Month: February 2026

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

February 25, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

IT IS LAWFUL TO RENDER TRIBUTE TO CAESAR

   “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute due; custom to whom custom [is due]; fear to whom fear [is due]; honor to whom honor [is due]. Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Rom. 13: 7, &, KJV. 

The true and faithful disciples and followers of Jesus Christ—God’s law-abiding Christians—have clearly-defined, separate duties to ‘church’ and to ‘state.’ 

In today’s mid-week “Manna,”we shall first consider what Christ and His apostles taught regarding “tax paying tribute to Caesar” or tax returns. Prayerfully read the following Scriptures on your Bibles: Matt. 22: 15-22; Mark 12: 12-17; Luke 20: 19-26; Rom. 13: 1-8; preferably the KJV, then, RSV. 

Now these (all emphases, bracketed words provided): 

    “The ‘taxing’ of Luke 2:2 (KJV), is a rendering of the Greek ‘apographe,’ ‘registration,’ ‘census.’ Doubtless the registration of names and of property was also the basis for the LEVY of a property tax. Levi Matthew, a Jewish tax collector (see Publican) under Roman appointment, was called by Christ to be a disciple (Matt. 9:9; Luke 5: 27). 

Christ disapproved the general practice of EXTORTING amounts ABOVE THE OFFICIAL TAX (see Luke 3: 12, 13), yet earned the reputation of ‘a friend of tax collectors’ (Matt. 11: 19, RSV; cf. ch. 9:10-13). When asked whether it was LAWFUL to pay taxes (see RSV) to CAESAR, JESUS ENDORSED the practice, BUT USED THE OPPORTUNITY to enjoin the fulfillment of THE OBLIGATION  TOWARD GOD, thus setting forth the CHRISTIAN’S SEPARATE DUTIES TO CHURCH AND TO STATE. (Matt. 22: 15-22).” – SDA Bible Dictionary Complete with Atlas, Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 8, Review & Herald, WA D.C., 1960, entry ‘Taxes,’ p. 1067

TRIBUTE. “In general, forced contributions of money, goods, or labor to be made at stated times by a SUBJECT PEOPLE TO THE RULER by whom they are conquered and are under whose suzerainty they live. MOSES instructed Israel (Deut. 20:11) concerning the placing of other nations under ‘tribute’ (the Hebrew ‘mas’ ‘forced labor,’ is commonly rendered ‘tribute’ in the KJV. Gen. 49:15; Judges 1:28; 1 Kings 4:6, etc.).

    “A ‘tribute’ of a spoil captured by the army was to be given to the Lord (Num. 31: 28-30). 

    “The Israelites paid tribute at various times to Moab (Jgs. 3:15, RSV), Egypt (2 Kings 25:33; 2 Chron. 36: 3, RSV), Assyria (2 Kings 17:3; 2 Chron. 28:21, RSV), and Persia (Est. 10:1, etc.). 

    “Taxes were always heaviest at times in times of emergency, did the MILITARY campaigns of kings [or ‘kingly powers’] and emperors were FINANCED BY SUBJECT PEOPLES. 

    “Xerxes (Ahasuerus) king of Persia distinguished himself as a great raiser of tributes (see Est. 10:1). His disastrous campaign against Greece necessitated increases burdens on those he ruled (see Dan. 11:2). In Ezra’s time the Jews were still under tribute to Persia [modern-day Iran] (Ezra 4:13).

    “Paul counseled CHRISTIANS  to pay ‘phoros,’ ‘tribute,’ ‘TAXES,’ to the civil government. (Rom. 13: 6, 7).” – Ibid, p. 1110. 

God’s appointed way, “It is written,” “Thus saith the Lord,” “To the law and the testimony,” is always the best way for it is the “way of righteousness.” 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

February 18, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

SEEK THE PEACE OF THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU LIVE

Omniscient, omnipotent, and all-merciful God is in full control of the rise and fall of the nations and their final destinies—from the first and most glorious of the world empires, Nebuchadnezzar’s neo-Babylonia—to the final antitypical global spiritual “Babylon the great” described in Revelation chapters 13, 17, and 18! 

The only wise and safe way for any and all of fallen mankind, from the least of men to the mightiest of the “great men and kings of the earth,” is to simply exercise faith, trust and obey God’s plan, fulfill His revealed will and purposes and heed all His counsels as declared by His chosen prophets and messengers. He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

None need fear the forebodings future except he chooses sinful ignorance of God’s recorded dealings, or carelessly “forgets how He has led in the past,” that is, from Old Testament times! 

Thus, “It is written” in Jeremiah 29: 1, 5-7, KJV (all emphasis mine): 

    “Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue [remnant] of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people to whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive to Babylon.  . . . Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sins, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY wither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and PRAY UNTO THE LORD FOR IT: FOR IN THE PEACE THEREOF SHALL YE HAVE PEACE.” (end quote from the KJV Bible. 

(Next week: God’s Word says it is lawful to “pay tribute to Caesar,” or pay taxes). 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

February 11, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD CALLS EVEN HEATHEN NATIONS ‘HIS SERVANTS’ TO DO HIS WILL BUT ALSO ARE PUNISHED FOR WICKEDNESS

     God Almighty is “no respecter of persons,” that is, “all nations are of one blood,” “whether Jew, Greek, or Gentile”, “all have sinned and come short of the glory [character] of God;” therefore, “all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”

     “God is love” and “His mercy endureth forever” but equally true is that “He will in no wise clear the guilty” for “He loveth righteousness but hateth iniquity.” God loves the sinner with perfect love and hates sin with perfect hatred. He died to “save” the sinner, yes, “His people from,” not in “their sins”-the meaning of His name, Jesus. (Matt. 1: 21). 

So, in the rise and fall of empires, kingdoms, and nations,  depicted in type and antitype of the shared and interlinked histories of the prophetically-relevant nations of the earth and God’s own spiritual kingdom,

the “weeping prophet” declared God’s edict, then verdict upon ancient Babylon—the type of the antitypical end-time spiritual Babylon of Daniel and the Revelation. 

Thus we read from JEREMIAH CHAPTER 25 KJV), written about  606 B. C. (all emphasis mine): 

     “The word came to Jeremiah concerning ALL THE PEOPLE

OF JUDAH in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.” verse 1. 

Then verses 9-11 says: 

     “Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, MY SERVANT, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against ALL THE NATIONS round about, and will UTTERLY DESTROY THEM, AND MAKE THEM AN ASTONISHMENT, and AN HISSING, and PERPETUAL DESOLATIONS. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And the whole land will be a DESOLATION AND AN ASTONISHMENT; and these NATIONS shall serve the king of Babylon SEVENTY YEARS.” 9-11. 

Then follows what God declared and did to Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian empire after the seventy years!:

    “And it shall come to pass, when the seventy years are accomplished, that I WILL PUNISH THE KING OF BABYLON and that nation, saith the Lord, FOR THEIR INIQUITY, and the land of the Chaldeans, and make it a PERPETUAL DESOLATIONS. And I will bring upon that land ALL MY WORDS WHICH I HAVE PRONOUNCED AGAINST IT, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied AGAINST ALL NATIONS [both backsliding, rebellious Judah and heathen Babylon!] verses 9-13. Read also chapter 50: 11-20. 

Remember these when we address the amazing 70-week (490 year) prophecy of Daniel 9: 24-27. Prophecy reveals how God is in full control of the affairs of the nations of the earth from the beginning to its rapidly-approaching stupendous climax! 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

February 4, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD IS IN CONTROL: HE USES ONE NATION TO PUNISH OTHER NATIONS 

Babylon punishes Egypt. Be sure to read first from your Bibles (KJV recommended) Ezekiel 29: 1-16. 

Now follows verses 17-20 (all emphasis mine):

    v 17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 

    v 18 Son of man, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, KING OF BABYLON caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it. [see Jer. 27: 1-22]. 

    v 19 Therefore thus sainthood the Lord God; I WILL GIVE THE LAND OF EGYPT UNTO NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF BABYLON; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall bethe wages of his army.

   v 20 I [God] have given him [Nebuchadnezzar] the land of Egypt for his labor wherewith he served against it, because THEY WROUGHT FOR ME, saith the Lord God.”

God calls even heathen and non-Christian nations as His “servants” to do His bidding and carry out His divine purposes! Read Jeremiah 25: 9-11; 50: 11-20.

The leaders of all the nations of the world, and those who voted them into their positions of power should ever remember these: 

     “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the PEOPLE whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.” Ps. 33: 12. 

     “Righteousness EXALTETH a nation: but sin is a REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE.” Prov. 14: 34. 

And what is sin? “The transgression of God’s law (1 John 3: 4). It is God’s covenant law of Ten Commandments (Deut. 4:13). To break or transgress any one of the Ten is to break all for it is a unit! “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10).

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