Category: Mid-week Manna

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Mid-week Manna

GOD’S LAW REVEALS THE EXCLUSIVELY ALL-ENCOMPASSING, INFINITELY INEXHAUSTIBLE AND UNEQUALLED POWER OF THE GODHEAD

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

May 4, 2022

GOD’S LAW REVEALS THE EXCLUSIVELY ALL-ENCOMPASSING, INFINITELY INEXHAUSTIBLE AND UNEQUALLED POWER OF THE GODHEAD


What kind of power is this? The power of love, the power of wisdom, the power of creation, the power of redemption embodied in the comprehensive plan of redemption as taught in the sanctuary and its services, the power of His sacrificial atonement and His atoning blood shed for the remission and cleansing of sins repented of and confessed to Christ, the power of His enabling grace that is “greater than sin wherever it abounds;” the power to “overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil” in the same way Christ overcame in His incarnated human nature as “the second Adam;” the power to see the invisible by intelligent and living faith; the power to discern and understand the “deep mysteries of God” by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit in His holy Word; the power to “please God” in all that we think, say, and do while yet in the sinful fallen nature and mortal state, as Enoch (the seventh patriarch from Adam) did and was translated to heaven without tasting death; the power to “fight the battle of the Lord where champions are few; the power to “do all things” that God desires and expects of us “through Christ who strengthens us;” the power to become “living epistles seems and read by all men,” and “spectacles unto the world, men, and angels” as “new creatures” in Christ Jesus” having been amazingly “transformed by the renewing of the mind,” in the midst and in spite of overwhelming odds to the contrary; the power to think, speak, and act “in the image and likeness” of Christ’s life example through His amazing, empowering grace! 


Character is power and the Law is a Transcript of Christ’s Character.


“Apostle Paul did not represent either the moral [Ten Commandments] or the ceremonial law as MINISTERS [pastors, theologians, and Bible teachers in the Christian mainstream] in our day venture to do so. Some cherish such antipathy to the law of God that they will go out of their way to denounce and stigmatize it! Thus they despise and pour contempt on the MAJESTY AND GLORY OF GOD. 


“The moral law was NEVER a type of a shadow. If existed BEFORE man’s creation, and will endure as long as GOD’s THRONE REMAINS. God could NOT change or alter one precept of His law in order to save [fallen] man, for THE LAW IS THE FOUNDATION OF HIS GOVERNMENT. It is UNCHANGEABLE, UNALTERABLE, INFINITE, AND ETERNAL. 


“In order for man to be saved, and for the HONOR of the law to be maintained, it was necessary for the Son of God to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sin. ‘He who knew NO sin BECAME sin for us.’ He died for us on Calvary. His death shows the wonderful LOVE of God for man, and the IMMUTABILITY of His law!


“We all, with open face beholding as in a glass (or mirror) the glory of the Lord, are CHANGED into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the [Holy] Spirit of the Lord’ (2 Cor. 3:18). Christ is the sinner’s advocate. Those who accept HIS GOSPEL ‘behold Him with open face.’ [Meaning] They see the RELATION of His mission [on earth] to the law, and they acknowledge God’s wisdom and glory as revealed by the Savior. 
THE GLORY OF CHRIST IS REVEALED IN THE LAW, which is the transcript of His character and His TRANSFORMING EFFICACY is felt upon the soul UNTIL man become changed to His likeness! They are made ‘PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, and grow more and more like their Savior, ADVANCING step by step in CONFORMITY to the will of God till they reach PERFECTION [of moral character]. 


“The Law and the Gospel are in perfect harmony. Each upholds the other. In all its MAJESTY the law confronts the CONSCIENCE, causing the sinner to feel his NEED of Christ as the PROPITIATION [atonement] for his sin. The GOSPEL recognizes the POWER and immutability of the law. ‘I had not known sin, but by the law,’ Paul declares (Rom. 7:7). 


The SENSE OF SIN, URGED HOME [to the conscience] BY THE LAW, DRIVES THE SINNER TO THE SAVIOR.” (E. G. White, Vol. 1 Selected Messages, pp. 239-241. Emphasis mine).


Till next week’s MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF

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Mid-week Manna

THE LAW GIVES WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR’S NAT’S DESK:
April 27, 2022

THE LAW GIVES WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

David declared (emphasis mine: “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through Thy commandments hast made me WISER than my enemies: for they [the commandments] are ever with me. I have MORE UNDERSTANDING than all my teachers; for Thy testimonies are my meditation. I UNDERSTAND MORE than the ancients, because I keep Thy precepts.”’Ps. 119: 97-100. “Thy word is a LIGHT unto my feet and a LAMP unto my path,” verse 105.

The apostle James, defined the divine law as “the perfect law of liberty” the “royal law,”’because it is the law of Christ the King of kings, Lord of lords, and God of gods.” In the gospel plan, God exalts, magnifies, and declares His law as “the LAW OF LIBERTY” (and freedom) for all sinners who are truly repentant and fully converted, have it “written in the two tables of the heart and mind” under the terms of the New Covenant (Heb. 8: 10-12; 10:16,17; Eze. 11-19,20; 36:26, 27).

As they do the will of God as defined in His law they are freed from the condemnation and guilt of transgressing the law of God (not man) that exclusively defines SIN as “the transgression of the law” (1 John 3-4). And “the wages of sin is DEATH” (Rom. 6:23). Empowered by grace unto willing, intelligent and joyful obedience to the precept and principles of the law, they are liberated from carnal bondage to the thralldom of sin, strange obsession with the “mystery of iniquity,” and the “WISDOM that descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish”(James 3:15).that invariably results in willing slavery to the master enslaver. tyrant, and deceiver, Satan, whom Christ further described as “the murderer from the beginning and the father of lies (John 8:44).

“Adam and Eve, at their creation, had a KNOWLEDGE of the law of God; they were ACQUAINTED with it’s claims upon them; ITS PRECEPTS WERE WRITTEN UPON THEIR HEARTS. When men fell by transgression the law was NOT changed, but a REMEDIAL SYSTEM was established to bring him back to OBEDIENCE.

The promise of a Savior was given [Gen.3:15] and SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS POINTING FORWARD TO THE DEATH OF CHRIST as the great sin offering were established. But had the LAW of God never been transgressed, there would have been NO DEATH, and NO NEED OF A SAVIOR.

“Adam TAUGHT his descendants the law of God, and it was handed down from father to son for successive generations. But notwithstanding the gracious provision for man’s redemption, there were FEW that accepted it and rendered obedience. By TRANSGRESSION [of God’s law of love] the world became SO VILE that it was NECESSARY to cleanse it by the FLOOD from its corruption.

The law was PRESERVED by Noah and his family, and Noah TAUGHT his descendants the Ten Commandments. As men again departed from God, the Lord chose Abraham, of whom He declared, ‘Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, AND MY LAWS.’ Gen.26:5. To him was given the RITE OF CiRCUMCISION, which was a SIGN [seal or mark] that those who received it were devoted to the service of God,—a PLEDGE that they would remain SEPARATE from idolatry, and would OBEY THE LAW OF GOD.” E. G. White, Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 363.

As long as the patriarchs faithfully preserved God’s law by obedience and instructed their descendants to do the same, the KNOWLEDGE of God, His righteous character and His plan of redemption became their WISDOM, which was far greater than the combined wisdom of the wisest men of their respective generations. The same is true, but in a cumulative degree and sense, for the faithful remnant of the final generation!

Till next week’s MWM, God willing. Bless all. NMF

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Mid-week Manna

LOVELESS LAW EQUALS LAWLESS LOVE

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
April 20, 2022

LOVELESS LAW EQUALS LAWLESS LOVE

Earth is the only inhabited planet in rebellion. In a parable it is symbolized as the “one lost sheep” whom the good shepherd went in search for in the dark and dangerous places at the risk of his life, leaving the ninety nine sheep in the safety of the fold. Matt. 18:12-14; Luke 15: 3-7.

In God’s kingdom in heaven and throughout the endless expanse of the universe,the unfallen worlds (Heb. 1: 1-3) and its sinless inhabitants “live, move, and have their being” in freewill freedom, license-less liberty (the opposite of licentious liberty) liberating love, perfect peace, unalloyed happiness, uninterrupted unity, and flawless harmony—-all adoringly worship in praise and thanksgiving to the one and only God Creator, on the only day He blessed, sanctified and set aside exclusively for this weekly purpose, “in spirit and truth.”

All because all are of “one heart, one mind, and one spirit (or attitude). And all are voluntarily, willingly, and spontaneously “compelled” in their hearts by Christ’s indwelling LOVE and infilling Spirit, to love God first with “all their heart, all their mind, all their soul, and all their strength (or might),” and then like the first, their eternal “neighbors as themselves.” In thought, word, and deed, this indeed is “love divine, love excelling.”

Only Paul among all of Christ’s first disciples and apostles, was granted the exclusive privilege of being “taken up in vision to heaven, verily the third heavens, paradise itself, and heard words that cannot be lawfully spoken on earth (see 2 Cor. 12: 1-10). With this kind of highly advanced experience came corresponding far deeper spiritual insights (and greater responsibilities and accountability, of course).

Thus, on the subjects of love anrd law (and others as well) Paul brought forth profound spiritual insights and deep eternal truths connected with each. On LOVE, called “charity” in the KJV, the apostle elucidates on it in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 like none of the other Bible writers did. Read and contemplate upon it in comparison with David’s Psalms 119, and you will be impressed to see and learn how God’s perfect love and His perfect law intersect and intertwine with each other, forming a perfect tapestry of the spiritual seven colors of the rainbow “surrounding God’s great white throne,” which is also the material foundation of the “robe of righteousness” and “fine, white linen of the saints,” the “wedding garment” that all must have who will sit down with the Bridegroom at the “wedding supper of the Lamb.”

This, and infinitely more, describes the “place” that Christ went “to prepare” for His faithful followers through the ages. John 14: 1-3. Our only fair share of work, as “co-laborers with God,” is to love Jesus by keeping and obeying all His commandments in its most comprehensive spiritual sense by His empowering grace imparted through the Holy Spirit. Only thus can we truthfully and honestly say, “I can [and will] do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Without His law, love becomes lawless; lawlessness, strife, perversion, bloodshed and wretched lives and death reigns. Without His love, His law is made an abomination by apostates who replace and counterfeit it with their own man-made religious laws which they use to enforce worship and exact allegiance and obeisance to these counterfeit laws, denying the individual his sacred God-given right and freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience only.

Until next week’s MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

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Mid-week Manna

THE LAW OF LOVE: TRANSCRIPT OF GOD’S CHARACTER

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
April 13, 2022

THE LAW OF LOVE: TRANSCRIPT OF GOD’S CHARACTER

Sharing the top of the list of Christ’s gospel mission on earth, fallen in sin, the transgression of His law of love, Isaiah the gospel prophet, announced: “The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will MAGNIFY THE LAW and make it honorable” (Isa. 42: 21, KJV. Be sure to read verses 1-22 for fuller context).

When Jesus who saves His people FROM sin, is “Emmanuel, being interpreted, GOD with us” (Matt. 1: 21, 24), the “Word made flesh,” John 1:14, etc.), is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” for “He changest not” and “His word is forever settled in heavens” was asked the question by one of the scribes, “Which is the FIRST COMMANDMENT (or law) of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is ONE Lord. And thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind, and with all thy strength (or might); this is the FIRST commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment (or law) greater than these [the first and second].”Mark 12: 28-31.
Jesus simply quoted Moses through whom He spoke through centuries earlier See Deut. 6: 4.

This clearly tells us that God’s love is mirrored and reflected in His law, which is the written transcript of His character of love. Jesus’ familiar declaration is, “If you LOVE Me, keep My commandments (or law of Ten Commandments).” John 14:15.

Apostle Paul faithfully repeated this unchanging truth in these words: “LOVE is the FULFILLING of the LAW.” Rom. 13: 10, last part, Verses 8, 9 refers to last six commandments of the Decalogue which defines our love and duty to our “neighbor,” or fellow men.”

Therefore the mirror image of Rom. 13: 10, according to the spirit and the context is, “Fulfilling the law is love [for God and our fellow men]. The “first of all the commandments,”’ is of course the FIRST four commandments which clearly defines and specifies HOW and in WHAT ways God expects us to LOVE HIM. It is His will and way, not ours. In divine things, we can obey without loving but we cannot love without obeying.

In His gospel message and work, which He revealed to Paul (and all the disciples and apostles) Christ came in order to “MAGNIFY the LAW and make it honorable” (Isa. 42: 22), the word “fulfill” the law is practically the same as “magnify” the law, and since God is love, and His law is love, it can be said without doing violence to the sacred truth that Christ also came “to magnify the Father’s love and make it honorable” for Satan and law-breaking “ungodly men” had cheapened, corrupted, and made it “dishonorable,” turning His divine love and empowering, grace “into lasciviousness” (Jude 4).

“Fulfill” in Matt. 3:15 is translated from the Greek word “pleroo,” meaning “makes replete,” as in cram; furnish, imbue.” In Isa. 42:21 the word “magnify” is translated from the Hebrew “gadal,” meaning “to make large in various senses, as in body, mind, estate of honor; also, in pride; to advance, bring up, exceed, excellent, wax great,” (From Strong’s Hebrew and Greek lexicons).

Till next week’s MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

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Mid-week Manna

GOD IS LOVE: SO IS HIS LAW

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
April 6, 2022

GOD IS LOVE: SO IS HIS LAW

Among many others of original precept and principle in the Sacred Word, the following few attest to this eternal truth: God is Love, so is His Law.
First, petition the throne of grace for the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then read from your Bibles (preferably the KJV) the following:
1 John 4: 7, 8. 16. Speaking through David of Himself, Christ declared (emphasis mine): “O how I LOVE THY LAW! It is My meditation all the day.” Ps. 119: 97. The invisible God the Father of love is revealed in His visible (readable) written Word but more so in His visible “only-begotten Son” “by whom the worlds were created by Him and FOR Him” (Col.1: 16, 17; cf. John 1: 1-3, 10; Heb. 1: 1-3, 8, 9, etc.).

Of Christ Jesus, “the EXPRESS IMAGE of the glory of the presence” of the INVISIBLE Father of LOVE, life, light, and truth John declares: “That which was from the beginning, which we have HEARD, which we have SEEN with our own eyes, which we LOOKED UPON, and OUR HANDS HAVE HANDLED, of the Word of life”(1 John 1:1).

The reason why HATRED is worsening in the world in all its myriad forms and expressions whether unfeigned, overtly expressed, or physically demonstrated aggressively or is sly, suggestive, or implied but just as virulent, evil, corrosive, and destructive, is because the LOVE of God, who hates all evil and unrighteousness, including hatred for His law which enjoins love for our fellow men and fellow sinners is because God’s love does not abide and control the heart and mind (as was the experience and thus the expression of John and his fellow disciples!).

And in eternal things, there exists no void of neutral grounds. There are only two masters in this fallen, sinful world: Christ the Savior of mankind and Redeemer of the world He created, or Satan the master usurper, pretender, deceiver, “the enemy of God and man” and destroyer of souls.

By the knowledge and light of truth made available to us individually during our conscious and rational lifetime, as free moral agents, we choose whom we worship and serve (obedience
is the highest form of worship) whether God in Christ unto eternal life, or Satan, pretending to be God or Christ through his main agencies, unto eternal death.

The reason why LAWLESSNESS, which invariably breeds and results in all manner and degrees of disruptive disunity, confusion, unbridled passions, gross intemperance, mayhem, anarchy, revolts, bloodshed, pain, suffering, and death is because the LAW of God has been, for so long derided, trampled upon underfoot, called a “burden” and a “curse” and then blasphemously replaced by counterfeit, man-made religious laws by the apostate churches and denominations and blindly embraced by their sincere yet gullible votaries and adherents who have been taught from childhood to implicitly trust their religious leaders, honor the decretals of church councils, venerated traditions and long-held superstitions over the “Thus saith the Lord,” and “It is written” of the the sacred Bible.

Until next week’s MWM, God bless all, NMF.