genders and sexes available, and it is quite possible that they would issue a very stern rebuke to those who have interfered with the two designations given by God.

Whatever contrary feelings the men of Sodom may have had, the clear distinction between a male and female was never distorted in their minds and that’s the reason why they blatantly refused Lot’s offer of his daughters, for they had desired men. But as far as the definition and identification goes, they were absolutely not confused on matters of gender and sexes.

Similarly, in the land of Egypt, which was a pagan nation, even pharaoh recognized those distinctions given by God at creation. He may have been quite stubborn, and he may have been cruel, but not for once did he ever mix up the distinctions between a male and a female, as the following verses reveal. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

How would the midwives distinguish between a son or a daughter? And how would pharaoh know the difference? It inevitably points us back to creation, when God made such distinctions as plain as day.

However, because of the fall of our first parents, all who have come after are riddled with imperfections both spiritual and physical, and as time went by, the effects of sin in the natural world, caused deviations which God never originally intended.

These imperfections include imperfect feelings and desires, which conflict with God’s stated order, and thus, we must decide whether or not, we will allow imperfection to dictate morality, or whether we will allow the word of God to be our moral compass.

Of grave importance is the fact that persons often state that they were born this or that way, and that may be true, but being born a certain way, with an unnatural tendency, or desire does not mean that we must remain that way, for the grace of God has appeared to all individuals, enabling us all, if we so choose to align ourselves with His will.

What modern philosophy on this issue is attempting to do is to make the issue of gender subservient to feelings, with no regard to the distinctions made at creation. Yes, there are instances, where persons, due to no fault of theirs, are born with tendencies, and physical deviations from the norm, but if we let such instances dictate the issue on the majority of people, we will run into conflict with what’s written.

Furthermore, for institutions of learning to go a step further and write books, and teach their students at a very young age, that the distinctions made by God are irrelevant, or even discriminatory, is to take the scepter of authority out of God’s hands and this will set the stage for the rapid deterioration of society as a whole.

Some persons are born with a natural gravitation to multiple women, but the Bible states that those are contrary feelings, to what God has stipulated. David and Solomon, who couldn’t seem to get enough, fell on that point over and over again for it was a deeply rooted craving which was embedded in their nature to the point where they would do stupid things.

Yet, if they succumbed to the fatal philosophy, that because they were born that way, then they would have to go with their natural flow, then they would by so doing, allow cravings and desires to dictate a morality that will inevitably make the word of God subservient to feeling.

The depth of the problem they suffered with could be observed by what Solomon himself wrote about the issue, and without a doubt, as the king reviewed his own checkered history, he must have included himself in the statement of fact, that showcases the conflicts within, that men must confront. Let’s read:

Proverbs 27: 20 Hell and destruction are never full; so, the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Alexander the great also had a problem with craving for he was an unbridled alcoholic, giving free reign to what he actually craved. But in doing so, he cast the revealed will of God to the wind, and allowed his unnatural desire to dictate what he would do. In fact, like so many others who allowed their feelings to drive their actions, Alexander died prematurely.

So, what does one do when what they feel is real, if the word of God conflicts with their feelings? It is to be often heard that such and such person was born this way, and because of this, they should not be expected to make changes, which the Bible calls for.

If we were to follow that line of reasoning, not one of us would be saved, for the plan of salvation was laid to address all of the imperfections that resulted from Adam’s fall. To put it plainly, the grace of God has been given to correct all imperfections, if we so choose, even if they be deeply rooted and really felt in the real world. Let’s read:

Titus 2: 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men;

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

One of the issues, current in our day, as it pertains to gender, is that of persons being born a certain way, with physical, and emotional elements which are not according to the script. This issue must be addressed with surgical precision so as to make a clear distinction between what imperfections we were born with, and what can be done about them.

One day, as Jesus was passing by, He came across a man who was born blind, and like any other of the many imperfections, persons are born with, it raised the question in the disciple’s minds as to why such a person was born blind. What Jesus said, and what Jesus did in response must be studied very closely. Let’s read:

John 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

We must of necessity pause here for a moment to understand an issue that seems not to be resolved in some minds, as to how and why they were born a certain way. Most persons believe that God made them, but this presents a theological question as to whether or not God directly and deliberately makes imperfection.

 Before we delve into this matter, we’ll have to read a few verses of scripture, about what God does and doesn’t do, as it pertains to how we are born. In the beginning God set in motion the processes by which human life was to be perpetuated, and since that time the process has been allowed to run its natural course, even as imperfections multiplied across the entire earth.

The Bible states that God directly formed Adam of the dust of the ground, and then He made Eve from a rib of Adam’s, after which God set into motion the rhythm of life, by breathing into both their nostrils, the breath of life, and so they became living souls. It is worthy of note, that after finishing the process He declared that it was very good. Let’s read:

Genesis 2: 7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

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.

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.

Since that time, God has allowed the processes of procreation to continue, with the liabilities and the imperfections that accrue. But, since that first week in Eden God hasn’t as a general rule of thumb made anyone directly, whether they be straight, queer or gay.

God initiated the process of procreation, and God sustains the process, but the direct formation of any person by God is generally a misnomer.

There are very few, and very rare exceptions to the rule, as in the cases of the prophets Jeremiah, John, and Christ; but in the overwhelming majority cases, when persons say that God made me, they must be referring to the process of procreation, and not to any direct intervention by God.

Therefore, before we proceed, we must seek to understand some delicate passages of scripture that may seem to suggest otherwise. Caution: Be very, very, very, very, very careful with the following passages. Let’s read:

Psalms 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knows right well.

Is David suggesting that we are products of God’s direct intervention, as it was in the beginning with Adam and Eve, or is he saying that we are products of the process that was set in motion by God? The following verse from the same chapter gives us the unequivocal answer. Let’s read:

Psalms 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Since David himself was not personally made from dust by God, he could only be referring to himself as being a product of the process of procreation which God set into motion at the beginning.

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 has made man's mouth? or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?

We sincerely hope and pray that no one would even think that this verse suggests that God deliberately makes any person dumb, blind, or deaf, from their mother’s womb. Some persons are born with some disabilities from their mother’s womb, as a result of adverse factors that are beyond their control.

God sustains the process of procreation, with all of its liabilities and imperfections, and as a result of our fallen physical and spiritual natures persons can be born with inherent disability. But for anyone to conclude that God personally makes persons dumb from birth is to do violence to the passage, because Deuteronomy already makes clear that “His work is perfect”.

Similarly, if one is born with a bias that is contrary to their physical characteristics of male or female, that fact should be understood as a product of the process within the context of man’s fallen nature, not as something God deliberately does to anyone personally. Let’s read:

Luke 4: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Matthew 4: 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

This leads us to the latter part of the intervention recorded in the book of John, where Christ dealt with the issue of the man that was born blind. After setting the record straight to His disciples, about no one to be blamed in this instance, Christ then went on to do what God has always done, He fixes the problem with the man’s sight and the rest is history. 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.

Thus, without getting too complicated with science, philosophies, recessive genes, and all of the various adverse factors that may, or may not occur in the human experience, Christ healed the man, and the same is true for any other variant of imperfection that is to be found in humanity.

The current philosophy which teaches us to accept ourselves as we are, without the possibility of any change or intervention by God for the better is one of those teachings that are diabolically opposed to salvation. Salvage and salvation do come from the same root, and thus the very essence of salvation is to produce changes for the better, wherever such changes are warranted.

We should never limit the power of God to heal, fix, restore, or purify, because, just as Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, we too will have our own issues of imperfections to deal with, on one level or another. But the good news is that Jesus could put Humpty, Dumpty back together again because this is the very essence of God’s salvation.

Let us not then limit His power, and ability to heal, and let us never permit our issues to make the clear distinctions on gender blurry to the point where the clarity given in the Bible on the matter will become subservient to our feelings and imperfections.

 If men have a problem with adultery, the solution is not to make adultery legal, for legalizing polygamy to fix the sinful desire for multiple women will only sink us lower in the moral scale.

When Alexander the great had an unnatural craving for alcoholic beverages, the solution couldn’t have been to make booze legal, for by doing so he would be making God’s revealed will, subservient to his cravings and desires. In addition, by legalizing booze he would literally be saying to those under him, that this course of action is right.

 Similarly, if one has contrary feelings in his or her person, as it pertains to gender and sex issues, the solution is not to make laws that would make such feelings legal.

 Doing so would only cement us in a course of action that would make salvation unnecessarily difficult. It is the will of God that any and every deviation, issue and imperfection in ourselves be addressed through the power of the written and Living word, for this is how man is to live, not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

We’ll therefore end with two passages of scripture which confirm to us the sacred truth, that change for the better, is always the foundation and working principle in the salvation wrought out through Jesus Christ, and as such, we are not to grovel in miseries, but rejoice in hope, for with God, nothing shall be impossible. Let’s read:

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

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

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

                                    God Bless!

That Rock Was Christ. Sabbath afternoon 07/29/2022

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.

The Rock spoken of in the above passage has always been Christ, who is very God. The Rock represents a permanence, stability, longevity, dependability, and unwavering which is not to be found in mortals. It is also representative of His Kingship, Creatorship, and His power to legally redeem those who have been born under the law.

In our first passage, one of the descriptions of The Rock is that His work is perfect which would literally preclude any interpretation of a mortal man being The Rock. Everyone of us who were born to Adam is riddled with imperfections, the only Perfect One, in whom there was no sin, being Christ.

Again, the passage specifies that The Rock is A God, and therefore, using the process of elimination, any person resembling Peter must of necessity be now scratched off the list, for frail humanity cannot rise to the level of The God-head.

The passage also ends with these words: “Just and right is He”. How on earth can any person reach the conclusion that a mere mortal man could be The Rock being spoken of, is a mystery beyond rational fathoming.

Christ, as The Rock is also figuratively referred to in the scriptures, for He is written of by all writers of the Old Testament, and the New Testament, even though at times those representations may not be readily apparent to the cursory reader. Moses, and David wrote extensively of The Rock, and in other books of the Bible Christ is represented by the same symbol.

For instance, we find in the New Testament, Christ stating emphatically that Moses wrote of Him, yet, when the scriptures are studied closely, Christ is seen mostly in shadows and symbols, and for this reason, many persons who read the Bible, may be entirely missing the point, whenever Christ is to be found in otherwise dark sentences. Let’s read:

John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

When Moses smote the rock, and the water gushed forth, it was Christ who was being prefigured, as He would be smitten on the cross for our sins, and out of His side would flow not only blood, but water, as per the soldier thrusting his spear into His side.

But to an individual who was only focused on the human agent, it was Moses who stole the show. Hence the reason why in the book of John, the Jews referred to Moses as the one who had supplied the manna in the desert.

In fact, the main reason why the Hebrews took up stones to slay Moses on many occasions, is because they were dead focused on the mortal man, whilst the Rock, who was responsible for their well-being was often left out of the picture.

Similarly in our day, the icons of Mary and Peter and the other saints, are made the focus of attention to many minds, and as a result, persons would pray to various dead saints asking for forgiveness, while the living Rock is barely seen or heard. In fact, the dead saints are often given more weight, and importance than Christ, who is the only Rock.

The problem with this form of interpretation, is that it venerates imperfection, which is an integral part of fallen humanity, and as a result, the floodgates are opened wide for a plethora of imperfections to be incorporated into one’s faith and practice, just as it was with the Jews, who had looked to Moses for everything, as if he were The Rock. Let’s read:

John 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign do You show then, that we may see, and believe You? what do You work?

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh

down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

John 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

Again, when David slew the Philistine Goliath, that rock which he used represented Christ, but many persons only see David with his sling, as if someone can use a slingshot to shoot a stone that would then penetrate a helmet of brass and sink deep into the forehead of some giant.

For this to occur, the stone David used would have to be travelling faster than the speed of a bullet, in order to shatter the brass helmet, and fracture the giant’s skull, and no slingshot, whether from the Caribbean, or any other place for that matter, can ever come close to doing so. It was Christ, The Rock who killed Goliath, and David was only the visible human agent.

Yet most songs and nursery rhymes, which treat on the incident in question, put the focus on David and The Rock is hardly, if ever mentioned. But when the Scripture is studied line upon line, and precept upon precept we would discover the real, and only Rock, working in the shadows, to defeat satan’s purposes, as represented in the giant. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 17: 49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

1st Samuel 17: 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands.

But we are not done yet with the interpretation, for the scriptures should be studied line upon line and precept upon precept, and therefore we must focus on where the Rock that David used, did the damage that took down Goliath. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Obviously, That Rock was Christ!

In the New Testament it is worthy of note that even Peter acknowledged the fact that the only Rock to have ever existed was Christ. And therefore, we are to hear from the proverbial horse’s mouth what the same Peter, who millions of Christians now worship, has to say concerning Christ. Let’s read:

Acts 4: 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel;

10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

11 This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Again, in writing to the Hebrews Paul had to remind them that it was The Rock who had guided, shielded and protected them, during their wanderings in the desert. The tendency to focus on mere mortal man, instead of Christ triggers gross misunderstandings, and divergent interpretations of what God is saying to us in His word. Let’s read:

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

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they

drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

When Moses was commanded by God to smite The Rock the first time, that signified the death of Christ on Calvary, when He would be smitten for our sins. Thus, He was to be smitten once, and not twice, for He was to die only once, to make the atonement for  us certain.

After Jesus died, the way was opened up for all of humanity to simply speak to Him, and thus, when in anger, Moses struck The Rock twice, the symbolism was greatly distorted. That this single act of Moses caused the revelation of God to humanity as it was to pertain to The Rock, to be damaged, can be seen in the reaction of God to the double smiting. Let’s read:

Numbers 20: 7 And the Lord spoke 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 …..

12 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because, ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

God commanded Moses in this instance to speak to The Rock, and it would bring forth water, but again, the scriptures must be studied line upon line so that the true meaning may be made manifest.

 When The Rock, even Christ, was speaking with the woman of Samaria at the well, it’s worthy of note that He used the very same symbolism, which God had formerly instructed Moses to use. Let’s read:

(John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asks drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again.

14 But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

However, for some unknown reason, The Rock who represents to us permanence, security, salvation, and indeed eternal life, was as a general rule, not recognized or accepted as such by the world, or the overwhelming majority of the people back then. It is evident from the scriptures, that The Rock was seen more as a cause for stumbling, rather than a cause for great rejoicing. Let’s read:

Isaiah 8: 13 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

Romans 9: 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

The reason for this perspective of offense is given in the Bible for it was and would always be, those who refuse to listen and obey the voice of God, who will ultimately become offended at The Rock. When one surrenders to Christ and His word, there is no more any animosity and bad feelings against God, for the former things are all passed away and The smitten Rock provides atonement {AT-One-Ment}. Let’s read:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

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

Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Because of the very grave nature of venerating frail and faulty mortals it has become necessary for us to address one of the most serious errors pertaining to Peter, and his supposed role in the Christian church, regarding authority. When Christ spoke the words: “Upon this rock will I build my church” He was not referring to Peter, but to Himself, for as we have seen before, The Rock is A God.

Furthermore, it could never be Peter, for when one reads further down in the narrative, we discover a man subject to passions like as we are; one who can get riled up in a moment when interfered with, one who, before conversion, would curse out persons in public, and one who would resort to violence, when threatened. Thus, The Rock could never be Peter. Let’s read:

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

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

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

In the passage above we discovered that Christ gave to Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, so, we must of necessity find out what are those keys. The passage gives us a clue, for it specifically states that the keys would enable the binding or the loosing of things in heaven and earth. So, we ask the question again: What are those keys? Let’s read:

Luke 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

The next obvious question is: Where are the keys of knowledge to be found? Beyond the shadow of any doubt, in the word of God. Thus, if Christ is giving to Peter “The keys” of heaven, and if the Keys refer to knowledge, and since true knowledge is to be found in God’s word, then the keys are literally the word of God, as written in the Bible. Let’s read:

Proverbs 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

 Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 Psalms 119: 98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

[The Desire of Ages pp 413] The keys of the kingdom of heaven” are the words of Christ. All the words of Holy Scripture are His, and are here included. These words have power to open and to shut heaven. They declare the conditions upon which men are received or rejected.  Thus, the work of those who preach God's word is a savor of life unto life or of death unto death. Theirs is a mission weighted with eternal results.

Of critical importance is the fact that it wasn’t only Peter, to whom was given the keys of the kingdom, for everyone who is called by God, and who accepts The Rock as Savior and Lord, are also given a set of “Keys”. Thus, it is an absolute misnomer for anyone to place Peter on a pedestal of authority, because of one misunderstood, and misinterpreted passage. Let’s read:

Matthew 18: 19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

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

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

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

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

Again, if we were to read further down in Matthew chapter 16 it becomes all the more obvious that the Rock referenced by Christ could never be Peter. In one of the sternest rebukes to any disciple, Christ said to Peter: “Get thee behind me satan”, thereby addressing the invisible foe who had temporarily taken control of Peter’s mind.

Therefore, if in one breath Jesus refers to Peter as The Rock, and in the next breath He says get thee behind me satan, there is an absolute disconnect in interpretation, in those who espouse the erroneous view of Peter being the Rock. It can simply make no sense whatsoever. Let’s read:

Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

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

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

Let’s fast forward to our day, when The Rock is once again going to visit this earth; not now as a Man of sorrows, but as The Supreme Divine Royalty, to not only set the record straight, but also to establish His Kingdom on a permanent basis of security once and for all.

 God is speaking directly to you and me, that we stay as far away as possible from the dangerous error of venerating any mortal man, whether they be Peter, Mary, Paul, or even Musk. Let the glory, the praise, and thanksgiving ascend to God alone, and let poor mortals put their little tails between their legs, so that the correct relationship between God and man can be established.

The habit of Making God subject to a mere mortal is never good, for doing so robs us of the majesty and grandeur, power and salvation that belongs to God alone. Furthermore, neither Peter or Mary died to save anyone, and as such, it is high time that these errors be relinquished, in favor of The Rock. Let’s read:

Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

This leads us to the last, and final manifestation of The Rock, before His eternal kingdom is ushered in, as stated in the scriptures, and since we are now living on the very brink of eternity, it would do us well to consider with a humble heart, what God is saying to all of earth’s inhabitants in the following cryptic verses. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, saw, and behold, a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 You saw till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The interpretation as given by Daniel indicates to us that there are vestiges of each kingdom, referenced in the image. In our day there are remnants of the pride, affluence, and arrogance of ancient Babylon, which was represented by the head of Gold.

There is also the looming threat of coerced worship, on the horizon, just as when the three Hebrew boys were thrown to the flames, because of their refusal to bow to the image. In fact, Revelation chapters 13 and 14, depict a duplication of the use of force in a mandated form of false worship, contrary to what is written in scripture just as it was in ancient Babylon.

There is also to be found in our day, the cruelty and ferocity manifested in the second kingdom of silver, Medo-Persia to be exact. Violence of every kind can be found everywhere on our planet. Even the once serene islands of the Caribbean are not so serene anymore, because the influx of drugs and arms have turned many streets, cities, and towns into virtual war zones.

Then there is the debauchery of the third kingdom of brass, just as when Alexander the great became addicted to drinking alcohol at a young age. The indiscriminate, unbridled use of alcohol, and other addictive drugs in our day, mirrors all to accurately the characteristics of the third kingdom of brass.

Then there are the ghosts of the dark ages, where pagan, and then papal Rome, the kingdoms of iron and clay ruled the world with a tyranny that caused nations to shudder. During that time when the Bible was chained to monasteries, folks could not read or study the word of God for themselves, but instead had to depend on priests and prelates to render the interpretation, which in most cases was private.

 And although we now have the Bible at our disposal it is seen that an era of great light can lend itself to an era of great darkness, because of the multitude of versions and perversions of the scriptures, which now exist. Added to the toxic mix are the plethora of false prophets with their smooth words, which give to the people a false sense of security, even as the crises on earth deepen daily.

Therefore, The Rock, even Christ Jesus, is saying to all who would listen, that His everlasting kingdom of righteousness is soon to be established, in the not too distant future and because of this an urgent call is going forth to all of earth’s inhabitants to believe, repent, and be saved whilst the opportunities still linger.

 The upheavals in nature, and the intransigence of leaders around the world, together with the rapid uptick of infectious diseases, and the soaring temps are all harbingers of Christ’s soon coming kingdom, and as such, we should avoid the snare of burying our heads in the sand, as if things will go on just the way they are forever.

Hence the reason why we will end with the passage from Daniel, which declares with certainty, that the stone represented in the dream will do as is stated, for He is fully God, and that Rock was, and still is Christ. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

                                    God Bless!

Signs Of The Times. Sabbath afternoon 07/22/2022

1st Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.

3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

When the Bible likens the signs of Christ’s second coming to the labor pains a woman feels just before childbirth we’re to understand and remember that those cramps and contractions take place in stages. The uterus is a muscular organ which contracts in a powerful way to push the baby out and it is these contractions which are primarily the source, and cause of labor pains.

 Labor pain Typically comes on gradually, and then builds up as the various phases of labor ensue. The early labor pain experienced is often quite different to the severe contractions and pressures which will occur at later stages.

And for this reason, the passage in 1st Thessalonians pertaining to the birth pangs, which are to precede Christ’s second coming, should be understood as occurring with increasing severity and frequency for in most cases, travail in birth occurs in stages.

           [1] Early Labor Pain

 Early labor pain in a pregnant mother can last up to six hours or longer, and that’s because of the cervix, which dilates, and begins to thin out. These early pains will usually last about thirty to sixty seconds, and would occur approximately every five to twenty minutes, gradually becoming stronger, and taking place more frequently.

          [2] Active Labor Pain

The next stage of birth pangs is what experts refer to as being active labor pain, which would typically last for about 2 to 8 hours. At this later stage, the contractions become longer, stronger, and closer together, and the cervix would dilate to about 7 centimeters.

      [3] Transitional Labor Pain

Transitional labor pain tends to be strongest as the cervix is dilating to 10 centimeters. In addition to the intense, closely spaced contractions, a woman might experience nausea, and may feel pain in the back area, and thighs.

         [4] Pushing Labor Pain

These can last for a few minutes, or up to about 3 hours. The intense pain is overshadowed by major pressure, as she experiences a great urge to push the baby out. This is the final and the most intense stage of birth pangs which is referred to as “Travail” in 1st Thessalonians.  

The question on the table, that needs to be urgently answered is: What stage of the labor pains are we now in? The early labor pain, the active, that transitional, or the pushing labor pain?

One of the signs of childbirth is that the labor pains keep coming with increasing frequency and severity and therefore, the only thing we will have to do is to study from God’s word, what are the signs of the “Travail” that is spoken of in 1st Thessalonians, and then we need to compare them with the raw data, to see if the stated signs are indeed occurring with increasing frequency and severity. It is not rocket science!

 The Bible speaks clearly about some of the signs that will characterize the last days of earth’s history and they include such statements as: Perilous times shall come, Disobedience to parents, A proliferation of miracles, Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, False Christs and false prophets, A lack of self-control, senseless violence, and the preaching of the Gospel in every inhabitable place on the globe.

 But there are other important signs of the times in which we now live that should grab our attention, and because of this, the following is a list of the more prominent signs of labor pain or “Travail” given in the scriptures:

Luke 21: 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

The signs in the sun moon and stars have occurred already, a couple hundred years ago, even though we cannot rule out increased activity from these celestial bodies as the 2nd coming of Christ draws near. The falling of the stars occurred in November of 1833, the moon turning to blood red took place on May 19, 1780, and the sun withdrew its shining around the same time. Let’s read:

These were the beginning of the birth pangs spoken of in Thessalonians, and they were given just about the time that the investigative judgement would be starting in heaven. At that time, the attention of the inhabitants of earth, was pointed to The Creator, in Revelation 14, and the seventh day Sabbath of the 4th commandment was brought prominently into view. Let’s read:

Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

 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;

10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

These events took place more than two hundred years ago, and thus, they can be associated with the early labor pains we spoke of earlier. But we should keep in mind that there are 4 stages of labor pains, so we must of necessity look for any later or current events pointing to the later stages of travail.

Luke mentions the perplexities of nations as one of the signs and no doubt, the world is becoming more and more unstable by the day. The nations of the earth cannot seem to get along anymore, and even though there have been many wars, and upheavals in former years, the very volatile nature of our day calls into question, whether we might have already entered the 2nd or 3rd stage of labor pains.

The perplexities {Plural} of nations, spoken of in the Bible by Luke does not necessarily refer only to wars and rumors of wars, it also refers to difficulties and problems that will occur, with increasing frequency and severity, the answers for which nations would not have.

Thus, because scripture must be studied line upon line and precept upon precept, we will need to find out what some of these stated perplexities are, for the Bible does not leave us guessing.

As we have studied before, God does not work a miracle if it is not needed, and thus, if we were to see Him doing something out of the ordinary, it will be because a dire need has arisen somewhere. Let’s read:

Exodus 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Here in this passage, we see The Lord providing not some arbitrary miracle for no reason, but shielding the people from the extremes of heat and cold that are characteristic of desert climates.

 Wild swings in temperature do take place in the desert, from well over one hundred degrees during the day to the low 30s or 40s at night, and thus, God was miraculously protecting His people from excessive heat and cold.

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.

Here again, we observe God working a miracle to provide that which would have become necessary for His people, who refuse to bow to the beast and his image.

 Because of the then existing mandate to worship the beast, or face the severest economic sanctions, the faithful would be entirely cut off from buying and selling, and thus, the miracles to provide bread and water would have become necessary.

There were other times in the Bible, when God had provided bread and water miraculously, such as the forty years of wandering, and during that severe drought which had occurred during the days of the prophet Elijah.

At that time water had become quite scarce, for the streams, rivers, and reservoirs of the day had dried up, to the point where thirst and starvation, with all of its horrors was taking a fearful toll on the people. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

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

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

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

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

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

But one of the provisions of God, mentioned in the Bible, pertaining to the last days of earth’s history, hints at something we are currently experiencing. And since it is occurring with increasing frequency and intensity, it must be included in the signs of the times, the labor pains we read of earlier. 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.

Question: What is being defended against, that will require “A cloud of smoke by day” and “A flaming fire by night?”

It seems to suggest that extremes in temperatures would have become the norm thus requiring God to protect or “Defend” His people from the elements. There is a looming, and an ever-growing threat from the rapid increase in temperatures across the entire globe and therefore, the prophet Isaiah seemed to have understood the provision of God at this time in that context. Let’s read:

Isaiah 4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain.

Isaiah specifically mentions “Heat” “Storms” and “Rain” as the elements which the righteous would need to be protected against, and thus, we might safely conclude that excessive and life-threatening heat, together with heavy rain, flooding, hurricanes, and tornadoes, would be a part of the “travail” that would be occurring just prior to the second coming of Jesus.

Isaiah was then speaking in the context of the last days, and because of this, all we will have to do is to observe whether these things are occurring with an increasing frequency and severity just as a woman in travail with child. The following excerpts are the here and now of increasing temperatures around the world, as reported by CNN.

(CNN) New records have been set as temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across much of Spain and Portugal Wednesday amid a persistent heat wave across western Europe.

 In northwest Spain, the city of Ourense set its all-time temperature record of 43.2 degrees Celsius (109.76 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, according to Spain's meteorological agency, AEMET.

On Wednesday, Zamora set its own record after reaching 41.1 degrees Celsius (105.98 degrees Fahrenheit), according to climate statistician Max Herrera. Soria set a record of 38.7 degrees Celsius (101.66 degrees Fahrenheit) that same day.

The central Portuguese town of Lousã set an all-time record of 46.3 degrees Celsius (115.34 degrees Fahrenheit) and Lisbon set a July record of 41.4 degrees Celsius (106.52 degrees Fahrenheit). But the worst is yet to come.

Temperatures are set to reach around 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of western and southern Spain, according to AEMET. In its afternoon update, AEMET warned that Spain is set to experience its hottest day of the heat wave on Thursday.

(CNN) The increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of extreme heat events over recent decades is clearly linked to the observed warming of the planet and can be attributed to human activity, the Met Office wrote. The warning comes as records for high temperatures are far outpacing cool records so far this year around the world.

 (CNN) In the US, 79 all-time record high temperatures had been set through July 12, compared with only five all-time record low temperatures, according to data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Globally, 150 all-time heat records were broken.

(CNN) The kinds of extreme weather the world has experienced last summer — from the wildfires in the US and Greece to the flooding in China and Germany — will only become more severe and more frequent.

(CNN) While extreme heat events would still occur without climate change, the increasing intensity and frequency of these events in recent decades has been linked to the rise of fossil fuel emissions and observed global warming.

Raging wildfires have scorched thousands of hectares of forest in France and Spain, while Britain is set to face its hottest day on record amid a searing heat wave.

The southwestern region of Gironde in France has seen the worst of the blazes so far. A total 14,300 hectares (35,000 acres) of land have been burned as of Monday, with 24,000 people evacuated from the region, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde prefecture said on Twitter.

(CNN) Sweltering temperatures in Portugal have exacerbated a drought that started before the heat wave, according to data from the national meteorological institute. About 96% of the mainland was already suffering severe or extreme drought at the end of June.

(CNN) One of the United Kingdom's largest airports suspended flights on Monday after high temperatures damaged a runway.

(CNN) In the US, 92 all-time record high temperatures had been set through July 16, compared with only five all-time record low temperatures, according to data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Globally, 188 all-time heat records were broken versus 18 cool records.

 (CNN) Studies have showed that extreme heat will increase in frequency, intensity and duration because of the climate crisis.

(CNN) More than 40 million people are under heat alerts across the Plains and Central California today and Tuesday as temperatures surge 10 to 15 degrees above normal.

China endures summer of extreme weather as record rainfall and scorching heat wave cause havoc. Why are heat waves around the world getting more intense?

 (CNN) Hong Kong: Towns and farmlands inundated by floods, homes and roads buried by landslides, crops withering under scorching heat, hazmat-suited Covid workers collapsing from heatstroke.

Since summer began, scenes of devastation and misery have been playing out across China as the world's most populous nation grapples with an unrelenting torrent of extreme weather emergencies.

(CNN) Several days of unusually warm weather in northern Greenland have triggered rapid melting, made visible by the rivers of meltwater rushing into the ocean. Temperatures have been running around 60 degrees Fahrenheit -- 10 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, scientists told CNN.

The amount of ice that melted in Greenland between July 15 and 17 alone -- 6 billion tons of water per day -- would be enough to fill 7.2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Here are some of the record highs for July 19 that were set in Texas and Oklahoma:

• Wichita Falls, Texas: 115, breaking a record of 112 set in 2018.

• Borger, Texas: 111, breaking a record of 109 set in 2018.

• Abilene, Texas: 110, breaking a record of 108 set in 1936.

• Oklahoma City: 110, breaking a record of 109 set in 1936.

• Amarillo, Texas: 108, breaking a record of 105 set in 2018.

• San Angelo, Texas: 108, tying a record set in 2018.

• El Paso, Texas: 107, breaking a record of 105 set in 1980.

• Camp Mabry in Austin, Texas: 106, breaking a record of 105 from 1914, 1923 and 1951.

• Midland International Air & Space Port in Midland, Texas: 105, tying a record from 1981 and 2018.

• Houston: 100, tying a record set in 2000.

But Isaiah mentions water as one of the necessary commodities, God will provide for His people. And in the days of Elijah, we have already observed that a severe water crisis had come upon the land, as a result of that blistering drought which had virtually brought economic activity to a standstill.

Could it then be, that there is a looming water fight on the horizon, as reservoirs, dams, rivers and lakes begin to run dangerously low, just as it was in the days of Elijah. Remember, the Bible says that there is nothing new under the sun, and the thing which has been, is the thing which shall be. Let’s read:

 (CNN) More extreme water cuts are all but certain in the Southwest starting next year -- including new water cuts for California -- according to the latest government forecast for the Colorado River and Lake Mead, the country's largest reservoir.

Lake Mead which provides water to roughly 25 million people in Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico, is losing water at an alarming rate amid an extraordinary, multi-year drought, made worse by the climate crisis.

Because of the reservoir's plummeting level states that rely on water from the lower Colorado River were already subject to the cuts that accompany a Tier 1 shortage beginning in January 2022, which have mainly impacted agricultural water use.

But this year did not bring much-needed precipitation to the river basin. The latest report from the US Bureau of Reclamation shows Lake Mead at just over 1,040 feet above sea level, having dropped nearly 10 feet in just two months and currently at just 27% of its maximum capacity.

There should be no doubt in our minds, after having read the above information, that the signs that are to point to the second coming of Christ, are indeed happening in the here and now, with the increasing frequency and severity, spoken of in Thessalonians, as being travail.

 The question for us earthlings is: what should our appropriate response be, to knowing these things? Christ gives us the answer, for after enumerating the various signs that would precede His 2nd coming He then bids us to “Look up”. Let’s read:

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh.

Looking up entails a change in perspective, outlook, priorities, and anticipation, for whereas in former years, persons would be consumed with planning for, and focusing heavily on retirement, the signs of the times taking place currently, raise the prospect that some may never need to retire, because the possibility exists that some who are now living may never pass through the portals of the tomb.

It is a mind-boggling possibility yet, according to the Scriptures, it will become a reality at some point in this earth’s history, in the not too distant, future; so let us repeat again, so that you may be certain that you are hearing correctly: The scripture raises the prospect that some Christians living today might never pass through the portals of the tomb. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 15: 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1st Thessalonians 4: 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Currently, in our world, and even with many who are called Christians, there seems to be an intense focus on survival for the here and now. Some are trying to save the planet, while others are obsessed with materialism.

And there are others who are being consumed with trying to make ends meet, in an increasingly hostile economic environment, all the while, the signs of the times are being fulfilled right before our very eyes, yet some seem to be none the wiser, in most cases.

Again, there is a complacency, and a lack of drive, as it pertains to seeking the interests of God’s kingdom and with many persons in the Christian community, missionary work, on an individual level is not even a consideration since many of us are being consumed with the here and now. Indeed, very few persons in the church are actively involved in the work of the great commission, given us by Christ.

 But as Christ’s coming draws nearer each day, He cautions us against participating in the spirit of the world, by being enveloped with consumerism, and having our priorities inverted. God has given to us something much better to live for, than the mere transient, temporal things of this world, and it is our privilege and duty, to make the most opportunity to be saved, and to help save others in His kingdom.

This is why Jesus says to look up, when the signs of the times, spoken of in scripture will begin to be fulfilled with increasing frequency and severity, for as pilgrims heading to a better world, the baggage we once carried would have to be surrendered in exchange for the immortal inheritance that looms ever larger on the horizon.

Thus, we will end with a passage of scripture which calls on every believer to consider our ways, and if for some reason our priorities have become mixed up along the way, The God of heaven is calling on us to repent, believe, and be ready, for Jesus will come at a time when most of us are not expecting. Let’s read:

[The Great Controversy pp 491] The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state—men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above.  

Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men. “Watch ye therefore; ... lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” [Mark 13:35, 36.]

Perilous is the condition of those who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments, it may be in that hour the Judge of the earth will pronounce the sentence, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

Luke 21: 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.                    

God Bless!

God Is Still In Control. Sabbath afternoon 07/16/2022

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.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The above passages reveal several very important facts about God which would lay the foundation for the study this evening. These stated facts are things that we must come to grips with, if we are to walk by faith, not questioning or arguing with God about things we may not yet understand.

One of the fundamentals to exercising an intelligent faith is for us to understand that God is always right in everything that He does and plans to do. He is the only One who has never made a mistake, and never will.

 Some of His plans may seem strange to finite minds, and even angels may at times be befuddled at what God does, but at the end of the day, after the dust has settled, it’s always the best thing that could be done. Always!

 In other words, finite minds can never improve on what God does, we cannot come up with any better suggestions, or solutions nor do us mortals have the capacity to plan, and to execute in a more efficient manner than God, that which needs to be done.

But there are many productions and inventions of mortals that seem to suggest that there are better ways of doing things, and as such, the Bible, with its sacred utterances is viewed by many persons, as an inferior document filled with irrelevant principles, and methods.

But the passage in Isaiah reveals the fact that God is in control at all times, and His good and perfect will gets done one way or the next. At times, the world may appear to be a runaway train, with no guide or Ruler, and there are other times when what God permits may seem to take us off the rails, but in all and through all, God’s intelligence, foreknowledge, and wisdom are displayed.

 The following therefore, are the fundamentals that are mentioned in our first passage: [1] God does not think like us. The way we may come to our conclusions, and our finite modes of thought are no way close to His, and are indeed, greatly inferior.

 [2] The way we choose to do things are often quite different than the way God chooses. In other words, when God is seeking to accomplish His perfect will, the way He does so, is often so strange and divergent to mortal minds that some persons are tempted to question whether or not God knows what He is doing.

This fact is evident by some of the statements and questions that have come from the lips of even the righteous. As God-fearing men and women in days of old brainstormed God’s providences they were at times baffled, and expressed their dismay in various ways. The following are just a few examples of what we’re speaking of. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 20: 7 O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, everyone mocks me.

Exodus 5: 22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore have you so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

2 And Job spoke, and said,

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

Matthew 11: 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

[3] God’s perfect will always gets done. It may seem like a long time in coming, and at times it may seem as if men and demons have defeated His purposes; but according to Isaiah the word which goes forth out of His mouth ultimately wins the day. Men may not agree with God, and others might not believe, but His will, would be done, in heaven and earth.

Indeed, the bottom line for us is whether we will be on The Lord’s side or not, but His side is always the winning side, and therefore, His ways and purposes are eventually, and inevitably going to rule the day.

When Judas betrayed Christ, it seemed to some as if evil had triumphed, but here again even the devices of devils were incorporated into God’s planning and what they did actually facilitated God’s will.

In fact, when the curtain that divides the invisible world from the visible, we will discover that devils were much more afraid of the dead Jesus than the living Christ before he died.

Thus, while poor ignorant human beings were there mocking, scorning, and laughing at Christ, satan was not laughing at all, for he understood better than any person did, that the dead Jesus posed a serious threat to his kingdom.

Some may not have been aware of this fact, but if there was one person on the planet who sincerely desired to save Christ from the cross, it was satan. In fact, he literally begged Christ not to die, but it was only when Christ insisted on dying that satan pulled out all the stops, and made Christ’s death as bitter, as horrible and as miserable as it could be.

But if it were up to him alone, he would have taken vengeance on anyone who would dare to threaten Christ’s life. Thus, he was put in the most miserable position of having to play his part, against his own will. God had predicted it in scripture, satan studied it, and now, without the use of force on God’s part, he is backed into a corner and left no choice but to fulfill God’s word to the letter.

Everything that persons and demons could do was incorporated into God’s planning, from the priests to Pilate, from the mob to Judas, even the Roman guards who were stationed at Christ’s tomb, with the hosts of evil angels gathered around, everyone and everything was incorporated into God’s plans, and inevitably facilitated His good will. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 782] When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to hope that the Savior would not take up His life again. He claimed the Lord's body, and set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a prisoner.

 He was bitterly angry when his angels fled at the approach of the heavenly messenger. When he saw Christ come forth in triumph, he knew that his kingdom would have an end, and that he must finally die.

The same is true of nations and persons who may at times seem to be doing things of their own volition, especially leaders of nations who may appear to be exercising unbridled authority over those who are under their jurisdiction. When such leaders wreak havoc and brutalities on innocents, as is the case currently in Ukraine, it may seem as if God has lost control of situations, but this is not the case.

 For example, when pharaoh of old commanded that the boy children of the Hebrews be thrown into the river and drowned, it seemed cruel to finite minds, and indeed it was, and the folks back then probably questioned in their minds if God was still in control.

 But God who reads the future so accurately, knew where that command of pharaoh was headed, for the natural response of the Hebrew women would be to hide their male babies from pharaoh.

 But, lo and behold, that is exactly what God wanted them to do, to hide their male children, for in doing so God’s intelligence would turn pharaoh’s so-called plots into total foolishness, and the king would end up financially supporting a Hebrew in his own back yard. Thus, while on the one hand his mandate may seem cruel, God’s plan was silently being done, and fulfilled in pharaoh’s own house. Let’s read:

Exodus 2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

3 And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

4 And his sister stood afar off, to see what would be done to him.

5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and behold the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.

10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses.

At this point we must say that some may too often dwell on the writings and sayings of secular writers and by doing so we do a great disservice to our own souls. The study of God’s word gives breadth and a deep understanding of the wisdom and purposes of God, for the mind has to wrestle and figure out the difficult passages, prophecies, and laws that are in His word.

But with secular writers and worldly-wise men, the mind can become very cramped and blunted, if we choose their sayings and doings over what’s written in the Bible. By beholding we become changed, and if our mental energies are channeled into the carnal and secular, those thoughts and philosophies would be reflected in our depleted capacity to understand spiritual things. Let’s read:

[Christ’s Object Lessons pp 41] And here, too, is the great cause of mental weakness and inefficiency. In turning from God's word to feed on the writings of uninspired men, the mind becomes dwarfed and cheapened. It is not brought in contact with deep, broad principles of eternal truth.

The understanding adapts itself to the comprehension of the things with which it is familiar, and in this devotion to finite things it is weakened, its power is contracted, and after a time it becomes unable to expand.

In the situation with Joseph, what transpired with his brothers, and the consequent sale of Joseph to the Midianites may seem to baffle the mind, for it looked as if his envious brothers were having their own way. But here again, God was in control in the background, silently working out His own good purposes for not only Joseph, but for his brothers and for all of Egypt too.

 It will be discovered that God could work with any hand that is dealt Him, because what may seem to thwart His purposes, is often incorporated into His planning, and in many cases, actually facilitates the outcome. Thus, we can agree or disagree with God, but at the end of the day, His will would get done. That is what the prophet Isaiah is actually saying in our first passage. To be frank, it can be pretty scary!

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them….

5 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field, and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

There is no such thing as arbitrary providences with God, as it pertains to the trials His servants may go through. Some persons have erroneously concluded that God permits capricious trials to come our way for no reason, and that at times we may be tempted and tried for no reason.

This is absolutely not the case, because in every instance where like Joseph, Job, Abraham, and any other believer for that matter, one is taken through the wringer, it has always been for a valid reason and purpose. Let’s read:

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;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.

Joseph had some character flaws which needed to be corrected in order for him to fill the position God intended for him to fill. His parents had spoiled him to some degree, through favoritism, and because of his many dreams, and God’s favor, he was in danger of becoming self-righteous.

This is the reason, and the only reason why God had permitted Joseph to pass through the fire as it were but as soon as the dross was removed, he would be released from prison, and the experiences of former years would no longer be necessary. The pruning of God is for the sole purpose of producing more fruit, and when that goal is accomplished, pruning stops. Let’s read:

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

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 213] Joseph with his captors was on the way to Egypt. Bitterly he wept at thought of that loving father in his loneliness and affliction. Again, the scene at Dothan came up before him. He saw his angry brothers and felt their fierce glances bent upon him.

The stinging, insulting words that had met his agonized entreaties were ringing in his ears. With a trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change in situation—from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave!

For a time, Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror. But, in the providence of God, even this experience was to be a blessing to him. He had learned in a few hours that which years might not otherwise have taught him. His father, strong and tender as his love had been, had done him wrong by his partiality and indulgence.

 This unwise preference had angered his brothers, and provoked them to the cruel deed that had separated him from his home. Its effects were manifest also in his own character. Faults had been encouraged that were now to be corrected. He was becoming self-sufficient and exacting.

Thus, through all of the ups and downs, the trials and grief, the jail time, and the false accusation of Mrs. Potiphar, God was still in control. To the finite mind some of those experiences may have seemed to be directed by mortals, with no input or guidance from God, but in all and through it all, God was in control. Let’s read:

Genesis 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

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.

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.

Fast forward to our day when it seems as if nations and individuals are going off the rails. Covid wipes out millions, churches are shuttered, economies are collapsing, there’s serious bottle neck in supply and demand, Crypto is tanking, mass shootings are now multiplying, and all the while Putin, is adding more headache to the toxic brew, and it may seem as if God is missing in action, and nowhere to be found.

To mortal minds, it may seem as if no one is at the helm, and things are looking so fragile, and haywire that many persons deny the very existence of God. But just as the prophet Ezekiel beheld the wheels within a wheel, just so the complicated providences of God may seem to be spinning out of control, but at the end of the day it would be seen that God was always in the driver’s seat.

Out of chaos God brought order at the beginning of this world’s history, and at the end of time, God will again bring order out of chaos. Things will seem to be getting out of control, and even nature might be in a tailspin in different parts of the earth, but in the end, everyone who is to be saved, will be saved and God will finally usher in His everlasting kingdom of righteousness.

Men and demons may not agree, some may doubt, and others may become riled up at what they may perceive as injustice, unbridled violence and crime, but in the fullness of time, The Great God of heaven will wrap things up, and this earth, together with all who have chosen to serve Him would be placed in a position permanent peace and security.

The kingdoms of this world are soon to become the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and thus, we are not to be shortsighted, in groveling in the here and now, but rather, believers should look forward to that final day, when prophecies will converge with reality, for God is still in control.

We will end with several passages of scripture taken from the book of Daniel, which confirm to us that, not only is God still in control, He will also land the proverbial plane, that has been subject to so much turbulence in the rise and fall of nations throughout history. Let’s read:

Daniel 2: 31 Thou, O king, saw, and beheld a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.

32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

34 You saw till a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.

35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floor and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

45 Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

                                     God Bless!

Good Behavior Versus Conversion. Sabbath afternoon 07/09/2022

There is a huge difference between good behavior, and conversion, and the two should never be mixed up by those who desire sanctification, according to the will of God. A person can behave well, by doing what is morally right, by abiding by the laws of the land, by paying their taxes on time, and maintaining a good credit score.

 There are good citizens who manifest courtesy, and respect for others, who may speak perfect English, and are achievers, as they pursue stellar careers in different fields, who make meaningful contributions to society, who never use foul language, and they’re looked up to by others as role models.

 There are very many Christians in our day, who fall into these categories, and to all appearances, some are in good and regular standing, according to what can be seen externally. These qualities ought to be commended, for a good Christian should also be a good citizen who tries his or her best to behave well and stay out of trouble. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.

14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.

15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

And Christians are encouraged, in both the old and new Testaments to behave ourselves in a becoming manner, for we are a spectacle unto the world, unto Angels and unto men, and therefore, it is a sacred and moral duty to do our best to live as though we are representatives of the kingdom. Let’s read:

1st Timothy 3: 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 For if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?

Titus 2: 1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.

2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

However, true conversion goes much deeper than mere good behavior, for the work that God desires to do in our hearts, is to entirely uproot the old man with all of its baggage, and then replace it with an entirely new heart and mind that’s aligned with God so that The Spirit of God may dwell on the throne of our hearts continually.

The problem with persons behaving well without being converted is that they can flip in an instant when the right set of circumstances converge. Even though the Bible repeatedly states that David was well- behaved, there were times when persons would touch a raw nerve, and a different individual would emerge from the shadows.

 Latent tendencies David probably was not aware of and, and dormant characteristics would bubble up to the surface from time to time which revealed his need of conversion, but between all these contrary exhibitions, David was generally known to behave himself well.

The word “Latent” refers to something that is real and present, yet not generally visible for any person to see and this should concern us, for like David, we too may be inadvertently harboring latent tendency that we may not be aware of, until it bubbles up to the surface and shocks the daylights out of the one in question, as well as onlookers.

For instance, when Nabal refused to help out David with the food which he had requested, a switch that had lain dormant was flipped on internally, and the composure of such a well-behaved person, was reversed in an instant. It is usually the case that we may only realize we have dormant evil tendencies, when one treads on our proverbial toes. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 25:9 And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master.

11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

12 So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings.

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisses against the wall.

Just for some context, here are some of the psalms David wrote about dealing with others in situations that may not be favorable. We are observing them because when we put ourselves into David’s shoes, we too may discover a disconnect between what we preach and what we do, when others violate our rights or may tick us off for some reason. Let’s read:

Psalms 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart.

3 He that backbites not with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor.

Apparently, good behavior versus conversion also was an issue with the disciples of Christ, for as a general rule of thumb, they would try to behave themselves when Christ was around, but at times when He was absent, different moods and attitudes would bubble up to the surface, when the right set of circumstances would converge.

 Now it is often claimed that persons are in different stages of spiritual growth, and another maxim that is often touted is that “The Lord isn’t finished with me yet.” It is worthy of note that the disciples may not have been doing this deliberately, but it’s just a fact of life that the presence of a superior can cause or motivate a person to behave well.

 Not long ago on my way to Orlando Florida, persons were driving well over the speed limit at a section of the I-75 where state troopers would most likely not be present. But suddenly, all the drivers seemed to slowing down, and driving at the speed limit, for no apparent reason so I wanted to know the reason for such good behavior, on the part of so many drivers, including myself.

 It so happened that in one lane there was a trooper driving at the speed limit, and guess what, all of the other drivers immediately fell into line, even though some were not convicted in heart and mind.

 Again, there’s a huge difference between driving through a school speed zone, fussing and fuming because one is late for work, and one driving at the stated speed limit, with the understanding that kids would be crossing at any given time.

 Even though the two types of drivers may adhere to the rules and may actually behave well, one does so from the heart while the other does so because of the likely presence of cops with radar guns. It is too often the case with some Christians, that we might display a Sabbath persona, whilst during the week when no Elder or pastor is around, a completely different person might emerge.

In the case with the disciples, a storm was brewing over who should be accounted the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and from what the scriptures reveal, it had caused a division amongst them, as all strove to have the highest place, next to Christ.

 But lo and behold, when Jesus was present, and had asked them about the situation, they all put on their best behavior, and remained silent. The presence of Christ put a different perspective on the matter and Jesus could have addressed the behavioral aspect of His disciple’s contention. But doing so would just be putting a temporary bandage on a problem, which would rupture at some future point.

 Very often in the Christian church, the focus is put on behaviors which are indeed symptoms of a much deeper problem. Therefore, if folks focus too much on behavioral patterns, we would entirely miss the main point, for doing so is the equivalent of playing whack-a mole with behaviors.

 In other words, what is addressed presently in some outburst of latent tendency, is the same as trying to fix this or that issue in one’s character, whereas an entire change of heart, would usually take care of the problem, for as was stated before in a previous study, there are certain things a converted person just does not do.

 A truly converted person would never seek for the highest place, for such an one would gladly prefer a lower position, so that someone else could get the promotion in question, if there happened to be any dispute over the matter.

 Furthermore, a converted person will genuinely be happy, and merry for the person who got promoted and the converted one will do all they can to make life easier, not miserable for the promoted person. It all has to do with “Good behavior versus true conversion.

 In the plan of salvation, God does not desire to deal merely with the symptoms of some underlying issue in our hearts; He instead seeks to perform an entire transformation that will fundamentally change who we are at the core for it’s only by so doing that folks would be rendered safe for the kingdom, where it is stated that sin would not arise a second time. Let’s read:

Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up into a high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured before them.

The other disciples who were not made privy to the experience on the mount were probably wondering, and grumbling about why they were left out of the loop. If inside information was going to be disclosed why would Jesus leave them out, and apparently only favor these three?

Thus, they reasoned until great darkness came over their minds, for they made their personal grievance the main point of concern, while the interests of the kingdom were subordinated. Therefore, when Jesus addresses the issue, He would not deal as we too often do with the periphery, with mixed up moods and attitudes.

Christ will go for the jugular, the issue of conversion which if and when accomplished in His disciples, will take care of not only the current issue but any other problem that may or may not arise. But if He was to only address the behavioral aspects, the same issue would certainly flare up again, under favorable, or under trying circumstances, as the case might be. 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.

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

Note well, that the disagreement amongst the other disciples hamstrung their efforts to cast out demons for God is A Spirit, and wherever our minds may be consumed with fussing and fighting over a plethora none-essentials, Christ’s vital power, to engage and conquer hosts of darkness will be eerily absent in us. 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?

29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that you 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.

Matthew 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

[The Desire of Ages pp 435>437] The Savior gathered His disciples about Him, and said to them, “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” There was in these words a solemnity and impressiveness which the disciples were far from comprehending.

They did not understand the nature of Christ's kingdom, and this ignorance was the apparent cause of their contention. But the real cause lay deeper. By explaining the nature of the kingdom, Christ might for the time have quelled their strife; but this would not have touched the underlying cause.

 Even after they had received the fullest knowledge, any question of precedence might have renewed the trouble. Thus, disaster would’ve been brought to the church after Christ's departure.

The strife for the highest place was the outworking of that same spirit which was the beginning of the great controversy in the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from heaven to die. Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character.

 He sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus alienation, discord and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the strongest.

 The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force. Every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a stepping- stone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.

 Very tenderly, yet with solemn emphasis, Jesus tried to correct the evil. He showed what is the principle that bears sway in the kingdom of heaven, and in what true greatness consists, as estimated by the standard of the courts above.

 It was not enough for the disciples of Jesus to be instructed as to the nature of His kingdom. What they needed was a change of heart that would bring them into harmony with its principles.

 In the third chapter of Revelation, Laodicea seems to suffer with the same problem of “Good Behavior Versus True Conversion” for the right things are being done, and for all intents and purposes, it may seem to the casual observer that the church is on a roll to glory.

 But when The True Witness drills down a bit deeper He discovers something disturbing happening with many church members, for like the disciples of old, some are behaving really well, others have become contended with the status quo, and stagnation has taken a toll on growth, because our good behaviors have usurped the place that true conversion should have. Let’s read:

Revelation 3: 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

Some may now be wondering if those words might pertain to me and you personally, and rightly so, for The Lord is addressing the church, not only as the corporate body, but he is speaking to me and you in the present tense, and on an individual level.

To answer our unspoken questions, there are some basic tendencies, which if we see in ourselves, are to raise a red flag, as far as the issue of behaviors versus conversion is concerned. If we know we have the tendency to seek strict justice from those who may offend us, then it’s time to go have a talk with God.

 If we feel good when our enemies are punished for the wrongs they have done, then it is time for us to go have a talk with God. the truly converted person takes delight in pardoning those who may trespass against us, and thus seeks his or her restoration as quickly as possible.

 The tendency to rupture relationships with those who may despitefully use and persecute us, is not in harmony with the mind of God for there are several very important passages of scripture which do show the mind of God in such situations. Let’s read:

Proverbs 24: 17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles.

18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retains not his anger forever, because he delights in mercy.

1st Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing.

4 Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;

7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Charity never fails.

The only reason why it can never fail in a Christian is because it has become an integral part of a person’s character through conversion and thus, if and when such a person is shaken inside up and upside down, nothing but charity will bubble to the surface.

Like the disciples in days of yore, there is hope for us, for when we read the last verses of Revelation 13, the Lord invites us to change. It’s not merely the of behavior that is too often touted, but a deep and enduring change that would convert us from the inside out.

 Let us therefore not be discouraged by what we may see in ourselves from time to time, but let us rather seek The Lord while He may be found so that He can take us from one level of spiritual growth to the next, for this is His good and perfect will for us, even our conversion.

We will end with two passages of scripture which would confirm this sacred truth, and may God’s grace and mercy enable and sustain us through the process. Let’s read:

Revelation 3: 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

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

1st Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.

                            God Bless!

Bible Teaching On Inflation And Famine. Sabbath afternoon 07/02/2022

There are some difficult lessons many of us would have to learn for some have not yet been reconciled to the fact that God is practical, and down to earth in the instructions He gives us. All those, who with a humble heart, follow the word of God, will find out that wisdom, intelligence and foreknowledge are all wrapped up in what He commands us to do.

 But those who despise His word, to follow on in the footsteps of worldly-wise men, will find out sooner or later that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. When the Bible is held in a subordinate position to what economists and soothsayers may predict and advise, then, when the carpet is pulled out from under our feet, many persons will be left holding an empty bag, much to their chagrin.

Many persons fell for what was being touted for a long time as a safe investment, with the infamous Bernie Madoff, who was interviewed on multiple occasions on business news outlets, and whose aura and advice was sought out as priceless treasure.

  lo and behold, after running the now defunct Ponzi scheme for many years, and after ensnaring unwary investors, swindling them of billions in cash he finally lived up to his name, for he Made-Off with the life savings and investments of thousands upon thousands of folks, some of whom were left holding the proverbial empty bag.

 The worldly wise do not, as a general rule of thumb, bring to bear, on their decisions and planning, the sacred utterances of the scriptures, for God’s word is neither consulted, nor even considered in their calculations and prognostications and thus, if, and when any unforeseeable events occur suddenly without warning, persons are left scrambling to try and figure out what to do in such and such adverse situation.

 The same is true in our day, for if one were to speak to the majority of financial planners, and advisors in active practice, the overwhelming majority will not even consider the utterances of the Bible as either being relevant or of consequence to the advice they give, and thus, when Putin suddenly upends energy, and globalism as we knew it, there is a mad rush for the door, as the unforeseen becomes reality.

 There is nothing worse than an angry old man with nukes, who has already lived his life, and who has nothing to lose. The world is becoming increasingly unstable, because of multiple disturbances on many different fronts, both nationally and internationally, as can be observed by perusing the daily news.

 And, to add to the toxic mix is the uncertainty of whether Putin might do the unthinkable, which he very well might, if driven into a corner, and isolated. As world leaders continue to ramp up their efforts to choke off Russia, very strange developments can ensue, for rational thought can be tossed out the window in an instant, if one’s back is forced against the wall.

But financial planners seem to be oblivious of the growing threats spoken about in God’s word, that are scheduled to characterize the last days, in which we are now living. The very same attitude was true of the Antediluvians in Noah’s day, who, in spite of listening to his sermons, went right ahead with their financial plans for the future, just as if he had not spoken.

 Even when they saw with their own two eyes, the unexplainable phenomena of the animals walking quietly into the ark, two by two and seven by seven, there was no change whatsoever in their planning, advice, or outlook.

 With Noah’s prophecy fresh in their minds and with lower lifeforms heading into the vessel, seemingly unprovoked, the Antediluvians continued to look forward to, and plan for a brighter day. Let’s read:

 [Patriarchs And Prophets pp 97] They manifested their contempt for the warning of God by doing just as they had done before the warning was given. They ate and drank, planted and built, laying their plans in reference to advantages they hoped to gain in the future.

 Similarly, in our day, where there are troubles with perplexities multiplying on several different fronts, persons continue to lay their plans, with reference to profits they expect to reap in the future, and the word of God, pregnant with its prophecies and very valuable instruction, is not even considered, but is rather brow-beaten as being archaic and irrelevant.

 However, God is merciful and in the current adverse situations we now find ourselves, He bids us all to consider our ways, to study, and believe His word, and thereby put in place, methods, strategies and wisdom that are based on His instructions.

 The current wave of inflation and famine is taking a serious toll on millions of individuals, and the single-parent families on fixed incomes are being hit very hard by inflationary pressures, together with the increase in grocery prices, and pain at the pump.

 In addition to these dire circumstances, the ongoing displacement of families, with the accompanying gentrification in many places, threatens the sanity, and livelihood of many persons, who are now living on the brink, as some are just one paycheck away from being homeless, or bankrupt.

 Many are now forced to live off of credit, in order to cope with the deepening crisis, and that snare will become a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy, by which many will be sucked in even deeper into the abyss of financial bondage. Let no one be deceived by the soothsayers, for we will not be able to print our way out of this crisis by any means.

 Thus, it may just be about time that we take a look at the word of God, to see what advice He gives for such a time as this, if haply there might be Biblical wisdom that can be applied to ease the frustrations and concerns so many are now experiencing.

 In the days of Joseph, God gave ample warning that a severe famine and drought would be coming upon the land, and He bid the king of Egypt, through His prophet Joseph, to make the necessary preparation so that the inhabitants of the land would be able to weather the grievous event.

 As we read and study that incident, there would be valuable lessons for us to take away, for there can, and should be adjustments made, wherever they may be warranted. Our new normal would call for a change in some cases, in the way we spend, and the way we differentiate between that which is viewed as being important, and that which is not.

 As the crisis in Egypt deepened, the citizens of that land discovered that they would need to regroup, as it pertained to their daily living and they soon found themselves having to tighten their seatbelts, so as not to become casualties of the famine. Let’s read:

Genesis 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored cows and fat-fleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

3 And behold seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed; and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river.

4 And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed cows did eat up the seven well favored and fat ones. So, Pharaoh awoke.

5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.

7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

26 The seven good cattle are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

27 And the seven thin and ill-favored cows that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind will be seven years of famine.

28 What God is about to do he is now shewing unto Pharaoh.

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.

30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

Thus, in lieu of the dire warning given by God, what pharaoh decides to do next will determine whether the Egyptian economy will survive or collapse, and the inhabitants thereof would live or die, depending on the course of action they will choose to pursue.

 Obviously, the impending crisis upon the land would call for the exercise of wisdom, guided, not by those in the secular unbelieving world, but Joseph, who has the fear of God before his face. Similarly in our day, if things go deep south in a hurry, the wisdom that will meet the emergency would be that which is written, not that which comes from mere mortals. Let’s read:

Genesis 41:33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

The urgency of the moment would obviously call for one who exercises discretion, one who respects the word of God, and who will not turn to the financial soothsayers who would beg to differ on what God has revealed. To often in our day, the wisdom that is found in the scriptures is supplanted by that type of knowledge that is devoid of God.

 Thus, as a direct result grievous errors in judgement are made with the repercussions and consequences which always accompany any such moves. Now that we are in an era of sustained turmoil and instability, the word of God, with its sacred utterances should be guiding our every move. Let’s read:

Proverbs 1: 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof.

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.

33 But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Genesis 41:34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

The fifth part is a specific percentage of the bounty they would enjoy for the seven plenteous years. In our day we may not have fields with wheat, corn or grain, but many of us do work, and have some sort of income. Thus, after returning the tithe, offering, and something for the less fortunate, it is wise to put aside a “Fifth” for the rainy day.

 The habit of spending everything that is earned is a recipe for disaster, and any person or nation that is thus disposed, is headed for a financial cliff, sooner or later. The math is simple, for if our outflows are greater than our inflows, the well will run dry. It is not rocket science, it’s just a matter of time. Let’s read:

Proverbs 6: 6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

Genesis 41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.

36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

We are not speaking of hoarding in one of those underground doomsday bunkers that are on sale. We are speaking the words of truth and soberness by the grace of God, so that the wise and discreet may make provision for the rainy day. Because, if we would receive it, is going to rain.

 Now, it is true, that as earth’s crisis deepens, God has promised to provide for His people. However, His word must be studied very carefully, lest some persons inadvertently tread presumptuously. In the days of yore, God provided food miraculously for His people, because it was necessary, for they were sojourning through the wilderness for forty years.

 But as soon as God’s miracles became unnecessary, the manna stopped, because God generally will not work a miracle if He does not absolutely have to. In other words, direct miracles as the manna falling from heaven are to be understood as a last resort, but if there are other resources available, those are to be utterly exhausted first. Let’s read:

Joshua 5: 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.

[Last Day Events pp 99] 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 us over and over again.

Genesis 41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

What goes up must inevitably come down, and even though we’ve experienced tremendous growth and prosperity as a nation, the cyclical realities of boom and bust will produce casualties, if the wisdom of God is not implemented. Dow industrials averages, Crypto, and the phenomenal rise of housing in the last few years aren’t immune to the laws of gravity.

Therefore, if ample provisions are not made for the downturn, some folks will be forced into doing what the Egyptians had to do in order to survive. At that time, they turned to their government for help, for the economic downturn was severe indeed, and lest starvation take a deadly toll, food rationing by those in authority had become the order of the day, while the famine wore on. Let’s read:

Genesis 41:55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

 Genesis 47: 13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money fails.

16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.

17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

Now that their flocks herds and livelihoods have all gone up in smoke, the government of Egypt is in a position of strength, as far as bargaining chips go, and the prospect now rises before the multitudes, that if they are to survive they will only have to sell their lands and properties to the state, but they will have to sell their own souls, in order to have bread.

 A very similar situation took place in the days of Nehemiah when the Hebrew economy took a hit, and went into reverse gear. At that time, the people became so dependent on the government that their houses, their lands and their souls became tethered to the state, for they found themselves in the very unfortunate situation of having to turn to credit, or borrowing heavily, in order to survive. Let’s read:

Nehemiah 5:3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses that we might buy corn because  of the dearth.

4 There were also some that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

Inflation is one of the results of a disparity in supply and demand, because whenever goods are in short supply, or scarce, their value ultimately goes up. We are now experiencing pain at the pump, because of supply shortages, and therefore, when we read in the Bible that there was a famine or dearth, all of the accompanying woes we are now experiencing were most likely present back then. Let’s read:

Genesis 41:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands.

19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.

20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

During the economic downturn in Egypt which was brought about as the result of the famine the folks down there soon discovered that they had to make certain adjustments, in order to deal survive.

 All of the unnecessary trimmings, bells and whistles, and the extra items they would normally pick up at the grocery stores, which they really did not need were eliminated, and a bare bones approach to the realities on the ground, drove them to have a more practical outlook on life. Indeed, it was a humbling experience for the nation.

Similarly, in our day, where families and individuals might be facing crunch time, as a result of looming layoffs, inflationary pressures and pain at the pump, we too may find ourselves having to make some of those necessary adjustments that the Egyptians had to make, for as it was in days of old, persons would discover that God is more practical, and down to earth in the instructions He gives than many realize.

Especially persons who may be cash-strapped, who may find themselves in a position similar to those in the days of Nehemiah, where the people had to rely heavily on credit, adjustments may have to be made in order to weather the deteriorating conditions on the ground for at the end of the day the greenbacks can only stretch so far, and no further.

 However, on a more serious note, there is another famine of which the Bible speaks which is scheduled to take an even greater toll on persons, if the word of God isn’t heeded. This particular famine is the one that would produce barrenness in hearing the word of God, for in the days of plenty, when Biblical teaching was available, many did not see the need to avail themselves of the truth.

And as a result, the little that some persons had will evaporate into thin air, when the truth will become quite difficult to find. This is what took place with the five foolish virgins, who found themselves void of the necessary preparation, at the midnight hour.  

We are in a countdown to midnight in the history of our world, and opportunities to hear and know the truth will be dwindling at an alarming rate, as forces of evil both visible and invisible, will flood the earth with errors and woes that will consume the minds of many, and as a result, the multitudes will focus on survival instead of surrender to Christ, The Only One who can deliver in these last days. Let’s read:

Amos 8: 11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.

[Last Day Events pp 178] Men whom He has greatly honored will, in the closing scenes of this earth's history, pattern after ancient Israel....

 A departure from the great principles Christ has laid down in His teachings, a working out of human projects, using the Scriptures to justify a wrong course of action under the perverse working of Lucifer, will confirm men in misunderstanding, and the truth that they need to keep them from wrong practices will leak out of the soul like water from a leaky vessel.

This is the reason why an urgent call to the study, and practice of the truth is even more relevant in our day, for as we stand upon the brink of eternity, we will face dangers and perplexities that can cause us to lose focus on that which is most important in life.

Whatever Putin and the rest of the world may, or may not do, one thing we should ever keep in mind, is that the coming of Christ hastens greatly, and as such, we should not let survival consume our best energies to the neglect of our relationship with God for it is Christ and Christ alone that would be able to see us through the final conflict of the ages.

 Let us then like Joseph, exercise discretion and the wisdom that is born from above, in managing and in balancing the temporal concerns of this life with the more important spiritual considerations, for when this is done, the anxiety of surviving inflation, and famine would be held subordinate to higher eternal interests.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture that would help us to keep in mind that this world is not our home, we are just passing through, headed for a better world, and as such, the blessed hope can, and should put the turmoil we are experiencing on a personal and national level in its right perspective. Let’s read:

Romans 13: 1 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

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

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

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

                                      God Bless!

Because Of Your Unbelief. Sabbath afternoon 06/25/2022

Matthew 17: 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Of all of the hurdles the Christian has to encounter, and of all the challenges that are detrimental to the soul, the spirit of unbelief poses the most serious and formidable threat to spiritual growth. Unbelief can crystalize one’s faith, it can prevent persons from being healed, it can stop blessings in mid-air, and prevent prayer requests from being heard.

 In addition to these effects, unbelief often causes some persons to question God’s intelligence, and as a result, many have turned away from sacred truths that are essential to salvation that would have kept them from soul destroying errors. For instance, the theory of evolution is a direct product of unbelief as is the false doctrine of natural immortality.

 Furthermore, there were, and have been instances where God was waiting to do great things for His people, and because of unbelief, He was prevented from doing so. When The Lord was ready to lead all the Hebrews into the promised land, it was unbelief that prevented Him from doing so, and as a result, a journey which should have taken a few days, ended up taking forty years.

Unbelief can stifle achievement, and it can cause persons to set a very low bar for themselves in life, as well as preventing some from reaching their full potential. It can cause persons in many instances to suffer from low self-esteem, it creates, and fosters doubt, and it can anticipate, and actually produce phantom troubles, that are entirely imaginary.

 But worst of all, it can produce doubt about God’s ability to do as He has promised, and it could often cause persons to limit God to mere finite modes of thought and action, essentially bringing Him down to the level of mortals, when it comes to what He can do. And because of this, one of the by-products of limiting God is that our expectations of Him are greatly reduced. Let’s read:

Psalms 78: 40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!

41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.

According to the scriptures, unbelief does not only affect unbelievers, for the syndrome can be found in the lives of many righteous persons, who had a stellar record otherwise, but faltered at some point in their experience through indulging unbelief. Faith believes all things and hopes all things, but unbelief casts a dark shadow of doubt wherever it goes.

For instance, of all persons, one would expect that Moses would not have manifested unbelief, after he was privileged to hold direct communion with God, and after wielding the rod by which God worked so many miracles time and time again. After crossing the Red Sea by the power of God, and then walking through on dry land, one would think that unbelief would not raise its head again.

 But lo and behold, later on in His experience Moses stumbled on the issue of not believing God, and as a result, he could not enter the promised land, after forty years of wandering. In fact, according to the sacred record, only two of the original number, who had left Egypt during the Exodus made it to Canaan, for all the others perished because of unbelief. Let’s read:

Numbers 20:12 And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

 Hebrews 3: 18 And to whom swore 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.

Numbers 26:64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.

65 For the Lord had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

And then a stark warning comes down to Christians in our day, for we are not immune to indulging the spirit of unbelief, as can be observed by the various and numerous discordant views within the remnant church. In fact, as we stand upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, the spirit of unbelief is scheduled to wreak havoc on those who have not been rooted and grounded in the truth.

Hence the reason why the following scripture is so important, to save us from repeating the errors of the past. We will discover that a tsunami of errors will spring into life, especially when some persons realize that the train has left the station, and they are devoid of the Holy Ghost, for some would try to supply the lack, with a counterfeit, according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 25: 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your  oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

The spirit of unbelief was manifested prominently in some of Christ’s disciples for Phillip was very slow of heart to believe, and Jesus deliberately gave him an opportunity to exercise faith. But where unbelief is cherished, it produces spiritual myopia, by which a person could see thus far, and no further. In other words, possibilities become cramped and our mode of thought becomes weighted with negatives, and doubts.

 When Christ asked Phillip whence we will buy bread to feed the multitude, Jesus was encouraging him to exercise faith, but his mind reached no further than Publix, where shopping is a pleasure. The grocery store around the corner, and the few dollars they had was all that Phillip’s mind could envision, and Christ was grieved at the short-sightedness which his unbelief produced. Let’s read:

John 6: 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

But as far as unbelief goes, Thomas takes the cake, for not only did he foster unbelief, he went a step further by deliberately refusing to accept the facts as spoken by the other disciples, concerning what they saw and heard of The risen Christ. Thomas’ case should therefore be studied closely, and the lessons thus learned should move us to chart a very different course, in how we believe. Let’s read:

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

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

21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

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

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.

These stipulations given by Thomas in order for him to believe, pose very serious questions, and risks to the Christian, because Thomas was predicating his decisions to believe, on what he saw and felt. Thus, his faith, would be based upon evidences of his five senses, something that a Christian must never ever do.

The Scriptures teach us that we are to walk by faith, and not by sight, for wherever we depend alone on our five senses, in order to confirm or verify truths, we will run into serious temptations and difficulties with the adversary of souls, who often specializes in appealing to our five senses.

 In fact, when the scriptures are studied closely, we discover that satan launched an all-out assault out on our five senses in the garden of Eden, and as one by one they fell, and came under his dominion, our spiritual perception, and our abilities to discern the differences between good and evil, were severely incapacitated to a great extent. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Thus, anyone who follows in Thomas’ shoes will set themselves up for failure by delusion, for everything that appeals to the senses will be let loose when the miracle-working power of demons will be allowed to ravage the land. Persons will hear, see, touch and smell things that cannot be denied or controverted, except by the scriptures alone.

 In our day there are persons who base their belief on how, and what they feel, and that is why some church services are so emotionally charged, with a heavy emphasis on sights and sounds; everything being made to appeal to the five senses, and not to sacred truth. Thus, multitudes are led to take the husk of emotionalism without the kernels of truth.

This mode of believing ultimately prepares persons for the grand display of supernatural power that is scheduled to precede the second coming of Christ, for there will be appearances and evidences by the adversary of souls, appealing to the five senses that cannot be denied or dismissed, except by the Bible. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

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

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

[The Great Controversy pp 624] As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come.

 In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. [Revelation 1:13-15.]

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

 His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered. He heals the diseases of the people, and then in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed.

 This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.”

 Thus, lest Thomas’ stipulations on believing become a precedent for Christians to follow, Jesus saw fit to address him directly, for it was important for Jesus to urgently correct the error. Therefore, at His very next appearance to His disciples, Jesus speaks first to Thomas, to set the record straight. Let’s read:

John 20:26 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.

There is nowhere in the scriptures where anyone is advised to base their belief in Jesus on what they may see, hear, or feel. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned, and we are counseled to live by the word of God alone. There are times in our walk with God, when obedience may not feel right.

 Abraham didn’t feel good about obeying God when he was commanded to offer Isaac, and Jesus did not feel good in the garden of Gethsemane. Thus, for us to base our decision to believe on how we feel, will in most cases lead us into errors that are dangerous to the soul.

 Again, forbidden foods often taste very good and it is often the case that the word of God, pertaining to diets and foods would pit us against our taste buds. The sights and sounds of evil would often appeal to the senses, and therefore, believing God, the Bible, and His prophets, ought to take preeminence over the evidences of our five senses.

 In other words, what we may see, hear, feel, taste or smell must be made subordinate to it is written if we are live by every word that proceeds from out of the mouth of God. Let us therefore walk by faith, and not by sight, for it is the will of God that our belief in Him would transcend the evidences of our senses.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should steer us clear of the Thomas mode of belief, for if we are to survive the deceptions of these last days, it would be by faith and faith alone. Let’s read:

Hebrews 11: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts.

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.

                                  God Bless!

What Satan Can And Cannot Do. Sabbath afternoon 06/18/2022

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

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

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

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

There is no sense in trying to stand against the wiles of the devil if we are not familiar with his strategies, and capabilities, for wherever persons are ignorant of his devices, they become vulnerable to his varied assaults. Even though we know that Christ already gained the victory, yet we are still in this world, and are subject to temptations from time to time.

 Having a deep relationship with Jesus does not ever prevent one from being tempted, because even The Lord was tempted in the wilderness. Therefore, if we delude ourselves into thinking that because of Christ’s victory, we do not have to make concerted efforts to become acquainted with satan’s devices, we will run the risk of falling into one or more of his snares, inadvertently.

 There is something called unnecessary temptation, and that’s why Christ cautioned us not to enter into temptation, but avoid it as much as possible. It will take a diligent study of God’s word coupled with the power of the Holy Ghost to fend off multiple efforts to overthrow our souls.

 One of the aspects of spiritual warfare is that many persons are not able to tell the difference between what God is doing and what satan is capable of, and for this reason, hurricanes and tornadoes are often referred to as Acts of God in insurance terminology.

 The reason for this is generally twofold: [1] Persons deny the existence of satan. [2] If they do believe that he exists, they usually relegate him to being an inferior who is not worth the time and effort for any person to investigate.

 But the Bible sings an entirely different tune, for not only does it tell us that satan was once the highest angel in heaven; his intelligence, wisdom and power is greatly superior to that of mankind, and as such it will do us well to be fully aware of what satan can, and cannot do. Let’s read:

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

Ezekiel 28:3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee.

6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

The purpose of the Bible study is to enlighten our minds about what is currently taking place behind the scenes in our world, and also to prepare us to be able to tell the difference between the sacred and the satanic, as the last days converge, since too many persons are prone to confuse the two.

 Thus, the following are just a few of the capabilities satan has at his disposal. Some are employed when granted permission by God, while there are others that are implemented via our freedom of choice, by which we give him lee way to work great harm if we agree with, or bow to his principles and suggestions.

 The capabilities would be divided up into two main categories, beginning with the bad things satan can do, and ending with the good things he often does, and everything will be backed up or certified by the word of God. For the record, satan can do both bad and good things, as the Bible clearly shows.

 [1] Satan absolutely has the power to bring upon the face of the earth many tornadoes, hurricanes, and other unnatural disasters. Every occurrence of this sort might not be attributable to him, but he does have the power to implement them.

 When all Job’s children were having their birthday bash, it was a tornado, triggered by satan that came from the wilderness, and smote their house at the four corners, thus destroying life and property. It is worthy of note that very closely associated with any tornado are rain, wind, and hail, and thus these are to be included in his capabilities.

 There is a real and valid reason why God chose to draw back the curtain, in the experiences of Job, to reveal to persons what often takes place behind the scenes, so that we would not be misinformed when we speak, for according to the word of God, many of the disasters occurring on earth are of satanic origin. Let’s read:

Job1: 13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house

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

Psalms 78: 48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.

49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

[The Great Controversy pp 589] In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power.

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

[2] He can bring certain diseases on persons If, and when he is permitted to do so.

 What often takes place is that persons are tempted to violate the Biblical teachings on diets and foods, by partaking of forbidden things, and then natural consequences do follow. However, in addition to this, satan is also able to afflict persons directly with diseases. 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.

Luke 13: 15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

[3] If given the chance, he will temporarily take possession of a righteous person’s mind and thus cause him/her to say and do things that are entirely contrary to God’s revealed will. Let’s read:

For us to think that simply because a person might be a Christian, he or she is immune to being moved upon by satan, is an absolute misnomer. A person who is a genuine Christian can succumb to several suggestions and infusions of contrary thoughts, by the enemy of souls, if he/she is not girded with the presence and power of The Holy Ghost, moment by moment. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

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

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

[4] He can take possession of the minds of men who are under his control and he can move upon such persons to commit violent acts against innocent people. Let’s read:

Job 1:14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them.

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

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

 [5] Satan can cause lightening, and fire to come down from the skies, and do literal damage to certain persons. Let’s read:

Job 1:16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Revelation 13: 13 He does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.

[The Great Controversy pp 553] No mere impostures are here foretold. Men are deceived by the miracles which Satan's agents have power to do, not which they pretend to do.

[6] Satan can, and often does cause persons under his control to commit suicide.

God never drives a person to take his or her own life, because life is sacred, created, and then bought again by the precious blood of Christ. Therefore, all suicidal thoughts, including assisted suicide and any thoughts of killing oneself, which are the result of a use of certain drugs do not originate with God. 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 troubles thee.

1st Samuel 31:4 Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, draw thy sword, and thrust me through; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

Luke 22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

[7] He can take possession of individuals, as well as certain animals which fall under his domain. Persons may know that people can be possessed, but some might not have known that animals, and lower life forms can be demon possessed too. Let’s read:

Matthew 8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

[8] Satan has power to bring before persons the forms of their dead relatives and friends and these appearances are picture perfect, in replication. Mannerisms, hand gestures, perfumes, smiles, one’s manner of speech, complete with slangs, dialect, vocabulary, language and lingo are all reproduced with 100% distinctness. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 28:1 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

6 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice saying why have you deceived me? for thou art Saul.

14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

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

[The Great Controversy pp 552] He has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance that their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of Heaven; and without suspicion of danger, they give ear to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

Now, let us turn our attention to the good things satan has the power to do, for some persons have been completely deceived on this point. To chalk up everything that is good to God, and everything that is evil to satan is a gross misunderstanding of the way things work in the spiritual realm.

In fact, there are several things that are good in and of themselves that devils have the power to do, and which are often erroneously credited to God. Thus, if folks believe that it is God doing those good things then they would have no problem with worshipping and praising, who they believe must be God.

 [9] Satan can cause religious ministers to preach good things from the Bible, and he can, and often causes persons to join the church.

 Here is where we get into deep waters, for some have erroneously concluded that if a preacher has the word of God in his hand, then it must be Jesus, and God’s truth that is being preached. This error has led many to perdition, and indeed has proven to be one of the most successful, and soul-destroying devices of the adversary of souls. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11: 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Acts 16: 16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying.

17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

[10] Satan can give great wealth, riches and honor to folks, in return for them obeying, and/or worshiping him. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

[11] Satan can literally heal certain diseases.

This last capability will lead us into our Bible study, for whenever it comes to the healing of diseases, it touches a sensitive nerve in people. No one loves to be sick or bedridden, and thus, some folks would be willing to do any, and everything just to be healed.

 Chronic pain, cancers, and diabetes are diseases or conditions that cause persons to be on a regimen of drugs, and therefore, if it is known that a reputable healer is in town, many would not hesitate to go get healed.

 This fact can be certified by the mega congregations numbering in the many thousands, who often go to the “faith healers” of the day, even though for some unknown reason, those same healers were missing in action when Covid was ravaging the country.

 Simon magus had built up a stellar reputation in the city in which he resided and he had won the respect and confidence of all, because when people would go to him for healing, he would deliver the goods on a regular basis. In other words, Simon Magus could be depended on, when folks ran into health issues. Let’s read:

Acts 8: 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before-time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

The problem is that the people were crediting God erroneously for something, which to their minds, that was apparently good. The same is true in our day where so-called faith healers claim that it is the power of God operating in and through them. Thus, many are inadvertently led to put darkness for light and bitter for sweet, and evil for good.

 But the Bible issues a stern warning to us pertaining to deception on this very point, for if we believe it is God who is working, when He is not, the praise and thanksgiving for the works of healing will ultimately flow through the so-called healer to satan, who, in the minds of the people, must be God.

 Thus, many persons have inadvertently been taken in this snare, and with some, it has become quite difficult to reverse course, for what can you say to the contrary, if an individual who has actually been healed by one of these false prophets believes that it is God who performed the good work? Let’s read:

Matthew 24: 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

[The Great Controversy pp 623] Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing, and will profess to have revelations from Heaven, contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures.

Thus, as we find ourselves hedged in with more and more difficulties, for which man does not have the answers, the outworking of satanic forces would be seen and felt more decidedly, across the globe in real time. But if we do not take the time to become familiar with the truths of God’s word, we will run the risk of being deceived, with buyer’s remorse.

 Furthermore, on a personal level, the Bible does not teach that there is any such thing as middle ground, for there are only two masters operating currently in this world. There are only sheep and goats, with no hybrid in between, and we can only serve either the God of heaven, or the God of this world. Let’s read:

[The Desire of Ages pp 324] We must inevitably be under the control of 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.

Let us therefore use wisely, the remaining moments of probationary time, to become knowledgeable in the truths of God’s word, and thus be prepared for the deceptions that would be taking the world by storm.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should enable us to correctly appropriate and evaluate God’s instructions to us, for according to the Bible, they are intended for the godless as well as the remnant people of God. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

                            God Bless!

If I Shut Up heaven. Sabbath afternoon 06/11/2022

2nd Chronicles 7: 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people.

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that’s made in this place.

Water is one of the most precious resources on this planet, and without it, starvation, hunger, thirst and a multitude of other adverse conditions will become more numerous. Water is used in agriculture, in the oil industry for fracking, for baking, for irrigation, for the production of almost everything that is made by man. It almost always goes back to water.

 Believe it or not, with all of our advances in sciences and with all of the increase in knowledge and know-how that was predicted in Daniel chapter 12, all of us and every nation on the earth are still dependent on the God of heaven for all the basic necessities of life. At times, persons might not acknowledge the fact, but is nonetheless true.

 The sunlight, which produces energy, and causes a seed to germinate and grow, the rain which we are in need of for virtually everything, the air which we breathe, and the snow which replenishes the many reservoirs across the globe, as well providing the resources for hydro-electricity, all come from God.

 Thus, an acknowledgement of our total dependence on God for everything that pertains to life and well- being, form the basis for many passages in the Bible which treat on the issues. Even though some have traded Christ for Darwin, yet, when the basics are taken into consideration, we’ll discover that people still need The Lord.

 The tendency to leave God out of the picture, as if we are self-sufficient and autonomous, is a theory, and philosophy that is Darwinian in concept, and now, because of the extreme drought conditions we are facing in the western states, the time has fully come for us to consider very carefully, where our safety, security, and assurance is to be centered.

 The situation in the western United States is dire indeed, for, not only has rain been diminished to a great extent, the annual snow-packs which supply the reservoirs and dams, are nowhere close to the levels needed for agriculture, and residential use, and as a result, we would discover that a diversion of water resources is already underway, to make up for the shortfall.

 Several farms in California have been forced to shut down permanently, and the rationing of water for residents and businesses, is taking a fearful toll, of which the ripple effects are already being felt across the nation in the form of increased food prices. This is on top of the inflationary pressures produced by the war in Ukraine.

 In fact, many individuals and families are now facing the very real prospect of turning on their taps, and having no running water. Not only has the rain and snow been reduced significantly, the underground water from wells and aquifers is also being reduced to scary levels, in so much that some residents have to get water to bathe and cook from other towns.

 As a result of the lack of water to replenish the likes of Lake mead and Lake Powell, hydro-electric plants have been forced to curtail production, with more pain to come, if much rain water, and snow do not come in short order. Lake Mead in particular, is now at its lowest point since it was filled in the 1930’s, and Lake Powell is at only 34% of its capacity.

 There is no doubt that a water fight is brewing on the horizon as water resources are being severely depleted, with very little, or no replenishing of the reservoirs, dams and lakes that have served millions of people for decades. As a result, the diversion of water resources can already be observed in grocery stores, and it could accelerate greatly if the needed rain and snow isn’t supplied.

 Not one of us can live without water, from the man on the street, to the president to Elon Musk and the famous Warren Buffet, all of us are dependent on God for water. Therefore, our first passage brings into focus what can happen, “If The Lord Shuts Up heaven”. 

 Thus, we need to first establish from the scriptures the fact that even though many fail to acknowledge it, we are dependent on God for everything that pertains to life and sustenance in every way and in everything that we do, because it seems as if we are in need of a wakeup call, lest we forget. Let’s read:

Matthew 5: 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Psalms 104: 10 He sends the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

13 He waters the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth

 food out of the earth.

27 These wait all upon thee; that thou may give them their food in due season.

28 What You give them they gather: You open thine hand, they are filled with good.

29 You hide Your face, they are troubled….

These passages clearly reveal the sacred truth in the matter, that with all of our so-called independence, every person, without exception is a beneficiary of God’s mercies, wisdom and providence and without which society would unravel and come to nothing in short order.

 Hence the reason why the study for this evening will be pertinent to our deepening, and ongoing needs.

                 “If I Shut Up Heaven”

In the days of king Ahab and queen Jezebel, there was a fearful departure from truth to idolatry of the darkest hue, by which the children of Israel were being taught erroneous views and teachings as it pertains to the necessary blessings of life.

 Baal was looked up to, and worshipped as the sole provider of rain, and the people were led by Jezebel to reject God as both Creator, and sustainer of life on earth, and as a direct result, Baal got the credit and praise for what God was actually doing.

 Thus, after repeated attempts over many years, to get them to turn from their errors, God had to give them a reality check, so as to save them from going completely over the cliff. The famine which ensued, with all of its adverse consequences, was actually tempered with mercy, but as with all such instances the collateral damage would take a toll on Israel. Let’s read:

1st Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

The servant of The Lord, in her exposition on this matter gives us a glimpse of what was taking place across the land at this time, and it would be well if we could put ourselves in their shoes, because the similarities are a stark reminder of what is currently taking place in our day.

 Now it is true that many adversities suffered by the multitudes are really inflicted by the enemy of souls but there are instances when God has had to take matters into His own hands, so as to save many of us from ruin. Like ourselves, Israel would not listen to God’s oft entreaties, and therefore, He is moved to do what He much prefers not to do.

 Thus, as we read, let us consider what is now taking place in western states, for there are parallels and similarities that should move us as a country to now consider our ways. Darwin cannot save us, neither can his philosophies deliver the much-needed rain and the snow-packs that have dwindled in the west. Let’s read:

[Prophets & Kings pp 124] A year passes, and yet there is no rain. The earth is parched as if with fire. The scorching heat of the sun destroys what little vegetation has survived. Streams dry up, and lowing herds and bleating flocks wander hither and thither in distress.

 Once-flourishing fields have become like burning desert sands, a desolate waste. The groves dedicated to idol worship are leafless; the forest trees, gaunt skeletons of nature, afford no shade.

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

1st Kings 18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

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

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

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleeps, and must be awakened.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

6 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

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

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

45 And it came to pass in the meanwhile, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain….

Now, it is true that in our day, we have contributed to global warming and the dire results before us are to a great extent the natural law of cause and effect of sowing and reaping that are now coming due.

 However, that does not stop God from sending rain, so, can it be that there may be other factors at play, why the extremes in temperature, and the resulting drought continues to worsen and deepen across the globe with the passage of time?

 So, at this point before we proceed, there is a Bible verse that we must take a look at, because there is nothing new under the sun, and what has taken place in times past often repeats itself. Let’s read:

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

What is even more disturbing, and should sound an alarm bell in many minds, is the passage that comes just before. It could not be a coincidence, since the severe drought and a lack of rain in Elijah’s day, was directly tied to the issue of persons disregarding the commandments of God. Let’s read:

Malachi 4: 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

1st Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubles Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baal.

Isaiah 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Now, we are not saying that our fellow citizens who live in western states are any different than those in eastern states, nor are we stating that the extremes of drought across the globe are the result of sins in persons who live in those areas.

 What we are now to consider is whether or not the problem is global warming, or global sinning, which might be producing collateral damage, in different parts of the earth. In the days of Elijah, the famine was a call to repentance, and thus, we must, at the very least, consider whether a call to repentance in our day has come due.

 What we do know for certain, that whatever might be the underlying causes, we can never go wrong with following the counsel given in our first passage because it calls on individuals and nations to seek The Lord, in the face of national or international adversity.

 Earnest prayer is to be made nationally, not only for deliverance, but for deep soul-searching, to see if by any means we have forgotten the God of heaven, or followed Baal. If and when the laws of God are not obeyed, the natural consequences are not reversed if there isn’t an acknowledgement that wrongs were committed.

 In the days of Elijah, the people were brought to the point where they saw their error clearly, and they responded in the positive by confessing the sin that had done them in. In our day, it would be well if we will do the same, wherever such confession may be warranted because the prophet Isaiah does say that the continued transgression of God’s law is the root of the problems we are now facing. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

The time has now fully come for prayer to be lifted up on a personal and a national level, because the drought situation can get pretty bad, if there is not an intervention from heaven, and everyone will feel the dire effects, one way or another.

 The current patchwork of electric vehicles, coupled with renewable energies is never going to save the planet, and if urgent prayer is not made, unforeseen problems will continue to pile up, one on top of the other, with no viable resolution in sight.

 Just a few years ago, oil seemed to be on its way out, as the prospect of a green new deal seemed to be a viable option. But no one catered for Putin in Ukraine, by which there is now a mad rush for oil once more, as global demand tightens the squeeze on already strained nations.

 Thus, an urgent call for prayer is now in order, with confession of sins, and an acknowledgement of the only true God, if haply, there might be a reversal of fortunes, before it is too late. We will end with our first passage, and it is our hope that those who have ears to hear, will listen, and act accordingly. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 7: 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people.

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears will listen unto the prayer that is made in this place.

                                    God Bless!

Get Rich Or Die Trying. Sabbath afternoon 05/28/2022

Mathew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

One of the side effects of the Covid virus is that it spawned several millionaires and billionaires, who profited greatly from investments in pharmaceutical companies, as millions of vaccines became readily available. Others made tremendous profits by their investments in social media companies, which had become more essential because of the lockdowns.

 Still other folk made their wealth by investing in the commodities, streaming services, and food delivery since people were hedged in with difficulty because of the need to stay put. Cars, and housing became decidedly more expensive as manufacturing plants were forced to shutter their doors, yet it was later discovered that the sales of automobiles shot way up between 2020 and 2022.

 And supply chain problems were greatly increased, as container shipments slowed to a crawl, and the biggest ports were forced to suspend operations as the death toll from the virus mounted. At the same time, crypto-currencies experienced a phenomenal rise as persons betted that this would be the future of business transactions, and as a result many folk became crypto rich.

 So, it is true that one of the unexpected side effects of the virus is that it produced a plethora of newly minted rich folk, who saw their wealth skyrocket in  the past few years, but some are now learning the hard way that the stock market is not immune to the laws of gravity.

 Now that inflation is taking its toll, now that the war in Ukraine has upended the relative peace, stability, and globalization that had characterized the former years and now that the price of energy is eating into discretionary spending in real time, the sentiments have changed quite dramatically, and the irrational exuberance of recent years is shifting to doom and gloom.

 Now there is nothing wrong with being rich, making sound investments, or financial decisions, if there is a balance between the spiritual and the temporal. It is a fact that changes do occur very often in persons as their wealth is increased, yet, if God isn’t left out of the picture, and if one’s priorities do not become mixed up, riches can be a blessing, and not a curse.

 However, in the mad rush to get rich, some persons have adopted the mantra, which is the title of our Bible study: Get Rich or Die Trying. This philosophy is not only to be found in the secular realm for it has now infiltrated the minds of many Christians, being fueled in many cases by the health wealth gospel of the day.

 As mega church pastors and televangelists flaunted their wealth, their congregants followed on in their footsteps, triggering a mad gold rush for money and material things, which in turn, have caused many to stumble and fall into one of the most successful and soul-destroying devices of devils.

 The Bible study today will seek to correct the errors and misconceptions about riches that have crept in, and to rein in the inappropriate behaviors that have resulted in the falling away of some Christians. First on the list of issues that would be addressed is the fact that whatsoever we may do, if God is not in it, it will fail, sooner or later.

 Our first passage brings this truth to the forefront of our minds by raising the prospect that a person may become rich and successful by the world’s standard but if his/her priorities get mixed up along the way, such a person could lose their soul for eternity, and thus, the question posed by our first passage should cause persons to question introspectively: Is it really worth it?

 Is it worth it to gain the world and lose one’s soul in the process, or is it better and wiser to live one’s life waiting on God to provide according as He sees best yet never causing the material concerns of this life to eat away at our spirituality, to the point where the kingdom of God and His righteousness become an afterthought?

 To answer this and many other questions pertaining to the topic, we must revisit those passages in the Bible which deal on the subject matter. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God and thus, if we are draw the correct conclusions, and if we are to make straight paths for our feet, the word of God must be as a lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path.

 The following therefore, are some of the passages in the scriptures that shed great light on the issue of riches, how wealth should be gotten, and managed, and what is the correct perspective that Christians are to adopt if God so chooses to bless persons with riches.

We will let the Bible speak for itself, and where the verses may not be clear or apparent to the reader, we’ll try to explain using the line upon line method as per Isaiah. Also, we should pay close attention to the highlighted words in the various passages, so as not to make important truths slip. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

To bless God for the material blessings of life does not mean that anyone can actually bless God, for as one scripture says, the lesser is always blessed by the greater. What the passage means is that we are to acknowledge God as the Giver of all good gifts for this will mitigate the tendency to erroneously think that we own anything, in and of ourselves.

Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day.

This passage is huge, and must be understood in the fullest sense of the words. According to Cambridge English dictionary, the word “Beware” means [1] To warn someone to be very careful about something, or someone. [2] It is used on signs to warn people of something dangerous.

 In the passage in Deuteronomy, we are cautioned to “Beware” of forgetting God. The word “forget” as used in the context does not merely mean to not remember God; it specifies what forget means, for the word refers directly to the keeping of His laws, commandments, statutes and judgements.

 In other words, God is warning us of the dangerous tendency to disregard His words, instructions, and laws, after He has blessed us. The reason why we’re to “Beware” is because according to sacred history, it is a documented fact that human beings tend to forget God, after He has blessed some with riches.

 Case in point was Solomon, whom God blessed with riches who started out his life journey being humble but who later apostatized being lifted up in pride as he reveled in the material blessings of God.

 Little by little, Solomon came to view his riches as the direct result of his own wisdom and genius, and no sooner had he embraced this fatal philosophy, he went on to “forget” about God by not keeping His commandment. The before and after history of Solomon, as written in the scriptures, speak truth to why God said “Beware” in Deuteronomy.  Let’s read:

Before: 2nd Chronicles 6:3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation

 of Israel….

4 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spoke with his mouth to my father David….

12 And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands,

14 And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; Who keeps covenant, and shews mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts.

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

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

3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.

Before we get to Solomon’s after-history, it will be necessary for us to observe the instructions given in the scripture concerning what a king of Israel should and should not do. These instructions were given in wisdom so that the future kings of Israel could avoid becoming self-sufficient, and independent of God. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;

15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee.

16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses.

1st Kings 4: 26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

Deuteronomy 17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away.

1st Kings 11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites.

2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said

unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely, they will turn away your heart after their gods.

3 And….his wives turned away his heart. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Deuteronomy 17:18 And it shall be, when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites.

19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.

20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

We observe in the above passages that the study of God’s word was not to be neglected as one’s riches and power increased, for whenever this takes place, it would be just a matter of time before the laws of God, and the principles of His kingdom are replaced by secular ideologies and philosophies that pervade and guide the minds of worldly investors.

 As a direct result, persons gradually begin to look to Warren Buffet and Elon Musk and the worldly wise for financial advice or guidance, whilst the word of God, with its wisdom and instructions are frowned upon as being archaic and irrelevant.

 Not that those guys are not smart or intelligent, but what they do not have is foreknowledge, to know what will take place in the future. For instance, if Elon Musk had known that twitter stock would drop as it has done recently, he most likely wouldn’t have offered to buy the company for $54.00 a share.

 Now, it is true that as Christians we too do not have foreknowledge, but we do serve the God Who has omniscience, and as such, if we were to ask Him, He could direct us in making the right move, whether it be Twitter, Crypto, or otherwise. This is just one of the reasons why The Lord said “Beware”.

 Again, if in one’s haste to get rich, persons begin to neglect the study of God’s word, and if the services of the church do not seem to be all that important anymore, and if the Sabbath is now used as a day to catch up on one’s ZZZs that were lost during the six working days, because of the multitude of business, then we may know for sure that such a person has begun to “Forget” God. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;

14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God…..

17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

20 …Because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.

Again, the ways and means adopted to get rich will determine to a great extent whether we would sink with the markets or whether like the fabled tortoise we would walk with a steady and even tread.

 As a general rule, “easy comes easy goes” so that if an individual is in a hurry to get rich quickly, the likelihood of a catastrophic loss goes up all the more, as haste lends itself to rash decisions and the lack of well thought out analysis, for money that is earned by hard labor is more likely to be spent in a frugal manner. It’s all there in the word of God. Let’s read:

Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathers by labor shall increase.

Proverbs 23:4 Labor not to be rich. cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Proverbs 28:22 He that hastens to be rich hath an evil eye and considers not that poverty shall come upon him.

 Proverbs 15: 27 He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts shall live.

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.

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.

This leads us to our study: “Get Rich or Die Trying” The Lord spoke a parable which addressed the topic we are currently studying. In His opening statement to the parable Christ employs the same word which we read of in Deuteronomy, namely “Beware”. One of the reasons for this is that the craving to be rich continues to haunt persons, inside and outside the church.

 It may manifest itself in different ways, but the end result is almost always the same: Persons get too attached to their wealth, the kingdom of God and His righteousness gradually loses its appeal, and in many instances, persons go on to sell their soul for the love of money and material things.

 This is what caused Lot’s wife to be lost eternally, in that it was too hard for her to give up their former life of luxury and riches, in exchange for living in the country where the glitter and bling often lose their sting. We must not deceive ourselves into thinking that becoming attached to wealth is something that can be dropped in a moment, without a protest from the adversary.

 A person would have to be walking very close with God for such a disconnect not to take place when a sudden decision on the matter has to be made, for this was made clear when the rich young ruler was faced with the stark choice. He quickly summed up the ramifications of a choice that would materially change the trajectory of his life, and then he made his decision. He would serve mammon instead of God.

 It's the same problem the rich man in the following parable encountered, grappled with, and eventually lost, because the gravitational pull of desiring to be rich, often proves too great a temptation to resist. This is why the Bible does not say money is the root of all evil. What it does say is that the love of money is the root of all evil. Let’s read:

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

16 And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.

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

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

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

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

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

In the parable, we observe that the same issues that plagued Solomon, and so many more throughout history, also affected this man. He forgot about God in not keeping His commandments, since one of the laws given by God stipulates that a regular provision for the poor, and less fortunate are to be staples in our giving, whenever we get paid. Let’s read:

Leviticus 19: 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, (In other words, when you get paid) you shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.

The rich man in the parable also allowed his wealth to lead him to pride and self-sufficiency by which he forgot to acknowledge God as his Benefactor. This can be observed by the amount of times the words I and my occur in the parable; ten times in all.

 Gradually, he came to trust in his riches as a sort of bulwark against any adverse situation that would arise and the more he accumulated, the less he saw his need of God. The Bible also addresses this issue as being one of the snares, attendant to being rich, if one is not very, very careful. Let’s read:

Proverbs 18: 10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe. 11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as a high wall in his own conceit.

Again, he signally failed to strike the right balance between earthly wealth and eternal riches, and in the process, he finally lost his own soul. Whenever one’s riches and the procurement thereof cause a man to value the temporal more than the spiritual, one’s priorities and the true purposes for living will become inverted. The servant of The Lord puts it this way. Let’s read:

[Ministry of Healing pp 211] The cup most difficult to carry is not the cup that is empty, but the cup that is full to the brim. It is this that needs to be most carefully balanced. Affliction and adversity bring disappointment and sorrow; but it is prosperity that is most dangerous to spiritual life.

The good news is that there are examples of the righteous in days of yore, who, by following God’s instructions on wealth, were able to strike the right balance, being rich toward God, whilst being rich in the material things of earth. Daniel was rich, but he did not allow riches to interfere with his prayer time or with his relationship with God.

The same is true of Abraham, Job, and Isaac, all of whom were very rich, yet they were able by God’s grace to strike the correct balance between their temporal wealth and the things of eternal value, for whenever this is done wealth can be a blessing, and persons would not be in a frenzy to get rich, and die trying. Let’s read:

Genesis 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel;

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.

Genesis 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan…..

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 141] Abraham's house- hold comprised more than a thousand souls. Those who were led by his teachings to worship the one God, found a home in his encampment; and here, as in a school, they received such instruction as would prepare them to be representatives of the true faith.

 Thus, a great responsibility rested upon him. He was training heads of families, and his methods of government would be carried out in the households over which they should preside.

Job 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.

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.

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.

The word of The Lord comes down to us expressly in our day, where there seems to be a deep, longing desire to get rich, or die trying. Persons seem willing to do whatever it takes to accumulate wealth, even if the commandments, and instructions of God are trodden underfoot in the process.

 Again, there are thousands dying daily in Ukraine, without food, clothing, or shelter, and there are a multitude of single parent families suffering under the weight of inflationary pressures. Yet, in the mad rush to get rich, God and man are often forgotten, in so much that some fail to realize that the second coming of Christ is near, even at the doors.

 It is true that we must work for our daily bread, and the blessing of God will attend well-directed efforts in monetary as well as other matters, but we should always keep God’s honor, and glory in the forefront of our minds, lest, like the man in the parable, our priorities become mixed up and inverted. Let’s read:

 This is the reason why Christ issued the following caution to us who are living in the last days, so that we would avoid being caught up in the frenzy of the moment, of trying to get rich, and die trying.

Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Let us therefore walk soberly, with a steady and even tread, knowing that God will provide all that we need and then some, for it is not His will that we should become consumed with trying to be rich, to the neglect of our souls, and to the neglect of the interests of His kingdom.

We will end with a few passages of scripture which should help us to maintain the right perspective on temporal matters, and let us always remember, that at the end of life’s journey it will be our relationship with Christ, and what we have done, in the building up of His kingdom, that will matter the most in life. Let’s read:

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

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

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

                                      God Bless!

Don't Stop Coming To Church. Sabbath afternoon 05/21/2022

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more as you see the day approaching.

The above passage gives us pertinent instruction for the time in which we live, for there is no doubt that we are seeing the time of Christ’s second coming approaching, and if we are to follow the guidance we are given, we should be attending church more now, not less.

 It is true that the virus has taken a toll on church attendance, for even Sunday mega churches have seen their congregations severely dwindled, and it seems as if some people have become disillusioned with in-person church attendance.

 Now, although zoom and other streaming platforms have played an important role in making our online services available for a while, yet it’s not God’s ideal will that we should make such an arrangement our permanent mainstay. That is because nothing can ever replace the one on one fellowship that coming together in person brings.

 Persons can smile and sing and talk online, but we cannot hug or shake hands virtually. We can have communion service virtually, but we cannot wash one another’s feet online. And then you have the in person discussions of the lessons, where members could voice their comments and concerns.

 The virtual platforms simply do not have the same organic feel as studying in person, and while it is true that we will have to mitigate the risks that do exist, yet, at some point in time, our first opening passage would have to be revisited, because it does specify the assembling of ourselves together.

 However, before we get into our topic, it would be necessary to see the before and after effects of the pandemic and how it has affected and still does, the way in which we live our lives, the adjustments that were made, and the ongoing metamorphosis in the spiritual and physical realms.

 With the onset of Covid in the latter part of 2019, several changes to life as we know it took place and continue to evolve. Back then we had studied that it would take the lives of millions of people across the world, and that it would spawn several brethren, or variants, which would continue to put severe strain on our healthcare systems.

 The final death toll would be found astronomically  higher than what is being reported since third world countries, and places like India, North Korea and the other areas across the globe may not have access to the resources and know-how that we have, in order to tally the numbers correctly.

 For instance, during the height of the pandemic, it is a well-documented fact that thousands of people were dumped in the Ganges River, and there were mass graves dug across multiple countries as heads of governments, and citizens alike, had struggled to mitigate the adverse fallout from the virus.

 The bad news is that we are not out of the woods yet, for there are yet other variants on the horizon, waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and it may be that persons would be facing the prospect of having to take multiple boosters every four to six months, in order to shore up compromised immune systems.

Therefore, persons will of necessity have to adopt new strategies, or modify existing ones, if we are to have some semblance of normalcy. The following therefore are just some of the changes that we will have to endure for the foreseeable future, as Covid and his brethren continue to wreak havoc across the globe.

 [1] Mass migration as well as internal and international displacement of peoples.

As work from home became a real and viable option many prominent companies found it to be practical for workers to work from where they lived, because not only does it save gas and valuable time, it would avoid the stress of driving in traffic jams while at the same time it will curb in-office spread of the virus.

 In fact, in many cases it has been discovered that a worker’s productivity goes up noticeably when he or she is allowed to work from home. In addition,

companies have discovered that the cost of having offices, and all that it entails is not worth the effort in some cases, and therefore, some have decided to make the work at home arrangement permanent.

 As a direct result, persons who had previously lived in high-priced cities, have got new-found freedom, in that they could now move to cheaper places with more land, more living space and a much lower cost of living, than where they had previously resided.

 But this facility has become a self-fulfilling prophecy in that the many individuals, and families that move from the larger cities are driving up the prices of the homes in more rural areas, and as a result many of the residents of those suburbs are facing increased rents and skyrocketing home prices.

 This trend will not only affect the secular folk, for it will continue to also affect the remnant. As a result, there is a very real prospect of a dwindling church membership, as more and more families and many persons would be priced out of their local markets, hence the reason why we stated that there will be a continuing displacement of peoples, both internally and internationally.

 [2] One other adverse side effect of the pandemic is that there will be persistent supply-chain issues as different countries grapple with ways and means to stop, or at least to lessen the viral spread of the disease.

New home buyers would love for current prices of homes to go down, and builders would love to build as fast as they possibly can. But with the logjam of delayed deliveries, and with sea-bound containers having to wait for weeks to be unloaded, building materials cannot come fast enough, and thus, what we are seeing in delays and backlogs will continue for a long while.

 [3] Another side effect of the current pandemic is that during its height, when we were forced into a lockdown some church members became disoriented, and this has triggered a regrouping and a reassessment of sorts.

 One of the reasons for this adverse disorientation is that prior to the pandemic the relationship with the God of heaven was in some cases being propped up by a multitude of activities which really had nothing much to do with our personal time spent with Him.

 There were concerts, potlucks, camping, socials, game-nights, and a host of other activities, which are really not bad in and of themselves, but in some cases, they were made to usurp the nuts and bolts of a quality relationship with God.

 Thus, when these additions were suddenly removed and we found ourselves hedged in with bare bones, our relationship with God in many instances, lost its luster and with some folks, a feeling of emptiness, and a lack of belonging crept in and many have thus become quite despondent.

 Therefore, sad as it may sound, we’re indeed facing the prospect that some persons might decide never to return to in person church services. But, because there is nothing new under the sun, we could take courage from one family that never stopped going to church, even at a time when things were looking pretty grim.

In the days of Eli and his sons, the children of Israel had become quite disoriented and discouraged, for they were facing, not a pandemic from a pathogen, but a virus of wickedness which had eaten out the fabric of church life, and people back then loathed to even go near the sanctuary.

 The virus found its origins in the high priest’s family and it spread virulently across the land in so much that individuals and families began patterning their lives after what they beheld in their spiritual leader.

 People usually do not rise higher than their spiritual leaders, and thus, what Eli permitted in his sons was duplicated in thousands of households. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 2: 13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;

14 And he struck it into the pan, kettle, caldron or

pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desires; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.

1st Samuel 2: 22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 578>579] Eli did not manage his household according to God's rules for family government. He followed his own judgment. The fond father overlooked the faults and sins of his sons in their childhood, flattering himself that after a time they would outgrow their evil tendencies. Many are now making a similar mistake.

 They think they know a better way of training their children than that which God has given in His word. They foster wrong tendencies in them, urging as an excuse, “They are too young to be punished. Wait till they become older, and can be reasoned with.” Thus, wrong habits are left to strengthen until they become second nature.

 The children grow up without restraint, with traits of character that are a lifelong curse to them and are liable to be reproduced in others. There is no greater curse upon households than to allow the youth to have their own way.

 When parents regard every wish of their children and indulge them in what they know is not for their good, the children soon lose all respect for their parents, all regard for the authority of God or man, and are led captive at the will of Satan.

 Because of Eli's position, his influence was more extended than if he had been an ordinary man. His family life was imitated throughout Israel. The baleful results of his negligent, ease-loving ways were seen in thousands of homes that were molded by his example.

 Thus, the inevitable ripple effect was that most of the people gradually stopped going to church, with the exception of this one man and his family, who decided to not forsake the assembly of God.

 Even if the virus of wickedness by Eli’s sons, caused the majority to abandon the sanctuary services, yet, Elkanah and his household would still go. The pews would be empty, but they would still go, because God says to go.

 Not forsaking the assembly of the saints isn’t merely a good suggestion coming from the word of God, it is an imperative designed to foster strength, faith, fortitude, courage, and unity, just as iron sharpens iron.

 It is worthy of note, that it was at this time, when morale was very low and folks had virtually stopped attending church, that God did something great for those who still attended. Elkanah’s wife was barren at this time, but it was as she attended the church services that God opened up her womb.

We may never know what God will do for persons who, against all odds, continue to faithfully follow His instructions. In fact, blessings and deliverances are very often left on the table, when we stay away from the assembly of the saints, for there are things God only does in response to us obeying His word, against all odds.  Let’s read:

1st Samuel 1: Now there was a certain man of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah.

3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.

4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions.

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore, she wept, and did not eat.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

In our day, there are a multitude of reasons why persons stop going to church, and to some folk such reasons might seem valid. There are those who may not like the music, there are others who, because of the virus, may view church attendance as being too great a risk, even though some of those persons can be found at Publix, where shopping is a pleasure.

 A person is not put at any greater risk by coming to church, than by going to work in an office where the common use of fax machines, computers, toilets or printers in an enclosed environment, for prolonged periods of time, renders the spread of germs and viruses more likely.

 And there are others, who because of the high gas prices may prefer or opt to do church online. We’re not here to judge anyone’s motive or decisions, but this we do know, that as the time of Christ’s second coming begins to loom large on the horizon, the oft rubbing of shoulders, and the regular in-person assembly of the saints would become even more important.

 This is what took actually place when the early rain was poured out on the day of Pentecost, and since history often repeats itself, the same manifestation of unity and fellowship would again be seen among the ranks of the remnant people of God, for we will need the same strength of brotherhood, as in days of yore. Let’s read:

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

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

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

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

Let us therefore zip up our boots and return as soon as possible to the assembly of the saints, because as everyone can plainly see the dawning of eternal day is not too distant, and therefore we would need the strength of the brotherhood to help stave off those incursions that would be coming from without, and within.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which should encourage us to return to church in person, and we sincerely hope and pray that the assembling of ourselves together will finally cause zoom to play second fiddle. Let’s read:

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

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

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

                                     God Bless!

The Habit Of Forgiving Trespasses. Sabbath afternoon 05/14/2022

Ephesians 4: 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.

The above passage says it all, for it calls on us not merely to forgive trespasses occasionally, when it is convenient or easier to do so, but to form the habit of forgiving, on a continuing basis. Habits form the character, whereas occasional practice would not usually tend to cement forgiveness as a way of life.

Thus, if we are to forgive as Christ has forgiven us, we will actually need a few repeat offenders in our lives so as to from the habit of forgiving trespasses. This is not what most individuals would like to hear, for with many of us, the last thing we think we need in our lives right now is a repeat trespasser.

 However, as Christians we need to remember that this earth, in its current state is not our home, and the only thing we would take from this world to the next is character, and thus, it should be a forgone conclusion that character building is a cornerstone of the Christian’s everyday experience.

 In order for forgiving trespasses to become a habit there are certain things that must be put into place for persons to facilitate it. To begin with, forgiving trespasses and sins is something that persons must decide upon in advance, for if we were to wait for the spur of the moment for it to happen, in most instances we will bungle the golden opportunity.

With the Christian, everything has to do with our decision, and forgiveness is no different. Therefore, in our personal time with God, when we surrender our souls to Him daily, the decision to forgive others should be a part of our petitions for help, so that if and when, the old devil would throw a curve ball at us unexpectedly, we would have already decided, and been strengthened to do the right thing.

 Character building is not something that would ever happen by chance, since it takes deliberate decision and well thought out purposes, together with the presence and power of the indwelling Christ in us, for forgiveness to become the staple that it should be. In other words, God wants it to be so engrained in us that persons can expect to be forgiven.

When Christ explained the issue of habitual, repeat forgiveness, He made reference to persons who had concluded that they could expect forgiveness from such and such a person, hence the reason why they kept coming back for more. It’s a troubling thought to know that a repeat offender can expect mercy. Let’s read:

Matthew 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

But the very thought of a repeat offender expecting forgiveness will cause some person’s blood to boil, for the first thing that will usually arise in our minds is that we are being deliberately taken advantage of us, and as such, we will quite often usually preempt forgiveness by deciding up front not to pardon such a person.

At such times, the decision not to forgive could be palpable, since out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and like Cain, our countenances may fall, and reveal the hard-heartedness within. To forgive a repeat trespasser, who is expecting to be forgiven multiple times is a very tall order, and it can try our faith and patience to the core at times.

 Yet, this is how our heavenly Father forgives us, as day by day, and week after week, and years upon years, we keep coming back to Christ, asking Him to forgive us, in some instances, of the same sin over and over again. So, if God doesn’t get weary neither should we get weary because, just as the habit of forgiving is a part of His character, similarly it can, and should be with us.

 Another stumbling block we would encounter when cultivating the habit of forgiving trespasses is that in some instances, we might put a sort of threshold on what we would be willing to forgive. With some folk there are certain red lines, drawn in the sand which must never be crossed, or else!

 However, the tendency to set some predetermined limit, or threshold on what we are willing to forgive will effectually prevent us from making forgiveness a habit, for if we have decided to go thus far, and no further, our spiritual growth in that area would be limited to what we have stipulated.

 This is not the Bible’s gold standard of forgiveness, for if God does not generally put a threshold neither should we. Now, it is true that a person can commit the unpardonable sin, according to the scriptures, but this is always after repeat offences and repeat forgiveness have been utterly exhausted.

 The “Three strikes and you’re out” type of forgiving trespasses is not how God deals with us, and since He is our Great exemplar in all things, we should be willing by His grace, to follow in His footsteps. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13: 4 Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.

5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seek not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.

6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all  things, endures all things.

8 Charity never fails.

Matthew 12:31 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.

Another issue that must be taken into consideration when forming the habit of forgiving trespasses, is that it’s always preferable to give the benefit of the doubt. This can be quite difficult to do, without the help of The Holy Spirit for one might think that after several infractions against a particular person, the repeat offender would have gotten the message.

 The fact is that in reality, a person might actually be struggling with some issue and they could be having difficulty in correcting their course of action. This is especially true when persons are trying to kick the drug habit, or trying to overcome other addictions.

 Kleptomania is one’s inability to resist the urges to steal items which he or she might not actually need, or that may have very little value.

 There are several prominent celebrities who suffer from this problem, and even though they are filthy rich, some have been caught stealing petty items as low as seven dollars in value, and, as a result of repeat offences, some of them have been banned from Walmart.

 It may be that they are struggling with depression, or some other mental illness which they might be trying to overcome, but whatsoever might be the problem, the habit of forgiving trespasses will give them the benefit of the doubt, even as they might ask for pardon on numerous occasions.

 Some persons do fall on numerous occasions on the issue of sexual cravings, and even though they may be genuinely trying to kick the habit, yet for some reason they do stumble over and over again. Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast out seven demons had this problem, as did some of the other righteous in days of yore.

 We are not to judge a person’s sincerity if they ask for pardon on numerous occasions, for in our own life experience, we too, most likely have asked God to forgive us several times, and indeed our sincerity might have actually been questionable, yet God did freely forgive.

 Forming the habit of forgiving trespasses will take care of repeat offenders, insincerity, and deliberate violations against our persons, once we follow on in Christ’s footsteps, and if we have decided to adopt the Biblical teaching on this matter. Let’s read:

Luke 17: 3 Take heed to yourselves: If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

4 And if he trespasses against you seven times in one day, and seven times in one day turns again to you, saying, I repent; you shall forgive him.

This leads us to our study for today, in which one of God’s prophets was to be given many lessons in the process of forming the habit of forgiving trespasses. Hosea was instructed by God in this instance to marry a woman who was a whore. Her very life was bound up in pay to play, and therefore adultery was a common occurrence with her.

 Lest anyone should take this command by God to the prophet out of context, the Bible specifically says that the instruction was issued so that Hosea would have a firsthand view and experience of the love of God towards backsliding Israel. And, in the process, Hosea would be put into a position where forgiving such a spouse could be quite difficult.

 In a person’s own experience of forming the habit of forgiveness, we would discover that there are some trespasses which are much easier to forgive than others. Adultery is one of them, let alone the prospect of multiple infractions by one’s spouse.

Hosea had to face this reality, not only up front, but also on a continuing basis, as he struggled to form the habit of forgiving his wife. Not only did Gomer have multiple relationships outside of her marriage to Hosea, she also had children by her secret lovers, so Hosea was faced with the prospect of having to care for children that were not his.

 He vents his frustration at times, and he is tempted to abandon the habit of forgiving trespasses, to the point where he becomes separated from his wife for a time.

 But then, the word of The Lord comes to him once more, to take up the mantle of forgiveness, and this time he not only has to forgive his wife, but doing so would actually cost him personally, as he finds himself having to purchase her from sexual slavery into which she had sold herself. A grim prospect indeed. Let’s read:

Hosea 1:2 The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.

3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah.

8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

Hosea 2:1 Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.

2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries….

5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

Hosea 3:1 Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

Most persons would have thrown in the towel after the first bout of infidelity, especially since in this case, Hosea had given his wife a brand, new start in life. She obviously blew the golden opportunity on several occasions, yet, Hosea was to practice loving and forgiving her over and over again.

 Then it reached a climax when he had to purchase   her back to himself, with all of the baggage, bruises, and wounds she had incurred. This represents what Jesus did for us on Calvary, for like Gomer, we had multiple transgressions against us, and Christ finally had to pay with His own blood, to purchase us back to Himself.

 Therefore, in our own sphere, where we too would be put into positions where we may need to forgive someone multiple times, God encourages us not to be weary of well-doing, for He does not get weary of forgiving us over and over again.

 Instead of saying why me, let us step up to the plate and do as Jesus does with us. No one says it will be easy, but like Hosea, we would be strengthened by God to follow in His footsteps.

 Only those who have formed the habit of forgiving trespasses will be able to endure the time of trouble such as never was.

 The prospect of losing life and property to persons who are bent on doing deliberate harm, would call for characters that do not dwell in revenge or strict justice. But, if we refuse to be trained by God in this matter we will implode under a weight of revenge, for wrongs that will be done to the remnant.

 Let us therefore continue to cultivate the habit of forgiving trespasses. We can start with those whom we know have wronged us or we may start with the friends and families with whom we may have had a beef for many years. It is high time for us to move on from those grievances, for if we cling to them, they would only eat us from the inside out.

 Instead, let the love of God pervade our hearts, and as we go about our daily duties, and as we interact with persons who may not treat us right from time to time, let us forgive and forget, because doing so will enable us to form the habit of forgiveness, and as we all know, practice makes perfect.

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to follow in Christ’s footsteps, for it is the will of God that Christians reflect the radiance of His character, by dealing only in the currency of heaven. Let’s read:

Matthew 6: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

                                      God Bless!

A Scripture For Everything. Sabbath afternoon 05/07/2022

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

The prophet Isaiah was doing quite well in verses 9 and 10 of our first passage until he reached verse 13 in which he introduces with the word “But” to start.

But meaning: a conjunction, used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned.

 In verse 9 Isaiah states that The Lord would increase knowledge to those who may be willing to move on from the elementary things that are written in the scriptures, which he refers to as milk, or baby food.

 Then in verse 10 he stipulates how the scripture is to be studied to achieve such knowledge, by going line upon line and precept upon precept. However, by the time Isaiah gets to verse 13 his tone changes significantly, for he is now stating that some people who study would fall backwards, be broken and will be taken in a snare.

 We were just wondering what could have gone so wrong between verses 9 and 13, so as to cause the prophet to utter those ominous, cryptic words. Just wondering!

 There are scriptures for everything that folks might encounter on this planet and for any given situation the word of God contains passages and verses that can be applied, in letter and in principle.

 There are verses in the scriptures which deal with depression, osteoporosis, sickness, death, conflicts, recessions, fear, pain, remedies, prayer, salvation, riches, savings, work ethics and more.

 There are passages which deal with smoking, diets and foods, hygiene, emotional well-being, lending, borrowing, laziness, bravery, banking, slavery, the use of drugs, complaining, positive attitudes, laws, prophecies, snitching, and every other aspect of our lives, and that’s why The Lord stated that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that is communicated from the voice of God.

 Now, even though the scriptures were intended for the benefit and well-being of the human family, it is a fact that if persons so choose, they can find many passages that might seem on the surface to justify a wrong course.

 And that is just one of the reasons why in our first passage, after stating that line must be upon line, Isaiah goes on to say that many would stumble and fall after reading the scriptures.

 However, before we get into the meat of the study, it is necessary for us to understand that the Bible is often used by men and demons for good as well as for evil.

 Passages of scripture are quite often wrested from their true meaning to justify alternative life- styles, vices, polygamy, and a host of other activities which God never endorsed or commanded.

 During the dark ages, when millions upon millions of Christians were being martyred, it’s the Bible that was being referenced and misused to try to justify those atrocities and actions which caused humanity to shudder.

 That passage which speaks about Peter having the keys of heaven was used to install the vicar of Christ on earth, and since that time, various Biblical verses and a plethora of scriptural statements have been twisted, modified, distorted, and misinterpreted, to mean whatsoever persons desire them to mean.

 In our day the scriptures are used to defend many spurious works of healing. Fake healers often quote verses from the Bible to show what the term slain in The Spirit means. And we have all seen congregants collapsed on the floor around some televangelist, as they are touched on the forehead, or blown upon.

 Again, those passages in the Bible which deal with speaking in tongues are often used to justify various kinds of gibberish, whereas, if the scriptures were studied line upon line, precept upon precept, folks would clearly see that tongues are languages, not a multitude of disconnected, fuzzy utterances that do make persons seem illogical.

 Thus, the very same scripture that was ordained to life, and inspired by the Holy Ghost, is often used in nefarious ways to try to justify a wrong course of action, because anything good can be used to do evil, a fact we must all be aware of. The freedom of speech is used for preaching as well as cursing.

 Therefore, it is nothing strange if the scriptures are used by some persons who are bent on doing evil to try to shore up support for a contradictory course of action, directly opposed to what the Bible intends.

 Thus, if we are to cherish and hold the truth in clear steady lines, we would have to become acquainted with the word of God so as to discern the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, truth and error. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration  of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,  for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Ephesians 4: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

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

What we’re referring to, as it pertains to deliberate misuse of the scriptures was manifested in real time when the tempter came to Christ in the wilderness as an angel of light. At that time, he resorted to the use of the scriptures, to try to legitimize a contrary course of action.

 His forays into the word, and the resulting errors which followed are to be studied closely by those who are preparing for the final conflict between good and evil, for the same strategies used back then would be employed in our day.

 The Bible warns us specifically that false Christs and false prophets would arise, and deceive many, a phenomenon that is already underway, and thus, the soldiers of the cross must be on full alert so as not to be carried away by the multitude of errors.

 At this juncture, there is something that we must be mindful of, for we are instructed in the Bible not to be ignorant of satan’s devices. A deep and thorough study of the word of God forms an integral part of the daily regimen of devils.

 It is indispensable to them being armed with the needed distortions and private interpretations so as to ensnare persons who might have not a clue as to what the correct interpretation is. Let’s read:

[Spirit Of Prophecy Vol. 2 pp 87] Satan is a diligent student of the Bible, and much better acquainted with the prophecies than many religious teachers. He has ever kept well-informed concerning the revealed purposes of God, that he might defeat the plans of the Infinite.

 Thus, as the scene in the wilderness temptation of Christ opens up, the tempter appears as an angel of light, but because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, the first word out of His mouth gives him away. The word “if” suggests that Christ is possibly not The Son of God, and therefore, if he were an angel from heaven, such doubt would be contraindicated.  Let’s read:

Matthew 4: 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Once the devil realizes that Jesus knows scripture, he abruptly changes his strategies to meet the urgency of the moment. From here on out he would counter Christ with scriptures, which have been strategically selected and modified to suit his own diabolical purposes.

 First, he would quote the verses partially, and out of context, to accommodate what he desires, and then he would misinterpret those doctored verses, so as to have them mean what God never intended.

 These two strategies are quite often used when a Christian is the target of some temptation, for when unbelievers are to be tempted, there is no need for him to quote scripture, since they are in most cases not familiar with what the word of God says.

 Thus, the very next temptation will include scripture that has been strategically doctored, and his spin on it would be made to mean what God strictly forbids anyone to do, because no one is advised to jump off a skyscraper, and reasonably expect God to deliver or save in such a situation. Yet, the words he uses have been lifted from the scriptures. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Persons are never to put themselves, unbidden by God, in harm’s way and then expect God to work a miracle to save, for it generally does not work that way. Even though God is merciful, His mercies are never to be abused by the human agent, for as was stated before, He often let’s the laws of sowing and reaping run their natural course.

 The thief, who accepted Christ on the cross, at the very last moment, had spent his entire life stealing things from many persons, and as he saw eternity looming before him, he had a change of heart. But the results of his actions were not removed, and he died the first death like any other bandit.

 Repentance, in the overwhelming majority of cases, does not automatically include a reversal of fortune, especially if persons knew what was right, but then disregarded the light God shed on their pathway.

 It is left with God alone to decide if He would heal or deliver in such and such circumstance, but for us to expect or demand deliverance as part and parcel of repentance is an absolute misnomer.

If Jesus, in this instance were to jump off from the pinnacle of the temple, persons in our day would then follow His example, and we would see teens on TikTok and YouTube attempting the same feat, and dying in the process.

 Thus, the suggestion, or inference that satan made to Christ was not born of faith, but of presumption, for he deliberately left out the qualifying factors for deliverance after the godly sort. Here is what the scripture actually says. Let’s read:

Psalms 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

The word “thy” is rendered with a lowercase T, and therefore to someone who does not study line upon line, “thy” could be interpreted to mean either you, the human being, or God. If the human agent is the “thy” being referred to, then the scripture will mean that God has promised to protect us, regardless of any reckless choices and actions we may take.

But if the “thy” is referring to God, then the promise would obviously be applying to all the ways of God’s choosing. Thus, in His reply, Jesus used the Biblical line upon line method, to correct those erroneous views that were being put forward by the enemy of souls. Let’s read:

Matthew 4: 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Thus, the strategies employed, the methods used, and the private interpretations put forward by the enemy, form the bedrock of temptations that are tailormade to appeal to Christians especially, and these strategies are often duplicated and adopted by persons who desire to justify a wrong course of action, or, who may try to quiet their consciences.

The following passages are examples of what we are speaking of, for if persons are dead set in their minds to disregard truth, they, like our mortal foe, will most likely find a scripture somewhere, to show the Biblical basis for what they desire to do.

 For instance, if folks want to eat any and everything without restraint, or interference from God, there are several passages in the Bible that may seem to give them the leeway to do so. Let’s be very careful as we read, lest verse 13 of Isaiah 28 cause some to stumble or fall backwards. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 12: 15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusts after, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.

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

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

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

However, these are not the only scriptures which treat upon the matter of diets and foods, because, according to our first passage, line must be upon line and precept upon precept. Therefore, before we run away with those texts we just read, let us examine other passages which deal with the issue. Let’s read:

Leviticus 11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins, and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.

11 You shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcass in abomination.

Sharks, oysters, stone crabs, shrimp, mussels, and a multitude of other crustaceans obviously do not fit this stipulation, and thus, when Paul says that The Lord revealed to him that there is nothing unclean of itself, persons should not run with that passage alone, to quiet their consciences.

Again, if persons desire to consume alcohol such as your Johnny Walker black, or a Bud light, or any of those rare French wines that are sold, without any compunctions of conscience, there are scriptures that could be lifted from the Bible, to try and show support for that indulgence too. Let’s read:

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

2nd Samuel 6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to everyone a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So, all the people departed everyone to his house.

John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine.

6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bore it.

9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was

(but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

10 And saith unto him, every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

Notice that the scripture does not say exactly what type of wine it was that Jesus made, whether it was the pure juice of the grape, or whether it was wine fermented with alcohol. It leaves the conclusion up in the air, so that if persons desire to interpret it as booze in this instance, he/she is free to do so.

 But to a reasonable thinking mind such a conclusion would obviously raise some serious questions, given that the very same Jesus inspired prophets to write sternly against the use of fermented beverages. So, it is unlikely that He will in one breath sanction the use of booze, and then in another instance, utterly rail against it.

Again, what we have just read about Jesus turning water into wine, is not all the Bible has to say about the issue for as we have stated before the scripture can be used in many circumstances to justify a right or a wrong course of action.

 We were just wondering again, why Isaiah says in our first passage, that some will fall backward after reading the scriptures, just wondering!

 It all depends on the readers in question whether or not they are genuinely in search of God’s ideal will, or whether they are looking for scriptures to justify a course of action that is antithetical to the truth in the matter. Let’s read:

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

Isaiah 5: 11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.

Proverbs 23: 29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?

30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moves itself aright.

32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.

33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of  a mast.

35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not:

when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

[The Desire of Ages. Pp 143] The wine which Christ provided for the feast, and that which He gave to the disciples as a symbol of His own blood, was the pure juice of the grape. To this the prophet Isaiah refers when he speaks of the new wine “in the cluster,” and says, “Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.” Isaiah 65:8.

1st Corinthians 6: 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Again, depending on the purposes of the reader, a person might seem to be able to justify polygamy, since many God-fearing men in times past had a duplicity of wives. In fact, the twelve tribes of Israel descended from polygamy, and if one so desires, the scripture can be referenced in an attempt to sanction the practice.

 Solomon was Bathsheba’s son, David had at least eleven wives, and Solomon, who is called the wise man steals the show with over one thousand. These men wrote many chapters in the Bible, and to folks who are looking for an extramarital affair, some of the passages in scripture might seem to provide the necessary support he or she needs. Let’s read:

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

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

Genesis 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he

loved also Rachel more than Leah …

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took

Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

But these instances stand in marked contrast to other passages written in both the Old and New testaments, and therefore, if the reader desires a rendezvous in the Appalachian trail, or a mistress outside of the marriage, there you go.

 But if he or she is a sincere seeker for truth they will not stop at these passages alone since God has very plainly revealed His will on the matter in question. Just wondering again why Isaiah says that many will fall backward and stumble, after reading the word of God. Just wondering! Let’s read:

Genesis 2: 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones,  and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

24 Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

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.

7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

The words “Because of the hardness of your hearts” go much further than a lack of compassion. Those words hearken back to our freedom of choice to do good or evil, which God respects, and permits if we insist on a contrary course of action.

 In all of the deviations written about what righteous persons did or did not do, one fundamental fact has to always be considered, that God often runs into push-back from the human agent, after telling us plainly what His ideal will is.

 Then, after repeated efforts to guide us in the right path have failed, He would at times relent, allowing us do what we desire to do, because God will never coerce any person to do right, for if he were to do so we would become the human version of Alexa.

 God could have taken the fruit out of the hands of Adam and Eve by force, He could have stopped the murderous Cain from shedding innocent blood. He could have prevented Noah from having that first drink of alcohol after the flood, and He could have caused Jacob to fumble the lies he and his mom had concocted.

 God does not prevent false prophets from using the  Bible to present false doctrines, neither has He ever banned satan from studying His word. Everyone is left free to search for and choose the right, if we are thus disposed, or conversely, if we are searching for justification in false paths, then there is a scripture for everything.

Again, God could have stopped Putin from doing the unthinkable, and He could force you and me to yield unquestioning obedience. But if He were to do so, our freedom of choice would evaporate, and our intelligence would be rendered worthless.

 Thus, when we read the Bible we must keep in mind that there is a scripture for everything and there is a scripture for everyone. God reveals His ideal will for the human family, but He also causes to be written, the various alternatives persons chose, or insisted on.

 Therefore, the reader is left free to pick and choose their own private interpretation, if folks so desire, although God issues a warning against doing so. A person’s private interpretation would never alter in in anyway God’s revealed, ideal will, and at the end of the day, those who desire to serve, love and obey God, will know of the doctrine.

 Therefore, we’ll end with that first cryptic passage from Isaiah, which speaks eloquently about how the scriptures are to be studied and interpreted. But we will also include the caution issued, so that we may avoid the snares of unscriptural doctrines which are based on convenient manipulations of God’s word. Let’s read:

Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

                                     God Bless!

Pros And Cons Of foreknowledge. Sabbath afternoon 04/30/2022

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

In our world, there are people who will do anything just to know what the future holds because some of them believe that they would be able to make good error proof choices, and sound decisions if they had foreknowledge of what is to come. In the business world we have what is called “Stock futures” which are supposed to give us guidance as to how markets would open on a given day.

The problem is that even though guidance might be given up front the fact is that no one knows for sure how the markets would fare during the day because just last week, the Dow industrials started off pretty well on Friday, but closed down 900 plus points. The same can be said of what may or may not happen in Russia, as the grim war grinds on.

 Persons speculate and some may try to predict, but again, no one knows with certainty how and when it will all end and what the final human cost would be. No one knows if nukes will be used, or whether the conflicts would be restricted to only conventional weapons. The fact is that none of us know for sure.

 Then, there are other aspects foreknowledge to be considered, for even though we may have it, that is no guarantee that persons would make sound, and wise decisions commensurate with such knowledge. The antediluvians were made privy to the fact that a flood was coming upon the earth, and according to the scriptures, only eight persons found their way into the ark.

 So there are pros and cons to having foreknowledge as a clear view of the future would naturally require decisions to be made. Apart from what is revealed in the scriptures, or through various God-ordained prophets, the future is God’s domain because God’s singular ability of Omniscience gives Him fine details of all that will take place.

 Not only does God’s omniscience read future events accurately, He is also able to read all historical facts from everlasting to everlasting, so that He is able to use that knowledge to plan and to execute His plans with unerring accuracy. This is one of many factors which go a mighty long way in cementing our faith in God, for we can trust His predictions with utmost confidence.

 But, some folk struggle with the fact that God often does things that may seem to question His ability to read the future, and for this reason some folks have erroneously come to the conclusion that God might at times be caught off-guard, or blindsided by a turn of events that He probably did not cater for.

 Nothing can be further from the truth, because for everything that takes place, or has taken place, God knows, and knew it all long before it ever occurred. That is what our first passage states unequivocally, for when it says that His counsel will stand, it means that His foreknowledge of events is perfect, and can be depended upon by all concerned.

 When the people of Nineveh repented, The God of heaven was not surprised, nor did He have to make any last-minute adjustments to His plans, for in His foreknowledge, He saw their repentance, and that’s the reason why God sent Jonah in the first place, to facilitate what He saw in advance, the people would do. Let’s read:

Jonah 1:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore, I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night

11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Again, when the storm arose on the lake with the twelve disciples, it was not something that God did not cater for, because it was seen from long ago in His foreknowledge, how the whole ordeal would’ve played out. Not one of those disciples would perish and the boat would never sink, for God had already catered for what we often call sudden occurrences. Let’s read:

Matthew 14: 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

5 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27 But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

[The Desire Of Ages pp 380>381] Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds. God often does this when men create burdens and troubles for themselves.

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

Thus, when it comes to studying the foreknowledge of God there are certain foundational facts that are to be taken into consideration:

[1] Given His accurate knowledge of future events, God never makes a mistake; God never has and He never will.

[2] A clear knowledge of the future moves God to make good, responsible decisions, which He always does.

[3] Knowing the future, as it pertained to the creation of intelligent beings, did not mean that the future would be all good, because foreknowledge has pros and cons.

[4] At the end of the day, everything God does will be shown to make perfect sense.

So, let us take a trip to heaven and ask of The Lord some of the nagging questions in the minds of some folks who erroneously believe that God has made a few mistakes. When God decided to bring angels in to existence, God knew that somewhere down the line one of them would rebel, and cause trouble for the universe.

 Therefore, just as it is with us, the knowledge of the future would move God to make good, responsible, and sensible decisions, as to whether or not He will create them.

 And thus, one of the nagging questions in the minds of some people is: Why did God choose to go ahead and create Lucifer, if in His foreknowledge God saw that this particular angel would give Him trouble.

 Before we move forward, it is important for us to observe the various levels of God’s creation, as we know it. There are inanimate creations like rocks, precious stones, and metals. Then, there are lower level creations of living things like trees, flowers,  grass and vegetables, just to name a few.

 Then, moving up the ladder, there are other types of living creatures that are made with instinct, such as those in the animal kingdom like dogs, and cats, and some of our other furry friends. Some of these can be taught respond in certain ways, because they are restricted to fixed patterns of behavior.

 In·stinct: Noun: An innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli.

 Then you have the higher level of creations like you and me and the angels, who have been created with intelligence, and the freedom of choice. Believe it or not it’s us, the last category that gives God the most trouble, yet the freedom of choice and intelligence are good things, when used intelligently.

When God sent Noah to preach to the Antediluvian world, he did so for 120 years, and most of the folk who had intelligence and freedom of choice refused to go into the ark. But when God spoke to the lower life forms of animals, they did the right thing, as can be seen in the ratio of human beings to animals in the ark. Animals obeyed God’s voice while persons with intelligence refused.

 Thus, in His foreknowledge, God was going to make a decision whether to move forward with creating beings who could turn on Him, and if He were to do so the question to be answered was, would it be the good, responsible thing to do. In other words would it have made sense to create them after all was said and done?

 The very same issue of the pros and cons of having foreknowledge arose when it came time to decide whether or not to make man. Knowing perfectly the future of our race and the terrible decisions, choices and actions some will take, would it be the sensible and responsible thing to do, to go ahead and create us anyway?

 In other words, should God’s knowledge of the fact that some of the angels, and of the human family would turn against Him, prevent Him from creating intelligent beings with freedom to choose, or should He limit His creation to inanimate objects and lower lifeforms that operate strictly by instinct.

 These are just a few of the haunting questions that boggle the minds of mortals from time to time. The fact is that every angel, and both our fore-parents, Adam and Eve were created perfect, a fact that is to always be brought into the equation. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 28: 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set thee so: you were upon the holy mountain of God; thou have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

15 You were perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

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.

[Amazing Grace pp 344] There were no corrupt principles in the first Adam, no corrupt propensities or tendencies to evil. Adam was as faultless as the angels before God's throne.

Another fact that must be given due consideration  as God made a decision to create intelligent beings is that in His accurate foreknowledge, He saw that the majority of angels would remain loyal, and even with the human family, very many would choose to obey God, which is the wise and intelligent thing to do.

 Thus, even though there would be pros and cons in creating us, the fact is that at the end of the day, when the dust has settled, it would be seen that it was a good, wise, intelligent and responsible thing that God did in creating men and angels. Let’s read:

Revelation 12: 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.

Revelation 7: 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

[Amazing Grace pp 344] It was God's purpose to repopulate heaven with the human family, if they would show themselves obedient to His every word. God made Adam after His own character, pure and upright.

How do you guarantee that intelligent beings with the freedom of choice won’t ever rise up again in rebellion? How can this be accomplished without the use of force, or instinct? The key rests with the intelligence and freedom to choose God made us with., two of the best gifts gave to us.

 Nuclear energy can be used for good, if it is used in an intelligent way. It can be used to power cities or nations, but it can also be used to destroy human life. It all depends on the choices made. The same can be said of knives, for we use them to do many things in the kitchen, but they can also be used for diabolical purposes.

 The same is true for almost everything that man has invented, from social media platforms, to airplanes, from medicines to automobiles; they all can be used for good or evil by the choices that are made.

 Therefore, the questions is: Should the knowledge of the possibility of misuse by some, stop us from inventing these things? If we were to go that route then foreknowledge of the possibility of evil would become the controlling factor in our decision-making and the good that can be accomplished will be tabled as a result.

 The same is true of God, for if the foreknowledge of the fall of some men and some angels, caused Him to put creation on hold indefinitely, the very much good that would also result would never come into fruition, and thus, God would become subservient to the knowledge of evil, something that isn’t good at all by any means.

 This mode of decision making would consequently put the progress of the universe into reverse gear, and the fear of potential evils would become the controlling factor in every good thing God wanted to do.

 Therefore, in order to solve the problem once and for all, God decided to go ahead and create angels and men with intelligence and freedom to choose, so that all who so desired could decide once and for all, if they would choose to willingly obey or rebel.

 In this way, when every angel and every person has fully made up their minds, the universe would be made forever secure, because by our own choice, we decided to love and serve God, without being coerced to do so.

 And it’s because of this why iniquity will not arise a second time, not because God will forever remove intelligence and choice from us. Let’s read:

[Desire Of Ages pp 759] God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this.

 Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order.

 His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power.

 It was God's purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security. And in the councils of heaven, it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government.

This brings us to the most sobering thought of what you and I would use our intelligence and freedom of choice to do? Would we use it to rebel against God, like so many are doing, or would we deliberately choose to love and obey God, because of His mercy and goodness, manifested towards us daily, and in the Person of Jesus Christ who died to set us free?

 The choice is ours, and during our probationary time on earth, we are given ample opportunity to choose life or death, good or evil. If we make the intelligent choice to obey God, by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, that decision will be sealed for eternity in our foreheads where decisions are made.

 Conversely, if we choose to throw in our lot with the rebels, God will honor the choice we make, and the consequences that will follow. Therefore, we beseech you to be reconciled to God. Consider His great love, His kindness, His mercies, His goodness, and His Creatorship, and then choose life, for this is the most intelligent thing anyone can choose to do.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture which places before all the inhabitants of earth, the stark choices in the matter, and it is our sincere hope and prayer that our decisions in this life will lead to life eternal with Christ. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 30: 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

                                     God Bless!

Because Of His Mercies. Sabbath afternoon 04/23/2022

Lamentations 3: 21 This I recall to my mind, therefore, I have hope.

22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Everything God does, and everything He commands us to do should be viewed from the perspective of His love and mercy, for they form the cornerstones of all of His interactions with the human family.

 It is a fact that mercy is not needed, where there is no transgression, such as with the angels who never sinned, and thus, it is because humanity is fallen by nature why God’s mercy towards the human family takes precedence.

 Adam and Eve did not need mercy before they fell, because the very definition of mercy, from the Bible perspective, assumes that some violation has taken place, and thus, mercy, which is God’s unmerited grace towards us is offered, instead of strict justice that came due.

 Some persons erroneously conflate kindness with mercy, because persons often administer kindness, benevolence, and good will, without being merciful. The willingness to treat others the way they do not deserve to be treated, after wrongs have been done to us is what constitutes the type of mercy, of which the scriptures speak.

 Thus, in our first passage God’s mercy is mentioned in the context of us not receiving what we are really due, hence the reason why the passage states that we are not consumed. In other words, were it not for the manifestation of God’s mercies towards us, we would all be naturally “consumed”.

 Therefore, from the perspective of us being sinners, everything God does, and everything God tells us to do should always be viewed in the context of mercy for some have erroneously concluded that The God of the Old Testament was severe while The God of the New Testament is love.

 The fact is that it is The same God yesterday, today and forever, and He bids us to study with a humble heart and a teachable spirit, His providences in both the old and new Testaments, for we will discover a common thread of mercy running throughout the entire Bible.

  The mercy seat in the ancient sanctuary system put the emphasis on mercy, because God directed that it be located strategically above the law, contained in the ark.

 Not only was its location and its position strategic, it was definitely meant to send an ongoing message to all concerned, that The God of heaven deals, and communicates with us all in the language of mercy.

 He sends His sunshine and rain on the just, and also on the unjust, and the “Just” are never to consider themselves as more deserving of mercy, because, guess what, it is God’s mercy that made them just in the first place.

 God dealt with David from the perspective of mercy and He dealt with king Saul the very same way. God dealt with Sodom and Gomorrah mercifully for if He had let them continue to exist, the world would be led astray into false paths, the same as we are now witnessing in our day, as it pertains to the plethora of divergent views and practices, on marriage and gender.

 In addition to this, If God did not stop them in their tracks, they would continue to live and pile up sins upon sins, which they would eventually have to pay for when crunch time comes around.

 Thus, rather than let them live, and continue over -filling their account in the books of record He brings an end to their existence, thus mercifully shortening the time they would have to spend in the fires of hell down the road. It is always from a perspective of mercy.

 Again, it was from the viewpoint of mercy, why God did not bring the last plague on Egypt first, for if He were to do this, then pharaoh would have gotten the message loud and clear. But God gives the king time to consider and rethink his position, if haply there might be a change of course.

 Thus, in reading, and studying the scriptures, God’s mercy is a given, that must be juxtaposed with any and everything He does even at times when He may not give historical context, explanations, or reasons. 

 There are times, when like with Manasseh, the Bible reveals to us that God pleaded with that stubborn king, year after year, even sending His servants, and prophets to warn him of his course of action.

 Then when all else failed, God mercifully permitted Manasseh to be incarcerated by his enemies and he finally came to himself as he suffered in the prison. Then, rather than rejoice over his much-deserved ill fortunes, God heard the king’s prayer, He forgives  him, and then reinstates him to his office.

 Thus, in His dealings, and in His communications to us, God does what He does from the position of the Mercy seat being above the strict justice of the law, and even if the scriptures might noy directly say so in every instance, the element of mercy could, and should be included for it is always there, sometimes apparent, and sometimes to be assumed.

 Case in point is the fatal judgement which fell upon Uzzah, for him trying to prevent the ark from falling. To some persons, it would seem as if God’s action in that particular situation was rash and arbitrary, and even David was moved to voice his grave concern over the incident.

 The reason for this is that in this instance, the Bible does not give any historical context, leading up to the incident, so that persons could reason logically and conclude that yes, Uzzah received his due. But the scripture is not to be understood through logic, it is to be understood through faith, and thus, what God did in this instance was naturally right, and long overdue.

 Even though nothing is said of his prior offences, it is a given that God granted him mercy and grace on many, many occasions, before it finally culminated in his death.

 The Bible does not have to always give us the fine print and details; all we have to do is to see God in His position upon the Mercy seat located above law, and all inserts, or omissions in scripture will become as clear as day in the context of His great mercy. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 6: 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark

of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

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

8 And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzzah.

9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day…

The same is true of the Amalekites, the people of Jericho, Eli’s sons, Achan, Judas, Nebuchadnezzar, and all those who even hated God. He has always dealt with us from that perspective, of the mercy seat being located above the law.

 Therefore, from the very beginning when Adam and Eve fell God’s interaction with the human family has always been from the perspective of His mercy even when His judgments had to be administered.

 It was always in the context of Him being merciful, for as we have stated previously, if God did not in mercy destroy certain nations, we would’ve ceased to exist long ago as we can all see what the brutality of man towards his fellow man produces in the likes of Ukraine. 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.

 Another critically important point for us to consider is that shewing mercy does not come free, for it has to be justified. God will not just forgive a person just for forgiving sake, because shewing mercy requires a legal basis by which it can be shown that such and such a person can be dealt mercifully with.

 If president Putin, like Manasseh were to repent of his deeds and God were to forgive him, then folks would be in an uproar, if God does not show a legal basis for doing so. Persons who have lost their lives prematurely, and the relatives of the deceased will be hard pressed for the justification of mercy in this instance.

 Manasseh was no different than what is currently on display; he just did not have modern weapons at his disposal, to carry out his atrocities, but when the historical context is reviewed, we would see that he committed grave crimes against humanity and thus, there must be a legal basis for mercy towards him to be granted. Let’s read:

2nd Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

2nd Chronicles 33: 10 And the Lord spoke to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not listen.

11 Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,

13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.

Question: What about all of those innocent people who were slaughtered by Manasseh? What about the family members, the single parent families that were the result of him taking the life of fathers and mothers prematurely? How is God going to justify mercy towards such a soul as Manasseh?

 And we can go on and on, because the question can also be asked of David. How could God legally show mercy to David when all of Uriah’s family have been bereft of their brother, uncle, or nephew? There has to be some way that such mercy towards us can be justified. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 12: 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Exodus 21: 23 And thou shalt give life for life.

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

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

Leviticus 16: 14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins.

Very often, when we read in the scripture that God cursed this one or that one, we might erroneously conclude that the mercy seat was not present in the circumstance. The curses written in the Bible are in most cases, not something that God will do unto an individual or nation.

 Instead, it is God just stating the natural outworking of a wrong cause of action, following those laws of cause and effect, of sowing and reaping, that are in Galatians chapter 6. If one jumps off a skyscraper in New York city, they will most likely die, not because God did something to that person, but because the natural laws of sowing and reaping takes effect.

 Case in point was the curse stated against Cain after he had taken the innocent life of Abel his brother in cold blood. What God then said to him wasn’t some evil thing that God was going to do unto Cain. It was the natural out working of sin which would produce the stated results.

 Thus, when you hear people asking where is God in such and such adverse situation, or blaming God for doing things to them, in very many cases it is merely the natural laws of cause and effect occurring, with no interference from God whatsoever.

 In fact, God often mitigates to a very large extent, the results of the errors folks commit, as we would clearly see as we seek to understand the nature of the exchange with Cain. Let’s read:

Genesis 4: 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood cries unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother's blood from thy hand;

12 When thou till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that finds me shall slay me.

Very critically important questions need to be asked and answered, as it pertains to this exchange which took place between God and Cain. Our views of God and His character would depend heavily upon the conclusions drawn, because some may see A God of strict justice, or conversely, some may see A God on the mercy seat, positioned above the law.

 And the reason why it is important to harbor only the correct view, is because in our day, and in our own experience, our understanding of the exchange between God and Cain would color our interaction with God, and ultimately, the views about Him that we will project to others. So, let’s begin with the first issue:

 Did God actually put a curse on Cain, or was God just stating facts as they were, as it pertains to the natural results that would follow such a course of action as Cain took?

 The first part of the curse stated that the ground would not produce as it should, when Cain would plant it. Is that a statement of fact, or could it be something that God was going to do unto Cain?

 Is it true that when a person sheds innocent blood that such an act adversely affects the ability of the earth to produce? For instance, will those who shed innocent blood in Ukraine, cause the earth that they farm on, to be negatively impacted? These are just a few of the grave questions to be answered.

 Answer: It was a statement of fact that God uttered, and not something that God would directly do unto Cain. Sin, in all of its forms will adversely affect the production capabilities of the earth, wherever such sins are being committed. Hence the reason why we have stated on several occasions, that the problem we face is not global warming, it’s global sinning. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24: 3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word.

4 The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting

covenant.

6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 61] In humility and unutterable sadness they {Adam and Eve} bade farewell to their beautiful home and went forth to dwell upon the earth, where rested the curse of sin. The atmosphere, once so mild and uniform in temperature, was now subject to marked changes, and the Lord mercifully provided them with a garment of skins as protection from the extremes of heat and cold.

As they witnessed in drooping flower and falling leaf the first signs of decay, Adam and his companion mourned more deeply than men now mourn over their dead. The death of the frail, delicate flowers was indeed a cause of sorrow; but when the goodly trees cast off their leaves, the scene brought vividly to mind the stern fact that death is the portion of every living thing.

Therefore, several false charges are made by Cain in the above passages taken from Genesis 4, and these statements and conclusions are too often harbored and repeated in our day.  

Cain states: [1] That he was being punished. [2] That he is being driven out from the earth, and from the 

Presence of God. [3] That God has made him into a fugitive. [4] That God has made him a vagabond.

Let’s start with the first charge, that he was being punished. If as Cain claims, he was being punished, then the mercy seat was located above the law, as far as so-called punishment goes, because the law of God states that if any person deliberately sheds innocent blood, he or she would have to pay with their own life, in order for justice to be served.

Pun·ish·ment: Noun: The infliction or imposition of a penalty as retribution for an offense.

Question: Did God “Inflict” or “Impose penalties” as retribution for Cain’s crime? Or, could it be that God was simply stating the natural consequences that will accrue, as a direct result of the laws of sowing and reaping? Let’s read:

Numbers 35: 30 Whosoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death, by the  mouth of witnesses.

31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.

 Genesis 9:6 Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

The second charge Cain brings against God is that God is driving him out from the face of the earth, and from the presence of God. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the two following verses clearly state. Let’s read:

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

 Genesis 6:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

The third false charge Cain makes is that God has consigned him to being a fugitive.

Fugitive meaning:  A person, such as a suspect, who is involved in a criminal case, who tries to elude law enforcement especially by fleeing the jurisdiction.

 Did God deliberately turn Cain into a fugitive, as he insinuates, or is this just the natural outworking of the laws of cause and effect, without interference of any kind from God? It’s a very weighted question which deserves a correct answer. Let’s read:

            U.S Sun News: By Danielle Cinone.  

The case surrounding Brian Laundrie's death has captivated people across the U.S, however, seven questions remain after the fugitive's bones and notebook were found in a swamp. The remains of Brian Laundrie were found in October of 2021, after a lengthy search, following the death of Gabby Petito.

 On the 15th of September, Laundrie was officially named a person of interest in the case of Gabby Petito, who was still missing at the time. The search for Laundrie continued for over a month. Teton County Coroner Dr Brent Blue confirmed Gabby died by strangulation. And on September 27, Dog the Bounty Hunter announced he will lend a hand and help search for Laundrie.

 God did not punish Cain, neither did He drive him out of his presence, neither did God make him into a fugitive and a vagabond. All that God did was to allow the laws of cause and effect run their natural course. And, unless we come to grips with this view of God, we will continue to draw wrong conclusions about His character, and His dealings with us.

 The perspective of the mercy seat being above the law was extended to Adam after He had sinned, for when the scriptures are read carefully, we discover that God never cursed Adam. God simply stated the facts in the case, because the curse is located in the sinful act in most cases, not something that God will do to persons.

Furthermore, the Bible states that instead of giving strict justice to Adam, God did His best to mitigate the adverse effects of Adam’s sin, and the toil, labor and sweat that would be required to till the soil was a blessing, not a curse, because one of the greatest curses that can come upon us is to be idle, and have nothing to do. Let’s read:

Genesis 3: 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

What God did for Cain is what He does for you and me, and for every person who has walked contrary to His laws; God does not treat us as we deserve, but rather looks for ways and means through Christ, to lessen the adverse results of our wayward course of action. This is what God has always done even when He knows persons like Cain will never repent. Let’s read:

Genesis 4:15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore, whosoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

[Youth Instructor 1906 par 9] God does not stand toward the sinner as an executor of the sentence against transgression; but he leaves the rejecters of his mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown.  

(That is, after God has done everything possible to save persons to the uttermost.)

Therefore, those of us who have been tasked with the preaching of the everlasting gospel ought to be very careful to project to the masses of people, the right perspective of God, for if incorrect views of His character are harbored, there will be triggered the animosities and hatred we see in many instances.

Diseases, hurricanes, global warming, violence, war, cancers, bird flu, and covid, are in very many cases the natural results of a violation of either spiritual or physical law, for there is a very close symbioses between both, where one will directly, or indirectly affect the other.

 Take for instance when the Bible predicts that in the last days there will be wars and rumors of wars with perplexities, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places; these adverse conditions should never be viewed or interpreted as God doing something evil unto earth’s inhabitants.

 Instead, the laws of cause and effect, together with the violation of spiritual and physical law, where it occurs, with the collateral damage that often takes place are to be touted where warranted as the main causes for our self-inflicted wounds, and thus God is to be seen, and presented as The One who is trying His very best to save us from ourselves.

If this isn’t done, persons would be hard-pressed to accept A God who is presented as dealing in strict justice with sinners, and as a result, every adverse consequence of one’s wrong course of action would be viewed as God taking revenge, or “punishing” us for what we have done, while satan and his demons sit in the shadows and get off scotch free.

 It's funny, that hurricanes and tornadoes are now listed as acts of God, while the one who brought the tornado upon Job’s children, while they were having a birthday party, and destroyed their home, is never even considered as the real culprit.

 Thus, Job’s wife in response says curse God and die. Thus, adverse circumstances that come our way are blamed on God and a personal responsibility for our actions is effectively removed. Thus, questions such as “Where is God” and “Why me” are asked by folks and often answered with the erroneous conclusion, that God is somehow doing these evils unto us.

 God’s character is to be fully vindicated as we draw closer to earth’s final crisis, and even though we are to warn others that His judgment will be meted out at some point after the close of probation, the evils, calamities and perplexities which are upon the land are to be understood to a great extent, as being the results of man’s own doing.

 Let us therefore always remember that it is because of His mercies why we are not consumed and as the everlasting gospel may threaten wrath to the finally impenitent, it also opens the gates to the heavenly sanctuary, where Christ advocates on behalf of all who would believe.  

We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to harbor correct views of God, and in so doing the sunshine of His love, His mercy, and grace would radiate in and through us, in all of our interactions with our fellowmen. Let’s read:

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

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

4 Who redeems thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

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

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

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

                                     God Bless!

How And Why Pharaoh's Heart Was Hardened. Sabbath afternoon 04/16/2022

Romans 9: 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shews mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens.

19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

Some persons become perplexed about the passage above, in which it might seem to show that freedom of one’s choice is manipulated by God to serve His own purposes. A misunderstanding of the passage has led some persons to conclude “What’s the point in trying, if God will override our choices anyway?”

 And because of this incorrect conclusion, some have thrown in the towel before they have even started, and others have adopted the attitude: “Whatever will be, will be”

 Thus, instead of studying line upon line and precept upon precept, to know the truth in the matter some individuals have given up on God, and the salvation Christ purchased, in exchange for the attitude often harbored, “Why bother?”

 Now, while it is true that in His capacity as Creator, God retains the right, and the prerogative to force persons into a certain course of action against their will, this is not the case in most instances. We are free moral agents with the freedom to choose given us by God Himself, and as such we are the arbiters of our own destiny.

 A thorough understanding of this issue will not only clear up major theological sticking points as pertains to the issue with pharaoh, but it will shed great light on the ways, means, and methods God employs in the salvation of souls for if we would receive it, God was actually trying to save pharaoh, just as much as He was trying to save Judas.

 However, before we proceed, we should lay a solid foundation for our study, by observing a few facts about God. God’s omniscience, which is His singular ability to read, and understand future events with pinpoint accuracy, does not lead Him to manipulate our hearts and minds, in order to get His will done, in the overwhelming majority of cases.

 God plans, and executes His plans based upon what He has foreseen persons will choose to do anyway, of their own volition. But in most cases, persons will do what God says they would do, not because God would manipulate their decision-making process for His predictions to come through, but because His foreknowledge of events and persons is accurate.

 In fact, in some circumstances, God actually gave to some persons, an opportunity to prove otherwise in His predictions, but in most instances, the human agent, followed the script without being prodded or goaded on by God. That’s because His omniscience is meticulously precise, and because of this it can be depended upon, by all who will believe.

 Case in point was Peter, to whom Christ once made the prediction that before the cock crows twice, he would deny Jesus thrice. Instead of Peter humbling himself and receiving the prediction as coming from One who does not make a mistake, Peter then took offence at the statement, and the rest is history.

 The prediction did not only include Peter, but it also included the chicken, that would fulfill Christ’s word to the letter. God was not in the background with a conductor’s baton, orchestrating the entire ordeal, He was just up in heaven, watching the scene play out, just as He had seen it many centuries before.

 Peter denied Christ and the cock crew in accordance with the predictions, even though the human agent had ample opportunity to do otherwise. In fact, God would have loved it if in response to His predictions, Peter would watch and pray, to avoid making such a terrible mistake.

 And, if Peter had chosen to believe, and act upon Christ’s warning, God would have had no problem whatsoever, with Christ’s word not coming true, because at the end of the day, Christ died to save people, not prophecy. Let’s read:

Mark 14: 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

31 But he spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.

The word “Vehemently” in the above verse, tells us that Peter became upset at Christ’s prediction, and as the story goes Peter then went on to fulfill it with unerring accuracy. No force was used, no coercion on either Peter or the chicken in question, but all fulfilled God’s word to the letter.

 The same was true of Judas, for in His omniscience,  God had foreseen that Judas would betray Jesus on  that fateful night. When Jesus made the revelation to Judas, He was simply repeating what David had written of Judas, several centuries before. God did not force Judas to do what He did, instead God gave him opportunity to do differently if he would repent and relinquish his diabolical plans.

 God did not actually need Judas to play the part he predicted Judas would play. When it was time for Christ to lay down His life, God would have laid the sins of the world upon Him, and the weight of our transgressions would have killed Jesus anyway.

But, if in His foreknowledge God saw that Judas will insist on doing what he decided to do, then Judas’ future actions would be incorporated into the word of God as a prophecy of what would take place, not as something that God would force him, or anyone else to do. Let’s read:

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

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

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

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

And many centuries before: Psalms 41: 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

10 But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

Thus, before we proceed, it will be imperative that we observe what the scriptures teach us about this singular ability of God to read the future, because it will shed great light upon our understanding of the saga of pharaoh, who for all intents and purposes, may have seemed to be bound in an iron destiny, to stubbornly disregard God’s gracious overtures. Let’s read:

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

Even though God accurately declares the end from the beginning, God would have us understand that there are also conditional prophecies pertaining to nations and individuals, in which the human agent, by their own choice, can change the outcomes, for conditional prophecies often leave the ball in the human court.

 Case in point was Nineveh, that great city, whose sins and iniquities had reached unto heaven, in so much that their probation would soon be closed.

 God sends Jonah with a prophecy that clearly states that their city would be destroyed in 40 days. But if they so choose, they could cause the prophecy not to come true, and by their own choices, they could change the word of God through Jonah into a “No”. The ball is entirely in their court, just as it was with pharaoh, Judas, Peter, and you and me.

 In other words, the outcome and fulfillment of the prophecy rested solely with the people of Nineveh, and God would have no problem whatsoever, if His declaration isn’t carried out, for as we stated before God was seeking to save Nineveh not destroy them, just as He would have saved pharaoh if the king had repented. Let’s read:

Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water.

8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Therefore, in the study of “How and why pharaoh’s heart was hardened”, we should keep in mind that  God is A God of love, who was more than willing to let His prediction fail if the ill-fated king would do as the Ninevites did.

 In the narrative, we would read in several passages where God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and then we would read where pharaoh hardened his own heart, and therefore, we may safely conclude that the king was hardened in two ways, by himself, and by God, according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Exodus 4: 21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When you go to return into Egypt see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

Exodus 7:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.

4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuses to let the people go.

21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.

Exodus 8: 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

Exodus 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.

33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

Exodus 10:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.

Question: Was Pharaoh always a knuckle-head, long before there were plagues upon Egypt or did God deliberately make him a knuckle-head?

 Answer: Long before any plague had fallen in Egypt, pharaoh had decided to reject the truth, the facts and evidence that God had given to the nation.

 The history of what Joseph had done, in saving the Egyptians by the power of God, surely must have been registered in the national archives, as well as in the minds of the people, but this particular king chose not to see, or recognize the great things God did for the nation.

 Pharaoh deliberately blinded his own heart to the sacred history of God’s goodness towards Egypt and by so doing, he set himself in mode of action to try and resist any and everything God would do. Thus, God used the king’s natural stubbornness as a sort of vehicle, whereby His power would be manifested in the earth.

 When the scriptures declare that pharaoh knew not Joseph, we are now looking at a king who has made a conscious decision to reject undeniable truth, long before any plague had fallen upon the Egyptians. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falls out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.

Thus, there are several questions to be answered as we study the issue of the hardening of one’s heart:

 If pharaoh had decided to obey that first command to let Israel go, would God then have deliberately prevented him from doing so?

 Was Pharaoh’s freedom of choice removed from him at this time, so that he was bound in an iron destiny, where he had no choice but to be stubborn?

What were the hardening agents that were used in making the ill-fated pharaoh bone -headed?

 But one of the most important questions is the one found in the following passage, which ought to be viewed in the context of God’s foreknowledge of future events. Let’s read:

 Exodus 5:22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, why is it that thou hast sent me?

And finally, what will be the ramifications of the answers to these questions, for those of us who are tasked with the preaching of the everlasting gospel?

 Believe it or not, it was facts and the truth that God used which resulted in hardening pharaoh’s heart. God only deals in truth, so, it is our response to truth which determines whether or not a person’s heart would be hardened.

 If we were to place mortar in direct sunlight it would naturally harden, but if we were to put butter in the same sunlight, it will melt, and therefore, the materials in question are what ultimately determine the end results of either softening or hardening.

 As it pertains to the presentation of truth in all ages, God often sends His servants on missions that will meet with much stubborn resistance from those He is trying to save, and the reason He will send them anyway is because there are many instances where the results have been favorable.

 Although, as a general rule of thumb, the truth will run into stiff opposition from the popular majority, yet there are times when the sunshine of God’s love and mercy will soften hearts, and produce fruit for His kingdom. The results are not left up to us, for it is God alone who knows who would, or would not be hardened. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 2: 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

4 For they are impudent children and stiff-hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.

5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3: 4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.

7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.

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

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

Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 7: 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

[The Great Controversy pp 609] Every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition; The Lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it?  He commands his servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the peril of their souls. Christ's ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences. They must perform their duty, and leave results with God.

Thus, as we prepare for a final push into territories once held by man’s mortal foe, and as we get ready to give the trumpet a “certain sound”, through the preaching of the everlasting gospel, via the three angel’s messages, we must understand that some softening and some hardening would take place.

There are those who like pharaoh will never believe no matter how much evidence, and many miracles are given. But there are also some, who like those magicians of Egypt, will confess: “This is the finger of God, and some will indeed turn and repent.

 The majority of earth’s inhabitants are predicted to reject the final warning given in Revelation 14, but the true soldiers of the cross, like Moses, are not to be daunted nor discouraged, just because reception of the truth may encounter stiff opposition.

 At the end of the day, we must remember that a great number of Egyptians left Egypt together with the Hebrews, and thus, similarly, very many persons who now, may seem to be unconvinced, will throw in their lot with the remnant people of God, when crunch time comes around. Let’s read:

[Last Day Events pp 182] There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who [now] have no opportunity to learn what is truth.

 Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched, His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter. Large numbers will be admitted who in these last days hear the truth for the first time.

 Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God.

 Be ye therefore encouraged; preach the pure word, the unadulterated word, whether persons hear, or whether they forbear, for one plants, the other one waters, but it is God who would ultimately give the increase. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which would remind us to focus on those aspects of the everlasting gospel that are pertinent to our day. Let’s read:

 Revelation 14: 6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

                                    God Bless!

Major Retribution Coming. Sabbath afternoon 04/09/2022

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; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation.

8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

Throughout the history of our world the justice and benevolence of God has always been questioned for there are some people who do not accept the Bible teachings on God’s love when viewed in the context of His judgements. Others reject the Old Testament and only embrace the new, because they view God as being too harsh, when He issued corrections.

 At the foundation of everything that God does is the principle of love, even when a necessary judgement becomes due. When some nations were blotted out of existence in days of old, it was a loving thing that God did, and it was the best and the only right thing for Him to do at the time.

 Some folks take cover under the pretext that He is God, and as such, He will do whatsoever He chooses to do. Now, while this is true, that view falls short of the much better understanding God would have us embrace, that is, whatsoever He does isn’t arbitrary at all, but is well thought out as being the very best action that must be taken in a given circumstance.

 This understanding of God should be embraced by  His people, if we are to avoid the snare of blaming God wrongfully, for in the Old Testament we would read of the Antediluvians in Noah’s day being destroyed by the flood, and we would oftentimes read of God sending the nation of Israel to utterly destroy certain nations.

 Thus, some persons have come to question, both the goodness and justice of God, for some believe erroneously that He is supposed to be one-sided in His administration, only using love without justice.

 But the Scriptural view of God is that He is both A loving God and a God of justice, because love is not love at all if justice is not recognized and employed where warranted. Our first passage enumerates the goodness and mercies of God, but it also states that He will in now wise clear the guilty.

 In the ancient sanctuary system, the mercy seat was located above the law, because God takes delight in mercy. But the law was located below to catch what mercy failed to accomplish, and thus, the Hebrews knew, and witnessed the goodness and the severity of God, so that in their minds, the right balance was struck, which balance some seem to be unaware of in our day.

 Several passages of scripture, both in the Old and in the New Testaments firmly establish, and project this balanced view, so that the inhabitants of earth today would not be deceived into believing that we would get off scotch free with any and every type of wickedness that is practiced. Let’s read:

Joshua 24: 20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

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

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

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses.

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye,  shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

John 13: 4 He arose from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Matthew 26:24 The Son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Romans 11: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off.

Deuteronomy 7: 9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

10 And repays them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hates him, he will repay him to his face.

Revelation 21: 7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, murderers and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

In the days of the Antediluvians, God in His mercy sent Noah to preach the people for 120 years and during that time He supplied the entire world with all that was needed for life and well-being. The Lord provided food in abundance, and the people back then always had more than enough, and to spare.

 God continued to take care of earth’s inhabitants right up until the very day of the flood, for He gave them breakfast even on that fateful morning. Thus, a great change took place after they had passed the limits of God’s forbearance, thus forever closing the probation of that long-lived race.

 Then, The same God who had for so long mercifully taken care of those people for so many years sent a whole lot of rain, and flooded the entire planet to the tune of several miles high, thus bringing to an abrupt halt, the wickedness of that era.

 Retribution for unrepented sins had seemed so long delayed, but the time came when the tables turned, and the justice side of God was made manifest. The forces of nature were unleashed, and every person who had spurned their day of grace, perished in the waters of the flood. Let’s read:

Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 99>100] Upon the eighth day dark clouds overspread the heavens. Soon large drops of rain began to fall. Darker and darker grew the heavens, and faster came the falling rain.

 The beasts were roaming about in the wildest terror and their discordant cries seemed to moan out their own destiny and the fate of man. Then “the fountains of the great deep” were “broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”

 Rivers broke away from their boundaries, and overflowed the valleys. Jets of water burst from the earth with indescribable force, throwing massive rocks hundreds of feet into the air.

 The altars on which human sacrifices had been offered were torn down, and the worshipers were made to tremble at the power of the living God, and to know that it was their corruption and idolatry which had called down their destruction.

 As the violence of the storm increased, trees, buildings, rocks, and earth were hurled in every direction. The terror of man and beast was beyond description. Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence.

 Love, no less than justice, demanded that God's judgments should put a check on sin. The avenging waters swept over the last retreat and the despisers of God perished in the black depths.

After the earth was repopulated, major retribution also had to be meted out to nations which had gone so deep in sin and rebellion that God was moved to blot them out from the face of the earth. The very same atrocities we are witnessing live today, were then taking place, just using different methods and different weapons.

 The heart of man is desperately wicked, and if God did not intervene on several occasions, we would have self-destructed a long time ago. But persons have been ignorant of the reasons why God had to do what He did, so now, He is letting us witness for ourselves, why His judgements, in days of old had come due.

 Thus, when He begins to carry out His strange act in our day every mouth may be stopped, for we would have seen and heard for ourselves how the brutality of man against his fellowman will drive the planet to extinction if God does not bring major retribution at some point.

 Kings and nations like Agag, the Philistines, Jericho, the Amalekites, amongst others, had to be visited with severe justice, because the crimes committed would have caused folk in our day to shudder. Then there were wicked Roman emperors like Nero, who took satanic delight in burning martyrs.

 Thus, what we are witnessing currently in Europe is nothing new, because persons are just following the playbook that was written by devils, and acted upon by evil men several eons ago. Every person who will deliberately take the life of another for no reason is a murderer, walking in the footsteps of our mortal and invisible enemy. Let’s read:

John 8: 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. 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.

But a major retribution is coming, and it is stated in the scriptures that God Himself would arise to take care of situations, when men fail to do so. God will permit things to go on for so long, but the time will come when the invisible line between God’s mercy and justice will be crossed, and then the inhabitants of earth will see the other side of God. Let’s read:

Isaiah 13: 5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt.

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them.

9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

[The Great Controversy pp 627] The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which he bears long, and which he will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.

Isaiah 20:21 For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

22 Now therefore be ye not mockers …. for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Now, it is true that most persons prefer not to dwell on the negative side of the inhumanity we’re seeing but sooner or later the entire world will be engulfed in irretrievable ruin the likes of which no person has ever seen. Therefore, if folks continue to bury their heads in the sand, we will be unprepared for what the scriptures declare will certainly come to pass.

 Thus, as we observe in the context of God’s mercy and justice, that which is now transpiring in Europe, we must turn to the scriptures to better understand why God dealt with certain wicked nations, the way He did so that we too may be instructed on what He will do, when He delivers major retribution to those who now indulge in the grossest atrocities.

 At one time the Hebrew people were forced to deal with a situation that had come upon them suddenly because the Ammonites and the Moabites, invaded the land and threatened to exterminate the Hebrew nation, without being provoked. This attack was in no way warranted, especially because those nations were spared, when the people of God could have destroyed them.

 Thus, when king Jehoshaphat got wind of what was about to take place, he put the matter to the Lord in prayer and gathered the entire nation even the little children and women, for all would be vulnerable, if the impending invasion were to take place.

 There are times when everyone would need to pray for deliverance, even the little ones who may not be able to comprehend what is going on. In particular, the king of Israel made mention of the fact that this war was unprovoked, and thus, he appealed to God for His intervention, something we all should do in the current situation. Let’s read:

2nd Chronicles 20:1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There comes a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court,

6 And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou would not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.

Even though the Hebrews were then God’s chosen people, we should all keep in mind that Jesus’ death on the cross entirely changed the paradigm for all of humanity, for we all are now His, both by creation and redemption.

 Thus, the major retribution that was going to be meted out to those invaders, will be meted out at some point to nations and individuals who commit atrocities against humanity. The value of the human soul is now based upon the price that was paid for it, even the precious blood of The Son of God.

 And therefore, when innocents are mowed down in cold blood for no reason, and when brutalities are committed against the human family, it touches a nerve in the heart of Christ who died to save every person on the planet. And when it reaches a boiling point, severe retribution will be coming due, just as it was with the Hebrews and Jehoshaphat. We read:

2nd Chronicles 20: 20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

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

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

23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, there were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

We are not to think that such atrocities as we are now seeing will never come to our shores, because the Bible clearly states that there would be “a time of trouble such as never since there was a nation, in the entire history of earth. Let’s read:

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

 We may not now be at that level of brutality we are witnessing, but we should never forget that at the time of the flood it was the violence and corruption which triggered God’s strange act. And beyond the shadow of a doubt, the corruption of the marriage institution is approaching Antediluvian levels.

 When persons seek to lynch members of congress, with whom they disagree, and when some political rivals make ads with machine guns cocked, then we may know for certain that the seeds of violence and brutality have already been sown in the West, only awaiting the right set of circumstances to converge. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.

[The Great Controversy pp 589] Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst passions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God.

It's now high time for the leaders in both the secular and spiritual arenas to consider, that what God has predicted in His word is not future but is in the here and now. The problems of earth are not isolated to just one geographical area; it is the entire earth that is embroiled in some level of perplexity, just as the Bible has predicted.

 If it is not Covid, and the plethora of variants it has spawned, it is sky high inflation, and if it is not those historical lows to which several lakes have sunk, it is culture wars that have torn societies apart, and if it is none of the above it’s the ongoing issue of global warming that’s melting glaciers and causing great concern for coastal communities, including our own backyard in Florida. Let’s read

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth ….

Therefore, in our neck of the woods it would be well if efforts to preach and teach the everlasting gospel, as given in the Revelation, would be accelerated to a great extent. One of the greatest tragedies on full display is the fact that thousands of people are now going down into Christless graves, because of all the ongoing conflicts.

 Thus, it should be on the front burner of our minds to finish up the work of the gospel, as God has, and will direct, because current situations cannot go on for too much longer. The 2nd coming of Christ is not only imminent, it is becoming even more necessary, by the hour, lest left to ourselves, we destroy one another on this planet.

 Let well-directed efforts now be made to reach and save the lost. Many tools are at our disposal, so if we cannot go door to door, we can use drones to drop leaflets in neighborhoods and cities. Then we have the web and internet that can be used to plant seeds of truth in otherwise inhospitable environs.

 Then again, instead of spending our time surfing for things which do not satisfy, nor do contribute to the up-building of God’s kingdom, we can use “Text” messages, pun intended, to let someone know that there is still a Savior who loves them, and who will grant eternal life to as many as believe.

 The time is now and the place is here, for us to put into high gear, our resources, efforts and, energies, to do what we can to save as many as possible. It is not merely our hope and prayer, it is the mandate given us by God Himself, who once stated that “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.”

 Let us then rise to the occasion, not only by helping in temporal matters, but like Jesus who healed the physical and spiritually sick, let us do whatsoever we can to rescue humanity, for we are living on the brink of eternity, and major retribution will become due, much sooner than we think.

 We will end with a passage of scripture which will remind us that things will not go on this way forever and that true Christians the world over, have a part to play as the final scenes of earth’s history unfold. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

                                   God Bless!

Good Disobedience. Sabbath afternoon 04/02/2022

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for  wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

When reading the Bible, care must be taken not to misinterpret what God is saying to us. Those rulers referred to in the above passage include the secular as well as those who are spiritual, and all who have been ordained by God to lead His people upon the earth.

 As Christians we are to follow the Bible’s instruction on good deportment, good mannerisms and respect for those authorities that have been either ordained by God, or have been permitted by God to rule over the nations. Christianity, as a general rule of thumb does not make a person a brawler or a law breaker.

 Instead, the love of God in the heart often tends to subdue those impulses that produce riots, protests, and upheavals against authorities of God’s choosing even if those rulers may not be entirely in line with God’s will. This statement might irk some folks, but it is what the scriptures teach.

 Christians are to pay their taxes even when their tax burden is unreasonably high, and due respect is to be shown for those in authority, even if we did not vote for them, or may be at political odds with their philosophies, methods, and principles.

 In other words, God is not telling us that we have to like those in authority; He is saying that we ought to respect their offices, as being ordained or permitted by God, and as such, any disagreements folks might have with their ideologies and political views should be voiced respectfully, if at all, as the situation may warrant.

 Christians who identify as Democrats or Republicans should be able to live on the same street, showing a mutual respect for each other’s views, even if such views are at odds with one’s core beliefs. Thus, the overall perspective given in the scriptures, of those who obey God, is that they will generally be peace- loving and law-abiding citizens.

 Several passages given in the scriptures deal with a Christian’s conduct in the public and private square and those undergirding principles are to govern our behaviors and deportments as we intermingle with our fellow citizens, and with the government, even if we may not share their views on certain matters. Let’s read:

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

To recompense to no man evil for evil will go a long way in bridging the partisan divide in politics, which has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Christians should never threaten those with whom they do not agree politically, and if one takes out an ad in the New York times, defaming another, a true Christian is not to respond in like currency.

 Again, the passage we just read states that persons should provide things that are honest in the sight of all men. The tendency to dig up dirt on your political rival, especially when such dirt is being manipulated and exaggerated to bring out the worst in another is not something that any Christian should do.

 We are to be very careful lest we be drawn into the ranks of devils by using the currency that they use, for the Scriptures teach us that Christians are not to respond in like manner, when ill-treated, maligned or lied about. Love bears all things, even when dirt is deliberately splattered all over one’s good name. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffers long and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil;

6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

[Testimonies Vol. 5 pp 169] Love “rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.” He whose heart is imbued with love is filled with sorrow at the errors and weakness of others. But when truth triumphs, when the cloud that darkened the fair fame of another is removed, or when sins are confessed and wrongs corrected, he rejoices.

 Love not only bears with others’ faults, but cheerfully submits to whatever suffering or inconvenience such forbearance makes necessary. This love “never fails.” It is the attribute of heaven. As a precious treasure it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.

Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

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

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

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

One of the sticking points many individuals struggle with is the fact that there are times when God will set up a ruler that causes much havoc and suffering to people. There have been times when an entirely stupid ruler has been permitted by God to reign and persons became perplexed as to why such and such a person was granted authority in the first place.

 At such times as these, we should remember that God is not a man, He is not finite, but infinite, and because of His singular ability to read future events accurately, God is able to plan and execute quite strategically, and when His providence is reviewed in retrospect, we will discover that God did what He did flawlessly. 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.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the Sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Case in point is that, to the Hebrews, sitting in that state of bondage to the Egyptians, it might have seemed as if their deliverance was prolonged, and many of them may have become very perplexed as to why God was permitting that particular pharaoh to do what he was doing to God’s people.

 But in setting up kings, and permitting them to do things that make no sense to us, God’s plans know no haste and no delay, and in the fullness of time, at the right time, His perfect will would be known. Let’s read:

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

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

 Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

Therefore, as it pertains to rulers who are given an opportunity to rule, we must be reconciled to the fact that we may not necessarily like those persons, yet for the sake of obeying God’s instructions to us on the structural integrity of society, we should be willing to obey up to a point as we will explain later.

 Two instances in the Bible clearly demonstrate what is being said, and we would do well to study with a humble heart and teachable spirit, the providences of God which may seem to make no sense to finite minds. And we should remember that God has not called us primarily to agree with Him, but rather to obey Him. Let’s read:

Exodus 9: 13 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

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

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

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

21 And he changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings: he gives wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.

22 He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

However, there is a line that rulers who are set up by God are never to cross. When any earthly ruler who has been given power by God, tries to force or require persons under their jurisdiction to explicitly transgress the laws of God, then we have a sacred duty to disobey such rulers.

 Rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s is not an open-ended commitment to do everything Caesar requires, regardless of what the scriptures teach. We are to render only so much obedience as is in accordance with those instructions given in the Bible, but beyond that, we have no moral obligation to Caesar.

 This is a most critically important point for there are times when persons had their allegiances mixed up, and in rendering obedience to what an earthly ruler required they trampled upon the law of God, and by so doing, individuals relegated God to a subordinate position, and elevated the human above the Divine, something that must never ever be done.

 For instance, we have read previously where it was God who had permitted that particular pharaoh to be on the throne when the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt. But when he required of the Hebrew mid-wives that they slay all the male children by casting them into the river, he crossed a red line, and they were obligated to absolutely disobey his diabolical orders. Let’s read:

Exodus 1:15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah.

16 And he said, When you do the office of midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

The law of God explicitly states: “Thou shall not kill” and therefore, to require the wanton murder of the Hebrew infants, contrary to God’s laws, would have made God subservient to a mortal man, if the mid-wives had complied. They didn’t, and here we have one of several instances where God actually blessed disobedience.

Exodus 1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Again, we have the instance where David required of Joab, an act of murder in order to cover his deeds with Bathsheba. As his top general, Joab was not to obey blindly any and everything the God appointed leader would require.

David’s commands to Joab should have first been made to pass the smell test of the scriptures, and if they would violate God’s law Joab was to absolutely refuse, even if his job might be in jeopardy.

 For top military generals in any government to kill innocent persons indiscriminately, especially when unprovoked, as was the case with Uriah, because they have been commanded to do so by a superior, is a moral failure, and a grave dereliction of duty to God and man.

 Military personnel in our day are never to implicitly obey unwarranted orders to mow down innocents, just because some arbitrary ruler might command them to do so, for such generals will be culpable for their deeds, and would bear the full brunt of God’s judgement when crunch time comes around. Let’s read:

2nd Samuel 11: 14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Having once entered upon a path of blind loyalty to David, Joab’s conscience became seared, as with a hot iron, and thus, when future compliance to any request made by David would be required, Joab’s weakened conscience would buckle time and time again under pressure, even if his own conscience disturbed him greatly. Let’s read:

1st Chronicles 21: 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.

5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David.

As a result of his disposition to yield obedience to mortals, instead of God, Joab died an ignominious death, and he most likely will be on the other side of the fence on resurrection morning. All generals, soldiers, lay people, and subordinates who follow a similar course, will meet with retribution sooner or later, if needed changes are not made. Let’s read:

1st Kings 2:28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus, said Joab

and thus he answered me.

31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

32 And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head….

[Patriarchs And prophets pp 719] David's power had been given him by God, but to be exercised only in harmony with the divine law. When he commanded that which was contrary to God's law, it became sin to obey. “The powers that be are ordained of God”, but we are not to obey them contrary to God's law.

 This brings us to the core of the Bible study, for in our day we too would have to choose whether we will obey God rather than Caesar, if Caesar gives us commands which are directly contrary to what God has instructed us.

 After the newly formed Christian church was up and running, they soon began to run into turbulence and resistance from the earthly authorities because they went about preaching the Gospel, in harmony with the mandate given to all believers by Christ Himself.

 The apostles and believers preached the good news of Christ our Savior, but they ran into stiff resistance from the authorities in Jerusalem, and it wasn’t long before they would be accosted, jailed, beaten, and reprimanded for obeying God’s voice. Let’s read:

Acts 4:1 And as they spoke unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,

2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.

4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,

16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18 And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

Apparently, this was not a mere one-time incident, for they continued to be harassed, and threatened by those in authority, on account of the truths that were being presented.

 The preaching of present truth, in any era, is not to be dependent on whether or not the authorities in question agree, or approve of it. The commission to preach and sow beside all waters was given by God, and as such, it is to take precedence over any man-made restriction to the contrary. Let’s read:

Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest  asked them,

28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Judging from what transpired at such a time as this, it becomes apparent that The Holy Ghost approved of the apostles’ disobedience to the authorities, by preaching the word, for they soon got confirmation from God that they were pursuing the right course, in the face of threats and intimidations. Let’s read:

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

At this juncture it is imperative that we read, with a humble heart and teachable spirit a cautionary note written for us in our day, who would be preaching, not only the three angel’s messages, but also other inconvenient truths that may not jive with majority opinion in high and low places. Let’s read:

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

  When Christ gave the commission to preach, teach, and baptize it was never intended to be subservient to those circumstances that would or would not be favorable.

 The truth of the matter is that wheresoever truth is being preached in the public square, resistance is to be expected, especially when hot button issues are to be addressed, in light of what the scriptures may teach on the matter in question.

 This gospel commission also applies in our day, even in situations and circumstances where preaching of the truth may rile up those who have been granted authority to rule by God, or where popular majority opinion is in stark contrast to God’s revealed will.

 Indeed, it has already become quite difficult for the preachers of present truth in our day, to speak on the many departures from God’s word, that abound in modern society. Some truths such as those which pertain to God-ordained marriage, the Sabbath, and gender, are now hidden under a bushel, as it were, for fear of incurring the ire of the masses.

 But, as it was in the days of old, so it is now, and so it would always be, for we will discover that earthly authorities, in many instances would try in different ways to pressure Christians into either remaining silent on controversial issues, or otherwise, present smooth words to palliate itching ears.

 Those timeless words of Peter will also apply to us in our day, for “We ought to obey God rather than men”, for the time is coming, indeed is now, when “Good disobedience” may become necessary.

 Let it never be said of persons who are tasked with presenting the everlasting gospel, that we received hush-money, incentives, and disincentives to come into line with that which may be popular, pleasing, or even forbidden by Caesar.

 Truth must never be watered down, misinterpreted, manipulated, adjusted, deleted, or misappropriated in order to obey mortals, when they conflict with “It is written.” The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is the mandate given by God. Let God deal with the fallout, but let the soldiers of the cross be found faithful to truth and duty.

 We therefore end with a passage of scripture that would remind us of our God-given mandate, and it’s high time that we step up to the plate, and present the truth at all costs, whether persons will hear, or whether they will forbear. Let’s read:

2nd Timothy 4: I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

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.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

                                    God Bless!