Month: June 2021

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Daily Manna

THERE ARE ONLY TWO SIDES

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THERE ARE ONLY TWO SIDES

After long years of prayerfully, diligently, persistently and consistently studying God’s word, for no other purpose than to personally know and understand (1) who the invisible GOD is and how He has revealed His character, will, and purposes to fallen mankind since the fall (2) what really and how efficacious is His Gospel and its plan of redemption/salvation to save me FIRST, a wretched soul enslaved by ignorance, selfishness, inherited sinful propensities and weaknesses, a culturally-acquired and environmentally-enhanced “love of the world and the things of the world and the pride of life”—-with the whole range of experiences that come with this rugged yet fulfilling Christian quest and journey—-I have come to certain conclusions, all based on the above, and that is:

God’s Word reveals that in the beginning and at the end of all things, there are only TWO (general) CLASSES, or KINDS, or SIDES or TYPES in the great controversy between Christ and Satan, the light of truth and righteousness vs the darkness of sin, error and ignorance and in the plan of salvation, which I have summarized alphabetically as follows:
Adams, Actions/Activities, Affections, Angels, Animals, Apostles, Armies, Awakenings; Brothers: Captains, Characters, Choices, Christs, Christians, Churches, Citizens, Consciences; Dead, Disciples, Duties; Examples; Faiths, Families, Fathers, Followers, Friends. Generals, Glories, Gods, Gospels, Governments, Grace; Harvests, Hearts, Homes; Images; Jerusalems; Kings, Kingdoms. Knowledges: Laws, Leaders, Living (alive), Loves; Marks, Masters, Messengers, Movements; Numbers; Obedience, Opportunities; Peoples, Prayers, Priests, Prophets; Rains, Refuges, Repentance, Rewards; Sanctuaries, Servants, Sexes, Sheep, Shepherds, Sins, Sinners, Slaves, Sons, Souls, Spirits, Stars, Sufferings; Temples; Understandings, Unions/Unity; Victories, Virgins, Visions; Wars, Ways, Weddings, Wisdoms, Witnesses, Women, Worshippers, Workers; Zeal.

“CHOOSE ye this day WHOM ye will serve, WHETHER the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell, BUT as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24: 15, KJV.

“And Elijah came unto ALL the people, and said, How long will you HALT BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? If the Lord be GOD, follow Him: but if BAAL (sun god), then follow him. And the people ANSWERED HIM NOT A WORD.” 1 Kings 18:21.

“There are ONLY TWO CLASSES. Each party is distinctly STAMPED [sealed/marked], EITHER with the SEAL of the living God or the MARK of the beast, or his IMAGE. Each son or daughter of Adam CHOOSES Christ OR Satan as his General.

All who places themselves with the DISLOYAL are under Satan’s black banner and charged with rejecting and ‘despitefully USING Jesus Christ. They are charged with DELIBERATELY ‘crucifying the Lord of glory’!” E. G. White, Manuscript 40, 1897.

There are no “fence-sitters” or mere “neutral spectators” in the battle for souls and for eternal life. We are either on the Lord’s side or else we are for Satan. Bless all, NMF

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Daily Manna

THE REWARD OF A FAITHFUL STUDY OF THE WORD

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE REWARD OF A FAITHFUL STUDY OF THE WORD

8T 193, 194: “Christ and His word are in perfect harmony. Received and obeyed, they open a sure path for all who are willing to walk in the light as Christ is in the light. If the people of God would appreciate His word, we should have a HEAVEN IN THE CHURCH BELOW.

CHRISTIANS would be hungry, eager, to SEARCH the word. They would be ANXIOUS for time to compare scripture with scripture and to MEDITATE upon by word. They would be MORE EAGER for the light of the word THAN the morning paper, magazines, or novels [its digitally-multiplied equivalents today through the internet is staggeringly overwhelming!], their GREATEST desire would be ‘eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God’ [not to eat out, party, and become besotted as a celebration of the post pandemic “return to normal”].

And as a RESULT their LIVES would be confirmed to the PRINCIPLES AND PROMISES of the word, its instructions would be to them AS THE LEAVES OF THE TREE OF LIFE [spiritual meaning of ‘for the healing of the nations of the saved’ in Revelation]. It would be to them as well of water, springing up into eternal life. [Physical and spiritual drought is coming!]. Refreshing showers of grace [dispensed by the Holy Spirit] would refresh and revive the soul, causing them to FORGET all toil and weariness. They would be strengthened and encouraged by the WORDS OF INSPIRATION…….

“The Lord’s philosophy [not political agendas, or the world and the churches’ policies] is the rule of Christian life. [We may call ourselves but do we live Christ’s life who we often claim “abides” and “lives” in us?].

The ENTIRE being is imbued with the life-giving PRINCIPLES [not policies] of heaven. The BUSY NOTHINGS that consume the time of many SHRINK info their proper position before a HEALTHY, SANCTIFYING BIBLE PIETY.

“The Bible and the Bible alone, CAN produce this good result. It is the WISDOM of God and the POWER of God, and it works all power in the RECEPTIVE heart.

Oh, what HEIGHTS we might reach if we would conform our WILLS to the will of God! It is the power of God that we need WHEREVER we are [before, during any crisis, pandemic, or after such calamities]. It is the FRIVOLITY that cumbers the Church [its members and worshippers] that makes it weak and indifferent.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit [the Godhead] are seeking and longing for CHANNELS through which to communicate to the world the DIVINE PRINCIPLE [not policies] OF TRUTH.

“Artificial lights may appear, CLAIMING to be light from heaven, but they cannot shine forth as the STAR OF HOLINESS, the STAR OF HEAVENLY BRIGHTNESS, to guide the feet of the pilgrim and stranger into the city of God!

“False lights will take the place of the true, and MANY souls will be for a time deceived. GOD FORBID THAT IT SHOULD BE WITH US. The true light [of the doctrinal pillars of present, testing present truth] now shineth, and will light up the souls in which the WINDOWS are opened heavenward [not earthward or even “horizontally”].” – E. G. White, Vol. 8 Testimonies for the Church, pp. 193-195.

Ask yourself, am I honestly “hungering and thirsting for righteousness,” whom Christ promised in His Sermon (that introduced the spiritual kingdom of Christ), that “they shall be filled” with His righteousness?”

If not, can we honestly claim to be His obedient disciples or faithful members of the spiritual “commonwealth of Israel,” His true commandment-keeping remnant church?

Ponder on these things. Bless all, NMF

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Daily Manna

THE TESTING, PURIFYING, CHARACTER-PERFECTING PROCESS (Part 4)

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE TESTING, PURIFYING, CHARACTER-PERFECTING PROCESS (Part 4)

“God’s work of refining and purifying must go [while still alive with a rational mind] UNTIL His servants are so HUMBLED, so DEAD TO SELF, that when called into active service, their ‘eye will be single to His glory’ [Matt. 6:21-23; Luke 11: 34-36].

He will THEN [and only then] their efforts; they WILL NOT MOVE RASHLY, FROM IMPULSE: they WILL NOT RUSH ON and imperil the Lord’s cause, being SLAVES TO TEMPTATIONS AND PASSIONS and followers of their own carnal minds SET ON FIRE BY SATAN.

Oh how fearfully is the cause of God MARRED by man’s perverse will and I subdued temper! How much SUFFERING HE BRINGS UPON HIMSELF by following his own headstrong passions!

“God brings men over the ground AGAIN and AGAIN, increasing the pressure UNTIL PERFECT HUMILITY and a TRANSFORMATION OF CHARACTER bring them
Into harmony with Christ and the spirit of heaven, and they are VICTORS OVER THEMSELVES!” Vol. 4 Testimonies, p. 86.

Indeed! Because ultimate salvation is individual, not corporate, sinful self is our greatest enemy!

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

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Daily Manna

THE TESTING, PURIFYING, CHARACTER-PERFECTING PROCESS (Part 4)

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE TESTING, PURIFYING, CHARACTER-PERFECTING PROCESS (Part 4)

“God’s work of refining and purifying must go [while still alive with a rational mind] UNTIL His servants are so HUMBLED, so DEAD TO SELF, that when called into active service, their ‘eye will be single to His glory’ [Matt. 6:21-23; Luke 11: 34-36].

He will THEN [and only then] their efforts; they WILL NOT MOVE RASHLY, FROM IMPULSE: they WILL NOT RUSH ON and imperil the Lord’s cause, being SLAVES TO TEMPTATIONS AND PASSIONS and followers of their own carnal minds SET ON FIRE BY SATAN.

Oh how fearfully is the cause of God MARRED by man’s perverse will and I subdued temper! How much SUFFERING HE BRINGS UPON HIMSELF by following his own headstrong passions!

“God brings men over the ground AGAIN and AGAIN, increasing the pressure UNTIL PERFECT HUMILITY and a TRANSFORMATION OF CHARACTER bring them
Into harmony with Christ and the spirit of heaven, and they are VICTORS OVER THEMSELVES!” Vol. 4 Testimonies, p. 86.

Indeed! Because ultimate salvation is individual, not corporate, sinful self is our greatest enemy!

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

Categories
Daily Manna

THE TESTING, PURIFYING, CHARACTER-PERFECTING PROCESS (Part 3)

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE TESTING, PURIFYING, CHARACTER-PERFECTING PROCESS (Part 3)

To sinful mortals with finite minds, omniscient and omnipotent God “works in mysterious ways” His wonderful plans to perform and accomplish for His glory and our eternal salvation.

One of this “mysterious ways” does not make sense to carnal
minds and unconverted hearts but is familiar to all “who follow the Lamb withersoever He goeth,” and “knows His voice” and “the path of righteousness” of “Him, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30, KJV). What is it?

“God brings His people NEAR by close, testing TRIALS [not promises of peace-and-safety, prosperity gospel, worldly fame, honor, and riches], by showing them their OWN weakness and inability, and by teaching them to LEAN UPON HIM [see Prov. 3:5-7] and their ONLY help and safeguard.

THEN HIS OBJECT IS ACCOMPLISHED. THEY ARE PREPARED TO BE USED FOR EVERY EMERGENCY, to fulfill important positions of trust, and to accomplish the grand purposes for which their POWERS [and talents] were given them.

“God takes men upon trial; He proves them on the right hand and the left, and thus they are EDUCATED, TRAINED and DISCIPLINED. Jesus, our Redeemer, man’s Representative and Head, ENDURED THIS TESTING PROCESS, He suffered MORE THAN we can be called upon to suffer.

He ‘bore our infirmities’ and ‘was tempted in all points as we are tempted. He did not suffer thus on HIS account, but because of OUR sins; and NOW, relying on the MERITS of our Overcomer, we may become VICTORS in His name.” – Vol. 4 Testimonies, p. 86.

As the Amen, and faithful and True Witness said, “To him who overcomes EVEN AS I overcame will I grant to sit with Me in My throne [of the eternal kingdom of glory] even as I am set down with My Father in His throne.” Rev. 3:21.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.