Month: June 2026

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

June 24, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE ORIGIN OF STUBBORNESS, DISLOYALTY AND REBELLION, 

Text: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft

Stubborness is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1 Sam. 15: 23, KJV. 

We resume quoting from E. G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 edition, pp. 499-500 (all emphasis and bracketed words supplied):       

    “With one accord, Satan and his host [one third of the angelic host] threw the blame of their rebellion wholly upon Christ, declaring that if they HAD NOT BEEN REPROVED, they would never have rebelled. Thus STUBBORN and DEFIANT in their DISLOYALTY, seeking vainly to overthrow the government of God, yet blasphemously claiming themselves to be the INNOCENT VICTIMS of oppressive power, the ARCH-REBEL and all his sympathizers were at last banished from heaven. [Rev. 12: 7-9]. 

    “The SAME SPIRIT that prompted rebellion in heaven, STILL INSPIRES rebellion on earth. Satan has continued with men the same policy and strategy] which he pursued with the angels. HIS SPIRIT NOW REIGNS IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE [See Eph. 2:2; 5:6; Col. 3:6]. Like him they seek to break down the restraints of the law of God [the Decalogue], and promise men LIBERTY THROUGH TRANSGRESSION of its precepts. 

    “REPROOF OF SIN STILL AROUSES THE SPIRIT OF HATRED AND RESISTANCE. When God’s messages of warning are brought home to the CONSCIENCE, Satan leads men to justify themselves, and to seek the sympathy of others in their course of sin. [‘Misery loves company;’ ‘Birds of the same feather flock together.’]. Instead of correcting their errors, they EXCITE INDIGNATION AGAINST THE REPROVER, as if he were the sole cause of the difficulty. 

    “From the days of the righteous ABEL to our own time, SUCH IS THE SPIRIT which has been displayed toward those who DARE TO CONDEMN SIN [not the sinner!].” 

   “By the same misrepresentation of the CHARACTER OF GOD as he had practiced in heaven, causing Him [God] to be regarded as SEVERE AND TYRANNICAL, Satan induced man [Eve, then Adam] to sin. And havjng thus SUCCEEDED THUS FAR, he declared that God’s unjust restrictions had led to MAN’S FALL, as they had led to his own rebellion [in heaven].” – End extract. 

NOTE: Satan is also identified in the end as “the accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Rev. 12: 10. 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

June 17, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

HISTORY OF SATAN’S REBELLION IN HEAVEN PERPETUAL SAFEGUARD FOR ALL CREATURES THROUGHOUT ETERNITY 

Text: Ps. 193:20 “Bless the Lord, all ye His angels that excel in strength, that do His commandments, heartening to the voice of His word.” Ps. 103: 20, KJV.

We resume where we left off last week (all emphasis and bracketed words supplied): 

     “Satan’s rebellion was to be a lesson for the universe through all coming ages [the ceaseless ages of eternity future that commences at Christ’s glorious second advent], a perpetual testimony to the NATURE AND TERRIBLE RESULTS OF SIN. The  working out of Satan’s rule [his ‘kingdom of darkness’], its effects upon BOTH MAN AND ANGELS, would show what must be the FRUIT OF SETTING THE DIVINE AUTHORITY. 

   “It would testify that with the existence of God’s government and His law is bound up the WELLBEING of all the creatures He has made. 

   “Thus the history of this TERRIBLE EXPERIMENT OF REBELLION was to be a PERPETUAL SAFEGUARD to all HOLY INTELLIGENCES to prevent them from being DECEIVED as to the NATURE OF TRANSGRESSION [sin, 1 John 3: 4], and SAVE them from committing SIN and SUFFERING its punishment. [which is death. Rom. 6:23). 

    “To the very close of the controversy IN HEAVEN [not yet on earth], the great usurper [‘the father of lies and murderer from the beginning.’ John 8: 44 

continued to justify himself. When it was announced with all his sympathizers he must be EXPELLED from the abodes of bliss [Heaven is the home of angels; earth was created for man, his real home], then the rebel leader boldly avowed his CONTEMPT FOR THE CREATOR’S LAW. He reiterated his claim that ANGELS NEEDED NO CONTROL, but should be left to follow their own will [as in ‘will and self worship], which would ever guide them right.

    “He denounced the divine statutes as a RESTRICTION OF THEIR LIBERTY, and declared that it was HIS PURPOSE to secure the abolition of the law; that freed from this restraint, the HOSTS OF HEAVEN might enter upon a MORE EXALTED, MORE GLORIOUS state of existence.” (End excerpt from E.G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 edition, Pacific Press Publishing Asso., p. 499)

If the latter sounds familiar it is because they are really similar: Satan’s subtle words of deception to Eve, then Adam in their sinless state and purity of perfect innocence in Eden, were, “Ye shall be like gods, knowing good and evil.” Eve was deceived into disobeying God’s command; then she  tempted Adam, who yielded and disobeyed God. See Gen. 3: 1-7.

Both histories in heaven and Eden, the former of angels, the latter of man, are likewise “perpetual safeguards” for all mankind IF they heed its lessons without deadly delay and fatal excuses! 

To be continued next MWM by God’s will.  Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

June 10, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THAT THE WHOLE UNIVERSE MAY SEE THE MASTER DECEIVER UNMASKED 

TEXT:  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa. 55: 8, 9, KJV. 

Continuing from last week’s extract from Ellen G. White’s The Great Controversy, 1911 edition, Pacific Press Publishing, pp. 498-9 (all emphasis and bracketed words provided):

    “The discord which his own course had caused in heaven, Satan charged upon the  law and government of God. ALL EVIL he declared to be the result of the DIVINE ADMINISTRATION. He claimed that it was his own object [purpose] to IMPROVE UPON THE STATUTES [and law] OF JEHOVAH. 

    “Therefore it was necessary that he should demonstrate THE NATURE of his claims, and show the working out of his PROPOSED CHANGES to the divine law. HIS OWN WORK MUST CONDEMN HIM. Satan had claimed from the first he was NOT in rebellion. THE WHOLE UNIVERSE [not only heaven and earth] MUST SEE THE DECEIVER UNMASKED. 

    [God’s infinite wisdom and “enduring mercy” demonstrated first in heaven]: “Even when it was decided [by the heavenly council of the Godhead] that he could no longer remain in heaven, INFINITE WISDOM did not destroy Satan. Since the SERVICE OF LOVE can alone be acceptable to God, the ALLEGIANCE of His creatures must rest upon CONVICTION OF HIS JUSTICE AND BENEVOLENCE. 

    “The inhabitants of heaven [angels] and of OTHER WORLDS, being UNPREPARED TO COMPREHEND the nature or the consequences of SIN, could not then have seen the JUSTICE AND MERCY of God in the destruction of Satan. Had he been IMMEDIATELY blotted out from existence, they would have served God from FEAR, rather than from LOVE.

    “The INFLUENCE of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the SPIRIT OF REBELLION have been utterly eradicated. EVIL MUST BE PERMITTED [by God] TO COME TO MATURITY [‘filled to the brim,’ ‘full-cup’ principle]. 

     “FOR THE GOOD OF THE UNIVERSE THROUGH CEASELESS AGES, Satan must more fully develop his principles, that HIS CHARGES against the divine government might be SEEN IN ITS TRUE LIGHT BY ALL CREATED BEINGS, that the justices and mercy of God and the immutability of the His law might be FOREVER be placed beyond all question.” (End extract). 

I am stunned and humbled, unable to find words to thank God enough for revealing to fallen, sinful, finite mortals like me, such staggeringly awesome truths “from eternity past,” way before the earth and man was created! Truly “how excellent is His name (character),” and “His ways past finding out.” By such divine revelations we can, intellectually and spiritually, say in humble and hopeful confidence, “GOD IS IN CONTROL.”  For I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

June 3, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD’S PURPOSE IN HIS MYSTERIOUS DEALINGS WITH THE ‘MYSTERY OF INIQUITY’ 

TEXTS: “Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.” “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Ps. 119: 89; 19: 7, KJV. 

We resume quoting from Ellen G. White’s Great Controversy, 1911 edition, pp. 487-8 (all emphasis provided):

   “Satan had artfully presented his side of the question, employing SOPHISTRY AND FRAUD to secure his objects. His power to DECEIVE was very great, and by disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood he had gained an ADVANTAGE. Even the loyal angels could NOT FULLY DISCERN his character, or see what his WORK was leading. 

    “Satan had been so highly honored, and all his acts had been clothed in MYSTERY, that it was DIFFICULT to disclose to the angels the true nature of his work. 

    “UNTIL FULLY DEVELOPED, SIN WOULD NOT APPEAR THE EVIL IT WAS. Heretofore it had no place in the UNIVERSE of God, and HOLY BEINGS had NO CONCEPTION of its nature and malignity. THEY COULD NOT DISCERN THE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES THAT WOULD RESULT FROM SETTING ASIDE THE DIVINE LAW. 

    “Satan had, at first, concealed his work under a specious profession of LOYALTY TO GOD.  He claimed to be seeking to promote the HONOR of God, the STABILITY of His government, and the GOOD of all the inhabitants of heaven. While instilling DISCONTENT into the minds of the angels under him [one third of the angelic host], he had artfully made it appear that he was seeking to REMOVE DISSATISFACTION. 

   “When he urged that CHANGES BE MADE IN THE ORDER AND LAWS OF GOD’S GOVERNMENT, it was under the pretense that these were necessary in order to preserve HARMONY in heaven!”

NOTE: the latter reminds me of that perverted principle: “Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis.”

Translation: Create the problem; prepare the solution; control the situation. 

     “In His dealings with SIN, God could employ ONLY righteousness and truth. Satan COULD USE what God COULD NOT—flattery and deceit. He had sought to FALSIFY the word of God, and MISREPRESENTED His plan of government before the angels, claiming that God was NOT JUST IN LAYING LAWS AND RULES upon the inhabitants of heaven; that in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, He was seeking merely the EXALTATION of Himself.

    “Therefore, it must be DEMONSTRATED before the inhabitants of HEAVEN, as well as of ALL THE WORLDS, that GOD’S GOVERNMENT WAS JUST, HIS LAWS PERFECT. 

    “Satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe. [Therefore] THE TRUE CHARACTER OF THE USURPER, AND HIS REAL OBJECT, MUST BE UNDERSTOOD BY ALL. HE MUST HAVE TIME TO MANIFEST HIMSELF BY HIS WICKED WORKS.”’- End extract. 

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