Month: August 2026

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 26, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

 LAW OF LOVE: BASIS OF TRUE EDUCATION OF MAN 

Scripture text: 

   “Then one of them [the Pharisees], which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting (testing) Him, and saying, Master, which is the GREAT COMMANDMENT in the law? Jesus said unto him, 

The first and great commandment is, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength (might), and with all thy mind.” Luke 10: 27, KJV.

Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt LOVE THE LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE THY NEIGHBOR as thyself. ON THESE TWO HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.” Matt. 22: 35-40, KJV. 

Continuing from last week’s extract from her book Education, p. 16, E.G. White wrote (all emphases and bracketed words provided):

“Love, the basis of creation and redemption, is the basis of true education. This is made plain in the law that God has given as the GUIDE OF LIFE. The first and great commandment is, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy strength [might], and with ALL thy mind.” Luke 10: 27, KJV. 

   “To love Him, the Infinite, Omniscient One, with the whole strength, and mind, and heart, means the HIGHEST DEVELOPMENT of every power. It means that in the WHOLE BEING—the BODY, the MIND, as well as the SOUL—the image of God is to be RESTORED. 

    “Like the first is the second commandment—‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Matt. 22: 39. THE LAW OF LOVE calls for the devotion of body, mind, and soul to the service of God and our fellow men. And this service, while making us a blessing to OTHERS, brings the GREATEST blessings to ourselves. 

    “UNSELFISHNESS UNDERLIES ALL TRUE DEVELOPMENT. 

    Through unselfish service we receive the HIGHEST CULTURE of every faculty. More and more fully do we become PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE. We are FITTED FOR HEAVEN, for we receive heaven INTO our hearts.” (End of extract) 

Dear friend, ponder upon this precious Bible truth regarding true education! Are we willing to learn as students in the school of Christ, the Master “Teacher sent from God” that prepares and fits us up for His eternal kingdom of glory? 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 19, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE DIVINE PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLE OF EDUCATION OF MAN IN HIS CREATION THEN REDEMPTION  

Text: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Gen. 1: 27, KJV

Ellen G. White is “reputed to be the most translated woman author and the most translated author in American history. For eg. her little book, Steps to Christ, is available in more than 100 languages.” The following is an extract from her book, Education, subtitle, The Source and Aim of True Education, pp. 15, 16 (all emphasis and bracketed words supplied):

   “In order to understand what is comprehended in education, we need to consider both the NATURE of man and the PURPOSE of God in creating him. We need to consider also the CHANGE in man’s condition through the coming in of the ‘knowledge of evil’ [cf. Gen. 2: 9, 17; 3: 1-24], and GOD’S PLAN for still fulfilling HIS GLORIOUS PURPOSE IN THE EDUCATION of the human race.

    “When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a LIKENESS to His Maker. ‘God created man in His image’ (Gen. 1: 27) and it was HIS PURPOSE that the longer man lived the more fully he should REVEAL THIS IMAGE—-the more fully REFLECT THE GLORY of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were to continually INCREASE. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened for their RESEARCH. The MYSTERIES of the visible UNIVERSE the wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge’ (Job 37: 16)—invited man’s study. 

    “Face-to-face, heart-to-heart COMMUNION with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained LOYAL to God, all this would have been his FOREVER. Throughout eternal ages he would have continued to GAIN NEW TREASURES OF KNOWLEDGE, to discover FRESH SPRINGS OF HAPPINESS, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the WISDOM, the POWER, and the LOVE of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled THE OBJECT OF HIS CREATION, more and more fully have REFLECTED the Creator’s glory. 

THE FALL IN EDEN:

   “But by DISOBEDIENCE this was FORFEITED. Through sin the divine likeness was MARRED, and well-nigh obliterated. Man’s PHYSICAL powers were weakened, his MENTAL capacity was lessened, his SPIRITUAL VISION dimmed. He had become subject to DEATH. Yet the [human] race was not left without hope. 

   “By infinite love and mercy the PLAN OF SALVATION had been devised, and a LIFE OF PROBATION was granted to RESTORE in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the PERFECTION in which he was created, to promote the development of BODY, MIND, AND SOUL, that the DIVINE PURPOSE FOR HIS CREATION MIGHT BE REALIZED—this was to be the work of redemption. 

   “This is the OBJECT OF EDUCATION, the GREAT OBJECT OF LIFE.” (End of extract). 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 12, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE HIGHEST PURPOSE OF TRUE EDUCATION

We begin this mini series on education with these Scriptures as the foundation. Read them carefully and prayerfully: 

    “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide My commandments with thee; so that thou wilt incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for his treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant to thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.” Proverbs 2:1-11, KJV. 

     “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above if first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is down in peace of them that make peace.” James 3: 13-18, KJV. 

    “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness (cf v 1:20). And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (cf. Ps. 94: 11).” 1 Cor. 3: 17-20, KJV.

By mortal man’s fallible and ever-shifting standards and value systems, education is often equated with the means of achieving three general pursuits and goals in life: financial and economic security, social mobility, and prestige. Intrinsically, all these are temporal in nature. 

But where eternal realities are concerned, true education has a far different goal and purpose, much higher, more sublime and transcendental its and temporal counterpart. 

We shall focus on the latter for it is a vital part of preparing “for the inheritance of the saints in light.”

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 5, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT REVEALS GOD’S FATHOMLESS LOVE AND INFINITE WISDOM TO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE (How & Why ‘Calvary is the Tipping Point’ of Eternity Past and Eternity Future) 

We resume from last week’s MWM and conclude the full extract here (with all emphasis and bracketed words provided):

    “In the final execution of the judgment [conducted in heaven during the millenium, commencing  after Christ’s glorious second advent to raise “the dead in Christ”

in ‘the resurrection of the just’] it will be seen that no cause for sin exists. 

    “When [Christ] the Judge of all the earth shall demand of Satan, ‘WHY HAST THOU REBELLED AGAINST ME, AND ROBBED ME OF THE SUBJECTS OF MY KINGDOM?’ the originator of evil can render no excuse. Every mouth [of fallen angels a wicked men] will be stopped, and all the HOSTS of rebellion will be speechless. 

    “The CROSS OF CALVARY, while it declares the law immutable, PROCLAIMS TO THE UNIVERSE that the wages of sin is death. 

    “In the Savior’s expiring cry, ‘IT IS FINISHED,’ THE DEATH KNELL OF SATAN WAS RUNG [!] The great controversy which has been so long on progress [only 6,000 years and no more] was then decided, and the FINAL ERADICATION OF EVIL was made certain [at Calvary’s cross!]. 

   “The Son of God PASSED THROUGH THE PORTALS OF THE TOMB, ‘that THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM that had the power of death, that is, THE DEVIL.’ (Heb. 2: 14, KJV). 

    “Lucifer’s desire for SELF EXALTATION had led him to say, ‘I will exalt MY THRONE above the stars of God [the angelic host of heaven]. . . . I will be LIKE the Most High.’ God declares, ‘I will bring thee to ASHES upon the earth. . . . and NEVER shalt thou be anymore.’ (Isa. 14: 13, 14; Eze. 28: 18, 19). 

    “When ‘THE DAY cometh, that shall BURN as an oven. . . . all the PROUD, yea, and all that DO WICKEDLY, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them NEITHER root nor branch.’ (Mal. 4:1). 

    “The WHOLE UNIVERSE will have become WITNESSES TO THE NATURE AND RESULTS OF SIN. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought FEAR TO THE ANGELS and DISHONOR TO GOD, will now VINDICATE HIS LOVE AND ESTABLISH HIS HONOR before the universe of beings who delight to DO His will, and in whose HEART is His law. 

   “NEVER will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God, ‘Affliction shall not rise up the second time’ (Nahum 1:9). The LAW OF GOD, which Satan has reproached as the law of bondage, will be honored as the LAW OF LIBERTY. 

    “A TESTED AND PROVED CREATION will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose CHARACTER has been FULLY MANIFESTED before them as FATHOMLESS LOVE and INFINITE WISDOM.”

—-End of extract of ‘The Origin of Evil,’ chap. 29, The Great Controversy, pp. 503-4, 1911 edition by Ellen G. White, Pacific Press Publishing Association. 

My only desire and prayer is that all, discarding any preconceived ideas and prejudices, will thoroughly  examine and prove its truthfulness by obtaining and reading for themselves the books cited and all the Bible verses provided therein. Thusly, I humbly yet confidently, commit you to the comfort, guidance, and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and ministry of the holy angels.

Till next MWM, God willing.  Bless all, NMF.