Month: October 2020

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Devotionals

FOR WHICH ‘CAUSE’ HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM BRETHREN

October 21, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

FOR WHICH ‘CAUSE’ HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM BRETHREN. (Heb. 11:1, KJV).

What or which ‘cause’?

“The author [Paul] is speaking of sanctification. Recounting his OWN experience [regarding Biblical sanctification], he says:

“Not as though I had already attained, either were ALREADY perfect: but I FOLLOW AFTER, If that I may apprehend that for which ALSO  I and apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:but THIS ONE THING I DO, forgetting those things which at behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, AS MANY AS BE PERFECT, be THUS MINDED: and In anything ye be OTHERWISE MINDED, God shall REVEAL this unto you.” Phil. 3:12-15, KJV.

“Paul did not claim to have attained, to be ALREADY perfect, but he did ‘FOLLOW AFTER.’ And Christ was not ashamed of him. Nor will He be ashamed of ANY who are ‘THUS MINDED.’

“It is not how far we have come in the Christian pathway that ALONE counts: it is in the DIRECTION we are facing.

“As Captain [of our salvation], Christ LEADS the way. He is not ashamed of those who FOLLOW HIM. They all have the SAME MIND and are advancing towards the SAME GOAL: some have advance farther than others, but ‘whereto we have already attained,’ let us walk according to the SAME RULE, let us mind the SAME thing.” Phil. 3:16.” (M.L. Andreasen. The Book of Hebrews, pp. 99, 100).

Sanctification is a work of a lifetime of each genuinely converted sinner. It is a process of spiritual growth of moral character. It is the same as the work of perfection. As Jesus said in the Sermon in the mount. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:!48. The true Christian’s goal, especially in the closing hours of probation, is to “to” press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” In short, this is the work of restoring the original image of God in man which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (See Col. 1:16, 17). Are you still  pressing toward this mark, the image or moral character of Christ, our Example? Bless all, NMF. 

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Devotionals

HE WHO SANCTIFIES IS THE CAPTAIN OF SALVATION

October 20, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

HE WHO SANCTIFIES IS THE CAPTAIN OF SALVATION

“For both He that sanctified and they who are sanctified, are all one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren [that is, those who are sanctified by Him].” Heb. 2: 11, KJV.

He that sanctifies is Christ through the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead. That is why we are warned: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye are SEALED unto the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30.

“They who are sanctified’ are His brethren. [Christ never calls the unsanctified as brethren]. The ‘one’ is God. Though Christ is Son in a DIFFERENT sense from us, yet we have One Father. God’s intent is to ‘bring many sons to glory.

Christ is the Captain who leads His men to battle. [He Himself provides them the complete ‘whole armor of God.’]. They follow where He leads, and for this reason ‘He is not ashamed to call them brethren.’ They are proud of their Captain, and He is proud of them. Note how tenderly Christ speaks of His brethren:

“And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, ‘Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father who is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.’ Matt 12:49,50.

“Jesus sayeth unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.’ Luke 9:26, RV.

“Christ is not ashamed of us IF we are not ashamed of Him. But ‘whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in His own glory, and the glory of the Father; and to My God, and your God.’ Luke 9:26, RV.

“Sanctification is here presented not as theory but as a LIFE, that which makes Christ and His brethren ONE! Said Christ, ‘For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they ALSO may be sanctified through the TRUTH.’ John 17: 19. Christ sanctified Himself for a purpose: this purpose He declares to be ‘that they also might be sanctified [not merely ‘justified’ or forgiven]. He sets the example that others [who desire to be numbered among His brethren] maya follow.” (M.L. Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 98, 99.

Since Christ is the Captain, are you a bonafide member of His Team? Ponder upon this. Bless all, NMF 

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Devotionals

WHAT ‘IT IS WRITTEN’ DECLARES OF THE DECALOGUE

October 19, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

WHAT ‘IT IS WRITTEN’ DECLARES OF THE DECALOGUE

“Many religious teachers assert that Christ by His death abolished the law, and men are henceforth ‘free’ from its requirements. There are some who represent it as a ‘grievous yoke;’ and in contrast to the [alleged] bondage of the law, they present the ‘liberty to be enjoyed under the gospel.

“But not so did PROPHETS and APOSTLES regard the holy law of God. Said DAVID, ‘I will walk at liberty: for I seek Thy precepts.’ (Ps. 119:45). The apostle James who wrote AFTER the death of Christ, refers to the Decalogue as the ‘royal law’ and the ‘perfect law of liberty’ (James 2:8; 1:25). And the Revelator, half a century AFTER the crucifixion , pronounces a BLESSING upon them ‘that do His commandments, that they may have RIGHT to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.’ (Rev. 22:14).

“The claim that Christ by His death abolished His Father’s law, is WITHOUT FOUNDATION. Had it been possible for the law to be CHANGED or SET ASIDE, that Christ need NOT have died to save man from the PENALTY of sin.

“The DEATH of Christ, so far from abolishing the law, proves that it is IMMUTABLE. The Son of God came to ‘magnify the law and make it honorable’ (Isa. 42:21). He said, ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law;’ ‘till heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.’(Matt. 5:17,18). And concerning Himself He declares, ‘I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.’ (Ps. 40:8).

“The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable. It is a revelation of the WILL and CHARACTER of its Author. God is love, and His law is love. It’s TWO great principles are love to God and love to man. ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law’ (Rom.13:10). The character of God is righteousness and truth;’ ‘all Thy commandments are righteousness’(Ps. 119: 142, 172).

“And the apostle Paul declares, ‘The law is holy, the commandment is holy, and just and good.’(Rom. 7:12). Such a law, being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as ENDURING as its Author.”- (E.G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 Ed., pp. 466, 467).

Have this Covenant (Deut. 4:13) written in your hearts and minds, and remain a faithful covenant-keeper to end with Christ, “the Angel of the Covenant.” God bless, NMF 

Categories
Devotionals

CHRIST PERFECTED THROUGH SUFFERINGS TO BE MAN’S SAVIOR

October 18, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST PERFECTED THROUGH SUFFERINGS TO BE MAN’S SAVIOR

“For it became Him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Heb. 2:10, KJV.

Perfect through Sufferings. “This does not mean that Christ was not previously perfect [sinless]. Christ was perfect as God. [God in the flesh, ‘Immanuel, being interpreted. God with us.’ Matt. 1:24], He was perfect as a man [the only sinless One].

“By His sufferings He became perfect as SAVIOR. The thought is that of reaching a prescribed goal, of finishing a race, of completing a task. Before Christ came to earth, the path He must tread was plain before Him; every step was clear. To reach the goal, He must go all the way.

“He could not stop short of His ultimate destination. He must persevere to the end. It is the FINISHING of this course that is involved in the text before us, NOT ANY MORAL SHORTCOMING.

“It is a man running a race, reaching the three quarters mark and running strong, showing no sign of weakness. But he has not finished. Not until the race is completed will he receive the crown. It is the last quarter that counts. When finally he finishes he has attained, and will receive the award [and reward].

“He has then PERFECTED His course.” (M.L. Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 97, 98).

Apostle Paul followed the example Jesus set before all His true followers. Just before His grisly death by decapitation ordered by the cruel Roman emperor Nero, the apostle wrote these words designed to enlighten and guide the saints as they approach the terrible, yet necessary fiery ordeal of the final test of faith in the enforcement of the “mark of the beast” in ReV. 13 and 14.

Find time to read and meditate on Phil. 3: 7-17!! Only those who patiently “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (v 14) will receive “the crown that is eternal life” as the  award and reward of those “who endure to [their individual] end.” May we all follow Christ our Savior, as Paul did! Bless all, NMF 

Categories
Devotionals

MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS IN THE INCARNATION FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH

October 16, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS IN THE INCARNATION FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Heb. 1:9, A.V.

Notice that it was “by the GRACE of God” that Christ the Creator, was both “made a little lower than the angels” in the mystery of the Incarnation and by that same “grace of God” ‘taste death for every man.” Every diligent and thorough Bible student should take this profound scripture into proper account when addressing familiar lines “by grace you are saved, not of your works lest any MAN should boast.” Remember these: God does not boast; only fallen man does. Now this:

“A little lower than angels.’ When Jesus became man He was made [according to the divine plan of redemption ‘prepared  before the foundation of the world’] a little lower than the angels, or as the margin reads, ‘a little while inferior to.’ Thus Jesus in a very real sense took our nature WITHOUT losing His Godhead, though He [temporarily] relinquished the independent use of the prerogatives of Deity. At no time did He exercise His divine powers EXCEPT as He received commandment from God. (John 4:31: 5:19). As a man He was at all times subject to God. 

“For the suffering of death.’ The KJV affirms that Jesus became man that He might SUFFER and DIE. He was made ‘a little lower than the angels for [the purpose of] suffering and death.’ The Revised Version affirms that it was as a REWARD for His suffering and death that Christ was ‘crowned with glory and honor.’

“By the grace of God.’ Christ’s sufferings here are not considered as PUNISHMENT laid on Him, for it was ‘by the GRACE of God’ that He tasted death for every man—a significant expression. Some of the older manuscripts instead of ‘by the grace of God’  have ‘apart from God,’ which suggests that Christ in His death suffered ALONE without the SUSTAINING presence of God. This would give point to His DESPAIRING cry, recorded in Matt. 27:46: ‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast Thou FORSAKEN Me?’

“Taste death for every man.’ This does not mean, as some suggest, that He merely tastes LIGHTLY of death, and did not suffer the WHOLE measure. GETHSEMANE shows that He ‘drank the cup to the dregs and tasted death as NO OTHER MAN ever tasted it!” —M.L. Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp.95, 96.
Ponder on these! Bless all, NMF. 

Categories
Devotionals

DEEP EXPERIENCE AND THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF ‘IT IS WRITTEN’ OUR SAFEGUARD IN THESE LAST HOURS OF PROBATION

October 15, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

DEEP EXPERIENCE AND THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF ‘IT IS WRITTEN’ OUR SAFEGUARD IN THESE LAST HOURS OF PROBATION

“How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” Heb. 2:3.

“So long as the people of God preserve their fidelity in Him, so long as they cling by living faith to Jesus, they are under the protection of angels, and Satan will not be permitted to exercise his hellish arts upon them to their destruction. But those who SEPARATE themselves from Christ by SIN are in great peril.

“Satan is now earnestly engaged in playing the game of life for souls than at ANY previous time; and unless we are CONSTANTLY on our guard, he will establish in OUR HEARTS, pride, love of self, love of the world, and many other evil traits.

“He will also use every possible device to UNSETTLE in God and in the truths of His Word.

“If we had not a deep things with the deep things of God, if we had not a thorough knowledge of His Word, we shall be BEGUILED to our ruin by the errors and sophistries of the enemy. FALSE doctrines will sap the foundation of MANY, because they have not learned to DISCERN truth from error.

“Our only safeguard against the wiles of Satan is to STUDY THE SCRIPTURES DILIGENTLY, to have an INTElLIGENT understanding of the reasons of our faith, and faithfully perform EVERY known duty. The INDULGENCE of one known sin will cause weakness and darkness, and subject us to fierce temptation.

“The work of OVERCOMING is a great work. Shall we take hold of it with energy and perseverance? Unless we do, our ‘filthy garments’ will not be taken from us. We need NEVER EXPECT that this [filthy garment sin-defiled moral character] will be torn from us violently; we must FIRST show a desire to RID ourselves of them.

“We must seek to SEPARATE sin from us, RELYING on the merits of the blood of Christ; and then in the day of affliction, when the enemy presses us, we shall walk among the angels!” – E.G. White, Review & Herald, Nov. 19, 1908.

Need I say more. God bless all, NMF. 

Categories
Devotionals

WOES COMING UPON THE MANKIND AND THE EARTH

October 14, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

WOES COMING UPON THE MANKIND AND TH EARTH

“Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the Devil is come down upon you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.” Rev. 12: 12, KJV.

With no apologies forthcoming, for it is prophesied, we are left with a choice—either to accept to God’s last merciful warnings given in the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14 or ignore it and be taken captive in any of Satan’s unnumbered schemes for these last days as he redoubles his efforts “knowing his time is short.”

Maranatha 130:
“The power and malice of Satan and his host [of fallen angels and wicked men] might justly alarm us, were it not that we may find shelter and deliverance from the superior power of our Redeemer.

“We carefully secure our houses with bolts and locks [and digital home alarm and security systems] to protect our property and our lives from evil men; but we seldom think of the EVIL ANGELS who are constantly seeking access to us, and against whose attacks we have, in our own strength, no method of defense.

“If permitted, they [evil angels] can distract our minds, disorder and torment our bodies, destroy our possessions and our lives.[Note Job’s harrowing experience]. Their only delight is in misery and destruction.

“Fearful is the condition of those who RESIST the divine claims and YIELD to Satan’s temptations, until God GIVES THEM UP to the control of evil spirits.

“But those who follow Christ are EVER SAFE under His watch care. Angels that EXCEL in strength are sent from heaven to protect them. The wicked one cannot break through the guard which God has stationed around His people. [see Ps. 34:7, etc.].

“The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has been carried forward for NEARLY SIX THOUSAND YEARS, is about to close; and the wicked one redoubles his efforts to DEFEAT the work of Christ in man’s behalf [in His penultimate office and work as merciful High Priest and righteous Judge of all the earth] and to fasten souls in his SNARES [know what they are!].

“To hold the people in darkness [of ignorance of truth, error, and sin] and impenitence TILL the Savior’s mediation is ENDED [at close of probation] and there is ‘no longer an [atoning] sacrifice for sins [see Heb. 10:26], is the OBJECT which he seeks to accomplish.” E. G. White, Great Controversy, pp. 517, 518.

This spirit of prophecy testimony of Jesus was first published in 1884, next in 1888, then in 1911. Based on the recorded ages of the first 10 patriarchs, beginning with Adam and ending with Noah, the earth is only six thousand years old, not billions of years according the “science falsely so called” evolution theory.

The end of all things therefore is at hand! The final prophecies therefore will be “rapid ones.” Are you prepared? Are you ready?  God bless all, NMF. 

Categories
Devotionals

HEBREWS 2:9

October 13, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

HEBREWS 2:9
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death; crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

The following is a laser-focused Christ-centered discourse. It lifts our minds and thoughts far above the unprecedented, record-smashing, multi-layering strife and confusion that branched out overnight as it were, from the Covid pandemic that opened up the year 2020. Let us “turn our eyes upon Jesus” and away from the raging storms without and within our hearts.

“But we SEE Jesus. The ‘but’ here denotes contrast. Man does ‘not yet’ have dominion, ‘but we see Jesus.’ He has dominion, even while He was here, on earth. He sent Peter to catch a fish, and in the fish’s mouth was found the coin needed for the occasion. (Matt. 17:27.).

“He told the disciples to let down the net, and they caught a multitude of fish. (John 21:6.). He commanded the winds and the waves, and they obeyed Him. (Matt. 8:26.) He cursed the fig tree, and it withered.(Matt. 21:19.)

“He exorcised demons, healed the sick, and raised the dead.(Mark 5:13; Matt. 8: 14, 15; John 11: 43,44.). He multiplied the loaves and the fishes, walked on the water,  and rebuked Satan. (Mark 8: 1-9; Matt. 14:25; 4:10,11.)

“There was no situation of which Jesus was not the Master! ‘We see not yet’ man in possession of these powers, ‘but we see Jesus.’  He is prophetic of the possibilities of man.” – M.L. Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 94, 95.

Jesus the Man, “is prophetic of the possibilities of man”—-that’s any penitent sinner who is “hungering and thirsting after righteousness,” who is willing to “take up his heavy cross of self-denial, daily, in order to “come after Christ” and follow His life example on earth. God bless all, NMF