Whole Gospel Ministries
(From A Time Sensitive Message To A Time No More Message Part 2)
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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.
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.
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.
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
December
YEAR END 2021 MESSAGE FOR ALL BIBLE-READING CHRISTIANS
The year 2021 is ingloriously winding down, lugging with it a gargantuan mixed bag of hope and desperation (with everything in between, both probable and impossible, absolutely vital and grossly unconscionable, saintly and demonic, heroic and villainous, genuinely prophetic and provocatively conspiratorial, running the whole gamut of their respective scale and magnitudes).
The now historical specter named Covid 19 and its virulent variant relatives, may be said to be responsible for packing this “mixed bag,” or if you wish, “stuffing” this global-sized bulging “stockings” styled by the devastating hands of what is myopically-diagnosed as the man-made “climate change and global warming,” mysteriously leaving out the real causes, purposes of its diabolical mastermind in the spiritual conflict of the ages!
However, instead of summarizing the highlights of prophetic perspectives and import of eternal consequences of what has thus transpired and what it forebodes in the days ahead, (which I plan to do later at the other side of incoming new year, God willing), I am sharing with you one of my favorite passages in my KJV Bible from Paul’s epistle to the church in Ephesus.
In it the apostle lifts up and magnifies an all-encompassing CAUSE that transcends all other worthy causes of and for mankind. And what is it? In her book The Great Controversy, Ellen G. White wrote that here the apostle “presents to the true believer the height of Christian privileges, opening before them in the most comprehensive language the most marvelous power that they might possess as sons and daughters of the Most High.”
Even before discovering this amazing verse-specific Testimony, I had already begun committing this passage to memory because when first encountered it in my Bible readings way back, I believe, in the early 1990s, it immediately captured my attention.
Many years after, I now know much better as to why! It encapsulates so succinctly like no other, what the ultimate goal of the plan of salvation of the gospel is—for the individual believer, the church at large, and the family of God on earth.
I find it even more profoundly timely now as my staging ground, as it were, from where I can look by clear-eyed faith, beyond the temporal trials, tribulations, and disappointments of the hopelessly uncertain present to the certainty of the promised glorious triumphs of tomorrow’s eternity—that begins the moment Jesus returns in His second advent bringing His reward of eternal life to all who remained faithfully obedient to the truth to the end of their earthly lives. Now read on and tell me what you think!
Ephesians 3: 14-21: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ might dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Eph. 3: 14-21, KJV.
God bless all of you, NMF.
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
November 30
THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 57)
The Kind of Sufferings of Christ at Calvary Foretold in Prophecy
“In the sufferings of Christ upon the cross, prophecy was fulfilled. Centuries before the crucifixion, the Savior [through His chosen pen men] had foretold the treatment He was to receive. He said, ‘Dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me. They part My GARMENTS among them, and cast lots upon My VESTURE.’ Ps. 22: 16-18, KJV.
“The prophecy concerning His garments was carried out WITHOUT COUNSEL OR INTERFERENCE from the friends or the enemies of the Crucified One. To the [Roman] soldiers who had placed Him upon the cross, His CLOTHING was given. Christ HEARD the men’s contention as they parted the garments among them. [However] His TUNIC [vesture] WAS WOVEN THROUGHOUT WITHOUT SEAM, and they said, ‘Let us NOT REND IT, but CAST LOTS for it, whose it shall be.’
“In another prophecy the Savior declared, ‘Reproach hath BROKEN MY HEART; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take PITY, but there was NONE; and for COMFORTERS, but I found NONE. They gave Me also GALL for My meat [food]; and to My THIRST they gave Me VINEGAR [fermented wine] to drink.’ Ps. 69: 20, 21. [see John 19: 23, 24, 29, 30; Matt. 27:48].
To those who suffered death by the cross, it was permitted to give a STUPEFYING POTION, to deaden the sense of pain! This was offered to Jesus, but when He had tasted it, He REFUSED IT. [Why?] He would receive nothing that would BECLOUD HIS MIND. His FAITH must keep fast hold upon God [the Father]. THIS WAS HIS ONLY STRENGTH. To BECLOUD His senses would give Satan an ADVANTAGE.”- E.G. White, Desire of Ages, p. 746.
What a perfect example of uncompromising temperance! Christ nailed to the cross and dying, refusing anything that would mercifully help relieve the unbearable pain but would becloud His pure mind and morally-undefiled yet badly bruised body. Again, the perfect example on what it means to preserved one’s body as the “temple of the Holy Spirit!”
(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
November 29
THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 56)
It is written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin
“In the mouth of two or three witnesses truth is established” is directly repeated over a dozen times beginning in Deut. 17:6 and on to Revelation 11.
However, indirectly and principle-wise; it is exemplified and spiritually magnified in even more significant situations, such as what follows during what I would describe as the non-pareil Calvary Moment of the Plan of Salvation. Notice [all emphasis mine]:
“As soon as Jesus was nailed to the cross, it was lifted up by strong men, and with great violence thrust into the place prepared for it . . . Pilate then wrote an inscription in HEBREW, GREEK, and LATIN, and placed it upon the cross ABOVE THE HEAD OF JESUS. It read, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS.’
This inscription IRRITATED the Jews. In Pilate’s [Roman] court they had cried, ‘CRUCIFY HIM,’ ‘WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR.’ John 18;15. They had declared that whoever would acknowledge any other king was a TRAITOR. Pilate WROTE OUT the sentiment they had expressed.
NO OFFENSE WAS MENTIONED, except that Jesus was the King of the Jews. The inscription was a virtual acknowledgement of the ALLEGIANCE OF THE JEWS TO THE ROMAN POWER.
It declared that whoever might claim to be the KING OF ISRAEL would be judged by them WORTHY OF DEATH. THE [Jewish] PRIESTS HAD OVERREACHED THEMSELVES.
When they were plotting the death of Christ, Caiaphas [the Jewish high priest then] had declared it EXPEDIENT that ‘ONE MAN SHOULD DiE TO SAVE THE NATION’ [John 11: 50, 51]. But Now their HYPOCRISY was revealed [publicly, nationally. universally, eternally].
IN ORDER TO DESTROY CHRIST THEY HAD BEEN READY TO SACRIFICE THIER NATIONAL EXISTENCE! [In declaring their exclusive allegiance not to God, but to Rome their cruel and corrupt national enemies!]
“The priests [religious leaders] saw what they had done and asked Pilate to CHANGE THE INSCRIPTION. They said, ‘Write not, The King of the Jews, but that He said, I am the King of the Jews.’
But Pilate was ANGRY WITH HIMSELF because of his former weakness, and he thoroughly DESPISED the JEALOUS and ARTFUL priests and rulers [ominously prescient of the emerging phenomenon, yet prophesied politicization of religion, or religion being used as a tool for political gain, until it fully ripens into the great final apostasy of the state uniting with the church to enact and enforce the mark of the beast as the law of the land. See Revelation 13].
“Pilate replied coldly, ‘WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN. I HAVE WRITTEN.’
What was taking place here? “A HIGHER POWER than PILATE [representing the state or civil power] or the JEWS [representing the church or religious powers-that-be] had directed the placing of the inscription above the head of Jesus. In the providence of God it was to AWAKEN THOUGHT, AND INVESTIGATION OF THE SCRIPTURES. The place where Christ was crucified was NEAR [not within] the city. Thousands of people from all lands were then at Jerusalem, and the inscription declaring JESUS OF NAZARETH IS THE MESSIAH would come to their notice. IT WAS LIVING TRUTH, TRANSCRIBED BY A HAND THAT GOD HAD GUIDED.”- E. G. White, Desire of Ages, pp. 745, 746
Indeed even the most powerful mortal or superpower “can do nothing against, but for the truth” (2 Cor. 13: 8). The chosen people led by their religious, definitively, irrevocably, religiously, legally, publicly and CORPORATELY CHOSE to reject the CHOSEN ONE OF GOD, the “Son of David,” “the only-begotten Son of God,” as prophesied the patriarchs and prophets, particularly Isaiah, Daniel, declares by John the Baptist as verily their Messiah, the Anointed One, verily the antitypical sacrificial Lamb of God, and prophesied KING (who would establish His spiritual KINGDOM of righteousness in earth), falsely accused, illegally tried, and condemned to die by crucifixion, rendered even more excruciating in its gross public humiliation.
But prophecy and truth will certainly “come to pass” in God’s time and way, and prevail over Satan and his unnumbered agencies. Almighty God moved upon the chosen people’s national enemy, the pagan Roman power to declare in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin that Jesus IS the promised Messiah, the King of all who accept His kingdom of grace and righteousness!
The antitypical attempt to change the original “inscription” was the Antichrist’s attempt “to change times and laws” and transfer the sanctity of the Sabbath to Sunday by “the man of sin,”’and in the very near future, the very likely “changing” by amendment, the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, to make way for the legislation and enforcement of a religious law enforcing the mark of the beast.
Are you sure you know what it is? If not, it’s high to awake out of spiritual slumber, and examine what you think you know by “It is Written,” the Holy Scriptures—-not the “traditions of the elders,” the “teachings of men,” or mere self-serving “private interpretations.”
(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
November 26
THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 55)
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
As Christ was being nailed to the cross,”The Savior made NO MURMUR OF COMPLAINT. His face remained CALM AND SERENE, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was NO PITYING HAND to wipe the death dew from His face, NOR WORDS of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His HUMAN HEART.
“While the [Roman] soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus PRAYED FOR HIS ENEMIES, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ His mind passed from His suffering to the SIN OF HIS PERSECUTORS, AND THE TERRIBLE RETRIBUTIONS THAT WOULD BE THEIRS.
No curses were called down upon the SOLDIERS who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the PRIESTS AND RULERS who were GLOATING over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ PITIED them in their ignorance and GUILT. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness – ‘for they know not what they do.’
“Had they known what they were putting to TORTURE One who had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with remorse and guilt BUT THEIR IGNORANCE DID NOT REMOVE THEIR GUILT; FOR IT WAS THEIR PRIVILEGE TO KNOW AND ACCEPT JESUS AS THEIR SAVIOR.
Some of them would yet see their sin, and repent, and be converted. Some with their IMPENITENCE would make it an IMPOSSIBILITY FOR THE PRAYER OF CHRIST TO BE ANSWERED FOR THEM.
“That prayer of Christ for His ENEMIES embraced the WORLD. It took in EVERY SINNER that had lives or should live, from the beginning of the world to the end of time. UPON ALL RESTS THE GUILT OF CRUCIFYING THE SON OF GOD.
To all forgiveness is freely offered. ‘Whosoever will’ may have peace with God, and inherit eternal life.”- E.G. White, Desire of Ages, pp. 744, 745.
(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.