Tag: God

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 12

SATAN’S ENMITY AGAINST GOD’S LAW OF LOVE

“Before the entrance of evil, there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator’s WILL. Love for God was SUPREME, love for one another IMPARTIAL. Christ the Word [John 1:1-3], the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, character, and in purpose,—the ONLY BEING in the whole universe that could enter into all the purposes and counsels of God. By Christ, the Father wrought in the CREATION of all heavenly beings [the angels]. [Col. 1:16 quoted]; and to Christ, EQUALLY to the Father, all HEAVEN gave allegiance.

(NOTE: Biblical unity of spiritual oneness, as modeled in and by the three Persons of the Godhead, is one in nature, character, and purpose. It’s man-made opposite and counterfeit is enforced uniformity with emphasis on external appearance and form, and excludes the freedom and liberty of the individuality of man to make choices based on conviction of conscience where, what, when, and who to obey, venerate, and worship).

 “The Law of love being the FOUNDATION of the government of God, the happiness of all beings DEPENDED upon their perfect accord [and obedience] with its great principles of RIGHTEOUSNESS. God desires from all His creatures the SERVICE OF LOVE, homage that springs from an INTELLIGENT appreciation of His CHARACTER. He takes no pleasure in a FORCED ALLEGIANCE, and to all He grants FREEDOM OF WILL, that they may render Him VOLUNTARY service [beginning with the angels as “ministering spirits”]. 

 “But there was one that CHOSE TO PERVERT THiS FREEDOM. Sin originated with him who, NEXT to Christ, has been most honored of God, and stood HIGHEST in power and glory among the inhabitants of HEAVEN. Before his fall, LUCIFER was FIRST of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. “Thou wast perfect in thy ways, till INIQUITY was found in Thee.’ [Eze. 28: 12-15, 17 quoted]. 

“Satan might have retained in favor with God, beloved and honored by all the ANGELIC HOST, exercising his noble powers to bless others and glorify His Maker. But, says the prophet, ‘Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness’ [Eze. 28: 12-15, 17]. 

 “Little by little [step after step], Lucifer came to INDULGE a desire for SELF EXALTATION. ‘Thou hast set thine heart AS the heart of God.’ Thou hast said…..I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation [of angels]….I will ascend ABOVE the heights of the clouds [of all the angels]; I will be LIKE THE MOST HIGH’[Eze. 28:6; Isa. 14: 13, 14]. 

 “Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the AFFECTIONS AND ALLEGIANCE of His creatures, it was Lucifer’s endeavor to win their [the angelic host] service and honor to himself. And COVETING the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon His Son, this PRINCE OF ANGELS aspired to power which it was the PREROGATIVE of Christ alone to wield.” E. G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 493-4. 

This was the genesis and source of the “mystery of iniquity” with its “enmity” with Christ, God’s law, and His faithful people throughout all the ages since, till the end of fallen earth’s time! It started in heaven, the home of the angels, but ends on earth the planet home the Creator originally made for man. As fallen, sinful, corrupted man is restored on earth to the original sinless “image and likeness” character to his Creator by the plan of redemption of the gospel, so will be “the new earth,” which is the antitypical “Canaan,”the eternal “Promised Land” of the eternally-redeemed “where sin” and iniquity with its enmity “shall rise no more.”

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 15, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 11

MYSTERY OF SATAN’S ENMITY IN HEAVEN IS IN THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY

“And there was WAR in heaven: Michael and His angels FOUGHT against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out [of heaven] into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Rev. 12: 7-9., 3, 4; cf. Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4, KJV.

Michael is Christ’s title and office as Commander-in-Chief of heaven’s army of angels; hence, “Michael the ArchAngel.

God’s messenger wrote:
“To countless minds, the origin of sin and the reason for its existence are a source of great perplexity. They see the work of evil, with its terrible results of woe and desolation [the curse of sin], and they question how all these can exist under the sovereignty of One who is Infinite in WISDOM, in POWER, and in LOVE.

“Here is a mystery of which, they find no explanation. And in their uncertainty and doubt they are BLINDED TO TRUTHS plainly revealed in God’s word, and ESSENTIAL to salvation [Biblical salvation means deliverance from bondage to Satan and slavery to sin]. 

“There are those who in their  inquiries concerning the EXISTENCE of sin, endeavor to search into that which GOD has never revealed [see Deut. 29:29]; hence they find NO SOLUTION of their difficulties; and such as are actuated by a disposition to DOUBT and CAVIL, seize upon this as an EXCUSE for rejecting the words of the Holy Writ. Others, however, fail of a satisfactory understanding of the great problem of evil from the fact that TRADITION AND MISINTERPRETATION have obscured the teachings of the Bible concerning [1] the character of God [2] the nature of His government, and [3] the principles of His dealing with sin.

“It is IMPOSSIBLE to explain the origin of sin so as to give it a REASON of existence. Yet ENOUGH may be understood concerning both the ORIGIN and the FINAL DISPOSITION of sin [its alpha and omega, beginning and end], to make fully manifest the JUSTICE AND BENEVOLENCE of God in all His DEALINGS with evil. 

“Nothing is more plainly taught in Scriptures that God was in NO WISE RESPONSIBLE for sin; that there was NO ARBITRARY withdrawal of divine grace, NO DEFICIENCY in the divine government, that gave occasion to the uprising of REBELLION [resulting from the pride, envy, jealousy, and enmity of Lucifer towards Christ]. 

“Sin is an INTRUDER, for whose presence no reason can be given. It is MYSTERIOUS, UNEXPLAINABLE; TO EXCUSE IT IS TO DEFEND IT. Could excuse for it be found, or CAUSE be shown for its existence, it would CEASE to be sin. 

“Our ONLY definition of sin is that given in the word of God [not by any religion, church, or denomination]; it is ‘the transgression of the law’[1 John 3:4]; it is the outworking of a PRINCIPLE AT WAR WITH THE GREAT LAW OF LOVE which is the foundation of the divine government.” -E. G. White, The Great Controversy, 1911 ed., pp. 492-3, Pacific Press Publishing Asso. (all emphasis and words in brackets mine).

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 8, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 10

THE UNCEASING ENMITY OF THE WORLD WITH CHRIST, HIS DISCIPLES AND THE GOSPEL

See John 15: 17-25 (KJV or RV) first. Now these (all emphasis and words in brackets mine):

“Ye adulteress and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the WORLD is ENMITY with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the ENEMY of God.” James 3:4. 

“Love not the WORLD, neither the THINGS that are in the world [worldly things]. If any man LOVE the world the love of the FATHER is not in him. For ALL that is in the world, the lust of the FLESH, and the lust of the EYES, and the PRIDE of life, is NOT of the Father but of the world. And the WORLD PASSETH AWAY AND THE LUST THEREOF, but he that doeth the WILL of God abideth forever [with Him].” 1 John 2: 15-17, KJV. 

Here is a definitive definition of the gospel as delineated in the comprehensive sanctuary doctrine:
“The gospel is a SYSTEM of practical truths destined to work great changes in human CHARACTER. If it does not work the TRANSFORMATION in life, in habits, and practice, it is NO TRUTH to those who are believers. [Not all believers are truth believers]. Man must be SANCTIFIED through the truth. And said Jesus, ‘Thy WORD is truth’ (John 17: 17). Unless the truth of God shall lift up man out of his DEPRAVITY, his INTEMPERATE AND PROFLIGATE HABITS, and make him reflect the image of God, he is LOST.” (E. G. White, Letter 14, Mar. 13, 1885).

See Matt. 10: 14-41. Thus:
“The Savior bade His disciples not to hope that the WORLD’S ENMITY TO THE GOSPEL would be overcome, and that after a time its OPPOSITION would cease. He said, ‘I CAME NOT TO SEND PEACE BUT A SWORD.’ This creation of strife is NOT THE EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL BUT THE RESULT OF THE OPPOSITION [to it].

“Of all the PERSECUTIONS hardest to bear is variance in the HOME, the ESTRANGEMENT of dearest earthly friends. But Jesus declares, ‘he that loveth FATHER or MOTHER MORE than Me, is NOT WORTHY of Me; and he that loveth SON or DAUGHTER MORE than Me, is not worthy of Me. And he that

taketh not HIS CROSS [of self-denial and self-sacrifice and loving Jesus MORE than his earthly family, dearest friends, and fellow church brethren] and followeth after Me [His life example and teachings], is not worthy of Me.’” (E. G. White, Desire of Ages, p. 357.

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 1, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 9

THE CARNAL MIND AT ENMITY WITH GOD’S LAW

“For to be carnally-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can be.” Rom. 8: 6, 7, KJV.

Clearly understanding this divine dichotomy and making spiritually-enlightened, consistent and unwavering intelligent choices and decisions will determine both our present condition and eternal destiny—either a vibrant life and inward peace on one hand or guilt, misery, self-inflicted suffering, spiritual and physical decay and even premature death. It is only in this definitive sense that we are “masters of our own destiny.” Note the following [all emphasis and bracketed words mine]:

 “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24). In this Scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle [Paul] is speaking especially of the MORAL law [Decalogue]. The law REVEALS SIN to us, and causes us to feel our NEED of Christ, and to FLEE to Him for pardon and peace BY EXERCISING REPENTANCE TOWARDS GOD AND FAITH TOWARD OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

“An unwillingness to yield up PRECONCEIVED opinions, and to ACCEPT this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share at the OPPOSITION manifested at.....[in 1888] AGAINST the Lord’s message through brethren….. By exciting that OPPOSITION, Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the SPECIAL POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT that God longed to impart to them. The ENEMY prevented them from OBTAINING that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the TRUTH TO THE WORLD, as the apostles proclaimed it AFTER the Day of Pentecost! The light that is to ‘lighten the whole earth with its glory’ [the fourth angel of Revelation 18] was RESISTED, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree, KEPT AWAY from the world. 

“The law of Ten Commandments is not to be looked upon as much from the PROHIBITORY side, as from the MERCY side [this is only by the spiritually-minded]. ITS PROHIBITIONS ARE THE SURE GUARANTEE OF HAPPINESS IN OBEDIENCE [exact opposite of a ‘heavy yoke and burdensome’ as taught by antinomians of mainstream Christianity]. 

“As received in Christ, it works in us the PURITY OF CHARACTER that will bring JOY to us through ETERNAL

AGES. By the obedient it is a WALL OF PROTECTION. We behold in it the GOODNESS of God [the true meaning of ‘God is good all the time.’], by revealing IN men the IMMUTABLE PRINCIPLES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, seeks to SHIELD them from the EVILS that result from transgression [sin; iniquity].”- E. G. White, Manuscript Releases, Vol. 1. MR No. 33, pp 133-4, RH Publishing.

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
February 22, 2023

God’s Saving Enmity
Part 8

THE ENMITY EXPERIENCED BY THE HERALDS OF THE TRUE GOSPEL

His name says it all. The Hebrew “satan” means “adversary,” “to cherish animosity” from the Greek satan, “Satanas” transliterations of the Hebrew and Aramaic.

This “great adversary of God and of man” (Rev 12:7-12), who Jesus described as “the father of lies and MURDERER from the beginning” (John 7: 44) has counterfeits for each testing truth of the Bible. As there is the “gospel of Jesus Christ that we should not be ashamed of” (Rom.1:16).

So there are counterfeit gospels, such as the “accursed another gospel” that apostle Paul had to contend with (Gal. 1:: 6-9, 11, 12: cd. Acts 15:1-11), and in these last days the deceptive “peace-and-safety’ prosperity gospel” (1 Thess. 5:3, etc) versus the “everlasting gospel of the three angels’s messages of Rev. 14: 6-12.

Note the following (emphasis and bracketed words mine):

“The disciples were to be heralds of the truth to prepare the way for the [second] coming of their Master. The message they had to bear was the WORD OF ETERNAL LIFE and the destiny of men depended upon their RESPONSE OR REJECTION of it. 

“To impress the people of its solemnity, Jesus bade His disciples, ‘Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be MORE TOLERABLE for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, than for that city.’ 

 “Now the Savior’s eyes penetrate the future [at the time He declared these]; He beholds the broader fields [outside Palestine where His 31/2 year work was confined] in which after His death, the disciples are to be witnesses for Him. His prophetic glance takes in the EXPERIENCE of His servants through ALL THE AGES till He shall come the second time.

 “He shows His followers the CONFLICTS they must [not ‘may’ or ‘probably’] meet; He reveals the character and plan of the BATTLE. He lays before them the PERILS they must encounter; the SELF-DENIAL that will be required [not ‘merely ‘suggested’ or ‘implied’]. He wants them to COUNT THE COST [see Luke 14: 25-35] that they be not taken unawares by the ENEMY. 

“Their WARFARE is not to be waged against ‘flesh and blood,’ but ‘against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS in the heavenly places.’ Eph. 6:13, R.V. 

“They are to CONTEND WITH SUPERNATURAL FORCES but they are assured of SUPERNATURAL FORCES [Who/what are they?]. ALL THE INTELLIGENCES OF HEAVEN ARE IN THIS ARMY. AND MORE THAN ANGELS ARE IN THE RANKS. [Who else?] The HOLY SPIRIT, the Representative of the Captain of the Lord’s hosts [Christ Himself called “Michael the Archangel], comes down to  DIRECT the battle. 

“Our INFIRMITIES may be many, our SINS AND MISTAKES grievous; but the [enabling, empowering, thus saving] GRACE of God is for all who SEEK IT WITH CONTRITION. The POWER of Omnipotence is enlisted in behalf of those who TRUST in [the true] God.”- E. G. White, Desire of Ages, ch. 37,

1950 edition, Apr. 1950, Pacific Press Publishing Asso.

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

MIDWEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
February 15, 2023

GOD’S SAVING ENMITY
Part 7

Jesus Christ the Rock and Cornerstone, laid down the groundwork of the grand gospel work in the Christian dispensation, that would be more fully developed and expanded after His death, resurrection, and ascension,, through the promised supernatural empowerment at the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit, His divine vicegerent on earth.

Jesus called, then prepared and trained His first disciples by example and instruction—all within barely three and a half years. He forewarned them and all His true disciples, workers, and followers, particularly in these last days, of the same ENMITY (hatred, and rejection) that they would suffer, as He himself would be subjected to by His very own people!

Let’s read what’s “It is written” recorded in John 15: 18-25; 16: 1-4, KJV [all emphasis and bracketed words mine). To wit:
“If the WORLD hate you, you know that it HATED ME before it hated you.
“IF ye were of the world, the world would LOVE his own: but because you are NOT of the world, but I have chose you OUT of the world, therefore the world HATETH you.
“REMEMBER the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have PERSECUTED ME, they will also persecute you; If they have kept [accepted and practiced] My saying, they will keep yours also.
“But all these things they will do unto you for MY NAME’S SAKE, because they KNOW NOT HIM THAT SENT ME
“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had NOT had SIN: but now they have NO CLOAK [cover, shield, reason, excuse, justification] for their sin.
“HE THAT HATETH ME HATETH MY FATHER ALSO.
“If I had not done among them the WORKS WHICH NONE OTHER MEN DID, they had not had sin: but now have they BOTH SEEN AND HATED BOTH ME AND MY FATHER.
“But this cometh to pass, that the word [of prophecy] might be fulfilled that is written in THEIR LAW. THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE [see Ps. 69:4]. Then, Ch. 16: 1-4:
“These things have I spoken unto you, that you SHOULD NOT BE OFFENDED.
“They shall put you out of the synagogues [disfellowship, declared heretics, etc.]; yea, the TIME COMETH, that whosoever KILLETH YOU WILL THINK HE DOETH GOD SERVICE.
“And these things will they do unto you, because they have NOT KNOWN the Father, nor Me.
“But these things have I told you, that WHEN the time should come, you may REMEMBER that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.” (end of Bible quote).

The inspired pen magnifies the “two-edged sword” truth of this critical subject below (all emphasis mine):

“The ANTAGONISM [enmity] that exists between the spirit of Christ and the spirit of Satan was most strikingly DISPLAYED in the WORLD’S reception of Jesus. It was not so much that He appeared without worldly wealth, pomp, and grandeur [the “things of the world” that the carnally-minded covet, live and die for], that the JEWS were led to reject Him. They saw that He possessed power [in all His public miraculous works and profound words] which would more than compensate for the lack of these OUTWARD [temporal] advantages. But the PURITY AND HOLINESS of Christ called forth against Him the HATRED [enmity] of the UNGODLY.
 “His life of SELF DENIAL and sinless devotion was a PERPETUAL REPROOF to a proud, sensual people. It was this the evoked ENMITY against the Son of God. SATAN AND EVIL ANGELS JOINED WITH EVIL MEN. All the energies of apostasy CONSPIRED against the Champion of truth [the nature of the real conspiracy; all others are counterfeits that are  part of the spiritual Babylonian confusion of these last days]
“The SAME ENMITY is manifested toward Christ’s followers as was manifested toward their Master. Whoever sees the REPULSIVE CHARACTER OF SIN, and in strength from above, RESISTS TEMPTATION, will assuredly arouse the WRATH [enmity] of Satan and his subjects [his ‘seed’]. 
 “HATRED OF THE PURE PRINCIPLES  OF TRUTH, and reproach and persecution will exist AS LONG AS SIN AND SINNERS REMAIN. The followers of Christ and the servants of Satan CANNOT harmonize. THE OFFENSE OF THE CROSS HAS NOT CEASED. [For] ‘All that will live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution.’ (2 Tim. 3:12).” -E.G. White, Great Controversy, 1911 ed., Pacific Press Publishing Asso.,pp. 506-7.

To be continued next MWM, God willing. “Quit ye like men and be strong” “in the Lord and the power of His might.” Bless all, NMF.

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
February 8, 2023

GRACE IMPLANTS ENMITY IN THE HUMAN HEART
Part 6

If you haven’t yet heard it preached (or emphasized) or realized from your own Bible study the miraculous empowerment produced by the implantation of the Creator’s ENMITY in the Savior’s GRACE imparted by the Holy Spirit to the human —-that results in the greatest of miracles and it’s nature, we will learn more of this awesome truth of the gospel in this dedicated series. God’s end-time servant-messenger wrote and I quote below (all emphasis and bracketed words mine]:

“Every miracle that Christ performed was a sign of His divinity. He was doing the very work that had been foretold [prophesied] of the [coming] Messiah; but to the Pharisees these works of mercy were a positive OFFENSE. [Why?] The Jewish leaders looked with heartless indifference on human suffering. In many cases their SELFISHNESS and OPPRESSION had caused the AFFLICTION that Christ relieved [by miraculous healing]. Thus His miracles were to them a REPROACH.

 “That which led the Jews to REJECT the Savior’s work was the HIGHEST EVIDENCE of His divine character. The GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE of His miracles is seen in the fact that they were for the BLESSING of humanity. The highest evidence that HE CAME FROM GOD is that HIS LIFE revealed the character of God. He did the WORKS and spoke the WORDS of God. SUCH A LIFE IS THE GREATEST OF MIRACLES.

 “When message of TRUTH is presented in OUR DAY, there are many, who, like the Jews [in Christ’s day], cry, ‘Show us a sign. Work us a miracle.’ Christ wrought NO miracle at the demand of the PHARISEES [religious leaders of the nation]. He wrought NO miracles in the wilderness [of temptation] in answer to SATAN’S insinuations. He does not impart to us power to VINDICATE OURSELVES or to SATISFY THE DEMANDS OF UNBELIEF OR PRIDE. 

 “But the gospel is NOT WITHOUT A SIGN of its divine origin. [What is it?] Is it not a MIRACLE that we can BREAK FROM the bondage to Satan [and slavery to sin, sinful habits and lifestyle, indulging and excusing rcherished carnal desires and self-centered pleasures, etc.]. 

 “ENMITY AGAINST SATAN IS NOT NATURAL TO THE HUMAN HEART; IT IS IMPLANTED BY THE GRACE OF GOD. When one who has been controlled by a stubborn, wayward will is set free and yields himself WHOLEHEARTEDLY [not grudgingly or with murmuring] to the drawing of God’s heavenly agencies, a miracle is wrought; so ALSO when a man who had been UNDER STRONG DELUSION comes to understand MORAL TUTH. 

“Every time a soul is converted, and learns to LOVE GOD AND KEEPS HIS COMMANDMENTS, the promise of God is fulfilled, ‘A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I PUT within you.’ Eze. 36:26. 

 “The CHANGE in the human heart, the TRANSFORMATION of human characters, is a miracle that reveals an EVER-LIVING SAVIOR, working to rescue souls. A CONSISTENT LIFE IN CHRIST IS A GREAT MIRACLE. 

 “In the PREACHING of the word of God, THE SIGN THAT SHOULD BE MANIFEST NOW AND ALWAYS, is the PRESENCE of the Holy Spirit, to make the word a REGENERATING POWER to those that HEAR. This is God’s WITNESS before the world to the divine mission of His Son.” -Desire of Ages, pp. 406-7, Pacific Press Publishing, April, 1950. 

So dear friend, “Today, if you will HEAR His voice,” speaking to your conscience, “harden not your heart.” Tomorrow is not promised. Now is your day of opportunity.

Bless all, NMF.