MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
July 13, 2022
FATHER’S DAY IS EVERY DAY THAT GOD THE FATHER IS OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
“Except the Lord build the house, they labor on vain that build it.” Ps. 127:1, KJV
“What can we say to AWAKEN the moral sensibilities of [Christian] fathers, that they may understand and undertake THEIR DUTY to their offspring? The subject is of INTENSE interest and importance [why?], having a bearing upon the FUTURE WELFARE OF THE COUNTRY.
“We should solemnly impress upon fathers, as well as mothers, the GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY they have assumed in bringing children into the world [especially at these closing hours of earth’s probation]. It is a RESPONSIBILITY from which nothing but DEATH can free them…. In that great day of RECKONING it will be asked of him, ‘Where are the CHILDREN that I entrusted to your care to EDUCATE FOR ME, that their LIPS might speak My praise, and their LIVES be a diadem of beauty in the world, and they live to honor Me throughout eternity?” E. G. White, Signs of the Times, Dec. 20, 1887.
WHAT WE ARE AT HOME WE BRING INTO THE CHURCH
“Every family is a church, over which the parents preside. The FIRST consideration of the parents should be to WORK for the SALVATION of their children. When the father and the mother, as priest and teacher [respectively] of the family take their position FULLY on the side of Christ, a good influence will be exerted in the HOME. And this SANCTIFIED influence will be felt in the CHURCH, and will be recognized by every believer. Because of the great lack of PIETY AND SANCTIFICATION in the home, the WORK OF GOD is greatly hindered. No man can bring into the CHURCH and influence that he does not exert in the HOME LIFE and in his business relations.
“The angels of God, who minister for those who shall be ‘heirs of salvation,’ will help you make your family a MODEL of the heavenly family. LET THERE BE PEACE IN THE HOME, AND THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE CHURCH.
These precious experience brought into the church will be the MEANS of creating kindly affection one for another. QUARRELS WILL CEASE. True Christian courtesy will be seen among church members. The WORLD [around them] will take knowledge of them that ‘they had been with Jesus and have learned of Him’ [without ever seeing Him physically/visibly, yet!].
What an IMPRESSION the church would make upon the world if ALL members would live [genuine, consistent] CHRISTIAN LIVES.” – Ibid, Child Guidance, p. 549. Indeed, “Charity begins in the home,” not in the church.
Bless all till next MWM, God willing, NMF.
Tag: father
FATHER’S DAY MESSAGE
FATHER’S DAY MESSAGE FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
June 19, 2022
The God-given duties and responsibilities of father to his children are numerous. The most important ones are: to love them (Gen. 37: 1-4); command (Gen. 18: 19, 1-33); instruct (Prov. 1: 8, 9); guide and warn (1 Thess. 2: 11, 12): train up (Prov. 22:6); rebuke (Gen. 34: 30, etc); restrain (1 Sam. 3:13; 1 Sam. 2:12-17, 22-25); punish (Deut. 21:18-21); nourish (Isa. 1: 2,3); supply their needs (Matt. 7: 8-11); not to provoke his children to anger (Eph. 6: 1-4); and to chasten with God’s discipline as described below (emphasis mine):
“And you have forgotten the exhortation. which speaks to you as to sons: My son, do not despise the CHASTENING of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are REBUKED by Him: for WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, and SCOURGES every son He receives [cf. Prov. 3: 11, 12]. If you ENDURE CHASTENING, God deals with you as with SONS, for what son is there whom a FATHER DOES NOT CHASTEN? But if you are WITHOUT chastening, of which all of you have become partakers, then you are ILLEGITIMATE (bastards, KJV), and NOT SONS. Furthermore, we have had HUMAN FATHERS who corrected us, and we paid them RESPECT, Shall we not MUCH MORE READILY BE IN SUBJECTION TO THE FATHER OF SPIRITS, AND LIVE? For they [our human fathers] for a FEW DAYS chastened us AS SEEMED BEST to them, but HE [our heavenly Father] for OUR PROFIT, that we may be PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS!
Now no chastening seems to be JOYFUL FOR THE PRESENT BUT GRIEVOUS: nevertheless, AFTERWARD it yields the PEACEABLE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS to those who have been TRAINED by it [the chastening of the Father].” Heb. 12:5-11, NKJV.
Professed Christian fathers who presumptuously belittle or worse, rebelliously reject the heavenly Father’s work of chastening him in order to produce the “peaceable fruit” of Christ’s righteousness without a flaw, have disqualified themselves from chastening their own sons or “training them up” for God’s glory and eternity. Pure, fresh water cannot be obtained from corrupted wells. The source must first be purified.
Bless all fathers and grandfathers today! NMF
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
SPECIAL FATHER’S (and Mother’s) DAY MESSAGE
Because fathers are first husbands and mothers are first wives and according to the Creator the latter shall “become one flesh,” this message is for the head of the household as well as its “queen,” according to God’s plan. From the God’s messenger’s inspired pen come this sobering message of the hour:
“On Sabbath and Sunday, in visions of the night, I seemed to be bearing my testimony before the people. On BOTH OCCASIONS I seemed to be in a mammoth tent which was literally packed. The Lord gave me a DECIDED MESSAGE for the people. MY BURDEN WAS FOR OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE UNPREPARED TO MEET THE LORD.
A special burden was upon me to point out [not condemn or denounce] to our people the need of seeking the Lord with close searching of the hearts and with earnestness of purpose. Parents who are truly converted will reveal in their HOME LIFE that they are bringing their lives under the discipline of the Word of God [not tradition, culture, or personal inclinations].
To the MOTHER AND FATHER the right training of their children should be the MOST IMPORTANT WORK OF THEIR LIFE.
SOLEMN QUESTION FOR PARENTS. FATHERS and mothers, how stands your record? Have you been faithful to your trust?
“Those who bear the last message of mercy to the world should feel it their DUTY to instruct parents in regard to home religion. [this is what am attempting to do]. The GREAT REFORMATORY MOVEMENT must begin in presenting to FATHERS and mothers and children the principles of the LAW of God [antitypical work or rebuilding the wall and it’s breach].
As the claims of the law are presented, and men and women are convicted of their duty to render obedience, show them the responsibility of their decision, not only for themselves, but for their children. Show that obedience to God’s law is our ONLY SAFEGUARD against the evils that are sweeping the world to destruction.” (E.G. White, Child Guidance, pp. 555, 556).
I appeal to all fathers (and mothers) today:
Do not delay this work for rapidly approaching ominous events, as prophesied, are casting their dark and foreboding shadows in our pathway. We heard it before, “Today, if you will hear His still small voice, harden not your hearts.”
Bless all FATHERS and mothers and children of the remnant household of faith. NMF
THE SONSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST
August 30, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE SONSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST
“For to which of the angels did He [the Father] ever say: You are My Son, today I have begotten You? [Ps. 2:7]. And again: I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?” .
Heb.1:4,5, NKJV
“You are My Son. Angels are never called sons of God INDIVIDUALLY, though they appear to be so called COLLECTIVELY. (Job 2:1). Nor are they begotten of God but CREATED [‘as ministering spirits,’ Heb. 1:7]. But not so Christ. He is God in His own right, not a created being [but God Creator Himself]. Apostle Paul speaks of God’s—-“Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David ACCORDING TO THE FLESH: and declared to be the Son of God WITH POWER, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Rom. 1:3,4, KJV. In his speech in Antioch Paul said:
“We declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers [the godly Patriarchs of ancient Israel], God hath FULFILLED the same unto US their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again: as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” Acts 13:32,33.”
“These Scriptures declare that the Son ‘WAS MADE’ of the seed of David ACCORDING TO THE FLESH,’—that is, ‘declared to be THE SON OF GOD with power.’ (Rom. 1:4). The reading is not that Christ BECAME the Son of God, or was MADE the Son of God, but declared TO BE the Son of God. He that was Son BECAME flesh [in the incarnation]. John 1:14. Jesus did not become GOD, for He was ALREADY God. He was simply declared TO BE the Son of God.” Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 64, 65.
There is a vital distinction and reason why Jesus is addressed as both “the Son of God,” and the “Son of man.” The former refers to His divinity as Deity; the latter refers to the flesh-and-blood human nature that He incarnated into four thousand years after the fall of Adam (and Eve) in Eden. O what an unparalleled sacrifice of condescension—-the Creator taking on the fallen nature of His creature! Ponder upon these things.”
Bless all, NMF.
August 27, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
CHRIST’S DEITY: THE GREAT STUMBLING BLOCK IN THE WAY OF JUDAISM FOR ACCEPTING CHRIST
The Jews attempted to stone Him to death at least twice for saying, ‘I and My Father are one,” accusing Him of blasphemy! See John 10: 22-39 first.
The first chapter of Hebrews introduces Christ as God, deity; the second chapter reveals Christ as a Man, His humanity. Now, read Hebrews 1: 4-14 first before proceeding.
August 19, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
CHRIST SUFFERS GOD’S WRATH AGAINST SIN ALONE AT GETHSEMANE
“I have trodden the wine press alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me.”
Isa. 63:3, NKJV.
So prophesied the gospel prophet regarding Christ’s superhuman agony at Gethsemane culminating at Golgotha. The Greek ‘Gethsemani is a transliteration of the Aramaic ‘Gath Shemani,’ meaning, ‘oil press.’ It cannot be mere coincidence that this specially appointed place located in the western side of Mount of Olives was called an ‘oil press’ where Christ would fulfill the prophecy that He would ‘trod the winepress alone’ for our salvation.
August 4, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE ‘EXPRESS IMAGE OF THE PERSON’ OF GOD THE FATHER
“Who being the. . . . express image of His person.”
Heb. 1: 3, A.V.
For a Biblical reference on the glory of God being the sum total of His divine attributes, see Exo. 33: 18; 34: 6,7.
“Man was created [never evolved] in the image of God, but Christ [‘the only-begotten of the Father’] is the EXPRESS image of the Father. As a seal impresses an exact image of itself upon the wax, so Christ is the EXACT counterpart of God.”
August 3, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
CHRIST, THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FATHER’S GLORY
“Who being the brightness of His [the Father’s] glory.”
Heb. 1:3, A.V. (See verses 1-3).
“The third verse presents Christ as ‘being the brightness of His glory.’ The participle ‘being,’ is an expression of eternal, timeless existence, and has the same sense as ‘was’ in John 1:1. ‘In the beginning WAS the Word.’ The Word is Christ. (Verse 14).
“He did not come into existence in the beginning. In the beginning He WAS. When He came to this world He BECAME flesh. He has not been previously flesh.”