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Devotionals

WE PARTAKE OF THE DIVINE NATURE IMPARTED THRU THE DIVINE POWER OF CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE AS GOD IN THE FLESH

October 2, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

WE PARTAKE OF THE DIVINE NATURE IMPARTED THRU THE DIVINE POWER OF CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE AS GOD IN THE FLESH

“To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, as His DIVINE POWER has given to us all things that PERTAIN to LIFE and GODLINESS, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES, that through these you may be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust [unholy, worldly, carnal desires and the lust of the eye and the flesh’].”

2 Pet. 1:1-4, NKJV.

The Incarnation: “Layon aside His royal robe and kingly crown, Christ clothes His divinity with humanity, that human beings might be RAISED from their degradation [caused by sin], and placed on vantage ground.

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Devotionals

CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE

September 14, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

CHRIST’S HUMAN NATURE

Please find time to prayerfully and unhurriedly read verses 1-18 of Hebrews chapter 2. Here are the first 4 verses(emphasis mine):

“Therefore we must give the MOST EARNEST HEED, to the things we have heard, LEST WE DRIFT AWAY. For if the word spoken through angels, proved steadfast, and every TRANSGRESSION AND DISOBEDIENCE received a just reward, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God AlSO bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

Heb. 2:1-4, NKJV.

SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER: “This chapter opens with a warning against INDIFFERENCE. It is the first of many admonition scattered throughout the book, which evince the author’s [apostle Paul] anxiety for the SPIRITUAL WELFARE of his readers. From the nature of the exhortations we learn that, unlike the Corinthians, the DANGERS threatening them were NOT MORAL DELINQUENCY but a GRADUAL DRIFTING AWAY from the things they had heard, COUPLED WITH a lack of desire to apply themselves to a SERIOUS study of the Word.

“The larger part of the chapter is devoted to a discussion of the HUMANITY of Christ. In the first chapter the author brought indisputable proof of the DEITY of Christ. In the second chapter he shows that it is NEEDFUL for Christ to BECOME A MAN IF He is to be a merciful and faithful High Priest.

“How else could He deal gently with the weak and erring? He MUST be TEMPTED IN ALL POINTS LIKE AS WE ARE for it is only by passing through the EXPERIENCE to which [all] men are subject that He can succor [save, deliver, empower] those who are weak!

“This section contains a warning against the SUBTLE SINS of apathy and carelessness. Paul was greatly concerned about the SPIRITUAL condition of the people. There were TROUBLOUS TIMES AHEAD for the church. Persecution would soon break out anew; in a very few years the Roman armies would take the city, the Temple would be destroyed, and the Christians would be compelled to flee for their lives.

“Despite this, THE CHURCH WAS NOT FULLY AWAKE. They were ADRIFT with no anchor. Their condition was critical, and MOST SERIOUS OF ALL, they did not sense their danger!” (Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, 79, 80).

This is same condition we are facing today! The very signs taking place right now in America and the world are already announcing, in trumpet tones, that we entering the prophesied early time of trouble! Are we adrift or are our hearts and minds firmly anchored in the Rock, Christ Jesus and His Word—“It is Written,” “unto the law and the prophets,” “to the law and the testimony.”  Bless all, NMF 

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Devotionals

THE THREE PHASES OF CHRIST’S WORK OF ATONEMENT ON EARTH SUMMARIZED

August 24, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK :

THE THREE PHASES OF CHRIST’S WORK OF ATONEMENT ON EARTH SUMMARIZED

Jesus said: “I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.”

John 9: 4, Authorized Version.

From His prophesied baptism to His crucifixion, Jesus, the Creator incarnate into human flesh and blood nature, accomplished His appointed work and mission on earth within the specified time of three and a half years according to the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9 24-27. His work of atonement, at-one-meant, in three phases, is summed up below:

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Devotionals

PERSON: THE VERY INMOST NATURE

August 5, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

PERSON:  THE VERY INMOST NATURE

“Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person.”

Heb. 1:3, A.V.

“The Greek Word ‘hupostasis,’ translated to English ‘person’ is the same word rendered ‘substance’ in Heb. 11:1 [‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for’]; whereas in 1 Cor. 11:17 and Heb. 3:14 it is translated ‘confidence.’”

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Devotionals

GOD CREATOR AND HIS KINGDOM ARE BASED ON DIVINE, NOT HUMAN, LAW AND ORDER

August 2, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

GOD CREATOR AND HIS KINGDOM ARE BASED ON DIVINE, NOT HUMAN, LAW AND ORDER

“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you set at naught your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” “So then everyone one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Rom. 14:10, 12, A.V.

“The God who made the laws of the universe, who determined the laws of nature, also made the laws MAN’S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL NATURE. He is also the same God who gave the Ten Commandments as the guide of life [of man who He created in His image and likeness].”

“It was according to a predetermined plan that the law which demands the life of the transgressor should have as its author the One who was later to suffer the penalty for man’s transgression of it.”

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Devotionals

FROM CONFORMED TO TRANSFORMED

July 13, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

FROM CONFORMED TO TRANSFORMED

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:2, Authorized Version (KJV)

“God’s promise is, ‘Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with ALL your heart.’ Jer. 29:13. The whole heart must be YIELDED to God, or the CHANGE (or transformation) can never be wrought in us by which we are to be RESTORED to His likeness (image).

“By nature we are alienated from God. The Holy Spirit describes our condition in such words as these: ‘Dead In trespasses and suns;’ ‘the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;’ ‘no soundness in it.’ We are held fast in the snare of Satan, ‘taken captive by him at his will.’” Eph. 2:1; Isa. 1:5, 6; 2 Tim. 2:26.

“God desires to heal us, to set us free. But since this requires an ENTIRE TRANSFORMATION, A RENEWING OF OUR WHOLE NATURE, we must yield ourselves WHOLLY to Him.

“The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. [As Paul said, ‘I die daily.’ Selfish, self-centered, self-pleasing self must die].
He calls the unconverted heart as “the old man,” and the truly converted in heart and mind as “the new man in Christ Jesus.”

“The government of God is not, as Satan.would make it appear, founded upon a blind submission, an unreasoning control. Rather, it appeals to the intellect and to the conscience. ‘Come now, and let us reason together’ is the Creator’s invitation to the beings He has made.”  Isaiah 1:18.

“God does not force the will of His creatures. He cannot accept an homage (acts of worship) that is not willingly and intelligently given. A mere forced submission would prevent all REAL DEVELOPMENT OF MIND OR CHARACTER; it would make man a mere automaton (robot).

“Such is not the purpose of the Creator. He desires that man, the crowning work of His creative power (created on the 6th day of creation), shall reach the HIGHEST POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT. He sets before us the height of blessing to which He desires to BRING US THROUGH HIS GRACE.

“He invites us to give ourselves to Him, that He May work His will in us. It remains for us to CHOOSE whether we will be set free from the BONDAGE OF SIN, to share the GLORIOUS LIBERTY of the sons of God!” SC 43, 44. 

May the Holy Spirit guide, enlighten, convict, convince and empower you to do God’s will!   NMF 

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Devotionals

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

June 8 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.  “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exo.20:14.

Jesus magnified this law by declaring: “You have heard that it was said to those of old ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever LOOKS at a woman to lust for her has ALREADY committed adultery with her in HIS HEART.” Matt. 5: 26,27, NKJV.

“When the thoughts of evil is loved and cherished, HOWEVER SECRETLY, said Jesus, it shows that sin STILL reigns in the heart. The soul is still in the gall of bitterness and in the BOND[AGE] of iniquity.

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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.