Categories
Daily Manna Devotionals

CHRIST’S LIGHTS SHINES IN AND THROUGH THE DARKEST PART OF THE NIGHT

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST’S LIGHTS SHINES IN AND THROUGH THE DARKEST PART OF THE NIGHT

Jesus, Himself the LIGHT OF LIFE OF THE WORLD, in His Sermon in the mount, told the multitudes and His first disciples as He defined and described the nature of the kingdom He had incarnated into in order to establish on earth:

“Ye are [going to be] the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A CITY set on a hill cannot be hid…..Let YOUR LIGHT so shine before men, that they may see YOUR GOOD WORKS and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 5: 14,16, K.J.V.

The multitudes and first disciples did not yet fully comprehend what being “light of the world” and what it’s “good works” meant. The “eye” of their minds (just like Paul before his conversion) were still enveloped with the thick “scales” of tradition, doctrinal misinterpretations of the Messiah and His kingdom, and personal temporal ambitions. But they were attracted to this simple Man from Galilee.

After Christ left for heaven, and the first disciples conducted their gospel commission within the first century of the newborn Christian church clothed in its original apostolic purity, the period soon began when and where their special calling and roles, following and patterned after that of Christ’s, as His “lights of the world” with their “good works,” would be understood by fiery experience, learning in “terrible lessons in righteousness.” This is what we are covering in the life and times of the Waldenses, etc., and onward. Thus we continue:

“Ignorance and superstition generated VICE of the basest sort, and brought the Christian world into the DARKNESS OF THE DARK AGES, which made the Reformation of the sixteenth century absolutely necessary. [We will cover this subject as opportunity presents itself].”

“And as ‘the darkest of the night is just before dawn,’ so the TWELFTH TO THE SIXTEENTH CENTURIES where the darkest in the Christian Era [CE]. For a time, however, there were still a FEW LIGHTS SHINING in the religious horizon, shedding their MILD GOSPEL LIGHT INTO THE DENSE DARKNESS. But when these were extinguished, the darkness became well nigh complete!

“The Celtic Church of Scotland and Ireland had sent their missionaries with and open Bible into almost every country in EUROPE. The gospel lamp in Scotland was EXTINGUISHED in 1069; that of Ireland in 1172; that of the ancient Albigenses in 1229; the Assyrian lamp of the East was extinguished at Malabar, India, by the INQUISITION in 1560; and the Waldensian lamp, that had been SHINING THE LONGEST, and had sent its MILD RAYS over EUROPE for centuries, was extinguished in 1686.

“The history of these [original, genuinely apostolical] evangelical churches during this dark period is very interesting and has MANY VALUABLE LESSONS for our day.

“The Waldenses and Albigenses were QUIET AND INDUSTRIOUS people, and followed the BIBLE STANDARD OF MORALITY, which actually CAUSED THEIR PERSECUTION! [Note]:

“But their crowning offense was their love and reverence for the Scripture, and their burning zeal in making converts. The INQUISITOR of Passau informs us that they had translations of whole Bible in the vulgar [common] tongue [language; dialect], which the [Romish] Church vainly sought to suppress, and which they studied with INCREDIBLE ASSIDUITY……
Many of them had THE WHOLE NEW TESTAMENT BY HEART…..
Surely if there ever was a GOD-FEARING PEOPLE it was these UNFORTUNATES [the typical scorn and hatred of the unrighteous towards the righteous, beginning with Cain towards his brother Abel] under the BAN OF THE CHURCH AND STATE [Precisely what the First Amendment stipulates]…..
The Inquisitors [not the messengers and prophets of God] declared that the SIGN of a Vaudois [Waldenses], DEEMED WORTHY OF DEATH, was that he FOLLOWED CHRIST AND SOUGHT TO OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.’ – ‘History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages,’ H. C. Lea, Vol. I, pp. 86, 87. NY: Harper Bros., 188&.” – Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, pp. 127, 128. Southern Publishing Asso., (Rev.) 1842.

Of such mold in the furnace of affliction and tribulation will be the genuine Christians of these last days till earth’s probation closes. These precious souls provide me hope, courage, and determination to keep my conscience free of offense towards God and to carry on, all by His empowering grace, until He shutters the windows and closes the curtains for the long night. Bless all, NMF

Categories
Devotionals

OUR MARCHING ORDERS: FORWARD AND UPWARD

September 28, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

OUR MARCHING ORDERS: FORWARD AND UPWARD

“Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward [not backward].”

Exo. 14:15, A.V.

In any journey, undertaking, enterprise or mission, failure to move forward is actually falling backward. In spiritual matters, it is backsliding. In nature, if a plant is not growing, it is dying.

“The history of the children of Israel is written for the instruction and admonition of all Christians. When the Israelites were overtaken by dangers and difficulties, and their way seemed hedged up [just like right now], THEIR FAITH [in God and in His word] FORSOOK THEM, and they murmured against the leader whom God had appointed for them.

Categories
Devotionals

REJECTION OF 70-WEEK PROPHECY OF DANIEL 9 RESULTS IN THE REJECTION OF CHRIST

August 11, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

REJECTION OF 70-WEEK PROPHECY OF DANIEL 9 RESULTS IN THE REJECTION OF CHRIST

“The rejection of Christ by the chosen people at His time, and the professed chosen people today was and is preceded by a rejection of the prophecies of Daniel, particularly the 70-week prophecy of chapter 9:24-27.  It is the terrible consequence of rejecting God’s merciful warnings sent through His faithful prophets and messengers, then and now.

“The spiritual darkness which falls upon nations[such as America is right now], churches [such as mainstream professed Christianity], and individuals [such as you and me], is due, not to an arbitrary withdrawal of the SUCCORS OF DIVINE GRACE on the part of God, but to NEGLECT or REJECTION of divine light on the part of men.” 

Categories
Devotionals

SATAN’S SHADOWS DISAPPEAR IN GOD’S LIGHT

July 10, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

SATAN’S SHADOWS DISAPPEAR IN GOD’S LIGHT

“Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”

Dan. 12:10, Authorized version.

“Bear in mind that the time will never come when the shadow of Satan will not be cast athwart our pathway to obstruct our faith and eclipse the light coming from the Sun of Righteousness [Mal.4:2]. Our faith must not stagger, CLEAVE through that SHADOW. We have and experience that is not to be buried in the DARKNESS OF DOUBT. Our faith is not on FEELING but in TRUTH.  None us need flatter ourselves that while the world is progressing in wickedness we shall have no difficulties.

Categories
Devotionals

TOO MUCH TIME RESULTED IN IDOLATRY AT SINAI

June 4, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

TOO MUCH TIME RESULTED IN IDOLATRY AT SINAI

With the whole nation, spiritual Israel suddenly found plenty of time on hand, in fact too much. Here is a solemn lesson and a dire warning from the example of ancient Israel as to what they did when Moses and Joshua went up to Mt. Sinai to receive the Law from God:

“While Moses was absent, it was a time of WAITING and SUSPENSE to Israel. The people KNEW that he had ascended the mount with Joshua, and had entered the cloud of thick darkness. which could be seen in the plain below, resting in the mountain peak, illuminated from time to time with the lightning of the divine presence.”

Categories
Devotionals

THE SABBATH POINTS TO NATURE AND NATURE POINTS TO THE CREATOR

June 1, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE SABBATH POINTS TO NATURE AND NATURE POINTS TO THE CREATOR

“All things were created by the Son of God. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God….All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.’ John 1:1-3,KJV.

“And since the Sabbath is a MEMORIAL of the work of creation, it is a TOKEN of the love and power of Christ.  The Sabbath calls our attention to nature, and brings us into communion with the Creator. In the song of the birds, the sighing of the trees, and the music of the sea, we may hear His VOICE who talked with Adam in Eden in the cool of the day.

“And as we behold His power in nature we find COMFORT, for the Word that created all things is that which SPEAKS LIFE to the soul. He ‘who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ 2 Cor. 4:6.

Categories
Devotionals

IDOLATROUS INFATUATIONS: BELSHAZZAR’S FALL

May 22, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

IDOLATROUS INFATUATIONS: BELSHAZZAR’S FALL

See Daniel 5:1-29. “Weighed in the balances and found wanting.” Verse 27

“No misfortune is so great as to become a worshipper of a false god. No man/woman is in such miserable darkness as he/she who has lost his way to heaven. It seems that an infatuation is upon him/her, for he has a false god. To turn this worship of a human, fallen, corrupt human beings in earth, to the only true object of worship seems a hopeless task. [thats how overpowering fatal obsession and infatuation is].

Categories
Devotionals

CHRIST THE LAW-GIVER MAGNIFIES HIS LAW IN HIS GOSPEL

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST THE LAW-GIVER MAGNIFIES HIS LAW IN HIS GOSPEL

“The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will magnify His law and make it honorable.” Isa.42:21.

The gospel-prophet prophesied that central to Christ’s mission and work on earth as the Messiah, was to magnify His law that was transgressed by His backsliding people, trampled upon by apostates and corrupted by the wicked.

How did God give His law? Only after the grand and awful preparation for it, in silence.