Tag: creation

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
June 1, 2022

CHRIST THE LAW IN THE FLESH MANIFESTS POWER OVER INANIMATE CREATION

“What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Matt. 8:27, KJV.

Christ commanded the inanimate, tempest-tossed waves in the Sea of Galilee, “Peace be still.” Instantly “The storm ceases. The billows sink to rest. The clouds roll away, and the stars shine forth. The [fishing] boat rests upon a quiet sea. Then turning to His [animate] disciples, Jesus asks sorrowfully, ‘Why are ye fearful? Have ye not faith?’ Mark 4: 40, R.V.

“A hush fell upon the disciples. . . The [other] boats that had set out to accompany Jesus had been in the SAME PERIL with that of the disciples. TERROR AND DESPAIR had seized their occupants; but the [mere spoken] COMMAND of Jesus brought QUIET to the scene of tumult. The fury of the storm had driven the boats into CLOSE PROXIMITY, and all on board beheld the MIRACLE. In the calm that followed, fear was forgotten. The people whispered among themselves, ‘What manner of MAN is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’

“When Jesus was awakened [by His terror-driven disciples] to meet the storm, He was in PERFECT PEACE. There was no trace of fear in WORD or LOOK, for no fear was in His HEART. [Words and looks are heart condition indicators].

“But Jesus ‘the Man’ rested NOT THE POSSESSION of almighty power. It was not as the ‘Master of earth and sea and sky’ that He reposed in quiet. That power He had LAID DOWN [in the incarnation], and He says, ‘I can of Mine own self do nothing.’ John 5:30.

Instead, “He TRUSTED in the Father’s might. It was IN FAITH—faith in God’s love and care that Jesus rested, and the POWER OF THAT WORD WHICH STILLED THE STORM WAS THE POWER OF GOD.

“As Jesus RESTED BY FAITH in the Father’s care, so WE are to rest on the care of our SAVIOR. If the DISCIPLES had trusted in Him, they would have been kept on PEACE. THEIR FEAR IN THE TIME OF DANGER REVEALED THEIR UNBELIEF. In their efforts to SAVE themselves, they FORGOT Jesus; and it was only WHEN, in despair of self-dependence, they TURNED to Him that He could give them HELP.

“How often the disciples’ experience is ours! When the TEMPESTS OF TEMPTATION gather, and the fierce lightnings flash, and the waves sweep over us, we battle with the the storm ALONE, FORGETTING that there is One who can help us. We trust to our OWN STRENGTH, till our hope is lost, and we are ready to perish.” (Excerpts from Desire of Ages by E. G. White, pp. 335, 336).

Are we like the inanimate waves or the animate disciples, as we battle the storms and tempests of life, particularly in these last days of earth’s probation?

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
May 25, 2022

GOD’S LAW MANIFESTS HIS AUTHORITY OVER ALL CREATION, ANIMATE AND INANIMATE

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” Ps. 33: 8, 9, KJV.

The King’s word is law, while the Creator’s verbal command, consistent with His authority  as the Source of light of life “original, unborrowed, and underived” is, in and of itself, instant creative power, in one word, FIAT. “For He spoke. and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast.”

Even as He “changeth not” is “the same yesterday, today and forever,” “the  and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Rev. 22:13).

His infinitely exclusive and eternally non-duplicatable fiat authority first went into full display before the angelic host and the unfallen “worlds” in His universe (Heb.1:1-3, 6-8, 19-12) in the creation of the “heavens and the earth and all that in them is.” (Gen. 1, 2; Exo. 20: 8-11; John 1:1-3; Col. 1: 16,17).

The prophet Samuel, founder of Israel’s first schools of the prophets and the seer of note who oversaw the inglorious, forced transition from the first and last divine theocracy to human monarchy, with Saul, the “landslide people’s choice” as its first king, replaced by David (because of the former’s unfaithfulness, presumptuous deeds and finally, apostasies)—-demonstrated, as a child trainee under Eli the high priest, that childlike, trusting, reverent and obedient attitude towards God and anointed servants. On that fateful night when the invisible God SPOKE, calling Samuel by name twice, Eli instructed the child to answer, “SPEAK Lord, for thy servant heareth.” On the third time God SPOKE, calling “Samuel, Samuel,” the child obediently replied, “Speak, for Thy servant HEARETH.” (1 Sam. 1:1-10).

Will we also hear with willing ears when God in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, speaks to our conscience and commands us to obey and keep His law? That creative power in His voice command, is the same as His redemptive power, calling us by name at this midnight of earth’s history, to “forsake the perishable things of this world that are fast fading away” before our very eyes, and by His empowering grace, “overcome even as He overcame,” i.e., “overcome the temptations of this world, the lust of the flesh and the eyes and the devil” himself, by faithfully and joyfully following Christ’s self-denying, self-sacrificing life example, who says to all, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

Will you “hear His  VOICE and harden not your hearts”(Heb.3:16; 4:7; Ps. 95:6-11)?

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