Category: Mid-week Manna

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

March 4, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD’S PURPOSE IN NATIONS (WHY JESUS SANCTIONED ‘PAYING TAXES TO ROME’ IN HIS TIME Part 2) 

See Matt. 22: 15-22; Mark 12: 13-17; Luke 20. 20-26, KJV 

Now follows extract from the inspired pen of Ellen G. White providing spiritual clarity on the subject (all emphasis provided): 

BACKGROUND. In Christ’s time the Pharisees formed one of three groups in the Sanhedrin; the other two being the Sadducees and Herodians. Historically, in the “religious spectrum” of New Testament Judaism, the Sadducees were the “liberals,” and the Pharisees, the “conservatives,” who stressed ‘separation from the world and its defilements’ through ‘righteousness by their works.’ The least of the three, the Herodians, were thought to be ‘Herod’s soldiers,’ according to Jerome; ‘court officials of Herod,’ by other commentators.    

Now follows an enlightening extract, providing spiritual and practical clarity for all, from the inspired pen of Ellen G. White: 

     “The Pharisees and Herodians had been bitter enemies, but they were now in enmity to Christ. The Pharisees had ever chafed under the exaction of tribute by the Romans. The payment of tribute (civil taxes) they held to be CONTRARY TO THE LAW OF GOD. 

     “Now they saw an opportunity to lay a snare for Jesus. Their spies came to Him, and with apparent sincerity, as though desiring to know their DUTY, said, ‘Master, we know that Thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest Thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: is it LAWFUL for us to GIVE TRIBUTE TO CAESAR, or no?’ 

     “The words, ‘We know that Thou sayest and teachest rightly,’ had they been SINCERE, would have been a wonderful admission. But they were spoken to DECEIVE; nevertheless their testimony was true. The Pharisees did know that Christ said and taught rightly [all in truth and righteousness]. 

    “Those who put the question to Jesus THOUGHT they had sufficiently disguised their PURPOSE; but Jesus read their hearts as an OPEN BOOK, and sounded their HYPOCRISY. ‘Why tempt ye Me?’ He said; thus giving them a SIGN they had not asked, by showing that He read their HIDDEN purpose. 

    “They were still more confused when He added, ‘Show Me a penny.’ They brought it, and He asked them, ‘Whose image and superscription has it?’ They answered and said, Caesar’s.’ Pointing to the INSCRIPTION ON THE COIN, Jesus said, ‘Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God that things that are God’s.’ 

    “The spies had EXPECTED Jesus to answer their question directly, IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. If He should say, It is UNLAWFUL to give tribute to Caesar, He would be reported to the ROMAN authorities and arrested for inciting REBELLION. 

    “But in case He would pronounce it LAWFUL to pay the tribute, they designed to accuse Him before the PEOPLE as opposing the law of God. . . .

    “Christ’s reply was no evasion, but a candid answer to the question. Holding in His hand the Roman coin, upon which were stamped the name and image of Caesar, He declared that since they were LIVING UNDER THE PROTECTION of the Roman power, they SHOULD RENDER to that power the support it claimed, SO LONG AS THIS DID NOT CONFLICT WITH A HIGHER DUTY. But while PEACEABLY SUBJECT to the laws of the land [or nation], they should at all times give their FIRST ALLEGIANCE TO GOD.

     “The Savior’s words, ‘RENDER. . . UNTO GOD the things that are God’s,’ were a SEVERE REBUKE TO THE INTRIGUING JEWS. [Here’s how and why:]. “Had they faithfully fulfilled their obligations to God, they would NOT HAVE BECOME A BROKEN NATION, SUBJECT TO A FOREIGN [and malign] POWER. No Roman ensign would have waved over JERUSALEM, no Roman sentinel  would have stood at her gates, no ROMAN GOVERNOR would have ruled within her walls. THE JEWISH NATION WAS THEN PAYING THE PENALTY OF ITS APOSTASY FROM GOD. 

     “When the Pharisees heard Christ’s answer, ‘they marveled, and left Him, and went their way.’ He had rebuked their HYPOCRISY AND PRESUMPTION, and in doing this, He had stated A GREAT PRINCIPLE, A PRINCIPLE THAT CLEARLY DEFINES THE LIMITS OF MAN’S DUTY TO THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT AND HIS DUTY TO GOD. 

     “In many minds a vexed question had been settled. Ever after they had held to the right principle. [Righteousness is also ‘right doing]. And although many went away DISSATISFIED, they saw that the PRINCIPLE UNDERLYING the question had been CLEARLY set forth, and they marveled at Christ’s FAR-SEEING discernment [down to our very time, up to the stupendous culmination of Bible’s prophecies regarding the kingdoms and nations of the fallen earth].” From The Desire of Ages, April,1950 ed., Pacific Press Publishing Asso., pp. 601-3. 

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

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.

GOD WATCHES OVER THE NATIONS! 

January 28, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD WATCHES OVER THE NATIONS! 

If only the “great men and kings of the earth”, the so-called “shakers and movers”, architects and shapers of the destiny of the global world order, would find precious, dwindling time to search and understand God’s Word and examine their own hearts, lives, and true ambitions! 

For proper context, plead for the Holy Spirit, then read Dan. 4: 1-12 first on your Bibles, KJV or RSV preferred. 

Now follows verses 13-17 (emphasis mine): 

    “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a WATCHER AND HOLY ONE came down from heaven; and He cried aloud, and said thus, HEW DOWN the tree and, and CUT OFF his branches, SHAKE OFF his leaves, and SCATTER his fruit: let the BEASTS get away from under it, and the FOWLS from its branches;

     “Nevertheless LEAVE THE STUMP of his roots in the earth, even with a BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and LET HIS PORTION BE WITH the BEASTS in the grass of the earth;

    “LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN’S, AND LET A BEAST’S HEART BE GIVEN UNTO HIM, AND LET SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM. 

    “This matter is BY THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS, and THE DEMAND BY THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONES: TO THE INTENT THAT THE LIVING MAY KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL[s], and SETTETH UP OVER IT THE BASEST OF MEN” (end of Scripture text). 

Now this magnification from inspired pen of God’s messenger:

    PK 536-7: “The history of nations speaks to us today. To EVERY NATION and every individual GOD HAS ASSIGNED A PLACE IN HIS GREAT PLAN. Today men and NATIONS ARE BEING TESTED BY THE PLUMMET in the hand of Him who makes no mistake. ALL ARE BY THEIR OWN CHOICES [individuals and nations] DECIDING THEIR DESTINY, and God is OVERRIDING ALL for the accomplishment of HIS PURPOSES. 

    “The prophecies which the Great I AM has given in His Word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to the eternity in the future, TELL US WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THE PROCESSION OF THE AGES, and what may be expected in the time to come! 

    “All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, UNTIL THE PRESENT TIME, has been traced in the pages of HISTORY, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be FULFILLED IN ITS ORDER.” – E. G. White, Prophets & Kings, Pacific Press Publishing, 1943, p. 536. 

This is an urgent Present, testing Truth of the end-time Gospel Christ’s kingdom of righteousness for both individuals and nations who profess Christianity! 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

January 28, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD WATCHES OVER THE NATIONS! 

If only the “great men and kings of the earth”, the so-called “shakers and movers”, architects and shapers of the destiny of the global world order, would find precious, dwindling time to search and understand God’s Word and examine their own hearts, lives, and true ambitions! 

For proper context, plead for the Holy Spirit, then read Dan. 4: 1-12 first on your Bibles, KJV or RSV preferred. 

Now follows verses 13-17 (emphasis mine): 

    “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a WATCHER AND HOLY ONE came down from heaven; and He cried aloud, and said thus, HEW DOWN the tree and, and CUT OFF his branches, SHAKE OFF his leaves, and SCATTER his fruit: let the BEASTS get away from under it, and the FOWLS from its branches;

     “Nevertheless LEAVE THE STUMP of his roots in the earth, even with a BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and LET HIS PORTION BE WITH the BEASTS in the grass of the earth;

    “LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN’S, AND LET A BEAST’S HEART BE GIVEN UNTO HIM, AND LET SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM. 

    “This matter is BY THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS, and THE DEMAND BY THE WORD OF THE HOLY ONES: TO THE INTENT THAT THE LIVING MAY KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL[s], and SETTETH UP OVER IT THE BASEST OF MEN” (end of Scripture text). 

Now this magnification from inspired pen of God’s messenger:

    PK 536-7: “The history of nations speaks to us today. To EVERY NATION and every individual GOD HAS ASSIGNED A PLACE IN HIS GREAT PLAN. Today men and NATIONS ARE BEING TESTED BY THE PLUMMET in the hand of Him who makes no mistake. ALL ARE BY THEIR OWN CHOICES [individuals and nations] DECIDING THEIR DESTINY, and God is OVERRIDING ALL for the accomplishment of HIS PURPOSES. 

    “The prophecies which the Great I AM has given in His Word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to the eternity in the future, TELL US WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THE PROCESSION OF THE AGES, and what may be expected in the time to come! 

    “All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, UNTIL THE PRESENT TIME, has been traced in the pages of HISTORY, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be FULFILLED IN ITS ORDER.” – E. G. White, Prophets & Kings, Pacific Press Publishing, 1943, p. 536. 

This is an urgent Present, testing Truth of the end-time Gospel Christ’s kingdom of righteousness for both individuals and nations who profess Christianity! 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

January 21, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD INCREASES AND DESTROYS NATIONS 

    “He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and straighteneth them again.” Job 12: 23, KJV. 

Read Habakkuk 1: 5-17 within this topic’s context and thought.    

Now follows this elucidation of Daniel chapter two by E. G. White in her book, Prophets & Kings, pp. 499, 500. All  emphasis and bracketed words provided. 

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the whole composite metallic image of a man represents the most powerful kingdoms, empires, and nations of earth starting with ancient Babylon. Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream for him, declaring: 

     “In the days of these kings [kingdoms] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, WHICH SHALL NEVER BE DESTROYED: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall BREAK INTO PIECES AND CONSUME ALL THESE KINGDOMS, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the STONE was cut out of the mountain WITHOUT HANDS, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold [the metallic symbols of the world’s empires], the great GOD hath made it known to the king, WHAT SHALL COME TO PASS hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.’ 

     “The king was convinced of the truth of the interpretation, and IN HUMILITY AND AWE [‘fear’] he ‘fell upon his face and worshipped’, saying, ‘Of a truth it is, that YOUR GOD IS A GOD OF GODS, and a LORD OF KINGS, and a REVEALER OF SECRETS, seeing thou [Daniel] couldest reveal this secret.’ 

    “Nebuchadnezzar revoked the decree for the destruction of the wisemen [of Babylon]. Their lives were SPARED because of Daniel’s connection with the Revealer of secrets. . . .

    “In the annals of human history, THE GROWTH OF NATIONS, the rise and fall of empires, appear AS IF dependent on the will and prowess of MAN; the shaping of events SEEMS , to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the Word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, ABOVE, BEHIND, AND THROUGH ALL THE PLAY AND COUNTER PLAY of human interest and power and passions, the AGENCIES OF THE ALL-MERCIFUL ONE, silently, patiently working out the counsels of HIS OWN WILL. 

     “In words of matchless beauty and tenderness, the apostle Paul sets before the sages of Athens the DIVINE PURPOSE in the creation and distribution of RACES AND NATIONS. ‘God that hath made the world and all things therein,’ declared the apostle, hath made ONE BLOOD ALL NATIONS OF MEN FOR TO DWELL UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, and hath determined THE TIMES BEFORE APPOINTED, and the BOUNDS [boundaries] of their habitation; THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LORD, IF HAPLY they might feel after Him, AND FIND HIM.’ (Acts 17: 24-27, KJV).” End quote. 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

January 14, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD’S PURPOSE IN NATIONS (Part 2)

ALL NATIONS ARE OF ONE BLOOD.  In apostle Paul’s public address as he stood in the midst of Areopagus (Mars’s Hill) before the Athenian Jews, the pagan philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics, he declared: 

     “Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD, whom therefore YE IGNORANTLY WORSHIP, Him I declare unto you. 

    “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with [human] hands. Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needeth anything, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 

    “And hath MADE OF ONE BLOOD ALL NATIONS of men

for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before, and THE BOUNDS OF THEIR HABITATION; 

    “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us.

    “For IN HIM WE LIVE, AND MOVE, AND HAVE OUR BEING; as certain as also of your own poet have said, For we are also His offspring.

    “Forasmuch then as WE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF GOD, we ought not to think that the GODHEAD is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.” (Acts 17: 22-29, KJV. 

Indeed, it is God alone (the one God of the Godhead, made up of the three Persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) who “made all nations of one blood,”—is the One who establishes the boundaries of all nations, according to His will and purpose, not the “great men and kings of the earth” who, in their foolish pride, forget that they are but fallen, sinful, finite, mortals whose bodies simply “return to the dust of the earth” at death! Note this:

    “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee: WHEN THE MOST HIGH DIVIDED TO THE NATIONS THEIR INHERITANCE, when he separated the sons of Adam, HE SET THE BOUNDS OF THE PEOPLE, according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deut. 32: 7, 8). 

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