Tag: God

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 26, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

 LAW OF LOVE: BASIS OF TRUE EDUCATION OF MAN 

Scripture text: 

   “Then one of them [the Pharisees], which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting (testing) Him, and saying, Master, which is the GREAT COMMANDMENT in the law? Jesus said unto him, 

The first and great commandment is, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength (might), and with all thy mind.” Luke 10: 27, KJV.

Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt LOVE THE LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE THY NEIGHBOR as thyself. ON THESE TWO HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.” Matt. 22: 35-40, KJV. 

Continuing from last week’s extract from her book Education, p. 16, E.G. White wrote (all emphases and bracketed words provided):

“Love, the basis of creation and redemption, is the basis of true education. This is made plain in the law that God has given as the GUIDE OF LIFE. The first and great commandment is, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy strength [might], and with ALL thy mind.” Luke 10: 27, KJV. 

   “To love Him, the Infinite, Omniscient One, with the whole strength, and mind, and heart, means the HIGHEST DEVELOPMENT of every power. It means that in the WHOLE BEING—the BODY, the MIND, as well as the SOUL—the image of God is to be RESTORED. 

    “Like the first is the second commandment—‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ Matt. 22: 39. THE LAW OF LOVE calls for the devotion of body, mind, and soul to the service of God and our fellow men. And this service, while making us a blessing to OTHERS, brings the GREATEST blessings to ourselves. 

    “UNSELFISHNESS UNDERLIES ALL TRUE DEVELOPMENT. 

    Through unselfish service we receive the HIGHEST CULTURE of every faculty. More and more fully do we become PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE. We are FITTED FOR HEAVEN, for we receive heaven INTO our hearts.” (End of extract) 

Dear friend, ponder upon this precious Bible truth regarding true education! Are we willing to learn as students in the school of Christ, the Master “Teacher sent from God” that prepares and fits us up for His eternal kingdom of glory? 

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 19, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE DIVINE PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLE OF EDUCATION OF MAN IN HIS CREATION THEN REDEMPTION  

Text: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Gen. 1: 27, KJV

Ellen G. White is “reputed to be the most translated woman author and the most translated author in American history. For eg. her little book, Steps to Christ, is available in more than 100 languages.” The following is an extract from her book, Education, subtitle, The Source and Aim of True Education, pp. 15, 16 (all emphasis and bracketed words supplied):

   “In order to understand what is comprehended in education, we need to consider both the NATURE of man and the PURPOSE of God in creating him. We need to consider also the CHANGE in man’s condition through the coming in of the ‘knowledge of evil’ [cf. Gen. 2: 9, 17; 3: 1-24], and GOD’S PLAN for still fulfilling HIS GLORIOUS PURPOSE IN THE EDUCATION of the human race.

    “When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a LIKENESS to His Maker. ‘God created man in His image’ (Gen. 1: 27) and it was HIS PURPOSE that the longer man lived the more fully he should REVEAL THIS IMAGE—-the more fully REFLECT THE GLORY of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were to continually INCREASE. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened for their RESEARCH. The MYSTERIES of the visible UNIVERSE the wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge’ (Job 37: 16)—invited man’s study. 

    “Face-to-face, heart-to-heart COMMUNION with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained LOYAL to God, all this would have been his FOREVER. Throughout eternal ages he would have continued to GAIN NEW TREASURES OF KNOWLEDGE, to discover FRESH SPRINGS OF HAPPINESS, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the WISDOM, the POWER, and the LOVE of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled THE OBJECT OF HIS CREATION, more and more fully have REFLECTED the Creator’s glory. 

THE FALL IN EDEN:

   “But by DISOBEDIENCE this was FORFEITED. Through sin the divine likeness was MARRED, and well-nigh obliterated. Man’s PHYSICAL powers were weakened, his MENTAL capacity was lessened, his SPIRITUAL VISION dimmed. He had become subject to DEATH. Yet the [human] race was not left without hope. 

   “By infinite love and mercy the PLAN OF SALVATION had been devised, and a LIFE OF PROBATION was granted to RESTORE in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the PERFECTION in which he was created, to promote the development of BODY, MIND, AND SOUL, that the DIVINE PURPOSE FOR HIS CREATION MIGHT BE REALIZED—this was to be the work of redemption. 

   “This is the OBJECT OF EDUCATION, the GREAT OBJECT OF LIFE.” (End of extract). 

To be continued next MWM, God willing and enabling. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 12, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE HIGHEST PURPOSE OF TRUE EDUCATION

We begin this mini series on education with these Scriptures as the foundation. Read them carefully and prayerfully: 

    “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide My commandments with thee; so that thou wilt incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for his treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant to thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.” Proverbs 2:1-11, KJV. 

     “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above if first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is down in peace of them that make peace.” James 3: 13-18, KJV. 

    “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness (cf v 1:20). And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (cf. Ps. 94: 11).” 1 Cor. 3: 17-20, KJV.

By mortal man’s fallible and ever-shifting standards and value systems, education is often equated with the means of achieving three general pursuits and goals in life: financial and economic security, social mobility, and prestige. Intrinsically, all these are temporal in nature. 

But where eternal realities are concerned, true education has a far different goal and purpose, much higher, more sublime and transcendental its and temporal counterpart. 

We shall focus on the latter for it is a vital part of preparing “for the inheritance of the saints in light.”

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

August 5, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

EXECUTIVE JUDGMENT REVEALS GOD’S FATHOMLESS LOVE AND INFINITE WISDOM TO THE WHOLE UNIVERSE (How & Why ‘Calvary is the Tipping Point’ of Eternity Past and Eternity Future) 

We resume from last week’s MWM and conclude the full extract here (with all emphasis and bracketed words provided):

    “In the final execution of the judgment [conducted in heaven during the millenium, commencing  after Christ’s glorious second advent to raise “the dead in Christ”

in ‘the resurrection of the just’] it will be seen that no cause for sin exists. 

    “When [Christ] the Judge of all the earth shall demand of Satan, ‘WHY HAST THOU REBELLED AGAINST ME, AND ROBBED ME OF THE SUBJECTS OF MY KINGDOM?’ the originator of evil can render no excuse. Every mouth [of fallen angels a wicked men] will be stopped, and all the HOSTS of rebellion will be speechless. 

    “The CROSS OF CALVARY, while it declares the law immutable, PROCLAIMS TO THE UNIVERSE that the wages of sin is death. 

    “In the Savior’s expiring cry, ‘IT IS FINISHED,’ THE DEATH KNELL OF SATAN WAS RUNG [!] The great controversy which has been so long on progress [only 6,000 years and no more] was then decided, and the FINAL ERADICATION OF EVIL was made certain [at Calvary’s cross!]. 

   “The Son of God PASSED THROUGH THE PORTALS OF THE TOMB, ‘that THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM that had the power of death, that is, THE DEVIL.’ (Heb. 2: 14, KJV). 

    “Lucifer’s desire for SELF EXALTATION had led him to say, ‘I will exalt MY THRONE above the stars of God [the angelic host of heaven]. . . . I will be LIKE the Most High.’ God declares, ‘I will bring thee to ASHES upon the earth. . . . and NEVER shalt thou be anymore.’ (Isa. 14: 13, 14; Eze. 28: 18, 19). 

    “When ‘THE DAY cometh, that shall BURN as an oven. . . . all the PROUD, yea, and all that DO WICKEDLY, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them NEITHER root nor branch.’ (Mal. 4:1). 

    “The WHOLE UNIVERSE will have become WITNESSES TO THE NATURE AND RESULTS OF SIN. And its utter extermination, which in the beginning would have brought FEAR TO THE ANGELS and DISHONOR TO GOD, will now VINDICATE HIS LOVE AND ESTABLISH HIS HONOR before the universe of beings who delight to DO His will, and in whose HEART is His law. 

   “NEVER will evil again be manifest. Says the word of God, ‘Affliction shall not rise up the second time’ (Nahum 1:9). The LAW OF GOD, which Satan has reproached as the law of bondage, will be honored as the LAW OF LIBERTY. 

    “A TESTED AND PROVED CREATION will never again be turned from allegiance to Him whose CHARACTER has been FULLY MANIFESTED before them as FATHOMLESS LOVE and INFINITE WISDOM.”

—-End of extract of ‘The Origin of Evil,’ chap. 29, The Great Controversy, pp. 503-4, 1911 edition by Ellen G. White, Pacific Press Publishing Association. 

My only desire and prayer is that all, discarding any preconceived ideas and prejudices, will thoroughly  examine and prove its truthfulness by obtaining and reading for themselves the books cited and all the Bible verses provided therein. Thusly, I humbly yet confidently, commit you to the comfort, guidance, and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and ministry of the holy angels.

Till next MWM, God willing.  Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

July 29, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

CALVARY’S CROSS MAGNIFIES GOD’S LAW OF JUSTICE, MERCY, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE 

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

Known as “the prince of prophets,” the gospel prophet Isaiah revealed Christ’s other major purpose in His first advent to our fallen, sin-cursed earth, four thousand years after the fall: to “magnify the law and make  it honorable”—-to restore its rightful place and role in His everlasting kingdom of eternity past to eternity future. 

We resume the continuation of last week’s extract from Ellen G. White’s The Great Controversy, 1911 edition, p. 503 (all emphasis, bracketed words, and Notes provided):

  “But it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that Christ came to earth to suffer and die. He came to ‘magnify and make it honorable.’ 

   “Not alone that the inhabitants of THIS WORLD might regard the law as it should be regarded; but it was to demonstrate to ALL THE WORLDS IN THE UNIVERSE that God’s law is unchangeable. Could its claims have been set aside, then the Son of God need not have YIELDED UP HIS LIFE to atone for its transgression. THE DEATH OF CHRIST PROVES IT IMMUTABLE. 

    “And the SACRIFICE to which INFINITE LOVE impelled the Father and the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, DEMONSTRATES TO ALL THE UNIVERSE—what nothing less than this PLAN OF ATONEMENT could have sufficed to do—that JUSTICE AND MERCY ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE LAW AND GOVERNMENT OF GOD.

    “In the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that NO CAUSE FOR SIN EXISTS.” – End of quote.

To be concluded next MWM, God willing and enabling. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

July 22, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

GOD PRESENTS THE HUMILIATION OF CALVARY AS THE ANSWER TO SATAN’S ACCUSATIONS 

TEXTS: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. 2: 5-8, KJV.

    “Yea doubtless, I count all things but loss for [the privilege of acquiring] the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. . . that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made comfortable unto His death.” Phil. 3: 8-10. 

Now we resume where we left off last week quoting from The Great Controversy, 1911 edition by Ellen G. White, p. 502. Please refer back to it. (All emphasis, bracketed words, Notes, and suggested Texts at the beginning provided): 

    “God had manifested His abhorrence of the principles of rebellion. All heaven saw His justice revealed, both in the condemnation of Satan and in the redemption of man. 

   “Lucifer had declared that if the law of God was changeless; and its penalty could not be remitted [immutable], every transgressor must be fierce be forever debarred from the Creator’s favor. He had declared that the sinful race [of humanity] were placed beyond redemption, and were therefore his rightful prey. 

    “But the death of Christ was an argument for man’s behalf that could not be overthrown. The penalty of the law fell upon Him who was EQUAL with God, and [fallen, sinful] MAN WAS FREE TO ACCEPT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST, and by a life of penitence and humiliation TO TRIUMPH, AS the Son of God had triumphed, OVER THE POWER OF SATAN. 

    “Thus God is just, and yet the justifier of all who believe in Jesus.” (End extract). 

NOTE. All who truly believe in Jesus Christ as their Creator, Redeemer, Deliverer, and Savior, will, in love and child-like confidence, trust, and unquestioning obedience, look to Him alone as their Example and Standard of practical living and moral character-perfection. They “overcome even as He overcame” (Rev. 3: 21). This is “the victory in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 15: 57; cf. 1 John 5: 3, 4). 

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

July 15, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

SATAN’S TRUE CHARACTER, NATURE, AND GUILT FIRST LAID BARE TO ALL ANGELS AND THE UNFALLEN WORLDS AT CALVARY

Continuing from last issue’s quote from Ellen G. White’s Great Controversy, 1911 edition, p. 501 (all emphasis, bracketed words and Notes provided):

    “Now the guilt of Satan stood forth without excuse. He had revealed his true character as a LIAR and a MURDERER [see John 8:44]. It was seen that the very same spirit with which he ruled the children of men, who were under his power [since the fall in Eden and in the rise and fall of empires and nations], he would have manifested had he been permitted to CONTROL THE INHABITANTS OF HEAVEN.   

NOTE: Heaven is the home of the Godhead, and the numberless throng of the angelic “ministering spirits” who, though “made a little higher than man,” are not of “flesh, blood, and bones.” Man do not and cannot “become angels with wings” and vice versa. It is blatant “lying against the truth” to believe, assert, and teach that angels and man can intermarry, or that there are “half angels, half man,” or half angels, half animals such as gargoyles, etc. Beware of persisting old world Spiritualism. But the final, end-time Spiritualism is what “Will take the whole world captive.” Remember: “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them.”(Isa. 8: 19, 20). 

    “He had claimed that the transgression of God’s law would bring LIBERTY AND EXALTATION; but it was seen to result in BONDAGE AND DEGRADATION. 

    “Satan’s lying charges against the divine character and government appeared in their TRUE LIGHT. He had ACCUSED GOD of seeking merely the exaltation of Himself in requiring submission and obedience from His creatures, and had declared that while the Creator exacted SELF-DENIAL from all others, He Himself practiced NO self-denial and made NO SACRIFICE.

    “Now it was seen [as Jesus  was expiring at the cross] that for the salvation of a fallen and sinful race [of human beings only; never angels], the Ruler of the universe had made the GREATEST SACRIFICE [and the ‘greatest self-denial’ as well] which LOVE could make, for ‘God was IN Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself’ (2 Cor 5: 19). 

    “It was seen also [at Calvary’s cross], that while Lucifer had opened the door for the ENTRANCE OF SIN [‘the mystery of iniquity’], by his DESIRE FOR HONOR AND SUPREMACY, Christ had in order to destroy sin, HUMBLED HIMSELF, and become OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH [see Phil. 2: 9, 5-10].”— End extract from GC 502. 

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

July 8, 2026

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE TRUE CHARACTERS OF GOD AND SATAN REVEALED TO THE UNIVERSE AT CALVARY

Text: “That the God of Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. .  . .which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” Eph. 1: 17-21, KJV. 

First, a full disclosure and confession: I did not realize how disgustingly ignorant and fearfully deceived I was regarding what Christ’s death at Calvary’s cross comprehends and its purpose in the plan of redemption of the gospel, outside of the truth that “He died for me so that I won’t have to die the second death,” etc., etc. I can only praise and thank God for His enduring mercy for “opening the eye of my mind” to see, understand, embrace, and share the advancing light on the subjects of present truth that we have been covering! Do your part, too! 

Now, the continuation from last week’s quote Ellen G. White’s The Great Controversy, 1911 edition (all emphasis and bracketed words provided):

    “It was Satan that prompted the world’s rejection of Christ [from His own people and onwards till the close of earth’s probation]. The prince of evil exercised all his power and cunning to destroy Jesus; for he saw that the Savior’s MERCY AND LOVE, His COMPASSION AND PITYING TENDERNESS, were representing to the world the CHARACTER OF GOD. 

   “Satan contested every claim put forth by the Son of God, and EMPLOYED MEN AS HIS AGENTS to fill His life with suffering and sorrow [from birth to death at Calvary, 33 1/2 years]. The sophistry and falsehood by which he had sought to hinder the work of Jesus, the hatred manifested through the ‘children of disobedience’ [all who willfully ignore, ‘make of none effect by the traditions of men,’ despise, hate, and presumptuously transgress the Decalogue, as written by God’s own finger], his cruel accusations against Him whose LIFE WAS ONE OF UNEXAMPLED GOODNESS, all sprung from deep-seated revenge [having lost his rebellious war against Christ in heaven, and was cast out with the angels that joined him.]. 

    “The PENT-UP FIRES of envy and malice, hatred and revenge, BURST FORTH ON CALVARY against the Son of God, while ALL HEAVEN gazed upon the scene with SILENT HORROR.  

    “When the great sacrifice had been consummated [by His death, burial, and resurrection] Christ ASCENDED on high, REFUSING THE ADORATION OF ANGELS until He had presented the request, ‘I WILL [Christ’s will; desire; purpose] that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be WITH ME WHERE I AM.’ John 17:24. [True meaning of, ‘I go to prepare a place for you. . . . that WHEREVER I AM there may you be also.” John 14: 1-3!]. 

    “Then with inexpressible love came forth the answer from the FATHER’S THRONE, ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him.’ (Heb. 1: 6). Not a stain [of sin] rested upon Jesus. His humiliation ended, His sacrifice completed, there was given unto Him a NAME that is above every name.” (End of extract from Great Controversy, pp. 501-2.).

Such was “the counsel of peace” between the Father and the Son in His office as merciful High Priest and all-powerful Intercessor/Mediator/Advocate to the Father for His faithful followers on earth! What a “lively hope,” assurance, and insurance of salvation for all seeking for it! 

To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.