Month: November 2023

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
November 29, 2023

God’s SavingEnmity
Part 46

ONLY AUTHENTIC BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS RECEIVE DIVINE ENMITY AGAINST SIN

 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the  servant of sin.” John 8:34. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8:8, KJV. 

“In the ungenerate heart there is a LOVE OF SIN, and a disposition to cherish and excuse it. [In stark contrast] “In the renewed heart there is HATRED FOR SIN, and a determined RESISTANCE against it.

“When Christians CHOOSE the society of the ungodly and unbelieving, they EXPOSE THEMSELVES to temptation. Satan CONCEALS himself from view [a key cog in his deadly original strategy of deception as ‘the father of lies’] and stealthily draws his deceptive covering over their eyes. They CANNOT SEE that such company is calculated [by the master strategist] to do them harm; and while all the time ASSIMILATING to the world in CHARACTER, WORDS, AND ACTIONS, they are becoming more and more BLINDED.

“CONFORMITY TO WORDLY CUSTOMS CONVERTS THE CHURCH TO THE WORLD; IT NEVER CONVERTS THE WORLD TO CHRIST.

“Familiarity with sin will INEVITABLY cause it to appear LESS REPULSIVE. He who chooses to associate with the servants of Satan, will soon cease to fear their master [Satan].

“When in the way of duty [see Eccl. 12:13,14] we are brought into trial [by temptation to disobey God’s law], as was DANIEL in the king’s court, we may be sure that God will PROTECT US; but if we PLACE OURSELVES [by our self-pleasing, self-justifying choice, not by God’s commandments and leading], we shall FALL sooner of later.” – E.G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., Pacific Press Publishing Asso.(all emphasis and words in brackets supplied).

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
November 22, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 45

MAN’S VIGILANT ENEMY IS TRACKING HIM EVERY MOMENT EVERYWHERE

“By their fruits ye shall know them.” See Matt. 7: 16-20, KJV. 

Both Jesus Christ and Satan and their respective PERSONS are currently invisible to mortal eyes. (Their respective appointed times, manner, and appearance are specified in prophecy). The ascended Savior of man is still in the most holy in heaven, closing out His intercessory work as merciful High Priest and righteous Judge of all the earth. Christ’s actual Presence on earth is resident in and manifested by the invisible Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead.

On the other hand, Satan, the enemy of God and man, is “the central power on the earth,” directing and implementing his “wrathful” plans and works through his “grand masterpiece of deception” on earth called the “man of sin,” “the son of perdition” of “the mystery of iniquity.” 2 Thess. 2: 2-12, etc.

Now this:
“While men are ignorant of his devices [‘unnumbered schemes’], this VIGILANT FOE is upon their track every moment. He is intruding his presence in every department of the HOUSEHOLD, in every STREET of our cities, in the CHURCHES, in the NATIONAL COUNCILS, in the COURTS OF JUSTICE—perplexing, deceiving, seducing, everywhere ruining the souls and bodies of men, women, and children, breaking up families, SOWING hatred, emulation, strife, sedition, murder.

 “And the CHRISTIAN WORLD [mainstream Christianity] seems to regard these things as though God had appointed them, and they must exist. [one of the many ways of transgressing the second commandment of the Ten, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Exo 20: 7; Deut. 5: 11, etc. 

SATAN’S STRATEGY AGAINST GOD’S PEOPLE

“Satan is continually seeking to overcome the people of God  by BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS which separate them from the world [1 Pet. 1:9: Deut.14:2; cf. Rom. 12: 1, 2]. “Ancient ISRAEL were enticed into sin when they ventured into FORBIDDEN association with the heathen [‘Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers.’ 1 Cor. 6: 15-20; cf. James 4: 4; 1 John 2: 15-17]. 

In similar manner are MODERN ISRAEL led astray. [2 Cor. 4:4 quoted. Read!]. ALL WHO ARE NOT DECIDED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE SERVANTS OF SATAN.” -E. G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed.. p. 508, Pacific Press Asso. [all emphasis and words in brackets mine].

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

November 15, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 44

WHY GOD’S ENMITY AGAINST SATAN AND SIN SEEMS TO SLUMBER

“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” Isa. 56:10.

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

Because “The great dragon, that old serpent, Satan the Devil” knows his time is short, what does he do and continues doing?

“Satan summons all his forces, and throws all his powers to combat. [But] why is it that he meets no resistance [when God immediately ‘put enmity between him and the woman’ in Eden (Gen. 3:15)? Why are the soldiers of Christ [in the professed ‘Bible and Bible only’ Christian churches] SO SLEEPY AND INDIFFERENT? [See Isa. 56:10 above].

“Because they have [1] so little connection with Christ [even if they are fully connected with the ‘church’]; because they are [2] so destitute of His [Holy] Spirit. [3] Sin [‘the transgression of God’s law] is not to them repulsive and abhorrent, as it was to their Master [4] They do not meet it, as did Christ, with decisive and determined resistance. [5] They do not realize the exceeding evil and malignity of sin, and they are BLINDED BOTH to the CHARACTER AND POWER of the prince of darkness.

“There is LITTLE ENMITY against Satan and his works, because there is SO GREAT IGNORANCE concerning his power and malice, and the VAST EXTENT of his warfare against Christ and His [true] church. MULTITUDES ARE DELUDES HERE. They do not know that Satan is a MIGHTY GENERAL, who controls the MINDS of evil angels, and that with well-matured plans and skillful movements he is warring against Christ to PREVENT the salvation of souls [living persons].

“Among professed Christians, and even among MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, there is heard scarcely a reference to Satan, except perhaps an INCIDENTAL MENTION in the pulpit. They OVERLOOK the evidences of his continued activity and success; they NEGLECT THE MANY WARNINGS of his subtlety; they seem to IGNORE his very existence.” -E. G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 507-8. (All emphasis and bracketed words mine).

If you have been spiritually asleep in these most solemn period of earth’s history, self-confident in carnal security having been assured by popular “peace-and-safety’ messages, “now is the time to awake out of sleep” and “make your calling and election sure” “for your soul may be required of you tonite. And how will it be?”

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
November 8, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 43

HOW, WHERE, WHEN, WITH WHOM AND OVER WHAT IS THE ENMITY MANIFESTED

“And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be deprived. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:19-21, KJV. 

Thus declared Jesus Christ, who “in the beginning was the Word, was with God and was God,” verily “the Light and Life of the world,” “the only-begotten of the Father in and through whom He “created all things and upholds all things by the word of His power,” incarnate in human flesh and blood nature, the Lamb of God who alone can take away the sins of the world, the Redeemer, Savior, High Priest, Advocate, Intercessor, Mediator, and concurrently the righteous Judge of all the earth.

The image-character of Him “who is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” and “in whom is there is no variableness nor shadow of turning” being “the fulness of the Godhead bodily” is revealed “to the world, men, and angels” in the law of Him who is the “one and only Lawgiver.” This law is His everlasting covenant between Creator and creature, Savior and the eternally-saved. Deut. 4:13; Rev. 22: 14, KJV.

So why did fallen, sinful humanity of the world He created “not know Him nor His very own people, the Jewish nation of His time, refused “to receive Him,” but instead falsely accused Him to be crucified by their hated national enemies at that time—Rome of the Caesar’s? See John 1: 1-11)? Because of the difference rendered by the enmity of Gen. 3:15.

Note the following:

 “The difference between the character of Christ and the character of other men in His day was everywhere apparent and because of this difference the WORLD HATED HIM. It hated Him because of His goodness and His STRICT INTEGRITY. And Christ declared that those who manifest the SAME attributes would be LIKEWISE hated. As we NEAR the end of time this hatred for the followers of Christ will be MORE AND MORE MANIFEST. . . . 

When the light of heaven [of the present, testing truths of the gospel for the last days] rests upon us CONTINUALLY [not intermittently, sporadically, compulsively-impulsively], we shall REPRESENT Christ. It was the RIGHTEOUSNESS [‘unrighteousness is sin.’ 1 John 5:17) revealed [manifested] in His life that DISTINGUISHED [made Him ‘separate,’ ‘peculiar and distinct’] from the world and called forth its HATRED.” – E. G. White, Manuscript 97, Oct. 16. 1909; Upward Look, p. 303.

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
November 1, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 42

THE ENMITY AND WAR OF WARS OF THE COSMIC CONFLICT DESCRIBED BY THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

“And there was WAR in heaven: Michael [Christ’s title as Commander-in-Chief of the angelic army host] and His angels FOUGHT AGAINST the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found ANYMORE in heaven. And the DRAGON was cast out [of heaven], that OLD SERPENT, called the DEVIL and SATAN, which deceiveth the WHOLE WORLD: and he was cast out INTO THE EARTH, and his angels were cast out with him.” Rev. 12: 7-9. 

 “And the dragon was WROTH [angry; hated] the woman [prophetic symbol of church], and went to MAKE WAR with the REMNANT of her  [the woman’s] SEED, WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.” Rev. 12:17 (cf. Rev. 14:12; 19: 10). 

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith.” 1 Pet. 5:8, 9, KJV. 

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is ENMITY with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the ENEMY of God. . . . But He giveth MORE GRACE. Wherefore He saith, God RESISTETH the proud, but giveth grace unto HUMBLE. Submit yourselves therefore to God. RESIST THE DEVIL, and he will flee from you.” James 4: 4, 6, 7. 

“Finally, my brethren, be STRONG in the Lord, and in the POWER of His might. Put on the WHOLE ARMOR of God, that ye might be able to STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL. 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 [of our fallen, sin-cursed world!]. Wherefore take unto you the WHOLE ARMOR Of GOD, that ye might be ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore having your loins [of the mind] girt about with TRUTH and having on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS and your feet shod with the preparation of the GOSPEL of peace; ABOVE ALL, taking the shield of faith [‘the faith of Jesus.’ Rev. 14:12], wherewith ye shall be ABLE TO QUENCH  ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the SWORD OF THE [Holy] SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD [‘It is written;’ ‘Thus saith the Lord;’ ‘Unto the law and the testimony.’]. PRAYING ALWAYS [‘pray without ceasing’] with all prayer and supplication in the [Holy] Spirit, and WATCHING thereunto with ALL PERSEVERANCE and supplication for all saints.” Eph. 6: 10-18. 

“For the Word of God is quick [living], and POWERFUL, and SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD—piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a DISCERNER of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Neither is there ANY CREATURE that is not manifest in HIS SIGHT: but all things are NAKED AND OPENED unto the eyes of Him with whom WE have to do.” Heb. 4: 12, 13. 

The quoted Holy Scriptures speak for itself on this topic (emphasis mine).

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