Tag: God

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

December 3, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST’S MISSION ON EARTH

    “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me: . . . Then said I, Lo, here I come in the volume of the book it is written of Me, to do Thy will, O God.” Heb. 10: 5, 7. 

Signifying its vital nature by way of an almost verbatim repetition by Paul of a Christ-specific prophecy by David in the Old Testament, this glorious truth is thusly magnified for us: 

    “Then said I, Lo, here I come in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God, yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Ps. 40: 7, 8, Authorized Version (KJV). 

Writing by the Holy Spirit ‘s inspiration, God’s last-day messenger, Ellen G. White, wrote (all emphasis and bracketed words supplied): 

     “It was (Christ’s) mission to bring [fallen, sinful] men to COMPLETE RESTORATION: He came to give them health [physical and spiritual] health, and peace [the one ‘that passeth understanding’], and PERFECTION OF CHARACTER.” Ministry of Healing, p. 17.

    “Christ came to this world TO SHOW [by precept and example; word and deed] by receiving power from on high [enabling divine grace imparted by the Holy Spirit] man can live an UNSULLIED LIFE.” Ibid, p. 25. 

    “Christ came to this world and LIVED THE LAW OF GOD, that man might have perfect mastery  over the NATURAL inclinations which corrupt the soul [the whole, living person].” Ibid, pp. 130, 131. 

     “Satan was exulting that he had succeeded in debasing the image of God in humanity. Then Jesus came [‘in the fulness of time.’ Gal. 4: 4; cf. Gen. 3:15] to RESTORE IN MAN THE IMAGE OF HIS MAKER. None but Christ can fashion ANEW the character that has been ruined by sin. He came to EXPEL THE DEMONS that had controlled the will. He came to LIFT US up from the dust, to RESHAPE the marred character [image] after His divine character, and to make it BEAUTIFUL with His own [perfect holy and righteous character] glory.” Desire of Ages, pp. 37, 38. 

All the purposes of God Almighty, from eternity past to eternity future, have, are, and will be all fulfilled “and made beautiful in His appointed time,” manner, and way. In Him alone can be found peace, joy, wisdom, and life everlasting, now and forever. 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

November 26, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

The Purpose of the God Creator’s Incarnation: SO THAT FALLEN HUMANITY MIGHT BE RAISED FROM ITS DEGRADATION OF SIN

    “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.” 2 Cor. 9: 15, KJV. 

Christ, “the Word from the beginning,” “thenonly-begotten Son the Father,” did not cease to be God, when, in the divine condescension, He partook of “the likeness of sinful flesh” and thus became “the Son of man,” the very “promised Seed of a woman, born under the law,” in fulfillment of the first promise and prophecy of the Bible. Rom. 8: 3, 4; Gal. 4:4; 3: 16; Gen. 3: 15, A. V. This is part of “the great mystery of godliness—God manifest in the flesh.” 1 Tim. 3: 16.

God’s end-time messenger wrote (all emphasis mine):

    “Laying aside His royal robe and kingly crown, Christ clothed His divinity with humanity, THAT HUMAN BEINGS MIGHT BE RAISED FROM THEIR DEGRADATION, and placed on vantage ground. Christ could not have come to this earth with the GLORY that He had in the heavenly courts. SINFUL BEINGS COULD NOT HAVE BORNE THE SIGHT. He veiled His divinity with the GARB of humanity, BUT HE DID NOT PART WITH HIS DIVINITY. 

    “A divine-human Savior, He came to stand at the HEAD OF THE FALLEN RACE, to share in their experience FROM CHILDHOOD TO MANHOOD. 

    “That human beings might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, He came to thjs [fallen, sin-cursed] earth, and lived a life of perfect obedience.” – E. G. White, Review and Herald, June 15, 1905, p. 8. 

Clearly then, in order that the Creator could become the Redeemer of man, who alone was “made in the image and after the likeness of God,” but became fallen sinners by disobedience to His eternal, immutable law of righteousness, He, the Lawgiver, partook of the likeness of the sinful flesh nature four thousand years after the fall in Eden. In this eternally- adopted human nature He, “Jesus of Nazareth,” perfected obedience to His law through sufferings of the fallen human nature, and thereby became the Savior-by-Example for all man, from childhood to manhood.    

Let us all praise and thank God for “this unspeakable gift” this Thanksgiving! 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

November 19, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

The Purpose of God Creator’s Incarnation – Part 3 

REVEALS ‘THE GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS’ IN GOD’S AMAZING CONDESCENSION 

    “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.” 1 Tim. 3:16. 

     “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1: 1-3, 14. 

From the inspired pen of God’s last-day messenger, Ellen G. White, we read (all emphases and bracketed words provided: 

     “It will be profitable to contemplate the divine condescension, the sacrifice, the self-denial, the humiliation, the resistance the Son of God encountered in doing His work for fallen man. Well may we come forth from contemplation of His great suffering exclaiming, Amazing Condescension! 

     “ANGELS marvel, as with intense interest they watch the Son of God DESCENDING step by step the path of humiliation. IT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. It is the GLORY OF GOD to conceal Himself and His ways, NOT BY KEEPING MEN IN IGNORANCE of heavenly light and knowledge, but by SURPASSING THE UTMOST CAPACITY OF MEN TO KNOW. 

     “Humanity can comprehend in part, but that is all that men can bear. The love of Christ passes knowledge. [see Eph. 3: 14-21]. THE MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION [preceded by the mystery of Creation] WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MYSTERY—the unexhausted science and everlasting song of eternity. Well may [fallen, and eternally-redeemed] humanity exclaim, ‘Who can know God?’ We may, as Elijah, wrap our mantles about us, and listen to “hear the still small voice’ [of the Holy Spirit] of God.” – Bible 

Echo, Apr. 30, 1894, p. 133. 

Ah! The everlasting science and song of eternity! All who would be eternally-saved in these closing hours of earth’s probation, would have found unbounded joy in delving into and continually-unfolding, ever-fresh revealed factual truths of the science of redemption while singing its heavenly melodies to cheer them as they meet, head-on, the rapidly-approaching final, most perilous, faith-testing “hour of temptation  which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). 

Remind yourselves. “If God in Christ through the Holy Spirit be with and in us, Who can be against us?”

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

November 12, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE PURPOSE OF THE CREATOR’S INCARNATION IN THE ‘GREAT MYSTERY OF GODLINESS’ – Part 2

THAT FALLEN MEN MIGHT KNOW HOW DEEP GOD’S LOVE IS FOR SUFFERING HUMANITY 

      “For unto the angels hath He [the Father] not put into subjection the world to come [the earth made new] whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him? Thou madest Him a little lower than angels; Thou crownest Him with glory and honor.” Heb. 2: 5-7, A. V. 

M. L. Andreasen, in his scholarly work, The Book of Hebrews, Review & Herald Publishing Asso. 1948, wrote, and I quote (all emphasis mine):

    “Christ is here presented as being lower than the angels, though crowned with glory and honor. He is shown to be VERY MAN, as truly as in the first chapter [Heb. 1: 1-14] He was shown to be VERY GOD. His HUMANITY ENABLES HIM TO BE THE HIGH PRIEST [thus, Advocate, Intercessor, and Mediator] men need. 

     “It is an ever-present source of comfort to the Christian to know that Christ understands our sorrows and perplexities, and sympathizes with us. IF CHRIST HAD NOT BECOME A MAN [by His incarnation—‘the great mystery of godliness”], the question might have easily arisen, HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT GOD LOVES AND CARES FOR US when He never experienced the trials we encounter, has never been poor or forsaken, and has never known what it is to be alone and face an unknown future? He asks us to ‘be faithful unto death, but He has never faced the [life-and-death] issues we face. IF He were one OF us and one WITH us, He would know HOW HARD it is to meet certain trials [and ‘the sins that so easily beset us.’ Heb. 12:1]. BUT IF HE HAS NEVER BEEN A MAN, does He really know all our sorrows, and can sympathize with us when we stray? 

     “To this we unhesitatingly answer that God, AS GOD, DOES KNOW, and that it was not for His sake, but for OUR sake that He suffered and died [in His adopted human nature]. WE NEEDED THE DEMONSTRATION that Christ came to give, OR WE WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN THE DEEP LOVE OF GOD FOR SUFFERING HUMANITY; nor would we have known the SUFFERING WHICH SIN has brought to the heart of God! 

[Quoting E. G. White]:

“All heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but that SUFFERING DID NOT BEGIN OR END WITH HIS MANIFESTATION IN HUMANITY. The cross is a revelation of our DULL SENSES OF THE PAIN that from its very inception, SIN has brought to the heart of God.’ (Education, p. 263).” pp. 88-90. 

I encourage all to prayerfully read and contemplate Isaiah chapter 53, and compare it with Acts 8: 26-40. 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

November 5, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE MIND OF GOD MANIFESTED IN THE FLESH 

    “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 (cf. Heb. 1:3): but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him(self) 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, A. V. 

     “Jesus became a man. . . .that He might RESTORE  to man the ORIGINAL MIND which he lost in Eden. . . . DISOBEDIENCE is not accordance with the NATURE which God gave to man in Eden.” E. G. White, Letter 121, 1897. 

     “And this HUMILIATION (of the incarnation) on His part was that He might restore to man the original mind, THE IMAGE OF GOD which he [man, beginning with the first Adam] lost in Eden.” Ibid, Signs of the Times, Oct. 14, 1897. 

Both the original mind and the image or character of God Creator in original man—Adam and Eve—were lost in their Eden home—an instant result from their disobedience to God’s command. 

Note this fellow Bible students: Disobedience in any form or degree was “not in accordance” with man’s original nature, it being totally free of any defects, weaknesses, inherent sinful propensities for the “knowledge of evil.” Disobedience was unnatural, strange, aberrant, incongruous, antithetical. 

Thusly sin, “the transgression of the law” (1 John 3: 4) is the core substance of “the mystery of iniquity.” (2 Thess. 2:7). But it is self-evident that God’s antidote to it is “the mystery of godliness” (1 Tim. 3: 16), the great precious truth we are presently focusing on! 

Hereunder is a fuller, more comprehensive definition, thus, meaning of MIND, aside from being “the image of God,” even as the GLORY of God in Christ Jesus” is His CHARACTER of righteousness which He perfected “through sufferings” (Heb. 5: 8, 9). 

Sourced from the Hebrew and Greek Lexicons of Strong’s Comprehensive Concordance based on the Authorized Version (KJV). The English “mind,” was translated from one Hebrew word in the Old Testament and three Greek words in the New, as follows (emphasis mine): 

     Heb. “Metalepsis,” meaning, “participate, accept, PARTAKE, RECEIVE.” 

    Gr. “Phroneo,” meaning, “entertain, sentiment, opinion, SET AFFECTION, BE THE SAME.”   Gr. “Nous,” meaning, “INTELLECT (divine,human), THOUGHTS, FEELING, WILL, UNDERSTANDING.  Gr. “Dianoia,” meaning, “DEEP THOUGHT, faculty, DISPOSITION, its exercise through IMAGINATION/UNDERSTANDING.” 

    Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Fifth Edition, 1942,  defines mind as “That which one thinks; opinion. . intention or wish; PURPOSE; DESIRE. . . sentiment; disposition; CHOICE; liking; INTENT; the subject of consciousness; that which feels, perceives, wills, thinks, etc. THE PERCEPTIVE AND THINKING PART OF CONSCIOUSNESS. . . Divine Mind:—a synonym for God. Philosophical: the conscious element or factor in the universe; spirit; intelligence—contrasted with ‘matter.’ Psychology: the total of the conscious states of the individual. One’s capacity for mental activity, etc.” (end quote) 

With just these initial basic truth-filled facts alone, it exposes the gross error of sinful ignorance and presumptuous arrogance to assert and assure ourselves and others that, “Regardless, we all are made in the image of God, period.” As Jesus taught Nicodemus, “Unless you are baptized by water and the Holy Spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Without true conversion and transformation of moral character by the purifying work of sanctification, all are lost in sin, captive slaves of the master deceiver and “father of lies,” are spiritually”wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Here is the most fundamental

plain truth regarding man: God Creator originally made man a separate and distinct order of creature as the crowning act and work of His six-day creation week. Man alone, not angels, was exclusively “made in the image and likeness of God,” formed by the fingers of his Maker from the dust of the ground and made of flesh and blood, not spirit, like the angels before him. Adam and Eve, the first man, or mankind, had the sinless mind, image, and yet-undeveloped character of God. But by disobedience they instantly lost all these. Right there in Eden paradise! And what they no longer possessed they could not pass on to their offsprings. All mankind thereafter is fallen, sinful, devoid of the mind, image, and character of God. 

The very purpose of the plan of redemption of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to completely restore all these that was lost through disobedience and sin, which could only be enabled,

FIRST, by the Creator’s supreme condescension in “the great mystery of godliness”—the incarnation! Without His Incarnation, Calvary was not possible and had no meaning at all! Hallelujah, Amen! 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

October 29, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE PURPOSE OF THE CREATOR’S INCARNATION IN THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS (Part 1)

The Incarnation: We start this most solemn, enlightening, and humbling truth from which emanates and branches out the grandest themes as well as the details and depths of the nature of gospel’s plan of salvation for fallen mankind. 

Its prophesied and fulfilled manifestation is a revelation to man, angels both holy and demons, as well as to the unnumbered unfallen worlds of God’s eternal universe of “the mystery of godliness.”  By comparison and contrast, it clearly exposes and delineates the exceeding sinfulness of sin of “the mystery of iniquity.”

If and when earnestly and humbly sought, with “an eye single to the glory of God,”the revelation of this “mystery of godliness,” will unfold into the revelation of another profound mystery, as follows: 

     “The mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest unto His saints: to whom God would make known what is the RICHES OF THE GLORY OF THIS MYSTERY among the Gentiles; which is CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY: whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom: that we may present every man PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS.” Col. 1:25-28. 

We continue by simply citing certain “It is written” and “Thus saith the Lord” texts that, on its own, declare these truths, both directly as well by comparing scripture with scripture as in “line upon line, precept upon precept, line upon line.”(Isa. 28: 8-13. Unless stated otherwise, as always, all verses are from the King James or Authorized Version (all emphasis provided):

God said to the serpent, Satan: 

     “I will put enmity between thee and the woman [starting with Eve], and between thy seed and her SEED; it [the Seed] shall bruise thy HEAD, and thou shalt bruise his HEEL”

Gen. 3:15. (see verses 1-24).

     “But when the fulness of the time was come, GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON, MADE OF A WOMAN, made under the law, to redeem them that were under [the condemnation and curse of] the law, that we might receive the adoption of sins.” Gal. 4:4, 5. 

      “And without controversy GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1 Tim. 3: 16. 

     “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. . . . He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. . . .And THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1: 1-3, 10, 14. 

    “God, who at sundry (various) times and diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers [godly patriarchs] by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His SON, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom also He made the WORLDS, who being the BRIGHTNESS OF HIS [the Father’s] GLORY, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, and upholding all things by the word of His power. . .But unto the SON, He [the Father] saith, Thy throne, O GOD, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness  is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Thou hast LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS, and HATED INIQUITY (sin; transgression). . . And, Thou, LORD, in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: they shall perish; but THOU REMAINEST; and they shall all wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art THE SAME, and Thy years shall not fail.” Heb. 1: 1-3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. (Jesus is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Heb. 13:8. “For I am the Lord, I change not. . .”Mal. 3:6). 

     “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, GOD SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, AND FOR SIN, CONDEMNED [not condoned] SIN IN THE FLESH: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the (Holy) Spirit.” Rom. 8: 3, 4. 

     “And she [Mary] shall bring forth a SON, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for HE shall SAVE His people FROM their sins. . . . Behold, a VIRGIN shall be with child, and shall bring forth a SON, and they shall call His name EMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US.” Matt. 1:21, 23. 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

October 22, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST’S MISSION ON EARTH 

     “Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith. . . But a body hast Thou prepared Me. . . . Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book of is of Me, to do Thy will, O God.” Heb. 10: 5, 7, KJV. 

Jesus said: “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, EVEN AS I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” John 15:10. 

     “Christ came to this world and lived the law of God, that man might have perfect mastery over the natural inclinations which corrupt the soul [the whole, living person]. The Physician of soul and body, He gives victory over warring lusts He has provided every facility, that men may possess completeness of character. 

    “When one surrenders to Christ, the mind is brought under the control of the law [Ten Commandments]; but it is the royal law [James 1:25] which proclaims liberty to every captive [of ‘the world, the flesh, and the devil]. By becoming one with Christ, man is made free. Subjection to the will of Christ means restoration to perfect manhood [while yet in the fallen, sinful, mortal nature].   

     “Obedience to God is liberty from the thralldom of sin, deliverance from human passion and impulse. Man may stand conqueror of himself, conqueror of his own inclinations, conqueror of principalities and powers, and of ‘the rulers of the darkness of this world,’ and of ‘spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Eph. 6:12, KJV).” E. G. White, Ministry of Healing, pp 130, 131. 

    “Our Lord Jesus came to this world as the unwearied Servant of man’s necessity. He ‘took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses,’ that He might minister to every need of humanity. (Matt. 8:17). The burden of disease and wretchedness and sin He came to remove. It was His mission to bring to men complete restoration; He came to give them health and peace and PERFECTION OF CHARACTER.” Ibid, p. 17. 

    “Christ came to this world to show that by receiving power from on high [imparted by the Holy Spirit], man can live an unsullied life [unblemished; spotless; holy; uncorrupted; morally and spiritually upright; sanctified]” – Ibid, p. 25. 

    “Christ came [to earth] that He might re-create the image of God in man; and WHOEVER turns men away from Christ is turning them away from the source of true development; he is defrauding them of the hope and PURPOSE and glory of life. He is a thief and a robber.”- Ibid, The Desire of Ages, p. 478. 

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

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:

October 15, 2025

God’s Purposes Revealed by Inspiration

THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION

    “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us [4 things] wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and REDEMPTION.” 1 Cor. 1:30, KJV. 

Definitions of “redemption.”

The untranslated Greek word is ‘apulustrosis’, meaning “The act  of ransom in full; figuratively, riddance, or specifically, Christian salvation; deliverance.”  See Luke 21:28; Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph. 1: 7, 14; 4:30; Heb. 9: 15. 

Webster’s: Collegiate Dictionary Fifth Edition, 1942, has this definition of REDEEM:       

     “To regain possession of by repurchase, or especially, payment of amount due as on a pledge or mortgage. To rescue or deliver, as from bondage, by paying a ransom… To make amends for; atone for. To fulfill, as a promise. Theologically, To rescue and deliver from the bondage of sin and the penalties of God’s violated [transgressed] law. Synonym: Ransom.” (end quote). 

With these helpful, incisive insights, consider the following (all emphases provided):

    “To restore IN man the IMAGE of his Maker, to BRING HIM BACK TO THE PERFECTION IN WHICH HE WAS CREATED. . . . This was to be the WORK of redemption.” E. G. White, Education, pp. 15, 16.

     “The PLAN of redemption contemplates our COMPLETE RECOVERY FROM THE POWER OF SATAN. Christ always SEPARATES the contrite [humble, penitent; repentant] soul FROM SIN. He came to destroy the works of the devil, and He had made PROVISION that the Holy Spirit be IMPARTED to every repentant soul to KEEP HIM FROM SINNING. . . .

There is NO EXCUSE FOR SINNING. A holy temper, a Christian life, is ACCESSIBLE to every repenting, believing child of God. THE IDEAL OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IS CHRISTLIKENESS. As the Son of man [incarnated human nature as ‘the second Adam’] was PERFECT in His life, so HIS FOLLOWERS are to be perfect in their life. . . . HIS CHARACTER IS TO BE OURS.” Ibid, The Desire of Ages, p. 311. 

Dear friend, do you claim to be a follower of Christ, a child of God, a born-again, Bible-and-Bible only believer?   

If so, is your faith “the faith of Jesus,” such that it not only grasps this gloriously “simple, accurate, and pure truth”, but  cherishes it by “pressing towards this definitive life-goal as the very “mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus?”

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