Month: September 2022

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Mid-week Manna

THE FAITH OF JESUS, THE BIBLE AND THEIR SAINTS (Part 1)

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

THE FAITH OF JESUS, THE BIBLE AND THEIR SAINTS (Part 1)

“Now faith is the substance of the things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By it [faith] the elders obtained a good report.” Heb. 11: 1, 2, KJV. 

As with the oneness and unity of The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—the three Persons of the Godhead or the “heavenly Trio” (1 John 5:7), the faith of Jesus, Bible faith, and the faith of the saints (beginning with Abel down to the last faithful “patient, commandment-keeping saint” (Rev. 14:12) before earth’s probation closes, are likewise “one.” How? Why? It simply follows and is true to the eternal principle of the indivisibility and unchanging unity expressed and manifested in the following few examples:

Jesus Christ, “in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily” (Col. 1:19; 2:9)  is “the SAME yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8).

Again, He, “Who is the IMAGE of the INVISIBLE God, the Firstborn of every creature, for BY Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible or invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and FOR Him and He is before all things, and by Him ALL things consist” (Col. 1:16,17), whom the Father “hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom also He made the WORLDS, who being the BRIGHTNESS  of His [the Father’s] glory, and the EXPRESS image of HIS PERSON, and upholding all things by the WORD of His POWER…”(Heb. 1: 2, 3), is no less than “the Author and Finisher of OUR FAITH” (Heb. 12:!2)! 

Even as 1 Corinthians 13 is known as “the love chapter,” and Psalms 119 as the “meditation on the Law chapter,” our lead Bible verses are the opening “It is written”introduction of Christ’s  and the Bible’s eternally-honored HALL OF FAITH to the eyes, ears, minds, and hearts of earth’s fallen, sinful inhabitants as well as to the numberless “worlds” in God’s universe mentioned briefly in Hebrews 1: 2. Hebrews chapter 11 stands in stark contrast to all the man-made, self-serving, self-glorifying Halls of Fame of fallible mortals, and the ignominious “Halls of Shame” made up of the worst of human beings and their ignominious careers and deeds, sadly glorified in fiction and film. 

In the Bible’s Hall of Faith those whose names are mentioned as well as the unnamed ones including all who refused to “receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or in their hands” in obedience-worship to “the image of the beast” and “overcome them by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (Rev. 7: 1-17: 12: 10. 11; 14:1-5, 12, 13; 19: 7-9; 15: 2, 3; 20: 4; 21: 1-27; 22: 1-14) are forever enshrined in God’s book of life, as “nominated” and “fully vetted” by the the three Persons of the Godhead that “bear RECORD in heaven” (1 John 5:7) and are witnessed to by the “ministering spirit-angels” (both cherubim and seraphim, guardian-and-recording) that number “thousand thousands, ten thousand times ten thousand (Dan. 7: 10; Rev. 5:11, etc.), “the twenty four elders’ and the ‘four beast-living creatures’ (Rev..5:8-14; 11:16-19; 19:4; Eze. 1: 4-28). 

Their  eternally-redeemed status have been judged and finally and irrevocably determined during the pre-advent, investigative judgment session in the heavenly sanctuary solemnly announced by the first of the three angels of Revelation 14. 

With prayer and fasting, accompanied with earnest and importunate prayer for the conviction, guidance, and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, study the three angels’ messages like you never did before. Your faith in Jesus and the Bible will grow exponentially in quicker preparation for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in latter rain power for the final loud cry of the “fourth angel” of Revelation 18! 

To be continued in the next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

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Mid-week Manna

THE FAITH OF JESUS THAT BELONGS TO THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE PART 7

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

September 21

THE FAITH OF JESUS THAT BELONGS TO THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE

Part 7

“The  faith of Jesus.  It is long talked of, but not understood [in its true light and fullest sense]. What constitutes the faith of Jesus, that belongs to the third angel’s message [Rev. 14:6-12]? 

Jesus becoming our SIN-BEARER that He might become our SIN-PARDONING SAVIOR. He was treated as WE deserve to be treated. He came to our word and took OUR sins that we might take HIS righteousness. 

Faith in the ABILITY of Christ to  save us AMPLY AND FULLY AND ENTIRELY IS THE FAITH OF JESUS.” [emphasis mine].”- E. G. White, Selected Messages, Vol. 3, 1888 Messages, p. 117. 

See Gen. 4:1-16. An Offensive Offering, Sacrifice, and Worship–“The offering of Cain was an offense to God  because it was a Christ-less offering. The BURDEN of our message is NOT ONLY the commandments of God, but the FAITH OF JESUS. A bright light [of the Third Angel’s message] shines upon our pathway TODAY, and it leads to  an INCREASED FAITH in Jesus. We must receive EVERY ray of light, and WALK in it, that it might not be our condemnation in the [pre-advent Investigative] judgment. 

Our duties and obligations become MORE important as we OBTAIN more distinct views of [Present, testing] truth. Light [of present truth] makes manifest and reproves the errors that were CONCEALED in darkness [of ignorance, traditions, superstitions, and false yet popular ‘doctrines of men’]; and as light [of awakening, reproof, conviction] comes, the LIFE AND CHARACTER of men must change CORRESPONDINGLY, to be In HARMONY with it. 

Sins that were once sins of IGNORANCE, because of the blindness of the MIND, can no more INDULGED in without incurring GUILT. As increased light is given, men must be REFORMED, ELEVATED, AND REFINED by it, or they will be MORE PERVERSE AND STUBBORN than before the light came.”- Ibid, Gospel Workers, p. 162.

Apostle Paul says, “Faith works by love” (Gal. 5:6), and God’s messenger magnifies and dignifies its result: “and purifies the soul.” Indeed, the faith of Jesus working by love and grace in the heart of the humble sinner will progressively reform, elevate, and refine him in the lifetime work of sanctification, fitting him up for eternity, the “place!”

Christ went “to prepare for him” (John 14:1-3) and to dwell with angels that have never fallen! 

To be continued next MWM, God willing. NMF

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Mid-week Manna

THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH OF JESUS Part 6

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH OF JESUS Part 6

Who, does the Bible say, practices and manifests the religion of the Bible and have the faith of Jesus?

Without a shadow of doubt, it is those who, often unrecognized, despised, and ridiculed for their singularity and “peculiarity as a people, as a chosen nation, a royal priesthood and holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9), because of their own enlightened, loving, consistent, growing, and “faith that works by love” (Gal. 4:6) in the “faith of Jesus”(all that refers to Christ in the New Testament) and thus “have the Spirit of prophecy which is the Testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev.12:17; 14;12; 19:10).

The Revelation of Jesus Christ in the last book of the Bible, by way of end-time prophecy that proclaims “the EVERLASTING gospel,” distinguishes them from the rest of the Christian world in these “It is written,” “Thus saith the Lord,” definitive definitions and descriptions of who, why, and what makes them such: (All from the KJV; emphasis mine):

First, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make WAR with the REMNANT of her SEED which KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS of GOD, and HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST.” Rev. 12: 17.

Second, ( after citing the first, second, and third angels’ messages in their fixed order, verses 6-11): “Here is the patience of the SAINTS : here are THEY THAT KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and the FAITH OF JESUS.” Rev. 14:12.

Third, (read verses 1-9). John says, “And I fell at his feet [the angel revealing these prophecies to him] to WORSHIP him. And he said unto me, See thou do it NOT: [for] I am thy fellow-servant, and of THY BRETHREN that HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS: Worship God: FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.” Rev. 19:10.

Jesus, “the Word from the beginning,” Himself the God of love and law, “manifest in the flesh” in the “great mystery of godliness” in His incarnation, defined the SUM and SUBSTANCE of the true worship of the true religion of the Bible, manifested in those that have the sanctifying “faith of Jesus” through the edifying and enlightening work of the Holy Spirit in “the Testimony of Jesus in the Spirit of prophecy” in these last days, as follows:

“If you LOVE Me, KEEP [do; obey] MY COMMANDMENTS.” John 14: 15. RenderIng it even it clearer “by the word of His testimony,” rebuking all Pharisee-like naysayers, and silencing any all disputes, quibbling, controversy and confusion generated by both ignorant and willful ignorance, Jesus reiterated this sum-and-substance definition of the everlasting covenant-relationship and its conditional promises and blessings between Jesus Christ and His true apostles, disciples, and followers, in the following verse in the New Testament for all professing Christians to study and ponder upon:

“IF ye keep My commandments, ye shall ABIDE in My love, EVEN AS I have kept His [the Father’s] commandments and ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.” John 15:10.

I am sure that all who claim to be Christian, “live, move, and have their being” based exclusively on sola scriptura (as did the early church in apostolic purity), will want and do everything within their God-given talents, abilities and powers by the empowering grace dispensed by the Holy Spirit, will “make their calling and election sure” in and by ABIDING IN THE LOVE OF JESUS, “even as,” His example as the “Son of man,” in our adopted “flesh and blood nature, He abode in His Father’s love BY KEEPING the law, “magnifying it and making it honorable” (the exact opposite of ignoring, “making of none effect,” trampling upon,” disobeying, transgressing, tinkering, amending, distorting, abrogating, and the absurd and apostate teaching that it has been “done away with” by “nailing it to the cross.”

It was CHRIST, not the Law of God, that was “nailed to that shameful tree.”) This IS religion, this IS the faith of Jesus, this IS the faith of Abraham “the father of the faithful” and “friend of God,” the faith of all the named and unnamed SAINTS in the Bible’s eternal HALL OF FAITH (in contrast to the “Halls of Fame,” and ignominious “Halls of Shame” of fallen, sinful morals of corruptible flesh) preserved and immortalized in the divine ARCHIVES and revealed to the eyes of mortal man, both wicked and righteous in Hebrews chapter 11.

Dear friends, please FAST and PRAY for the awakening, conviction, conversion or re-conversion, enlightenment, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, then “roll up your sleeves,” study and store your minds with the great testing truths of the fundamental pillars and landmarks of Present, testing, sealing Truth and “work for the night is coming when man works no more” in death.

To be continued in the next MWM, God willing. NMF

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Mid-week Manna

THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH OF JESUS (Focus on the Faith of Jesus) Part 5

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
September 7

THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH OF JESUS (Focus on the Faith of Jesus) Part 5

In the context of the proclamation of the three angels’ messages (of Rev. 14: 6-12) given in these last days of earth’s history, the first immediately reveals the nature and burden of these consecutive and threefold worldwide messages (represented as “flying in the midst of heaven”), as being: worship, religion, and “the patience” of a people who “are prophetically distinctly identified as the faithful “remnant,” thus, not the mass of Christianity, because of two distinct joint-features: they “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

The sum and substance of the relationship between the Creator and man, alone created in His image and likeness, was stated simply by Christ Himself: “If you LOVE Me, KEEP [do; obey] My commandments.” (John 14:15). And loving obedience is the highest and most sublime form of worship!

Among other fundamental commands and principles the Creator laid down and declared in the beginning, uniting the indivisible union between Creator and creature, starting with Adam and Eve, “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder,” so everything following thereafter in the gospel’s plan of salvation, especially as it reaches its stupendous climax in the great controversy between Christ and Satan and their respective agencies and followers on earth, the issue is the same: it is over the immutable law of God, which is the transcript of His character, the foundation of His government in heaven and throughout the universe, and the pre eminent authority of Jesus, the Creator incarnate, over all creation, both animate and inanimate, thus, the only Redeemer and Savior of fallen mankind from the power of Satan and slavery to sin, “the transgression of the law of God Almighty, not multitudinous and changeable laws if sinful, finite, and mortal man.

These are integral parts of the Bible’s religion, the faith of Jesus, and thus the religion and faith of those designed ages as the faithful “remnant” of the last days.

Are you part of these “saints” who “worship Him who made heaven and earth” by “keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” and are in “one accord” “in spirit and in truth” with these faithful “remnant” of the last days?

Be sure to “make your calling and election sure” by “examining yourselves and proving yourselves whether you are in the faith” of the present testing truths for these last days!

To be continued next MWM, God willing. NMF