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Daily Manna Devotionals

GOD IS LOVE; SO IS SATAN. HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

GOD IS LOVE; SO IS SATAN. HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE

First, spiritual things are spiritually discerned. The carnal mind will mind the things of the flesh but the spiritual mind will mind the things of the Spirit. Thus the carnal mind will confuse Spiritualism for the things of the Holy Spirit! God is love. Of course Satan has a counterfeit of this truth in Spiritualism, in case you were not aware of it till now!

“Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of TOLERATION than formerly [in the name of “brotherly love,” or “ecumenism”], it is really MORE DANGEROUS because, a MORE SUBTLE deception. While it formerly denounced Christ and the Bible [like during the French Revolution, 1793-1797], it NOW PROFESSES to accept both.

“But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is PLEASING to the unrenewed heart [carnal heart/mind], while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. LOVE IS DWELT UPON AS THE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE OF GOD, but it is degraded to a weak SENTIMENTALISM, making little difference between good and evil. God’s JUSTICE, His DENUNCIATION OF SIN, THE REQUIREMENTS OF HIS LAW, are all kept out of sight.”- Great Controversy, 1911 ed., p. 558.

“Many are the ways by which Satan works through human influence to bind his captives. He secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the SILKEN CORDS OF AFFECTION to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever this attachment may be, PARENTAL, FILIAL, CONJUGAL, OR SOCIAL, the effort is the same; the opposers of truth exert their power to CONTROL THE CONSCIENCE, and the souls held under their sway have NOT SUFFICIENT COURAGE OR INDEPENDENCE to obey their own CONVICTION OF DUTY.” – Ibid, p. 597.

What is our WHOLE duty to God? The answer is clear, direct to the point and given in a language even a child can understand.

“Let us hear the CONCLUSION of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments for this is the WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. For God shall bring every work into JUDGMENT with every secret thing whether they be good or evil.” Eccl. 12:13,14, KJV.

Read the whole chapter of Psalms 119. I’m sure you will gain a deeper understanding of how David viewed this whole duty to God. To him it was “more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold, and sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb.” (Ps. 19).

This is exactly the opposite of how many Christians consider God’s law a “heavy burden,” and accuse and ridicule those who “love God and keep His commandments” as legalists.

They don’t seem to realize that they are not only accusing the patriarchs, prophets, disciples and apostles but Christ the Law giver! How can anyone face God when he “stands before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of himself ?” (Rom. 14: 10, 12). NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

SATAN IS ALSO “THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” BUT CHANGES APPEARANCE CHAMELEON-LIKE

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

SATAN IS ALSO “THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER” BUT CHANGES APPEARANCE CHAMELEON-LIKE

Far too many in the world today, sadly including Christians, overlook or ignore the testimony of the Bible concerning the wonders performed by Satan and his agencies, spirits or humans, individuals or institutions.

“It was by satanic aid that Pharaoh’s magicians were enabled to counterfeit the work of God. Paul testifies that before the second advent of Christ there will be similar manifestations of satanic power. The coming of the Lord is to be PRECEDED by ‘the workings of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness’ (1 Thess. 2:8.10).

“And the apostle John, describing the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days, declares, ‘He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of these MIRACLES, which he had the power to do.’ (Rev. 13: 13.14). No MERE impostures here are foretold Men are DECEIVED BY THE MIRACLES which Satan’s agents have POWER to do, not which they PRETEND to do.

“The prince of darkness who has SO LONG [at least 6,000 years] bang the powers of his master-mind to the work of DECEPTION, skillfully ADAPTS his temptations to men of ALL classes and conditions. To persons of CULTURE AND refinement, he presents Spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and thus SUCCEEDS in drawing many into his snare.” – Great Controversy, 1911, pp. 553, 554.

Please be reminded that more souls will be lost because of deception, not persecution! So if we fear persecution and compromise the truth and yield our faith, Satan has succeeded in deceiving us. God help us, NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

DETECTING AND DISCERNING EVIDENCES OF END-TIME SPIRITUALISM

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

DETECTING AND DISCERNING EVIDENCES OF END-TIME SPIRITUALISM

“If there were no other evidences of the REAL CHARACTER of Spiritualism, it should be ENOUGH for the [discerning] Christian that the [evil] spirits make NO difference between righteousness and sin, and between the noblest and purest of the apostles of Christ and the most corrupt of the servants of Christ.

“By representing the basest of men as [already] in heaven, and highly exalted there, Satan says to the world, ‘No matter how wicked you are, no matter whether you believe or disbelieve God and the Bible, Live as you please, heaven is your home.’

The Spiritualist teachers virtually declare, ‘Everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delighteth in them; or, Who is the God of judgment? (Mal. 2:17). Saith the word of God, ‘Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.’ (Isa. 4:20).

The apostles AS PERSONALIZED by those lying spirits, are made to CONTRADICT what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit while on earth. They DENY the divine origin of the Bible, and thus rear away the foundation of the Christian’s hope, and PUT OUT the light that REVEALS the way to heaven.

Satan is making the world believe that the Bible is a mere FICTION, or at least a book suited to the INFANCY of the race [old-fashioned; antiquated; outdated] but now to be lightly regarded, or cast aside as obsolete. “And to take place of if the Word of God he holds out SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.

Here is a CHANNEL WHOLLY UNDER HIS CONTROL, by this means he can make the world believe what he will. The book that is to JUDGE HIM AND HIS FOLLOWERS he puts in the shade, just where he wants it; the Savior of all the world he makes to be no more than a common man.

And as the Roman guard that watched the tomb of Jesus SPREAD THE LYING REPORT which the priests and elders [the religious leaders of the nation] put into their mouths to disprove His resurrection, SO DO the believers in spiritual manifestations TRY to make it appear that there is NOTHING MIRACULOUS in the circumstances in our Savior’s life.

After thus seeking to put Jesus in the BACKGROUND, they call attention to their OWN miracles, declaring that these FAR EXCEED the works of Christ.” – Great Controversy, 1911 ed., p. 557.

Again, if you hear, read, or see any of these assertions and manifestations then know they are parts of Spiritualism of the last days. Protect your minds and hearts with the shield of truth and fight the devil and all evil with “the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God!

But make sure you know how to properly and safely handle the sharp, two-edged sword of God’s word. Don’t cut yourself accidentally! Bless all, NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

‘THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION’ THAT IS COMING UPON THE WORLD

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

‘THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION’ THAT IS COMING UPON THE WORLD

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write;. . . . Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Rev. 3: 7,10, KJV.

What is this “hour” of global “temptation” that will “try” or test mankind? No, it isn’t the Covid pandemic or any other coming prophesied various types of cataclysms and disasters. It is much worse but we need to know what it is so we are intellectually and spiritually prepared to meet it.

I thank God for the Spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus.” Rev. 19:10. It is also “the Spirit of truth.” John 14:17. Without this last prophetic gift given to the remnant, they would be deceived by Satan’s “subtility,” by which he convinced one third of the angels in heaven to join his rebellion against the government of God, and “deceived the woman,” Eve, the type of the church.

So read this and consider yourself blessed to be warned, thus forearmed:

“JUST BEFORE US is ‘the hour of temptation,’ which shall come upon the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.’ All whose faith is NOT FIRMLY ESTABLISHED upon the word of God WILL BE [not maybe it might] DECEIVED and OVERCOME.

Satan ‘works with deceivableness with unrighteousness’ to gain control over the children of men; and his deceptions will continually increase. But he can gain his object ONLY as men VOLUNTARILY YIELD to his temptations.

Those who are EARNESTLY SEEKING a knowledge of the truth, and are STRIVING TO PURIFY their souls through obedience, thus doing what they can to PREPARE for the conflict, in the GOD OF TRUTH [versus ‘the father of lies’], a sure defense. ‘Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I will also keep thee,’ is the Savior’s promise. He would sooner send EVERY ANGEL out of heaven to protect His people, than leave one soul that TRUSTS in him to be overcome by Satan.

“The prophet Isaiah brings to view THE FEARFUL DECEPTION [not disease] which will come upon the WICKED, causing them to count themselves SECURE FROM THE JUDGMENT OF GOD. [Isa. 28:15 quoted. Read it please!].

In the class here described are INCLUDED those who in their STUBBORN IMPENITENCE comfort themselves [not the Holy Spirit doing the ‘comforting’] with the assurance that there is to be NO PUNISHMENT FOR THE SINNER; that all mankind, it matters not how corrupt, are to be EXALTED TO HEAVEN, to become as ANGELS of God. [Ever heard that today? Indeed!].

“But still more emphatically are those making a covenant with death and an agreement with hell [how?]- who renounce the truths which Heaven has provided as a DEFENSE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE, and accept ‘THE REFUGE OF LIES’ offered by Satan in its stead,—-the DELUSIVE PRETENSIONS OF SPIRITUALISM.

“Marvelous beyond expression is the BLINDNESS of this generation. Thousands reject the word of God as unworthy of belief, and with eager confidence receive the deceptions of Satan.” – Great Controversy, 1911 ed., p. 560.

Heads up, dear brethren! While the climax of this “hour of temptation” is yet ahead, the major deceptive doctrines included in it are already in place:
1. That there is no more judgement; once saved-already saved
2. That regardless of one’s moral character at death, he immediately goes to heaven and even becomes an “angel” or even a “guardian angel,” etc.

Make sure you know what the climax of this “hour of temptation” will be, lest assuming and presuming in Peter-like self-confidence, you fail to fully arm your minds NOW, TODAY with a clear and definite array of scripture weapons of “It is written,” “Thus saith the Lord.”

(More follows tomorrow). Bless all, NMF.

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Daily Manna Devotionals

HOW TO PRAY

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

HOW TO PRAY

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the [Holy] Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” Eph. 6:18, KJV.

Absolutely no alleged or imagined restricting circumstances, inappropriate occasion or place, intolerant person, or religious liberty suppressing religious or civil authority, can disable you from praying. They can, and will take away the inalienable right to “assemble for worship,” including who to pray to as in the days of Daniel and his three young friends but the prayer channel is open 24/7. Here’s why:

“There is no time or place in which it is inappropriate to offer up a petition to God. In the CROWDS of the street, in the MIDST OF BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT, we may send up a petition to God, and plead for divine guidance, as did Nehemiah when he made his request before King Artaxerxes.” SC 103.

“We may speak with Jesus as we WALK BY THE WAY, and He says, I am at thy right hand. We may commune with God IN OUR HEARTS; we may walk IN COMPANIONSHIP with Christ [through the Holy Spirit in the word]. When engaged in our DAILY LABOR, we may BREATHE OUT OUR HEART’S DESIRE, INAUDIBLE TO ANY HUMAN EAR; but that word cannot die away into silence, nor can it be lost. Nothing can DROWN the soul’s desire. It RISES ABOVE the din of the street, above the noise of machinery. It is GOD [not man] to whom we are SPEAKING, and our prayer is HEARD..” GW 258.

“It is NOT ALWAYS necessary to bow on your knees in order to pray. CULTIVATE the habit of TALKING with the Savior when you are ALONE, when you are WALKING, and when you are BUSY with your daily labor.” MH 510, 511. (NL 122).

For any Christian to claim or complain that they are just too busy to have the time to pray, reveals a sad and fearful ignorance of what Biblical prayer means, and must have been relying on tradition, the way of the world, the sayings of men, and false doctrines. Help them by first helping yourself understand this matter clearly and put it to work for you.
Bless all, NMF

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Daily Manna Devotionals

SABBATH-KEEPERS ACCUSED AS ‘RELAPSED JEWS’

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

SABBATH-KEEPERS ACCUSED AS ‘RELAPSED JEWS’

Of the Roman Catholic Inquisition in India, some have thought that the Sabbath-keepers were relapsed Jews [or some kind of off-shoots of Judaism). But Dellon declares:

“Of an hundred persons condemned to be BURNT AS JEWS, there are scarcely four who profess that faith at death; the rest exclaiming and protesting to their last gasp that they [Sabbath-keeping] CHRISTIANS, and have been so during their whole lives.’ -‘Account of the Inquisition at Goa,’ p. 58, London:1815.

‘The prisoner, who was entirely innocent, would be given over to the CIVIL ARM to be BURNED, unless he confessed the very crimes of which was [falsely] accused, and signed his confessions, and also NAMED SIX OR SEVEN of his accusers. But, not being told who they were, he might have to name many before striking the RIGHT ones, and, as his accusers were supposed to have been EYEWITNESSES to his Sabbath-keeping, they MIGHT BE Sabbath-keepers, who, like himself, were in the CLUTCHES of the Inquisition.

His ONLY HOPE, therefore, WAS TO NAME SOME OF HIS BRETHREN, who would be taken by the Inquisitors, and FORCED TO REPEAT the same experience to FREE THEMSELVES. Thus the prison would be filled with people who were tortured for guilt of which they were innocent, or to remain in solitary confinement and terrible suspense and agony of mind until the AUTO DA FE, or public burning [alive], which took place every two or three years.’ – ‘ibid., pp. 53-60, 67.

And whether they were released or executed, their property was confiscated to the Inquisition. [Another way Romish Church enriched herself through the blood of martyrs].

‘When the power of the Portuguese [Catholics] became sufficient for their purpose, they INVADED THESE TRANQUIL CHURCHES, and seized some of their Clergy, and devoted them to the death of HERETICS.

They seized the Syrian Bishop Mar Joseph, and sent him prisoner to LISBON: and the convened a Synod at one of the Syrian churches called Diamper, near Cochin, at which the Romish Archbishop Menezes presided. At this compulsory Synod 100 of the Syrian Clergy appeared. They were accused of the following practices and opinions:

‘That they had married wives; that they had owned [kept] but two Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper [not the Passover]; that they neither invoked Saints, nor worshipped Images, nor believed in Purgatory; and that they had no other orders of names of dignity of the church, than Bishop, Priest, and Deacon.’

These tenets they were called on go abjure, or to suffer suspension from all Church benefices. It was also decreed that all Syrian books of ecclesiastical subjects that could be found, should be BURNED, ‘in order,’ said the Inquisitors, ‘that no pretended APOSTOLIC monuments may remain.’ – ‘Christian Researches in Asia,’ p. 60.

“The papacy had adopted the policy that all remains of the PURE, APOSTOLIC CHURCH [established by the first apostles after pentecost at Jerusalem], whether persons or books, should be carefully eradicated, so that NO TRACE of them might BETRAY the sad fact that the Roman Church had fallen away from the apostolic purity [apostatized from Bible truth]. And she has also tried to destroy all accounts of her PERSECUTIONS during the Dark Ages, so that her tracks would be covered up.”- C. Edwardson, ‘Facts of Faith,’ pp. 157, 158.

But by diligently studying Biblical prophecy, God’s people will know the truth and expose the real enemies of truth as part of the Third angel’s message of Revelation 14. This is a most sacred and difficult message and work of the everlasting gospel entrusted to those who truly “love Jesus and keep His commandments.” John 14:15.

Are we numbered among them, as recorded in the books of heaven? This is God’s unconditional love of righteousness and perfect hatred for sin, in action.

Ponder upon this, NMF.

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Daily Manna Devotionals

THE JESUITS GO AFTER THE WALDENSES OF HINDUSTAN

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE JESUITS GO AFTER THE WALDENSES OF HINDUSTAN

“When the Jesuit, Francis Xavier, and his co-laborers, were sent to India, they displayed the TRUE SPIRIT OF ROMANISM. ‘The INQUISITION was set up at Goa, in the Indies, at the instance of Francis Xavierus, which signified by letter Pope [also addressed as King] John III, Nov. 10, 1545, that ‘the Jewish wickedness spread every day more and more in the parts of the East Indians, subject to the kingdom of Portugal, and therefore he [Xavier] earnestly be sought the said King [Pope John III], that to CURE so great an evil, he would take care to send the office of the Inquisition into those countries. (Accordingly the Inquisition was erected there).

“The first Inquisitor was Alexius Diaz Falcano, sent by Cardinal Henry, March 15, A.D. 1560. . . . The language of F. Xavier, used in this occasion, is truly suspicious, and that under the mask of correcting ‘the Jewish wickedness,’ is rather to be construed an avowed design AGAINST THE LIBERTIES, the INDEPENDENCE, and the FIRMNESS of the native Christians of Malabar, who refused to acknowledge the Pope’s supremacy, and with a TRUE PROTESTANT ZEAL BRAVELY RESISTED THE CATHOLIC TYRANNY.’ -Thomas Yeates, ‘Indian Church History,’ pp. 139, 140. London:1818.

“The ‘Jewish wickedness’ of which Xavier complained was evidently the SABBATH-KEEPING among those native Christians, as we shall see in the next quotation. When one of these Sabbath-keeping Christians was taken to the Inquisition, he was accused of ‘having JUDAIZED; which means, having conformed to the ceremonies of the Mosaic law; such as not eating pork, hare, fish without scales, etc., of having attended the solemnization OF THE SABBATH.’ – ‘Account of the Inquisition at Goa,’ Dellon, p.56. London: 1815.” – Facts of Faith, p. 156.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.